“The media had a bias,” Willie Anderson blames ‘The Blind Side’ movie for his Hall of Fame snub

'The Blind Side' movie featured the growth of Michael Oher as a left tackle.

“The media had a bias,” Willie Anderson blames ‘The Blind Side’ movie for his Hall of Fame snub

Cincinnati Bengals legend Willie Anderson blames ‘The Blind Side’ movie for his Hall of Fame snub as a right tackle (Image via Imago)

In the NFL, one of the most important positions on the offense is the tackle position. As they are the primary protectors of the quarterback. For right-handed quarterbacks, the left tackle becomes crucially important as they protect the quarterback’s blind side.

Therefore, as shown in the movie, ‘The Blind Side’, they are the most glorified of the lot. This is why Cincinnati Bengals’ legend Willie Anderson has a problem with the movie.

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The former All-Pro played the right tackle position. While speaking with Kay Adams about his Hall of Fame position on her show, Up & Adams, the now 49-year-old expressed his grudge with the infamous movie.

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The media had a bias because they just didn’t understand the importance of the guys we blocked over there were some of the best rushers of all time. The whole ‘Blind Side’ thing got taken out because of the movie and the right-side guys got pushed away.
Willie Anderson said

To this, Adams asked him again if he thought the movie had an impact on his Hall of Fame bid, and he agreed. He feels the movie has pushed the way the media thinks about left tackles.

At the same time, they have not given the same amount of respect to right tackles, such as himself. In his 195 regular season games, the 4-time All-Pro surrendered just 16 sacks. That career should have helped the Cincinnati Bengals great to be a Hall of Famer on his third straight bid. But now, the run of 18 years without a right tackle in the Pro Football Hall of Fame continues.

He feels that since the movie came out, everyone associated with the NFL thinks that right tackles are not as important as left tackles. But Willie Anderson reiterated that right tackles take on some of the best pass rushers in the game.

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Willie Anderson has kids lining up to play only Left Tackle

The 4-time Pro Bowler continued the discussion and suggested of how young players want to play the left tackle position. He cited an example from his own training camp he runs in Atlanta.

You got some kids who are 18, 19 years old that will tell you, ‘I only want to play left tackle.’ And I say, ‘Go look at what Penei Sewell’s contract was for the Detroit Lions this year. Over $100 million. The kids, their parents and the media pushing of The Blind Side left tackle is a huge deal.
Willie Anderson added

Suggesting that the effect of the movie still persists, 15 years after its release. Young players want to play the position that pays more.

The Blind Side showed the life of Michael Oher and glorified the left tackle position
The Blind Side showed the life of Michael Oher and glorified the left tackle position (Image via Imago)

The logic is true as seven current Left Tackles get paid more than $20 million a year compared to three from the opposite side of the line. A stark contrast considering that some of the best pass rushers in the NFL target the right side.

So, the Cincinnati Bengals great’s logic that Michael Oher and The Blind Side had a major impact on how the right and left tackle spots are viewed does warrant some truth. As ever since the movie was released, the right tackle spots have lost their glamor.

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