The Five Greatest Ever Cornerbacks

Hello everyone and welcome back to the Top Five Greatest Ever list! This segment will focus on the five cornerbacks who changed the game of the NFL. As per the usual, there will be some notable omissions left out as this list focuses the best of the best from one man's perspective. As per the last visit, this list shall use the four criteria I believe to be essential in determining the best of the best. Once again, they are as follows;


Performance


Accolades


Legacy


Impact




Now then, before we begin, as always, a disclaimer;


These written statements by the author do not reflect nor are shared opinions of members of TheSteelersFans Message Board, Staff Members and/or Site Administrator.



Now, to begin the list of the Top Five Greatest Ever Cornerbacks, much like in the Greatest Ever Safeties, we need to go back and pay our respects to a forgotten NFL Legend. Some even might argue he should be higher on this list; best ever even. Had it not been for our number five greatest ever Cornerback, the cornerback position as we now know it would not be the same. Turning back the clock at Number 5;









Dick "Night Train" Lane: Cornerback for the Los Angeles Rams (1952-1953), Chicago Cardinals (1954-1959) and Detriot Lions (1960-1965)




Now, many NFL Players who were African American during 1950s faced extreme hardships. However, Mr. Lane's hardships date back to the time of his birth. Rather, Mr. Lane did not even grow up with a mother and father. For that matter, his mother was a prostitute by the name of Johnnie May King and his father was a pimp who went by the name of "Texas Slim". Both had left Lane in a dumpster at the young age of only three months old. However, he would be adopted by a woman named Ella Lane, a mother of four before Dick Lane. While helping his mother out with her home ran Laundry Business, Lane would initially earn the nickname "Cue Ball" after an incident in which a man took off running after refusing to pay off a dime bet in a game of pool. Dick would then grab the cue ball from the pool table and throw it at the mans head during a chase that ended near the corner of a street.



Even so, Night Train's athletic rise to prominence would come in the form of L.C. Anderson High School. He would then compete in Basketball and Football; becoming a member of its 1945 and 1946 Football teams. Shortly after his High School days, Lane would reunite with his birth mother in Iowa where he would compete in the Negro Leagues, playing for the Omaha Rockets which was a farm team for the Kansas City Monarchs. After a stint in the Negro Leagues, Lane would then enroll at Scottsbluff Junior College being the only African American player on the team. During his one year in Football there, his team complied a 5-3-1 record and Lane was cited by the School Newspaper to have "Vicious Tackling" and "Pass Snatching"; ball hawking abilities for short. He would then opt to head for the U.S. Army's Fort Ord Football team; catching 18 Touchdown passes. After his military service, Lane would then work in an aircraft plant.



The NFL Gridiron would not await long however. After trying out with the Los Angeles Rams in 1952, Lane would go on to record 14 Interceptions in his Rookie debut; the most ever by a Rookie. In addition, it would be the most ever by a Defensive Player in NFL History. After only recording three the next season, Night Train would then be traded to the Chicago Cardinals; picking off 10 passes in 1954. To date, Night Train Lane is the only player in NFL History with 25 or more Interceptions in his first three NFL Seasons. For that matter, to date, Night Train Lane's record of 33 Interceptions in the first four seasons still stand to this day. While Night Train would then move on to the Detriot Lions to close out his career, his 68 Interceptions still ranks fourth all time and 1207 total career interception return yardage ranks sixth. Keep in mind however that both records were ranked second total at the time of his retirement. A major aspect of why Night Train Lane had and enjoyed so much success was due to the fact that he is the pioneer of a technique that is still in usage today; bump and run. By directly pressing his man across from him, Night Train would often get the advantage against anyone he had faced during his prime. Often cited as arguably the fastest corner back of his era, the 6'2, 210lbs Lane took full advantage of the limited passing offenses at the time. In addition being the inventor of the bump and run, Night Train Lane would be responsible for many other important Corner Techniques and Corner usages; all of which are still in usage today. The most influential are as follows;

1. Trail Technique. This has been reported multiple times by many of Lane's Detroit Lions team mates during his time from 1960-1965. Given Night Train Lane's speed, length and range, the Trail Technique would become a hall mark of his career.
   
