6 - Carl McAdams. Jackson had 40 forced fumbles, just one short of the NFL record. No. 3, Mike Singletary (Bears) (1981-1992) *Ten-time Pro Bowler *Seven-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He did it in 2000 and again in 2003. 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. Derrick Brooks may be the most accomplished linebacker on this list. The best linebackers in Minnesota Vikings history Their greats span the decades of the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s. Johnson wasnt very flashy, but he was very solid all-around, which is why he sneaks onto the list. It seemed like he knew where the ball was going at all times. Top 5 Tennessee linebackers of all-time - Saturday Down South More Team Info. Ham is the only linebacker other than Tom Jackson to have seven INTs in a single season. For a four-year span with Seattle, Young was arguably the best Seahawks linebacker of all-time. That suggestion from the newly appointed House . 42, Chip Banks (Browns/Chargers/Colts) (1982-1992) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st team All-Pro. Jack Lambert was the teammate of Jack Ham who took the inside linebacker duties. Thats right, seven. Answer: Two of the three were constants for all four Super Bowls and ended up in the Hall of Fame. No. Mills was more of the tackler of the bunch, racking up 1,142 tackles in his career. John Offerdahl may have had the shortest NFL career on this list, but he made the most of it. Bergey became one of the NFL's best linebackers in Philly, where he made five consecutive All-Pro teams and was the foundation for the "Gang Green" defense that made the playoffs in each of his last three seasons, including a trip to the Super Bowl in 1980. . 47, Fredd Young (Seahawks/Colts) (1984-1990) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. Taylor is one of only two defensive players (DT Alan Page, 1971) in the history of the NFL to be named NFL MVP. National Football League 1970s All-Decade Team - Wikipedia 2011 Butkus Award winner for nation s best linebacker at Boston College. He was also a big hitter and very intimidating on the field of play. 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. 7. Chicago Bears: Top 10 linebackers in franchise history - NFL Spin Zone He knew how to make big plays. Ray Lewis came into the league and dominated right away. Rickey Jackson could do it all. Those are remarkable numbers, especially when he is still going strong. Top 10 Boxers of the 1990s: Was Roy Jones Jr. the best? The 15 Greatest NFL Linebackers of All Time - Sportscasting NFL 100 All-Time Team (2019). Love him or hate him, Lewis has earned the title of greatest middle linebacker of all time. Quinto was a regular at both inside and outside linebacker for head coach Ron Gladnick's Saints. The only thing that could match his signature stare was the stellar play of Samurai Mike on the field. But it was his style of play that made his career so short. Mike Singletary had the whole package. 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. How NFL Players Have Evolved | Stadium Talk An important part of the Las Vegas defense, the LB position includes middle or inside linebackers and outside (strong side or weakside) linebackers. 34, Julian Peterson* (49ers/Seahawks/Lions) (2000-Present) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. St. Here's 8 Ways NBA Has Changed That Modern Fans Don't Realize He was also the fastest linebacker of the bunch and excelled in pass coverage. 25 Greatest Middle Linebackers in NFL History No. 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. O. J. Simpson and Lynn Swann were next with 22 and 21 votes, respectively. No. Tribute to Elvis He is the only linebacker to ever take the honor. His high sack number was 15 in 2001, a year that he didnt even get voted into the Pro Bowl. Mecklenburg was never a cocky player, but just a guy who would show up on Sundays. He also had 20 INTs, three of which he returned for touchdowns. 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. Chicago 1981-92. [3] Thats fine, he played enough linebacker to be considered this high. 1970s All-decade team. Linebacker is one of the most important and demanding positions in football. NFL Defensive Rookie of the . These are the newest members of GHSF Daily's Georgia Power 100. Lost Super Bowl 13-16 vs. Baltimore Colts. No. 2022 NFL Linebacker Rankings and Tiers | NFL News, Rankings and - PFF Lawrence Taylor: one of the greatest defensive players ever, Taylor was a pass-rushing force who revolutionized the outside linebacker position . 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 . He has speed, size, toughness, instincts, vision, patience, and football smarts. 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. 33, Al Wilson (Broncos) (1999-2006) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. No. Mar 3, 2023 Updated 4 min ago. Top 10 Linebackers in Miami Dolphins history - Phin Phanatic Al Wilson was an outstanding MLB for the Broncos. 