Willie Anderson, one of the NFL’s premier offensive tackles during the 2000s, believes a movie has significantly hindered his chances of being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Despite his stellar 13-year career, Anderson feels that the film “The Blind Side” has contributed to a bias against right tackles, the position he predominantly played.
In a recent appearance on “Up & Adams,” Anderson discussed his frustration with the media’s perception of right tackles. “I think the media had a bias,” Anderson stated. “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.”
“The Blind Side,” a movie about former NFL offensive tackle Michael Oher’s life, emphasizes the critical role of the left tackle. The film highlights the heightened importance of protecting a quarterback’s blindside, a notion that gained traction after Lawrence Taylor’s infamous blindside sack in 1985 that ended Joe Theismann’s career. This incident led teams to prioritize acquiring top-tier left tackles to shield their quarterbacks’ blind sides.
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Anderson contends that the movie reinforced the narrative that left tackles are inherently more valuable than right tackles. “You’ve 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.”
Anderson pointed out that the evolution of the game has increased the importance of all offensive line positions, not just left tackle. “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.”
Despite this shift, Anderson’s chances of Hall of Fame induction may still be affected by the era he played in, when right tackles were undervalued.
A three-time Hall of Fame finalist, Anderson received a form of recognition in 2022 when he was inducted into the Cincinnati Bengals’ Ring of Honor.
As Anderson continues to advocate for greater appreciation of right tackles, his story serves as a reminder of the evolving dynamics within football and the need to reassess the value of each position on the field.
