Wright has been one of the most reliable linebackers in the NFL since entering the league as a fourth-round pick out of Mississippi State . In his time in the NFL, he intercepted 25 passes and returned six of them for touchdowns with three of those in 2002 alone. He may be one of the most hated players, but man can he play football. Other Links > Football > Player Rankings by Position > Top Ranked Linebackers . He racked up a staggering 1,181 tackles, and 1,131 of them in his first nine seasons. Mar 3, 2023 Updated 4 min ago. He had five INTs in a season twice in his career. Won Conference Championship 17-10 vs. San Francisco 49ers. Keith Bulluck WAS the Titans defense, and has been every year hes been there. Swilling was the best pass rusher of the Dome Patrol, but he also forced 36 fumbles to go along with all the sacks. He just goes out every week and hustles. Nine All-Pros. Ham had outstanding . He had four interceptions that season, a high number for an inside linebacker, to go along with four sacks and 114 tackles. Las Vegas Raiders: 15 best defensive backs of all-time - Just Blog Baby Its too bad Fredd Youngs career had to end prematurely due to injuries. It may be a bit early to put Jon Beason on this list, but I think his play warrants the selection. 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. [3] 8. In 1984 and 1985, Tippett put up two of the best back to back seasons recording 18.5 and 16.5 sacks in them. 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? Wilson doesnt have the career numbers because his career was so short, but theres no doubt when he was playing he was the most feared player on the field. He had eight seasons with 10+ sacks. No. 12. Lewis stats at this point of his career are 1,349 tackles, 36.5 sacks, and 28 INTs. His best season was his first year with the Bills where he had 17.5 sacks, 70 tackles, two INTs, and three forced fumbles. Don Moorehead, Dennis Franklin, Jim Harbaugh, Elvis Grbac, Tom Brady, Forest Evashevski, Benny Friedman and John Navarre were all elected Captains by their teammates. Mills, along with Swilling, was another member of that Dome Patrol defense. He had an outstanding attitude and would do anything to get his team a win. 9, Derrick Brooks (Bucs) (1995-2008) *Eleven-time Pro Bowler *Five-time 1st Team All-Pro *Four-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 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 . Cornelius Bennett was just a great all-around player. He had 1,301 tackles and 25 forced fumbles in his career. He holds the NFL record for the most Pro Bowl selections by a middle linebacker (13). Punter Ray Guy was the leading vote-getter for the 1970s All-Decade Team, receiving 24 of a possible 25 votes. 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. Simpson in 1973 or Terry Bradshaw's two Super Bowl MVP performances. 9. In only 11 seasons, Thomas had 126.5 sacks, and an NFL record 41 forced fumbles. It was tied for the best of the day with linebacker Owen Pappoe, of Auburn, and was the second-fastest time from an . Porter is mostly known as a sack master. 2-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1985, '88) Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1989. He has already had three 100 tackle seasons in his first three years, and also has already forced 10 turnovers (four INTs, six forced fumbles). John Offerdahl may have had the shortest NFL career on this list, but he made the most of it. I think thats largely due to the NFL not keeping sacks and tackles numbers during his career. Robertson is one of the most underrated players in NFL history. Here is my ranking of the top 10 Giants linebackers, along with some honorable mentions. Randy Gradishar played along with Tom Jackson in the Denver Broncos Orange Crush defense. Ray Lewis came into the league and dominated right away. Not only did he change the way defenses are run, but he changed the way offensive schemes are run as well. Super Bowl winner. Jessie Armstead was one of the most consistent linebackers on this list. 10. Hardy Nickerson makes it this high on the list mainly because of one ridiculous season he had. Zach Thomas is exactly what you want in a player and a linebacker. . Thats the type of player you want on your team, especially on the defensive side of the ball. St. . Eleven Pro Bowls. No. 15, Zach Thomas (Dolphins/Cowboys) (1996-2008) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Five-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. (Photo: David Boss, Getty) Historians will tell you that McAdams is one of the best linebackers to ever play at The University of Oklahoma. 31, Tom Jackson (Broncos) (1973-1986) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. A five-time pro bowler, Wilson was one of the best linebackers in the league during the early 2000s. 1970 Minnesota Vikings Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees Armstead didnt particularly stand out at anywhere, but he wasnt a weak link anywhere either. HELLO, PANDORA. Check out the 1970 Minnesota Vikings Roster, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports and more on Pro-Football-Reference.com. Thats over 10 sacks per season, which is outstanding. No. Steelers by the decade: 1970s - Pittsburgh Steelers 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. 12, Randy Gradishar (Broncos) (1974-1984) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Theres not much Brooks doesnt have. Use Isiah Robertsons name in a talk of most underrated players of all time, and youll impress your fellow football fans. The only reason Brooks isnt higher up on this list is because he had a fantastic surrounding cast which includes, most notably, Warren Sapp taking up blockers on the line. That truly shows what kind of person he was off the field. 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. We adapted Google's Privacy Guidelines to keep your data safe at all times. *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. 