Over his career, Lanier made a name for himself for his aggressive tackling abilities earning him the nickname Contact. The last 60-minute man in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik dominated on both sides of the ball for the Philadelphia Eagles. College Football's Top 50 Linebackers of the BCS Era This list explores these reasons by looking at the three greatest middle linebackers of all time. One other cool thing about Robinson was what he said about Green Bay Packers coach Dan Devine when he left the team after the 1972 season to play for Washington: "Lombardi was the best coach I ever had. 4-time first-team All-Pro He was one of the most feared players in the sport in his prime. Who are the best linebackers in San Francisco 49ers history? ranked by. The Best San Francisco 49ers Linebackers of All Time - Ranker High school: Waco High School (Waco, Texas), Teams: Kansas City Chiefs (2005-17), Oakland Raiders (2018), Career highlights: Two-time NFL All-Pro (2011, 2015), four-time Pro Bowl (2011-13, 2015). All Rights Reserved. Darryl Talley was a physical and athletic marvel during his playing career, and his consistency was truly something to behold. Lavonte David's football career took him across the United States after growing up in Miami, Florida. An eighth-round pick by the Eagles in 1986 out of UTEP, he was actually cut during his first training camp before being resigned during the season. It is fair to say that Taylor is perhaps the greatest defensive player ever. Lanier collected three All-Pro mentions and eight spots in a Pro Bowl,. Here is every player who has ever held the position of New Orleans Saints starting linebacker. Taylor's dominance changed the way football is played on every level, from how offensive lines block to the way teams teach how to rush the quarterback. High school: Clarkstown High School North (New City, New York), Teams: Tennessee Titans (2000-09), New York Giants (2010), Career highlights:Three-time NFL All-Pro (2002, 2003, 2007), Pro Bowl (2003). Posted 8 Days Ago 1. 2000 Defensive Rookie of the Year Knowing what we know now about concussions, which forced Kuechly's retirement, should players who accomplish what he did and have their careers shortened be in the Hall of Fame? Best Eagles Linebackers: Top 10 All-Time in Franchise History The No. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. Renowned for his elite combination of size and speed, Tippett was scary coming off the edge and racked up 100 career sacks, which is still the Patriots' franchise record. 60 Greatest Linebackers in NFL History | Stadium Talk Over his career Willis racked up 865 tackles to go with 20.5 sacks, 16 forced fumbles and eight interceptions. With that said, here is our list of the Top 10 Tight Ends All-Time. Analysis: Nothing against this group of . 2003 Defensive Player of the Year He spent the first five seasons of his career with the New York Jets, and it was long enough ago that the Jets were actually pretty good. Mar 23. Check out some of the best photos from the 2023 NFL Draft! 8-time first-team All-Pro They have the ability to rush the passer while also stepping back into coverage and shutting down passing lanes for opposing quarterbacks. During his playing days he helped lead the Chiefs to win Super Bowl IV 23-7 over the Minnesota Vikings in a game that many gave the Chiefs zero chance of winning. Bednarik, who the Philadelphia Eagles selected with the first overall pick in the 1949 NFL Draft, helped build the Eagles into a defensive power house. Despite a 101-year history, the Cardinals haven't produced a Hall of Famer at linebackerbut they've still had plenty of . Hall of Fame, Class of 1973 Nitscke's style of play was pure dominance in the middle of the field He was known for his ability to dole out hard hits, but his athleticism was always underestimated, and he ended his career with 25 interceptions. On the field, Butkus recorded 22 career interceptions to go along with 27 fumble recoveries. Ray Lewis For starters, Lewis has the most combined tackles in NFL history (2,059). Fletcher, 5-foot-11 and 242 pounds, ran a blazing 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine coming out of NCAA Division III John Carroll University, but he still went undrafted. For new posts and be up to date to win $50 to Fanatics or Amazon. It's fitting that Khalil Mack now plays for the Chicago Bears. In a testament to the influence that karate had in the U.S. in the 1980s and what a freak of nature Tippett is he's also a sixth-degree black belt. Super Bowl X champion Paup was a complete linebacker, who was especially great at rushing the passer. Chris Hanburger's path to NFL stardom as an outside linebacker was as unusual as any ever taken. By the time Tommy Nobis left the University of Texas, he was as famous as any player in the NFL, having already appeared on the cover of Life, Sports Illustrated and Time magazines for his accomplishments. In 11 seasons, Bell earned postseason honors eight times and helped lead the Chiefs to a Super Bowl win in 1969. 