Ray Lewis is the highest-ranked active player on this list, and the top middle linebacker on it. Nine All-Pros. Thomas is also third all-time in safeties and fumble returns for touchdowns. No. Regardless, he definitely deserves the respect for what he accomplished on the field. 2022 - SportsUnfold. Thomas was one of the most instinctive linebackers of all-time. Spielman had seven straight 100 tackle seasons, and did it eight out of nine years. In today's NFL, few positions have become as difficult to play as off-ball linebacker. Taylor changed the way football is played today. The 'Skins historically have had some solid inside linebackers capable of both stopping the run and being reliable in coverage. Brazile was drafted out of Jackson State and revolutionized linebacker play in the NFL. In 1976, Jackson had seven INTs. Brooking was the face of the Falcons defense for nearly a decade, and is a well-rounded player. The next year at the Pro Bowl, Thomas remembered him by name. Those are remarkable numbers, especially when he is still going strong. Next were Defensive end Jack Youngblood and Joe Greene who each had 18 votes. Jackson tallied up 128 sacks in his career, but even thats not his most impressive number. Defensive MVP in 2002. Jackson had 40 forced fumbles, just one short of the NFL record. An important part of the Las Vegas defense, the LB position includes middle or inside linebackers and outside (strong side or weakside) linebackers. Ham is the only linebacker other than Tom Jackson to have seven INTs in a single season. 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 . Siemon was always a good player, but never a great player. Joey Porter. He ran a 4.6 40 yard dash, which is outstanding for a linebacker, especially at that time period. 1, Lawrence Taylor (Giants) (1981-1993) *Ten-time Pro Bowler *Eight-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 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In the words of Vikings' head coaching legend Bud Grant, "Paul personified the term free safety.". Hes also great against the run and is a turnover forcing monster. 17, Brian Urlacher* (Bears) (2000-Present) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Four-time 1st Team All-Pro. Ham is the only linebacker other than Tom Jackson to have seven INTs in a single season. The defense was ranked right up there along with the 1985 Bears, and Steelers teams of the 1970s. Derrick Thomas was on pace to absolutely shatter NFL records before his tragic death in 2000. . Kirkland had great speed and agility for a big man. Isiah Robertson, nicknamed The Playmaker, was known for coming up with the big plays in the biggest games. 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. [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. The next year, he followed it up with four more interceptions. He was always around the ball. Ham is the only linebacker other than Tom Jackson to have seven INTs in a single season. 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. Derrick Thomas was on pace to absolutely shatter NFL records before his tragic death in 2000. There was a story of someone meeting Thomas at the Pro Bowl for no longer than 10 minutes. Williams has received numerous honors, including selection to the NFL All-Rookie Team (1976), the Byron Whizzer White Award for Humanitarian Service (1985), the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award (1986), and Sports Illustrateds Co-Sportsman of the Year (1987). Jack Ham might be the best coverage linebacker of all-time. Robertson is one of the most underrated players in NFL history. Since Donnie Shell finally cracked the Hall of Fame, I would say the . No. James Farrior* (Jets/Steelers): Two-time Pro Bowler, one-time 1st Team All-Pro, one-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He was the only good player (other than Albert Haynesworth, but even he was only good for 2-3 years) on a generally bad defense and team. 27. 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. Some of you will say hes too low. No. Lewis stats at this point of his career are 1,349 tackles, 36.5 sacks, and 28 INTs. Undersized height wise, but an overabundance of heart made him more than a handful to deal with. That suggestion from the newly appointed House . Lambert was a Pro Bowler in all but his rookie season and his final pro season, totaling nine selections. Next: A dangerous combination. 16, Robert Brazile (Oilers) (1975-1984) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Four-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Gary Reasons (1984-91) Gary Reasons, a fourth-round draft pick from Northwestern State, was a key . Derrick Brooks may be the most accomplished linebacker on this list. Baker recorded 19 . He also ranks third all . Lambert is said by many to be the best inside linebacker of all-time. He had 885 career solo tackles, which is impressive on a defense filled with swarming the ball, shown by his 1,488 career tackles. Peter Boulware was the pass rusher alongside Ray Lewis. could hit like a freight train, but it was his finesse and high football IQ that helped him revolutionize the linebacker position. 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. Patrick Willis has made the Pro Bowl and an All-Pro team every single year hes been in the NFL. The player that gives Butkus the most competition in that category would be Mike Singletary. 