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. 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He was also a good pass rusher, and a good coverage man as well. Over his career, Brooking has racked up 962 tackles and 12 INTs. Hes also had at least 83 tackles in every year other than his rookie season. Julian Peterson has had a very well-rounded NFL career to this point, and its still going on. Anything you asked him to do, he would do. 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. He was never the most athletic player on the field, but he was always the hardest working. He wasnt great at one aspect but was equally as good at everything he did. The NFL is back in L.A. for the first time since 1995, as the Rams return to the Coliseum. The Pittsburgh Steelers are second with all-time players in four decades. No. He was close to averaging a sack per game, which is an amazing number. He may have actually been crazy. These were the players who were great players, but not quite good enough to be placed inside the top 50. 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). His swinging the axe celebration sums up his style of play and tenacity on the field. *Ty Anderson, Thomasville: Anderson (6-0, 210) has been an all-state player since he was a sophomore Region 1-2A defensive co . He was the quintessential linebacker and easily the greatest of his era. No. 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. 1970s All-decade team. Top 30 Linebackers in the NFL since 1970! . Thats fine, he played enough linebacker to be considered this high. 31, Tom Jackson (Broncos) (1973-1986) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 30, Matt Blair (Vikings) (1974-1985) *Six-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. Top 25 SEC LBs of all-time: 15-11. Although still early in his career, Demarcus Ware deserves to be this high on the list. Boulware had at least seven sacks every year he played other than his last season in the NFL. The leader of the Dome Patrol comes in at No. No. Paup was a complete linebacker, who was especially great at rushing the passer. He also had 20 INTs, three of which he returned for touchdowns. He was a very solid 3-4 ILB playing on one of the best LB Cores of all-time, the Dome Patrol. He also had 1,173 tackles in his career. There is a reason the award given to the best linebacker in high school, college and the NFL each year is named after Butkus. Kirkland had 10 tackles and a key sack of Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman. His best season was his first year with the Bills where he had 17.5 sacks, 70 tackles, two INTs, and three forced fumbles. Bryce Paup was an outstanding pass rusher in the 1990s. The Chicago Bears have the most all-time great linebackers. 10. Ralph Baker - Years with Jets: 11 (1964-74) Baker played in 142 games with the Jets in his 11 seasons, which is tied with Marvin Jones for the 4 th most by a linebacker. Call it foreshadowing, but you will see some of his teammates higher up on this list. Well have to see how he does, but he could either climb up or fall off this list based on his performance in 2010. He totaled 28 INTs in his career while he also racked up 1,045 tackles. In his final two seasons with the Bengals, Williams was appointed to an open seat on the Cincinnati City Council in 1988 and was elected for a second term in 1989 on the Charter Party ticket. In 1976, Jackson had seven INTs. No. Thomas never had less than seven sacks in a season in his entire career, and only had less than eight sacks in one season. 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. 9. 38, Chad Brown (Steelers/Seahawks/Patriots) (1993-2007) *Three-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro. 10. He is still active, and is a starter, but he might be on his way out of San Diego. 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+. No. Chip Banks was another linebacker that was solid at everything, but not great at anything. Robert Brazile- Tums all time neutralizer. That game and his outstanding 1996 season earned Kirkland his first trip to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors after the 1996 season. They had traded stalwart linebacker Sam Huff in the offseason. Thomas was the best linebacker of the 1990s, and one of the best pass rushers of all-time. Named to NFL's All-Decade Team for 1970s and 1980s. It will be interesting to see how he can recover. A five-time pro bowler, Wilson was one of the best linebackers in the league during the early 2000s. The Best of Tommy Brady at Michigan . I think hell climb up this list further in the near future. Chris Spielman was a tackle machine during his 10 years in the NFL. Depending on the day, you might view Ham as the best player on the Steel Curtain defense or the 4th best, and it's . In that career he played both 4-3 OLB and 3-4 ILB. Thomas did everything you asked out of a linebacker. Randy Gradishar played along with Tom Jackson in the Denver Broncos Orange Crush defense. Ware has made four consecutive Pro Bowls and has had three consecutive All-Pro seasons. Jason Gildon (Steelers/Jaguars): - Three-time Pro Bowler, one-time 1st Team All-Pro. Ray Lewis is the highest-ranked active player on this list, and the top middle linebacker on it. He was also a big hitter and very intimidating on the field of play. Lewis was the leader of the 2000 Super Bowl winning Ravens team. Bill Parcells considered Carson the best all-around linebacker he ever coached, which is very high praise from someone who has coached a ton of linebackers in his day. The player that gives Butkus the most competition in that category would be Mike Singletary. 