No. Over his career, he totaled 1,271 tackles, 12 INTs, and 19 forced fumbles. 2022 - SportsUnfold. Wilson recorded 560 tackles and 21.5 sacks as a member of the Broncos. He also finished his career with 17 INTs. The second member of the Dome Patrol comes off the board at No. Bet with your head, not over it. Regardless, he definitely deserves the respect for what he accomplished on the field. Ham is the only linebacker other than Tom Jackson to have seven INTs in a single season. Wright, Seattle Seahawks. 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, 19 undeniable Lies in Disney's Remember the Titans. Kirkland was an all-around better linebacker, he was a 300lb linebacker whose coverage skills were vastly underrated. Thats an amazing number as well. Matt Blair was a very intimidating linebacker, and helped the Vikings get to two Super Bowls in his career. T&Cs apply. 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. The 1970s had many great moments by individual players such as the NFL's first 2,000-yard season by O.J. Kirkland had 10 tackles and a key sack of Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman. Atlante vs Raya2 Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream Time, Date, Team News, lineup news, Odds, Stats, Betting Tips Trends, Where To Watch Live Score Mexican Liga de Expansin MX 2023 Telecast Today Match Details March 3, Club Tijuana vs Atlas Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream, Wydad AC vs Vita Club Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream, U Cluj vs Farul Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream Time,, Top 10 Best Football Agents In The World | 2023 Updates, Top 10 Most Successful Retired Soccer Players 2023, FC Magdeburg vs 1. Outside linebacker Joey Porter came to Pittsburgh in 1999. Jackson was most notable for being a pass rusher, but he really did it all. Jack Lambert played middle linebacker. 2) Jeff Siemon: A key player as the middle linebacker on the team's top defenses in the mid-1970's, Siemon played in 156 games, starting 123, and was selected to four Pro Bowls during his eleven year career with the Vikings. You might be thinking Top 10 already? But look at his numbers. 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. All Rights Reserved. Paup was a complete linebacker, who was especially great at rushing the passer. The leader of the Dome Patrol comes in at No. 12. 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. Merriman still has the potential to be a great player again. Randy Gradishar played along with Tom Jackson in the Denver Broncos Orange Crush defense. Rickey Jackson was one of the fastest linebackers in the game, but he was also one of the hardest hitters. 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. Cornelius Bennett was just a great all-around player. That is just unheard of. Thomas never had less than seven sacks in a season in his entire career, and only had less than eight sacks in one season. Schmidt stood out in an era of great middle linebackers. NFL WAGS: 10 Hottest NFL Wives & Girlfriends 2023. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports. Lamberts best season was in 1976, where he won the Defensive Player of the Year award. 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. Jackson tallied up 128 sacks in his career, but even thats not his most impressive number. He did it in 2000 and again in 2003. He took them to the AFC Championship game in 1998, where they fell victim to John Elways Super Bowl winning Broncos. Zach Thomas. Not only did he change the way defenses are run, but he changed the way offensive schemes are run as well. Top 10 Best Linebackers In Cleveland Browns History. All while being tasked with avoiding blocks and keeping tabs on the opposing quarterback. 25. 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. A true enforcer in every sense of the word, Lewis intensity was unmatched by any player of his era. Keith Brooking has been one of the most consistent linebackers of all-time. Jack Lambert was the teammate of Jack Ham who took the inside linebacker duties. 13, Greg Lloyd (Steelers/Panthers) (1988-1998) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro. Anthony Simmons (1995-'97) is the only two-time First-Team All-American in Clemson . 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? Jack Ham might be the best coverage linebacker of all-time. Andy Russell 7x Pro Bowl, 4x All-Pro, 2x Super Bowl Champion Linebacker '63, 1966-1976 Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images. Here Are 8 Ways NBA Has Changed That Modern Fans Don't Realize. In only 11 seasons, Thomas had 126.5 sacks, and an NFL record 41 forced fumbles. This team was widely regarded as having one of the best defenses of all time. 23, Isiah Robertson (Rams/Bills) (1971-1982) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Chip Banks was another linebacker that was solid at everything, but not great at anything. O. J. Simpson and Lynn Swann were next with 22 and 21 votes, respectively. Lewis was the leader of the 2000 Super Bowl winning Ravens team. If you dont believe me, watch the film, as they say, the film doesnt lie! Woodrow Lowe, Alabama (1972-75) Respected as college football's top linebacker in the early 1970s, Lowe was the first . Derrick Thomas was on pace to absolutely shatter NFL records before his tragic death in 2000. No. He did it in 2000 and again in 2003. We started off with a rough one the wide receivers. During the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine, Lee posted the fastest 40-yard dash time among . Atlanta Falcons outside linebacker Arnold Ebiketie #47 gets a hold of Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields #1 during the second half of a game against the Chicago Bears at Mercedes-Benz Stadium . No. and 2000s. 