Hes on pace to not only break, but shatter the NFL record of 41. He is ninth in team history with 14 forced fumbles; he recovered 11, had 6 QB sacks, and 11 interceptions. That game and his outstanding 1996 season earned Kirkland his first trip to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors after the 1996 season. Chicago 1981-92. Top ten linebackers in Steelers history: Version two - Steelers Sanctuary Jan 25, 1981; New Orleans, LA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Oakland Raiders players Mickey Marvin (65), Willie Jones (90), Rod Martin (53), Ted Hendricks (83) and Raymond Chester (88) on the field against the Philadelphia Eagles during Super Bowl XV at the Superdome. He knew how to make big plays. NFL WAGS: 10 Hottest NFL Wives & Girlfriends 2023. In his time in the NFL, he intercepted 25 passes and returned six of them for touchdowns with three of those in 2002 alone. Born April 20 . You might be thinking Top 10 already? But look at his numbers. From his time at USC, Lott . Ranking Explanation . Some of you will say hes too low. Answer: Two of the three were constants for all four Super Bowls and ended up in the Hall of Fame. He was selected late in the 12th Round, and nobody expected much out of him. 1970 1979 America Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Brazile was drafted out of Jackson State and revolutionized linebacker play in the NFL. Doc's TML: Lock out the MLB owners, players. No TV, radio, fans He had 1,301 tackles and 25 forced fumbles in his career. The Steel Curtain was the defensive line of the 1970s American football team Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). 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). . 22, Chris Spielman (Lions/Bills) (1988-1997) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Boulware had at least seven sacks every year he played other than his last season in the NFL. Lambert is said by many to be the best inside linebacker of all-time. Ham had outstanding speed. Zach Thomas would be the perfect linebacker, no matter what style of defense you play. He would give it his all on every single down of every single play. No. White House Livid Over Republican's Attack on Biden's Dead Son 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. 60 Greatest Linebackers in NFL History | Stadium Talk Linebacker Jack Ham and Tight end Dave Casper each received 20 votes. 21. He did it in 2000 and again in 2003. He also ranks third all . The Greatest Penn State Linebackers of All Time 6 - Carl McAdams. John Offerdahl may have had the shortest NFL career on this list, but he made the most of it. Randy Gradishar played along with Tom Jackson in the Denver Broncos Orange Crush defense. Perfect Seahawks NFL Draft 2023 plan: Select C.J. Stroud if there at No In 1993 as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers middle linebacker, Nickerson piled up an astounding 214 tackles. In 1984 and 1985, Tippett put up two of the best back-to-back seasons recording 18.5 and 16.5 sacks in them. No. . No. Any coach would be lucky to have a player like Karl Mecklenburg on their roster. How NFL Players Have Evolved. Robertson is one of the most underrated players in NFL history. But he proved them wrong and was a key piece on the Broncos Super Bowl winning team. That is just unheard of. He would always be found around the ball, and around the play. NFL 100 All-Time Team (2019). Woodrow Lowe, Alabama (1972-75) Respected as college football's top linebacker in the early 1970s, Lowe was the first . 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. Lewis stats at this point of his career are 1,349 tackles, 36.5 sacks, and 28 INTs. 4, Derrick Thomas (Chiefs) (1989-1999) *Nine-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. No. 29, Joey Porter* (Steelers/Dolphins/Cardinals) (1999-Present) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. These were the players who were great players, but not quite good enough to be placed inside the top 50. Hardy Nickerson may not have the name recognition as many of the other linebackers on this list, but he deserves to be this high. His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers. Visit Our Patreon Page to Create Your Own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See Other Bonus Material . No. He was a dominating force in the NFL during that stretch of time. Top 50 Minnesota Vikings Players of All-Time - Sports Articles He had ten seasons with 10+ sacks. He was also a big hitter and very intimidating on the field of play. Ray Lewis came into the league and dominated right away. 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. He led the Eagles in tackles in his time with the team. In 1984 and 1985, Tippett put up two of the best back to back seasons recording 18.5 and 16.5 sacks in them. Gil Brandt's greatest NFL linebackers of all time - NFL.com Joey Porter may be the most vocal linebacker on this list. Fredd Young went a little under the radar due to his short seven year career. As also playing DE should tell you, he was very versatile and could play many different positions. 