Their greats span the decades of the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s. 25. Cornerback Mel Blount was added in the . He played in 10 playoff games and had two INTs and three fumble recoveries in them. Use Isiah Robertsons name in a talk of most underrated players of all time, and youll impress your fellow football fans. Dennis Onkotz was a two time first team All American on the great Penn State teams of 1968 and 1969. No. Ray Lewis came into the league and dominated right away. Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Top 13 Cincinnati Reds Starting Pitchers of all time. The former college basketball star is considered one of the best defensive linemen to ever play in the NFL. No. Gary Reasons (1984-91) Gary Reasons, a fourth-round draft pick from Northwestern State, was a key . Jan 25, 1981; New Orleans, LA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Oakland Raiders players Mickey Marvin (65), Willie Jones (90), Rod Martin (53), Ted Hendricks (83) and Raymond Chester (88) on the field against the Philadelphia Eagles during Super Bowl XV at the Superdome. Demarcus Ware has only played five seasons in the NFL, but already hes one of the best of this era. Lewis, playing alongside Bryan Cox, led a very good Jets team to the closest theyve been to a Super Bowl since they won Super Bowl III. Randy Gradishar played along with Tom Jackson in the Denver Broncos Orange Crush defense. Here's 8 Ways NBA Has Changed That Modern Fans Don't Realize Derrick Thomas still holds the NFL record for most sacks in a single NFL game with seven, against the Seattle Seahawks in 1990. Thats over 10 sacks per season, which is outstanding. Any coach would be lucky to have a player like Karl Mecklenburg on their roster. The next year, he followed it up with four more interceptions. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The best linebackers in Minnesota Vikings history 17 Reasons why Jordan is greater than Lebron, 16 Reasons why Lebron is greater than Jordan, The 18 greates Coaches in College Football History, The Top 21 Offensive Linemen in NFL History, 19 undeniable Lies in Disney's Remember the Titans. His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers. Offerdahl was a blue collar type of player who was an even better person off the field. Mike Singletary had the whole package. The Pittsburgh Steelers are second with all-time players in four decades. Lewis most notable accomplishment may be starting the Tom Brady era by knocking out Drew Bledsoe on a roll out, giving Tom Brady his first ever NFL action. Dick Butkus: one of the fiercest and best linebackers the NFL has ever seen, Butkus was a Pro Bowler every year except his final season while also garnering five All-Pro selections for the Bears. He was a dominating force in the NFL during that stretch of time. He was also the fastest linebacker of the bunch and excelled in pass coverage. Steelers by the decade: 1970s - Pittsburgh Steelers Wilson recorded 560 tackles and 21.5 sacks as a member of the Broncos. 33, Al Wilson (Broncos) (1999-2006) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. So while there were outstanding linebackers in previous years, like Dick Butkus and Ray Nitschke, they will not be on this list. The only reason Brooks isnt higher up on this list is because he had a fantastic surrounding cast which includes, most notably, Warren Sapp taking up blockers on the line. In the 2017-18 NFL season, the current Buffalo Bills starting LBs and backup LBs are Lorenzo Alexander, Deon Lacey, Matt Milano, and Tanner Vallejo. 2022 NFL Linebacker Rankings and Tiers | NFL News, Rankings and - PFF Lambert won four Super Bowls with the Steelers in the 1970s playing in the Steel Curtain. Pittsburgh 2002, '04-12, '14-17; Cincinnati 2013; New England 2017. As an outside linebacker, he put a lot of pressure on opponents' quarterbacks. Bryce Paup was an outstanding pass rusher in the 1990s. Porter is mostly known as a sack master. Although he only played three full seasons, he made five Pro Bowls. Chicago Bears: Top 10 linebackers in franchise history - NFL Spin Zone Seau was the definition of consistency. No. Cox was also a vocal leader of the teams he played for, directing his defenses to success. Over the past 50 years, the Steelers have tallied 36 winning seasons . He was just a great all-around player who could do it all. Williams recorded 16 interceptions and 23 fumble recoveries (a franchise record). Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports. No. 25 Greatest Defensive Linemen in NFL History - AthlonSports.com He did it in 2000 and again in 2003. Over his nine-year career, he had 2,049 tackles, although this number is solo and assisted because he played before solo tackles were an official stat. What Terry Fontenot said about Marcus Mariota release, the quarterback Urlacher was the leader of those great Bears defenses of the 2000s, including when they got to the Super Bowl only to lose to Peyton Manning and the Colts. Wright, Seattle Seahawks. But it was his style of play that made his career so short. Julian Peterson has had a very well-rounded NFL career to this point, and its still going on. Wilson doesnt have the career numbers because his career was so short, but theres no doubt when he was playing he was the most feared player on the field. From his time at USC, Lott . Steve Kiner (1966-69): Tennessee fans didn't have to wait long after Emanuel left to find the next superstar linebacker. The offense, meanwhile, scored 29 points a game. He also played two different positions, playing ILB and OLB for the Vikings in his career. The Steel Curtain was the defensive line of the 1970s American football team Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). The defense was ranked right up there along with the 1985 Bears, and Steelers teams of the 1970s. He already has 57.5 sacks in his short career, along with 16 forced fumbles. Linebacker is one of the most important and demanding positions in football. Despite the bad taste he left when leaving the team, James Harrison belongs on the upper half of the top ten linebackers in Steelers history. He did anything the Bears asked of him, especially stuffing the run. Hes also great against the run and is a turnover forcing monster. That game and his outstanding 1996 season earned Kirkland his first trip to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors after the 1996 season. He is not only the greatest linebacker in NFL history, hes one of the games greatest players period. The NFL started in 1920 and commemorated its 100th season in 2019 with a season-long celebration of "NFL 100." The game has come a long way in 100 years. He was also a good pass rusher, and a good coverage man as well. 14, Hardy Nickerson (Steelers/Bucs/Jaguars/Packers) (1987-2002) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 44, Jessie Armstead (Giants/Redskins) (1993-2003) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. No. The 1970s had many great moments by individual players such as the NFL's first 2,000-yard season by O.J. They had traded stalwart linebacker Sam Huff in the offseason. 1. [a][4]. Also note that an asterisk (*) by the players name means they are still active today. But perhaps more than the star players, the decade was dominated by dynasty teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota Vikings, Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders, and . Pat Swilling. Lawrence Taylor. He could do it all. Super Bowl winner. NFL Defensive Rookie of the . He was never the most athletic player on the field, but he was always the hardest working. No. He did everything. If not, you can open it also by clicking the following link: Top 10 Athletes past the age of 40: Where does Tom Brady rank? L.T. During his career Williams amassed 62.5 sacks, which is the second most in Bengals history. Find out what the legends have to say about sports this week. thegruelingtruth.com is available in the following countries: The bonus offer of was already opened in an additional window. 8. Mike Kolen 1970-77. 23. But, theres no doubt that hes been one of the top linebackers in the NFL, and still is today. Ray Lewis is the top MLB of the modern era and is easily the linebacker of the 2000s. If you havnt guessed it by now, Lawrence LT Taylor is my top linebacker of the modern era. He was said to have the fastest 10-yard burst of any player on the team, and that included receivers John Stallworth and Lynn Swann, and running back Franco Harris. 32, John Offerdahl (Dolphins) (1986-1993) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 6, Jack Ham (Steelers) (1971-1982) *Eight-time Pro Bowler *Six-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He had ten seasons with 10+ sacks. LaVar Arrington. 29, Joey Porter* (Steelers/Dolphins/Cardinals) (1999-Present) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. When you think of Singletary, the first thing that comes to mind is intense focus. Pat Swilling was an outstanding pass rusher in his career, totaling up 107 sacks in his career and 101.5 sacks in a 10 year period throwing out his rookie year and last season of his career. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNzd9Xd0who, No. 100th NFL Anniversary team. No. As also playing DE should tell you, he was very versatile and could play many different positions. Ralph Baker - Years with Jets: 11 (1964-74) Baker played in 142 games with the Jets in his 11 seasons, which is tied with Marvin Jones for the 4 th most by a linebacker. More from Green Bay Packers. Williams was the heart and soul of two Super Bowl defenses. 60 Greatest Linebackers in NFL History | Stadium Talk Blair was also one of the greatest special teams players of all-time! Randy Gradishar Joins The Speer Wealth Team. Chad Brown played a very long NFL career, especially for a linebacker. Taylor changed the way football is played today. Ray Lewis is another one of the three players on the list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. As part of the Steelers Blitzburgh defense in the 90s, Greg Lloyd was a speedy, undersized pass rusher.Sometimes, he would use his size to his advantage to disguise where he was coming from. Here is my ranking of the top 10 Giants linebackers, along with some honorable mentions. He should be in the Hall of Fame. The Raiders defeated the Eagles 27-10. His best days were with the Bears and Redskins, but he had an impact everywhere he went. In only 11 seasons, Thomas had 126.5 sacks, and an NFL record 41 forced fumbles. 10 Best Linebackers in Steelers History (+Honorable Mentions) May 24, 2022. In the words of Vikings' head coaching legend Bud Grant, "Paul personified the term free safety.". 8, Demarcus Ware* (Cowboys) (2005-Present) *Four-time Pro Bowler *Three-time 1st team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Thomas never had less than seven sacks in a season in his entire career, and only had less than eight sacks in one season. Collect, curate and comment on your files. His best season was his first year with the Bills where he had 17.5 sacks, 70 tackles, two INTs, and three forced fumbles. 7. He had an outstanding attitude and would do anything to get his team a win. NFL WAGS: 10 Hottest NFL Wives & Girlfriends 2023. Top 10 Draft Picks in Broncos History | No. The National Football League 1970s All-Decade Team is a list of National Football League (NFL) players selected by voters of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. White House Livid Over Republican's Attack on Biden's Dead Son He became a starter at inside linebacker for the Steelers in his second season, 1993, replacing Pro Bowler David Little. With rule changes being what they have been, The number one pick was obvious. Johnson was most known for his days with the Saints. He may be one of the most hated players, but man can he play football. Simpson in 1973 or Terry Bradshaw's two Super Bowl MVP performances. Lambert is said by many to be the best inside linebacker of all-time. Both . You decide: Ohio State football's all-decade linebackers Lofa Tatupu* (Seahawks) : Three-time Pro Bowler, one-time 1st Team All-Pro. In 2008, Suggs even had two INTs, both of which he returned for touchdowns. SRS: 6.97 (5th of 26), SOS: 1.40. Next: A dangerous combination. Perfect Seahawks NFL Draft 2023 plan: Select C.J. Stroud if there at No 2, Ray Lewis* (Ravens) (1996-Present) *Eleven-time Pro Bowler *Seven-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. News Briefs: The latest updates in the Uptown and Downtown Thats nearly 13 sacks per season. . Randy Gradishar played along with Tom Jackson in the Denver Broncos Orange Crush defense. 3, Mike Singletary (Bears) (1981-1992) *Ten-time Pro Bowler *Seven-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. The Steelers began their 1976 season 1-4 and lost their quarterback, Terry Bradshaw.For the nine games remaining in the season, the Steelers . He also had 20 INTs, three of which he returned for touchdowns. Although still early in his career, Demarcus Ware deserves to be this high on the list. Hes on pace to not only break, but shatter the NFL record of 41. ONeal should get more recognition as one of the best pass rushers to play the game. He holds the NFL record for the most Pro Bowl selections by a middle linebacker (13). Ware is not just an outstanding pass rusher though. But Mills did much more than that. Top 10 LB's in OU history - 247sports.com Gil Brandt's greatest NFL linebackers of all time - NFL.com He was the only good player (other than Albert Haynesworth, but even he was only good for 2-3 years) on a generally bad defense and team. Andre Tippett. Defensive MVP in 2002. Ham had outstanding speed. But in those three years, hes racked up 328 tackles and seven INTs, all while starting every game of his career. His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers.
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