Former NFL offensive lineman Willie Anderson says you can thank —or blame — The Blind Side as the reason he's been left out of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
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No, seriously. But maybe he is onto something.
As relayed by Bryan DeArdo of CBS Sports, Anderson said the movie has created "an unfair bias" against right tackles, which just happens to be the position played by Anderson during his All-Pro career.
"I think the media had a bias," Anderson said on Up & Adams. "They just didn't understand ... the guys we blocked over there were some of the best rushers of all-time. The whole 'Blind Side' thing ... the right side guys got pushed away."
3-time HOF finalist Willie Anderson blames the movie "The Blind Side" for why he's not in Canton yet 😭🔊
It's been 18 YEARS since a RIGHT TACKLE has been inducted into the @ProFootballHOF 👀@BigWillie7179 @heykayadams @OLMasterminds pic.twitter.com/m1hpJkzUSP
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) July 18, 2024
Per DeArdo:
"The movie, which is about former NFL offensive tackle Michael Oher's upbringing, does indeed hype up the left tackle position and its heightened importance following Lawrence Taylor's crushing blindside tackle in 1985 that ended Joe Theismann's career. From that point on, teams focused more on acquiring left tackles who could properly protect a quarterback's blindside.
"The movie, Anderson said, reinforced the growing narrative that left tackles are more valuable than right tackles."
The movie added to the narrative that left tackles are more important than the men on the right, Anderson suggested.
"You got guys who are 18, 19 years old that will tell you, 'I only want to play left tackle.' And I say, 'Go look at what Penei Sewell's contract was for the Detroit Lions this year.' Over a $100 million contract. The kids, their parents and the media pushing left tackle is a huge deal. But they don't realize guards are getting paid crazy money right now.
"It's definitely changed for the better, I think, because these rushers are coming from everywhere now. Right side, left guard, over the center, everywhere."
