best linebackers of the 1970s
John Offerdahl may have had the shortest NFL career on this list, but he made the most of it. Beason has only been in the league for three years now. Greene was one of the best pass rushers of all-time, recording 160 sacks in his career. Robert Brazile. Chris Spielman was a tackle machine during his 10 years in the NFL. During the late 1970s and early 80s, he was the best linebacker the NFL had. A tall order to say the least, and these 5 players did it better than anyone in the history of the NFL. There was a story of someone meeting Thomas at the Pro Bowl for no longer than 10 minutes. In the words of Vikings' head coaching legend Bud Grant, "Paul personified the term free safety.". Any coach would be lucky to have a player like Karl Mecklenburg on their roster. 46, Jon Beason* (Panthers) (2007-Present) *One-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Singletary was a leader, not only vocally, but by example. Kirkland had great speed and agility for a big man. Mike Kolen 1970-77. 12. When Indiana travels to San Antonio, it will MLB Rule Changes | Can F1 Compete With NASCAR | Froggy Talkin Sports #MLB #indianahoosiers #nascar, Indiana Basketball Postgame W/Steve Risley: Indiana vs Iowa Recap and more, Must be 21+. The most obvious change from 1920 to today is the size of players, but there also have been many changes in the schemes . 22, Chris Spielman (Lions/Bills) (1988-1997) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Ray Lewis is another one of the three players on the list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. Wilber Marshall was one of the greatest pass coverage linebackers of the modern era. In that career he played both 4-3 OLB and 3-4 ILB. 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. 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. He had an outstanding attitude and would do anything to get his team a win. Woodrow Lowe, Alabama (1972-75) Respected as college football's top linebacker in the early 1970s, Lowe was the first . Thomas is also third all-time in safeties and fumble returns for touchdowns. He is not only the greatest linebacker in NFL history, hes one of the games greatest players period. Rickey Jackson could do it all. Theres not much Brooks doesnt have. Featuring 2018-2019 Raiders and some of the greatest NFL linebackers of all time, the best Raiders LBs include Ted Hendricks, Khalil Mack, Rod Martin, Sam Wiliams, and Greg Biekert. When you think of Singletary, the first thing that comes to mind is intense focus. He also finished his career with 17 INTs. 18, Andre Tippett (Patriots) (1982-1993) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. No. Ray Lewis is the top MLB of the modern era and is easily the linebacker of the 2000s. He tried to get in your head before you even took a step on the field of play. Lambert is said by many to be the best inside linebacker of all-time. Please play responsibly. Won Conference Championship 17-10 vs. San Francisco 49ers. 2. Although he only played three full seasons, he made five Pro Bowls. Jackson was not just a coverage linebacker, he was also a good pass rusher and a very hard worker off the field. He had 885 career solo tackles, which is impressive on a defense filled with swarming the ball, shown by his 1,488 career tackles. Chuck Drazenovich. 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. Over the past 50 years, the Steelers have tallied 36 winning seasons . The next year at the Pro Bowl, Thomas remembered him by name. He produced 32 sacks over the 3 seasons. Thats over 10 sacks per season, which is outstanding. No. That Steelers linebacking core could easily be the best of all-time, and it was led by Jack Lambert and Jack Ham. No. Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter has returned to the NFL . Most known for his antics like spitting in other players faces, Romanowskis play sometimes gets overshadowed. 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. . 32, John Offerdahl (Dolphins) (1986-1993) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. No. No NFL team has enjoyed the consistent level of success the Pittsburgh Steelers have enjoyed since the AFL-NFL merger of 1970. He may be one of the most hated players, but man can he play football. In 2008, Suggs even had two INTs, both of which he returned for touchdowns. 26, Cornelius Bennett (Bills/Falcons/Colts) (1987-2000) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. Use Isiah Robertsons name in a talk of most underrated players of all time, and youll impress your fellow football fans. In that game, the Steelers defense held the Cowboys to just 15 first downs and Emmitt Smith and the Cowboys powerful running attack to just 56 yards, despite losing 27-17 in large part due to two key interceptions thrown by Steelers quarterback Neil ODonnell. Randy Gradishar may be the single-most deserving player of a spot in Canton. 5. Thats an amazing number as well. Derrick Thomas still holds the NFL record for most sacks in a single NFL game with seven, against the Seattle Seahawks in 1990. 