Thats the type of player you want on your team, especially on the defensive side of the ball. He was never the most athletic player on the field, but he was always the hardest working. Select from premium 1970 1979 America of the highest quality. Floyd Reese, the general manager who assembled the roster for the Tennessee Titans' lone Super Bowl appearance, died Saturday. Pittsburgh 2002, '04-12, '14-17; Cincinnati 2013; New England 2017. . 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. He was selected late in the 12th Round, and nobody expected much out of him. Im only going to be looking at players drafted in 1970 or later. Greene was one of the best pass rushers of all-time, recording 160 sacks in his career. Over his career, he totaled 1,271 tackles, 12 INTs, and 19 forced fumbles. Not only did he change the way defenses are run, but he changed the way offensive schemes are run as well. This team was widely regarded as having one of the best defenses of all-time. Wilber Marshall was one of the greatest pass coverage linebackers of the modern era. Lewis was the leader of the 2000 Super Bowl-winning Ravens team. Brooks was the leader of that defense, but his surrounding cast was just too good to rank him higher. A shot of Jameson for Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey. 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. Teamwork and Leadership from Karl Mecklenburg NFL Motivational Keynote Speaker. 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. . No. Playing 20 seasons in the NFL is amazing at any position. 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. Linebacker Jack Ham and Tight end Dave Casper each received 20 votes. No. Super Bowl winner. 16, Robert Brazile (Oilers) (1975-1984) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Four-time 2nd Team All-Pro. In only 11 seasons, Thomas had 126.5 sacks, and an NFL record of 41 forced fumbles. Joey Porter. 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. I think thats largely due to the NFL not keeping sacks and tackles numbers during his career. No. Thomas' remarkable personality was also recognized by being awarded the Walter Peyton Man of the Year Award in 1993. Taylor changed the way football is played today. Thats right, seven. Blair was also one of the greatest special teams players of all-time! Thats fine, he played enough linebacker to be considered this high. Featuring some of the greatest NFL linebackers of all time, the best Bills LBs include Sam Rogers, Keith Ellison, Shane Conlan, and John Holecek. L.T. Find out what the legends have to say about sports this week. thegruelingtruth.com is available in the following countries: The bonus offer of was already opened in an additional window. He did everything. 9. 35, Lance Briggs* (Bears) (2003-Present) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Kirkland was an all-around better linebacker, he was a 300lb linebacker whose coverage skills were vastly underrated. 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 . Zach Thomas is exactly what you want in a player and a linebacker. The player that gives Butkus the most competition in that category would be Mike Singletary. No. 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. Siemon was always a good player, but never a great player. Next were Defensive end Jack Youngblood and Joe Greene who each had 18 votes. He has done it all for the Bears with his pass coverage, run support, and blitzing. He wasnt very vocal, but his play did all the talking for him. Thomas never had less than seven sacks in a season in his entire career, and only had less than eight sacks in one season. Most people know Tom Jackson as the commentator working with Chris Berman. Many of you will say that Keith Bulluck is way too high. Junior Seau finished his career with 1,524 tackles, the highest total on this list. LaVar Arrington. But, if you didnt know, Jackson was once an outstanding linebacker for the Denver Broncos Orange Crush defense. 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No. Mike Singletary had the whole package. 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. He may have been undersized, but he made up for it with his mind and his hustle. Spielman had seven straight 100 tackle seasons, and did it eight out of nine years. O. J. Simpson and Lynn Swann were next with 22 and 21 votes, respectively. Paup was a complete linebacker, who was especially great at rushing the passer. Jessie Armstead was one of the most consistent linebackers on this list. He was the quintessential linebacker and easily the greatest of his era. Paul Naumoff played for 12 seasons from 1967-1978. Jeremiah The Axeman Trotter has been a very recognizable name over the past decade. Randy Gradishar played along with Tom Jackson in the Denver Broncos Orange Crush defense. He was a hard worker, good tackler, and had great hands. NFLs Merchants of Menace Andre Tippett. Interview with Former Steeler Great levon kirkland. He also finished his career with 17 INTs. He holds the NFL record for the most Pro Bowl selections by a middle linebacker (13). Jackson was the vocal leader of the orange crush defense. He was a dominating force in the NFL during that stretch of time. A five-time pro bowler, Wilson was one of the best linebackers in the league during the early 2000s. The Raiders defeated the Eagles 27-10. Paul Naumoff. He played for a bad team with not