Brooks wasnt just a pass coverage linebacker, but he also played the run well. Lawrence Taylor. Are you ready for some football history? No. Willis could potentially end up in the top 10, or even top five of this list by the time his career is over. Hardy Nickerson may not have the name recognition as many of the other linebackers on this list, but he deserves to be this high. He could do it all. No. Lewis wasnt as vocal as Cox, but his play was a little better, and lasted for a longer period of time. He has played the role of pass rusher and coverage linebacker in his career, and has excelled at both. No. AP. Any coach would be lucky to have a player like Karl Mecklenburg on their roster. LSU women's basketball makes it rain in rout of Georgia in SEC Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter has returned to the NFL . He was a tackling machine for the majority of his career. Brooking was the face of the Falcons defense for nearly a decade, and is a well-rounded player. could hit like a freight train, but it was his finesse and high football IQ that helped him revolutionize the linebacker position. Penn State football all-time defense | Who are the greatest defensive He could do it all. Thomas never had less than seven sacks in a season in his entire career, and only had less than eight sacks in one season. Top 30 Linebackers in the NFL since 1970! Boulware had at least seven sacks every year he played other than his last season in the NFL. 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. 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 . No. Beason may be the most controversial player on this list. He also had 20 INTs, three of which he returned for touchdowns. These were the players who were great players, but not quite good enough to be placed inside the top 50. 28a, Pat Swilling (Saints/Lions/Raiders) (1986-1998) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Comic-Con Museum named best pop culture museum by USA Today. He had five INTs in a season twice in his career. Thats an outstanding number. I know, how can I rate Kirkland over Greene? No. 1970 NFC Champion. A truly great linebacker must be able to read the offense, set the defensive scheme, play the run with cat-like instincts and defend the pass with the utmost precision. 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). He was never the most athletic player on the field, but he was always the hardest working. Mills was more of the tackler of the bunch, racking up 1,142 tackles in his career. In 1976, Jackson had seven INTs. 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. Steelers by the decade: 1970s - Pittsburgh Steelers No. He did it in 2000 and again in 2003. Brooks is most known for his coverage ability in the Bucs cover-two scheme. No. He was always good enough for Pro Bowls, but was never an All-Pro Player. 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. That truly shows what kind of person he was off the field. He was close to averaging a sack per game, which is an amazing number. He took up blockers and threw his body around a lot. Zachary Petrizzo. He had five INTs in a season twice in his career. Taylor changed the way football is played today. Nickerson wasnt just a one hit wonder though. He also played two different positions, playing ILB and OLB for the Vikings in his career. Detroit Lions History: Top 5 Linebackers - SideLion Report No. He was close to averaging a sack per game, which is an amazing number. You might be thinking Top 10 already? But look at his numbers. Gradishar was the silent assassin of the team. He has been one of the most intimidating players in the NFL his entire career. Thats fine, he played enough linebacker to be considered this high. and Jack Ham played as . In this Article . The Steel Curtain was the defensive line of the 1970s American football team Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). Jackson had 40 forced fumbles, just one short of the NFL record. He finished his career with 1,106 tackles and 627 assisted tackles as well. May 24, 2022. Las Vegas Raiders: 15 best defensive backs of all-time - Just Blog Baby Those would be accomplishments by themselves, let alone all together. Chris Spielman was a tackle machine during his 10 years in the NFL. He totaled 28 INTs in his career while he also racked up 1,045 tackles. 