10 Tom Jackson. That truly shows what kind of person he was off the field. The exhibit features the Fleet's classic collection set in five themed galleries representing the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. He may have been undersized, but he made up for it with his mind and his hustle. In 1993 as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers middle linebacker, Nickerson piled up an astounding 214 tackles. He had an outstanding attitude and would do anything to get his team a win. 38, Chad Brown (Steelers/Seahawks/Patriots) (1993-2007) *Three-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro. Lloyd had 54.5 sacks and 11 INTs in his career, but the most remarkable number was his 35 forced fumbles. 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. This list isnt based solely on performances from the 2020 NFL season. Their greats span the decades of the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s. Rickey Jackson was one of the fastest linebackers in the game, but he was also one of the hardest hitters. The entire enterprise of Notre Dame basketball, gone strange. 2-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1985, '88) Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1989. Paul Naumoff played for 12 seasons from 1967-1978. No. NFLs Merchants of Menace Andre Tippett. 1970, slow dancing in Mark Wooldridge's basement with my first girlfriend, Karen Frey, who wore white high-top . He also had 1,173 tackles in his career. Joe Schmidt. *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. Mecklenburg was never a cocky player, but just a guy who would show up on Sundays. Won Conference Championship 17-10 vs. San Francisco 49ers. Boulware had at least seven sacks every year he played other than his last season in the NFL. You could stick him on any TE in the league, even some slot receivers, and he would take them out of the game. 40, Bryce Paup (Packers/Bills/Jaguars/Vikings) (1990-2000) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. That is just unheard of. No. He was also the fastest linebacker of the bunch and excelled in pass coverage. 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. When you ask who is the greatest MLB of all-time is, many people jump straight to Dick Butkus. Thomas did everything you asked out of a linebacker. James Harrison. His 1989 rookie season was one of the best the NFL has ever seen. He would give it his all on every single down of every single play. Pat Swilling. He finished his career with 1,106 tackles and 627 assisted tackles as well. Top 10 Best Linebackers In Cleveland Browns History. credit : - yahoo. 3, Mike Singletary (Bears) (1981-1992) *Ten-time Pro Bowler *Seven-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 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. Blair was outstanding in coverage, along with being a great tackler. 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. Defensive MVP in 2002. He wasnt great at just one aspect he was equally great at everything he did. 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 . His high sack number was 15 in 2001, a year that he didnt even get voted into the Pro Bowl. Lambert is said by many to be the best inside linebacker of all-time. The Raiders defeated the Eagles 27-10. 49, Vaughn Johnson (Saints/Eagles) (1986-1994) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. In today's NFL, few positions have become as difficult to play as off-ball linebacker. He did everything. Gambling Problem? Kevin Greene will always be known as one of the craziest and talented pass rushers in NFL history. Mike Singletary had the whole package. 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. He was always around the ball. He should still improve this season with Ndamukong Suh in front of him to help free him up. Thats an amazing number as well. Joey Porter may be the most vocal linebacker on this list. Jackson was not just a coverage linebacker, he was also a good pass rusher and a very hard worker off the field. Regardless, he definitely deserves the respect for what he accomplished on the field. That game and his outstanding 1996 season earned Kirkland his first trip to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors after the 1996 season. Brian Urlacher is one of the greatest linebackers of this decade. Derrick Brooks may be the most accomplished linebacker on this list. Bill Parcells considered Carson the best all-around linebacker he ever coached, which is very high praise from someone who has coached a ton of linebackers in his day. Ray Lewis came into the league and dominated right away. 26, Cornelius Bennett (Bills/Falcons/Colts) (1987-2000) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. Lewis wasnt as vocal as Cox, but his play was a little better, and lasted for a longer period of time. AP Sports SummaryBrief at 7:03 a.m. EST. He holds the NFL record for the most Pro Bowl selections by a middle linebacker (13). Porter will try to continue his success in Arizona and