   
2. Press Technique: As mentioned before, this is what made Night Train Lane one of the NFL's greatest ever Corners. His mastery of this technique allowed him to bewilder any opposing Wide Receiver during his time in the NFL.
   
   
3. Speed Turn: Used during his entire career, the speed turn had never before been seen. Now called the "W Drill" for modern Cornerback training, the speed train would often confuse many Quarterbacks that faced Night Train.
   
   
4. Corner Blitz: Used during his second and final Season with the Los Angeles Rams. Corners had never attempted to enact on such a move as blitzing was mainly done by Linebackers at the time. Night Train Lane was the first to use such a move frequently and periodically.
   
   
5. Face Mask: Not initially a rule, the NFL would adpot face masks in the 1950s. Part of the reason was so that the player had better protection. The other major reason was so that Night Train Lane would change his ways of tackling as grabbing his opponents face was his primary method of tackling. In 1962, the NFL adopted the rule of a Face Mask penalty after Lane tackled Los Angeles Rams Half Back Jon Arnett by the face, leaving him motionless.
   
   
   
   

Despite his many accomplishments in his career; Six All Pro Selections and Seven Pro Bowl honors, when it comes to Night Train Lane, not many people remember him. A major aspect as to why this is stems from the fact that Night Train was never apart of a Championship Team. Another major reason is his own era the same. Jack Christiansen, Yale Lary, Dick LeBeau, Paul Krause, Larry Wilson, Wille Brown, Herb Adderlely, Willie Wood and other great Defensive Backs of his era obtained far more success. Despite this, Lane was not only named to the NFL's 75th Anniversary All Time Team, he would then be selected to the NFL's 100th All Time Team. As stated before, due to the many influential forms of coverage Lane would play, his abilities and tendencies would later pave the way for other forms of coverage; Zone, Pattern Matching and Quarters, to name a few. While Lane may have never won a Championship, Mr. Lane is considered and reputed by many to be the fore father of the NFL Corner position.






No Championships?! No problem for Mr. Lane! Pioneering a position is no easy feat; the basics and principles standing the test of time doubly so. Much like "Action Comics Number 1" having Superman as the first true Action Hero, Night Train Lane was the games first true Shutdown Corner; a nasty deposition and ball hawking traits to boot. Having learned from their apparent mishandling of how fearsome NFL Corners could be, the NFL would see players like Emmitt Thomas and Willie Brown tear through the AFL shortly before the AFL-NFL Merger. However, our next Corner is a player who, much like Night Train, forced the NFL's hand into changing the rules; forever affecting the passing game and marking the beginning of the end of the NFL's "Dead Ball Era". Smashing Receivers onto his way to the number four spot of the Greatest Ever Corner's list;











Melvin "Mel" Cornell Blount: Cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers (1970-1983)




Growing up in Toombs County, Georgia and, much like Night Train Lane, Mel lived in a life of poverty. Being one of eleven childern to Alice and James Blount, Mel and his eleven siblings would assist the family by working at a young age. Given that the house that Mel lived in had no plumbing or electricity, life was not easy. James Blount, a subsistence farmer, grew produce such as tobacco; Mel's responsibility being loading said product onto wagons. While normal living was challenging for young Mel, excelling in sports was not. A star at Lyons High School in Track, Football, Basketball and Baseball, there was little that could stop Mel Blount from being a star athlete. Among all the sports though, Football clearly was his favorite. Upon graduation of his High School, he was offered a Scholarship at Southern University; a Historically Black College University. From there, Mel continued to excel; earning what was then called an All Pro Scouts pick at Cornerback and Safety. In addition, he would be named to the Southwestern Athletic Conference's All-Conference Team twice; a conference MVP Award in his Junior Year the same. Before he graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Physical Education however, the Pittsburgh Steelers would end up selecting him in 1970 as the 53rd Overall Pick.



