Ray Lewis is another one of the three players on the list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. . Zach Thomas is exactly what you want in a player and a linebacker. He was close to averaging a sack per game, which is an amazing number. 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. Steelers by the decade: 1970s - Pittsburgh Steelers He also played a big role in one of the most dominant performances by a defense in Super Bowl history. For most other franchises, a resume like this would make Jack Ham the greatest linebacker in thier history by a wide margin. He knew how to make big plays. No. Find 1970 1979 America stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Armstead didnt particularly stand out at anywhere, but he wasnt a weak link anywhere either. He is most known for the neck plate he wore behind his head, but dont let that distract you from his great play on the field. Suggs is a pass rushing monster with the Ravens. Next up, we look at a much better-rated unit in the linebackers. Hes going into his first healthy season again in three years. A true enforcer in every sense of the word, Lewis intensity was unmatched by any player of his era. Jack Ham might be the best coverage linebacker of all-time. Here's a list of the Packers' top 10 all-time defensive players since 1950, when unlimited substitution was restored to the NFL, paving the way for two-platoon football. He was 73. 1. No. Lance Briggs may be overshadowed by Brian Urlacher, but dont forget how great of a player Briggs has been for the Bears. Steelers all-time 53-man roster: '70s legends, 'Killer Bs' headline 2. Sam Huff. Tribute to Elvis 20, Keith Bulluck* (Titans) (2000-Present) *One-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Floyd Reese, the general manager who assembled the roster for the Tennessee Titans' lone Super Bowl appearance, died Saturday. That is the reason you will not find Butkus, Huff, Nitschke etc in these rankings. Thats fine, he played enough linebacker to be considered this high. Joe Schmidt. Top 5 Tennessee linebackers of all-time - Saturday Down South Taylor changed the way football is played today. He had less than seven sacks in a season only once. Isiah Robertson, nicknamed The Playmaker, was known for coming up with the big plays in the biggest games. Paul Naumoff played for 12 seasons from 1967-1978. 17, Brian Urlacher* (Bears) (2000-Present) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Four-time 1st Team All-Pro. 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. In 2007, he racked up a remarkable 17 sacks in only 12 games. He should be in the Hall of Fame. Less of a nod goes to pass rushers, linebackers and safeties. Over the course of his two-year Ohio State career, Lee accumulated 147 tackles. He wasnt great at one aspect but was equally as good at everything he did. It was tied for the best of the day with linebacker Owen Pappoe, of Auburn, and was the second-fastest time from an . K.J. I think thats largely due to the NFL not keeping sacks and tackles numbers during his career. Ranking the 10 best linebackers in Raiders history With time to spare in the NFL offseason, Ill take a look at the top 50 linebackers in the NFL in the modern era. [3] LSU women's basketball makes it rain in rout of Georgia in SEC 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. No. Hes been amazing. He did anything the Bears asked of him, especially stuffing the run. 23. In his time in the NFL, he intercepted 25 passes and returned six of them for touchdowns with three of those in 2002 alone. Bergey became one of the NFL's best linebackers in Philly, where he made five consecutive All-Pro teams and was the foundation for the "Gang Green" defense that made the playoffs in each of his last three seasons, including a trip to the Super Bowl in 1980. . He was a dominating force in the NFL during that stretch of time. His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers. Any coach would be lucky to have a player like Karl Mecklenburg on their roster. Call 1-800-522-4700. He did it once in 1985 and again in 1988. Steel Curtain - Wikipedia Named to NFL's All-Decade Team for 1970s and 1980s. He racked up a staggering 1,181 tackles, and 1,131 of them in his first nine seasons. No. The next year, he followed it up with four more interceptions. 1970 NFC Champion. O. J. Simpson and Lynn Swann were next with 22 and 21 votes, respectively. Still, its an amazing number. Some of you will say hes too low. He wasnt very vocal, but his play did all the talking for him. No. This site is using Cloudflare and adheres to the Google Safe Browsing Program. Al Wilson was an outstanding MLB for the Broncos. 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. Reese, GM of Titans' Super Bowl team, dies at 73 Thats amazing consistency. Those would be accomplishments by themselves, let alone all together. Their greats span the decades of the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s. 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. He holds the NFL record for the most Pro Bowl selections by a middle linebacker (13). 