Remembering Rams' Safety Eddie Meador

Two weeks after narrowly missing election as a senior finalist for the Pro Football Hall-of-Fame’s Class of 2024, former Rams’ safety Eddie Meador has passed away.

According to his son, Dave, Meador died Monday surrounded by his family. He was 86.

A star defensive back for the Los Angeles Rams, Meador was Hall-of-Fame worthy. He was a six-time Pro Bowler, five-time All-Pro and member of the NFL’s 1960 all-decade team. In fact, he’s the only first-team all-decade safety from the 1950s, ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s and 2000s not enshrined in Canton. Worse, he was never a finalist.

But he was close.

When the Hall’s seniors committee met on Aug. 22, Meador was one of 12 semifinalists considered for the Class of 2024. One of the last six to survive preliminary votes, he lost out when the committee finally decided on Randy Gradishar, Steve McMichael and Art Powell.

Reliable and dependable, Meador was the Rams’ MVP in 1964, was voted their Defensive Back of the Year seven times and was named to their 40^th and 75^th anniversary teams. But that’s not surprising when you consider what he did in his 12 seasons with the club.

Meador still holds team records for most interceptions (46), defensive fumble recoveries (18) and blocked kicks (10) for a team that's been in business since 1937. He’s also tied for most interception returns for touchdowns with five.

Do the math: That’s 64 takeaways, and that should have somebody’s attention in Canton. Cornerback Ken Riley was one of three senior inductees this year, mostly because of his 65 interceptions – tied for fifth-most in NFL history. Plus, Meador went to more Pro Bowls than safeties Kenny Easley, Donnie Shell, LeRoy Butler, Bobby Dillon and Jack Christiansen – all of whom are in Canton. 

Yet Meador was never a Hall finalist in 54 years of eligibility. Why? We asked his son, Dave, when he appeared on a “Eye Test for Two” podcast in June.

“The voters don’t remember watching him play,” he said. “And even if they were football fans, they weren’t necessarily watching the Rams or number 21 (Meador’s number) on the Rams at the age of 13, 10 or whatever. I think that’s a little bit of a barrier. Out of sight; out of mind.”

Meador becomes the second senior semifinalist for the Class of 2024 to pass away in the past two-and-a-half weeks. Linebacker Maxie Baughan died Aug. 19, three days before the seniors committee met.

He was 85.

"We are blessed to have had Dad with us all these years," said Dave Meador. "We are proud of his football career, no doubt. But we are prounder of the man he was to us and to so many."