No. Top 10 Draft Picks in Broncos History | No. Zach Thomas. The best LB in the NFL today comes in at No. List of All Buffalo Bills Linebackers, Ranked Best to Worst He finished his career with 132.5 sacks. Kirkland was an all-around better linebacker, he was a 300lb linebacker whose coverage skills were vastly underrated. Gil Brandt's greatest NFL linebackers of all time - NFL.com He also played two different positions, playing ILB and OLB for the Vikings in his career. LT finished his career with 142 sacks, averaging nearly 11 sacks per season. Thats the type of player you want on your team, especially on the defensive side of the ball. 34, Julian Peterson* (49ers/Seahawks/Lions) (2000-Present) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. PFF Rankings: The NFL's top 25 linebackers ahead of the 2020 NFL season Lewis was the leader of the 2000 Super Bowl winning Ravens team. Teamwork and Leadership from Karl Mecklenburg NFL Motivational Keynote Speaker. Rickey Jackson was one of the fastest linebackers in the game, but he was also one of the hardest hitters. Hes on pace to not only break, but shatter the NFL record of 41. 10 Tom Jackson. The next year, he followed it up with four more interceptions. News Briefs: The latest updates in the Uptown and Downtown He had ten seasons with 10+ sacks. 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. Those are remarkable numbers, especially when he is still going strong. Trotter was a complete, all-around linebacker. He was 73. . No. Quinto was a regular at both inside and outside linebacker for head coach Ron Gladnick's Saints. It seemed like he knew where the ball was going at all times. The Greatest Penn State Linebackers of All Time He was always around the ball. Jeff Siemon (Vikings) : Four-time Pro Bowler. [3] The Best Las Vegas Raiders Linebackers of All Time - Ranker 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. 49, Vaughn Johnson (Saints/Eagles) (1986-1994) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He did anything the Bears asked of him, especially stuffing the run. 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, The Top 10 Seattle Mariners of all Time, 19 undeniable Lies in Disney's Remember the Titans, If you enjoy hearing from the legends of pro sports, then be sure to tune into The Grueling Truth sports shows, Where the legends speak. Julian Peterson has had a very well-rounded NFL career to this point, and its still going on. He wasnt great at one aspect but was equally as good at everything he did. 5.) Ham had outstanding . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNzd9Xd0who, No. Sam Huff. Spielman was a great leader and intense player who always gave everything he had. Next were Defensive end Jack Youngblood and Joe Greene who each had 18 votes. No. Call it foreshadowing, but you will see some of his teammates higher up on this list. He was the notorious leader of one of the greatest defenses to ever make its way onto a football field Pittsburghs famed Steel Curtain.. 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. Mike Singletary is one of three players on this list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. Lofa Tatupu didnt take any time breaking into the NFL, making the Pro Bowl in his first three seasons. No. Hes also great against the run and is a turnover forcing monster. The best linebackers in Minnesota Vikings history This season marked the end for Tittle and fellow Canton-bound star Frank Gifford. St. Dennis Onkotz was a two time first team All American on the great Penn State teams of 1968 and 1969. 2, Ray Lewis* (Ravens) (1996-Present) *Eleven-time Pro Bowler *Seven-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 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. He was a dominating force in the NFL during that stretch of time. Being a linebacker makes that feat that much more impressive. Cornerback Mel Blount was added in the . Wilber Marshall had the whole package. Linebacker finalists announced for NFL 100 All-Time Team NFLs Merchants of Menace Andre Tippett. 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. 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. Overlooked because he played alongside Lawrence Taylor, Carson did most of the dirty work in that linebacking core. With rule changes being what they have been, I decided to rank the linebackers that have played since 1970. He had over 1,000 tackles, over 70 sacks, and over 30 forced fumbles in his career. Outside linebacker Joey Porter came to Pittsburgh in 1999. Gradishar was the silent assassin of the team. LT finished his career with 142 sacks, averaging nearly 11 sacks per season. Thomas never had less than seven sacks in a season in his entire career, and only had less than eight sacks in one season. He would always be found around the ball, and around the play. Even now, you can tell what kind of person he is by his charity work with the REACH Foundation that he started. Swilling was the best pass rusher of the Dome Patrol, but he also forced 36 fumbles to go along with all the sacks. That Steelers linebacking core could easily be the best of all-time, and it was led by Jack Lambert and Jack Ham. He did anything the Bears asked of him, especially stuffing the run. He also finished his career with 17 INTs. But in those three years, hes racked up 328 tackles and seven INTs, all while starting every game of his career. The longtime backup led the NFL in completion percentage (69.8%), set the Seahawks' single-season passing yards record (4,282) and ranked in the top five in the entire league in both passing . The 150 greatest players in college football's 150-year history - ESPN.com He was also a good pass rusher, and a good coverage man as well. He should still improve this season with Ndamukong Suh in front of him to help free him up. Even now, you can tell what kind of person he is by his charity work with the REACH Foundation that he started. Many of you will say that Keith Bulluck is way too high. 