continue to climb up this list. Spielman was a great leader and intense player who always gave everything he had. Nickerson wasnt just a one hit wonder though. Hardy Nickerson may not have the name recognition as many of the other linebackers on this list, but he deserves to be this high. We adapted Google's Privacy Guidelines to keep your data safe at all times. Next were Defensive end Jack Youngblood and Joe Greene who each had 18 votes. NFLs Merchants of Menace Cornelius Bennett and Bruce Smith. Franchise Encyclopedia. Already in his career, Ware has forced 23 fumbles. He has been one of the most intimidating players in the NFL his entire career. Offensive Coordinator: Jim Myers. No. Thomas is also third all-time in safeties and fumble returns for touchdowns. His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers. Thats the type of player you want on your team, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Brooks was the leader of that defense, but his surrounding cast was just too good to rank him higher. But Mills did much more than that. He finished his career with 1,106 tackles and 627 assisted tackles as well. Lambert wasnt just great on the inside, he was an outstanding coverage linebacker. Joey Porter. Nine All-Pros. Voted to seven Pro Bowls, named First Team All-Pro five times. 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 . Ware is not just an outstanding pass rusher though. Thats right, seven. Ham had outstanding . For most other franchises, a resume like this would make Jack Ham the greatest linebacker in thier history by a wide margin. The second member of the Dome Patrol comes off the board at No. Although he only played three full seasons, he made five Pro Bowls. A shot of Jameson for Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey. The Minnesota Vikings did an outstanding job of drafting linebackers in 1974. 22, Chris Spielman (Lions/Bills) (1988-1997) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 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. 21, Patrick Willis* (49ers) (2006-Present) *Three-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Top 10 Boxers of the 1990s: Was Roy Jones Jr. the best? Top 13 Indiana High School Players of all Time, The 6 greatest Indiana Highschool pure Shooters, The 8 greatest IHSAA Championship Games in History. 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. He was a tackling machine for the majority of his career. He was also a big hitter and very intimidating on the field of play. No. Rickey Jackson could do it all. Mike Singletary is one of three players on this list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. He racked up a staggering 1,181 tackles, and 1,131 of them in his first nine seasons. His best season was his first year with the Bills where he had 17.5 sacks, 70 tackles, two INTs, and three forced fumbles. Ranking Explanation . He was blue collar player who was a great leader on defense and could do everything well on a football field. He has done it all for the Bears with his pass coverage, run support, and blitzing. An important part of the Las Vegas defense, the LB position includes middle or inside linebackers and outside (strong side or weakside) linebackers. Baker recorded 19 . No. Robert Brazile. Hes been amazing. Thomas was one of the most instinctive linebackers of all-time. He was the quintessential linebacker and easily the greatest of his era. Brazile might not get the credit because of the team he played for, but he was an outstanding player. Mike Kolen 1970-77. The Top Ranked Linebackers of the 1960s Pittsburgh 2002, '04-12, '14-17; Cincinnati 2013; New England 2017. The middle linebacker also recorded 52 tackles for loss, which is fourth all-time in Clemson history. Derrick Brooks may be the most accomplished linebacker on this list. Sam Huff. Other Links > Football > Player Rankings by Position > Top Ranked Linebackers . Next up, we look at a much better-rated unit in the linebackers. But in those three years, hes racked up 328 tackles and seven INTs, all while starting every game of his career. Opponents thought Kirkland would not be as adept in pass coverage as the fast Lloyd, but they quickly found out that Kirkland was just as fast and quick. Brown was a very versatile linebacker. Blair was outstanding in coverage, along with being a great tackler. O. J. Simpson and Lynn Swann were next with 22 and 21 votes, respectively. Beason has only been in the league for three years now. The transition from college football to the NFL . Junior Seau finished his career with 1,524 tackles, the highest total on this list. It seemed like he knew where the ball was going at all times. Tippett was a big reason to why so many teams value pass rushing OLBs in todays game. This season marked the end for Tittle and fellow Canton-bound star Frank Gifford. 