They surrendered only 20 points in that game, and seven of them were off a blocked punt. Andre Tippett may have been outshined by Lawrence Taylor playing basically the same position at the same time frame, but theres no mistaking what Tippett did on the field. 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. Other Links > Football > Player Rankings by Position > Top Ranked Linebackers . The 1970s had many great moments by individual players such as the NFL's first 2,000-yard season by O.J. As an outside linebacker, he put a lot of pressure on opponents' quarterbacks. Brooks is most known for his coverage ability in the Bucs cover-two scheme. Mills, along with Swilling, was another member of that Dome Patrol defense. No. 10. Kevin Greene was a mad man in a football uniform. Banks was a player that any coach would want on their team. 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). Not only did he change the way defenses are run, but he changed the way offensive schemes are run as well. The transition from college football to the NFL . He was the quintessential linebacker and easily the greatest of his era. He could play zone and man. 9-time All-Pro, 10-time Pro Bowler. No. 8. 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. Visit Our Patreon Page to Create Your Own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See Other Bonus Material . Named to NFL's All-Decade Team for 1970s and 1980s. Theres not much Brooks doesnt have. Peter Boulware was the pass rusher alongside Ray Lewis. But it was his style of play that made his career so short. Top 10 Washington Football Team LBs of All Time - Sports Articles 20, Keith Bulluck* (Titans) (2000-Present) *One-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He started all but one game in his last eight seasons, which is very impressive for a linebacker. He knew how to make big plays. News Briefs: The latest updates in the Uptown and Downtown I think thats largely due to the NFL not keeping sacks and tackles numbers during his career. He was also the first player to have a TE or RB used for chip blocking on him, and overall changed the way offensive lineman block. Over his career, Brooking has racked up 962 tackles and 12 INTs. Swilling was the best pass rusher of the Dome Patrol, but he also forced 36 fumbles to go along with all the sacks. He had eight seasons with 10+ sacks. No. Jack Lambert played middle linebacker. Dennis Onkotz was a two time first team All American on the great Penn State teams of 1968 and 1969. Who knows how many he wouldve had if he played in the entire 16? SRS: 6.97 (5th of 26), SOS: 1.40. Thomas is also third all-time in safeties and fumble returns for touchdowns. Siemon was always a good player, but never a great player. His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers. Mike Kolen 1970-77. 30, Matt Blair (Vikings) (1974-1985) *Six-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. . He has played the role of pass rusher and coverage linebacker in his career, and has excelled at both. [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. Kirkland was an all-around better linebacker, he was a 300lb linebacker whose coverage skills were vastly underrated. Who are the Packers' greatest defenders of all time? - Green Bay Packers Its too bad Fredd Youngs career had to end prematurely due to injuries. Lewis was the leader of the 2000 Super Bowl-winning Ravens team. In 1993 as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers middle linebacker, Nickerson piled up an astounding 214 tackles. Hes going into his first healthy season again in three years. AP Sports SummaryBrief at 7:03 a.m. EST. Seau was the definition of consistency. As also playing DE should tell you, he was very versatile and could play many different positions. 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. 41, Mo Lewis (Jets) (1991-2003) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. Well have to see how he does, but he could either climb up or fall off this list based on his performance in 2010. Robertson is one of the most underrated players in NFL history. 17 Reasons why Jordan is greater than Lebron, 16 Reasons why Lebron is greater than Jordan, The 18 greates Coaches in College Football History, The Top 21 Offensive Linemen in NFL History, The Top 10 Seattle Mariners of all Time, 19 undeniable Lies in Disney's Remember the Titans, If you enjoy hearing from the legends of pro sports, then be sure to tune into The Grueling Truth sports shows, Where the legends speak. Ware is not just an outstanding pass rusher though. 15, Zach Thomas (Dolphins/Cowboys) (1996-2008) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Five-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. The Greatest Linebackers of All Time - SportsUnfold Those are remarkable numbers, especially when he is still going strong. HELLO, PANDORA. 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). Next up on the docket for my top Redskins players series are the linebackers. NY Jets: Top 10 linebackers of all-time - The Jet Press 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. 1970s All-decade team. Answer: Two of the three were constants for all four Super Bowls and ended up in the Hall of Fame. When you ask who is the greatest MLB of all-time is, many people jump straight to Dick Butkus. Derrick Brooks may be the most accomplished linebacker on this list. It seemed like he knew where the ball was going at all times. Greene and Greg Lloyd made one of the best pass rushing duos in NFL history with the Pittsburgh Steelers. And here are the 25 greatest linebackers in NFL history: 25. He did it once in 1985 and again in 1988. Mike Singletary. Jackson tallied up 128 sacks in his career, but even thats not his most impressive number. He produced 32 sacks over the 3 seasons. Regardless, he definitely deserves the respect for what he accomplished on the field. No. Lambert won four Super Bowls with the Steelers in the 1970s playing in the Steel Curtain. NFLs Merchants of Menace Cornelius Bennett and Bruce Smith. No. He was a very solid 3-4 ILB playing on one of the best LB Cores of all-time, the Dome Patrol. If you dont believe me, watch the film, as they say, the film doesnt lie! Best of the Packers: Top 10 linebackers since 1960 - Dairyland Express 1. Singletary was one of the key leaders of the famous 85 Bears defense, arguably the greatest defense in the history of the NFL. Lamberts best season was in 1976, where he won the Defensive Player of the Year award. 