They had traded stalwart linebacker Sam Huff in the offseason. Thomas is also third all-time in safeties and fumble returns for touchdowns. Those would be accomplishments by themselves, let alone all together. He was 73. 5. Taylor changed the way football is played today. No. Although he only played three full seasons, he made five Pro Bowls. and Jack Ham played as . 100th NFL Anniversary team. So while there were outstanding linebackers in previous years, like Dick Butkus and Ray Nitschke, they will not be on this list. Those would be accomplishments by themselves, let alone all together. Eddie Johnson arrived in Cleveland at exactly the right time. For a four-year span with Seattle, Young was arguably the best Seahawks linebacker of all-time. Mills was more of a complete player than Swilling, although the two are too close to separate one from the other. Bill Romanowski (49ers, Eagles, Broncos, Raiders) : Two-time Pro Bowler. He led some of the greatest defenses in NFL history in both performance and spirit. Some of you will say hes too low. . He also finished his career with 17 INTs. No. 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. Chip Banks was another linebacker that was solid at everything, but not great at anything. He also finished his career with 17 INTs. 34, Julian Peterson* (49ers/Seahawks/Lions) (2000-Present) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 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. 39, Peter Boulware (Ravens) (1997-2005) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Derrick Brooks may be the most accomplished linebacker on this list. Chris Spielman was a tackle machine during his 10 years in the NFL. Super Bowl winner. Thats over 10 sacks per season, which is outstanding. He was also the fastest linebacker of the bunch and excelled in pass coverage. He was never the most athletic player on the field, but he was always the hardest working. He also had at least 99 tackles in seven years of his 12 year career, which is outstanding. Briggs should only continue to move up this list, as he takes over as the star linebacker spot in Chicago. 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 . Boulware had at least seven sacks every year he played other than his last season in the NFL. Spielman had seven straight 100 tackle seasons, and did it eight out of nine years. He was the quintessential linebacker and easily the greatest of his era. 48, Terrell Suggs* (Ravens) (2003-Present) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Greene led the way in the pass rushing department. Comic-Con Museum named best pop culture museum by USA Today. Peppers' 159.5 career sacks rank fourth on the all-time list. 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. NFLs Merchants of Menace Cornelius Bennett and Bruce Smith. He was also a good pass rusher, and a good coverage man as well. He has been one of the most intimidating players in the NFL his entire career. He was also the fastest linebacker of the bunch and excelled in pass coverage. He holds the NFL record for the most Pro Bowl selections by a middle linebacker (13). But, theres no doubt that hes been one of the top linebackers in the NFL, and still is today. Kevin Greene was a mad man in a football uniform. He totaled 28 INTs in his career while he also racked up 1,045 tackles. . Jack Lambert was the teammate of Jack Ham who took the inside linebacker duties. He may be one of the most hated players, but man can he play football. 11, Kevin Greene (Rams/Steelers/Panthers/49ers), (1985-1999) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Any coach would be lucky to have a player like Karl Mecklenburg on their roster. 5, Jack Lambert (Steelers) (1974-1984) *Nine-time Pro Bowlers *Seven-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Simpson in 1973 or Terry Bradshaw's two Super Bowl MVP performances. 7, Rickey Jackson (Saints/49ers) (1981-1995) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Five-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 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. No NFL team has enjoyed the consistent level of success the Pittsburgh Steelers have enjoyed since the AFL-NFL merger of 1970. Lewis stats at this point of his career are 1,349 tackles, 36.5 sacks, and 28 INTs. 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. He may have been undersized, but he made up for it with his mind and his hustle. His swinging the axe celebration sums up his style of play and tenacity on the field. (Photo: David Boss, Getty) Historians will tell you that McAdams is one of the best linebackers to ever play at The University of Oklahoma. He was the type of player that you would want your kids to look up to. 