From what I can find in the newspapers, the first shutdown corner in pro football history was a two-time Pro Bowler named Eric Davis … or a Hall of Famer named Ty Law.
Pro football Journal had a brief comment on 'shut down corner' in one of their articles, they noted Pro Scout Inc called Lester Hayes one in 1980 and also Monte Jackson in the late 70s.
There are twelve Packers in the HOF from the Lombardi era. Paul Hornung once said that Lombardi drove and elevated players to achieve their full potential. He said the only players who would have been Hall of Famers without Lombardi were Forrest Gregg and Herb Adderley. They were just that good.
Cornell Green was another great NFL corner who played basketball -- he was a 2-time All-America at Utah State and was drafted by the NBA but never played a single down of football in college. Went to Cowboys training camp as an undrafted free agent and ended up in 5 Pro Bowls.
I was waiting to see what Joe would write about Darrelle Revis. My favorite NFL position is defensive back, any defensive back. I'm most looking forwared to your takes on these guys. This one did not disappoint! Those numbers against Revis that year are the stuff of offensive desolation.
Adderley was 58 on The Atheltic's List. They did not include Revis among their nine cornerbacks (Willie Brown, Darrell Green, Champ Bailey, Mike Haynes, Mel Blount*, Charles Woodson, Adderley, Nigh Train Lane, and Deion Sanders).
I wonder whether he will cluster groups of players on the same squad (e.g., the Fearsome Foursome, the Purple People Eaters, the Iron Curtain). Any of those might feature multiple individual players worthy of inclusion by themselves.
For the Fearsome Foursome, you have Deacon Jones, Merlin Olson & then everyone else. There were multiple members who made up the other two slots. Roger Brown, Lamar Lundy, Rosy Grier & I'm probably forgetting a couple of more. They were good players, but they weren't Jones & Olson. Both of them are Top 100 players easily.
Very true. I wasn't implying that all of the Fearsome Foursome or any of the other groups should be included in their entirety, just whether he would cluster them (e.g., Jones and Olson, Alan Page and Carl Eller, Jack Lambert/Jack Ham/Mean Joe Greene, assuming he does admit each of those--although he already included Mel Blount on his own so he obviously won't cluster all of the Iron Curtain defense).
Pro football Journal had a brief comment on 'shut down corner' in one of their articles, they noted Pro Scout Inc called Lester Hayes one in 1980 and also Monte Jackson in the late 70s.
Revis Island...one of the top nicknames ever.
I'm sorry to be that guy, but for the book, 1967-2009 is 42 years, not 32. Otherwise, loved the post.
There are twelve Packers in the HOF from the Lombardi era. Paul Hornung once said that Lombardi drove and elevated players to achieve their full potential. He said the only players who would have been Hall of Famers without Lombardi were Forrest Gregg and Herb Adderley. They were just that good.
Cornell Green was another great NFL corner who played basketball -- he was a 2-time All-America at Utah State and was drafted by the NBA but never played a single down of football in college. Went to Cowboys training camp as an undrafted free agent and ended up in 5 Pro Bowls.
I was waiting to see what Joe would write about Darrelle Revis. My favorite NFL position is defensive back, any defensive back. I'm most looking forwared to your takes on these guys. This one did not disappoint! Those numbers against Revis that year are the stuff of offensive desolation.
Adderley was 58 on The Atheltic's List. They did not include Revis among their nine cornerbacks (Willie Brown, Darrell Green, Champ Bailey, Mike Haynes, Mel Blount*, Charles Woodson, Adderley, Nigh Train Lane, and Deion Sanders).
*(Joe already included Blount at 96 on his list.)
** F101: Upcoming MULTI-PLAYER ESSAYS **
Nos. 80 & 79 - Stuck on You: Fred Biletnikoff & Lester ‘The Molester’ Hayes
Nos. 78, 77, 76 & 75 - Come See Our Johnsons: Keyshawn, Chad, Andre & Calvin
I wonder whether he will cluster groups of players on the same squad (e.g., the Fearsome Foursome, the Purple People Eaters, the Iron Curtain). Any of those might feature multiple individual players worthy of inclusion by themselves.
For the Fearsome Foursome, you have Deacon Jones, Merlin Olson & then everyone else. There were multiple members who made up the other two slots. Roger Brown, Lamar Lundy, Rosy Grier & I'm probably forgetting a couple of more. They were good players, but they weren't Jones & Olson. Both of them are Top 100 players easily.
Very true. I wasn't implying that all of the Fearsome Foursome or any of the other groups should be included in their entirety, just whether he would cluster them (e.g., Jones and Olson, Alan Page and Carl Eller, Jack Lambert/Jack Ham/Mean Joe Greene, assuming he does admit each of those--although he already included Mel Blount on his own so he obviously won't cluster all of the Iron Curtain defense).