Initially, Mel Blount would not start full time in his Rookie Season. For that matter, Mel Blount would not obtain the starting role until 1972. From there on however, Mel Blount was a mainstay fixture for what many believe to be the Greatest Ever Defense in the "Steel Curtain". In 1972, Mel Blount did not allow a Receiver to score against him all season. Mel Blount's immense combination of size, speed, explosiveness, agility, height and length made him the premier Corner of the 1970s and the most dominant of that decade. Even before reaching his prime, it was apparent to coach Chuck Noll that Mel Blount did not have a schematic limitation. Man to man, Zone, Press, Off Coverage or other coverage were no issue for Mel. His most famous and legendary form of coverage though was press; a coverage that would catapult him to NFL lore. While Mr. Lane was the fore runner of the press coverage technique, Mel Blount took that level of physicality to the extreme; engaging with Receivers beyond the line of scrimmage and often beating them up in the process. This ruthless and merciless style of play would eventually capture him a Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1975 with 11 Interceptions to his credit. However, while he would continue to lay seige on NFL Receivers, the NFL Competition Committee decided that enough was enough with not just the Steelers but also with Mel Blount. In 1977, the NFL Competition Committee passed a rule prohibiting Corners from making contact with Receivers outside of five yards of the line of scrimmage. In short?! The NFL wanted to slow Mel Blount down. Sadly, the NFL's plans did not work out so well. The Steelers would end up winning two more Super Bowl's to close out the 1970s and the rules that were meant to hold Mel Blount down ultimately ended up granting him three more Pro Bowl Awards in 1978, 1979 and 1981; 1981 being his fourth of four All Pro Awards. In all, Mel Blount captured four All Pro Awards from 1975-1977 and the aforementioned 1981 with Five Pro Bowls in 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979 and 1981. Much like Night Train Lane, while Mel Blount did not have the best early beginnings, he did have a very happy ending with a very successful and memorable NFL Career. Mel Blount would retire with 57 Career INT's for 736 Return Yards and two Touchdowns. He would also force 3 fumbles but recover 13; returning two for touchdowns.





Yes, yes, I know. To some, Mel Blount can make the case for being the second greatest ever Cornerback. While Mel Blount has more hardware with Super Bowl wins than any other corner on the list, hardware alone is not enough. To vault into the Top Three, one will need more than just hardware. One will need to dominate for a long period of time. It is true that Mel Blount did just that during his time. However, oddly enough, Mel Blount is not found on the 1970s All Decade Team. Now, I understand that the 1970s All Decade includes holdovers from the previous Decade but that still does not detract the fact that Mel is not on the list. Oddly enough though, Mel Blount is a member of the NFL's 1980s All Decade Team despite the fact that his best years were in the 1970s. Our next player on the list has been and, while he does not have the total level of hardware that Mel Blount does, he did dominate for a longer period of time. Speeding his way into the third slot of the Greatest Ever Cornerbacks;










Micheal "Mike" James Haynes: Cornerback for the Boston Patriots (1976-1982) and Los Angeles Raiders (1983-1989)




Born in Dension Texas, Mike Haynes was a gifted athlete growing up. That said, his parents decided to move to California at some point during his early childhood. While attending Thomas Star King Middle School, would soon make a name for himself. It was not until attending John Marshall High School that Haynes' athletic talents would soon flourish. Haynes was one of two players that were All Stars during his time from 1968-1971. During his Senior Season, Haynes would play both Cornerback and Quarterback. However, the Marshall School would not win a single game and would tie in their final one. Despite this, Mike was a standout Track and Football star; so much so that his name would be used as the Schools Football Stadium and he would be inducted into the Schools Hall of Fame in 1986. One record that still stands to this day in his High School Alma Mater would be his Track Long Jump of 23'5; winning the Championship for his School to end his High School career.



When Mike attended Arizona State in 1972, he would quickly become one of the nations best overall Defensive players during his tenure there. In all, Mike would accumulate Three Western Athletic Conference Awards and Two All American. His best season was his Junior Year; 11 interceptions to his credit. Arizona State University's best season was in 1975 where the Sun Devils would go 12-0 and place second in the then Wire's Polls. In all, Mike Haynes snagged 17 interceptions at Arizona State; second only to Mike Richardson of the famed "85 Bears" Defense. In 1977, Mike Haynes would be selected Fifth Overall by the then Boston Patriots. It would not take long for Mike to make an impression; both on defense and Special Teams.



