USC’s countdown to kickoff turns to one of the program’s most decorated defensive backs: Ronnie Lott.
The Trojans will open their 2026 season on August 29, when they host San Jose State at the Coliseum, and this series has been spotlighting a notable Trojan who wore each number along the way. For this stop, the focus is on a USC Hall of Fame safety whose college résumé and pro career both left a major mark.
Lott played at USC from 1977 through 1980. As a true freshman in 1977, he had a limited role, but by 1978 he had moved into the starting lineup on the Trojans’ national championship team. He kept building from there, earning first-team All-Pac-10 honors in both 1979 and 1980.
His senior season was the big finish. Lott led the country with eight interceptions and was named a Unanimous All-American.
That body of work earned him a spot in the College Football Hall of Fame in 2002.
The NFL came calling in 1981, when the San Francisco 49ers made him the 8th overall pick in the draft. Lott spent his first 10 seasons with San Francisco, then finished his career with the Los Angeles Raiders and New York Jets over his final four years.
His pro numbers tell the story of a player who stayed at the top for a long time: 10 Pro Bowls, eight first-team All-Pro selections and four Super Bowl titles. Lott was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000 and is considered one of the greatest safeties in NFL history.
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