12. He was the notorious leader of one of the greatest defenses to ever make its way onto a football field Pittsburghs famed Steel Curtain.. 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). 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). But Mills did much more than that. Regardless, he definitely deserves the respect for what he accomplished on the field. In 1993 as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers middle linebacker, Nickerson piled up an astounding 214 tackles. Mike Singletary. Depending on the day, you might view Ham as the best player on the Steel Curtain defense or the 4th best, and it's . 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. He tried to get in your head before you even took a step on the field of play. He was a very solid 3-4 ILB playing on one of the best LB Cores of all-time, the Dome Patrol. That Steelers linebacking core could easily be the best of all-time, and it was led by Jack Lambert and Jack Ham. Minnesota Vikings reporter suggests All-Pro defender a likely 2023 cap 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. It will be interesting to see how he can recover. He also ranks third all . He would always be found around the ball, and around the play. 50, Bryan Cox (Dolphins/Bears/Jets/Patriots/Saints) (1991-2003). 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. Don Moorehead, Dennis Franklin, Jim Harbaugh, Elvis Grbac, Tom Brady, Forest Evashevski, Benny Friedman and John Navarre were all elected Captains by their teammates. The-greatest-linebackers-in-Denver-Broncos-history-series He was a tackling machine for the majority of his career. The Top Ranked Linebackers of the 1970s Joey Porter may be the most vocal linebacker on this list. He was always good enough for Pro Bowls, but was never an All-Pro Player. Keith Brooking has been one of the most consistent linebackers of all-time. The 1970s Were the L.A. Rams' Most Dramatic Decade - Los Angeles Magazine Mecklenburg finished his career with 79 sacks, which is great for an ILB, and also ranks 2nd all-time in Broncos history. 18, Andre Tippett (Patriots) (1982-1993) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Although he only played three full seasons, he made five Pro Bowls. No. He was a tackle machine and a very big hitter. Gary Reasons (1984-91) Gary Reasons, a fourth-round draft pick from Northwestern State, was a key . 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. He left everything he had on the field of play, and even though he was a tenacious player on the field, he was one of the most genuine and nice guys off the field. PFF Rankings: The NFL's top 25 linebackers ahead of the 2020 NFL season 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 took them to the AFC Championship game in 1998, where they fell victim to John Elways Super Bowl winning Broncos. Lloyd will always be remembered as the lightning quick pass rusher from the Blitzburgh days. He led the Eagles in tackles in his time with the team. Bryan Cox was an all-around package at linebacker. He also played two different positions, playing ILB and OLB for the Vikings in his career. The Minnesota Vikings did an outstanding job of drafting linebackers in 1974. He did it in 2000 and again in 2003. No. Next: A dangerous combination. Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1969), three-time Pro Bowl (1970-72), two . No. The 1970s had many great moments by individual players such as the NFL's first 2,000-yard season by O.J. The NFL started in 1920 and commemorated its 100th season in 2019 with a season-long celebration of "NFL 100." The game has come a long way in 100 years. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports. No. Find 1970 1979 America stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. 28a, Pat Swilling (Saints/Lions/Raiders) (1986-1998) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. The Best Linebackers of All-Time - Sports Central Schmidt stood out in an era of great middle linebackers. Anything you asked him to do, he would do. 16, Robert Brazile (Oilers) (1975-1984) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Four-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He started his career out with the Packers, if they would have used him correctly he would have been higher on this list. The entire enterprise of Notre Dame basketball, gone strange. No. He started all but one game in his last eight seasons, which is very impressive for a linebacker. You might be thinking Top 10 already? But look at his numbers. Eleven Pro Bowls. Doc's TML: Lock out the MLB owners, players. No TV, radio, fans No. 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. He wasnt great at just one aspect he was equally great at everything he did. He may have actually been crazy. 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 . He was Terrell Suggs before Suggs got to Baltimore. In that career he played both 4-3 OLB and 3-4 ILB. Patrick Willis is everything you look for in a linebacker. In his three years at Clemson (1995-'97) Simmons recorded 486 tackles, only 29 off the school record Bubba Brown recorded in four years from 1976-'79. It may be a bit early to put Jon Beason on this list, but I think his play warrants the selection. 