During his Rookie Season, Haynes would nab 8 picks for 90 total yards. He would assist the Patriots in earning a 11-3 record to clinch a playoff berth; losing to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Raiders 24-21 in the first round. Even so, Mike Haynes would go on to win Defensive Rookie of the Year. His Patriots would get back to the playoffs in 1978 in which Haynes would record 6 INT's but with 123 Return Yards and his first career INT Return for a Touchdown. While the Patriots would clinch their division that season, the Patriots would eventually fall to the Houston Oilers in the Playoffs. Haynes would continue to play with the Patriots until 1982 where he would record 28 total INTs and 1,159 Return Yards on 111 returns. That said, that would not be enough as Haynes would play out his contract.



However, the Los Angeles Raiders were more than happy to give up their 1st Round Pick in 1984 and their Number Two pick in 1985. In exchange, Mike Haynes would be dealt to the Raiders in November of 1983; starting the final five games. In Super Bowl XVIII, Mike Haynes would record a Interception, a tackle and two pass breakups. Also during this time was the formation of what many considered to be the greatest Corner duo in NFL History with Mike Haynes and Lester Hayes. While Super Bowl XVIII would be his only Super Bowl win, Mike Haynes would continue to be a stellar piece for the Raiders; 18 Total INT's to his credit. According to the Official Pro Football Hall of Fame Website, Mike Haynes would add Five All Pro Awards but Nine Pro Bowl Selections to his credit. A total of 46 INTs is definitely the lowest among all the Corners listed here. However, there is a major reason as to why Mike Haynes made the list. Mike Haynes is the fourth Greatest Ever Cornerback as he was the First Cornerback after the Mel Blount Rule to dominate for an extended period of time. Remember, the Mel Blount rule was instituted in 1977. Prior to that, Cornerbacks like Mike Haynes, while exceptionally fast, were not the mainstay of the NFL. Post 1977, Cornerbacks like Mike Haynes were in full demand. However, there was one more element to Mike Haynes that launches him onto the list. Mike Haynes is considered by many to the father of all Versatile Cornerbacks. No longer would corners have to be accomplished in just shutting their opposition down. Cornerbacks would also have to excel in Kickoff Return and Punt Return; soon paving the way for Kick and Punt Coverage as well. Given how abnormally fast and quick Haynes was during his prime, he would be the modern blueprint for all future Corners. One more major caveat to Mike's place in NFL History was the importance of having a shutdown Cornerback tandem. Lester Hayes was great on his own but adding Mike Haynes is what propelled this theory into NFL History. In addition, Mike Haynes became a trail blazer for the importance of the Corner position as teams since then have had to pay immense to high premiums to obtains such players. While many consider "Prime Time" the father of the value of the position, the importance and impact of the position itself would have not had the same impact had it not been for Mike Haynes.






Again, Mike Haynes has the fewest amount of accomplishments and fewest amount of stats among all corners on the list. However, Mike Haynes would not just be premier Corner of his Era after the rule change but the foundation piece for all future Cornerbacks. Teams nowadays are looking for Cornerbacks who have a skill set that is comparable to Mike Haynes as his abilities are still a blueprint for the NFL Today; fast, quick, explosive and versatile. While Mr. Haynes is considered the pioneer of the versatile Corner, our next Cornerback is widely reputed as the Greatest Ever Cornerback.... except on this list. However, when it comes to coverage abilitites, no other Defensive Back even compares. High stepping it at Number Two on the list;












Deion "Prime Time" Luwynn Sanders Sr.: Cornerback & Return Specialist for the Atlanta Falcons (1989-1993), San Francisco 49ers (1994), Dallas Cowboys (1995-1999), Washington Redskins (2000) & Baltimore Ravens (2004-2005)




