Williams was the heart and soul of two Super Bowl defenses. 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. Next up on the docket for my top Redskins players series are the linebackers. But it was his style of play that made his career so short. His 1989 rookie season was one of the best the NFL has ever seen. 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. Cornelius Bennett was just a great all-around player. It seemed like he knew where the ball was going at all times. The 2008 season was his best sack season with 17.5. Anthony Simmons (1995-'97) is the only two-time First-Team All-American in Clemson . Won Conference Championship 17-10 vs. San Francisco 49ers. He was also a good pass rusher, and a good coverage man as well. No. Please play responsibly. Countdown 119: Top 10 Linebackers in NFL History - Sports H2H 8. 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. Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter has returned to the NFL . Top ten linebackers in Steelers history: Version two - Steelers Sanctuary Lloyd had 54.5 sacks and 11 INTs in his career, but the most remarkable number was his 35 forced fumbles. Ham is the only linebacker other than Tom Jackson to have seven INTs in a single season. Mike Singletary. If you take away his last three seasons, where he was slowing down, he averaged 12.4 sacks per season, which is just remarkable. NFLs Merchants of Menace Cornelius Bennett and Bruce Smith. Blair was outstanding in coverage, along with being a great tackler. . Beason may be the most controversial player on this list. Siemon was always a good player, but never a great player. Jackson was not just a coverage linebacker, he was also a good pass rusher and a very hard worker off the field. Robertson is one of the most underrated players in NFL history. 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 runningback Franco Harris. Who knows how many he wouldve had if he played in the entire 16? Punter Ray Guy was the leading vote-getter for the 1970s All-Decade Team, receiving 24 of a possible 25 votes. Derrick Brooks may be the most accomplished linebacker on this list. He had four interceptions that season, a high number for an inside linebacker, to go along with four sacks and 114 tackles. 9. Chris Spielman was a tackle machine during his 10 years in the NFL. 16, Robert Brazile (Oilers) (1975-1984) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Four-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Minnesota Vikings reporter suggests All-Pro defender a likely 2023 cap But in those three years, hes racked up 328 tackles and seven INTs, all while starting every game of his career. Featuring some of the greatest NFL linebackers of all time, the best Bills LBs include Sam Rogers, Keith Ellison, Shane Conlan, and John Holecek. Gary Reasons (1984-91) Gary Reasons, a fourth-round draft pick from Northwestern State, was a key . Top 10 Linebackers in New York Giants History I’m only going to be looking at players drafted in 1970 or later. Kolen was drafted by the Dolphins in the 12 th round . Boulware had at least seven sacks every year he played other than his last season in the NFL. Suggs will only continue to climb this list the longer he plays, since hes in the middle of his prime right now. He was Lawrence Taylor before Taylor was. Those are remarkable numbers, especially when he is still going strong. Find 1970 1979 America stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. He was 73. He was also the fastest linebacker of the bunch and excelled in pass coverage. The Raiders defeated the Eagles 27-10. The Minnesota Vikings did an outstanding job of drafting linebackers in 1974. 2, Ray Lewis* (Ravens) (1996-Present) *Eleven-time Pro Bowler *Seven-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. A shot of Jameson for Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey. 44, Jessie Armstead (Giants/Redskins) (1993-2003) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-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. If Bulluck played on a better team, I believe his stats would be much better and his accomplishments would be a lot more. You decide: Ohio State football's all-decade linebackers But we would be remiss to not acknowledge some of the top performers from that earlier era. Ray Lewis came into the league and dominated right away. No. 3 hours ago. Ill take into account Pro Bowls, All-Pros (1st and 2nd team), stats, team success, players success, intimidation factor, and reputation, along with many other factors to make this list. 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. 42, Chip Banks (Browns/Chargers/Colts) (1982-1992) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st team All-Pro. Jackson had 40 forced fumbles, just one short of the NFL record. 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. Tribute to Elvis National Football League 1970s All-Decade Team - Wikipedia Brooks is most known for his coverage ability in the Bucs cover-two scheme. 6, Jack Ham (Steelers) (1971-1982) *Eight-time Pro Bowler *Six-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Pittsburgh 2002, '04-12, '14-17; Cincinnati 2013; New England 2017. Many of you will say that Keith Bulluck is way too high. List of All Buffalo Bills Linebackers, Ranked Best to Worst 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. Blair was also one of the greatest special teams players of all-time! He wasnt very vocal, but his play did all the talking for him. 5, Jack Lambert (Steelers) (1974-1984) *Nine-time Pro Bowlers *Seven-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He had five INTs in a season twice in his career. No. And he's still going. He played in 10 playoff games and had two INTs and three fumble recoveries in them. Linebacker U Penn State Tradition Jack Ham as a Steeler. He knew how to make big plays. Playoffs: Won Divisional Round 5-0 vs. Detroit Lions. Junior Seau finished his career with 1,524 tackles, the highest total on this list. 