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. The two-time All-American helped the Cornhuskers win back-to-back national titles in 1970 and '71 . The best LB in the NFL today comes in at No. Jeff Siemon (Vikings) : Four-time Pro Bowler. Wilber Marshall was one of the greatest pass coverage linebackers of the modern era. He is still active, and is a starter, but he might be on his way out of San Diego. Kevin Greene will always be known as one of the craziest and talented pass rushers in NFL history. He was selected late in the 12th Round, and nobody expected much out of him. Top 30 Linebackers in the NFL Since 1970 - The Grueling Truth Blair was also one of the greatest special teams players of all-time! Thats over 10 sacks per season, which is outstanding. 9, Derrick Brooks (Bucs) (1995-2008) *Eleven-time Pro Bowler *Five-time 1st Team All-Pro *Four-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He did everything. 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. Tippett finished his career with 100 sacks. You could stick him on any TE in the league, even some slot receivers, and he would take them out of the game. Many of you will say that Keith Bulluck is way too high. He was never the most athletic player on the field, but he was always the hardest working. He had ten seasons with 10+ sacks. There is a reason the award given to the best linebacker in high school, college and the NFL each year is named after Butkus. Suggs will only continue to climb this list the longer he plays, since hes in the middle of his prime right now. In 1976, Jackson had seven INTs. Penn State football all-time defense | Who are the greatest defensive Thats right, seven. 28b, Sam Mills (Saints/Panthers) (1986-1997) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Chad Brown played a very long NFL career, especially for a linebacker. by Ben Watanabe. Mecklenburg was never a cocky player, but just a guy who would show up on Sundays. During his career Williams amassed 62.5 sacks, which is the second most in Bengals history. 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. 10. Baltimore, with 2,038 rushing yards through its first 10 games of the season, is the seventh team since 1970 and first since the 1978 New England Patriots (2,029 rushing yards) with at least 2,000 . Although still early in his career, Demarcus Ware deserves to be this high on the list. Jackson tallied up 128 sacks in his career, but even thats not his most impressive number. Nine All-Pros. James Harrison. 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. Playoffs: Won Divisional Round 5-0 vs. Detroit Lions. That is just unheard of. Bryan Cox was an all-around package at linebacker. He was very solid in coverage, good against the run, and had no real weaknesses. Gradishar was the silent assassin of the team. Already in his career, Ware has forced 23 fumbles. Jack Ham might be the best coverage linebacker of all-time. May 24, 2022. Neal Olkewicz. No. Offensive Coordinator: Jim Myers. 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. Mo Lewis was another very consistent and solid player. Still, its an amazing number. #NFL100 - Top 6 Outside Linebackers Love him or hate him, Lewis has earned the title of greatest middle linebacker of all time. Controversial Nights: Pernell Whitaker vs Julio Cesar Chavez, Top 11 Big Ten Basketball Teams, since 1960, Top 12 Guards in Big Ten Basketball history, NBA Pacers vs Spurs: Odds, Tips and predictions 03/02/23, NCAA Basketball Purdue vs Wisconsin: Odds, Tips and Predictions 03/02/23, NCAA Basketball Xavier vs Providence: Odds, Tips and Predictions 03/01/23, Top 20 Big Ten Basketball players of all time, Framer Fran McCaffery takes his sideshow and crybaby antics to play Indiana, NCAA Basketball Arkansas vs Tennessee: Odds, Tips and Predictions 02/28/23, The Hypocrisy of Major League Baseball, Gambling, Steroids, and Why it's Time to Put Pete Rose in the Hall. Williams recorded 16 interceptions and 23 fumble recoveries (a franchise record). He was unstoppable in goal-line situations especially. *Ty Anderson, Thomasville: Anderson (6-0, 210) has been an all-state player since he was a sophomore Region 1-2A defensive co . 1986 Boston Celtics - Were they the greatest Team? The only thing that could match his signature stare was the stellar play of Samurai Mike on the field. Carson did most of the dirty work in that linebacking core. Kirkland had great speed and agility for a big man. Harry Carson was an outstanding linebacker who played alongside Lawrence Taylor. LSU ENDS REGULAR SEASON 27-1LSU women's basketball ties program-best season . No. In the first round, the team tabbed Fred McNeill of USC, who became a fixture at the outside linebacker spot for many . 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 . He was a tackling machine for the majority of his career. That Steelers linebacking core could easily be the best of all-time, and it was led by Jack Lambert and Jack Ham. Mills racked up 1,142 tackles in his career. Lambert is said by many to be the best inside linebacker of all-time. He was 73. In today's NFL, few positions have become as difficult to play as off-ball linebacker. 25 Greatest Middle Linebackers in NFL History Lambert and Ham also won four Super Bowls with the Steelers in the 1970s playing in the Steel Curtain. Derrick Brooks may be the most accomplished linebacker on this list. The art of the interview: Terry Fontenot provides a look inside the 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.

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