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. Cornerback Mel Blount was added in the . No. 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. Anything you asked him to do, he would do. No. I think thats largely due to the NFL not keeping sacks and tackles numbers during his career. Lewis stats at this point of his career are 1,349 tackles, 36.5 sacks, and 28 INTs. HELLO, PANDORA. Love him or hate him, Lewis has earned the title of greatest middle linebacker of all time. Even now, you can tell what kind of person he is by his charity work with the REACH Foundation that he started. Both . No. This team was widely regarded as having one of the best defenses of all-time. As also playing DE should tell you, he was very versatile and could play many different positions. They had traded stalwart linebacker Sam Huff in the offseason. No. Thats over 10 sacks per season, which is outstanding. 50, Bryan Cox (Dolphins/Bears/Jets/Patriots/Saints) (1991-2003). NY Jets: Top 10 linebackers of all-time - The Jet Press Patrick Willis has made the Pro Bowl and an All-Pro team every single year hes been in the NFL. *Ty Anderson, Thomasville: Anderson (6-0, 210) has been an all-state player since he was a sophomore Region 1-2A defensive co . 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. Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1969), three-time Pro Bowl (1970-72), two . 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. He had eight seasons with 10+ sacks. Ware has made four consecutive Pro Bowls and has had three consecutive All-Pro seasons. Randy Gradishar played along with Tom Jackson in the Denver Broncos Orange Crush defense. Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter has returned to the NFL . 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. Seau was the definition of consistency. In 1985, a trophy awarded to the best linebacker in college football was named in his honor. Merriman still has the potential to be a great player again. The-greatest-linebackers-in-Denver-Broncos-history-series Rickey Jackson was one of the fastest linebackers in the game, but he was also one of the hardest hitters. Rickey Jackson could do it all. 31, Tom Jackson (Broncos) (1973-1986) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Mike Singletary had the whole package. 7, Rickey Jackson (Saints/49ers) (1981-1995) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Five-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Super Bowl winner. Greene and Greg Lloyd made one of the best pass rushing duos in NFL history with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Hes on pace to not only break, but shatter the NFL record of 41. Not only did he change the way defenses are run, but he changed the way offensive schemes are run as well. First-Team All-Pro, Pro Bowl w/Raiders (1991) NFL interceptions leader w/Raiders (1991) Ronnie Lott is best known for being arguably the best safety in football history. And he's still going. He ran a 4.6 40 yard dash, which is outstanding for a linebacker, especially at that time period. Kolen was drafted by the Dolphins in the 12 th round . He finished his career with 1,106 tackles and 627 assisted tackles as well. 2011 Butkus Award winner for nation s best linebacker at Boston College. It may be a bit early to put Jon Beason on this list, but I think his play warrants the selection. 41, Mo Lewis (Jets) (1991-2003) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. [3] If you take away his last three seasons, where he was slowing down, he averaged 12.4 sacks per season, which is just remarkable. He also finished his career with 17 INTs. In the first round, the team tabbed Fred McNeill of USC, who became a fixture at the outside linebacker spot for many . Top 10 Best Linebackers In Cleveland Browns History (Updated) He racked up a staggering 1,181 tackles, and 1,131 of them in his first nine seasons. Top 25 SEC LBs of all-time: 10-6. 47, Fredd Young (Seahawks/Colts) (1984-1990) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st 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. He had over 1,000 tackles, over 70 sacks, and over 30 forced fumbles in his career. National Football League 1970s All-Decade Team - Wikipedia These were the players who were great players, but not quite good enough to be placed inside the top 50. That is just unheard of. Next: A dangerous combination. But he proved them wrong and was a key piece on the Broncos Super Bowl winning team. Punter Ray Guy was the leading vote-getter for the 1970s All-Decade Team, receiving 24 of a possible 25 votes. St. 19, Harry Carson (Giants) (1976-1988) *Nine-time Pro Bowler *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. . 1. 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No. 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. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org. No. Chad Brown played a very long NFL career, especially for a linebacker. Derrick Brooks may be the most accomplished linebacker on this list. . Brooks wasnt just a pass coverage linebacker, but he also played the run well. 15, Zach Thomas (Dolphins/Cowboys) (1996-2008) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Five-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Atlanta Falcons outside linebacker Arnold Ebiketie #47 gets a hold of Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields #1 during the second half of a game against the Chicago Bears at Mercedes-Benz Stadium . It seemed like he knew where the ball was going at all times. 28a, Pat Swilling (Saints/Lions/Raiders) (1986-1998) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Countdown 119: Top 10 Linebackers in NFL History - Sports H2H Robert "Dr. Doom" Brazile is another one of those underrated linebackers. Taylor changed the way football is played today. Please play responsibly. PFF Rankings: The NFL's top 25 linebackers ahead of the 2020 NFL season Who is the best high school football team in Alabama history (poll) 1953-65, Detroit Lions. Top 13 Indiana High School Players of all Time, The 6 greatest Indiana Highschool pure Shooters, The 8 greatest IHSAA Championship Games in History. 30, Matt Blair (Vikings) (1974-1985) *Six-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. Brooks wasnt just a pass coverage linebacker, but he also played the run well. Chicago 1981-92. His best season was his first year with the Bills where he had 17.5 sacks, 70 tackles, two INTs, and three forced fumbles. 27. The only thing that could match his signature stare was the stellar play of Samurai Mike on the field. Lewis was the leader of the 2000 Super Bowl-winning Ravens team. It seemed like he knew where the ball was going at all times. Overlooked because he played alongside Lawrence Taylor, Carson did most of the dirty work in that linebacking core. Dennis Onkotz was a two time first team All American on the great Penn State teams of 1968 and 1969. Kevin Greene will always be known as one of the craziest and talented pass rushers in NFL history. Mike Singletary. He could do it all. 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 . No. In today's NFL, few positions have become as difficult to play as off-ball linebacker. Junior Seau finished his career with 1,524 tackles, the highest total on this list. Paup was a complete linebacker, who was especially great at rushing the passer. When Indiana travels to San Antonio, it will MLB Rule Changes | Can F1 Compete With NASCAR | Froggy Talkin Sports #MLB #indianahoosiers #nascar, Indiana Basketball Postgame W/Steve Risley: Indiana vs Iowa Recap and more, Must be 21+. He finished his career with 1,106 tackles and 627 assisted tackles as well. Thats the type of player you want on your team, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Nickerson wasnt just a one hit wonder though. Johnson wasnt very flashy, but he was very solid all-around, which is why he sneaks onto the list. Of the five LBs chosen to the 1950s All-Decade Team the others were Bednarik, Fortunato, George, and Huff Schmidt made the most Pro Bowls (nine) and the most all-pro teams (seven first-team, nine altogether). There was a story of someone meeting Thomas at the Pro Bowl for no longer than 10 minutes. Top 13 Cincinnati Reds Starting Pitchers of all time. Top 25 SEC LBs of all-time: No. 5-1 - Saturday Down South He was the quintessential linebacker and easily the greatest of his era. He recently missed most of last season with surgery. In 1993 as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers middle linebacker, Nickerson piled up an astounding 214 tackles. Other Links > Football > Player Rankings by Position > Top Ranked Linebackers . 3 hours ago. He also played two different positions, playing ILB and OLB for the Vikings in his career. The nine-time Pro Bowl player, two-time All-Pro, and Hall of Fame is one of the all-time sacks leaders with 126.5, and he also forced 41 fumbles during his 11-year career. 1970 Minnesota Vikings Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees But Mills did much more than that. Singletary was a leader, not only vocally, but by example. Gary Reasons (1984-91) Gary Reasons, a fourth-round draft pick from Northwestern State, was a key . During the late 1970s and early 80s, he was the best linebacker the NFL had. Top ten linebackers in Steelers history: Version two - Steelers Sanctuary 25 Greatest Middle Linebackers in NFL History Sacks and tackles werent recorded until late in his career, but he was a great pass rusher and all-around linebacker. 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. 1970 1979 America Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Gambling Problem? James Harrison. . He was always around the ball. With rule changes being what they have been, The number one pick was obvious. A five-time pro bowler, Wilson was one of the best linebackers in the league during the early 2000s. 25 Greatest Defensive Linemen in NFL History - AthlonSports.com Punter Ray Guy was the leading vote-getter for the 1970s All-Decade Team, receiving 24 of a possible 25 votes. Thomas was one of the most instinctive linebackers of all-time. He also had 20 INTs, three of which he returned for touchdowns. Eleven Pro Bowls. Its too bad Fredd Youngs career had to end prematurely due to injuries. He has already had three 100 tackle seasons in his first three years, and also has already forced 10 turnovers (four INTs, six forced fumbles). 