Defensive MVP in 2002. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports. I know, how can I rate Kirkland over Greene? Wright, Seattle Seahawks. In only five seasons, Wares already totaled up 64.5 sacks, including 20 in 2008. There was a story of someone meeting Thomas at the Pro Bowl for no longer than 10 minutes. When you ask who is the greatest MLB of all-time is, many people jump straight to Dick Butkus. Thomas never had less than seven sacks in a season in his entire career, and only had less than eight sacks in one season. Butkus nasty disposition and ability to blow up anyone standing in his path, made him one of the most feared players in the history of the game. Brooking was the face of the Falcons defense for nearly a decade, and is a well-rounded player. During his career Williams amassed 62.5 sacks, which is the second most in Bengals history. Jackson was most notable for being a pass rusher, but he really did it all. Matt Blair was a very intimidating linebacker, and helped the Vikings get to two Super Bowls in his career. This site is using Cloudflare and adheres to the Google Safe Browsing Program. Brian Urlacher is one of the greatest linebackers of this decade. Thomas did everything you asked out of a linebacker. Johnson was most known for his days with the Saints. Next were Defensive end Jack Youngblood and Joe Greene who each had 18 votes. Select from premium 1970 1979 America of the highest quality. Derrick Brooks may be the most accomplished linebacker on this list. No. Bulluck was one of the best pass coverage linebackers in NFL history. Leslie ONeal was a sack machine in his career. Check out the 1970 Minnesota Vikings Roster, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports and more on Pro-Football-Reference.com. In the words of Vikings' head coaching legend Bud Grant, "Paul personified the term free safety.". He did it in 2000 and again in 2003. O. J. Simpson and Lynn Swann were next with 22 and 21 votes, respectively. And here are the 25 greatest linebackers in NFL history: 25. Patrick Willis has made the Pro Bowl and an All-Pro team every single year hes been in the NFL. Super Bowl winner. Even now, you can tell what kind of person he is by his charity work with the REACH Foundation that he started. 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. He has been one of the most intimidating players in the NFL his entire career. The transition from college football to the NFL . He was Lawrence Taylor before Taylor was. He recently missed most of last season with surgery. 15, Zach Thomas (Dolphins/Cowboys) (1996-2008) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Five-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. No. Being a linebacker makes that feat that much more impressive. Chip Banks was another linebacker that was solid at everything, but not great at anything. Mills was more of a complete player than Swilling, although the two are too close to separate one from the other. He has done it all for the Bears with his pass coverage, run support, and blitzing. A five-time pro bowler, Wilson was one of the best linebackers in the league during the early 2000s. Over the past decade, virtually every stage of the offensive evolution has increased stress on linebackers, putting them in a bind and asking them to account for multiple things on the same play. He even made the Pro Bowl in a year that he only started eight games and also a year in which he only started nine games. To stoke the nostalgia, we talked to some of the key players from the team's winningest, most . Wagers only accepted in CO. For full terms and conditions, click here. 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. Kevin Greene will always be known as one of the craziest and talented pass rushers in NFL history. Anthony Simmons (1995-'97) is the only two-time First-Team All-American in Clemson . He became a starter at inside linebacker for the Steelers in his second season, 1993, replacing Pro Bowler David Little. In 1984 and 1985, Tippett put up two of the best back to back seasons recording 18.5 and 16.5 sacks in them. Born April 20 . Merriman still has the potential to be a great player again. He had less than seven sacks in a season only once. Find 1970 1979 America stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. 26, Cornelius Bennett (Bills/Falcons/Colts) (1987-2000) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. He may have been undersized, but he made up for it with his mind and his hustle. Next: A dangerous combination. A truly great linebacker must be able to read the offense, set the defensive scheme, play the run with cat-like instincts and defend the pass with the utmost precision. Eleven Pro Bowls. Ranking Explanation . 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. Al Wilson was an outstanding MLB for the Broncos. Nine All-Pros. Lofa Tatupu didnt take any time breaking into the NFL, making the Pro Bowl in his first three seasons. 