NFL Greatest Players

Dick "Night Train" Lane: Former Green Bay coach Vince Lombardi called him the greatest cornerback he had ever seen. NFL wide receivers who carried battle scars from his vicious hits called him mean and uncompromising.

Love him or hate him, Dick "Night Train" Lane was a defensive force, a fearless ballhawk who disrupted passing attacks for 14 outstanding seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, Chicago Cardinals and Detroit Lions.

Incredibly, the 6-1, 194-pound Lane had never played above the junior college level when he showed up at the Rams offices in 1952 and asked for a tryout. Soon he was getting on-the-job training against some of the NFL's best receivers in one-on-one situations.

His instincts were sharp, his athleticism good enough to make up for the inevitable mistakes. When Lane's rookie season ended, he had 14 interceptions -- a still-standing NFL record -- and a pair of touchdown returns.

The flamboyant Night Train, who got his nickname from a popular musical recording of his era, defined how to play cornerback, experimenting and learning as he went along.

Lane developed the reputation as a mean-spirited headhunter, who would bring down ballcarriers with clothesline and facemask tackles that prompted legislation to outlaw such tactics. Many receivers, understandably wary, were defeated before the ball was ever snapped.

Lane was an impact player who made good things happen, primarily with his big-play, gambling style and a fierce determination to win.

He was one of the NFL's original ball-strippers and his reputation for dishing out pain was almost legendary. Happy and fun-loving off the field, he played with an edge that few could match.

When he finished his career in 1965 after six years with the Lions, he had 68 interceptions, a figure that still ranks third on the all-time list.