Mel Blount

Melvin Cornell Blount, born April 10, 1948, was an American professional football player who played cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League for fourteen seasons. Born in Toombs County, Georgia, he spent his early years in poverty on a Georgia farm. He starred in baseball, football, basketball, and track at Lyons High School, and after graduation accepted a scholarship to Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Playing college football for the Southern Jaguars, he was named a Pro-Scouts All-American at both safety and cornerback.

Blount was the prototype cornerback of his era and a significant reason the Steelers were the dominant team in the NFL during the 1970s. His physical style of play made him one of the most feared defensive backs in the game at a time when pass interference rules were less stringent. Over his career he was selected to five Pro Bowls and came to be regarded as one of the best cornerbacks ever to play in the NFL.

He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989. Off the field, he founded the Mel Blount Youth Home.