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). James Farrior* (Jets/Steelers): Two-time Pro Bowler, one-time 1st Team All-Pro, one-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Thats nearly 13 sacks per season. When you ask who is the greatest MLB of all-time is, many people jump straight to Dick Butkus. Mike Singletary had the whole package. 6 - Carl McAdams. From canvas high-tops to social media dominance, the NBA has come a long way. No. Porter is mostly known as a sack master. He played in 10 playoff games and had two INTs and three fumble recoveries in them. Running back Larry Csonka of the Miami Dolphins is brought down by linebacker Henry Davis of . Brazile was drafted out of Jackson State and revolutionized linebacker play in the NFL. Are you ready for some football history? Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter has returned to the NFL . James Harrison. Hes had 92 sacks and 23 forced fumbles so far in his career. 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. Earl Campbell called Williams the toughest linebacker he ever played against. Kirkland had great speed and agility for a big man. . 28a, Pat Swilling (Saints/Lions/Raiders) (1986-1998) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He should still improve this season with Ndamukong Suh in front of him to help free him up. Next were Defensive end Jack Youngblood and Joe Greene who each had 18 votes. Next were Defensive end Jack Youngblood and Joe Greene who each had 18 votes. He played for a bad team with not much of a surrounding cast, but still excelled. I have combined outside and inside linebackers on the list and factored in the players ability to stop the run, drop into coverage and leadership. 42, Chip Banks (Browns/Chargers/Colts) (1982-1992) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st team All-Pro. Kevin Greene was a mad man in a football uniform. May 24, 2022. Andre Tippett. Offensive Coordinator: Jim Myers. Blair was outstanding in coverage, along with being a great tackler. Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1989. He did everything. A shot of Jameson for Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey. Lamberts best season was in 1976, where he won the Defensive Player of the Year award. No. The transition from college football to the NFL . More from Green Bay Packers. 18, Andre Tippett (Patriots) (1982-1993) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. In 2008, Suggs even had two INTs, both of which he returned for touchdowns. No. A tall order to say the least, and these 5 players did it better than anyone in the history of the NFL. Jackson had 40 forced fumbles, just one short of the NFL record. Over the past decade, virtually every stage of the offensive evolution has increased stress on linebackers, putting them in a bind and asking them to account for multiple things on the same play. Those would be accomplishments by themselves, let alone all together. Steve Kiner (1966-69): Tennessee fans didn't have to wait long after Emanuel left to find the next superstar linebacker. 24, Leslie ONeal (Chargers/Rams/Chiefs) (1986-1999) *Six-time Pro Bowler *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Lloyd had 54.5 sacks and 11 INTs in his career, but the most remarkable number was his 35 forced fumbles. He did anything the Bears asked of him, especially stuffing the run. 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. 6, Jack Ham (Steelers) (1971-1982) *Eight-time Pro Bowler *Six-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Jackson was the vocal leader of that defense. When you think of Singletary, the first thing that comes to mind is intense focus. 1, Lawrence Taylor (Giants) (1981-1993) *Ten-time Pro Bowler *Eight-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He would always be found around the ball, and around the play. 48, Terrell Suggs* (Ravens) (2003-Present) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He led some of the greatest defenses in NFL history in both performance and spirit. He may have been undersized, but he made up for it with his mind and his hustle. As part of the Steelers Blitzburgh defense in the 90s, Greg Lloyd was a speedy, undersized pass rusher.Sometimes, he would use his size to his advantage to disguise where he was coming from. 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. Bulluck was an outstanding tackler, and was great at run support too. Jalen Carter, top NFL prospect, posts bond in fatal crash. Mills was more of a complete player than Swilling, although the two are too close to separate one from the other. The only thing that could match his signature stare was the stellar play of Samurai Mike on the field. No. 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. He knew how to make big plays. Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1969), three-time Pro Bowl (1970-72), two . Most people know Tom Jackson as the commentator working with Chris Berman. 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. Ham had outstanding speed. 4, Derrick Thomas (Chiefs) (1989-1999) *Nine-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Cornerback Mel Blount was added in the . Houston Oilers, 1975-1984. Brown was a very versatile linebacker. 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Schmidt stood out in an era of great middle linebackers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNzd9Xd0who, No. In only 11 seasons, Thomas had 126.5 sacks, and an NFL record 41 forced fumbles. 