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 . Porter will try to continue his success in Arizona and continue to climb up this list. He had less than seven sacks in a season only once. NFL's All-Decade Team of the 1970s - DEFENSE - pfhof Blair was outstanding in coverage, along with being a great tackler. . This team was widely regarded as having one of the best defenses of all time. No. The Top Ranked Linebackers of the 1970s - AinsworthSports.com Next: A dangerous combination. No. The Best of Tommy Brady at Michigan . Shawne Lights Out Merriman was the face of NFL linebackers for a three year stretch. 12, Randy Gradishar (Broncos) (1974-1984) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. And here are the 25 greatest linebackers in NFL history: 25. Greene and Greg Lloyd made one of the best pass rushing duos in NFL history with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The leader of the Dome Patrol comes in at No. Thomas did everything you asked out of a linebacker. 5.) The 1970s Were the L.A. Rams' Most Dramatic Decade - Los Angeles Magazine No. Wilson recorded 560 tackles and 21.5 sacks as a member of the Broncos. Houston Oilers, 1975-1984. 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. In the 2017-18 NFL season, the current Buffalo Bills starting LBs and backup LBs are Lorenzo Alexander, Deon Lacey, Matt Milano, and Tanner Vallejo. If you havnt guessed it by now, Lawrence LT Taylor is my top linebacker of the modern era. 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. He did anything the Bears asked of him, especially stuffing the run. He was very athletic, a great tackler, and he could cover. Nine All-Pros. No. He had an outstanding attitude and would do anything to get his team a win. 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 wasnt as vocal as Cox, but his play was a little better, and lasted for a longer period of time. Neal Olkewicz. 2022 - SportsUnfold. *Ty Anderson, Thomasville: Anderson (6-0, 210) has been an all-state player since he was a sophomore Region 1-2A defensive co . He took up blockers and threw his body around a lot. The Steel Curtain was the defensive line of the 1970s American football team Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). Lewis stats at this point of his career are 1,349 tackles, 36.5 sacks, and 28 INTs. Over the course of his two-year Ohio State career, Lee accumulated 147 tackles. The line was the backbone of the Steelers dynasty, which won four Super Bowls (IX, X, XIII, and XIV) in six years.. Thats fine, he played enough linebacker to be considered this high. Merriman still has the potential to be a great player again. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. 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. Jul 07, 2014 at 11:02 PM. More Team Info. Although he only played three full seasons, he made five Pro Bowls. Not only did he change the way defenses are run, but he changed the way offensive schemes are run as well. 41, Mo Lewis (Jets) (1991-2003) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. A two-time All-American and a three-year starter for the Vols, Kiner . He was unstoppable in goal line situations especially. 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. Next were Defensive end Jack Youngblood and Joe Greene who each had 18 votes. Top 25 SEC LBs of all-time: 10-6. Junior Seau finished his career with 1,524 tackles, the highest total on this list. Floyd Reese, the general manager who assembled the roster for the Tennessee Titans' lone Super Bowl appearance, died Saturday. 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. Randy Gradishar Joins The Speer Wealth Team. #NFL100 - Top 6 Outside Linebackers Jack Ham might be the best coverage linebacker of all-time. He could do it all. There was a story of someone meeting Thomas at the Pro Bowl for no longer than 10 minutes. He may have actually been crazy. He may have been undersized, but he made up for it with his mind and his hustle. 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. He may be one of the most hated players, but man can he play football. No. 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. Nine All-Pros. Jackson was not just a coverage linebacker, he was also a good pass rusher and a very hard worker off the field. He was effective as a pass rushing OLB, tallying up 14 sacks in one season with the Dolphins, and as an inside run stopping linebacker with the Jets. He was also the fastest linebacker of the bunch and excelled in pass coverage. Jackson was the vocal leader of that defense. In 1984 and 1985, Tippett put up two of the best back-to-back seasons recording 18.5 and 16.5 sacks in them. His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers. He started all but one game in his last eight seasons, which is very impressive for a linebacker. Already in his career, Ware has forced 23 fumbles. He did anything the Bears asked of him, especially stuffing the run. Playing 20 seasons in the NFL is amazing at any position. The Greatest Linebackers of All Time - SportsUnfold 24, Leslie ONeal (Chargers/Rams/Chiefs) (1986-1999) *Six-time Pro Bowler *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He would always be found around the ball, and around the play. 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. Their greats span the decades of the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s. Baltimore Ravens ground game rules in NFL Week 11 and more Brooking was the face of the Falcons defense for nearly a decade, and is a well-rounded player. No. Notre Dame, Mike Brey and the awkward goodbye - The Athletic No. He had 885 career solo tackles, which is impressive on a defense filled with swarming the ball, shown by his 1,488 career tackles. It was tied for the best of the day with linebacker Owen Pappoe, of Auburn, and was the second-fastest time from an . Nickerson wasnt just a one hit wonder though. 