Selected in the eighth round (189th overall) of the 1970 NFL Draft out of Auburn, Tom Banks arrived in St. Louis as a completely overlooked prospect. A severe injury forced him to miss his entire rookie season, but once he stepped onto the field, he transformed into the cerebral, uncompromising anchor of one of the most dominant offensive lines in professional football history.
Standing 6 feet 1 inch and weighing 245 pounds, Banks operated as the quick-snapping, hyper-intelligent brain of the front five. What he lacked in towering stature, he more than made up for with explosive leverage, a relentless lower-body drive, and masterclass pre-snap callouts. Linebacker blitzes and complex interior fronts rarely caught St. Louis off guard because Banks identified defensive stunts before the ball was snapped. Alongside legendary linemates like Dan Dierdorf and Conrad Dobler, he spearheaded an offensive front famously dubbed the "Great Wall of St. Louis”.
After overcoming early-career injuries, including a knee injury that cut short nearly all of his 1974 season, Banks fully took charge of the quarterback position in 1975. He played all 14 games at center, leading an offensive line that permitted only eight sacks throughout the season, the second-lowest total in NFL history for a 14-game season. His exceptional line calls earned him his first Pro Bowl appearance and helped the Cardinals post an 11-3 record and win their division.
That breakout performance launched a four-year run of individual brilliance. Banks hit his career apex during the 1976 season, earning consensus First-Team All-Pro honors and a second Pro Bowl selection as the St. Louis offense again paced the league in pass protection. He added two more Pro Bowl invitations in 1977 and 1978, cementing his status as arguably the premier center in the NFC.
Banks played two more seasons in St. Louis, battling through wear and tear before retiring from the NFL following the 1980 campaign. Across ten active seasons with the franchise, he appeared in 116 regular-season games and made 110 starts.