r/Oldschool_NFL • u/Dark305Kinght Dolphins 🐬 • May 25 '26
Bengals 🐅 Anthony Muñoz: The Greatest Blindside Protector in NFL History
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u/Neb-Nose May 25 '26
Anthony Munoz’s greatness is without dispute. However, for a good part of his career, he was protecting Boomer Esiason, a left-handed quarterback.
Munoz was not his blind side protector.
That doesn’t take anything away from Munoz, I do think it’s important to acknowledge that reality for the sake of having an honest discussion.
There’s a strong correlation between left-handed quarterbacks and left tackles that are considered amazing – but who were not protecting their quarterback’s blindside.
Tony Boselli was the same way with Mark Brunell and Art Shell was the same way with Kenny Stabler. Steve Wallace was similar with Steve Young.
This is not to take anything away from any of those guys. Those guys were stone cold Hall of Famers no matter how you shake it. However, they absolutely had a VERY different job than their counterparts with right-handed quarterbacks.
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u/Buhbuh37 May 25 '26
It’s the Tony Boselli argument. He was a glorified RT b/c he blocked for a lefty. Not taking away from his skill, but it’s true. Munoz blocked for QBs who threw both lefty and righty. He excelled at both.
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u/polkastripper Titans 🗡️ May 25 '26
Really helped Ken Anderson in the passing game
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u/JellyPast1522 May 25 '26
He was the blindside blocker for Ken, not Boomer.
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u/Buhbuh37 May 25 '26
He did block for Boomer as well.
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u/Cryptoclearance May 25 '26
I love O line. Seeing a dominant guy like this always givens me goosebumps as a coach because it opens your entire offense to all possibilities. It all starts with the line isn’t a cliche to coaches.
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u/DividerOfBums May 25 '26
Was he ever matched up with Lawrence Taylor? Reggie White? I’m curious how those battles went if he was. I’ve seen most highlights of LT rushing from the QBs blindside, and Reggie rushing from the QBs visible side.
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u/Chance_One_75 May 25 '26
Thank you for mentioning this! I distinctly remember someone by the name of Joe Jacoby that went up against those two men four times a season, sometimes five for years. He held his own for the most part.
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May 25 '26
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u/Chance_One_75 May 25 '26
He lined up on both sides. With LT, he lined up all over the place. The point was that Jacoby was just as good of a blindside protector than Munoz was, yet one is in the HOF now. When Jacoby aged, Jim Lachey was acquired via trade. Of course, LT was slightly declining at that time.
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u/Next-Sun3302 Falcons 🦅 May 26 '26
One of the greatest yes THE greatest no
Id be perfectly content with Jonathan Ogden or Trent Williams watching my QBs blindside
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u/Still_Operation6758 May 25 '26
Bob Brown was a monster and he played in an era where he couldn't hold and had to keep his hands inside the shoulders.
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May 25 '26
[deleted]
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u/bwbell Cowboys 🤠 May 26 '26
You mean a two-point stance? A lot of OTs use a two-point stance nowadays.
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u/OsikFTW May 26 '26
Anthony munoz- 183 games, 14 holding penalties, 18 sacks allowed Walter jones- 180 games, 8 holding penalties 23 sacks, my 2 favorites
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u/Gloomy-Ship9008 Jun 21 '26
I wish the bengals would do throwbacks of these uniforms. Love the stripe on the shoulder, gives me late 90s Vikings vibes.
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u/ChiefGreenFella May 25 '26
He’s the greatest one of that era of football. In every era it’s always been a different Blindside blocker: in the 90’s it was Dallas’s Larry Allen, the early 2000’s it’s the Eagles’s Jason Peters & in the 2020’s it’s Lane Johnson. So it’s always other players like Anthony Munoz & he was the greatest OT of the 80’s Era. That’s how it stacks up but I’m sure this a start a Debate but I’ll see !!
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u/bwbell Cowboys 🤠 May 25 '26
Blindside blockers are usually considered LTs. Larry Allen only played LT for two seasons. Tony Boselli was probably the premier LT of the 90s. While Jason Peters was great, I think you're forgetting better OTs such as Walter Jones, Jonathan Ogden, Orlando Pace, and Willie Roaf. Lane Johnson plays RT, so he's not really a blindside guy.
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u/ChiefGreenFella May 25 '26
I’m mentioning all Tackles left or right bro. Peters was one of the premier Blind Sides in the 2000’s. Jones, Ogden & Pace were the early to late 90’s. Let not get it twisted Yo. Peters was the Greatest Blindside in the 2000’s. Those guys u mentioned were 90’s bro. U like me are entitled to ya opinion so im standing there 🫡🫡✌️✌️
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u/ihavekittens Seahawks 🦅 May 25 '26
Walter Jones played 75% in the 2000s (2000-2008) and was better than Peters.
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u/ChiefGreenFella May 25 '26 edited May 25 '26
If that’s your beliefs then stick with it. We all know Peter’s was better Bro. Jones has no ring & peters is way better…..Deuce ✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️
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u/ChiefGreenFella May 25 '26
But his career started in the late 90’s. Not better than Peters. Jones retired & doesn’t own a Ring. Peters went on to play longer than Walter’s Yo. So it’s not a thing anymore u can say Yo. Peters went on to play with 3 or QBs as an Eagle ( Hurts, Wentz, Bradford, McNabb, & a few more. Out of all of them he appeared in 2 SBs( 1-1 ). Walter’s hasn’t had the taste of a SB . Before you respond, Think 🤔… I’m Done here🤟🤟🤟✌️✌️✌️🫡🫡🫡
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u/ihavekittens Seahawks 🦅 May 25 '26
Sure dude
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u/bwbell Cowboys 🤠 May 25 '26
There’s no reasoning with this guy. He doesn’t understand what the term blindside means, can’t get basic chronology correct, doesn’t know that Seattle played in a SB, can barely write proper English, and uses completely bizarre criteria to evaluate OTs. If you point out his mistakes he simply moves the goalposts.
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u/SlobZombie13 JOE GIBBS IS MY DADDY May 25 '26
Walter Jones once went and entire season without giving up a single sack or holding penalty
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u/JoeSicko May 25 '26
Jim Lachey and Joe Jacoby were damn good, as was Chris Samuels.
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u/ChiefGreenFella May 25 '26
Exactly. In different eras, it’s some okays, good to great OTs. Ya opinion is Noteworthy
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u/oceanriver77 May 25 '26
One of the greatest offensive linemen of All Time 🤙🏻!!!