greatest middle linebackers of all time
Klein was signed as the insurance policy. The Greatest Steelers Linebackers of All Time The Steelers are known for hard-hitting, relentless defense. However, we're here to give this the good old college try, so let's dive in! With the combination of speed and power, he is one of the greatest linebackers to ever play in NFL history. Nickerson had his best years with the Steelers and with the Buccaneers right before those teams started to make deep, consistent playoff runs, but he was a feared player and at his best playing in a 4-3 scheme defense. Over his career, Lewis helped lead the Ravens to two Super Bowl championships while being named Super Bowl XXXV MVP. Chad Brown was the type of player who could do almost anything on the defensive front. 5 Patrick Willis Patrick L. Willis is a former American football inside linebacker who played his entire eight-year career with the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He started 167 of a possible 173 games during his 13-year career, so he was always ready to play. On the field, Butkus recorded 22 career interceptions to go along with 27 fumble recoveries. George died in a car accident in 1982, at 53 years old. The big-play machine from Waco, Texas, was one of the greatest linebackers in Longhorns program history. Paup was a complete linebacker, who was especially great at rushing the passer. Arguably USCs most notable No. "Dr. Doom" terrorized opposing offenses for 10 NFL seasons and was a six-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowl selection. Analysis by Sam Fortier. Born: June 28, 1936 (Wheeling, West Virginia), High school: Warwood High School (Wheeling, West Virginia), NFL career: 15 seasons (1958-60, 1961-73), Teams: Chicago Bears (1958-59), Dallas Cowboys (1961-73), Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1971), Super Bowl Most Valuable Player (1970), six-time Pro Bowl (1965-69, 1971), six-time Pro Bowl (1966-71). Mills, who died of cancer in 2005, is one of the most beloved players in the history of both the Saints and the Panthers. 7-time Pro Bowler18. Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. was the top pick for Commanders General Manager Martin Mayhew, left, and . 9-time Pro Bowler He's not someone who is up for Hall of Fame consideration but his contribution to the game kept defenses afloat on playoff teams for an extended period of time. On the football field Chuck Bednarik was one of the toughest players to play the game and possibly the best tackler to set forth on a football field. Lavonte David's football career took him across the United States after growing up in Miami, Florida. Other than having one of the coolest names in NFL history, Takeo Spikes was also one of the most durable linebackers of all time. Once drafted, Buoniconti became one of the teams best defensive players despite his lack of size. Who are the best linebackers in New Orleans Saints history? Robinson won three consecutive state championships in high school, then repeated a version of that feat in the NFL, winning three consecutive championships with one NFL title and two Super Bowls with the Green Bay Packers. Ray Nitschke, Green Bay Packers (1958-72)Hall of Fame, Class of 1978 Their versatility sets them apart from any other position player in the sport. Willie Lanier, Kansas City Chiefs (1967-77) In the NFL, he was a model of consistency for 14 seasons and earned postseason honors in 10 of 11 seasons and started 135 consecutive games at one point. It's fitting that Khalil Mack now plays for the Chicago Bears. In 11 dominant NFL seasons, Dave Wilcox only missed one game due to injury and confounded opposing offenses with his ability to elude blocks at the most basic level. Super Bowl XXXV MVP 3 on the all-time list, Baltimore Ravens, 1996-2012 Two-time Super Bowl champion Voted to 13 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro seven times Recorded 41.5 sacks and 1562 career tackles Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Green Bay Packers, 1958-1972 Two-time Super Bowl champion Voted to one Pro Bowl, First Team All-Pro twice Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Detroit Lions, 1953-1965 Two-time NFL champion Voted to 10 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro eight times Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Pittsburgh Steelers, 1971-1982 Four-time Super Bowl champion Voted to eight Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro six times Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Chicago Bears, 1958-1959; Dallas Cowboys, 1961-1973 One-time NFL champion Voted to six Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro five times, Chicago Bears, 1952-1966; Los Angeles Rams 1966 One-time NFL champion Voted to eight Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro eight times Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Kansas City Chiefs, 1963-1974 One-time Super Bowl champion Voted to nine Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro six times Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1995-2008 One-time Super Bowl champion Voted to 11 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro five times Recorded 1,297 career tackles Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Baltimore