Steelers Legend Mel Blount Reveals How His Ultimatum Forced the NFL to Change an Entire Rule

Why The NFL Had To Change Its Rulebook After Pittsburgh Steelers Legend Mel Blount Refused To Back Down

Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Mel Blount was summoned to New York over his bruising coverage and told the league he would not change. A year later, the NFL changed the rules instead. Here is how the Mel Blount Rule reshaped the passing game.

Steelers Legend Mel Blount Reveals How His Ultimatum Forced the NFL to Change an Entire Rule

After the New England Patriots’ defensive backs battered Peyton Manning’s receivers in the 2003 AFC Championship Game, the league announced a crackdown on illegal contact in 2004. Defenders were suddenly being flagged for the kind of physical coverage that had once been routine. But the original blueprint for that physical style, and for the rule […]