6 - Carl McAdams. Peterson is another versatile linebacker who has played both inside and outside linebacker. Eleven Pro Bowls. No. I’m only going to be looking at players drafted in 1970 or later. Both . 18, Andre Tippett (Patriots) (1982-1993) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He racked up a staggering 1,181 tackles, and 1,131 of them in his first nine seasons. Eddie Johnson. Ray Lewis is another one of the three players on the list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. Tribute to Elvis 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. That is just unheard of. If you take away his last three seasons, where he was slowing down, he averaged 12.4 sacks per season, which is just remarkable. Thats over 10 sacks per season, which is outstanding. 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. Derrick Brooks may be the most accomplished linebacker on this list. Dennis Onkotz 1967 - 1969. Chip Banks was another linebacker that was solid at everything, but not great at anything. Any coach would be lucky to have a player like Karl Mecklenburg on their roster. . The second member of the Dome Patrol comes off the board at No. Williams recorded 16 interceptions and 23 fumble recoveries (a franchise record). 9. In 1985, a trophy awarded to the best linebacker in college football was named in his honor. Briggs should only continue to move up this list, as he takes over as the star linebacker spot in Chicago. Thomas never had less than seven sacks in a season in his entire career, and only had less than eight sacks in one season. LT finished his career with 142 sacks, averaging nearly 11 sacks per season. The Pittsburgh Steelers are second with all-time players in four decades. He was always around the ball. Randy Gradishar may be the single-most deserving player of a spot in Canton. Wilson recorded 560 tackles and 21.5 sacks as a member of the Broncos. Bryan Cox was an all-around package at linebacker. Offerdahl was a blue collar type of player who was an even better person off the field. No NFL team has enjoyed the consistent level of success the Pittsburgh Steelers have enjoyed since the AFL-NFL merger of 1970. Ray Lewis is the top MLB of the modern era and is easily the linebacker of the 2000s. No. Super Bowl winner. Eddie Johnson arrived in Cleveland at exactly the right time. No. Zach Thomas. Brian Urlacher is one of the greatest linebackers of this decade. Born April 20 . His 1989 rookie season was one of the best the NFL has ever seen. Hes been amazing. Lewis was the leader of the 2000 Super Bowl-winning Ravens team. 1. Greene led the way in the pass rushing department. Jack Ham might be the best coverage linebacker of all time. Although he only played three full seasons, he made five Pro Bowls. Although he only played three full seasons, he made five Pro Bowls. 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. 22, Chris Spielman (Lions/Bills) (1988-1997) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. NFL 100 All-Time Team (2019). Less of a nod goes to pass rushers, linebackers and safeties. Thats an amazing number as well. 50, Bryan Cox (Dolphins/Bears/Jets/Patriots/Saints) (1991-2003). Thats the type of player you want on your team, especially on the defensive side of the ball. 40, Bryce Paup (Packers/Bills/Jaguars/Vikings) (1990-2000) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. 1986 Boston Celtics - Were they the greatest Team? Chad Brown played a very long NFL career, especially for a linebacker. No. Anthony Simmons (1995-'97) is the only two-time First-Team All-American in Clemson . Houston Oilers, 1975-1984. Mike Singletary had the whole package. Jack Ham had the whole package as a linebacker. Playing 20 seasons in the NFL is amazing at any position. He also took over Lloyds role in pass coverage as the only linebacker in the Steelers nickel defense. He was also the fastest linebacker of the bunch and excelled in pass coverage. These are the newest members of GHSF Daily's Georgia Power 100. Jackson was most notable for being a pass rusher, but he really did it all. Answer: Two of the three were constants for all four Super Bowls and ended up in the Hall of Fame. 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. He had less than seven sacks in a season only once. 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 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. The NFL is back in L.A. for the first time since 1995, as the Rams return to the Coliseum. He was one of the most feared players in the game. He was a very solid 3-4 ILB playing on one of the best LB Cores of all-time, the Dome Patrol. From canvas high-tops to social media dominance, the NBA has come a long way. The Minnesota Vikings did an outstanding job of drafting linebackers in 1974. Shawne Lights Out Merriman was the face of NFL linebackers for a three year stretch. 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The Steel Curtain was the defensive line of the 1970s American football team Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). Mecklenburg was never a cocky player, but just a guy who would show up on Sundays. Leslie ONeal was a sack machine in his career. 1970s All-decade team. Randy Gradishar Joins The Speer Wealth Team. Next up, we look at a much better-rated unit in the linebackers. Lloyd had 54.5 sacks and 11 INTs in his career, but the most remarkable number was his 35 forced fumbles. Harry Carson was an outstanding linebacker who played alongside Lawrence Taylor. 