Deacon Jones was absolutely the best of his time.
If he played in the current era, with changed rules that bring about more passes per game and therefore more rush opportunities per game, he'd be the defensive GOAT. In my book, irregardless, he is. He could have played in any era.
Against the run you couldn't seal off his side and get around him. You simply couldn't. You didn't see anybody try it that often. Run inside? Merlin Olsen. And if Olsen was eating up blocks, Deacon was there - not just cleaning up, but blowing up the play.
I once watched him on the second Green Bay sweep of a game anticipate the play and get in the backfield and
run the RB down from behind for a loss. That was the last time in that game Lombardi called the sweep.
When asked what his biggest strengths were (I believe the video's in this board's archives,) he said "Speed - and quickness." He went on to describe them as two separate things. Head fakes, hand speed, catlike changes of direction; nobody could keep up with him or get away from him. That's quickness.
Speed? Deacon Jones ran a hand-timed 4.7 forty. On grass. Wearing pads and cleats. The old-fashioned, heavy pads and cleats. In shorts and running shoes he was faster than Jon Arnett in wind sprints - any distance. And Arnett was fast. I don't know if anybody had a stopwatch at those training camp wind sprints.
Technique? Strength? Watch a few highlights: Watch the waist-area arms-around tackles followed with immediate lift and drive, (and crunch) that upended and dumped QB';s and RB's on their backs and shoulders with maximum impact - with Deacon on top of them. He was a sure -
very sure - tacker.
Accusations of dirty play, right there on a highlight reel? I only saw him dish back in spades what was done to him. Play him clean, get beat, Deacon keeps it clean while opponent plays clean all game, that's OK. Get a little desperate and try grabbing and holding, or face-masking, or leg-whipping, etc.? Mistake. He'd get even - and it wouldn't stop there. He'd punish guys unmercifully who took it too far.
Let's look at Lawrence Taylor, by contrast: LT's success was largely due to his training regimen and game-time preparation.
More specifically, LT trained on 'roids and was a living model of 'roid rage and endurance in the game, aided by game-time preparation that went up his nose. Let's just say his super-human performance was "enhanced."
Without the enhancements his athletic ability would have made him a better-than-average player, a good one, but let's face it: not nearly as good without the junk that pushed himover the top.
Proof case in point: Shawne Merriman. An absoluite beast on the Oline, rated among the all-time greats until his drug bust, and after that, a slightly better-than-average journeyman football player. Nothing more. In my book that's what LT would have been and how he deserves to be remembered.
On that basis alone, LT is off the list to make room for Deacon Jones.