much of a surrounding cast, but still excelled. Ham is the only linebacker other than Tom Jackson to have seven INTs in a single season. Briggs has made five straight Pro Bowls for the Bears, and that streak still continues. With rule changes being what they have been, I decided to rank the linebackers that have played since 1970. The middle linebacker also recorded 52 tackles for loss, which is fourth all-time in Clemson history. Defensive MVP in 2002. Those are remarkable numbers, especially when he is still going strong. His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers. Mills was more of the tackler of the bunch, racking up 1,142 tackles in his career. The best LB in the NFL today comes in at No. He played in 10 playoff games and had two INTs and three fumble recoveries in them. No. Lambert wasnt just great on the inside, he was an outstanding coverage linebacker. Here Are 8 Ways NBA Has Changed That Modern Fans Don't Realize. Seau was the definition of consistency. Nine All-Pros. He had 1,301 tackles and 25 forced fumbles in his career. Beason may be the most controversial player on this list. SRS: 6.97 (5th of 26), SOS: 1.40. 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. The next year at the Pro Bowl, Thomas remembered him by name. No. 3 hours ago. In only 11 seasons, Thomas had 126.5 sacks, and an NFL record 41 forced fumbles. Even now, you can tell what kind of person he is by his charity work with the REACH Foundation that he started. *Ty Anderson, Thomasville: Anderson (6-0, 210) has been an all-state player since he was a sophomore Region 1-2A defensive co . Mike Kolen 1970-77. Voted to seven Pro Bowls, named First Team All-Pro five times. Lambert was a Pro Bowler in all but his rookie season and his final pro season, totaling nine selections. Top 10 Best Linebackers In Cleveland Browns History. And he's still going. Answer: Two of the three were constants for all four Super Bowls and ended up in the Hall of Fame. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. He took them to the AFC Championship game in 1998, where they fell victim to John Elways Super Bowl winning Broncos. He was very solid in coverage, good against the run, and had no real weaknesses. 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That suggestion from the newly appointed House . Blair was outstanding in coverage, along with being a great tackler. 17, Brian Urlacher* (Bears) (2000-Present) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Four-time 1st Team All-Pro. He also took over Lloyds role in pass coverage as the only linebacker in the Steelers nickel defense. This list isnt based solely on performances from the 2020 NFL season. He racked up a staggering 1,181 tackles, and 1,131 of them in his first nine seasons. 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. Born April 20 . Over the past 50 years, the Steelers have tallied 36 winning seasons . 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. Al Wilson was an outstanding MLB for the Broncos. Visit Our Patreon Page to Create Your Own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See Other Bonus Material . But it was his style of play that made his career so short. Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1969), three-time Pro Bowl (1970-72), two . The thing about Derrick Thomas that is the most remarkable was how nice of a person he was off the field. I know, how can I rate Kirkland over Greene? Although he only played three full seasons, he made five Pro Bowls. 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. He is the only linebacker to ever take the honor. That is just unheard of. 2, Ray Lewis* (Ravens) (1996-Present) *Eleven-time Pro Bowler *Seven-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Derrick Thomas was on pace to absolutely shatter NFL records before his tragic death in 2000. 21, Patrick Willis* (49ers) (2006-Present) *Three-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. It seemed like he knew where the ball was going at all times. He just goes out every week and hustles. Williams recorded 16 interceptions and 23 fumble recoveries (a franchise record). He knew how to make big plays. Lamberts best season was in 1976, where he won the Defensive Player of the Year award. With time to spare in the NFL offseason, I’ll take a look at the top 50 linebackers in the NFL in the modern era. Don Moorehead, Dennis Franklin, Jim Harbaugh, Elvis Grbac, Tom Brady, Forest Evashevski, Benny Friedman and John Navarre were all elected Captains by their teammates. Thats over 10 sacks per season, which is outstanding. As an outside linebacker, he put a lot of pressure on opponents' quarterbacks. Lawrence Taylor of course, is regarded as the best 3-4 linebacker ever, . *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. 3, Mike Singletary (Bears) (1981-1992) *Ten-time Pro Bowler *Seven-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Call 1-800-522-4700. Since Donnie Shell finally cracked the Hall of Fame, I would say the . The Steelers went 6-10 in his first season, but along with players like Hines Ward, Jerome Bettis, and Alan Faneca . Not only did he change the way defenses are run, but he changed the way offensive schemes are run as well. We adapted Google's Privacy Guidelines to keep your data safe at all times. [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. 