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. Matt Blair was a very intimidating linebacker, and helped the Vikings get to two Super Bowls in his career. Mike Singletary had the whole package. Harry Carson was an outstanding linebacker who played alongside Lawrence Taylor. He was the quintessential linebacker and easily the greatest of his era. Jackson was not just a coverage linebacker, he was also a good pass rusher and a very hard worker off the field. When you think of Singletary, the first thing that comes to mind is intense focus. After a very bad injury in 2008, Shawne Merriman hasnt been the same. Interview with Former Steeler Great levon kirkland. 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. This site is using Cloudflare and adheres to the Google Safe Browsing Program. No. Known as quite possibly the most sound tackler in school history, Ham was an extremely fundamental linebacker who was the captain of the 1970 Penn State defense. Singletary was a leader, not only vocally, but by example. He was a tackle machine and a very big hitter. Beason has only been in the league for three years now. #NFL100 - Top 6 Outside Linebackers He had over 1,000 tackles, over 70 sacks, and over 30 forced fumbles in his career. Top 25 SEC LBs of all-time: 15-11. He is not only the greatest linebacker in NFL history, hes one of the games greatest players period. He racked up a staggering 1,181 tackles, and 1,131 of them in his first nine seasons. So while there were outstanding linebackers in previous years, like Dick Butkus and Ray Nitschke, they will not be on this list. You decide: Ohio State football's all-decade linebackers Thats over 10 sacks per season, which is outstanding. Select from premium 1970 1979 America of the highest quality. Less of a nod goes to pass rushers, linebackers and safeties. Joe Schmidt. Next were Defensive end Jack Youngblood and Joe Greene who each had 18 votes. He played in 10 playoff games and had two INTs and three fumble recoveries in them. Of the five LBs chosen to the 1950s All-Decade Team the others were Bednarik, Fortunato, George, and Huff Schmidt made the most Pro Bowls (nine) and the most all-pro teams (seven first-team, nine altogether). Holdovers from the National Football League 1960s All-Decade Team were Bob Lilly, Dick Butkus, Merlin Olsen, Larry Wilson, and Jim Bakken, which made them the first players to make multiple All-Decade teams in NFL history. Spielman had seven straight 100 tackle seasons, and did it eight out of nine years. Lewis stats at this point of his career are 1,349 tackles, 36.5 sacks, and 28 INTs. Mills was more of a complete player than Swilling, although the two are too close to separate one from the other. 1, Lawrence Taylor (Giants) (1981-1993) *Ten-time Pro Bowler *Eight-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 1986 Boston Celtics - Were they the greatest Team? Boulware gets overlooked a lot playing because of playing with Ray Lewis, but he was a key component in that dominating Ravens defense of the early 2000s. In this Article . No. . Lewis wasnt as vocal as Cox, but his play was a little better, and lasted for a longer period of time. He always tried to better himself and did it effectively. The defense was ranked right up there along with the 1985 Bears, and Steelers teams of the 1970s. He also finished his career with 17 INTs. The 150 greatest players in college football's 150-year history - ESPN.com He was unstoppable in goal line situations especially. With rule changes being what they have been, The number one pick was obvious. 5. I’m only going to be looking at players drafted in 1970 or later. What Terry Fontenot said about Marcus Mariota release, the quarterback That truly shows what kind of person he was off the field. Peppers' 159.5 career sacks rank fourth on the all-time list. 7, Rickey Jackson (Saints/49ers) (1981-1995) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Five-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Chicago Bears: Top 10 linebackers in franchise history - NFL Spin Zone Named to NFL's All-Decade Team for 1970s and 1980s. The NFL is back in L.A. for the first time since 1995, as the Rams return to the Coliseum. I personally think football before 1970 and after 1970 can be seen as two completely different games, in terms of its evolution. Don Moorehead, Dennis Franklin, Jim Harbaugh, Elvis Grbac, Tom Brady, Forest Evashevski, Benny Friedman and John Navarre were all elected Captains by their teammates. 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. Ham had outstanding . 1. Mike Singletary is one of three players on this list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. No. 10. Cornerback Mel Blount was added in the . More Team Info. No. 20 greatest linebackers in NFL history - Franchise Sports Lloyd had 54.5 sacks and 11 INTs in his career, but the most remarkable number was his 35 forced fumbles. LaVar Arrington. 