10, Junior Seau (Chargers/Dolphins/Patriots) (1990-2009) *Twelve-time Pro Bowler *Six-time All-Pro 1st Team *Three-time All-Pro 2nd Team. 1970 Dallas Cowboys Roster & Players - Pro-Football-Reference.com AP Sports SummaryBrief at 7:03 a.m. EST. Armstead didnt particularly stand out at anywhere, but he wasnt a weak link anywhere either. No. He tried to get in your head before you even took a step on the field of play. 1953-65, Detroit Lions. by Ben Watanabe. The most obvious change from 1920 to today is the size of players, but there also have been many changes in the schemes . As an outside linebacker, he put a lot of pressure on opponents' quarterbacks. Top 10 LB's in OU history - 247sports.com Tippett finished his career with 100 sacks. No NFL team has enjoyed the consistent level of success the Pittsburgh Steelers have enjoyed since the AFL-NFL merger of 1970. Greene and Greg Lloyd made one of the best pass rushing duos in NFL history with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ray Lewis came into the league and dominated right away. After a very bad injury in 2008, Shawne Merriman hasnt been the same. Lewis, playing alongside Bryan Cox, led a very good Jets team to the closest theyve been to a Super Bowl since they won Super Bowl III. No. No. Lambert is said by many to be the best inside linebacker of all-time. K.J. No. That Steelers linebacking core could easily be the best of all-time, and it was led by Jack Lambert and Jack Ham. No. 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 . The 2008 season was his best sack season with 17.5. He was just a great all-around player who could do it all. 1970 1979 America Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Singletary was a leader, not only vocally, but by example. Joey Porter. When you ask who is the greatest MLB of all-time is, many people jump straight to Dick Butkus. He was unstoppable in goal-line situations especially. Kirkland had 10 tackles and a key sack of Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman. The nine-time Pro Bowl player, two-time All-Pro, and Hall of Fame is one of the all-time sacks leaders with 126.5, and he also forced 41 fumbles during his 11-year career. Al Wilson was an outstanding MLB for the Broncos. 10 Tom Jackson. [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. He also had at least 99 tackles in seven years of his 12-year career, which is outstanding. 5.) Not only did he change the way defenses are run, but he changed the way offensive schemes are run as well. But, theres no doubt that hes been one of the top linebackers in the NFL, and still is today. The two-time All-American helped the Cornhuskers win back-to-back national titles in 1970 and '71 . No. He finished his career with 1,106 tackles and 627 assisted tackles as well. 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. . Over the course of his two-year Ohio State career, Lee accumulated 147 tackles. 29, Joey Porter* (Steelers/Dolphins/Cardinals) (1999-Present) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Randy Gradishar played along with Tom Jackson in the Denver Broncos Orange Crush defense. Taylor changed the way football is played today. He would always be found around the ball, and around the play. No. Gil Brandt's greatest NFL linebackers of all time - NFL.com Punter Ray Guy was the leading vote-getter for the 1970s All-Decade Team, receiving 24 of a possible 25 votes. 2. Super Bowl winner. credit : - yahoo. Other Links > Football > Player Rankings by Position > Top Ranked Linebackers . This team was widely regarded as having one of the best defenses 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. Spielman had seven straight 100 tackle seasons, and did it eight out of nine years. In 1993 as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers middle linebacker, Nickerson piled up an astounding 214 tackles. Sacks and tackles werent recorded until late in his career, but he was a great pass rusher and all-around linebacker. 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. No. Those are remarkable numbers, especially when he is still going strong. Kolen was drafted by the Dolphins in the 12 th round . 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. Top 5 Tennessee linebackers of all-time - Saturday Down South He also took over Lloyds role in pass coverage as the only linebacker in the Steelers nickel defense. 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. The defense was ranked right up there along with the 1985 Bears, and Steelers teams of the 1970s. He has done it all for the Bears with his pass coverage, run support, and blitzing. The Top Ranked Linebackers of the 1960s 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. Ranking the 10 best linebackers in Raiders history Porter is mostly known as a sack master. Peter Boulware was the pass rusher alongside Ray Lewis. He totaled 28 INTs in his career while he also racked up 1,045 tackles. Selected by the Baltimore Colts in the 2nd round . He had ten seasons with 10+ sacks. He was one of a kind and will always be remembered as one of the best linebackers of all time. Williams was the heart and soul of two Super Bowl defenses. 1970, slow dancing in Mark Wooldridge's basement with my first girlfriend, Karen Frey, who wore white high-top . With rule changes being what they have been, I decided to rank the linebackers that have played since 1970. In his time in the NFL, he intercepted 25 passes and returned six of them for touchdowns with three of those in 2002 alone. 