Colts, 1969-1973; Green Bay Packers, 1974; Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, 1975-1983 Four-time Super Bowl champion Voted to eight Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro four times Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Chicago Bears, 1965-1973 Voted to eight Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro five times Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Kansas City Chiefs, 1989-1999 Voted to nine Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro twice Recorded 126.5 career sacks, which ranks No. They changed the way football is played on every level. Check out some of the best photos from the 2023 NFL Draft! Over his career Willis racked up 865 tackles to go with 20.5 sacks, 16 forced fumbles and eight interceptions. Jackson only missed two games in his 13 seasons with the Saints in 1989 because of a car accident. Born: Jan. 19, 1932 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), High school: Brentwood High School (Brentwood, Pennsylvania), Career highlights: Two-time NFL champion (1953, 1957), 10-time All-Pro (1954-63), 10-time Pro Bowl (1954-63), NFL Defensive Most Valuable Player (1960, 1963), NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1973). After leaving Chicago, Marshall proved he was elite by winning a Super Bowl and NFL Defensive Player of the Year with the Washington Football Team (then known as the Redskins). Take a look at the best photos from the red carpet. One of our representatives will be in touch shortly. Fortunato also is the only player on the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 1950s that was not inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. George was known for his ability to play the defensive line as well as dropping back disrupting the passing lanes of opposing quarterbacks. Nick Buoniconti was just 5-foot-11 and 220 pounds but destroyed opponents with sheer will and ferocity, helping lead the Dolphins to two Super Bowl wins and the only undefeated season in NFL history in 1972. But it's worth pointing out that he was much more than a football player. By Eddie Brown. He's also the greatest defensive player of all time. If you could build a middle linebacker from scratch, you'd probably come up with a player that looked a lot like Derrick Brooks. 1970 Defensive Player of the Year High school: Vigor High School (Pritchard, Alabama), Career highlights: Seven-time Pro Bowl (1976-82), six-time All-Pro (1976-81), NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (1981), NFL 1970s All-Decade Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (2018). There's a lot of reasons to love the way Dave Robinson played football mainly because he was a winner. Others to know: Rashee Rice (SMU), Jonathan Mingo (Ole Miss), A.T. Perry (Wake Forest) Linebacker. 8-time Pro Bowler20. During his playing days he helped lead the Chiefs to win Super Bowl IV 23-7 over the Minnesota Vikings in a game that many gave the Chiefs zero chance of winning. 2-time first-team All-Pro When most football fans think of the Steelers' defense, they think about. High school: Washington County High School (Sandersville, Georgia), Teams: Cincinnati Bengals (1998-2002), Buffalo Bills (2003-06), Philadelphia Eagles (2007), San Francisco 49ers (2008-10), San Diego Chargers (2011-12), Career highlights: Two-time Pro Bowl (2003, 2004), NFL All-Pro (2004). 6-time first-team All-Pro Junior Seau was one of the best players of his generation and one of the best middle linebackers to play the game. Keith Brooking was an understated, dominant player for two teams, the Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys. 8-time Pro Bowler He led the NFL in tackles three times (1997, 1999, 2001) during his 17 years in Baltimore. He was a two-time NFL Defensive Most Valuable Player, led the Detroit Lions to two NFL championships and made both the Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams every year for 10 consecutive years from 1954 to 1963. In Forester's final five seasons, he made all four of his Pro Bowls, all five of his All-Pro teams and helped lead Green Bay to its first two NFL titles under Lombardi. Nick Buoniconti, Boston Patriots (1962-68), Miami Dolphins (69-76)Hall of Fame, Class of 2001 Chuck Bednarik, Philadelphia Eagles (1949-62)Hall of Fame, Class of 1967 The Ravens have always been known as a defensive minded team. Tiania Baul "Junior" Seau was a football unicorn a linebacker who played 20 seasons in the NFL and dominated almost every step of the way. Much like Chicago Bears linebacker Joe Fortunato, Randy Gradishar doesn't have the legacy he should be because of the player he directly preceded. In addition to having the greatest linebacker of All-Time in Ray Lewis, 20 years of Ravens football has seen some incredible linebackers. High school: White Deer High School (Pampa, Texas), Teams: Miami Dolphins (1996-2007), Dallas Cowboys (2008), Career highlights: Seven-time All-Pro (1998-99, 2001-03, 2005, 2006), seven-time Pro Bowl (1999-2003, 2005, 2006), AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year (1996), NFL 2000s All-Decade Team. He played for the Baltimore Ravens for 17 seasons and recorded 2,061 tackles and 41.5 sacks in his. Jackson retired in the top three in NFL history for sacks (128) and fumble recoveries (28). At 6-foot-3 and 241 pounds, his combination of speed and athleticism would make the Hall of Famer even more valuable in today's league than he was in his era. In 1986, he had one of the most dominant NFL seasons ever. 3-time first-team All-Pro It's on Sean McDermott & Co. to coach up whoever mans the middle. That was the first of five consecutive seasons with at least 120 tackles. Briggs ended up making approximately $52.2 million in career earnings. He took his skills as a free agent to the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he won two Super Bowls. 