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, 19 undeniable Lies in Disney's Remember the Titans. His best season was his first year with the Bills where he had 17.5 sacks, 70 tackles, two INTs, and three forced fumbles. 33, Al Wilson (Broncos) (1999-2006) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 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. Zach Thomas. 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 did anything the Bears asked of him, especially stuffing the run. Brazile might not get the credit because of the team he played for, but he was an outstanding player. and Jack Ham played as . Penn State football all-time defense | Who are the greatest defensive Please click on "Comments" and make sure to vote in the poll. Not only did he change the way defenses are run, but he changed the way offensive schemes are run as well. Over his career, he totaled 1,271 tackles, 12 INTs, and 19 forced fumbles. Shawne Lights Out Merriman was the face of NFL linebackers for a three year stretch. No. The 1970s had many great moments by individual players such as the NFL's first 2,000-yard season by O.J. 1970 Minnesota Vikings Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees Jack Ham might be the best coverage linebacker of all time. L.T. They surrendered only 20 points in that game, and seven of them were off a blocked punt. Chip Banks was another linebacker that was solid at everything, but not great at anything. Junior Seau finished his career with 1,524 tackles, the highest total on this list. Linebacker finalists announced for NFL 100 All-Time Team Both . They had traded stalwart linebacker Sam Huff in the offseason. Greene and Greg Lloyd made one of the best pass rushing duos in NFL history with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Cox was also a vocal leader of the teams he played for, directing his defenses to success. Who were the linebackers for the Steel Curtain defense? - Quora LSU ENDS REGULAR SEASON 27-1LSU women's basketball ties program-best season . 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. [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. Kirkland was an all-around better linebacker, he was a 300lb linebacker whose coverage skills were vastly underrated. Wagers only accepted in CO. For full terms and conditions, click here. He was just a great all-around player who could do it all. No. Jalen Carter, top NFL prospect, posts bond in fatal crash. No. 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. Also note that an asterisk (*) by the players name means they are still active today. Here Are 8 Ways NBA Has Changed That Modern Fans Don't Realize. Rickey Jackson was one of the fastest linebackers in the game, but he was also one of the hardest hitters. He tried to get in your head before you even took a step on the field of play. A late 12th round pick Mecklenburg finished his career with 79 sacks, which is great for an ILB, and also ranks 2nd all-time in Broncos history. He also had at least 99 tackles in seven years of his 12-year career, which is outstanding. Swilling was the best pass rusher of the Dome Patrol, but he also forced 36 fumbles to go along with all the sacks. Mills racked up 1,142 tackles in his career. 50, Bryan Cox (Dolphins/Bears/Jets/Patriots/Saints) (1991-2003). Still, its an amazing number. Check out the 1970 Minnesota Vikings Roster, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports and more on Pro-Football-Reference.com. Wright, Seattle Seahawks. He also had 1,173 tackles in his career. He was also a good pass rusher, and a good coverage man as well. Chad Brown played a very long NFL career, especially for a linebacker. Baltimore Ravens ground game rules in NFL Week 11 and more The Raiders defeated the Eagles 27-10. Not only did he change the way defenses are run, but he changed the way offensive schemes are run as well. LT finished his career with 142 sacks, averaging nearly 11 sacks per season. Seau was the definition of consistency. Defensive MVP in 2002. 2022 NFL Linebacker Rankings and Tiers | NFL News, Rankings and - PFF Paul Naumoff. All while being tasked with avoiding blocks and keeping tabs on the opposing quarterback. The exhibit features the Fleet's classic collection set in five themed galleries representing the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. Thats the type of player you want on your team, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The Top Ranked Linebackers of the 1970s - AinsworthSports.com 38, Chad Brown (Steelers/Seahawks/Patriots) (1993-2007) *Three-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro. 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. It may be a bit early to put Jon Beason on this list, but I think his play warrants the selection. He took up blockers and threw his body around a lot. 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+.

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