10. When you see a list of greatest linebackers, Isiah Robertson very rarely even gets brought into the discussion. 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 anything the Bears asked of him, especially stuffing the run. Demarcus Ware has only played five seasons in the NFL, but already hes one of the best of this era. Lambert and Ham also won four Super Bowls with the Steelers in the 1970s playing in the Steel Curtain. Tippett finished his career with 100 sacks. The 2008 season was his best sack season with 17.5. He should still improve this season with Ndamukong Suh in front of him to help free him up. The two-time All-American helped the Cornhuskers win back-to-back national titles in 1970 and '71 . Bryce Paup was an outstanding pass rusher in the 1990s. Top 25 SEC LBs of all-time: 10-6. Thats right, seven. Ham had outstanding speed. John Offerdahl may have had the shortest NFL career on this list, but he made the most of it. Ham had arguably the most successful NFL career out of any of the names on this list as he was a star for the Pittsburgh Steelers. 42, Chip Banks (Browns/Chargers/Colts) (1982-1992) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st team All-Pro. 28b, Sam Mills (Saints/Panthers) (1986-1997) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Lofa Tatupu didnt take any time breaking into the NFL, making the Pro Bowl in his first three seasons. He has speed, size, toughness, instincts, vision, patience, and football smarts. And he's still going. Over his career, Brooking has racked up 962 tackles and 12 INTs. Thomas was one of the most instinctive linebackers of all-time. He played for a bad team with not much of a surrounding cast, but still excelled. Who knows how many he wouldve had if he played in the entire 16? Mike Kolen 1970-77. His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers. In 2007, he racked up a remarkable 17 sacks in only 12 games. No. He has played the role of pass rusher and coverage linebacker in his career, and has excelled at both. 1970, slow dancing in Mark Wooldridge's basement with my first girlfriend, Karen Frey, who wore white high-top . He had 1,301 tackles and 25 forced fumbles in his career. In 2008, Suggs even had two INTs, both of which he returned for touchdowns. Floyd Reese, the general manager who assembled the roster for the Tennessee Titans' lone Super Bowl appearance, died Saturday. Jul 07, 2014 at 11:02 PM. And here are the 25 greatest linebackers in NFL history: 25. 11, Kevin Greene (Rams/Steelers/Panthers/49ers), (1985-1999) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. O. J. Simpson and Lynn Swann were next with 22 and 21 votes, respectively. 2013 MAC Hall of Fame Inductee: Western Michigans John Offerdahl. He led the Eagles in tackles in his time with the team. Ware is not just an outstanding pass rusher though. 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. Jackson was not just a coverage linebacker, he was also a good pass rusher and a very hard worker off the field. 44, Jessie Armstead (Giants/Redskins) (1993-2003) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. The defense was ranked right up there along with the 1985 Bears, and Steelers teams of the 1970s. Kevin Greene was a mad man in a football uniform. 47, Fredd Young (Seahawks/Colts) (1984-1990) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. He was a tackle machine and a very big hitter. Mills racked up 1,142 tackles in his career. He was 73. Ranking Explanation . Julian Peterson has had a very well-rounded NFL career to this point, and its still going on. All Rights Reserved. *Ty Anderson, Thomasville: Anderson (6-0, 210) has been an all-state player since he was a sophomore Region 1-2A defensive co . Top 13 Indiana High School Players of all Time, The 6 greatest Indiana Highschool pure Shooters, The 8 greatest IHSAA Championship Games in History. Robertson is one of the most underrated players in NFL history. If you take away his last three seasons, where he was slowing down, he averaged 12.4 sacks per season, which is just remarkable. Theres not much Brooks doesnt have. Lambert wasnt just great on the inside, he was an outstanding coverage linebacker. Marshall wasnt just a pass coverage linebacker though, he also racked up 1,020 tackles during his 11 year NFL career, along with 24 forced fumbles. SRS: 6.97 (5th of 26), SOS: 1.40. Robert Brazile- Tums all time neutralizer. He wasnt great at just one aspect he was equally great at everything he did. He was a hard worker, good tackler, and had great hands. He always tried to better himself and did it effectively. For most other franchises, a resume like this would make Jack Ham the greatest linebacker in thier history by a wide margin. and Jack Ham played as . He was also a good pass rusher, and a good coverage man as well. Randy Gradishar played along with Tom Jackson in the Denver Broncos Orange Crush defense. Nickerson wasnt just a one hit wonder though. He wasnt great at one aspect but was equally as good at everything he did. 