24, Leslie ONeal (Chargers/Rams/Chiefs) (1986-1999) *Six-time Pro Bowler *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. The only thing that could match his signature stare was the stellar play of Samurai Mike on the field. He had over 1,000 tackles, over 70 sacks, and over 30 forced fumbles in his career. NFLs Merchants of Menace Andre Tippett. No. Lambert won four Super Bowls with the Steelers in the 1970s playing in the Steel Curtain. How NFL Players Have Evolved. Thats nearly 13 sacks per season. After a very bad injury in 2008, Shawne Merriman hasnt been the same. Brooks was the leader of that defense, but his surrounding cast was just too good to rank him higher. Wilson doesnt have the career numbers because his career was so short, but theres no doubt when he was playing he was the most feared player on the field. 12 sacks and three picks. Kirkland had 10 tackles and a key sack of Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman. Kevin Greene was a mad man in a football uniform. He also had at least 99 tackles in seven years of his 12-year career, which is outstanding. 5.) But, if you didnt know, Jackson was once an outstanding linebacker for the Denver Broncos Orange Crush defense. He did it once in 1985 and again in 1988. Seau was the definition of consistency. Paul Krause | S. The NFL's all-time leader in interceptions spent 12 of his 16 years in Minnesota. 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. Thats right, seven. 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. He was blue collar player who was a great leader on defense and could do everything well on a football field. 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. Thats amazing consistency. Joey Porter. Ham had outstanding . Hes been amazing. The Chicago Bears have the most all-time great linebackers. He had ten seasons with 10+ sacks. He did anything the Bears asked of him, especially stuffing the run. 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. No. Mills was more of a complete player than Swilling, although the two are too close to separate one from the other. Sacks and tackles werent recorded until late in his career, but he was a great pass rusher and all-around linebacker. He was close to averaging a sack per game, which is an amazing number. Bulluck was an outstanding tackler, and was great at run support too. (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). From his time at USC, Lott . 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). Offerdahl was a blue collar type of player who was an even better person off the field. 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. Peter Boulware was the pass rusher alongside Ray Lewis. Joey Porter may be the most vocal linebacker on this list. 41, Mo Lewis (Jets) (1991-2003) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. 35, Lance Briggs* (Bears) (2003-Present) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 10. In 1993 as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers middle linebacker, Nickerson piled up an astounding 214 tackles. No. Punter Ray Guy was the leading vote-getter for the 1970s All-Decade Team, receiving 24 of a possible 25 votes. The former college basketball star is considered one of the best defensive linemen to ever play in the NFL. Lewis was the leader of the 2000 Super Bowl winning Ravens team. No. 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. [3] 10. In 1993 as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers middle linebacker, Nickerson piled up an astounding 214 tackles. Cornerback Mel Blount was added in the . Brooks wasnt just a pass coverage linebacker, but he also played the run well. 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. The longtime backup led the NFL in completion percentage (69.8%), set the Seahawks' single-season passing yards record (4,282) and ranked in the top five in the entire league in both passing . 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, 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. 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. Bet with your head, not over it. Some of you will say hes too low. Are you ready for some football history? 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. Selected by the Baltimore Colts in the 2nd round . His sacks are the main reason hes this high, but he was also a great all-around player. Defensive MVP in 2002. I think thats largely due to the NFL not keeping sacks and tackles numbers during his career. He was one of the most feared players in the game. 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. Visit Our Patreon Page to Create Your Own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See Other Bonus Material . St. Linebacker U Penn State Tradition Jack Ham as a Steeler. Jackson was the vocal leader of that defense. Lewis stats at this point of his career are 1,349 tackles, 36.5 sacks, and 28 INTs. In the first round, the team tabbed Fred McNeill of USC, who became a fixture at the outside linebacker spot for many . As also playing DE should tell you, he was very versatile and could play many different positions. Andy Russell 7x Pro Bowl, 4x All-Pro, 2x Super Bowl Champion Linebacker '63, 1966-1976 Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images. No. 1986 Boston Celtics - Were they the greatest Team? 19, Harry Carson (Giants) (1976-1988) *Nine-time Pro Bowler *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He ran a 4.6 40 yard dash, which is outstanding for a linebacker, especially at that time period. Jackson was not just a coverage linebacker, he was also a good pass rusher and a very hard worker off the field. 