Deion Sanders, even at a young age, was often cited as a prodigy; gifted in both Football and Basketball at the tender age of eight. However, his talent would be his saving grace as his neighborhood in Fort Myers Florida would not be one for the weak of minds. Drugs, prostitution and criminal activity were rampant during his early childhood; capturing some of his childhood friends in the process. Despite this, Deion stayed true to his craft and continued to hone his skills. His skills and talent would rapidly accelerate to High School where, at Fort Myers in Florida, he would become an All State Recipient in Football, Basketball and Baseball. In fact, during a game in which he scored 30 points, one of his High School friends gave him his now famous nickname "Prime Time", a nickname that still is one of the NFL's most well known. During his Senior Year in High School, the Kansas City Royals would select Deion Sanders in the 1985 MLB Draft. However, Deion did not sign his contract with the Royals.


After his High School athletic dominance, Deion would end up attending Florida State University in 1985. During his Freshman Season, Sanders would immediately prove himself to be a worthy asset to not just the Football Team but also the Baseball team; helping the Seminoles win the Gator Bowl in Football. A year later in 1986, Sanders would help Florida State win the College World Series. Shortly after his impressive Freshman Season, Sanders would go on to win back to back Unanimous All American Awards in 1988 and 1989. Also during this time, while Deion initially wanted to focus on just two sports after dropping Basketball, he would then choose Track; helping Florida State a Conference Championship from 1986 to 1989. During his four seasons at Florida State University on the Gridiron, Deion Sanders would intercept 14 passes totaling 289 yards for three Touchdowns and accumulate 126 Career Punt Return Yards with three total Touchdowns. In 1989, Deion Sanders was awarded the Jim Thorpe Award; given to the nations best Defensive Back. He was a four time Conference Champion in Track & Field as well as a three time College World Series Champion in Baseball. After such a dominant Collegiate Career, the Atlanta Falcons would take him Fifth Overall in the 1989 NFL Draft. He would make an immediate impact for the Falcons, notching five INT's for 52 yards. However his most prominent role would come in the return game; 307 Punt Return Yards for one Touchdown.



From 1989 to 1993, Deion Sanders would become an instrumental part of the Falcons defenses. While the teams from 1990 to 1993 only qualified one time, Atlanta would boast one of the NFL's Top Defenses along with one of the NFL's best Special Teams. However, due to his mentality and desire to win, Deion would not remain a Falcon for life; gone after the 1993 Season. He would venture into the Bay Area with the San Francisco 49ers. The 1994 Season for "Prime Time" would be his greatest; 3 Total Defensive Touchdowns off of 6 total INTs. He would not return kicks or punts this season but he would gain something more valuable; his first Super Bowl Ring. Now having the hardware, all Deion desired now was money and fame; lots of it. During the 1995 Offseason, many teams would inquire about Deion's services. One team would end up winning the "Deion Sweepstakes", the Dallas Cowboys. While he would not play until Week 9 that season due to Arthroscopic Surgery, he would contribute to Dallas earning their 5th Super Bowl. Deion would continue his dominance as a Return Specialist and as a Cornerback from 1995 until 1999 for the Cowboys. After the 1999 season, the Washington Redskins enlisted his services for a staggering $55 Million over Seven Seasons. That said, he only played one; never fulfilling his contract, after the 2000 season, he would retire. Coincidentally enough, he was waived by the Redskins on the 25th of December in 2002 via the Reserve/Retired list; five teams wanting to sign him off of waivers. One of those teams were the Steelers at the time. The other four were the Colts, Chiefs, Chargers and Titans; San Diego having him as the highest Waiver priority. Sadly, due to the time of his release, he could not sign with them. His final years were spent with the Baltimore Ravens from 2004 to 2005 playing Nickel back. After the 2005 Season, Deion Sanders retired for good.