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). T&Cs apply. Here is my ranking of the top 10 Giants linebackers, along with some honorable mentions. 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. He would give it his all on every single down of every single play. Punter Ray Guy was the leading vote-getter for the 1970s All-Decade Team, receiving 24 of a possible 25 votes. As an outside linebacker, he put a lot of pressure on opponents' quarterbacks. The forgotten members of the legendary 1970's Steelers team John Offerdahl may have had the shortest NFL career on this list, but he made the most of it. In 1976, Jackson had seven INTs. Ray Lewis is another one of the three players on the list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. The Top Ranked Linebackers of the 1960s Linebacker Jack Ham and Tight end Dave Casper each received 20 votes. Top 5 Tennessee linebackers of all-time - Saturday Down South 13, Greg Lloyd (Steelers/Panthers) (1988-1998) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro. He was one of the most feared players in the game. 38, Chad Brown (Steelers/Seahawks/Patriots) (1993-2007) *Three-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro. He also is the only linebacker to ever win a Super Bowl MVP and be named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in the same season (2000). Isiah Robertson, nicknamed The Playmaker, was known for coming up with the big plays in the biggest games. 1970 Dallas Cowboys Roster & Players - Pro-Football-Reference.com The second member of the Dome Patrol comes off the board at No. could hit like a freight train, but it was his finesse and high football IQ that helped him revolutionize the linebacker position. Here's 8 Ways NBA Has Changed That Modern Fans Don't Realize He could do it all. 49, Vaughn Johnson (Saints/Eagles) (1986-1994) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Joey Porter. The former college basketball star is considered one of the best defensive linemen to ever play in the NFL. Also note that an asterisk (*) by the players name means they are still active today. Bryan Cox was an all-around package at linebacker. Thats amazing consistency. This season marked the end for Tittle and fellow Canton-bound star Frank Gifford. His high sack number was 15 in 2001, a year that he didnt even get voted into the Pro Bowl. Undersized height wise, but an overabundance of heart made him more than a handful to deal with. No. Collect, curate and comment on your files. But Mills did much more than that. Jackson had 40 forced fumbles, just one short of the NFL record. 5. But perhaps more than the star players, the decade was dominated by dynasty teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota Vikings, Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders, and . Singletary was one of the key leaders of the famous 85 Bears defense, arguably the greatest defense in the history of the NFL. We started off with a rough one the wide receivers. Lance Briggs may be overshadowed by Brian Urlacher, but dont forget how great of a player Briggs has been for the Bears. He finished his career with 1,106 tackles and 627 assisted tackles as well. Teamwork and Leadership from Karl Mecklenburg NFL Motivational Keynote Speaker. He wasnt great at just one aspect he was equally great at everything he did. by Ben Watanabe. 12. The 1970s had many great moments by individual players such as the NFL's first 2,000-yard season by O.J. 1970, slow dancing in Mark Wooldridge's basement with my first girlfriend, Karen Frey, who wore white high-top . He also had 1,173 tackles in his career. Linebacker is one of the most important and demanding positions in football. Lambert wasnt just great on the inside, he was an outstanding coverage linebacker. Selected by the Baltimore Colts in the 2nd round . 1953-65, Detroit Lions. Taylor changed the way football is played today. Thats nearly 13 sacks per season. No. Lamberts signature toothless snarl struck fear into the hearts of the opposition and lends credence to his legendary status as one of the toughest players all-time. Urlacher was an all-around great linebacker who flew around the field with reckless abandon. The entire enterprise of Notre Dame basketball, gone strange. Lambert and Ham also won four Super Bowls with the Steelers in the 1970s playing in the Steel Curtain. Its too bad Fredd Youngs career had to end prematurely due to injuries. L.T. Jason Gildon (Steelers/Jaguars): - Three-time Pro Bowler, one-time 1st Team All-Pro. His sacks are the main reason hes this high, but he was also a great all-around player. Peter Boulware was the pass rusher alongside Ray Lewis. Top 10 Linebackers in Miami Dolphins history - Phin Phanatic The Greatest Penn State Linebackers of All Time His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers. Johnson was most known for his days with the Saints. LT was the most intimidating player ever to put on an NFL uniform. The only thing that could match his signature stare was the stellar play of Samurai Mike on the field. 1970s A 1-13 record in 1969 gave the Steelers the first overall choice in the 1970 draft, with which Noll addressed the offense by selecting quarterback Terry Bradshaw, another Hall of Famer, after the Steelers won the first selection by winning a coin toss with the Chicago Bears. 1970s All-decade team. Lawrence Taylor: one of the greatest defensive players ever, Taylor was a pass-rushing force who revolutionized the outside linebacker position . 28b, Sam Mills (Saints/Panthers) (1986-1997) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. In the words of Vikings' head coaching legend Bud Grant, "Paul personified the term free safety.". Swilling was the best pass rusher of the Dome Patrol, but he also forced 36 fumbles to go along with all the sacks. Lambert is said by many to be the best inside linebacker of all-time. 6 - Carl McAdams. Top 10 Draft Picks in Broncos History | No. Gradishar was the silent assassin of the team. 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.