28a, Pat Swilling (Saints/Lions/Raiders) (1986-1998) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Spielman was a great leader and intense player who always gave everything he had. But Mills did much more than that. Please click on "Comments" and make sure to vote in the poll. But we would be remiss to not acknowledge some of the top performers from that earlier era. Suggs will only continue to climb this list the longer he plays, since hes in the middle of his prime right now. Visit Our Patreon Page to Create Your Own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See Other Bonus Material . 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). In 1984 and 1985, Tippett put up two of the best back to back seasons recording 18.5 and 16.5 sacks in them. 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. Linebacker is one of the most important and demanding positions in football. NFL Defensive Rookie of the . Born April 20 . He was also a good pass rusher, and a good coverage man as well. L.T. He was unstoppable in goal-line situations especially. Thats over 10 sacks per season, which is outstanding. He was never the most athletic player on the field, but he was always the hardest working. Jan 25, 1981; New Orleans, LA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Oakland Raiders players Mickey Marvin (65), Willie Jones (90), Rod Martin (53), Ted Hendricks (83) and Raymond Chester (88) on the field against the Philadelphia Eagles during Super Bowl XV at the Superdome. *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. 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 . Jack Lambert played middle linebacker. Ham is the only linebacker other than Tom Jackson to have seven INTs in a single season. No. 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. Here is my ranking of the top 10 Giants linebackers, along with some honorable mentions. NFLs Merchants of Menace Cornelius Bennett and Bruce Smith. His high sack number was 15 in 2001, a year that he didnt even get voted into the Pro Bowl. Check out the 1970 Minnesota Vikings Roster, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports and more on Pro-Football-Reference.com. No. Houston Oilers, 1975-1984. Seau is one of the Chargers' all-time great players, and will go to Canton five years after he retires like he should. Regardless, he definitely deserves the respect for what he accomplished on the field. He was Lawrence Taylor before Taylor was. Swilling was the best pass rusher of the Dome Patrol, but he also forced 36 fumbles to go along with all the sacks. Punter Ray Guy was the leading vote-getter for the 1970s All-Decade Team, receiving 24 of a possible 25 votes. In his time in the NFL, he intercepted 25 passes and returned six of them for touchdowns with three of those in 2002 alone. Undersized height wise, but an overabundance of heart made him more than a handful to deal with. 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. He was a very solid 3-4 ILB playing on one of the best LB Cores of all-time, the Dome Patrol. Keith Brooking has been one of the most consistent linebackers of all-time. He was always around the ball. During the five year stretch from 1991-1995 where he made five consecutive Pro Bowls, Lloyd was one of, if not the, most dominating linebackers in the NFL. . He led the team in tackles five of the 11 season he played for them. 29, Joey Porter* (Steelers/Dolphins/Cardinals) (1999-Present) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 21. May 24, 2022. He was very athletic, a great tackler, and he could cover. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org. Also note that an asterisk (*) by the players name means they are still active today. A two-time All-American and a three-year starter for the Vols, Kiner . Hes going into his first healthy season again in three years. 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. 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. I think thats largely due to the NFL not keeping sacks and tackles numbers during his career. Ray Lewis came into the league and dominated right away. Peterson is another versatile linebacker who has played both inside and outside linebacker. He was also the first player to have a TE or RB used for chip blocking on, and overall changed the way offensive lineman block. Lamberts best season was in 1976, where he won the Defensive Player of the Year award. 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. Gradishar was the silent assassin of the team. Derrick Thomas was on pace to absolutely shatter NFL records before his tragic death in 2000. Derrick Thomas was on pace to absolutely shatter NFL records before his tragic death in 2000. 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. Wagers only accepted in CO. For full terms and conditions, click here. Al Wilson was an outstanding MLB for the Broncos. He had 885 career solo tackles, which is impressive on a defense filled with swarming the ball, shown by his 1,488 career tackles. Defensive MVP in 2002. He also played two different positions, playing ILB and OLB for the Vikings in his career. Teamwork and Leadership from Karl Mecklenburg NFL Motivational Keynote Speaker. In 1976, Jackson had seven INTs. These were the players who were great players, but not quite good enough to be placed inside the top 50. Not only did he change the way defenses are run, but he changed the way offensive schemes are run as well. No. Johnson was most known for his days with the Saints. Theres not much Brooks doesnt have. 1. Nine All-Pros. He had five INTs in a season twice in his career. 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.
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