In all, Deion Sanders accounted for two Super Bowl Rings, Nine All Pro Awards, Two NFC Defensive Player of the Year Awards; one of which was for the entire NFL and eight Pro Bowls. During his prime, no other Corner back in NFL History was like Deion. Teams often threw to the opposite of Deion due in part to his innate ability to shut down the entire side of the field all by himself. This made him the game's greatest ever "Shutdown Corner" in terms of pass coverage. However, there was one grave weakness; his run support ability. While Deion Sanders is credited and reputed as the game's greatest corner, many are often pointing to the fact that a corners main priority is to cover. Well.... that much is true. However, a complete player is a complete player; corner back or otherwise. As such, where I will not debate Deion's ability to cover anyone as second to none, I will debate his ability as a complete player; hence his placement on the list.





The game's greatest cover corner ever not the greatest ever?! Yep! You would be correct! As stated before, to be the greatest ever, one has to be dominant in more than one area; one domain overall. No matter how good a player is at one aspect, if there is another major factor left out, there is a weakness that can be exploited as a whole. For Deion, running to his side would not be too challenging of an issue due to his legendary and infamous "business decisions". As such, considering him the best would be to ignore the criteria set. All that said, our number one greatest ever corner could do, practically everything he was asked to do in the Defensive Backfield. While it is true that our number one corner did not have the same level of coverage capability that Sanders had or even had the physical vitriol that Night Train possessed, this corner was legendary all the same in every phase he played in. Finding his way as the greatest ever cornerback;









Roderick "Rod" Kevin Woodson: Cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers (1987-1996), San Francisco 49ers (1997), Baltimore Ravens (1998-2001) & Oakland Raiders (2002-2003)



Long before being known as an Olympic tryout or even as an All-American Defensive Back at Purdue, Rod Woodson would have a steep hill to climb. Born on March 10th, 1965 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Rod Woodson would have an tumultuous upbringing given the martial status of his father James Woodson and mother Linda Jo Doerflein being an interracial couple; a negative among those against equality at the time. Constantly harassed by both Black Muslims and the Ku Klux Klan, Rod Woodson's childhood was anything but happy despite his father believing that moving North would not just be a better opportunity for him but also his future childern. In fact, things were so bad that members of the KKK and a group known as the Black Jesses would often call Rod's house and intimidate him, his mother and father and his two brothers, Joe and Jamie. However, Rod Woodson would get the last laugh as his father would instruct him to mock those that were prank calling the house. Even so, the efforts of the hate groups would take new heights as a lock of Blonde Hair was one day mailed in to the Woodson Residence; a threat to Rod's mother Linda if she did not divorce from James.



Despite all of this, such vitriol and hardships would only strengthen Rod's mental fortitude, desire and resolve. During his time at Nelson Snider High School, Rod would go on to become a Parade All American Recruit as a Defensive Back in 1982, winner of high and low hurdles in the State Championships and becoming "Mr. Indiana" in 1982. Rod would later attend Purdue University where he would pursue a career in Electrical Engineering. However, it would not take long for Rod to make an impact for the Boil Makers. While he did not earn any awards as a Freshman, his next three years would garner him not just three First Team All B1G Ten Awards but also a two time All American in 1985 & 1986; 1986 being his consensus selection. Not only was he gifted on the Football Field, Rod Woodson was gifted in Track & Field as well. Even before hitting the Track & Field for Purdue, Rod's speed was apparent as he completed in the 1984 Olympic Trials. However, he knew his true calling would be for the NFL.




On April 28th, 1987, the Pittsburgh Steelers would select Rod Woodson with the 10th Overall Pick. However, Rod Woodson to Pittsburgh was the furthest thing from Chuck Noll's mind given how talented Rod was. In fact, Chuck instructed Tony Dungy not to scout him considering that Rod was initially billed as a Top Five selection. Now, despite being selected by Pittsburgh, Rod Woodson would hold out until October 28th due to a Contract Dispute. During this holdout though, he would win Medals within several meets in IAAF Grand Prix in 1987 along with a Bronze Medal at the Olympic Festival. After his holdout, much like at Purude, it would not take too long for Rod Woodson to make an impact; his first pass intercepted from Boomer Esiason. However, this would be the first INT of many in his Steelers Career. Another 37 would occur from 1988 to 1996. His best season came in 1993, where he had 28 Passes Defended, eight interceptions, one Defensive Touchdown, two sacks, two Forced Fumbles and two Fumble Recoveries. In addition, he would contribute in the Special Teams department in the Steel City; returning four total kicks and punts for Touchdowns. His most legendary moment up until this point was an ACL injury during the 1995 Season. Then Head Coach Bill Cowher would keep Rod on the Roster spot until the Steelers reached Super Bowl XXX. While Rod Woodson would suit up for the big game, the Steelers would lose to the eventual dynasty that was the Dallas Cowboys. Even so, Rod Woodson had succeeded the position that Mel Blount had left behind.