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. Still, its an amazing number. Bryce Paup was an outstanding pass rusher in the 1990s. In his time in the NFL, he intercepted 25 passes and returned six of them for touchdowns with three of those in 2002 alone. Best players in Clemson history: Linebackers Keith Bulluck WAS the Titans defense, and has been every year hes been there. But Mills did much more than that. Blair was outstanding in coverage, along with being a great tackler. 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. Depending on the day, you might view Ham as the best player on the Steel Curtain defense or the 4th best, and it's . White House Livid Over Republican's Attack on Biden's Dead Son A shot of Jameson for Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey. Since Donnie Shell finally cracked the Hall of Fame, I would say the . During his career Williams amassed 62.5 sacks, which is the second most in Bengals history. 25, Karl Mecklenburg (Broncos) (1983-1994) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Three-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro Karl "The Albino Rhino" Mecklenburg was the definition of a blue collar player. 20 greatest linebackers in NFL history - Franchise Sports It seemed like he knew where the ball was going at all times. Ham is the only linebacker other than Tom Jackson to have seven INTs in a single season. If not, you can open it also by clicking the following link: Top 10 Athletes past the age of 40: Where does Tom Brady rank? It may be a bit early to put Jon Beason on this list, but I think his play warrants the selection. Isiah Robertson, nicknamed The Playmaker, was known for coming up with the big plays in the biggest games. Jack Lambert played middle linebacker. He could do it all. Ware is not just an outstanding pass rusher though. He also finished his career with 17 INTs. Mar 3, 2023 Updated 4 min ago. He knew how to make big plays. Top 25 SEC LBs of all-time: 15-11. Spielman had seven straight 100 tackle seasons, and did it eight out of nine years. ONeal should get more recognition as one of the best pass rushers to play the game. 100th NFL Anniversary team. No. Brian Urlacher is one of the greatest linebackers of this decade. Regardless, he definitely deserves the respect for what he accomplished on the field. But we would be remiss to not acknowledge some of the top performers from that earlier era. Interview with Former Steeler Great levon kirkland. 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. 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 wasnt very vocal, but his play did all the talking for him. Woodrow Lowe, Alabama (1972-75) Respected as college football's top linebacker in the early 1970s, Lowe was the first . Banks was a player that any coach would want on their team. He should be in the Hall of Fame. Use Isiah Robertsons name in a talk of most underrated players of all time, and youll impress your fellow football fans. 30, Matt Blair (Vikings) (1974-1985) *Six-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. In 1984 and 1985, Tippett put up two of the best back-to-back seasons recording 18.5 and 16.5 sacks in them. I personally think football before 1970 and after 1970 can be seen as two completely different games, in terms of its evolution. There is a reason the award given to the best linebacker in high school, college and the NFL each year is named after Butkus. That is just unheard of. Floyd Reese, the general manager who assembled the roster for the Tennessee Titans' lone Super Bowl appearance, died Saturday. The 15 Greatest NFL Linebackers of All Time - Sportscasting Nine All-Pros. Any coach would be lucky to have a player like Karl Mecklenburg on their roster. Who is the best high school football team in Alabama history (poll) After being labeled a bust by many after his first four seasons with the Jets, Farrior broke out with the Steelers and became one of the most consistent players in the league. Zach Thomas is exactly what you want in a player and a linebacker. Edmunds will have to clean up the missed tackles and improve in coverage to rise toward where most slot him currently a top-10 linebacker on this list next season. He could play zone and man. Defensive MVP in 2002. No. Who are the Packers' greatest defenders of all time? - Green Bay Packers Those are remarkable numbers, especially when he is still going strong. Lofa Tatupu didnt take any time breaking into the NFL, making the Pro Bowl in his first three seasons. NFLs Merchants of Menace Cornelius Bennett and Bruce Smith. No. Ham had outstanding . 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. No. Here Are 8 Ways NBA Has Changed That Modern Fans Don't Realize. Defensive MVP in 2002. Linebacker Jack Ham and Tight end Dave Casper each received 20 votes. In the first round, the team tabbed Fred McNeill of USC, who became a fixture at the outside linebacker spot for many . He already has 57.5 sacks in his short career, along with 16 forced fumbles. No. The only thing that could match his signature stare was the stellar play of Samurai Mike on the field. 