2011 Butkus Award winner for nation s best linebacker at Boston College. No NFL team has enjoyed the consistent level of success the Pittsburgh Steelers have enjoyed since the AFL-NFL merger of 1970. by Ben Watanabe. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports. . Eddie Johnson. 20, Keith Bulluck* (Titans) (2000-Present) *One-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Who is the best high school football team in Alabama history (poll) 1970s All-decade team. Linebacker Jack Ham and Tight end Dave Casper each received 20 votes. 34, Julian Peterson* (49ers/Seahawks/Lions) (2000-Present) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He did it once in 1985 and again in 1988. Top 13 Indiana High School Players of all Time, The 6 greatest Indiana Highschool pure Shooters, The 8 greatest IHSAA Championship Games in History. Here's a list of the Packers' top 10 all-time defensive players since 1950, when unlimited substitution was restored to the NFL, paving the way for two-platoon football. 45, Shawne Merriman* (Chargers) (2005-Present) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. The Raiders defeated the Eagles 27-10. Jack Ham might be the best coverage linebacker of all-time. Thats right, seven. 2022 NFL Linebacker Rankings and Tiers | NFL News, Rankings and - PFF No. 46, Jon Beason* (Panthers) (2007-Present) *One-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. His best season was his first year with the Bills where he had 17.5 sacks, 70 tackles, two INTs, and three forced fumbles. NFL 100 All-Time Team (2019). No. That is the reason you will not find Butkus, Huff, Nitschke etc in these rankings. 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. 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. Thats an amazing number as well. The exhibit features the Fleet's classic collection set in five themed galleries representing the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. More from Green Bay Packers. Ray Lewis is the highest-ranked active player on this list, and the top middle linebacker on it. No. Lloyd will always be remembered as the lightning quick pass rusher from the Blitzburgh days. Next were Defensive end Jack Youngblood and Joe Greene who each had 18 votes. Perfect Seahawks NFL Draft 2023 plan: Select C.J. Stroud if there at No Ham is the only linebacker other than Tom Jackson to have seven INTs in a single season. In this Article . No. Williams recorded 16 interceptions and 23 fumble recoveries (a franchise record). 23. He had 1,301 tackles and 25 forced fumbles in his career. Lewis was the leader of the 2000 Super Bowl winning Ravens team. Super Bowl winner. 10. NFLs Merchants of Menace Cornelius Bennett and Bruce Smith. In only 11 seasons, Thomas had 126.5 sacks, and an NFL record of 41 forced fumbles. Paul Krause | S. The NFL's all-time leader in interceptions spent 12 of his 16 years in Minnesota. Sam Huff. Taylor is one of only two defensive players (DT Alan Page, 1971) in the history of the NFL to be named NFL MVP. Rickey Jackson was one of the fastest linebackers in the game, but he was also one of the hardest hitters. Mills racked up 1,142 tackles in his career. He always tried to better himself and did it effectively. Already in his career, Ware has forced 23 fumbles. Shawne Lights Out Merriman was the face of NFL linebackers for a three year stretch. Mike Singletary was the leader of the most dominating defense the NFL has ever seenthe 1985 Bears. Floyd Reese, the general manager who assembled the roster for the Tennessee Titans' lone Super Bowl appearance, died Saturday. Ware has made four consecutive Pro Bowls and has had three consecutive All-Pro seasons. Pat Swilling. No. He is the only linebacker to ever take the honor. Jul 07, 2014 at 11:02 PM. 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. The . Eddie Johnson arrived in Cleveland at exactly the right time. Offerdahl was a blue collar type of player who was an even better person off the field. List of All Buffalo Bills Linebackers, Ranked Best to Worst He also had 1,173 tackles in his career. He is not only the greatest linebacker in NFL history, hes one of the games greatest players period. 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. Over the past 50 years, the Steelers have tallied 36 winning seasons . Rickey Jackson was one of the fastest linebackers in the game, but he was also one of the hardest hitters. Jackson had 40 forced fumbles, just one short of the NFL record. Jeremiah The Axeman Trotter has been a very recognizable name over the past decade. The Top Ranked Linebackers of the 1970s - AinsworthSports.com Hes on pace to not only break, but shatter the NFL record of 41. Overlooked because he played alongside Lawrence Taylor, Carson did most of the dirty work in that linebacking core. 2013 MAC Hall of Fame Inductee: Western Michigans John Offerdahl. No. . He led the Eagles in tackles in his time with the team. Super Bowl XX champion. He also took over Lloyds role in pass coverage as the only linebacker in the Steelers nickel defense. Randy Gradishar may be the single-most deserving player of a spot in Canton. Woodrow Lowe, Alabama (1972-75) Respected as college football's top linebacker in the early 1970s, Lowe was the first . The line was the backbone of the Steelers dynasty, which won four Super Bowls (IX, X, XIII, and XIV) in six years.. If you dont believe me, watch the film, as they say, the film doesnt lie! 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. [3] Although he only played three full seasons, he made five Pro Bowls. Willis could potentially end up in the top 10, or even top five of this list by the time his career is over. 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. Houston Oilers, 1975-1984. Doc's TML: Lock out the MLB owners, players. No TV, radio, fans Ray Lewis is the top MLB of the modern era and is easily the linebacker of the 2000s. He was blue collar player who was a great leader on defense and could do everything well on a football field. Paup was a complete linebacker, who was especially great at rushing the passer. 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). He did it in 2000 and again in 2003. Linebacker Jack Ham and Tight end Dave Casper each received 20 votes. 