1 overall pick in the 1949 NFL draft, Bednarik led the Eagles to a championship in 1949 and in 1960, where he made the game-saving tackle as time ran out. Tedy Bruschi, New England Patriots (1996-2008) But what sets the great ones apart from the rest of the pack? For Fortunato, it was Dick Butkus, and for Gradishar, it was Karl Mecklenburg. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. 12-time Pro Bowler Born: Jan. 9, 1969 (Oceanside, California), Died: May 2, 2012 (age 43, Oceanside, California), High school: Oceanside High School (Oceanside, California), Teams: San Diego Chargers (1990-2002), Miami Dolphins (2003-05), New England Patriots (2006-09), Career highlights: 12-time Pro Bowl (1991-2002), 10-time All-Pro (1991-2000), NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1992), NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (2015). George is credited by many as being the first-ever true middle linebacker, creating a legacy that future Bears like Dick Butkus, Mike Singletary and Brian Urlacher would cement in history.7. One of the most feared pass rushers in NFL history, Swilling finished his career with 107.5 sacks but no playoff wins. 1. Brazile is often credited for being the first outside linebacker to define how the game was played in a 3-4 defense while rushing the passer, although sacks weren't an official NFL statistic until his last three seasons. This is the eighth of 11 positional breakdowns leading up to the NFL Draft (April 27-29). The most famous member of the No Name Defense, Buoniconti is alleged to be the ringleader of the 1972 Dolphins annual champagne toast when the last undefeated team loses each season.10. He's also already made six All-Pro teams, six Pro Bowls and banked almost $100 million in career earnings. His 10 All-Pro selections are tied for the NFL career record alongside Lawrence Taylor. He was a second team All-American in 2011 when he racked up career highs with 13.5 tackles for loss and five sacks to go with 128 tackles. I had the pleasure of meeting him when I was younger before he passed. Veteran A.J. Super Bowl XXIX champion22. All Rights Reserved. Zach Thomas, Miami Dolphins (1996-2007), Dallas Cowboys (08) Super Bowl II champion And that dance. The duo even led the team to the Super Bowl in 2006, where they lost to the Indianapolis Colts. Super Bowl XXVIII champion Williams was the seventh-best linebacker by Brugler and was not on his Top 100. There were a lot of strong defensive players that played next to Mike Singletary with the Bears. This list explores these reasons by looking at the three greatest middle linebackers of all time. Tales of Butkus' exploits would make you think he played several decades in the NFL, but his career was just nine seasons. Super Bowl VI champion17. He beat a double-murder charge before the 2000 season following the stabbing deaths of two men in a fight after a Super Bowl party in Atlanta. But for all his individual success, he never made the playoffs.4. NFL Championship Game MVP (1962) Jack Lambert, Pittsburgh Steelers (1974-84)Hall of Fame, Class of 1990 Karlos Dansby was tall for an NFL inside linebacker at 6-foot-4, and he made plays all over the field. 8-time Pro Bowler Super Bowl XXXIV champion25. High school: Stephens County High School (Toccoa, Georgia), Teams: New Orleans Saints (1986-92), Detroit Lions (1993-94), Oakland Raiders (1995-96, 1998), Career highlights: Five-time Pro Bowl (1989-93), four-time All-Pro (1989-92), NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1991). 13-time Pro Bowler It's hard to claim that anyone other than the great Lawrence Taylor is the best linebacker ever. Take a look at some of the best photos of Aaron Rodgers from throughout the years! 1-time first-team All-Pro He was a two-time Super Bowl winner with the New York Giants, who he played for during each of his 13 NFL seasons. He played with an amazing amount of fire and determination without bringing much attention to himself. No, Sensei Tippett! Brown played on two teams that came up just short of winning a Super Bowl, with the Pittsburgh Steelers losing in the big game following the 1995 season and the New England Patriots following the 2007 season. That didn't matter. With that said, here is our list of the Top 10 Tight Ends All-Time. He was 74 years old. NEW! Darryl Talley was a physical and athletic marvel during his playing career, and his consistency was truly something to behold. Hall of Fame, Class of 2011 After being selected with the third overall pick, Butkus would go on to make eight Pro Bowl teams during his nine year career. His production continued in the NFL where he was a two time Pro Bowler and two time Super Bowl Champion with the Miami Dolphins while earning the Dolphins team MVP award in three different seasons. Backups: Luke Masterson, Curtis Bolton. Those are both more than Mecklenburg's career totals, and Gradishar played two fewer seasons. 