He was also the fastest linebacker of the bunch and excelled in pass coverage. In only 11 seasons, Thomas had 126.5 sacks, and an NFL record 41 forced fumbles. . Suggs is a pass rushing monster with the Ravens. Lewis was the leader of the 2000 Super Bowl winning Ravens team. 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. Dennis Onkotz 1967 - 1969. The Top Ranked Linebackers of the 1960s - AinsworthSports.com 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. Hes also great against the run and is a turnover forcing monster. He was the quintessential linebacker and easily the greatest of his era. He also had 20 INTs, three of which he returned for touchdowns. Woodrow Lowe, Alabama (1972-75) Respected as college football's top linebacker in the early 1970s, Lowe was the first . Ray Lewis is another one of the three players on the list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. Lloyd had 54.5 sacks and 11 INTs in his career, but the most remarkable number was his 35 forced fumbles. He was unstoppable in goal-line situations especially. Randy Gradishar played along with Tom Jackson in the Denver Broncos Orange Crush defense. 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. 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. . Thats right, seven. 20, Keith Bulluck* (Titans) (2000-Present) *One-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Chris Spielman was a tackle machine during his 10 years in the NFL. Regardless, he definitely deserves the respect for what he accomplished on the field. Depending on the day, you might view Ham as the best player on the Steel Curtain defense or the 4th best, and it's . 15, Zach Thomas (Dolphins/Cowboys) (1996-2008) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Five-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. I think hell climb up this list further in the near future. . I’m only going to be looking at players drafted in 1970 or later. A five-time pro bowler, Wilson was one of the best linebackers in the league during the early 2000s. It was tied for the best of the day with linebacker Owen Pappoe, of Auburn, and was the second-fastest time from an . They had traded stalwart linebacker Sam Huff in the offseason. Steve Kiner (1966-69): Tennessee fans didn't have to wait long after Emanuel left to find the next superstar linebacker. No. (Photo: David Boss, Getty) Historians will tell you that McAdams is one of the best linebackers to ever play at The University of Oklahoma. The middle linebacker also recorded 52 tackles for loss, which is fourth all-time in Clemson history. Junior Seau finished his career with 1,524 tackles, the highest total on this list. But Mills did much more than that. 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 . Spielman had seven straight 100 tackle seasons, and did it eight out of nine years. He knew how to make big plays. Peter Boulware was the pass rusher alongside Ray Lewis. Answer: Two of the three were constants for all four Super Bowls and ended up in the Hall of Fame. 40, Bryce Paup (Packers/Bills/Jaguars/Vikings) (1990-2000) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. He did it once in 1985 and again in 1988. Thomas is also third all-time in safeties and fumble returns for touchdowns. Jack Ham might be the best coverage linebacker of all time. 3 hours ago. Jack Ham might be the best coverage linebacker of all-time. Thomas did everything you asked out of a linebacker. He was unstoppable in goal line situations especially. Being a linebacker makes that feat that much more impressive. Jalen Carter, top NFL prospect, posts bond in fatal crash. . No. But he proved them wrong and was a key piece on the Broncos Super Bowl winning team. He had four interceptions that season, a high number for an inside linebacker, to go along with four sacks and 114 tackles. He was close to averaging a sack per game, which is an amazing number. To stoke the nostalgia, we talked to some of the key players from the team's winningest, most . McAdams was a two-time All-American . The NFL is back in L.A. for the first time since 1995, as the Rams return to the Coliseum. Atlante vs Raya2 Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream Time, Date, Team News, lineup news, Odds, Stats, Betting Tips Trends, Where To Watch Live Score Mexican Liga de Expansin MX 2023 Telecast Today Match Details March 3, Club Tijuana vs Atlas Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream, Wydad AC vs Vita Club Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream, U Cluj vs Farul Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream Time,, Top 10 Best Football Agents In The World | 2023 Updates, Top 10 Most Successful Retired Soccer Players 2023, FC Magdeburg vs 1. 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 . Quinto was a regular at both inside and outside linebacker for head coach Ron Gladnick's Saints. Are you ready for some football history? 