17, Brian Urlacher* (Bears) (2000-Present) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Four-time 1st Team All-Pro. Junior Seau finished his career with 1,524 tackles, the highest total on this list. Most people know Tom Jackson as the commentator working with Chris Berman. Hes been amazing. He could do it all. Jack Ham might be the best coverage linebacker of all time. No. Running back Larry Csonka of the Miami Dolphins is brought down by linebacker Henry Davis of . Lambert and Ham also won four Super Bowls with the Steelers in the 1970s playing in the Steel Curtain. could hit like a freight train, but it was his finesse and high football IQ that helped him revolutionize the linebacker position. List of All Buffalo Bills Linebackers, Ranked Best to Worst 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. Thomas was one of the most instinctive linebackers of all-time. Taylor changed the way football is played today. You could stick him on any TE in the league, even some slot receivers, and he would take them out of the game. LSU women's basketball makes it rain in rout of Georgia in SEC The Steelers began their 1976 season 1-4 and lost their quarterback, Terry Bradshaw.For the nine games remaining in the season, the Steelers . Who knows how many he wouldve had if he played in the entire 16? 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. Brooking was the face of the Falcons defense for nearly a decade, and is a well-rounded player. That game and his outstanding 1996 season earned Kirkland his first trip to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors after the 1996 season. Best players in Clemson history: Linebackers No. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNzd9Xd0who, No. The transition from college football to the NFL . Cox was also a vocal leader of the teams he played for, directing his defenses to success. 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. NFL's All-Decade Team of the 1970s - DEFENSE - pfhof He did everything. Theres not much Brooks doesnt have. 1953-65, Detroit Lions. Ralph Baker - Years with Jets: 11 (1964-74) Baker played in 142 games with the Jets in his 11 seasons, which is tied with Marvin Jones for the 4 th most by a linebacker. 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. NFL WAGS: 10 Hottest NFL Wives & Girlfriends 2023. He also had at least 99 tackles in seven years of his 12 year career, which is outstanding. 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). Brooks is most known for his coverage ability in the Bucs cover-two scheme. Any coach would be lucky to have a player like Karl Mecklenburg on their roster. No. In today's NFL, few positions have become as difficult to play as off-ball linebacker. Use Isiah Robertsons name in a talk of most underrated players of all time, and youll impress your fellow football fans. Even now, you can tell what kind of person he is by his charity work with the REACH Foundation that he started. No. His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers. 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. Robert "Dr. Doom" Brazile is another one of those underrated linebackers. Who were the linebackers for the Steel Curtain defense? - Quora 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. Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter has returned to the NFL . This season marked the end for Tittle and fellow Canton-bound star Frank Gifford. 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. Bill Romanowski (49ers, Eagles, Broncos, Raiders) : Two-time Pro Bowler. No. 5.) Mills, along with Swilling, was another member of that Dome Patrol defense. He produced 32 sacks over the 3 seasons. Top 10 Linebackers in New York Giants History Paup was a complete linebacker, who was especially great at rushing the passer. 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. Over the past 50 years, the Steelers have tallied 36 winning seasons . He holds the NFL record for the most Pro Bowl selections by a middle linebacker (13). No. He had five INTs in a season twice in his career. He should still improve this season with Ndamukong Suh in front of him to help free him up. 27. He was always around the ball. The Top Ranked Linebackers of the 1960s Ranking Explanation . 1970, slow dancing in Mark Wooldridge's basement with my first girlfriend, Karen Frey, who wore white high-top . 