8-time first-team All-Pro The 1990 Pro Football Hall of Famer was so elite throughout his career that he was a member of four of the most prestigious all-time teams in NFL history. Others: Darien Butler, Amari Burney, Kana'i Mauga , Drake Thomas. Robinson's name has been somewhat lost to history because he played next to the great Ray Nitschke, on Nitschke's left side. Born: April 6, 1973 (San Diego, California), High school: Chula Vista High School (Chula Vista, California), Teams: Kansas City Chiefs (1996-2001, 2007-08), San Diego Chargers (2002-06), Career highlights: Two-time NFL All-Pro (2002, 2004), Pro Bowl (2002). 8-time Pro Bowler Super Bowl XXXIX champion, The foreman of the Steel Curtain defense, Butkus punished ball carriers and crushed spirits. 5-time first-team All-Pro 16 on the all-time list Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, New York Giants, 1981-1993 Two-time Super Bowl champion Voted to 10 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro eight times Recorded 132.5 career sacks, which ranks No. ", Died: June 12, 2010 (age 79, Riverside, California), High school: Fresno High School (Fresno, California), Career highlights: Eight-time Pro Bowl (1954-61), seven-time All-Pro (1955-60), Pro Football Hall of Fame (2011). 2005 Comeback Player of the Year Chris Hanburger's path to NFL stardom as an outside linebacker was as unusual as any ever taken. How would you rank the greatest Middle Linebackers in history? Super Bowl XXXV champion Ranking the 10 best linebackers in Raiders history Podcast Teams AFC East Bills Dolphins Jets Patriots AFC North Bengals Browns Ravens Steelers AFC South Colts Jaguars Texans Titans AFC West. While quarterbacks have their hands on every play on offense to lead their teams to victory, it's much tougher for players to control the game by sheer force of will. He started all 26 games at middle linebacker the last two seasons. First, he went to junior college in Fort Scott, Kansas. Then, he starred at the University of Nebraska, before returning to Florida, where he's been one of the best linebackers in the NFL for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the last decade. Born: Dec. 27, 1959 (Birmingham, Alabama), High school: Barringer High School (Newark, New Jersey), NFL career: 11 seasons (1982-88, 1990-93), Career highlights: NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1985), four-time All-Pro (1985-88), five-time Pro Bowl (1984-88), NFL 1980s All-Decade Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (2008). A two-way player who also played center on offense, Bednarik was in the middle of the action on both sides of the ball ask Frank Gifford.9. Ham, with the size of a free safety, was as quick as any running back or wide receiver in the 10 yards from the line of scrimmage and recorded a gaudy 32 interceptions and 53 takeaways in his career while helping the Steelers win four Super Bowl. Many of the games greatest players have been the man in the middle who called the shots in the huddle before turning into tackling machines and splash-playmakers from sideline-to-sideline once the ball was snapped. After being selected during the 1967 NFL draft by the Kansas City Chiefs out of Morgan State, Willie Lanier helped solidify the Kansas City Chiefs defense in route to becoming one of the best middle linebackers to play the position. Talley was on all four of Buffalos AFC title teams that lost in the Super Bowl and finished his career with 1,252 tackles, 38.5 sacks and 29 takeaways. 13 on the all-time list Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He had five INT's in a season twice in his career. 8-time Pro Bowler 55, Seau went on to become a legend in San Diego. Super Bowl XXXVIII champion In 11 seasons, Bell earned postseason honors eight times and helped lead the Chiefs to a Super Bowl win in 1969. 5-time first-team All-Pro Born: June 17, 1940 (Shelby, North Carolina), High school: Cleveland High School (Shelby, North Carolina), Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1969), three-time Pro Bowl (1970-72), two-time All-Pro (1970, 1971), NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1969), NFL 100th Anniversary Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1983). Tippett had his most dominant season in 1985, when he led the Patriots to their first AFC title and was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Lee Roy Jordan was undersized, at 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, but made up for it in talent and drive. A post shared by Juan Diaz (@juandiaz0620). The Arizona Cardinals have declined to pick up linebacker Isaiah Simmons' fifth-year contract option, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The Chicago Bears great was as good of a run stopper as defender against the pass and one player that could play sideline to sideline. A name that may have been slotted inside of the top five on the list of middle linebackers if his career was longer is the former San Francisco 49ers great Patrick Willis. Over his career, Lanier made a name for himself for