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). That is just unheard of. He was a dominating force in the NFL during that stretch of time. No. His 1989 rookie season was one of the best the NFL has ever seen. Top 13 Cincinnati Reds Starting Pitchers of all time. Briggs does a lot of pass coverage with the Bears, and has had 53 passes deflected already in his career. LaVar Arrington. 24, Leslie ONeal (Chargers/Rams/Chiefs) (1986-1999) *Six-time Pro Bowler *One-time 2nd 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, 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. He racked up a staggering 1,181 tackles, and 1,131 of them in his first nine seasons. 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. With time to spare in the NFL offseason, Ill take a look at the top 50 linebackers in the NFL in the modern era. Lloyd will always be remembered as the lightning quick pass rusher from the Blitzburgh days. HELLO, PANDORA. 10. Peter Boulware was the pass rusher alongside Ray Lewis. The two-time All-American helped the Cornhuskers win back-to-back national titles in 1970 and '71 . He was the notorious leader of one of the greatest defenses to ever make its way onto a football field Pittsburghs famed Steel Curtain.. He led the team in tackles five of the 11 season he played for them. Singletary was a leader, not only vocally, but by example. His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers. Jackson was not just a coverage linebacker, he was also a good pass rusher and a very hard worker off the field. The Steel Curtain was the defensive line of the 1970s American football team Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. Paul Krause | S. The NFL's all-time leader in interceptions spent 12 of his 16 years in Minnesota. But he proved them wrong and was a key piece on the Broncos Super Bowl winning team. Top 13 Indiana High School Players of all Time, The 6 greatest Indiana Highschool pure Shooters, The 8 greatest IHSAA Championship Games in History. Demarcus Ware has only played five seasons in the NFL, but already hes one of the best of this era. Merriman still has the potential to be a great player again. Eleven Pro Bowls. 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). He tried to get in your head before you even took a step on the field of play. 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. Jeremiah The Axeman Trotter has been a very recognizable name over the past decade. In today's NFL, few positions have become as difficult to play as off-ball linebacker. Hes been amazing. Trotter was a complete, all-around linebacker. He is not only the greatest linebacker in NFL history, hes one of the games greatest players period. Derrick Thomas was on pace to absolutely shatter NFL records before his tragic death in 2000. He also played two different positions, playing ILB and OLB for the Vikings in his career. Leslie ONeal was a sack machine in his career. Johnson wasnt very flashy, but he was very solid all-around, which is why he sneaks onto the list. Over the course of his two-year Ohio State career, Lee accumulated 147 tackles. 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 . Any coach would be lucky to have a player like Karl Mecklenburg on their roster. 33, Al Wilson (Broncos) (1999-2006) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. It was tied for the best of the day with linebacker Owen Pappoe, of Auburn, and was the second-fastest time from an . He was always good enough for Pro Bowls, but was never an All-Pro Player. Tippett finished his career with 100 sacks. Lofa Tatupu didnt take any time breaking into the NFL, making the Pro Bowl in his first three seasons. Jason Gildon (Steelers/Jaguars): - Three-time Pro Bowler, one-time 1st Team All-Pro. Franchise Encyclopedia. Cornelius Bennett was just a great all-around player. Defensive MVP in 2002. Already in his career, Ware has forced 23 fumbles. Nickerson wasnt just a one hit wonder though. In 1984 and 1985, Tippett put up two of the best back to back seasons recording 18.5 and 16.5 sacks in them. He had over 1,000 tackles, over 70 sacks, and over 30 forced fumbles in his career. No. That Steelers linebacking core could easily be the best of all-time, and it was led by Jack Lambert and Jack Ham. That suggestion from the newly appointed House . Williams was the heart and soul of two Super Bowl defenses. In 1976, Jackson had seven INTs. Theres not much Brooks doesnt have. He had over 1,000 tackles, over 70 sacks, and over 30 forced fumbles in his career. 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 over 10 sacks per season, which is outstanding. 27. He knew how to make big plays. 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. He would always be found around the ball, and around the play. 