How NFL Players Have Evolved. Thats right, seven. The leader of the Dome Patrol comes in at No. He tried to get in your head before you even took a step on the field of play. A five-time pro bowler, Wilson was one of the best linebackers in the league during the early 2000s. Visit Our Patreon Page to Create Your Own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See Other Bonus Material . Less of a nod goes to pass rushers, linebackers and safeties. Swilling was the best pass rusher of the Dome Patrol, but he also forced 36 fumbles to go along with all the sacks. The Best Las Vegas Raiders Linebackers of All Time - Ranker Brooks was the leader of that defense, but his surrounding cast was just too good to rank him higher. No. He did it in 2000 and again in 2003. Spielman had seven straight 100 tackle seasons, and did it eight out of nine years. Rickey Jackson could do it all. No. Perfect Seahawks NFL Draft 2023 plan: Select C.J. Stroud if there at No He is not only the greatest linebacker in NFL history, hes one of the games greatest players period. Tribute to Elvis Las Vegas Raiders: 15 best defensive backs of all-time - Just Blog Baby Thomas did everything you asked out of a linebacker. We started off with a rough one the wide receivers. 7. He has done it all for the Bears with his pass coverage, run support, and blitzing. And here are the 25 greatest linebackers in NFL history: 25. Jalen Carter, top NFL prospect, posts bond in fatal crash. Gildon was most known for his pass rushing ability, picking up 54 sacks in a 5 year span. 21. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Steelers all-time 53-man roster: '70s legends, 'Killer Bs' headline Thomas' remarkable personality was also recognized by being awarded the Walter Peyton Man of the Year Award in 1993. Carson did most of the dirty work in that linebacking core. 1970 1979 America Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Top 10 Best Linebackers In Cleveland Browns History (Updated) 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. Steve Kiner (1966-69): Tennessee fans didn't have to wait long after Emanuel left to find the next superstar linebacker. A tall order to say the least, and these 5 players did it better than anyone in the history of the NFL. 12, Randy Gradishar (Broncos) (1974-1984) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 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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. It seemed like he knew where the ball was going at all times. 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+. Although he only played three full seasons, he made five Pro Bowls. With rule changes being what they have been, I decided to rank the linebackers that have played since 1970. Elected to the Pro Football Hall Of Fame in 2018. 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. I know, how can I rate Kirkland over Greene? Lambert wasnt just great on the inside, he was an outstanding coverage linebacker. This season marked the end for Tittle and fellow Canton-bound star Frank Gifford. 15, Zach Thomas (Dolphins/Cowboys) (1996-2008) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Five-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. No. O. J. Simpson and Lynn Swann were next with 22 and 21 votes, respectively. He had ten seasons with 10+ sacks. Robertson was one of the NFLs most athletic linebackers. Porter will try to continue his success in Arizona and continue to climb up this list. 1, Lawrence Taylor (Giants) (1981-1993) *Ten-time Pro Bowler *Eight-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. And he's still going. Those are remarkable numbers, especially when he is still going strong. (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). Robertson is one of the most underrated players in NFL history. Beason has only been in the league for three years now. Seau was the definition of consistency. Edmunds will have to clean up the missed tackles and improve in coverage to rise toward where most slot him currently a top-10 linebacker on this list next season. 18, Andre Tippett (Patriots) (1982-1993) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Jackson had 40 forced fumbles, just one short of the NFL record. 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 . Baltimore Ravens ground game rules in NFL Week 11 and more He did anything the Bears asked of him, especially stuffing the run. Top 10 Draft Picks in Broncos History | No. Overlooked because he played alongside Lawrence Taylor, Carson did most of the dirty work in that linebacking core. Lewis wasnt as vocal as Cox, but his play was a little better, and lasted for a longer period of time. The Top Ranked Linebackers of the 1970s - AinsworthSports.com The offense, meanwhile, scored 29 points a game. NFL WAGS: 10 Hottest NFL Wives & Girlfriends 2023. He had less than seven sacks in a season only once. LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) At New Mexico State, the once-treasured men's basketball program has been suspended for the season due to a fatal shooting and a gruesome allegation of locker-room . He racked up a staggering 1,181 tackles, and 1,131 of them in his first nine seasons. He started his career out with the Packers, if they would have used him correctly he would have been higher on this list. His best days were with the Bears and Redskins, but he had an impact everywhere he went. The forgotten members of the legendary 1970's Steelers team 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. 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. K.J. 1986 Boston Celtics - Were they the greatest Team? Wilber Marshall had the whole package. AP. Discuss this article along with many other quality articles, discussions, and much more at: http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=54444. St. Since Donnie Shell finally cracked the Hall of Fame, I would say the . Houston Oilers, 1975-1984. Mo Lewis was another very consistent and solid player. Isiah Robertson, nicknamed The Playmaker, was known for coming up with the big plays in the biggest games. Blair was also one of the greatest special teams players of all-time! 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. Nickerson wasnt just a one hit wonder though. Who are the Packers' greatest defenders of all time? - Green Bay Packers Peterson is another versatile linebacker who has played both inside and outside linebacker. Jack Lambert was the teammate of Jack Ham who took the inside linebacker duties. The middle linebacker also recorded 52 tackles for loss, which is fourth all-time in Clemson history. Rickey Jackson doesnt always get the credit he deserves, but hes a top 10 linebacker of the modern era. 