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Lewis stats at this point of his career are 1,349 tackles, 36.5 sacks, and 28 INTs. Are you ready for some football history? Mecklenburg finished his career with 79 sacks, which is great for an ILB, and also ranks 2nd all-time in Broncos history. Porter will try to continue his success in Arizona and continue to climb up this list. Spielman had seven straight 100 tackle seasons, and did it eight out of nine years. Andre Tippett. Isiah Robertson, nicknamed The Playmaker, was known for coming up with the big plays in the biggest games. As a pass rusher, Greene would be top 5 at least, his ability to be an every-down linebacker hurts him overall, he was not great against the run. Both . No. Ham had outstanding . Voted to seven Pro Bowls, named First Team All-Pro five times. I personally think football before 1970 and after 1970 can be seen as two completely different games, in terms of its evolution. He also had 1,173 tackles in his career. It was tied for the best of the day with linebacker Owen Pappoe, of Auburn, and was the second-fastest time from an . Here's 8 Ways NBA Has Changed That Modern Fans Don't Realize The Chicago Bears have the most all-time great linebackers. 1970, slow dancing in Mark Wooldridge's basement with my first girlfriend, Karen Frey, who wore white high-top . Their greats span the decades of the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s. Mike Kolen 1970-77. Hes been amazing. No. 25 Greatest Linebackers in NFL History - AthlonSports.com Next were Defensive end Jack Youngblood and Joe Greene who each had 18 votes. 2022 NFL Linebacker Rankings and Tiers | NFL News, Rankings and - PFF Thats over 10 sacks per season, which is outstanding. Mills was more of a complete player than Swilling, although the two are too close to separate one from the other. Gildon was most known for his pass rushing ability, picking up 54 sacks in a 5 year span. 25 Greatest Middle Linebackers in NFL History 20 greatest linebackers in NFL history - Franchise Sports Woodrow Lowe, Alabama (1972-75) Respected as college football's top linebacker in the early 1970s, Lowe was the first . Top 10 Boxers of the 1990s: Was Roy Jones Jr. the best? Brooking was the face of the Falcons defense for nearly a decade, and is a well-rounded player. Any coach would be lucky to have a player like Karl Mecklenburg on their roster. He was always good enough for Pro Bowls, but was never an All-Pro Player. Please click on "Comments" and make sure to vote in the poll. He had an outstanding attitude and would do anything to get his team a win. Anthony Simmons (1995-'97) is the only two-time First-Team All-American in Clemson . The Minnesota Vikings did an outstanding job of drafting linebackers in 1974. His high sack number was 15 in 2001, a year that he didnt even get voted into the Pro Bowl. Eddie Johnson arrived in Cleveland at exactly the right time. Derrick Thomas still holds the NFL record for most sacks in a single NFL game with seven, against the Seattle Seahawks in 1990. How NFL Players Have Evolved | Stadium Talk 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. 100th NFL Anniversary team. He had four interceptions that season, a high number for an inside linebacker, to go along with four sacks and 114 tackles. 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. L.T. 17, Brian Urlacher* (Bears) (2000-Present) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Four-time 1st Team All-Pro. The defense was ranked right up there along with the 1985 Bears, and Steelers teams of the 1970s. 29, Joey Porter* (Steelers/Dolphins/Cardinals) (1999-Present) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He totaled 28 INTs in his career while he also racked up 1,045 tackles. Jeremiah The Axeman Trotter has been a very recognizable name over the past decade. LT finished his career with 142 sacks, averaging nearly 11 sacks per season. He also had 20 INTs, three of which he returned for touchdowns. No. 12. Peppers' 159.5 career sacks rank fourth on the all-time list. 6, Jack Ham (Steelers) (1971-1982) *Eight-time Pro Bowler *Six-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. All while being tasked with avoiding blocks and keeping tabs on the opposing quarterback. AP. 7, Rickey Jackson (Saints/49ers) (1981-1995) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Five-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He also finished his career with 17 INTs. Greene was one of the best pass rushers of all time, recording 160 sacks in his career. Linebacker Jack Ham and Tight end Dave Casper each received 20 votes. He may have actually been crazy. Featuring some of the greatest NFL linebackers of all time, the best Bills LBs include Sam Rogers, Keith Ellison, Shane Conlan, and John Holecek. Ham had outstanding speed. No. He also played two different positions, playing ILB and OLB for the Vikings in his career. He did anything the Bears asked of him, especially stuffing the run. Zachary Petrizzo. No. I think hell climb up this list further in the near future. The middle linebacker also recorded 52 tackles for loss, which is fourth all-time in Clemson history. Reese, GM of Titans' Super Bowl team, dies at 73 Wright, Seattle Seahawks. 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 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. The 1970s had many great moments by individual players such as the NFL's first 2,000-yard season by O.J. Cornerback Mel Blount was added in the . Nickerson wasnt just a one hit wonder though. 1970s All-decade team. 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. That game and his outstanding 1996 season earned Kirkland his first trip to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors after the 1996 season. 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. Zach Thomas is exactly what you want in a player and a linebacker. Jackson tallied up 128 sacks in his career, but even thats not his most impressive number. Brooks wasnt just a pass coverage linebacker, but he also played the run well. No. ONeal should get more recognition as one of the best pass rushers to play the game. If you dont believe me, watch the film, as they say, the film doesnt lie! Wilber Marshall was one of the greatest pass coverage linebackers of the modern era. 