Dick LeBeau was a Hall of Fame cornerback for the Lions from 1959 to 1972. His most lasting impact on the NFL, however, might have been his invention of the zone blitz while he was the Bengals’ defensive coordinator in the 1980s. As a three-time Pro Bowl player, LeBeau was heady and durable; when he retired, he ranked third all-time with 62 NFL interceptions. LeBeau then became an NFL assistant with the Eagles and Packers before landing in Cincinnati to run its defense in 1984. In response to high-octane passing attacks, LeBeau developed a new defensive tactic – the zone blitz – which combined an aggressive blitzing scheme with zone coverage, and it became widely emulated. LeBeau later had two stints as Steelers defensive coordinator, during which time the Steelers made 9 playoff appearances and won two Super Bowls.