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. His swinging the axe celebration sums up his style of play and tenacity on the field. Despite the bad taste he left when leaving the team, James Harrison belongs on the upper half of the top ten linebackers in Steelers history. 9, Derrick Brooks (Bucs) (1995-2008) *Eleven-time Pro Bowler *Five-time 1st Team All-Pro *Four-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He was blue collar player who was a great leader on defense and could do everything well on a football field. Jack Lambert played middle linebacker. 2022 - SportsUnfold. That is just unheard of. *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. Georgia's top players by position: Linebackers - ajc In 1984 and 1985, Tippett put up two of the best back-to-back seasons recording 18.5 and 16.5 sacks in them. Jack Ham might be the best coverage linebacker of all time. Paul Krause | S. The NFL's all-time leader in interceptions spent 12 of his 16 years in Minnesota. All Rights Reserved. He has played the role of pass rusher and coverage linebacker in his career, and has excelled at both. 7. A true enforcer in every sense of the word, Lewis intensity was unmatched by any player of his era. But Mills did much more than that. Hes also had at least 83 tackles in every year other than his rookie season. 43, Keith Brooking* (Falcons/Cowboys) (1998-Present) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Cornelius Bennett was just a great all-around player. 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. He was a dominating force in the NFL during that stretch of time. 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 . Although he only played three full seasons, he made five Pro Bowls. He was a hard worker, good tackler, and had great hands. Top 10 LB's in OU history - 247sports.com No. I have combined outside and inside linebackers on the list and factored in the players ability to stop the run, drop into coverage and leadership. Gambling Problem? Thomas did everything you asked out of a linebacker. Countdown 119: Top 10 Linebackers in NFL History - Sports H2H During the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine, Lee posted the fastest 40-yard dash time among . Those are remarkable numbers, especially when he is still going strong. Chuck Drazenovich. No. Linebacker Jack Ham and Tight end Dave Casper each received 20 votes. He has been one of the most intimidating players in the NFL his entire career. Top 10 Washington Football Team LBs of All Time - Sports Articles 30, Matt Blair (Vikings) (1974-1985) *Six-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. 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. He was never the most athletic player on the field, but he was always the hardest working. Siemon was always a good player, but never a great player. He tried to get in your head before you even took a step on the field of play. Greene and Greg Lloyd made one of the best pass rushing duos in NFL history with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He would give it his all on every single down of every single play. The defense was ranked right up there along with the 1985 Bears, and Steelers teams of the 1970s. In this Article . Mike Kolen 1970-77. Minnesota Vikings reporter suggests All-Pro defender a likely 2023 cap Peterson is another versatile linebacker who has played both inside and outside linebacker. 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. For most other franchises, a resume like this would make Jack Ham the greatest linebacker in thier history by a wide margin. He led the team in tackles five of the 11 season he played for them. Use Isiah Robertsons name in a talk of most underrated players of all time, and youll impress your fellow football fans. In only 11 seasons, Thomas had 126.5 sacks, and an NFL record 41 forced fumbles. Shawne Lights Out Merriman was the face of NFL linebackers for a three year stretch. In only 11 seasons, Thomas had 126.5 sacks, and an NFL record of 41 forced fumbles. He became a starter at inside linebacker for the Steelers in his second season, 1993, replacing Pro Bowler David Little. Armstead didnt particularly stand out at anywhere, but he wasnt a weak link anywhere either. The Best Linebackers of All-Time - Sports Central This list isnt based solely on performances from the 2020 NFL season. Taylor is one of only two defensive players (DT Alan Page, 1971) in the history of the NFL to be named NFL MVP. Won Conference Championship 17-10 vs. San Francisco 49ers. Chicago Bears: Top 10 linebackers in franchise history - NFL Spin Zone 1970, slow dancing in Mark Wooldridge's basement with my first girlfriend, Karen Frey, who wore white high-top . The next year, he followed it up with four more interceptions. He also ranks third all . In 1993 as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers middle linebacker, Nickerson piled up an astounding 214 tackles. Next: A dangerous combination. Top 10 Linebackers in Miami Dolphins history - Phin Phanatic 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. Best of the Packers: Top 10 linebackers since 1960 - Dairyland Express The 1970s had many great moments by individual players such as the NFL's first 2,000-yard season by O.J. Thomas' remarkable personality was also recognized by being awarded the Walter Peyton Man of the Year Award in 1993. Two years later, the Giants sunk to 1-12-1. 