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. Brooks is most known for his coverage ability in the Bucs cover-two scheme. No. 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. In 1984 and 1985, Tippett put up two of the best back to back seasons recording 18.5 and 16.5 sacks in them. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Blair was outstanding in coverage, along with being a great tackler. Mike Singletary. Lambert wasnt just great on the inside, he was an outstanding coverage linebacker. He was Lawrence Taylor before Taylor was. Many of you will say that Keith Bulluck is way too high. Won Conference Championship 17-10 vs. San Francisco 49ers. In 1976, Jackson had seven INTs. Lawrence Taylor of course, is regarded as the best 3-4 linebacker ever, . 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 runningback Franco Harris. This site is using Cloudflare and adheres to the Google Safe Browsing Program. 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. Next up on the docket for my top Redskins players series are the linebackers. Brooks was the leader of that defense, but his surrounding cast was just too good to rank him higher. He was close to averaging a sack per game, which is an amazing number. 60 Greatest Linebackers in NFL History | Stadium Talk 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). LT finished his career with 142 sacks, averaging nearly 11 sacks per season. 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. He finished his career with 132.5 sacks. He also had 20 INTs, three of which he returned for touchdowns. Selected by the Baltimore Colts in the 2nd round . No. 9. Chip Banks was another linebacker that was solid at everything, but not great at anything. Theres not much Brooks doesnt have. 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. These are the newest members of GHSF Daily's Georgia Power 100. Georgia's top players by position: Linebackers - ajc Jack Ham had the whole package as a linebacker. No. He was very solid in coverage, good against the run, and had no real weaknesses. Ray Lewis is another one of the three players on the list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. But we would be remiss to not acknowledge some of the top performers from that earlier era. He played in 10 playoff games and had two INTs and three fumble recoveries in them. No. 28a, Pat Swilling (Saints/Lions/Raiders) (1986-1998) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. In that career he played both 4-3 OLB and 3-4 ILB. 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. The 2008 season was his best sack season with 17.5. 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. Romanowski might be overrated because of his name, but theres no doubt he was one of the most memorable and feared linebackers of the modern era. Linebacker finalists announced for NFL 100 All-Time Team 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. (Pro Football Weekly 1975 Defensive Player of the Year, 1970s All-Decade Team, 1994 75th anniversary team), and also the team success (4 Super Bowls). For a four-year span with Seattle, Young was arguably the best Seahawks 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. [3] Chuck Drazenovich. A tall order to say the least, and these 5 players did it better than anyone in the history of the NFL. There is a reason the award given to the best linebacker in high school, college and the NFL each year is named after Butkus. Lambert is said by many to be the best inside linebacker of all-time. No. Spielman had seven straight 100 tackle seasons, and did it eight out of nine years. Bryan Cox was an all-around package at linebacker. Other Links > Football > Player Rankings by Position > Top Ranked Linebackers . He was unstoppable in goal-line situations especially. 49, Vaughn Johnson (Saints/Eagles) (1986-1994) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Taylor changed the way football is played today. In the words of Vikings' head coaching legend Bud Grant, "Paul personified the term free safety.". Briggs should only continue to move up this list, as he takes over as the star linebacker spot in Chicago. When you ask who is the greatest MLB of all-time is, many people jump straight to Dick Butkus. Here is my ranking of the top 10 Giants linebackers, along with some honorable mentions. 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He could do it all. 46, Jon Beason* (Panthers) (2007-Present) *One-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. The versatile middle linebacker played a significant role in helping the Steelers win four Super Bowls in a span of six years in the 1970s. . The 150 greatest players in college football's 150-year history - ESPN.com Linebacker Jack Ham and Tight end Dave Casper each received 20 votes. Thats nearly 13 sacks per season. 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. Hes also great against the run and is a turnover forcing monster. Beason may be the most controversial player on this list. Steel Curtain - Wikipedia Andy Russell 7x Pro Bowl, 4x All-Pro, 2x Super Bowl Champion Linebacker '63, 1966-1976 Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images. Banks was a player that any coach would want on their team. Countdown 119: Top 10 Linebackers in NFL History - Sports H2H He also had at least 99 tackles in seven years of his 12-year career, which is outstanding. Love him or hate him, Lewis has earned the title of greatest middle linebacker of all time. O. J. Simpson and Lynn Swann were next with 22 and 21 votes, respectively. 36, Jeremiah Trotter (Eagles/Redskins/Bucs) (1999-2007 & 2009) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 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. 1953-65, Detroit Lions. Greene was one of the best pass rushers of all-time, recording 160 sacks in his career. 