43, Keith Brooking* (Falcons/Cowboys) (1998-Present) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 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. Discuss this article along with many other quality articles, discussions, and much more at: http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=54444. Top 13 Indiana High School Players of all Time, The 6 greatest Indiana Highschool pure Shooters, The 8 greatest IHSAA Championship Games in History. Tribute to Elvis 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. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNzd9Xd0who, No. He made five straight Pro Bowls, but the reason he doesnt rank higher on this list is because he was never a feared player like his teammate Michael Strahan was, and his stats just arent good enough. He could do it all. Being a linebacker makes that feat that much more impressive. He has played the role of pass rusher and coverage linebacker in his career, and has excelled at both. Thomas is also third all-time in safeties and fumble returns for touchdowns. The defense was ranked right up there along with the 1985 Bears, and Steelers teams of the 1970s. Jeff Siemon (Vikings) : Four-time Pro Bowler. No. Still, its an amazing number. 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. Lloyd had 54.5 sacks and 11 INTs in his career, but the most remarkable number was his 35 forced fumbles. Mecklenburg finished his career with 79 sacks, which is great for an ILB, and also ranks 2nd all-time in Broncos history. Well have to see how he does, but he could either climb up or fall off this list based on his performance in 2010. Kolen was drafted by the Dolphins in the 12 th round . HELLO, PANDORA. 30, Matt Blair (Vikings) (1974-1985) *Six-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. 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. He was a dominating force in the NFL during that stretch of time. Lloyd will always be remembered as the lightning quick pass rusher from the Blitzburgh days. He finished his career with 1,106 tackles and 627 assisted tackles as well. Jack Lambert was the teammate of Jack Ham who took the inside linebacker duties. Over his career, Brooking has racked up 962 tackles and 12 INTs. Jack Ham, Linebacker. In 1984 and 1985, Tippett put up two of the best back-to-back seasons recording 18.5 and 16.5 sacks in them. 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. Playoffs: Won Divisional Round 5-0 vs. Detroit Lions. Hes also had at least 83 tackles in every year other than his rookie season. Next up on the docket for my top Redskins players series are the linebackers. Next were Defensive end Jack Youngblood and Joe Greene who each had 18 votes. The Top Ranked Linebackers of the 1960s Still, its an amazing number. He was one of the most feared players in the game. He would give it his all on every single down of every single play. He was unstoppable in goal-line situations especially. Nickerson wasnt just a one hit wonder though. 20, Keith Bulluck* (Titans) (2000-Present) *One-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Jackson had 40 forced fumbles, just one short of the NFL record. Jackson tallied up 128 sacks in his career, but even thats not his most impressive number. Gambling Problem? He was a tackle machine and a very big hitter. 2013 MAC Hall of Fame Inductee: Western Michigans John Offerdahl. But we would be remiss to not acknowledge some of the top performers from that earlier era. Brooks wasnt just a pass coverage linebacker, but he also played the run well. He recently missed most of last season with surgery. Butkus nasty disposition and ability to blow up anyone standing in his path, made him one of the most feared players in the history of the game. He had five INTs in a season twice in his career. [a][4]. His best season was his first year with the Bills where he had 17.5 sacks, 70 tackles, two INTs, and three forced fumbles. No. 2022 - SportsUnfold. Bryce Paup was an outstanding pass rusher in the 1990s. 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 was also a big hitter and very intimidating on the field of play. . In only five seasons, Wares already totaled up 64.5 sacks, including 20 in 2008. Isiah Robertson, nicknamed The Playmaker, was known for coming up with the big plays in the biggest games. 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. No. Eddie Johnson. If Bulluck played on a better team, I believe his stats would be much better and his accomplishments would be a lot more. He also had at least 99 tackles in seven years of his 12-year career, which is outstanding. 14, Hardy Nickerson (Steelers/Bucs/Jaguars/Packers) (1987-2002) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. These are the newest members of GHSF Daily's Georgia Power 100. Outside linebacker Joey Porter came to Pittsburgh in 1999. During the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine, Lee posted the fastest 40-yard dash time among . We started off with a rough one the wide receivers. Robert Brazile- Tums all time neutralizer. Wilber Marshall had the whole package. 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. He was also a good pass rusher, and a good coverage man as well. T&Cs apply. No. Greene and Greg Lloyd made one of the best pass rushing duos in NFL history with the Pittsburgh Steelers. This team was widely regarded as having one of the best defenses of all time.
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