12. Ronnie Lott — San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Raiders, New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs (1981-1995)
Arguably the most complete defensive back in NFL history, Lott was voted an All-Pro at three different positions in the secondary. His talent and toughness were obvious from the very beginning of his career. In his rookie season, he recorded seven interceptions, returned three of those interceptions for touchdowns, and helped the 49ers to win Super Bowl XVI. He finished second for Rookie of the Year honors, behind some guy named Lawrence Taylor — ever heard of him? Lott was the centerpiece of the 49ers team that won four Super Bowls in the 80’s.
He has a reputation as being one of the toughest, most feared players in NFL history, and there’s good reason for that. He had the tip of his left pinky finger amputated after the 1985 season when trainers told him he would miss the start of the 1986 season if he had the necessary surgery. Not only did Lott play through extreme pain, he played well… In that season, Lott missed two games and still managed to lead the NFL with 10 interceptions.