32, John Offerdahl (Dolphins) (1986-1993) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 46, Jon Beason* (Panthers) (2007-Present) *One-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. That suggestion from the newly appointed House . Thomas was one of the most instinctive linebackers of all-time. 43, Keith Brooking* (Falcons/Cowboys) (1998-Present) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He had ten seasons with 10+ sacks. Republican Rep. James Comer suggested during a right-wing podcast earlier this week that President Joe Biden's deceased son Beau Biden should have been investigated in connection with a long-settled case on "campaign donations" from a backer who was eventually indicted. His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers. Tribute to Elvis Overlooked because he played alongside Lawrence Taylor, Carson did most of the dirty work in that linebacking core. Lawrence Taylor: one of the greatest defensive players ever, Taylor was a pass-rushing force who revolutionized the outside linebacker position . No. Those would be accomplishments by themselves, let alone all together. Taylor changed the way football is played today. 33, Al Wilson (Broncos) (1999-2006) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Top 30 Linebackers in the NFL since 1970! AP Sports SummaryBrief at 7:03 a.m. EST. Simpson in 1973 or Terry Bradshaw's two Super Bowl MVP performances. It may be a bit early to put Jon Beason on this list, but I think his play warrants the selection. Theres not much Brooks doesnt have. A tall order to say the least, and these 5 players did it better than anyone in the history of the NFL. He was also the first player to have a TE or RB used for chip blocking on him, and overall changed the way offensive lineman block. A tall order to say the least, and these 5 players did it better than anyone in the history of the NFL. and 2000s. Nine All-Pros. Schmidt stood out in an era of great middle linebackers. 40, Bryce Paup (Packers/Bills/Jaguars/Vikings) (1990-2000) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. Featuring 2018-2019 Raiders and some of the greatest NFL linebackers of all time, the best Raiders LBs include Ted Hendricks, Khalil Mack, Rod Martin, Sam Wiliams, and Greg Biekert. Ham had outstanding speed. 28a, Pat Swilling (Saints/Lions/Raiders) (1986-1998) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He did it in 2000 and again in 2003. The second member of the Dome Patrol comes off the board at No. Paup was a complete linebacker, who was especially great at rushing the passer. No. Edmunds will have to clean up the missed tackles and improve in coverage to rise toward where most slot him currently a top-10 linebacker on this list next season. Hes been amazing. He could do it all. Beason has only been in the league for three years now. He was a hard worker, good tackler, and had great hands. 7. He knew how to make big plays. A shot of Jameson for Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey. 1970 Defensive Player of the Year 5-time first-team All-Pro 8-time Pro Bowler The best high school, college and NFL linebackers are annually presented with the Butkus Award, named in honor of . Seau is one of the Chargers' all-time great players, and will go to Canton five years after he retires like he should. More Team Info. The 70s were a rough decade for the Browns, but the 1980s were getting off to a great start with the franchise returning to the playoffs, despite the tragedy of " Red Right 88 " in 1981. Mar 3, 2023 Updated 4 min ago. Junior Seau finished his career with 1,524 tackles, the highest total on this list. 29, Joey Porter* (Steelers/Dolphins/Cardinals) (1999-Present) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Hes going into his first healthy season again in three years. The 1970s had many great moments by individual players such as the NFL's first 2,000-yard season by O.J. In 1976, Jackson had seven INTs. 21, Patrick Willis* (49ers) (2006-Present) *Three-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He totaled 28 INTs in his career while he also racked up 1,045 tackles. He produced 32 sacks over the 3 seasons. 25, Karl Mecklenburg (Broncos) (1983-1994) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Three-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro Karl "The Albino Rhino" Mecklenburg was the definition of a blue collar player. He was one of the most feared players in the game. 44, Jessie Armstead (Giants/Redskins) (1993-2003) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Peterson is another versatile linebacker who has played both inside and outside linebacker. 25. He was one of a kind and will always be remembered as one of the best linebackers of all time. Quinto was a regular at both inside and outside linebacker for head coach Ron Gladnick's Saints. No. Chad Brown played a very long NFL career, especially for a linebacker. He also ranks third all . Porter is mostly known as a sack master. 