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). Porter is mostly known as a sack master. This list isnt based solely on performances from the 2020 NFL season. He is most known for the neck plate he wore behind his head, but dont let that distract you from his great play on the field. No. 32, John Offerdahl (Dolphins) (1986-1993) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He was the notorious leader of one of the greatest defenses to ever make its way onto a football field Pittsburghs famed Steel Curtain.. A tall order to say the least, and these 5 players did it better than anyone in the history of the NFL. Spielman had seven straight 100 tackle seasons, and did it eight out of nine years. He did it in 2000 and again in 2003. No. credit : - yahoo. Wilber Marshall had the whole package. All while being tasked with avoiding blocks and keeping tabs on the opposing quarterback. He came one tackle short from having five consecutive 100 tackle seasons in 2004, which is saying a lot, since he was the guy taking up blockers most of the time as well. Mills was more of the tackler of the bunch, racking up 1,142 tackles in his career. He took up blockers and threw his body around a lot. He has been one of the most intimidating players in the NFL his entire career. Ham had outstanding speed. In only 11 seasons, Thomas had 126.5 sacks, and an NFL record 41 forced fumbles. With rule changes being what they have been, The number one pick was obvious. No. No. Trotter was a complete, all-around linebacker. Ranking Explanation . Defensive MVP in 2002. You could stick him on any TE in the league, even some slot receivers, and he would take them out of the game. He started his career out with the Packers, if they would have used him correctly he would have been higher on this list. No. Mike Singletary was the leader of the most dominating defense the NFL has ever seenthe 1985 Bears. Featuring some of the greatest NFL linebackers of all time, the best Bills LBs include Sam Rogers, Keith Ellison, Shane Conlan, and John Holecek. He finished his career with 1,106 tackles and 627 assisted tackles as well. He did it once in 1985 and again in 1988. 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. He won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1974 and Defensive Player of the Year two years later. FCK Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream, Hamilton vs Arbroath Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream, Paderborn vs FC St. Pauli Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live, Andorra vs Las Palmas Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream, AGF vs Horsens Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream Time,, Southend Utd vs Barnet Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream, Kawasaki vs Shonan Bellmare Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live. 28a, Pat Swilling (Saints/Lions/Raiders) (1986-1998) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. But it was his style of play that made his career so short. He recently missed most of last season with surgery. In 1984 and 1985, Tippett put up two of the best back to back seasons recording 18.5 and 16.5 sacks in them. Bet with your head, not over it. The leader of the Dome Patrol comes in at No. He had five INTs in a season twice in his career. 1953-65, Detroit Lions. The thing about Derrick Thomas that is the most remarkable was how nice of a person he was off the field. This season marked the end for Tittle and fellow Canton-bound star Frank Gifford. Over the course of his two-year Ohio State career, Lee accumulated 147 tackles. This team was widely regarded as having one of the best defenses of all time. No. He was selected late in the 12th Round, and nobody expected much out of him. He was always good enough for Pro Bowls, but was never an All-Pro Player. 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. He was blue collar player who was a great leader on defense and could do everything well on a football 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. Mills was more of a complete player than Swilling, although the two are too close to separate one from the other. In his time in the NFL, he intercepted 25 passes and returned six of them for touchdowns with three of those in 2002 alone. 9-time All-Pro, 10-time Pro Bowler. You might be thinking Top 10 already? But look at his numbers. He was unstoppable in goal line situations especially. Ray Lewis came into the league and dominated right away. I personally think football before 1970 and after 1970 can be seen as two completely different games, in terms of its evolution. I know, how can I rate Kirkland over Greene? Chris Spielman was a tackle machine during his 10 years in the NFL. No. Hes on pace to not only break, but shatter the NFL record of 41. He did it in 2000 and again in 2003. In 1976, Jackson had seven INTs. Jack Lambert was the teammate of Jack Ham who took the inside linebacker duties. He could do it all. 43, Keith Brooking* (Falcons/Cowboys) (1998-Present) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Johnson wasnt very flashy, but he was very solid all-around, which is why he sneaks onto the list. It may be a bit early to put Jon Beason on this list, but I think his play warrants the selection. 2, Ray Lewis* (Ravens) (1996-Present) *Eleven-time Pro Bowler *Seven-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Brooks is most known for his coverage ability in the Bucs cover-two scheme. Singletary was a leader, not only vocally, but by example. The best LB in the NFL today comes in at No. That is the reason you will not find Butkus, Huff, Nitschke etc in these rankings. 23. Gambling Problem?