However, despite this, he would not end up retiring as a Steeler. Due to contract disputes in both 1995 and 1996, Rod was slated to hit Free Agency in 1997. After the 1996 NFL Season in which Rod Woodson would be plauged with multiple injures, the Steelers ended negotiations by drafting Chad Scott from Maryland; a pick that still lives on in Steelers infamy. Regarding Mr. Woodson, he would hold a workout session at his College Alma Mater and would try out for multiple NFL Teams. The San Francisco 49ers would win out with Rod Woodson; making him a 49ers player in 1997. In the 1997 Season, Rod Woodson would help the 49ers reach the NFC Championship Game with 3 INTs and a Forced Fumble on the season. However, despite signing a Three Year deal with the 49ers, he was cut shortly after the season to save cap space. Again, Rod Woodson was on the move. However, his next stop would prove to be the one where Rod finally earned his Super Bowl ring. It would also be a thorn for Steelers fans that cheered him on the same. On February 21, 1998, Rod Woodson would sign with the Baltimore Ravens for three years. In addition, 1998 would mark the final time Rod Woodson would play as a Cornerback. Initially however, Rod could not get on the field due to refusal in partaking in the NFL's Substance Policy. As such, the league placed him in the first stage of the program. In his final season playing Cornerback, Rod would accumulate six INT's and return two for Touchdowns. From 1999 onward, Rod Woodson would end up playing Free Safety.



While Rod Woodson would led the NFL with 7 INTs in 1999, 2000 would be the season in which Rod Woodson would cement his status as a Champion. Forming one of the greatest ever NFL Defenses in the 2000 Ravens, Rod would finally become a Champion after defeating the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV. However, after the 2000 NFL Season, Woodson was released by the Ravens. He would be brought back again for the 2001 Season in which the Baltimore Ravens would again be in the playoff hunt. Ironicially, Rod Woodson and the Ravens fell to the Steelers 27-10 in the AFC Divisional Round. After the 2001 NFL Season, Rod would again be released. In the 2002 NFL Off Season, the Oakland Raiders would sign Rod Woodson to a Six Year deal. In his first season with the Raiders, Rod Woodson once again led the NFL in INTs with 8 total. Rod Woodson would end up playing in his thrid Super Bowl. However, he and the Raiders would lose to the Buccaneers, 48-21. Rod conclude his time as a Raider in 2003 and would retire in 2004 after failing a physical with the Raiders.




Overall, for a 17 year career, Rod Woodson would complie a grand total of 1158 tackles, 71 INTs for 1483 yards, 12 INT's returned for Touchdowns, 20 Forced Fumbles, 32 Fumble Recoveries and one Fumble Returned for a touchdown. Of the 71 Total INTs, 50 Total were as a Cornerback. While this is impressive by comparison to the rest of the list, the rest of the statline is as equally as much. Of the 20 Total Forced Fumbles and one that was returned for a touchdown, 17 were at Cornerback while the one Defensive Touchdown was at that position. As for those 1158 Total Tackles, 948 were at this position. For the time that he did return kicks and punts, he would amass 2362 Total Yards on 260 Punt Returns for Two Touchdowns and 4894 Yards on 220 Kick Returns for Two Touchdowns. All of 220 Kick Returns that Rod Woodson had would come from one team. More important than his stats are his accomplishments; an eight Time All Pro, six of which were First Team, a Defensive Player of the Year Award and an 11 time Pro Bowler. As mentioned before, Rod led the NFL in INTs twice; once in 1999 and again in 2002. In 1994, Rod Woodson was named to the NFL's 75th Anniversary All Time Team as well as the NFL's 100th Anniversary All time Team. He was an All Decade Selection at Cornerback for the 1990s.