45, Shawne Merriman* (Chargers) (2005-Present) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 37, Wilber Marshall (Bears/Redskins/Oilers/Cardinals/Jets) (1984-1995) *Three-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 42, Chip Banks (Browns/Chargers/Colts) (1982-1992) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st team All-Pro. That is just unheard of. If you havnt guessed it by now, Lawrence LT Taylor is my top linebacker of the modern era. But he proved them wrong and was a key piece on the Broncos Super Bowl winning team. Earl Campbell called Williams the toughest linebacker he ever played against. 10. Robert "Dr. Doom" Brazile is another one of those underrated linebackers. Rickey Jackson doesnt always get the credit he deserves, but hes a top 10 linebacker of the modern era. Tippett finished his career with 100 sacks. He did it once in 1985 and again in 1988. Jack Ham had the whole package as a linebacker. In only 11 seasons, Thomas had 126.5 sacks, and an NFL record of 41 forced fumbles. Zach Thomas is exactly what you want in a player and a linebacker. AP. Jackson was the vocal leader of the orange crush defense. Top 13 Cincinnati Reds Starting Pitchers of all time. Punter Ray Guy was the leading vote-getter for the 1970s All-Decade Team, receiving 24 of a possible 25 votes. 8, Demarcus Ware* (Cowboys) (2005-Present) *Four-time Pro Bowler *Three-time 1st team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. A late 12th round pick Mecklenburg finished his career with 79 sacks, which is great for an ILB, and also ranks 2nd all-time in Broncos history. 2013 MAC Hall of Fame Inductee: Western Michigans John Offerdahl. Depending on the day, you might view Ham as the best player on the Steel Curtain defense or the 4th best, and it's . Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1969), three-time Pro Bowl (1970-72), two . Boulware gets overlooked a lot playing because of playing with Ray Lewis, but he was a key component in that dominating Ravens defense of the early 2000s. Kirkland had great speed and agility for a big man. He was close to averaging a sack per game, which is an amazing number. Jeremiah The Axeman Trotter has been a very recognizable name over the past decade. Any coach would be lucky to have a player like Karl Mecklenburg on their roster. The Chicago Bears have the most all-time great linebackers. 1986 Boston Celtics - Were they the greatest Team? McAdams was a two-time All-American . Brooks is most known for his coverage ability in the Bucs cover-two scheme. Cornelius Bennett was just a great all-around player. He always tried to better himself and did it effectively. Greene led the way in the pass rushing department. He was blue collar player who was a great leader on defense and could do everything well on a football field. He had 885 career solo tackles, which is impressive on a defense filled with swarming the ball, shown by his 1,488 career tackles. But in those three years, hes racked up 328 tackles and seven INTs, all while starting every game of his career. Patrick Willis is everything you look for in a linebacker. Ham had arguably the most successful NFL career out of any of the names on this list as he was a star for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He had five INTs in a season twice in his career. He had over 1,000 tackles, over 70 sacks, and over 30 forced fumbles in his career. He had an outstanding attitude and would do anything to get his team a win. Teamwork and Leadership from Karl Mecklenburg NFL Motivational Keynote Speaker. He also played two different positions, playing ILB and OLB for the Vikings in his career. NFLs Merchants of Menace Andre Tippett. Lloyd had 54.5 sacks and 11 INTs in his career, but the most remarkable number was his 35 forced fumbles. 9-time All-Pro, 10-time Pro Bowler. The Top Ranked Linebackers of the 1960s Joey Porter. 16, Robert Brazile (Oilers) (1975-1984) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Four-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He was the type of player that you would want your kids to look up to. Next were Defensive end Jack Youngblood and Joe Greene who each had 18 votes. He led the team in tackles five of the 11 season he played for them. Thats the type of player you want on your team, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Top 25 SEC LBs of all-time: 15-11. 1970s A 1-13 record in 1969 gave the Steelers the first overall choice in the 1970 draft, with which Noll addressed the offense by selecting quarterback Terry Bradshaw, another Hall of Famer, after the Steelers won the first selection by winning a coin toss with the Chicago Bears. They had traded stalwart linebacker Sam Huff in the offseason. Thats nearly 13 sacks per season. credit : - yahoo. Thomas was one of the most instinctive linebackers of all-time. Gambling Problem? 1970 NFC Champion. 