35, Lance Briggs* (Bears) (2003-Present) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Jul 07, 2014 at 11:02 PM. Selected by the Baltimore Colts in the 2nd round . Teamwork and Leadership from Karl Mecklenburg NFL Motivational Keynote Speaker. Here Are 8 Ways NBA Has Changed That Modern Fans Don't Realize. No. Seau is one of the Chargers' all-time great players, and will go to Canton five years after he retires like he should. T&Cs apply. That is the reason you will not find Butkus, Huff, Nitschke etc in these rankings. Trotter was a complete, all-around linebacker. With rule changes being what they have been, The number one pick was obvious. Eddie Johnson. LSU women's basketball makes it rain in rout of Georgia in SEC 1986 Boston Celtics - Were they the greatest Team? Seau was the definition of consistency. Zach Thomas. No. Sacks and tackles werent recorded until late in his career, but he was a great pass rusher and all round linebacker. SRS: 6.97 (5th of 26), SOS: 1.40. 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. The most obvious change from 1920 to today is the size of players, but there also have been many changes in the schemes . No. Greene was one of the best pass rushers of all time, recording 160 sacks in his career. Chuck Drazenovich. Although still early in his career, Demarcus Ware deserves to be this high on the list. 2022 NFL Linebacker Rankings and Tiers | NFL News, Rankings and - PFF Interview with Former Steeler Great levon kirkland. [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. Jason Gildon (Steelers/Jaguars): - Three-time Pro Bowler, one-time 1st Team All-Pro. Julian Peterson has had a very well-rounded NFL career to this point, and its still going on. He was selected late in the 12th Round, and nobody expected much out of him. He finished his career with 1,106 tackles and 627 assisted tackles as well. He took up blockers and threw his body around a lot. He produced 32 sacks over the 3 seasons. 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? Collect, curate and comment on your files. The Pittsburgh Steelers are second with all-time players in four decades. Many of you will say that Keith Bulluck is way too high. Bulluck was an outstanding tackler, and was great at run support too. No. The Greatest Penn State Linebackers of All Time The next year, he followed it up with four more interceptions. Top 10 Washington Football Team LBs of All Time - Sports Articles Zachary Petrizzo. 10 Best Linebackers in Steelers History (+Honorable Mentions) LSU ENDS REGULAR SEASON 27-1LSU women's basketball ties program-best season . Paul Naumoff played for 12 seasons from 1967-1978. Republican Rep. James Comer suggested during a right-wing podcast earlier this week that President Joe Biden's deceased son Beau Biden should have been investigated in connection with a long-settled case on "campaign donations" from a backer who was eventually indicted. Derrick Thomas was on pace to absolutely shatter NFL records before his tragic death in 2000. Their greats span the decades of the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s. He had ten seasons with 10+ sacks. He always tried to better himself and did it effectively. Siemon was always a good player, but never a great player. 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 also had 20 INTs, three of which he returned for touchdowns. Top 13 Cincinnati Reds Starting Pitchers of all time. Thats over 10 sacks per season, which is outstanding. Willis could potentially end up in the top 10, or even top five of this list by the time his career is over. Mecklenburg was never a cocky player, but just a guy who would show up on Sundays. Countdown 119: Top 10 Linebackers in NFL History - Sports H2H Ray Lewis is another one of the three players on the list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. The former college basketball star is considered one of the best defensive linemen to ever play in the NFL. AP. Ware has made four consecutive Pro Bowls and has had three consecutive All-Pro seasons. Top 5 Tennessee linebackers of all-time - Saturday Down South Although he only played three full seasons, he made five Pro Bowls. 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. It seemed like he knew where the ball was going at all times. 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. Robert Brazile. 48, Terrell Suggs* (Ravens) (2003-Present) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Bet with your head, not over it. Elected to the Pro Football Hall Of Fame in 2018. He was also a good pass rusher, and a good coverage man as well. could hit like a freight train, but it was his finesse and high football IQ that helped him revolutionize the linebacker position. Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1969), three-time Pro Bowl (1970-72), two . 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. Lambert and Ham also won four Super Bowls with the Steelers in the 1970s playing in the Steel Curtain. Keith Bulluck WAS the Titans defense, and has been every year hes been there. The two-time All-American helped the Cornhuskers win back-to-back national titles in 1970 and '71 . The 'Skins historically have had some solid inside linebackers capable of both stopping the run and being reliable in coverage. 