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. 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. No. Zach Thomas would be the perfect linebacker, no matter what style of defense you play. Johnson wasnt very flashy, but he was very solid all-around, which is why he sneaks onto the list. In only 11 seasons, Thomas had 126.5 sacks, and an NFL record 41 forced fumbles. Playoffs: Won Divisional Round 5-0 vs. Detroit Lions. He finished his career with 1,106 tackles and 627 assisted tackles as well. Teamwork and Leadership from Karl Mecklenburg NFL Motivational Keynote Speaker. Johnson was most known for his days with the Saints. 27. LT was the most intimidating player ever to put on an NFL uniform. The only thing that could match his signature stare was the stellar play of Samurai Mike on the field. 49, Vaughn Johnson (Saints/Eagles) (1986-1994) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Who were the linebackers for the Steel Curtain defense? - Quora May 24, 2022. Derrick Brooks may be the most accomplished linebacker on this list. Hardy Nickerson may not have the name recognition as many of the other linebackers on this list, but he deserves to be this high. Briggs should only continue to move up this list, as he takes over as the star linebacker spot in Chicago. Call 1-800-522-4700. For a four-year span with Seattle, Young was arguably the best Seahawks linebacker of all-time. 20 greatest linebackers in NFL history - Franchise Sports Over his career, he totaled 1,271 tackles, 12 INTs, and 19 forced fumbles. He was never the most athletic player on the field, but he was always the hardest working. No. 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. He just goes out every week and hustles. 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. Zach Thomas. 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. 12. Keith Brooking has been one of the most consistent linebackers of all-time. Fredd Young went a little under the radar due to his short seven year career. He holds the NFL record for the most Pro Bowl selections by a middle linebacker (13). Nine All-Pros. No. Interview with Former Steeler Great levon kirkland. He was a dominating force in the NFL during that stretch of time. Born April 20 . Paup was a complete linebacker, who was especially great at rushing the passer. Kirkland was an all-around better linebacker, he was a 300lb linebacker whose coverage skills were vastly underrated. He had 885 career solo tackles, which is impressive on a defense filled with swarming the ball, shown by his 1,488 career tackles. When you see a list of greatest linebackers, Isiah Robertson very rarely even gets brought into the discussion. . 1970 Minnesota Vikings Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees Pat Swilling. So while there were outstanding linebackers in previous years, like Dick Butkus and Ray Nitschke, they will not be on this list. Swilling was the best pass rusher of the Dome Patrol, but he also forced 36 fumbles to go along with all the sacks. Bryce Paup was an outstanding pass rusher in the 1990s. 21, Patrick Willis* (49ers) (2006-Present) *Three-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. The exhibit features the Fleet's classic collection set in five themed galleries representing the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. Over his career, Brooking has racked up 962 tackles and 12 INTs. No. He was a tackling machine for the majority of his career. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports. Doc's TML: Lock out the MLB owners, players. No TV, radio, fans Matt Blair was a very intimidating linebacker, and helped the Vikings get to two Super Bowls in his career. They surrendered only 20 points in that game, and seven of them were off a blocked punt. Thats right, seven. But, if you didnt know, Jackson was once an outstanding linebacker for the Denver Broncos Orange Crush defense. After being labeled a bust by many after his first four seasons with the Jets, Farrior broke out with the Steelers and became one of the most consistent players in the league. 44, Jessie Armstead (Giants/Redskins) (1993-2003) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 42, Chip Banks (Browns/Chargers/Colts) (1982-1992) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st team All-Pro. The former college basketball star is considered one of the best defensive linemen to ever play in the NFL. 38, Chad Brown (Steelers/Seahawks/Patriots) (1993-2007) *Three-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro. 10. 1. The next year, he followed it up with four more interceptions. Wilson recorded 560 tackles and 21.5 sacks as a member of the Broncos. Mike Singletary was the leader of the most dominating defense the NFL has ever seenthe 1985 Bears. He also took over Lloyds role in pass coverage as the only linebacker in the Steelers nickel defense. He took up blockers and threw his body around a lot. Top ten linebackers in Steelers history: Version two - Steelers Sanctuary Cornelius Bennett was just a great all-around player. No. He is still active, and is a starter, but he might be on his way out of San Diego. 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 running back Franco Harris. 13, Greg Lloyd (Steelers/Panthers) (1988-1998) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro. He may have actually been crazy. 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. Thats the type of player you want on your team, especially on the defensive side of the ball. I personally think football before 1970 and after 1970 can be seen as two completely different games, in terms of its evolution. No. 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 was always around the ball. 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. When you think of Singletary, the first thing that comes to mind is intense focus. Paul Krause | S. The NFL's all-time leader in interceptions spent 12 of his 16 years in Minnesota. The Chicago Bears have the most all-time great linebackers. Young was a fierce hitter, and would always stick his nose in the middle of the play. But Mills did much more than that. Over the past 50 years, the Steelers have tallied 36 winning seasons .

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