Anthony Muñoz
Michael Anthony Muñoz (born August 19, 1958) is a former American football offensive tackle who played for 13 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the USC Trojans. Muñoz is widely considered to be the greatest offensive lineman in NFL history. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998. Early life and college career Muñoz went to Chaffey High School in Ontario, California. He played college football at the University of Southern California from 1976 to 1979. He also played baseball there, pitching for USC's national championship team in 1978. The Trojans won a bowl game in all four of Muñoz's seasons, including three victories in the Rose Bowl. However, injuries had cut Munoz's freshman and junior seasons short, forcing him to miss the team's Rose Bowl wins in both years. In the opening game of his senior year, Muñoz suffered torn knee ligaments and had to miss all of the remaining regular season games, though he did return for USC's 17–16 Rose Bowl win over the previously undefeated Ohio State University on New Year's Day in 1980. Muñoz could have requested a medical redshirt, enabling him to play as a 5th year senior in 1980, or simply focused on getting ready for the upcoming NFL draft, but he insisted on coming back for the Rose Bowl. "I can’t imagine missing that experience with my guys," Muñoz explained. USC running back Charles White rushed for a Rose Bowl record 247 yards in the game, including six carries on an 83-yard drive to score the game winning touchdown with 1:32 left, mostly running to left weak side behind Muñoz. "He played the whole ball game, he didn’t get hurt and we won," USC coach John Robinson said of Muñoz after the game. "To me, that’s a perfect game. That’s one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen happen." NFL career Cincinnati Bengals Muñoz was the third overall pick in the 1980 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. His selection was viewed as a major risk by many pundits since knee problems limited the 6 ft. 6 in., 280-pound Muñoz to just a combined 16 games in his final two college seasons. Muñoz became a starter in his rookie season and remained a fixture at left tackle for the Bengals for 13 seasons and is considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest, offensive linemen in NFL history. Despite his history of injuries, Muñoz missed just three games during his first 12 seasons. His rigorous workout routine included working out in the weight room he had installed in his home and running three to four miles every day. In addition to his talents as a blocker, Anthony Muñoz was also a capable receiver, notching seven receptions for 18 yards and scoring four touchdowns on tackle-eligible plays, including one in 1984 from rookie quarterback Boomer Esiason against the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland. Muñoz played in two Super Bowls during