Eddie Meador Dies at Age 86; Former Rams Safety Earned 6 Pro Bowl Selections

Former Los Angeles Rams safety Eddie Meador died Monday at the age of 86.

His son, Dave, told Clark Judge of Talk of Fame that Meador died surrounded by family.

"We are blessed to have had Dad with us all these years," he said. "We are proud of his football career, no doubt. But we are prounder of the man he was to us and to so many."

Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk shared a statement from the Rams:

"We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of an NFL great, Eddie Meador, who was a standout leader for our organization and the Los Angeles community throughout his entire 12-year career. He was an instinctive and fearless competitor who captained some of the greatest defenses in NFL history. Eddie's ability to galvanize teammates made him a heartbeat of the Rams and his humility made him approachable to everyone. The Meador family and friends are at the core of our thoughts, and his legacy will live on forever."

The Rams selected Meador with the No. 80 overall pick in the 1959 NFL draft.

He played 12 seasons with the team as a six-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro first-team selection. He was also a member of the Hall of Fame All-1960s team.

Meador holds the Rams' record for interceptions (46), defensive fumble recoveries (18) and blocked kicks (10) and is tied for the most interceptions returned for touchdowns with five.

Yet he is still not in the Hall of Fame.

Judge noted Meador was one of 12 semifinalists for the class of 2024 when the seniors committee met on Aug. 22, but the group instead chose Randy Gradishar, Steve McMichael and Art Powell.