Joe Schmidt was best known as one of football's run stoppers.
See more pictures of the greatest football players.  Contrary to
popular opinion, Detroit's Joe Schmidt did not invent the middle
linebacker position; he just played it better than it had ever
been played before. Few have played the spot better since.  In
his first two seasons with the Lions, 1953 and 1954, the former
University of Pittsburgh star played as an outside linebacker in
the then-prevalent 5-2 defense (five linemen, two linebackers).
But when a weakness developed up the center, Detroit coach Buddy
Parker switched to a 4-3 with Schmidt moving into the middle.
The 4-3 required an unusually versatile middle linebacker. He
needed to be strong enough to move into the line and stop
running plays, quick and agile enough to evade 250-pound
blockers and run down plays to the outside, fast enough to drop
back to cover pass receivers, and smart enough to diagnose enemy
plays before they developed.  It was a big order, but the 6'0",
222-pound Schmi