1, Lawrence Taylor (Giants) (1981-1993) *Ten-time Pro Bowler *Eight-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. His sacks are the main reason hes this high, but he was also a great all-around player. The Top Ranked Linebackers of the 1960s 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. 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. Ranking Explanation . He totaled 28 INTs in his career while he also racked up 1,045 tackles. Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1989. May 24, 2022. He may have been undersized, but he made up for it with his mind and his hustle. It may be a bit early to put Jon Beason on this list, but I think his play warrants the selection. 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 . 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. No. 1970 NFC Champion. Ham is the only linebacker other than Tom Jackson to have seven INTs in a single season. I think hell climb up this list further in the near future. Ware is not just an outstanding pass rusher though. 22, Chris Spielman (Lions/Bills) (1988-1997) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He had over 1,000 tackles, over 70 sacks, and over 30 forced fumbles in his career. Depending on the day, you might view Ham as the best player on the Steel Curtain defense or the 4th best, and it's . No. Chuck Drazenovich. That game and his outstanding 1996 season earned Kirkland his first trip to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors after the 1996 season. 10. Ray Lewis is the highest-ranked active player on this list, and the top middle linebacker on it. HELLO, PANDORA. Still, its an amazing number. He finished his career with 1,106 tackles and 627 assisted tackles as well. He had five INTs in a season twice in his career. Thomas never had less than seven sacks in a season in his entire career, and only had less than eight sacks in one season. Chicago 1981-92. Thats an outstanding number. 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 running back Franco Harris. Greene was one of the best pass rushers of all time, recording 160 sacks in his career. 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 . St. 7. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNzd9Xd0who, No. Jackson had 40 forced fumbles, just one short of the NFL record. 2011 Butkus Award winner for nation s best linebacker at Boston College. Lance Briggs may be overshadowed by Brian Urlacher, but dont forget how great of a player Briggs has been for the Bears. You could stick him on any TE in the league, even some slot receivers, and he would take them out of the game. [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. Find 1970 1979 America stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Sacks and tackles werent recorded until late in his career, but he was a great pass rusher and all-around linebacker. Not only did he change the way defenses are run, but he changed the way offensive schemes are run as well. In 2007, he racked up a remarkable 17 sacks in only 12 games. He was also a good pass rusher, and a good coverage man as well. Houston Oilers, 1975-1984. But in those three years, hes racked up 328 tackles and seven INTs, all while starting every game of his career. Brian Urlacher is one of the greatest linebackers of this decade. 2022 - SportsUnfold. In the 2017-18 NFL season, the current Buffalo Bills starting LBs and backup LBs are Lorenzo Alexander, Deon Lacey, Matt Milano, and Tanner Vallejo. Most known for his antics like spitting in other players faces, Romanowskis play sometimes gets overshadowed. He was very athletic, a great tackler, and he could cover. 1970 Robert E. Lee Generals (13-0) Jim Chafin's team allowed just seven points a game and held 10 of its 13 opponents to 10 points or less. Zach Thomas would be the perfect linebacker, no matter what style of defense you play. He is ninth in team history with 14 forced fumbles; he recovered 11, had 6 QB sacks, and 11 interceptions. Thats amazing consistency. In 1976, Jackson had seven INTs. 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. Rickey Jackson doesnt always get the credit he deserves, but hes a top 10 linebacker of the modern era. 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. He played for a bad team with not much of a surrounding cast, but still excelled. Offerdahl was a blue collar type of player who was an even better person off the field. . He had eight seasons with 10+ sacks. LSU ENDS REGULAR SEASON 27-1LSU women's basketball ties program-best season . Joey Porter. Mills racked up 1,142 tackles in his career. Derrick Thomas was on pace to absolutely shatter NFL records before his tragic death in 2000. 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 wasnt very vocal, but his play did all the talking for him. Nickerson wasnt just a one hit wonder though. He always tried to better himself and did it effectively. As also playing DE should tell you, he was very versatile and could play many different positions. Next up, we look at a much better-rated unit in the linebackers. (Pro Football Weekly 1975 Defensive Player of the Year, 1970s All-Decade Team, 1994 75th anniversary team), and also the team success (4 Super Bowls). Jackson was the vocal leader of that defense. Also note that an asterisk (*) by the players name means they are still active today. No. In his time in the NFL, he intercepted 25 passes and returned six of them for touchdowns with three of those in 2002 alone. 5, Jack Lambert (Steelers) (1974-1984) *Nine-time Pro Bowlers *Seven-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Hes also had at least 83 tackles in every year other than his rookie season. 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. Joey Porter may be the most vocal linebacker on this list. Are you ready for some football history? 1986 Boston Celtics - Were they the greatest Team? Thomas is also third all-time in safeties and fumble returns for touchdowns. The leader of the Dome Patrol comes in at No. 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 did it in 2000 and again in 2003. Call 1-800-522-4700. Merriman still has the potential to be a great player again. His high sack number was 15 in 2001, a year that he didnt even get voted into the Pro Bowl. [a][4]. Interview with Former Steeler Great levon kirkland. 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. No. 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. NFL 100 All-Time Team (2019). The next year, he followed it up with four more interceptions. These were the players who were great players, but not quite good enough to be placed inside the top 50. Jackson was the vocal leader of the orange crush defense. He already has 57.5 sacks in his short career, along with 16 forced fumbles. But, theres no doubt that hes been one of the top linebackers in the NFL, and still is today. 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. He was just a great all-around player who could do it all. No. 