Ronald Mandel "Ronnie" Lott (born May 8, 1959) is a former American college and professional football player. He played as a cornerback, free safety, and strong safety in the National Football League (NFL) for fifteen years during the 1980s and 1990s. Lott played college football for the University of Southern California. He was a first-round pick in the 1981 NFL Draft. Lott played for the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Raiders, New York Jets, and Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL. Lott was made a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000. He is considered one of the best defensive backs in NFL history.[1]
Career
College
Lott graduated from the University of Southern California in 1981 with a degree in public administration. While playing for USC (1977–1980), he played in the 1979 and 1980 Rose Bowls.[2]
Professional
After college, Lott was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the first round of the 1981 NFL Draft. In his first season, he recorded seven interceptions and helped the 49ers to win Super Bowl XVI. He was only the second rookie in NFL history to return three interceptions for touchdowns. His finish second for Rookie of the Year honors, behind New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor.
Lott switched to the safety position in 1985. He had the end of his left pinky finger removed after the 1985 season because it was crushed while playing. A 1986 injury made him not play that season's last two games. He still had 10 interceptions. This was the most in the league and his personal best. In his 10 years with the 49ers, Lott helped them win four Super Bowls: XVI (1981), XIX (1984), XXIII (1988), and XXIV (1989).
After his career with San Francisco, played for the Los Angeles Raiders, the New York Jets and the Kansas City Chiefs before returning to San Francisco where he retired. He was made a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000.
In his 14 NFL seasons, Lott had 8.5 sacks and 63 interceptions. He had five touchdowns from interceptions. He recovered 17 fumbles, returned them for 43 yards. Lott was named All-Pro eight times, All-NFC six times, and All-AFC once.
Personal life
Lott was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He now lives in Cupertino, California, with his wife, Karen, and his children, Hailey, Isaiah, and Chloe. He now manages $2.4 billion in investments and owns both Toyota and Mercedes-Benz car dealerships. He opened World Sports Cafe in Fresno, California. Lott is the father of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Ryan Nece.
References
Other websites