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 wasnt very vocal, but his play did all the talking for him. The 1970s Were the L.A. Rams' Most Dramatic Decade - Los Angeles Magazine In that career he played both 4-3 OLB and 3-4 ILB. 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He was Lawrence Taylor before Taylor was. More from Green Bay Packers. With rule changes being what they have been, I decided to rank the linebackers that have played since 1970. Lewis wasnt as vocal as Cox, but his play was a little better, and lasted for a longer period of time. Rickey Jackson was one of the fastest linebackers in the game, but he was also one of the hardest hitters. 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The Top Ranked Linebackers of the 1960s - AinsworthSports.com #NFL100 - Top 6 Outside Linebackers Official list of the NFL's best players in the 1970s, National Football League 1970s All-Decade Team, National Football League 1960s All-Decade Team, https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/04/06/tom-brady-is-first-qb-to-make-two-all-decade-teams/, National Football League All-Decade Teams, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=National_Football_League_1970s_All-Decade_Team&oldid=1132426489, National Football League records and achievements, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 8 January 2023, at 20:52. He started his career out with the Packers, if they would have used him correctly he would have been higher on this list. could hit like a freight train, but it was his finesse and high football IQ that helped him revolutionize the linebacker position. He always tried to better himself and did it effectively. Andre Tippett may have been outshined by Lawrence Taylor playing basically the same position at the same time frame, but theres no mistaking what Tippett did on the field. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNzd9Xd0who, No. The Greatest Linebackers of All Time - SportsUnfold The NFL's Top 50 Linebackers of the Modern Era - Bleacher Report Lawrence Taylor: one of the greatest defensive players ever, Taylor was a pass-rushing force who revolutionized the outside linebacker position . Brazile was drafted out of Jackson State and revolutionized linebacker play in the NFL. We adapted Google's Privacy Guidelines to keep your data safe at all times. Fredd Young went a little under the radar due to his short seven year career. Young was a fierce hitter, and would always stick his nose in the middle of the play. He was Terrell Suggs before Suggs got to Baltimore. Ham is the only linebacker other than Tom Jackson to have seven INTs in a single season. Junior Seau finished his career with 1,524 tackles, the highest total on this list. No. Eleven Pro Bowls. 38, Chad Brown (Steelers/Seahawks/Patriots) (1993-2007) *Three-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro. Mike Singletary is one of three players on this list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. But in those three years, hes racked up 328 tackles and seven INTs, all while starting every game of his career. The transition from college football to the NFL . 7. He was never the most athletic player on the field, but he was always the hardest working. Jackson was the vocal leader of the orange crush defense. Mar 3, 2023 Updated 4 min ago. Linebacker is one of the most important and demanding positions in football. More Team Info. Lambert was a Pro Bowler in all but his rookie season and his final pro season, totaling nine selections. James Farrior* (Jets/Steelers): Two-time Pro Bowler, one-time 1st Team All-Pro, one-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 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. 25 Greatest Linebackers in NFL History - AthlonSports.com Greene was one of the best pass rushers of all time, recording 160 sacks in his career. He was a tackling machine for the majority of his career. Randy Gradishar may be the single-most deserving player of a spot in Canton. 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. 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. Call it foreshadowing, but you will see some of his teammates higher up on this list. Porter is mostly known as a sack master. 9-time All-Pro, 10-time Pro Bowler. The 1970s had many great moments by individual players such as the NFL's first 2,000-yard season by O.J. Lamberts signature toothless snarl struck fear into the hearts of the opposition and lends credence to his legendary status as one of the toughest players all-time. He was a tackle machine and a very big hitter. The art of the interview: Terry Fontenot provides a look inside the Thats amazing consistency. 21. Of course, prior to 1970, there was only one captain chosen; since 1970, we've had as many as four chosen in a single season. He was unstoppable in goal-line situations especially. 1970 Dallas Cowboys Roster & Players - Pro-Football-Reference.com