2-time Pro Bowler High school: White Deer High School (Pampa, Texas), Teams: Miami Dolphins (1996-2007), Dallas Cowboys (2008), Career highlights: Seven-time All-Pro (1998-99, 2001-03, 2005, 2006), seven-time Pro Bowl (1999-2003, 2005, 2006), AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year (1996), NFL 2000s All-Decade Team. Two players of the four players with more tackles, Ray Lewis and Junior Seau, are in the Hall of Fame. Not many linebackers can boast the athleticism of Urlacher, who set the single-season Bears record with 153 tackles in 2002 and owns the team's career tackles record with 1,361. 16 on the all-time list Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, New York Giants, 1981-1993 Two-time Super Bowl champion Voted to 10 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro eight times Recorded 132.5 career sacks, which ranks No. A name that may have been slotted inside of the top five on the list of middle linebackers if his career was longer is the former San Francisco 49ers great Patrick Willis. Staff writer. Sam Huff almost left his rookie training camp with the New York Giants when coaches couldn't find a position for him. Nick Buoniconti was just 5-foot-11 and 220 pounds but destroyed opponents with sheer will and ferocity, helping lead the Dolphins to two Super Bowl wins and the only undefeated season in NFL history in 1972. Lambert, who the Pittsburgh Steelers selected with the 46. pick during the 1974 NFL draft, showcased his abilities during his rookie season in route to helping solidify the Steelers defense and winning Defensive Rookie of the Year award. The former Green Bay Packers middle linebacker was a key member of the team and the leader on the defensive side of the football that helped the Packers win five NFL Championships and Super Bowl I and II Championships. Junior Seau, San Diego Chargers (1990-2002), Miami Dolphins (03-05), New England Patriots (06-09)1992 Defensive Player of the Year In one of the greatest single rounds for any team in NFL draft history, the Rams used their two 1971 first-round picks on Robertson and NFL Hall of Fame defensive lineman Jack Youngblood. He's not someone who is up for Hall of Fame consideration but his contribution to the game kept defenses afloat on playoff teams for an extended period of time. It worked, and Connor never put his hand in the dirt again during a Hall of Fame career. Harry Carson, New York Giants (1976-88) The 11 best linebackers in the 2023 NFL Draft, ranked Baltimore Ravens: Top 10 Linebackers Of All Time - Ebony Bird Featuring NO Saints and some of the greatest NFL linebackers of all time, the best Saints LBs include Rickey Jackson, Joe Federspiel, Jonathan Vilma, Scott Shanle, and Scott Fujita. 1970 Defensive Player of the Year Nobis was the first overall pick in the 1966 NFL draft and the first player picked by the expansion Atlanta Falcons. Tedy Bruschi, New England Patriots (1996-2008) Born: Nov. 12, 1980 (Los Angeles, California), High school: Elk Grove High School (Elk Grove, California), Career highlights: Three-time NFL All-Pro (2005, 2006, 2009), seven-time Pro Bowl (2005-11). 2-time NFL Championship Game winner13. His 1,018 career tackles are No. If the Professional Football Hall of Fame and its esteemed members and voters would like to actually live up to its name, then those parties should think of a way to add Sam Mills to their brethren. Keeping all aspects of the job in mind, we rank the top 25 greatest middle linebackers in NFL history. He also finished his career with 25 interceptions and 24 sacks. Over his career, Bednarick helped guide the Eagles to two NFL Championships while being named to eight Pro Bowl teams and selected eight times as a First Team All-Pro.