5.) Paul Naumoff. Super Bowl XX champion. No. Linebacker is one of the most important and demanding positions in football. 21. Andy Russell 7x Pro Bowl, 4x All-Pro, 2x Super Bowl Champion Linebacker '63, 1966-1976 Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images. Jalen Carter, top NFL prospect, posts bond in fatal crash. With time to spare in the NFL offseason, Ill take a look at the top 50 linebackers in the NFL in the modern era. You could stick him on any TE in the league, even some slot receivers, and he would take them out of the game. 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. . Even now, you can tell what kind of person he is by his charity work with the REACH Foundation that he started. Eddie Johnson arrived in Cleveland at exactly the right time. Lawrence Taylor of course, is regarded as the best 3-4 linebacker ever, . Don Moorehead, Dennis Franklin, Jim Harbaugh, Elvis Grbac, Tom Brady, Forest Evashevski, Benny Friedman and John Navarre were all elected Captains by their teammates. He made five straight Pro Bowls, but the reason he doesnt rank higher on this list is because he was never a feared player like his teammate Michael Strahan was, and his stats just arent good enough. Williams was the heart and soul of two Super Bowl defenses. He ran a 4.6 40 yard dash, which is outstanding for a linebacker, especially at that time period. Swilling was the best pass rusher of the Dome Patrol, but he also forced 36 fumbles to go along with all the sacks. The entire enterprise of Notre Dame basketball, gone strange. No. NFL Strength Of Schedule Rankings 2022-2023, NFL 2022 season finisher picture, standings: Chargers can secure billet on Monday, Packers stay alive for trump card, Cardinals versus Marauders score, focal points: Tom Brady directs late rebound as Tampa Sound moves beyond Arizona in OT, NFL would need to pay a robust $12MILLION to switch all its counterfeit fields over completely to grass as association faces developing commotion from players to switch all arenas to normal surfaces, NFL takes action against utilization of electronic gadgets during games, Packers versus Lions score: Detroit plays spoiler, closes Green Straights offered for postseason compartment, Top 10 Hottest NFL Wives In 2023 | NFL WAGs, The Best Quarterbacks In The NFL Right Now, The Coolest Players in the NFL Right Now, Ranked, 2-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1985, 88), 2-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1967, 83). But Mills did much more than that. He played in 10 playoff games and had two INTs and three fumble recoveries in them. No. The only thing that could match his signature stare was the stellar play of Samurai Mike on the field. Most people know Tom Jackson as the commentator working with Chris Berman. Voted to seven Pro Bowls, named First Team All-Pro five times. He even made the Pro Bowl in a year that he only started eight games and also a year in which he only started nine games. Mike Singletary. He took up blockers and threw his body around a lot. Armstead didnt particularly stand out at anywhere, but he wasnt a weak link anywhere either. That truly shows what kind of person he was off the field. LT finished his career with 142 sacks, averaging nearly 11 sacks per season. 19, Harry Carson (Giants) (1976-1988) *Nine-time Pro Bowler *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. We adapted Google's Privacy Guidelines to keep your data safe at all times. 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. No. 41, Mo Lewis (Jets) (1991-2003) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. He also took over Lloyds role in pass coverage as the only linebacker in the Steelers nickel defense. After being labeled a bust by many after his first four seasons with the Jets, Farrior broke out with the Steelers and became one of the most consistent players in the league. This season marked the end for Tittle and fellow Canton-bound star Frank Gifford. Zachary Petrizzo. Wilber Marshall had the whole package. In 2007, he racked up a remarkable 17 sacks in only 12 games. Sacks and tackles werent recorded until late in his career, but he was a great pass rusher and all-around linebacker. Zach Thomas. Top 13 Indiana High School Players of all Time, The 6 greatest Indiana Highschool pure Shooters, The 8 greatest IHSAA Championship Games in History. Playing 20 seasons in the NFL is amazing at any position. Singletary was a leader, not only vocally, but by example. Elected to the Pro Football Hall Of Fame in 2018. Offensive Coordinator: Jim Myers. He just goes out every week and hustles. Thomas is also third all-time in safeties and fumble returns for touchdowns. St. Singletary was a leader, not only vocally, but by example. Hes also great against the run and is a turnover forcing monster. Jason Gildon (Steelers/Jaguars): - Three-time Pro Bowler, one-time 1st Team All-Pro. Lamberts best season was in 1976, where he won the