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 . . He was also the fastest linebacker of the bunch and excelled in pass coverage. Keith Bulluck WAS the Titans defense, and has been every year hes been there. James Farrior* (Jets/Steelers): Two-time Pro Bowler, one-time 1st Team All-Pro, one-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Spielman had seven straight 100 tackle seasons, and did it eight out of nine years. No. Williams was the heart and soul of two Super Bowl defenses. . A tall order to say the least, and these 5 players did it better than anyone in the history of the NFL. 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. Zach Thomas is exactly what you want in a player and a linebacker. Porter will try to continue his success in Arizona and continue to climb up this list. These are the newest members of GHSF Daily's Georgia Power 100. You could stick him on any TE in the league, even some slot receivers, and he would take them out of the game. Randy Gradishar played along with Tom Jackson in the Denver Broncos Orange Crush defense. 18, Andre Tippett (Patriots) (1982-1993) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He recently missed most of last season with surgery. He had less than seven sacks in a season only once. 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. Both . Please click on "Comments" and make sure to vote in the poll. Urlacher was an all-around great linebacker who flew around the field with reckless abandon. 3, Mike Singletary (Bears) (1981-1992) *Ten-time Pro Bowler *Seven-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. A tall order to say the least, and these 5 players did it better than anyone in the history of the NFL. 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. Taylor changed the way football is played today. Eleven Pro Bowls. He should be in the Hall of Fame. He did it once in 1985 and again in 1988. So while there were outstanding linebackers in previous years, like Dick Butkus and Ray Nitschke, they will not be on this list. Boulware had at least seven sacks every year he played other than his last season in the NFL. 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. Theres not much Brooks doesnt have. Here's 8 Ways NBA Has Changed That Modern Fans Don't Realize 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. Lewis stats at this point of his career are 1,349 tackles, 36.5 sacks, and 28 INTs. Ham is the only linebacker other than Tom Jackson to have seven INTs in a single season. Some of you will say hes too low. 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. 9. Hardy Nickerson may not have the name recognition as many of the other linebackers on this list, but he deserves to be this high. Joe Schmidt. He played for a bad team with not much of a surrounding cast, but still excelled. Jackson was the vocal leader of the orange crush defense. He had over 1,000 tackles, over 70 sacks, and over 30 forced fumbles in his career. 1, Lawrence Taylor (Giants) (1981-1993) *Ten-time Pro Bowler *Eight-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. No. When you see a list of greatest linebackers, Isiah Robertson very rarely even gets brought into the discussion. Williams has received numerous honors, including selection to the NFL All-Rookie Team (1976), the Byron Whizzer White Award for Humanitarian Service (1985), the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award (1986), and Sports Illustrateds Co-Sportsman of the Year (1987). These were the players who were great players, but not quite good enough to be placed inside the top 50. Top 25 SEC LBs of all-time: 15-11. 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+. 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. How NFL Players Have Evolved | Stadium Talk [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. Schmidt stood out in an era of great middle linebackers. Rickey Jackson doesnt always get the credit he deserves, but hes a top 10 linebacker of the modern era. Wilber Marshall was one of the greatest pass coverage linebackers of the modern era. Zach Thomas would be the perfect linebacker, no matter what style of defense you play. 48, Terrell Suggs* (Ravens) (2003-Present) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. NFL Defensive Rookie of the . Among linebackers, that would include two-way stars George Svendsen (1935-41), Bud Svendsen (1937, 1939) and Charley Brock (1939-47), along with Bill Forester (1953-63), Tom Bettis (1955-61) and Roger Zatkoff (1953-56). Lofa Tatupu* (Seahawks) : Three-time Pro Bowler, one-time 1st Team All-Pro. He was just a great all-around player who could do it all. Jackson was the vocal leader of that defense. Collect, curate and comment on your files. Well have to see how he does, but he could either climb up or fall off this list based on his performance in 2010. You might be thinking Top 10 already? But look at his numbers. 