1970 NFC Champion. He started his career out with the Packers, if they would have used him correctly he would have been higher on this list. Well have to see how he does, but he could either climb up or fall off this list based on his performance in 2010. Peter Boulware was the pass rusher alongside Ray Lewis. He became a starter at inside linebacker for the Steelers in his second season, 1993, replacing Pro Bowler David Little. Bryce Paup was an outstanding pass rusher in the 1990s. Bill Romanowski (49ers, Eagles, Broncos, Raiders) : Two-time Pro Bowler. Love him or hate him, Lewis has earned the title of greatest middle linebacker of all time. No. After a very bad injury in 2008, Shawne Merriman hasnt been the same. He also played two different positions, playing ILB and OLB for the Vikings in his career. He was a dominating force in the NFL during that stretch of time. This team was widely regarded as having one of the best defenses of all-time. No. Nine All-Pros. He had ten seasons with 10+ sacks. 12. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNzd9Xd0who, No. Gradishar was the silent assassin of the team. Greene was one of the best pass rushers of all-time, recording 160 sacks in his career. A true enforcer in every sense of the word, Lewis intensity was unmatched by any player of his era. He was one of the most feared players in the game. Neal Olkewicz. FCK Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream, Hamilton vs Arbroath Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream, Paderborn vs FC St. Pauli Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live, Andorra vs Las Palmas Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream, AGF vs Horsens Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream Time,, Southend Utd vs Barnet Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream, Kawasaki vs Shonan Bellmare Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live. Brooks wasnt just a pass coverage linebacker, but he also played the run well. Wilson recorded 560 tackles and 21.5 sacks as a member of the Broncos. Ray Lewis came into the league and dominated right away. The Steelers went 6-10 in his first season, but along with players like Hines Ward, Jerome Bettis, and Alan Faneca . He would always be found around the ball, and around the play. 12, Randy Gradishar (Broncos) (1974-1984) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 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). The thing about Derrick Thomas that is the most remarkable was how nice of a person he was off the field. Banks was a player that any coach would want on their team. O. J. Simpson and Lynn Swann were next with 22 and 21 votes, respectively. Andy Russell 7x Pro Bowl, 4x All-Pro, 2x Super Bowl Champion Linebacker '63, 1966-1976 Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images. The offense, meanwhile, scored 29 points a game. These were the players who were great players, but not quite good enough to be placed inside the top 50. Paul Naumoff. 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. He has speed, size, toughness, instincts, vision, patience, and football smarts. He came one tackle short from having five consecutive 100 tackle seasons in 2004, which is saying a lot, since he was the guy taking up blockers most of the time as well. And he's still going. 35, Lance Briggs* (Bears) (2003-Present) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. All Rights Reserved. Nickerson wasnt just a one hit wonder though. He was also a good pass rusher, and a good coverage man as well. He was always around the ball. No. 18, Andre Tippett (Patriots) (1982-1993) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Jack Lambert was the teammate of Jack Ham who took the inside linebacker duties. Jackson was not just a coverage linebacker, he was also a good pass rusher and a very hard worker off the field. 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. Brooks is most known for his coverage ability in the Bucs cover-two scheme. 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. No. Thomas is also third all-time in safeties and fumble returns for touchdowns. Are you ready for some football history? 2022 - SportsUnfold. He also finished his career with 17 INTs. Thomas' remarkable personality was also recognized by being awarded the Walter Peyton Man of the Year Award in 1993. Johnson was most known for his days with the Saints. He could do it all. He should be in the Hall of Fame. Even now, you can tell what kind of person he is by his charity work with the REACH Foundation that he started. He totaled 28 INTs in his career while he also racked up 1,045 tackles. If you havnt guessed it by now, Lawrence LT Taylor is my top linebacker of the modern era. 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. . Select from premium 1970 1979 America of the highest quality. Mike Singletary is one of three players on this list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. He led the team in tackles five of the 11 season he played for them. I personally think football before 1970 and after 1970 can be seen as two completely different games, in terms of its evolution. Overlooked because he played alongside Lawrence Taylor, Carson did most of the dirty work in that linebacking core. He was the notorious leader of one of the greatest defenses to ever make its way onto a football field Pittsburghs famed Steel Curtain.. AP. He also is the only linebacker to ever win a Super Bowl MVP and be named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in the same season (2000). 