his aggressive tackling abilities earning him the nickname Contact. Singletary recorded 1,488 career tackles to go along with seven interceptions and 19 sacks over his career. It is fair to say that Taylor is perhaps the greatest defensive player ever. His style of play is strikingly similar to Chicago Bears Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher, who preceded him by a generation in the Windy City. The Top Ten Greatest NFL Middle Linebackers of all Time 10.) During his career, Singletary won two Defensive Player of the Year awards, was named to 10 Pro Bowl teams and was selected as a First Team All-Pro in seven different seasons. That is the highest among all linebackers. Modern football fans might be seeing the name Hardy Nickerson for the first time, but the old heads know him as one of the more dominant linebackers of his era who had the misfortune of playing most of his career with mediocre teams. Born: April 18, 1962 (Titusville, Florida), High school: Astronaut High School (Titusville, Florida), Teams: Chicago Bears (1984-87), Washington Football Team (1988-92), Houston Oilers (1993), Arizona Cardinals (1994), New York Jets (1995), Career highlights: Two-time Super Bowl champion (1986, 1991), three-time Pro Bowl (1986, 1987, 1992), three-time All-Pro (1986, 1991, 1992), NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1992). Something else inside of Lambert, best defined by the toothless, screaming pictures of him during games when he took out his dentures, made him the toughest. No player has been as consistent on the defensive side of the ball, start to finish, as Ray Lewis was in his 17 seasons for the Baltimore Ravens. Jack . Great middle linebackers are the captains of the defense. He's been nothing but consistent since those days of Seahawks dominance in the league. The latest in an historic line of Hall of Fame caliber Bears middle linebackers, Urlacher has produced 41.5 sacks, 22 INTs returned for 324 yards and two TDs, 11 forced fumbles and 15 fumble recoveries returned for 177 yards and one TD during his career. Forester was a nondescript linebacker for his first six seasons with the Packers, until Lombardi was hired in 1959 and the SMU product's career took off. And here are the 25 greatest linebackers in NFL history: 25. It worked, and Connor never put his hand in the dirt again during a Hall of Fame career. His ability to diagnose plays and shut them down wasn't matched by many. Wagner, who first turned heads by running a 4.4-second 40-yard dash at the Utah State pro day, helped lead the Seahawks to a Super Bowl win in 2013, won another NFC title two years later and was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 2010s. Despite a 101-year history, the Cardinals haven't produced a Hall of Famer at linebackerbut they've still had plenty of . Free and Easy-to-Use Mock Draft Simulator. 54 out there, you knew the team at least had a chance to win because of him. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Ray Lewis For starters, Lewis has the most combined tackles in NFL history (2,059). was tough and imposed his physical will on opponents. High school: De La Salle High School (Chicago), Career highlights: Five-time All-Pro (1950-53, 1955), four-time Pro Bowl (1950-53), NFL 1940s All-Decade Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1975). On the football field Chuck Bednarik was one of the toughest players to play the game and possibly the best tackler to set forth on a football field. Bernard is physically similar to Williams at 6-foot-1, 228 pounds and played outside linebacker in 4-3 looks and was off-the-ball when he subbed in for Matt Milano at times last season. 2009 NFL Butkus Award winner Here are my top 10 linebackers: 1. Sanders could have the highest ceiling of all the middle linebacker . Zach Thomas brought a certain attitude to defenses as a middle linebacker, both in college at Texas Tech and in the NFL, that was evident from the moment he stepped on the field. Former VP of Player Personnel Gil Brandt's Top 10 Defensive Tackles of All Time! The league's top prospects stepped into the NFL Photo studio for Draft portraits. Jack Lambert played 11 seasons all for the Steelers and won four Super Bowls as the starting linebacker and heart of the "Steel Curtain" defense with fellow Hall of Famers Mean Joe Greene, Mel Blount, Jack Ham and Donnie Shell. Super Bowl XXVII champion His NFL career was punctuated by big hits and big wins, including three consecutive Super Bowl wins with the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers in the early 1990s. Who are the 3 Greatest Middle Linebackers of All Time? Mar 23. Rank below to be added in the Power Rankings and to have a chance to win a gift card to LAZADA, Amazon, Top 10 NFL Quarterbacks of All Time Rankings, Top 10 NFL Running Backs of All Time Rankings, Top 10 NFL Wide Receivers of All Time Rankings, Top 10 NFL Tight Ends of All Time Rankings, Top 10 NFL Outside Linebackers of All Time Rankings, Top 10 NFL Defensive Ends of All Time Rankings, Top 10 NFL Strong Safeties of All Time Rankings. 29) Bryce Paup. In a 16-season career, he recorded an incredible 1,586 tackles. Butkus punished ball carriers and crushed spirits. Wilber Marshall was one of the greatest pass coverage linebackers of the modern era.