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. Wagers only accepted in CO. For full terms and conditions, click here. Houston Oilers, 1975-1984. So while there were outstanding linebackers in previous years, like Dick Butkus and Ray Nitschke, they will not be on this list. No. Peppers' 159.5 career sacks rank fourth on the all-time list. He did it once in 1985 and again in 1988. Those would be accomplishments by themselves, let alone all together. Baltimore Ravens ground game rules in NFL Week 11 and more Discuss this article along with many other quality articles, discussions, and much more at: http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=54444. Teamwork and Leadership from Karl Mecklenburg NFL Motivational Keynote Speaker. Robertson is one of the most underrated players in NFL history. His best season was his first year with the Bills where he had 17.5 sacks, 70 tackles, two INTs, and three forced fumbles. Patrick Willis has made the Pro Bowl and an All-Pro team every single year hes been in the NFL. Im only going to be looking at players drafted in 1970 or later. Willis could potentially end up in the top 10, or even top five of this list by the time his career is over. L.T. 13, Greg Lloyd (Steelers/Panthers) (1988-1998) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro. Lawrence Taylor. Other Links > Football > Player Rankings by Position > Top Ranked Linebackers . He should be in the Hall of Fame. The exhibit features the Fleet's classic collection set in five themed galleries representing the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. 10. Thats over 10 sacks per season, which is outstanding. His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers. Tippett finished his career with 100 sacks. And here are the 25 greatest linebackers in NFL history: 25. Also note that an asterisk (*) by the players name means they are still active today. Junior Seau finished his career with 1,524 tackles, the highest total on this list. The middle linebacker also recorded 52 tackles for loss, which is fourth all-time in Clemson history. 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. Singletary was one of the key leaders of the famous 85 Bears defense, arguably the greatest defense in the history of the NFL. No. Spielman had seven straight 100 tackle seasons, and did it eight out of nine years. The 150 greatest players in college football's 150-year history - ESPN.com The Steelers went 6-10 in his first season, but along with players like Hines Ward, Jerome Bettis, and Alan Faneca . In the first round, the team tabbed Fred McNeill of USC, who became a fixture at the outside linebacker spot for many . 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. Franchise Encyclopedia. The Steel Curtain was the defensive line of the 1970s American football team Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). 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. 1, Lawrence Taylor (Giants) (1981-1993) *Ten-time Pro Bowler *Eight-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He was always around the ball. 100th NFL Anniversary team. 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. They had traded stalwart linebacker Sam Huff in the offseason. The next year, he followed it up with four more interceptions. Brooks wasnt just a pass coverage linebacker, but he also played the run well. Greene was one of the best pass rushers of all time, recording 160 sacks in his career. It was tied for the best of the day with linebacker Owen Pappoe, of Auburn, and was the second-fastest time from an . He was very solid in coverage, good against the run, and had no real weaknesses. Featuring some of the greatest NFL linebackers of all time, the best Bills LBs include Sam Rogers, Keith Ellison, Shane Conlan, and John Holecek. Anthony Simmons (1995-'97) is the only two-time First-Team All-American in Clemson . Beason may be the most controversial player on this list. Over the course of his two-year Ohio State career, Lee accumulated 147 tackles. He was a dominating force in the NFL during that stretch of time. Thomas did everything you asked out of a linebacker. The Top Ranked Linebackers of the 1970s - AinsworthSports.com Lambert wasnt just great on the inside, he was an outstanding coverage linebacker. For most other franchises, a resume like this would make Jack Ham the greatest linebacker in thier history by a wide margin. He was very athletic, a great tackler, and he could cover. Boulware had at least seven sacks every year he played other than his last season in the NFL. Peter Boulware was the pass rusher alongside Ray Lewis. In only five seasons, Wares already totaled up 64.5 sacks, including 20 in 2008. 25 Greatest Linebackers in NFL History - AthlonSports.com 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. The next year at the Pro Bowl, Thomas remembered him by name. Still, its an amazing number. He has been one of the most intimidating players in the NFL his entire career. He played for a bad team with not much of a surrounding cast, but still excelled. 23. He had 885 career solo tackles, which is impressive on a defense filled with swarming the ball, shown by his 1,488 career tackles. He finished his career with 1,106 tackles and 627 assisted tackles as well. Check out the 1970 Minnesota Vikings Roster, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports and more on Pro-Football-Reference.com. Wilson recorded 560 tackles and 21.5 sacks as a member of the Broncos.

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best linebackers of the 1970s