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. No. The 2008 season was his best sack season with 17.5. Those are remarkable numbers, especially when he is still going strong. Derrick Thomas was on pace to absolutely shatter NFL records before his tragic death in 2000. He had 885 career solo tackles, which is impressive on a defense filled with swarming the ball, shown by his 1,488 career tackles. The most obvious change from 1920 to today is the size of players, but there also have been many changes in the schemes . His sacks are the main reason hes this high, but he was also a great all-around player. Derrick Thomas still holds the NFL record for most sacks in a single NFL game with seven, against the Seattle Seahawks in 1990. No. He started his career out with the Packers, if they would have used him correctly he would have been higher on this list. No. 50, Bryan Cox (Dolphins/Bears/Jets/Patriots/Saints) (1991-2003). He had an outstanding attitude and would do anything to get his team a win. No. Merriman still has the potential to be a great player again. 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. Still, its an amazing number. 1970, slow dancing in Mark Wooldridge's basement with my first girlfriend, Karen Frey, who wore white high-top . Ray Lewis came into the league and dominated right away. Peppers' 159.5 career sacks rank fourth on the all-time list. Ham had outstanding speed. He had 1,301 tackles and 25 forced fumbles in his career. Jack Lambert was the teammate of Jack Ham who took the inside linebacker duties. Still, its an amazing number. Wilber Marshall was one of the greatest pass coverage linebackers of the modern era. Bryan Cox was an all-around package at linebacker. Thomas was one of the most instinctive linebackers of all-time. Thomas did everything you asked out of a linebacker. Ray Lewis is another one of the three players on the list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. And he's still going. He was Lawrence Taylor before Taylor was. 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. Thomas' remarkable personality was also recognized by being awarded the Walter Peyton Man of the Year Award in 1993. 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. Demarcus Ware has only played five seasons in the NFL, but already hes one of the best of this era. . 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. Jackson tallied up 128 sacks in his career, but even thats not his most impressive number. He wasnt very vocal, but his play did all the talking for him. He had less than seven sacks in a season only once. Brooks is most known for his coverage ability in the Bucs cover-two scheme. No. 12. The defense was ranked right up there along with the 1985 Bears, and Steelers teams of the 1970s. Bill Romanowski (49ers, Eagles, Broncos, Raiders) : Two-time Pro Bowler. Lewis wasnt as vocal as Cox, but his play was a little better, and lasted for a longer period of time. Offerdahl was a blue collar type of player who was an even better person off the field. 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. If you take away his last three seasons, where he was slowing down, he averaged 12.4 sacks per season, which is just remarkable. All Rights Reserved. 1953-65, Detroit Lions. A two-time All-American and a three-year starter for the Vols, Kiner . No. Keith Bulluck WAS the Titans defense, and has been every year hes been there. Selected by the Baltimore Colts in the 2nd round . 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. Mike Singletary. Im only going to be looking at players drafted in 1970 or later. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Some of you will say hes too low. Briggs does a lot of pass coverage with the Bears, and has had 53 passes deflected already in his career. Not only did he change the way defenses are run, but he changed the way offensive schemes are run as well. Willis could potentially end up in the top 10, or even top five of this list by the time his career is over. Wagers only accepted in CO. For full terms and conditions, click here. 1. Cornelius Bennett was just a great all-around player. 2. A tall order to say the least, and these 5 players did it better than anyone in the history of the NFL. and 2000s. Other Links > Football > Player Rankings by Position > Top Ranked Linebackers . We adapted Google's Privacy Guidelines to keep your data safe at all times. His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers. He also had at least 99 tackles in seven years of his 12 year career, which is outstanding. Other Links > Football > Player Rankings by Position > Top Ranked Linebackers . Undersized height wise, but an overabundance of heart made him more than a handful to deal with. He was the notorious leader of one of the greatest defenses to ever make its way onto a football field Pittsburghs famed Steel Curtain.. He finished his career with 1,106 tackles and 627 assisted tackles as well. Ray Lewis is another one of the three players on the list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. He just goes out every week and hustles. It seemed like he knew where the ball was going at all times. With rule changes being what they have been, I decided to rank the linebackers that have played since 1970. Ham is the only linebacker other than Tom Jackson to have seven INTs in a single season. Pittsburgh 2002, '04-12, '14-17; Cincinnati 2013; New England 2017. Joe Schmidt. He had 1,301 tackles and 25 forced fumbles in his career. 9, Derrick Brooks (Bucs) (1995-2008) *Eleven-time Pro Bowler *Five-time 1st Team All-Pro *Four-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Thats amazing consistency. Over the course of his career he racked up over 1,000 tackles, 52.5 sacks, and 14 INTs, all of which are very good numbers. He wasnt great at just one aspect he was equally great at everything he did. Blair was outstanding in coverage, along with being a great tackler. [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. 8, Demarcus Ware* (Cowboys) (2005-Present) *Four-time Pro Bowler *Three-time 1st team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. The Steelers went 6-10 in his first season, but along with players like Hines Ward, Jerome Bettis, and Alan Faneca . 27. In the words of Vikings' head coaching legend Bud Grant, "Paul personified the term free safety.". 