41, Mo Lewis (Jets) (1991-2003) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. Thats the type of player you want on your team, especially on the defensive side of the ball. 1970 NFC Champion. He took up blockers and threw his body around a lot. With rule changes being what they have been, I decided to rank the linebackers that have played since 1970. From canvas high-tops to social media dominance, the NBA has come a long way. Mecklenburg was never a cocky player, but just a guy who would show up on Sundays. 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. He was a dominating force in the NFL during that stretch of time. Ware is not just an outstanding pass rusher though. Top 10 LB's in OU history - 247sports.com Call it foreshadowing, but you will see some of his teammates higher up on this list. Visit Our Patreon Page to Create Your Own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See Other Bonus Material . You could stick him on any TE in the league, even some slot receivers, and he would take them out of the game. Singletary was one of the key leaders of the famous 85 Bears defense, arguably the greatest defense in the history of the NFL. No. In 1976, Jackson had seven INTs. I think thats largely due to the NFL not keeping sacks and tackles numbers during his career. 10. HELLO, PANDORA. Ill take into account Pro Bowls, All-Pros (1st and 2nd team), stats, team success, players success, intimidation factor, and reputation, along with many other factors to make this list. Taylor is one of only two defensive players (DT Alan Page, 1971) in the history of the NFL to be named NFL MVP. He had 1,301 tackles and 25 forced fumbles in his career. It may be a bit early to put Jon Beason on this list, but I think his play warrants the selection. Robertson is one of the most underrated players in NFL history. Gil Brandt's greatest NFL linebackers of all time - NFL.com Offerdahl was a blue collar type of player who was an even better person off the field. Blair was also one of the greatest special teams players of all-time! Derrick Brooks may be the most accomplished linebacker on this list. Thats amazing consistency. Top 5 Tennessee linebackers of all-time - Saturday Down South Don Moorehead, Dennis Franklin, Jim Harbaugh, Elvis Grbac, Tom Brady, Forest Evashevski, Benny Friedman and John Navarre were all elected Captains by their teammates. Joey Porter may be the most vocal linebacker on this list. Ranking Explanation . Tribute to Elvis Singletary was a leader, not only vocally, but by example. But Mills did much more than that. No. No. No. He wasnt very vocal, but his play did all the talking for him. He has been one of the most intimidating players in the NFL his entire career. Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter has returned to the NFL . He did it in 2000 and again in 2003. Simpson in 1973 or Terry Bradshaw's two Super Bowl MVP performances. Shawne Lights Out Merriman was the face of NFL linebackers for a three year stretch. . 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. Jackson was not just a coverage linebacker, he was also a good pass rusher and a very hard worker off the field. Mike Singletary had the whole package. In 2008, Suggs even had two INTs, both of which he returned for touchdowns. Keith Brooking has been one of the most consistent linebackers of all-time. Bulluck was an outstanding tackler, and was great at run support too. 1. Those are remarkable numbers, especially when he is still going strong. Over his career, he totaled 1,271 tackles, 12 INTs, and 19 forced fumbles. Thomas was the best linebacker of the 1990s, and one of the best pass rushers of all-time. Paul Naumoff played for 12 seasons from 1967-1978. 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+. Visit Our Patreon Page to Create Your Own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See Other Bonus Material . He was effective as a pass rushing OLB, tallying up 14 sacks in one season with the Dolphins, and as an inside run stopping linebacker with the Jets. 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. Who were the linebackers for the Steel Curtain defense? - Quora 10, Junior Seau (Chargers/Dolphins/Patriots) (1990-2009) *Twelve-time Pro Bowler *Six-time All-Pro 1st Team *Three-time All-Pro 2nd Team. Seau was the definition of consistency. Beason has only been in the league for three years now. Chad Brown played a very long NFL career, especially for a linebacker. Elected to the Pro Football Hall Of Fame in 2018. Lewis wasnt as vocal as Cox, but his play was a little better, and lasted for a longer period of time. They had traded stalwart linebacker Sam Huff in the offseason. The exhibit features the Fleet's classic collection set in five themed galleries representing the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. 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. No. Punter Ray Guy was the leading vote-getter for the 1970s All-Decade Team, receiving 24 of a possible 25 votes. Brown was a very versatile linebacker. Thomas did everything you asked out of a linebacker. Call 1-800-522-4700. Top 13 Cincinnati Reds Starting Pitchers of all time. 2) Jeff Siemon: A key player as the middle linebacker on the team's top defenses in the mid-1970's, Siemon played in 156 games, starting 123, and was selected to four Pro Bowls during his eleven year career with the Vikings. Hes going into his first healthy season again in three years. Still, he was a very solid MLB for many years. He also ranks third all . 2-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1985, '88) Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1989. But he proved them wrong and was a key piece on the Broncos Super Bowl winning team. Jackson was the vocal leader of that defense. That is just unheard of. The 'Skins historically have had some solid inside linebackers capable of both stopping the run and being reliable in coverage. Eleven Pro Bowls. 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NFL 100 All-Time Team (2019). Thomas was one of the most instinctive linebackers of all-time. He had 885 career solo tackles, which is impressive on a defense filled with swarming the ball, shown by his 1,488 career tackles. A true enforcer in every sense of the word, Lewis intensity was unmatched by any player of his era. No. Jeff Siemon (Vikings) : Four-time Pro Bowler. No. 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.