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. 44, Jessie Armstead (Giants/Redskins) (1993-2003) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Mike Singletary is one of three players on this list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. He was the type of player that you would want your kids to look up to. The next year, he followed it up with four more interceptions. He was a dominating force in the NFL during that stretch of time. Hes also had at least 83 tackles in every year other than his rookie season. In 1985, a trophy awarded to the best linebacker in college football was named in his honor. 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. If you dont believe me, watch the film, as they say, the film doesnt lie! Andre Tippett. Theres not much Brooks doesnt have. Punter Ray Guy was the leading vote-getter for the 1970s All-Decade Team, receiving 24 of a possible 25 votes. A tall order to say the least, and these 5 players did it better than anyone in the history of the NFL. 7. 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. Lawrence Taylor of course, is regarded as the best 3-4 linebacker ever, . The entire enterprise of Notre Dame basketball, gone strange. No. He could play zone and man. Top 10 Best Linebackers In Cleveland Browns History. 2, Ray Lewis* (Ravens) (1996-Present) *Eleven-time Pro Bowler *Seven-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. More from Green Bay Packers. Two years later, the Giants sunk to 1-12-1. NFLs Merchants of Menace Andre Tippett. 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 . And he's still going. He was never the most athletic player on the field, but he was always the hardest working. Blair was outstanding in coverage, along with being a great tackler. So while there were outstanding linebackers in previous years, like Dick Butkus and Ray Nitschke, they will not be on this list. Singletary was a leader, not only vocally, but by example. He did anything the Bears asked of him, especially stuffing the run. Lewis, playing alongside Bryan Cox, led a very good Jets team to the closest theyve been to a Super Bowl since they won Super Bowl III. He also finished his career with 17 INTs. 1953-65, Detroit Lions. Randy Gradishar may be the single-most deserving player of a spot in Canton. 5, Jack Lambert (Steelers) (1974-1984) *Nine-time Pro Bowlers *Seven-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Thomas was one of the most instinctive linebackers of all-time. James Harrison. The second member of the Dome Patrol comes off the board at No. Singletary was a leader, not only vocally, but by example. In that career he played both 4-3 OLB and 3-4 ILB. 10. Chad Brown played a very long NFL career, especially for a linebacker. 6 - Carl McAdams. He tried to get in your head before you even took a step on the field of play. *Ty Anderson, Thomasville: Anderson (6-0, 210) has been an all-state player since he was a sophomore Region 1-2A defensive co . How NFL Players Have Evolved | Stadium Talk His best season was his first year with the Bills where he had 17.5 sacks, 70 tackles, two INTs, and three forced fumbles. In his time in the NFL, he intercepted 25 passes and returned six of them for touchdowns with three of those in 2002 alone. List of All Buffalo Bills Linebackers, Ranked Best to Worst He led some of the greatest defenses in NFL history in both performance and spirit. Nickerson wasnt just a one hit wonder though. Also note that an asterisk (*) by the players name means they are still active today. Lambert wasnt just great on the inside, he was an outstanding coverage linebacker. Please click on "Comments" and make sure to vote in the poll. The best LB in the NFL today comes in at No. Wright, Seattle Seahawks. Jessie Armstead was one of the most consistent linebackers on this list. Sacks and tackles werent recorded until late in his career, but he was a great pass rusher and all-around linebacker. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNzd9Xd0who, No. 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. 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. The 1970s Were the L.A. Rams' Most Dramatic Decade - Los Angeles Magazine The next year at the Pro Bowl, Thomas remembered him by name. 1970s All-decade team. The Steel Curtain was the defensive line of the 1970s American football team Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). The Greatest Linebackers of All Time - SportsUnfold Paup was a complete linebacker, who was especially great at rushing the passer. News Briefs: The latest updates in the Uptown and Downtown 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. It will be interesting to see how he can recover. and Jack Ham played as . Spielman had seven straight 100 tackle seasons, and did it eight out of nine years. Super Bowl winner.
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