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'fanrankings_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_7',127,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fanrankings_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); When considering great middle linebackers it is hard to look past another Chicago Bear All-Pro who racked up a pretty solid NFL career. The big-play machine from Waco, Texas, was one of the greatest linebackers in Longhorns program history. 2005, 2006, 2010), eight-time Pro Bowl (2000-03, 2005, 2006, 2010, 20110, NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (2000), NFL 2000s All-Decade Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (2018). Ray Lewis's impact on the game back then still influences today's middle linebackers. Behind Lawrence Taylor, Andre Tippett was the most dominant NFL linebacker in the 1980s. Forester died in 2007 after a long illness. 1-time first-team All-Pro Something else inside of Lambert, best defined by the toothless, screaming pictures of him during games when he took out his dentures, made him the toughest. owley missed the rest of 1959 and all of 1960 before attempting a comeback in 1961 with the Cowboys, where he became a six-time Pro Bowler and the only player to win Super Bowl Most Valuable Player honors while playing on the losing team. 6-time first-team All-Pro No player has been as consistent on the defensive side of the ball, start to finish, as Ray Lewis was in his 17 seasons for the Baltimore Ravens. Joyner was unbelievably productive in different aspects of the game, with over 1,000 career tackles and 52 career sacks, and he was a standout on the great Philly defenses of the late 1980s and early 1990s alongside Reggie White under head coach Buddy Ryan. Putting outside, inside, and middle linebackers in one group gets tricky, and the position (like all positions in the game) has changed considerably over the years. Lee Roy Jordan, Dallas Cowboys (1963-76) Willie Lanier, Kansas City Chiefs (1967-77) Super Bowl XX champion He beat a double-murder charge before the 2000 season following the stabbing deaths of two men in a fight after a Super Bowl party in Atlanta. During his career, Singletary won two Defensive Player of the Year awards, was named to 10 Pro Bowl teams and was selected as a First Team All-Pro in seven different seasons. The on-field brains behind Mike Ditka and Buddy Ryans famed 1985 Bears defense, Singletary is undeniably one of the greatest to ever play the position.5. George realized this allowed the quarterback to easily drop passes right over his head, so he began to try and read the play and react, dropping into coverage at times when he realized it was a pass play. 1-time first-team All-Pro They often are the quarterbacks of the defense, and many of them possess physical talents few have ever seen on a football field. Super Bowl II champion He helped lead Florida State to its first national title in 1993 and a decade later put together his greatest NFL seasons, winning NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors and leading the Buccaneers to their only Super Bowl win in 2002. Born: Jan. 19, 1932 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), High school: Brentwood High School (Brentwood, Pennsylvania), Career highlights: Two-time NFL champion (1953, 1957), 10-time All-Pro (1954-63), 10-time Pro Bowl (1954-63), NFL Defensive Most Valuable Player (1960, 1963), NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1973). Super Bowl XXXV MVP Playing defensive tackle/end for the first two seasons of his NFL career, Connor became a linebacker when Bears head coach George Halas wanted to try and find a way to neutralize Philadelphia running back Steve Van Buren, so he had Connor stand up outside of the tight end to check Van Buren. Lambert's size and speed and ability to control a game from the middle linebacker position made him one of the greatest players of all time. Willis' career was cut short due to injuries but his legacy on the field is known. He was an 8-time All-Pro and 9-time Pro-Bowler. High school: Kathleen High School (Lakeland, Florida), Career highlights: Two-time Super Bowl champion (2000, 2012), Super Bowl Most Valuable Player (2000), 13-time Pro Bowl (1997-2001, 2003, 2004, 2006-11), 10-time All-Pro (1997-2001, 2003, 2004, 2008-10), two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2000, 2003), NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (2018). His 53 takeaways are still the most in NFL history by a non-defensive back. 6-time Pro Bowler12. A