43, Keith Brooking* (Falcons/Cowboys) (1998-Present) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He finished his career with 1,106 tackles and 627 assisted tackles as well. Spielman had seven straight 100 tackle seasons, and did it eight out of nine years. No. The second member of the Dome Patrol comes off the board at No. This team was widely regarded as having one of the best defenses of all-time. 15, Zach Thomas (Dolphins/Cowboys) (1996-2008) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Five-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Brooks wasnt just a pass coverage linebacker, but he also played the run well. Thats over 10 sacks per season, which is outstanding. I’m only going to be looking at players drafted in 1970 or later. 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. Defensive MVP in 2002. Lofa Tatupu didnt take any time breaking into the NFL, making the Pro Bowl in his first three seasons. (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). Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Isiah Robertson, nicknamed The Playmaker, was known for coming up with the big plays in the biggest games. Porter will try to continue his success in Arizona and continue to climb up this list. Gary Reasons (1984-91) Gary Reasons, a fourth-round draft pick from Northwestern State, was a key . Featuring some of the greatest NFL linebackers of all time, the best Bills LBs include Sam Rogers, Keith Ellison, Shane Conlan, and John Holecek. Zach Thomas. Young was a fierce hitter, and would always stick his nose in the middle of the play. He also had at least 99 tackles in seven years of his 12-year career, which is outstanding. 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 . . Matt Blair was a very intimidating linebacker, and helped the Vikings get to two Super Bowls in his career. This site is using Cloudflare and adheres to the Google Safe Browsing Program. Carson did most of the dirty work in that linebacking core. Being a linebacker makes that feat that much more impressive. Brazile might not get the credit because of the team he played for, but he was an outstanding player. Mike Singletary is one of three players on this list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. 23. Mike Singletary had the whole package. 10. A true enforcer in every sense of the word, Lewis intensity was unmatched by any player of his era. Seau is one of the Chargers' all-time great players, and will go to Canton five years after he retires like he should. Paul Naumoff. He would always be found around the ball, and around the play. O. J. Simpson and Lynn Swann were next with 22 and 21 votes, respectively. Mecklenburg was never a cocky player, but just a guy who would show up on Sundays. No. He has been one of the most intimidating players in the NFL his entire career. Randy Gradishar may be the single-most deserving player of a spot in Canton. 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Of course, prior to 1970, there was only one captain chosen; since 1970, we've had as many as four chosen in a single season. . Joey Porter may be the most vocal linebacker on this list. 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. Keith Brooking has been one of the most consistent linebackers of all-time. Kolen was drafted by the Dolphins in the 12 th round . He already has 57.5 sacks in his short career, along with 16 forced fumbles. With rule changes being what they have been, The number one pick was obvious. 26, Cornelius Bennett (Bills/Falcons/Colts) (1987-2000) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. But in those three years, hes racked up 328 tackles and seven INTs, all while starting every game of his career. Theres not much Brooks doesnt have. In 1993 as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers middle linebacker, Nickerson piled up an astounding 214 tackles. He was also the fastest linebacker of the bunch and excelled in pass coverage. Top 10 Draft Picks in Broncos History | No. 17, Brian Urlacher* (Bears) (2000-Present) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Four-time 1st Team All-Pro. Leslie ONeal was a sack machine in his career. 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. NFL Defensive Rookie of the . Thomas is also third all-time in safeties and fumble returns for touchdowns. In 1976, Jackson had seven INTs. Those would be accomplishments by themselves, let alone all together. Taylor is one of only two defensive players (DT Alan Page, 1971) in the history of the NFL to be named NFL MVP. Ware is not just an outstanding pass rusher though. No. Beason has only been in the league for three years now. . He had over 1,000 tackles, over 70 sacks, and over 30 forced fumbles in his career. Despite the bad taste he left when leaving the team, James Harrison belongs on the upper half of the top ten linebackers in Steelers history. 23, Isiah Robertson (Rams/Bills) (1971-1982) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. McAdams was a two-time All-American . 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). Both . He also had 1,173 tackles in his career. Thomas never had less than seven sacks in a season in his entire career, and only had less than eight sacks in one season. The versatile middle linebacker played a significant role in helping the Steelers win four Super Bowls in a span of six years in the 1970s. No. In his time in the NFL, he intercepted 25 passes and returned six of them for touchdowns with three of those in 2002 alone. The offense, meanwhile, scored 29 points a game. Brooking was the face of the Falcons defense for nearly a decade, and is a well-rounded player. 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. Already in his career, Ware has forced 23 fumbles.
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