B/R Interview with Ronnie Lott: On Harbaugh, Hitting and Health

Ronnie Lott, one of the great defensive players the sport of football has ever seen and a former 49er, was asked a simple question: Could he have played for current San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh?

Lott laughed.

"Of course. I would love to play for him," said Lott in an interview with Bleacher Report. "He brings passion and devotion to the game every week. You want a coach who fights as hard as you do."

Lott then recounted what it was like to play for the legendary Bill Walsh. Walsh's genius and innovation have been well-documented, but he could wear on his players. Some veterans, while admiring Walsh, also didn't totally trust him, because he ejected veteran players when he felt they were beyond their prime. They also felt Walsh loved Walsh.

Carl Viti/Associated Press

Lott remembers having serious disagreements with Walsh, but both men always worked out their differences.

"I got into arguments with Bill all the time," said Lott. "It was part of all the winning we did. We'd argue or have a disagreement, and then we'd move on. We always got everything on the table, and then we'd be done."

Then, speaking of today's 49ers, Lott said, "Who cares if you don't like each other?"

Lott is a key figure to talk to now at one of the most important junctures in NFL history. His Hall of Fame career lasted 14 years. He had a stunning blend of speed and ferocity. He might have been the hardest hitter in NFL history.

What Lott sees now when he watches the NFL is something nearly as magnificent as when he played. "I love watching football now," he said. "The skill level you see is pretty spectacular."

Eric Risberg/Associated Press

The one question I wanted to ask someone like Lott—who played in an era when big hits were championed, even promoted by the NFL, and concussions were regularly played through—was this: Would Lott have been able to play today?

Could he be the hard hitter he was? Or would today's rules severely alter how he played football?

"I would have adjusted to the game today," he said. "It's pretty simple. I would have learned not to hit guys in the head. I would have learned to use my shoulders. I would have been better than the safeties in Seattle because I would have changed my playing style but had more tenacity. 

"The thing about all of the 49ers players and coaches I played with is that we adapted. We were usually ahead of other teams. So I would have figured it out."

Jeff Reinking/Associated Press

For those who vaguely remember Lott as a good player, he wasn't just that. He was special. He made 10 Pro Bowls at three different spots—corner and both safety positions. Very few players today could do that.

Very few in history have done that.

Today, Lott's significance can be felt with a trophy named after him. The Lott IMPACT Trophy honors college football defensive players who aren't just talented but also aren't constants on police reports. A few of the past winners include J.J. Watt, Luke Kuechly and James Laurinaitis.

"The best part about being involved in the award," said Lott, "is being around good young men."

I then asked Lott a sensitive question. Does Lott, who is 55 now, feel any effect on his health from his playing days, like so many other players from his generation (and beyond) have?

"I feel fine," he said. "To me, you can be a victim, or you can be optimistic. I feel really good about where I am in my life."

Mike Freeman covers the NFL for Bleacher Report.