Hall of Fame case for Eddie Meador, from earlier this summer

[talkoffametwo.com]

In the 1960s, the Los Angeles Rams counted on the Fearsome Foursome to give their defense a pass rush and stout run stuffers .. . and they did it in a dominating fashion. They ranked among the best defensive lines of all time.

But if the Rams needed a drive stopped by, say, a turnover or blocked kick, who could they count on to make those plays?

Easy. Eddie Meador.

The Rams have been around since 1937, yet their star defensive back still holds the club record for interceptions (46), defensive fumbles recovered (18) and blocked kicks (10). He's also tied for the most interceptions returned for touchdowns (5). Total turnovers created is not recognized as a record, but his 64 would also be a franchise mark.

"Outstanding in coverage and a fierce tackier," Hall-of-Fame teammate Merlin Olsen said of Meador. "He had a remarkable nose for the football that allowed him to come up with big plays again and again."

Reliable and dependable, Meador was the team MVP in 1964, seven times was voted its Defensive Back of the Year and was chosen to the Rams' 40th and 75th Anniversary Teams.

He was a first-team All-Pro in 1967 (NEA), 1968 (AP) and 1969 (AP, UPI); Second-team All-Pro in 1960 (AP), 1963 (NEA), 1965 (NEA); a Pro Bowler in 1960 and 1964-68 and All-Conference 1961, 1964-69 (The Sporting News).The heady defender was also one of three safeties voted to the all-decade team for the 1960s.

But he's the only one without a Gold Jacket.

That's puzzling. But what really baffles me is this: Meador has never been a modern-era or senior finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Don't ask me why.

For some reason, Hall-of-Fame voters never took him seriously as a modern-era candidate. He was eligible beginning in 1976, but his case wasn't heard the next 20 years by the Hall's board of selectors. In the summer of 2010, however, its senior committee considered him as one of three candidates ... but didn't elect him.

He ultimately lost out to Les Richter, a teammate of Meador's for four seasons. Richter joined linebacker Chris Hanburger as senior inductees for the Class of 2011.

Meador was also included among 12 senior candidates discussed for one of three finalist spots in the Class of 2023. Again, he lost out ... this time to Ken Riley, Chuck Howley and Joe Klecko.

Eddie Meador deserves better..

He wasn't big (his nickname was "Mouse", but he had speed. Nevertheless, his lack of his size kept him from playing football at Texas A&M, where Bear Bryant and his staff declared "Mouse" too small. When another school told the 165-pounder the same thing, he decided to play at a small college.

Returning to his hometown of Russellville, Ark., he played both ways for Arkansas Tech and excelled on special teams. After setting a raft of school records and named a Little All-American, Meador earned a shot at playing at the next level, size be damned.

The Rams chose him in the seventh round of the 1959 NFL draft. It was a smart move.

Meador became a starting cornerback in his first NFL season and was voted the Rams' Defensive Rookie of the Year. The following year, he made the Pro Bowl and was chosen as a second-team All-Pro (AP), picking off four passes - one for a touchdown. In 1961, he recovered a league-high five fumbles, which is still tied for the franchise record and one of six club marks he owns or shares.

And so it went.

In Year Four he blocked four kicks - another club record "Mouse" shares - and was named all-conference by The Sporting News for the first of seven times. The next year, in 1963, he made second-team All-Pro again, this time according to NEA in a vote of the players (often referred to as the players' All-Pro team). He'd stolen six passes, his career-high in five years as a corner, which ended after that year.

For the rest of his career, he was an All-Pro safety, averaging 4.4 interceptions a year and, according to coaches who tallied them, 90 tackles. At his new position, he received post-season honors every year from 1964-69 -- tangible proof that Meador was one of the NFL's best at his position.

With the arrival of Hall-of-Fame coach George Allen in 1966, the Rams were transformed from also-rans into winners. Allen relied on Meador to run his secondary, and, again, it was a smart move. With Meador in charge, the secondary became elite -- especially in 1967-68 when opposing passers posted ratings of 47.5 and 47.1 respectively against it.

Granted, the L.A. pass rush played a significant role there, but you have to cover receivers, too. In those two years the Rams did -- allowing 25 total touchdown passes while intercepting 57. Fourteen of those interceptions were by Meador, including a career-high of eight in 1967.

"Resourceful and inventive," is how Allen described Meador. "He made plays you didn't think he could make. He had real leadership qualities and captained the Rams for me."

Hall-of-Fame coach Weeb Ewbank joined the chorus, saying Meador was "quick and hard to fool. Very dangerous for a quarterback to throw in Meador's meadow."

Not only could he force a turnover or block a kick, Meador was one of the best holders in the NFL, too. He could run or throw off a faked field goal ... and in 1965 he did just that, converting a faked field-goal into a 17-yard touchdown run. If needed, he could also return kicks or punts.

In short, there is little Eddie Meador could not do.

He's in his high school, college, collegiate division (NAIA) and state Halls of Fame. For someone considered too small for big-time collegiate football, that's a long list of accomplishments. But there's one still missing, and that's the Pro Football Hall.

Someone please remind voters that Meador was a Pro Bowler more often than safeties recently elected to Canton -- including Kenny Easley, Donnie Shell and LeRoy Butler -- and more than old-timers like Jack Christiansen and Bobby Dillon. Furthermore, there are seven safeties in the Hall with fewer interceptions than the Rams' great.

The former NFLPA president, NFL Man of the Year and NFL Father of the Year has a Hall-of-Fame resume and should be presented to the senior committee. Here's hoping it's sooner rather than later.