notorious freelancer, Seau notched 56.5 sacks, 18 INTs returned for 238 yards, 11 forced fumbles, 18 fumble recoveries and one TD while winning two AFC titles with the 1994 Chargers and 2007 Patriots.8. It is hard to look past Jack Lambert as one of the Top 10 Middle Linebackers All-Time based on his career resume and his play on the football field. His play on the field was filled with passion and talent that helped him become one of the best to play the game. Joe Fortunato's greatest teammate, fellow linebacker Dick Butkus, also became perhaps the greatest impediment to Fortunato's long-term legacy. Gil Brandt's greatest NFL linebackers of all time Wagner, who first turned heads by running a 4.4-second 40-yard dash at the Utah State pro day, helped lead the Seahawks to a Super Bowl win in 2013, won another NFC title two years later and was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 2010s. Analysis by Sam Fortier. The 10-time All-Pro earned three Defensive Player of the Year awards in six seasons (1981-1982, 1986). Manage Settings That's what linebackers do. Super Bowl VIII champion He finished his career with over 2,000 tackles (2,039), which is second on the NFL's all-time list, and set the NFL record for linebackers with 215 consecutive starts. NEW! Introduction 8-time first-team All-Pro If Lawrence Taylor is the Michael Jordan of NFL linebackers, Carson was his Scottie Pippen. But in his eight seasons, Kuechly accomplished almost everything an NFL linebacker could, including being perhaps the best coverage linebacker in the history of the game. But assistant coach Vince Lombardi tracked him down at the airport and convinced him to come back, and defensive coordinator Tom Landry made the decision to move him to middle linebacker. And Farrior, nicknamed "The Ultimate Farrior" by fans, was a huge part of that. High school: Pahokee High School (Pahokee, Florida), Teams: New Orleans Saints (1981-93), San Francisco 49ers (1994-95), Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1994), six-time Pro Bowl (1983-86, 1992, 1993), five-time All-Pro (1984-86, 1992, 1993), Pro Football Hall of Fame (2010). Over his career, Lewis helped lead the Ravens to two Super Bowl championships while being named Super Bowl XXXV MVP. He was 6-foot-3, 225 pounds and ran a 4.6-second 40-yard dash. 45:47. Lewis, who was selected by the Baltimore Ravens with the teams second first round selection during the 1996 NFL Draft would go on to put together one of the greatest careers of any defensive player to play the game. 13 on the all-time list Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Here is every player who has ever held the position of San Francisco 49ers starting linebacker. Isaiah Simmons' 5th-year option declined by Arizona Cardinals, per report When it comes to which linebacker should be at the top of the Top 10 Middle Linebackers All-Time, Mike Singletary is well worth consideration for the slot. Will Levis lands with the Tennessee Titans: Will Levis' slide ends early on Day 2, with the Titans trading up to Pick 33 to grab the signal-caller. Howley fixed that one minor blip in his resume when he helped lead the Cowboys to a Super Bowl victory in 1970. High school: Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School (Cleveland, Ohio), Teams: St. Louis Rams (1998-2001), Buffalo Bills (2002-06), Washington Football Team (2007-13), Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1999), four-time Pro Bowl (2009-12), two-time All-Pro (2011, 2012). Sanders could have the highest ceiling of all the middle linebacker . High school: Crestwood High School (Mantua, Ohio), Career highlights: Four-time Super Bowl champion (1974, 1975, 1978, 1979), nine-time Pro Bowl (1975-83), eight-time All-Pro (1975, 1976, 1978-83), NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1976), NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (1974), NFL 100th Anniversary Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1990). His ability to diagnose plays and shut them down wasn't matched by many. NFL's best players ever at every defensive position - ESPN He was extremely productive from his rookie season in 1981 to his final season in 1993. Jack Ham was one of the smartest players to ever take a snap in the NFL, on offense or defense, and had a reputation for never being out of position, never being fooled by offensive trickery and making huge plays.
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