Steelers have a long history of winning defensive player of the year awards

Mel Blount, CB

Some players dominate the game; others are just superhuman. Such is the case with Mel Blount. In 1975, while pulverizing wide receivers, he also won the Defensive Player of the Year award, and rightfully so. Not only did he dominate, but he also forced the league to alter its rules.

Compared to other cornerbacks, Mel was a giant. Standing 6’4” and 203 pounds, he imposed his will on many wide receivers. He took advantage of lax rules, which allowed him to manhandle wide receivers as long as the ball was not in the air.

In 1975 he took his game to a whole new level. He recorded 11 interceptions and led the league. He had 121 interception return yards, and his longest interception return that season was 47 yards. Plus, he helped lead the Steelers to its second consecutive Superbowl win over the Cowboys.

Because of the way he dominated wide receivers in 1978, the NFL changed the rules prohibiting defensive backs from touching the receiver more than five yards from the line of scrimmage. Mel Blount initially took the rules change as an affront; he vowed to prove he could be just as dominant with the new rules and did just that.

In addition to his 1975 Defensive Player of the Year award, he has four Superbowl rings, played in five Pro Bowls, and was a two-time All-Pro