Defensive Player of the Year award. By 1995, he was recognized as one of the top inside linebackers in the league and had a stellar performance in Super Bowl XXX against the Dallas Cowboys at the end of the season. He is still active, and is a starter, but he might be on his way out of San Diego. In that game, the Steelers defense held the Cowboys to just 15 first downs and Emmitt Smith and the Cowboys powerful running attack to just 56 yards, despite losing 27-17 in large part due to two key interceptions thrown by Steelers quarterback Neil ODonnell. Please click on "Comments" and make sure to vote in the poll. May 24, 2022. Derrick Thomas was on pace to absolutely shatter NFL records before his tragic death in 2000. Already in his career, Ware has forced 23 fumbles. No. Jul 07, 2014 at 11:02 PM. He was 73. This list isnt based solely on performances from the 2020 NFL season. Lewis stats at this point of his career are 1,349 tackles, 36.5 sacks, and 28 INTs. 3 hours ago. 35, Lance Briggs* (Bears) (2003-Present) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Over the course of his two-year Ohio State career, Lee accumulated 147 tackles. Holdovers from the National Football League 1960s All-Decade Team were Bob Lilly, Dick Butkus, Merlin Olsen, Larry Wilson, and Jim Bakken, which made them the first players to make multiple All-Decade teams in NFL history. Bill Romanowski (49ers, Eagles, Broncos, Raiders) : Two-time Pro Bowler. Thats amazing consistency. Jackson had 40 forced fumbles, just one short of the NFL record. . Suggs will only continue to climb this list the longer he plays, since hes in the middle of his prime right now. Baltimore, with 2,038 rushing yards through its first 10 games of the season, is the seventh team since 1970 and first since the 1978 New England Patriots (2,029 rushing yards) with at least 2,000 . He also had 20 INTs, three of which he returned for touchdowns. Lambert and Ham also won four Super Bowls with the Steelers in the 1970s playing in the Steel Curtain. Spielman had seven straight 100 tackle seasons, and did it eight out of nine years. . There is a reason the award given to the best linebacker in high school, college and the NFL each year is named after Butkus. The defense was ranked right up there along with the 1985 Bears, and Steelers teams of the 1970s. Jack Ham, Linebacker. 48, Terrell Suggs* (Ravens) (2003-Present) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He was also a good pass rusher, and a good coverage man as well. Thomas never had less than seven sacks in a season in his entire career, and only had less than eight sacks in one season. The Steelers had lost their emotional leader, outside linebacker Greg Lloyd, at the start of the season to a knee injury, but Kirkland took over the mantle of leadership. In the first round, the team tabbed Fred McNeill of USC, who became a fixture at the outside linebacker spot for many . The next year, he followed it up with four more interceptions. But, theres no doubt that hes been one of the top linebackers in the NFL, and still is today. Who knows how many he wouldve had if he played in the entire 16? 8. Punter Ray Guy was the leading vote-getter for the 1970s All-Decade Team, receiving 24 of a possible 25 votes. Over his career, he totaled 1,271 tackles, 12 INTs, and 19 forced fumbles. He had less than seven sacks in a season only once. He was a tackling machine for the majority of his career. Robertson is one of the most underrated players in NFL history. Offerdahl was a blue collar type of player who was an even better person off the field. The Steelers began their 1976 season 1-4 and lost their quarterback, Terry Bradshaw.For the nine games remaining in the season, the Steelers . They surrendered only 20 points in that game, and seven of them were off a blocked punt. Chicago 1981-92. He always tried to better himself and did it effectively. 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. (Photo: David Boss, Getty) Historians will tell you that McAdams is one of the best linebackers to ever play at The University of Oklahoma. Over the past 50 years, the Steelers have tallied 36 winning seasons . It seemed like he knew where the ball was going at all times. LaVar Arrington. He had four interceptions that season, a high number for an inside linebacker, to go along with four sacks and 114 tackles. Fredd Young went a little under the radar due to his short seven year career. Carson did most of the dirty work in that linebacking core. The most obvious change from 1920 to today is the size of players, but there also have been many changes in the schemes . Jack Lambert played middle linebacker. 23. Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1989. Controversial Nights: Pernell Whitaker vs Julio Cesar Chavez, Top 11 Big Ten Basketball Teams, since 1960, Top 12 Guards in Big Ten Basketball history, NBA Pacers vs Spurs: Odds, Tips and predictions 03/02/23, NCAA Basketball Purdue vs Wisconsin: Odds, Tips and Predictions 03/02/23, NCAA Basketball Xavier vs Providence: Odds, Tips and Predictions 03/01/23, Top 20 Big Ten Basketball players of all time, Framer Fran McCaffery takes his sideshow and crybaby antics to play Indiana, NCAA Basketball Arkansas vs Tennessee: Odds, Tips and Predictions 02/28/23, The Hypocrisy of Major League Baseball, Gambling, Steroids, and Why it's Time to Put Pete Rose in the Hall. He played for a bad team with not much of a surrounding cast, but still excelled. Brazile might not get the credit because of the team he played for, but he was an outstanding player. Wilber Marshall was one of the greatest pass coverage linebackers of the modern era. He could do it all. Chris Spielman was a tackle machine during his 10 years in the NFL. No. [1][2] The squad consists of first- and second-team offensive, defensive, and special teams units, as well as a first- and second-team head coaches. He left everything he had on the field of play, and even though he was a tenacious player on the field, he was one of the most genuine and nice guys off the field. No. . Next up on the docket for my top Redskins players series are the linebackers. Seau was the definition of consistency. Eddie Johnson. When you see a list of greatest linebackers, Isiah Robertson very rarely even gets brought into the discussion. Mecklenburg was never a cocky player, but just a guy who would show up on Sundays. In his three years at Clemson (1995-'97) Simmons recorded 486 tackles, only 29 off the school record Bubba Brown recorded in four years from 1976-'79. No. Running back Larry Csonka of the Miami Dolphins is brought down by linebacker Henry Davis of . Junior Seau finished his career with 1,524 tackles, the highest total on this list. Pittsburgh 2002, '04-12, '14-17; Cincinnati 2013; New England 2017. Won Conference Championship 17-10 vs. San Francisco 49ers. We started off with a rough one the wide receivers. 100th NFL Anniversary team. Comic-Con Museum named best pop culture museum by USA Today. Derrick Thomas still holds the NFL record for most sacks in a single NFL game with seven, against the Seattle Seahawks in 1990. Any coach would be lucky to have a player like Karl Mecklenburg on their roster. He had 885 career solo tackles, which is impressive on a defense filled with swarming the ball, shown by his 1,488 career tackles. Mills racked up 1,142 tackles in his career. He was also the first player to have a TE or RB used for chip blocking on, and overall changed the way offensive lineman block. 10. Brazile was drafted out of Jackson State and revolutionized linebacker play in the NFL. Bryce Paup was an outstanding pass rusher in the 1990s. No. Rickey Jackson could do it all. Gradishar was the silent assassin of the team. He took them to the AFC Championship game in 1998, where they fell victim to John Elways Super Bowl winning Broncos. No. He was always around the ball. He was the notorious leader of one of the greatest defenses to ever make its way onto a football field Pittsburghs famed Steel Curtain.. Top 10, however, is not only a sure thing but easy as it was very tough for me to keep Levy out of the top 5 over the guy that made it. He had 1,301 tackles and 25 forced fumbles in his career. He did everything. Blair was outstanding in coverage, along with being a great tackler. Bryce Paup was an outstanding pass rusher in the 1990s. Let me start out by saying that yes, I know that he was only a linebacker for half his career and DE the other half. Lloyd will always be remembered as the lightning quick pass rusher from the Blitzburgh days. Kirkland had 10 tackles and a key sack of Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman. Jack Lambert was the teammate of Jack Ham who took the inside linebacker duties. This team was widely regarded as having one of the best defenses of all time. If you take away his last three seasons, where he was slowing down, he averaged 12.4 sacks per season, which is just remarkable. In 2006, he had an amazing season and won defensive MVP, which is a very high honor that most players on this list never achieved. Linebacker Jack Ham and Tight end Dave Casper each received 20 votes. 1970 Robert E. Lee Generals (13-0) Jim Chafin's team allowed just seven points a game and held 10 of its 13 opponents to 10 points or less. Thats fine, he played enough linebacker to be considered this high. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNzd9Xd0who, No. The former college basketball star is considered one of the best defensive linemen to ever play in the NFL. That is just unheard of. The middle linebacker also recorded 52 tackles for loss, which is fourth all-time in Clemson history. 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. Still, its an amazing number. He was the quintessential linebacker and easily the greatest of his era.

Are Clover Valley Products Made In Usa, James Survivor Knee Injury, Articles B