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Steelers Notebook: Woodson's endorsement was pleasant surprise to LeBeau
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Dick LeBeau said he never expected to hear his name mentioned Saturday night when former Steelers cornerback Rod Woodson was inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. And, of course, he never expected to hear it mentioned in the manner it was -- Woodson using his acceptance speech to implore the voters to put LeBeau in the Hall of Fame.

"I was surprised, certainly," said LeBeau, who was the secondary coach and defensive coordinator during Woodson's final five years with the Steelers. "The night was all about Rod, but that's Rod. He would share and deflect.

"I did not expect to hear my name in Rod Woodson's acceptance speech, but what a tremendous honor it is that it was in there. What a great compliment to me that he spoke of me in that light."

Woodson had 71 interceptions during his 17-year NFL career, ranking third all time. But that was only nine more than LeBeau (62), who ranks seventh in NFL history.

But it wasn't just LeBeau's contribution as a player that Woodson endorsed. He said LeBeau deserves to be in the Hall of Fame because he has spent 51 seasons in the NFL as a player and coach.

"I hope the voters, seriously, get it right," Woodson said during his speech. "He deserves to be in as a player, and if you don't put him as a player, you put him in as a contributor. He deserves it. The voters will get tired of hearing me saying it -- Dick LeBeau deserves to be in the Hall of Fame."

LeBeau said he has always tried to express to his players that he cares more about them as a person than as a player.

"Sometimes it's kind of nice to get some feedback that you made some right moves in the past," said LeBeau, 71, who is in his sixth season during his second tour of duty as defensive coordinator. "And when you get former players talking about you like that, it makes you feel maybe you did something right.

"The bottom line with Rod Woodson, he did 100 times more for me than I did for him."

Read more: Steelers Notebook: Woodson's endorsement was pleasant surprise to LeBeau

A pleasant surprise

Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau said he was touched that former Steelers great Rod Woodson stumped for his inclusion in the Pro Football Hall of Fame last Saturday.

During his induction speech, Woodson said LeBeau, a cornerback for the Lions from 1959-72, should also be immortalized in Canton, Ohio.

"What a tremendous honor it was in there and what a great compliment to me that he spoke of me in that light," said LeBeau, whose 62 career interceptions are tied for seventh on the NFL's all-time list. "I was surprised. The bottom line, Rod Woodson did 100 times more for me than I ever did for him."

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