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. 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. . Suggs is a pass rushing monster with the Ravens. He was very athletic, a great tackler, and he could cover. I think hell climb up this list further in the near future. The art of the interview: Terry Fontenot provides a look inside the The leader of the Dome Patrol comes in at No. Pittsburgh 2002, '04-12, '14-17; Cincinnati 2013; New England 2017. Lambert was a Pro Bowler in all but his rookie season and his final pro season, totaling nine selections. 1970 Dallas Cowboys Roster & Players - Pro-Football-Reference.com What Terry Fontenot said about Marcus Mariota release, the quarterback In the words of Vikings' head coaching legend Bud Grant, "Paul personified the term free safety.". More Team Info. 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. The . He was a good pass rusher, having at least 5.5 sacks in 10 straight years, but he was also good against the run and in coverage. Porter is mostly known as a sack master. He started all but one game in his last eight seasons, which is very impressive for a linebacker. 2-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1985, '88) Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1989. No. Brown was a very versatile linebacker. The next year at the Pro Bowl, Thomas remembered him by name. He also finished his career with 17 INTs. Other Links > Football > Player Rankings by Position > Top Ranked Linebackers . He had 885 career solo tackles, which is impressive on a defense filled with swarming the ball, shown by his 1,488 career tackles. 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. O. J. Simpson and Lynn Swann were next with 22 and 21 votes, respectively. 24, Leslie ONeal (Chargers/Rams/Chiefs) (1986-1999) *Six-time Pro Bowler *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He wasnt very vocal, but his play did all the talking for him. Punter Ray Guy was the leading vote-getter for the 1970s All-Decade Team, receiving 24 of a possible 25 votes. Derrick Thomas still holds the NFL record for most sacks in a single NFL game with seven, against the Seattle Seahawks in 1990. I know, how can I rate Kirkland over Greene? This site is using Cloudflare and adheres to the Google Safe Browsing Program. It may be a bit early to put Jon Beason on this list, but I think his play warrants the selection. Jack Ham might be the best coverage linebacker of all time. Hes going into his first healthy season again in three years. Wilber Marshall was one of the greatest pass coverage linebackers of the modern era. He was close to averaging a sack per game, which is an amazing number. They had traded stalwart linebacker Sam Huff in the offseason. 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. He was a very solid 3-4 ILB playing on one of the best LB Cores of all-time, the Dome Patrol. Thomas was one of the most instinctive linebackers of all-time. His best days were with the Bears and Redskins, but he had an impact everywhere he went. The entire enterprise of Notre Dame basketball, gone strange. Nine All-Pros. Jason Gildon (Steelers/Jaguars): - Three-time Pro Bowler, one-time 1st Team All-Pro. 29, Joey Porter* (Steelers/Dolphins/Cardinals) (1999-Present) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. L.T. 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. Ray Lewis is another one of the three players on the list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. Also note that an asterisk (*) by the players name means they are still active today. 17, Brian Urlacher* (Bears) (2000-Present) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Four-time 1st Team All-Pro. Check out the 1970 Minnesota Vikings Roster, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports and more on Pro-Football-Reference.com. 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. Gradishar was the silent assassin of the team. 1970s All-decade team. by Ben Watanabe. No. 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. The line was the backbone of the Steelers dynasty, which won four Super Bowls (IX, X, XIII, and XIV) in six years.. The middle linebacker also recorded 52 tackles for loss, which is fourth all-time in Clemson history. No. 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. Earl Campbell called Williams the toughest linebacker he ever played against. Tribute to Elvis Mike Singletary had the whole package. 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. Isiah Robertson, nicknamed The Playmaker, was known for coming up with the big plays in the biggest games. Thats amazing consistency. Ware is not just an outstanding pass rusher though. He has been one of the most intimidating players in the NFL his entire career. He led the Eagles in tackles in his time with the team. Anything you asked him to do, he would do. 2. Undersized height wise, but an overabundance of heart made him more than a handful to deal with. He had an outstanding attitude and would do anything to get his team a win. He already has 57.5 sacks in his short career, along with 16 forced fumbles. Pat Swilling. Punter Ray Guy was the leading vote-getter for the 1970s All-Decade Team, receiving 24 of a possible 25 votes. Steel Curtain - Wikipedia Brooking was the face of the Falcons defense for nearly a decade, and is a well-rounded player.