Mel Blount

Mel Blount, born Melvin Cornell Blount in 1948 in Toombs County, Georgia, is an American former professional football cornerback who played fourteen seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League after being drafted in the third round in 1970. He played college football at Southern University and became the prototype cornerback of the 1970s, known for rugged bump-and-run pass coverage. He intercepted a pass in every one of his fourteen seasons, finished with 57 interceptions, led the league with 11 in 1975 and was named the NFL's most valuable defensive player by the Associated Press that year. His physical style helped prompt a rule change on contact with receivers that became known as the Mel Blount Rule. He entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989 and founded the Mel Blount Youth Home.