26, Cornelius Bennett (Bills/Falcons/Colts) (1987-2000) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. 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. Top 10 Best Linebackers In Cleveland Browns History. 33, Al Wilson (Broncos) (1999-2006) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He always tried to better himself and did it effectively. 9-time All-Pro, 10-time Pro Bowler. . No. Tippett finished his career with 100 sacks. And here are the 25 greatest linebackers in NFL history: 25. The art of the interview: Terry Fontenot provides a look inside the 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. Other Links > Football > Player Rankings by Position > Top Ranked Linebackers . Gambling Problem? 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. Trotter was a complete, all-around linebacker. Top 10 Linebackers in New York Giants History Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports. Earl Campbell called Williams the toughest linebacker he ever played against. No. Dennis Onkotz 1967 - 1969. 6, Jack Ham (Steelers) (1971-1982) *Eight-time Pro Bowler *Six-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Check out the 1970 Minnesota Vikings Roster, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports and more on Pro-Football-Reference.com. He would always be found around the ball, and around the play. Behind the Purple People Eaters of the 70s was one of the best safeties the league has ever seen. The 150 greatest players in college football's 150-year history - ESPN.com Matt Blair was a very intimidating linebacker, and helped the Vikings get to two Super Bowls in his career. McAdams was a two-time All-American . 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. His best season was his first year with the Bills where he had 17.5 sacks, 70 tackles, two INTs, and three forced fumbles. Kirkland had great speed and agility for a big man. He was never the most athletic player on the field, but he was always the hardest working. This brings us to the first night of March and a not-quite-full Purcell . NFL WAGS: 10 Hottest NFL Wives & Girlfriends 2023. Featuring 2018-2019 Raiders and some of the greatest NFL linebackers of all time, the best Raiders LBs include Ted Hendricks, Khalil Mack, Rod Martin, Sam Wiliams, and Greg Biekert. He had less than seven sacks in a season only once. 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. Next were Defensive end Jack Youngblood and Joe Greene who each had 18 votes. He had 885 career solo tackles, which is impressive on a defense filled with swarming the ball, shown by his 1,488 career tackles. Greene was one of the best pass rushers of all time, recording 160 sacks in his career. 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. Peterson is another versatile linebacker who has played both inside and outside linebacker. Jack Ham had the whole package as a linebacker. He was also a good pass rusher, and a good coverage man as well. No. The NFL's Top 50 Linebackers of the Modern Era - Bleacher Report Offensive Coordinator: Jim Myers. 1. Franchise Encyclopedia. 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. Minnesota Vikings reporter suggests All-Pro defender a likely 2023 cap 10. That game and his outstanding 1996 season earned Kirkland his first trip to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors after the 1996 season. Wright has been one of the most reliable linebackers in the NFL since entering the league as a fourth-round pick out of Mississippi State . He recently missed most of last season with surgery. No. Although he only played three full seasons, he made five Pro Bowls. Leslie ONeal was a sack machine in his career. You decide: Ohio State football's all-decade linebackers The entire enterprise of Notre Dame basketball, gone strange. Top 10 Boxers of the 1990s: Was Roy Jones Jr. the best? On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 6 - Carl McAdams. Georgia's top players by position: Linebackers - ajc The only reason Brooks isnt higher up on this list is because he had a fantastic surrounding cast which includes, most notably, Warren Sapp taking up blockers on the line. Ray Lewis came into the league and dominated right away. Hes on pace to not only break, but shatter the NFL record of 41. 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. Born April 20 . Demarcus Ware has only played five seasons in the NFL, but already hes one of the best of this era. The Best of Tommy Brady at Michigan . Lamberts best season was in 1976, where he won the Defensive Player of the Year award. 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. More Team Info. He knew how to make big plays. No. To stoke the nostalgia, we talked to some of the key players from the team's winningest, most . Linebacker is one of the most important and demanding positions in football. Swilling was the best pass rusher of the Dome Patrol, but he also forced 36 fumbles to go along with all the sacks.