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. 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It may be a bit early to put Jon Beason on this list, but I think his play warrants the selection. Bryce Paup was an outstanding pass rusher in the 1990s. Lost Super Bowl 13-16 vs. Baltimore Colts. Lambert won four Super Bowls with the Steelers in the 1970s playing in the Steel Curtain. 21. Mecklenburg finished his career with 79 sacks, which is great for an ILB, and also ranks 2nd all-time in Broncos history. Coverage was definitely Bullucks claim to fame, but he was also good at other things. He was a hard worker, good tackler, and had great hands. 12, Randy Gradishar (Broncos) (1974-1984) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Both . Eddie Johnson. 18, Andre Tippett (Patriots) (1982-1993) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Young was a fierce hitter, and would always stick his nose in the middle of the play. Houston Oilers, 1975-1984. He ran a 4.6 40 yard dash, which is outstanding for a linebacker, especially at that time period. Top 10 Draft Picks in Broncos History | No. Theres not much Brooks doesnt have. 6 - Carl McAdams. 29, Joey Porter* (Steelers/Dolphins/Cardinals) (1999-Present) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. The Chicago Bears have the most all-time great linebackers. Spielman had seven straight 100 tackle seasons, and did it eight out of nine years. Don Moorehead, Dennis Franklin, Jim Harbaugh, Elvis Grbac, Tom Brady, Forest Evashevski, Benny Friedman and John Navarre were all elected Captains by their teammates. Robertson is one of the most underrated players in NFL history. No. He also played two different positions, playing ILB and OLB for the Vikings in his career. Banks was a player that any coach would want on their team. No. Hes also had at least 83 tackles in every year other than his rookie season. 2-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1985, '88) Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1989. No. Next up, we look at a much better-rated unit in the linebackers. It was tied for the best of the day with linebacker Owen Pappoe, of Auburn, and was the second-fastest time from an . Thats amazing consistency. Lewis was the leader of the 2000 Super Bowl-winning Ravens team. He racked up a staggering 1,181 tackles, and 1,131 of them in his first nine seasons. No. He also had 1,173 tackles in his career. Even now, you can tell what kind of person he is by his charity work with the REACH Foundation that he started. Lambert is said by many to be the best inside linebacker of all-time. 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. Peppers' 159.5 career sacks rank fourth on the all-time list. Gambling Problem? Gary Reasons (1984-91) Gary Reasons, a fourth-round draft pick from Northwestern State, was a key . Jackson was the vocal leader of that defense. He could do it all. Thats amazing consistency. He had 1,301 tackles and 25 forced fumbles in his career. He would always be found around the ball, and around the play. Super Bowl XX champion. They surrendered only 20 points in that game, and seven of them were off a blocked punt. 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. Atlanta Falcons outside linebacker Arnold Ebiketie #47 gets a hold of Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields #1 during the second half of a game against the Chicago Bears at Mercedes-Benz Stadium . They had traded stalwart linebacker Sam Huff in the offseason. SRS: 6.97 (5th of 26), SOS: 1.40. Linebacker Jack Ham and Tight end Dave Casper each received 20 votes. and Jack Ham played as . He always tried to better himself and did it effectively. 7. He even made the Pro Bowl in a year that he only started eight games and also a year in which he only started nine games. Andre Tippett. 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. Super Bowl winner. Theres not much Brooks doesnt have. He had five INTs in a season twice in 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. Their greats span the decades of the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s. The most obvious change from 1920 to today is the size of players, but there also have been many changes in the schemes . The Steelers began their 1976 season 1-4 and lost their quarterback, Terry Bradshaw.For the nine games remaining in the season, the Steelers . As an outside linebacker, he put a lot of pressure on opponents' quarterbacks. Top 10, however, is not only a sure thing but easy as it was very tough for me to keep Levy out of the top 5 over the guy that made it. Jalen Carter, top NFL prospect, posts bond in fatal crash. Patrick Willis has made the Pro Bowl and an All-Pro team every single year hes been in the NFL. Playing 20 seasons in the NFL is amazing at any position. He was unstoppable in goal-line situations especially. 