Mean Awards 1945-2017
The Mean Award, named for legendary tough guy and fulcrum around which the Steel Curtain defense revolved, is given annually to the league’s standout defensive tackle. With defensive ends, I have an unabashed preference for pass rushers. For tackles, on the other hand, I prefer a more well-rounded repertoire of skills. This is especially true for linemen who played prior to about 2004, when the value of passing increased from its already high level. While I look at the same stats that I looked at…