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. 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? Anthony Simmons (1995-'97) is the only two-time First-Team All-American in Clemson . 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. But it was his style of play that made his career so short. Ray Lewis is the top MLB of the modern era and is easily the linebacker of the 2000s. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Wilber Marshall was one of the greatest pass coverage linebackers of the modern era. There is a reason the award given to the best linebacker in high school, college and the NFL each year is named after Butkus. Gary Reasons (1984-91) Gary Reasons, a fourth-round draft pick from Northwestern State, was a key . Discuss this article along with many other quality articles, discussions, and much more at: http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=54444. L.T. No. Brooks wasnt just a pass coverage linebacker, but he also played the run well. He had four interceptions that season, a high number for an inside linebacker, to go along with four sacks and 114 tackles. Use Isiah Robertsons name in a talk of most underrated players of all time, and youll impress your fellow football fans. Mike Singletary is one of three players on this list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. No. In 1976, Jackson had seven INTs. 25. I think thats largely due to the NFL not keeping sacks and tackles numbers during his career. The middle linebacker also recorded 52 tackles for loss, which is fourth all-time in Clemson history. 44, Jessie Armstead (Giants/Redskins) (1993-2003) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He wasnt great at one aspect but was equally as good at everything he did. 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. Jackson was not just a coverage linebacker, he was also a good pass rusher and a very hard worker off the field. Ham had outstanding speed. He also had 1,173 tackles in his career. His swinging the axe celebration sums up his style of play and tenacity on the field. He knew how to make big plays. For most other franchises, a resume like this would make Jack Ham the greatest linebacker in thier history by a wide margin. The 'Skins historically have had some solid inside linebackers capable of both stopping the run and being reliable in coverage. Spielman had seven straight 100 tackle seasons, and did it eight out of nine years. Robert Brazile. Williams recorded 16 interceptions and 23 fumble recoveries (a franchise record). Dennis Onkotz 1967 - 1969. So while there were outstanding linebackers in previous years, like Dick Butkus and Ray Nitschke, they will not be on this list. Swilling was the best pass rusher of the Dome Patrol, but he also forced 36 fumbles to go along with all the sacks. After a very bad injury in 2008, Shawne Merriman hasnt been the same. 100th NFL Anniversary team. Mar 3, 2023 Updated 4 min ago. Mike Singletary had the whole package. Pat Swilling. 37, Wilber Marshall (Bears/Redskins/Oilers/Cardinals/Jets) (1984-1995) *Three-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Blair was also one of the greatest special teams players of all-time! Sacks and tackles werent recorded until late in his career, but he was a great pass rusher and all round linebacker. 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. Top 25 SEC LBs of all-time: 10-6. 43, Keith Brooking* (Falcons/Cowboys) (1998-Present) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Tippett finished his career with 100 sacks. He had an outstanding attitude and would do anything to get his team a win. Lewis was the leader of the 2000 Super Bowl winning Ravens team. Lambert wasnt just great on the inside, he was an outstanding coverage linebacker. LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) At New Mexico State, the once-treasured men's basketball program has been suspended for the season due to a fatal shooting and a gruesome allegation of locker-room . 35, Lance Briggs* (Bears) (2003-Present) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. No. 10, Junior Seau (Chargers/Dolphins/Patriots) (1990-2009) *Twelve-time Pro Bowler *Six-time All-Pro 1st Team *Three-time All-Pro 2nd Team. Nine All-Pros. Lloyd had 54.5 sacks and 11 INTs in his career, but the most remarkable number was his 35 forced fumbles. Since Donnie Shell finally cracked the Hall of Fame, I would say the . Dick Butkus: one of the fiercest and best linebackers the NFL has ever seen, Butkus was a Pro Bowler every year except his final season while also garnering five All-Pro selections for the Bears. Tippett finished his career with 100 sacks. 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. He took them to the AFC Championship game in 1998, where they fell victim to John Elways Super Bowl winning Broncos. Mike Singletary was the leader of the most dominating defense the NFL has ever seenthe 1985 Bears. If you dont believe me, watch the film, as they say, the film doesnt lie! Collect, curate and comment on your files. Thats right, seven. 48, Terrell Suggs* (Ravens) (2003-Present) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. In 1993 as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers middle linebacker, Nickerson piled up an astounding 214 tackles. 3 hours ago. Jackson was not just a coverage linebacker, he was also a good pass rusher and a very hard worker off the field. Matt Blair was a very intimidating linebacker, and helped the Vikings get to two Super Bowls in his career. Thats over 10 sacks per season, which is outstanding. 1986 Boston Celtics - Were they the greatest Team? The National Football League 1970s All-Decade Team is a list of National Football League (NFL) players selected by voters of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. No. 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. He racked up a staggering 1,181 tackles, and 1,131 of them in his first nine seasons. (Photo: David Boss, Getty) Historians will tell you that McAdams is one of the best linebackers to ever play at The University of Oklahoma. Jackson tallied up 128 sacks in his career, but even thats not his most impressive number. Jack Ham might be the best coverage linebacker of all time. He led some of the greatest defenses in NFL history in both performance and spirit. No. 42, Chip Banks (Browns/Chargers/Colts) (1982-1992) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st team All-Pro. Paup was a complete linebacker, who was especially great at rushing the passer. Both . Lawrence Taylor. He won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1974 and Defensive Player of the Year two years later. 34, Julian Peterson* (49ers/Seahawks/Lions) (2000-Present) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 17, Brian Urlacher* (Bears) (2000-Present) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Four-time 1st Team All-Pro. 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).