1970s All-decade team. But before you come to a conclusion, let's take a look at the facts. Please click on "Comments" and make sure to vote in the poll. Over his career, he totaled 1,271 tackles, 12 INTs, and 19 forced fumbles. Linebacker is one of the most important and demanding positions in football. If you take away his last three seasons, where he was slowing down, he averaged 12.4 sacks per season, which is just remarkable. But he proved them wrong and was a key piece on the Broncos Super Bowl winning team. Thomas was the best linebacker of the 1990s, and one of the best pass rushers of all-time. Lewis wasnt as vocal as Cox, but his play was a little better, and lasted for a longer period of time. Blair was outstanding in coverage, along with being a great tackler. Although still early in his career, Demarcus Ware deserves to be this high on the list. He always tried to better himself and did it effectively. Demarcus Ware has only played five seasons in the NFL, but already hes one of the best of this era. Seau was the definition of consistency. These were the players who were great players, but not quite good enough to be placed inside the top 50. 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. Linebacker U Penn State Tradition Jack Ham as a Steeler. Mike Singletary was the leader of the most dominating defense the NFL has ever seenthe 1985 Bears. Zachary Petrizzo. Depending on the day, you might view Ham as the best player on the Steel Curtain defense or the 4th best, and it's . He was just a great all-around player who could do it all. No. The next year, he followed it up with four more interceptions. 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. Al Wilson was an outstanding MLB for the Broncos. Jessie Armstead was one of the most consistent linebackers on this list. 3, Mike Singletary (Bears) (1981-1992) *Ten-time Pro Bowler *Seven-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. An important part of the Las Vegas defense, the LB position includes middle or inside linebackers and outside (strong side or weakside) linebackers. Swilling was the best pass rusher of the Dome Patrol, but he also forced 36 fumbles to go along with all the sacks. Two years later, the Giants sunk to 1-12-1. Many of you will say that Keith Bulluck is way too high. James Harrison. Top 25 SEC LBs of all-time: 15-11. The Raiders defeated the Eagles 27-10. There was a story of someone meeting Thomas at the Pro Bowl for no longer than 10 minutes. Jackson tallied up 128 sacks in his career, but even thats not his most impressive number. Lawrence Taylor: one of the greatest defensive players ever, Taylor was a pass-rushing force who revolutionized the outside linebacker position . . Tippett finished his career with 100 sacks. He may be one of the most hated players, but man can he play football. 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. NFL 100 All-Time Team (2019). 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. Lambert was a Pro Bowler in all but his rookie season and his final pro season, totaling nine selections. 21, Patrick Willis* (49ers) (2006-Present) *Three-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Offensive Coordinator: Jim Myers. Isiah Robertson, nicknamed The Playmaker, was known for coming up with the big plays in the biggest games. Thats fine, he played enough linebacker to be considered this high. He also had 20 INTs, three of which he returned for touchdowns. Kevin Greene was a mad man in a football uniform. 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. 47, Fredd Young (Seahawks/Colts) (1984-1990) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. He was selected late in the 12th Round, and nobody expected much out of him. 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. Pat Swilling. He was the notorious leader of one of the greatest defenses to ever make its way onto a football field Pittsburghs famed Steel Curtain.. Singletary was a leader, not only vocally, but by example. His best days were with the Bears and Redskins, but he had an impact everywhere he went. 34, Julian Peterson* (49ers/Seahawks/Lions) (2000-Present) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 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. Please play responsibly. The next year at the Pro Bowl, Thomas remembered him by name. He did anything the Bears asked of him, especially stuffing the run. No. He is not only the greatest linebacker in NFL history, hes one of the games greatest players period. Brazile might not get the credit because of the team he played for, but he was an outstanding player. He even made the Pro Bowl in a year that he only started eight games and also a year in which he only started nine games. Hes on pace to not only break, but shatter the NFL record of 41. 4chan marvel spoilers, spiritual life coaching intake form,
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