Now, what sets Rod Woodson from every other Cornerback on the list?! Versatility. For that matter, this decision was not just based on merely changing positions alone or even returning kicks and punts. The reason why Rod Woodson is the Greatest Ever Cornerback is due in part to the fact that he is the first successful Cornerback to change positions after playing for an extended period of time. Recall back to the Greatest Ever Safeties list in which Ronnie Lott initially played Cornerback. While Ronnie Lott is the forefather of the modern NFL Safety, Rod Woodson can be considered the Modern Defensive Back due to his own mastery at both positions. In addition, Rod Woodson would not soley line up on the outside either. Rod Woodson was one of the first true Shutdown Corners to play on the inside; an unwritten rule in which Shutdown Corners prohibited at the time. Rod Woodson may have not been the fastest corner, possessed the greatest pass coverage or was the most violent but was the NFL's premier "Jack of All Trades" for a greater period of time in the league. As of this writing, Rod Woodson is third All Time in INT's, tied first in total Defensive Touchdowns with Charles Woodson and Darren Sharper. Given his longevity and impact on the game, Rod Woodson is the Greatest Ever Cornerback.




Final Thoughts:



Much like the Greatest Ever Safeties list, there are some notable omissions. Charles Woodson, Willie Brown, Herb Adderley, Dick LeBeau, Emmitt Thomas, Champ Bailey and Darrelle Revis are just some of the many names that were considered on the list. While I did initially want to omit Mel Blount for Willie Brown due to Brown making it to the 1970s All Decade Team over Blount. However, as stated before, Mel Blount did make an All Decade Team in the 1980s. Part of the reason for Blount's omission from the 1970s All Decade Team was due to the fact that the Pro Football Hall of Fame Committee had holdovers from the 1960s All Decade Team; Willie Brown being one of them. In addition, not since Night Train Lane had the NFL seen such vitriol until the arrival of Mel Blount. Keep in mind that 1977 marked the beginning of the end of what is now known as the "Dead Ball Era" as the NFL wanted to make the game more exciting due to its increased interest. The first aspect was to open up Offenses of course. However, the main target of the rule now known as "Pass Interference" was to outlaw Mel Blount; hence his placement. My biggest debate that I had with this list is placing Rod Woodson as the greatest over Night Train Lane. I am not going to use the classic scapegoat of "football was a different time period" as my reasoning either. While it is true that Night Train Lane is the fore father of the Cornerback position, subsequently, Offenses were wise to know that Corners like Night Train never traveled within the slot; a seldom used position up until the late 1980s. Even though Night Train did not need to travel into the slot as four or five Receiver sets were seldom used, it still left the doorway to other possibilities and, was still a void that needed to be filled for the next revolution of the position. As a result, Rod Woodson got the nod at Number One over Night Train.





Closing Comments:



That will do it for another chapter in the Greatest Ever! This one definitely was more difficult than the last due to the abundance of legendary talent that has, and still is, continually coming within this position. As stated before, there were some painful omissions left out; Willie Brown, Charles Woodson and Champ Bailey tops among them. However, as stated before, we need to look at the Greatest Ever and, to make the list, one must change the game in ways that have never before been done.



Thank you for reading this installment! I hope you learned something new and I hoped you enjoy! Join me next time where we will be ranking the Greatest Ever Off Ball Linebackers!



Until next everyone, this is AskQuestionsLater saying so long and stay safe!!

 

I’ve heard different arguments that Deion was a better cover corner and Woodson was better in everything else

 

Deion was a threat to score whenever he had the ball. Only guy more threatening imo was Barry Sanders.

 

Being a Steeler fan means never having to say you're sorry for telling the truth. Excellent analysis and write-up AQL. Made my day. Looking forward to the episode when you name Dermontti as #1 Center of all time as well as other well known local names at other positions.