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. No. A tall order to say the least, and these 5 players did it better than anyone in the history of the NFL. Love him or hate him, Lewis has earned the title of greatest middle linebacker of all time. Over his career, he totaled 1,271 tackles, 12 INTs, and 19 forced fumbles. In 2008, Suggs even had two INTs, both of which he returned for touchdowns. He also had 20 INTs, three of which he returned for touchdowns. Even now, you can tell what kind of person he is by his charity work with the REACH Foundation that he started. The line was the backbone of the Steelers dynasty, which won four Super Bowls (IX, X, XIII, and XIV) in six years.. Jessie Armstead was one of the most consistent linebackers on this list. 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. Briggs has made five straight Pro Bowls for the Bears, and that streak still continues. 1970, slow dancing in Mark Wooldridge's basement with my first girlfriend, Karen Frey, who wore white high-top . If not, you can open it also by clicking the following link: Top 10 Athletes past the age of 40: Where does Tom Brady rank? Johnson was most known for his days with the Saints. 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. Pat Swilling. Thomas was the best linebacker of the 1990s, and one of the best pass rushers of all-time. Gildon was most known for his pass rushing ability, picking up 54 sacks in a 5 year span. Thomas was one of the most instinctive linebackers of all-time. 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. In the words of Vikings' head coaching legend Bud Grant, "Paul personified the term free safety.". During the five year stretch from 1991-1995 where he made five consecutive Pro Bowls, Lloyd was one of, if not the, most dominating linebackers in the NFL. They surrendered only 20 points in that game, and seven of them were off a blocked punt. 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. 6 - Carl McAdams. His best days were with the Bears and Redskins, but he had an impact everywhere he went. He was a hard worker, good tackler, and had great hands. 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. This site is using Cloudflare and adheres to the Google Safe Browsing Program. He was a dominating force in the NFL during that stretch of time. 9. Paul Naumoff played for 12 seasons from 1967-1978. 31, Tom Jackson (Broncos) (1973-1986) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Wilber Marshall had the whole package. The Steelers had lost their emotional leader, outside linebacker Greg Lloyd, at the start of the season to a knee injury, but Kirkland took over the mantle of leadership. He finished his career with 1,106 tackles and 627 assisted tackles as well. The Steelers began their 1976 season 1-4 and lost their quarterback, Terry Bradshaw.For the nine games remaining in the season, the Steelers . 23, Isiah Robertson (Rams/Bills) (1971-1982) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Featuring some of the greatest NFL linebackers of all time, the best Bills LBs include Sam Rogers, Keith Ellison, Shane Conlan, and John Holecek. But Mills did much more than that. Over the past 50 years, the Steelers have tallied 36 winning seasons . Playoffs: Won Divisional Round 5-0 vs. Detroit Lions. No. Top 25 SEC LBs of all-time: 10-6. The . Jack Ham, Linebacker. He knew how to make big plays. 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. Top 10 Boxers of the 1990s: Was Roy Jones Jr. the best? 26, Cornelius Bennett (Bills/Falcons/Colts) (1987-2000) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. Wagers only accepted in CO. For full terms and conditions, click here. 1986 Boston Celtics - Were they the greatest Team? Robert Brazile. 25. Lewis stats at this point of his career are 1,349 tackles, 36.5 sacks, and 28 INTs. Lambert was a Pro Bowler in all but his rookie season and his final pro season, totaling nine selections. He recently missed most of last season with surgery. A five-time pro bowler, Wilson was one of the best linebackers in the league during the early 2000s. and 2000s. Thats amazing consistency. Anthony Simmons (1995-'97) is the only two-time First-Team All-American in Clemson . Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports. His high sack number was 15 in 2001, a year that he didnt even get voted into the Pro Bowl. An important part of the Las Vegas defense, the LB position includes middle or inside linebackers and outside (strong side or weakside) linebackers. Hes on pace to not only break, but shatter the NFL record of 41. 28a, Pat Swilling (Saints/Lions/Raiders) (1986-1998) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He did anything the Bears asked of him, especially stuffing the run. Woodrow Lowe, Alabama (1972-75) Respected as college football's top linebacker in the early 1970s, Lowe was the first . 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.
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