19, Harry Carson (Giants) (1976-1988) *Nine-time Pro Bowler *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He always tried to better himself and did it effectively. Jackson tallied up 128 sacks in his career, but even thats not his most impressive number. 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That Steelers linebacking core could easily be the best of all-time, and it was led by Jack Lambert and Jack Ham. He was always around the ball. SRS: 6.97 (5th of 26), SOS: 1.40. He wasnt great at just one aspect he was equally great at everything he did. Patrick Willis is everything you look for in a linebacker. He should still improve this season with Ndamukong Suh in front of him to help free him up. 44, Jessie Armstead (Giants/Redskins) (1993-2003) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Robert "Dr. Doom" Brazile is another one of those underrated linebackers. Briggs does a lot of pass coverage with the Bears, and has had 53 passes deflected already in his career. He started all but one game in his last eight seasons, which is very impressive for a linebacker. The transition from college football to the NFL . The 150 greatest players in college football's 150-year history - ESPN.com Andre Tippett. 10. 36, Jeremiah Trotter (Eagles/Redskins/Bucs) (1999-2007 & 2009) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Thats an outstanding number. But Mills did much more than that. No. Seau is one of the Chargers' all-time great players, and will go to Canton five years after he retires like he should. He did anything the Bears asked of him, especially stuffing the run. Jalen Carter, top NFL prospect, posts bond in fatal crash. Being a linebacker makes that feat that much more impressive. They had traded stalwart linebacker Sam Huff in the offseason. Ranking Explanation . Ranking Explanation . Wagers only accepted in CO. For full terms and conditions, click here. Top 10 Boxers of the 1990s: Was Roy Jones Jr. the best? 21, Patrick Willis* (49ers) (2006-Present) *Three-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Thomas' remarkable personality was also recognized by being awarded the Walter Peyton Man of the Year Award in 1993. LT was the most intimidating player ever to put on an NFL uniform. Detroit Lions History: Top 5 Linebackers - SideLion Report In 1984 and 1985, Tippett put up two of the best back-to-back seasons recording 18.5 and 16.5 sacks in them. (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). 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+. Thats amazing consistency. Jackson was not just a coverage linebacker, he was also a good pass rusher and a very hard worker off the field. Over his career, he totaled 1,271 tackles, 12 INTs, and 19 forced fumbles. 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. He would give it his all on every single down of every single play. Next were Defensive end Jack Youngblood and Joe Greene who each had 18 votes. Tribute to Elvis LT finished his career with 142 sacks, averaging nearly 11 sacks per season. Jackson was the vocal leader of the orange crush defense. In his time in the NFL, he intercepted 25 passes and returned six of them for touchdowns with three of those in 2002 alone. 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 has speed, size, toughness, instincts, vision, patience, and football smarts. 42, Chip Banks (Browns/Chargers/Colts) (1982-1992) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st team All-Pro. NY Jets: Top 10 linebackers of all-time - The Jet Press He led some of the greatest defenses in NFL history in both performance and spirit. The Greatest Linebackers of All Time - SportsUnfold Best of the Packers: Top 10 linebackers since 1960 - Dairyland Express Peter Boulware was the pass rusher alongside Ray Lewis. Tippett finished his career with 100 sacks. In 1976, Jackson had seven INTs. During his career Williams amassed 62.5 sacks, which is the second most in Bengals history. Mike Singletary had the whole package. No. The most obvious change from 1920 to today is the size of players, but there also have been many changes in the schemes . His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers. Singletary was one of the key leaders of the famous 85 Bears defense, arguably the greatest defense in the history of the NFL. 1970, slow dancing in Mark Wooldridge's basement with my first girlfriend, Karen Frey, who wore white high-top . Brazile was drafted out of Jackson State and revolutionized linebacker play in the NFL. Swilling was the best pass rusher of the Dome Patrol, but he also forced 36 fumbles to go along with all the sacks. The 'Skins historically have had some solid inside linebackers capable of both stopping the run and being reliable in coverage. 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. 16, Robert Brazile (Oilers) (1975-1984) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Four-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Joey Porter. Greene and Greg Lloyd made one of the best pass rushing duos in NFL history with the Pittsburgh Steelers. 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. Brooks is most known for his coverage ability in the Bucs cover-two scheme. No. . Visit Our Patreon Page to Create Your Own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See Other Bonus Material . Pittsburgh 2002, '04-12, '14-17; Cincinnati 2013; New England 2017. 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. His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers. The 1970s had many great moments by individual players such as the NFL's first 2,000-yard season by O.J. He was selected late in the 12th Round, and nobody expected much out of him. Briggs has made five straight Pro Bowls for the Bears, and that streak still continues. But he proved them wrong and was a key piece on the Broncos Super Bowl winning team. Bulluck was an outstanding tackler, and was great at run support too.
best linebackers of the 1970s
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