30, Matt Blair (Vikings) (1974-1985) *Six-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. . 9, Derrick Brooks (Bucs) (1995-2008) *Eleven-time Pro Bowler *Five-time 1st Team All-Pro *Four-time 2nd Team All-Pro. and 2000s. . Linebacker Jack Ham and Tight end Dave Casper each received 20 votes. No. Jack Ham, Linebacker. 1986 Boston Celtics - Were they the greatest Team? Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter has returned to the NFL . 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. 32, John Offerdahl (Dolphins) (1986-1993) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. I think thats largely due to the NFL not keeping sacks and tackles numbers during his career. He was a very solid 3-4 ILB playing on one of the best LB Cores of all-time, the Dome Patrol. Although still early in his career, Demarcus Ware deserves to be this high on the list. Mike Singletary. Taylor is one of only two defensive players (DT Alan Page, 1971) in the history of the NFL to be named NFL MVP. Mike Singletary had the whole package. Ham had outstanding speed. Suggs is a pass rushing monster with the Ravens. 8. The defense was ranked right up there along with the 1985 Bears, and Steelers teams of the 1970s. Leslie ONeal was a sack machine in his career. Marshall wasnt just a pass coverage linebacker though, he also racked up 1,020 tackles during his 11 year NFL career, along with 24 forced fumbles. 10. No. Over his career, he totaled 1,271 tackles, 12 INTs, and 19 forced fumbles. How NFL Players Have Evolved. He did it in 2000 and again in 2003. The 'Skins historically have had some solid inside linebackers capable of both stopping the run and being reliable in coverage. He also finished his career with 17 INTs. No. In this Article . Chicago 1981-92. Those would be accomplishments by themselves, let alone all together. In his final two seasons with the Bengals, Williams was appointed to an open seat on the Cincinnati City Council in 1988 and was elected for a second term in 1989 on the Charter Party ticket. 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 did it in 2000 and again in 2003. No. You might be thinking Top 10 already? But look at his numbers. And here are the 25 greatest linebackers in NFL history: 25. He played in 10 playoff games and had two INTs and three fumble recoveries in them. Mills was more of the tackler of the bunch, racking up 1,142 tackles in his career. L.T. Gradishar was the silent assassin of the team. If Bulluck played on a better team, I believe his stats would be much better and his accomplishments would be a lot more. Check out the 1970 Minnesota Vikings Roster, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports and more on Pro-Football-Reference.com. Isiah Robertson, nicknamed The Playmaker, was known for coming up with the big plays in the biggest games. Playoffs: Won Divisional Round 5-0 vs. Detroit Lions. Mar 3, 2023 Updated 4 min ago. Porter is mostly known as a sack master. Kirkland had 10 tackles and a key sack of Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman. Other Links > Football > Player Rankings by Position > Top Ranked Linebackers . No. The Steel Curtain was the defensive line of the 1970s American football team Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). Greene led the way in the pass rushing department. 1986 Boston Celtics - Were they the greatest Team? But it was his style of play that made his career so short. In his time in the NFL, he intercepted 25 passes and returned six of them for touchdowns with three of those in 2002 alone. [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. Tribute to Elvis Williams was the heart and soul of two Super Bowl defenses. Top 30 Linebackers in the NFL since 1970! He is still active, and is a starter, but he might be on his way out of San Diego. Ranking Explanation . 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. 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. To stoke the nostalgia, we talked to some of the key players from the team's winningest, most . Kevin Greene was a mad man in a football uniform. His swinging the axe celebration sums up his style of play and tenacity on the field. 17, Brian Urlacher* (Bears) (2000-Present) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Four-time 1st Team All-Pro. 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. 20, Keith Bulluck* (Titans) (2000-Present) *One-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Beason may be the most controversial player on this list. His sacks are the main reason hes this high, but he was also a great all-around player.
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