George died in a car accident in 1982, at 53 years old. One other cool thing about Robinson was what he said about Green Bay Packers coach Dan Devine when he left the team after the 1972 season to play for Washington: "Lombardi was the best coach I ever had. Born: Feb. 22, 1991 (Fort Pierce, Florida), High school: Westwood High School (Fort Pierce, Florida), Teams: Oakland Raiders (2014-17), Chicago Bears (2018-present), Career highlights: NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2016), three-time All-Pro (2015, 2016, 2018), five-time Pro Bowl (2014-19), NFL 2010s All-Decade Team. The 13-time Pro-Bowler holds the record for most career solo tackles (1,568) and the record for most tackles in a season (156). 2-time first-team All-Pro The 13-time. He finished his career with 458 tackles, 65.0 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, nine . 6. The lineage of great Chicago Bears middle linebackers is clear, with 4 players making this list. For the Tar Heels, Hanburger played both ways and earned most of his accolades at center, not on defense. James Harrison Pittsburgh 2002, '04-12, '14-17; Cincinnati 2013; New England 2017 4-time All-Pro, 5-time Pro Bowler Super Bowl. By the time Tommy Nobis left the University of Texas, he was as famous as any player in the NFL, having already appeared on the cover of Life, Sports Illustrated and Time magazines for his accomplishments. High school: Champion High School (Champion Township, Ohio), Career highlights: Seven-time Pro Bowl (1975, 1977-79, 1981-83), six-time All-Pro (1977-81, 1983), seven-time All-AFC (1976-79, 1981-83), NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1978). Super Bowl XIII champion 2-time first-team All-Pro pic.twitter.com/wy2S8g98pb. Born: Sept. 1, 1965 (Compton, California), High school: Verbum Dei High School (Los Angeles), Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers (1987-92), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1993-99), Jacksonville Jaguars (2000-01), Green Bay Packers (2002), Career highlights: Five-time Pro Bowl (1993, 1996-99), four-time All-Pro (1993, 1996, 1997, 1999), NFL 1990s All-Decade Team. Fan Rankings is a registered trademark of Fan Rankings LLC. Born: Feb. 4, 1959 (Williamsburg, Virginia), High school: Lafayette High School (Williamsburg, Virginia), Career highlights: Two-time Super Bowl Champion (1986, 1990), NFL Most Valuable Player (1986), 10-time Pro Bowl (1981-90), 10-time All-Pro (1981-90), three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1981, 1982, 1986), NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (1981), NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1999). 8-time Pro Bowler Born: Nov. 26, 1953 (Florence, South Carolina), High school: Wilson High School (Florence, South Carolina), Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1986), nine-time Pro Bowl (1978, 1979, 1981-87), six-time All-Pro (1978, 1981, 1982, 1984-86), Pro Football Hall of Fame (2006). We know this. 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. Bobby Bell could do it all. 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). He joined the military for two years out of high school before going to play football for the University of North Carolina. Master Your Draft Strategy With Our Free and Easy-to-Use Mock Draft Simulator. Welcome to draft season! Mike Singletary was the best of the bunch. Not bad for a seventh-round draft pick that the Lions weren't even sure would be able to make their roster. Veteran A.J. Take a look at some of the best photos of Aaron Rodgers from throughout the years! High school: Colony High School (Ontario, California), Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (2013), six-time Pro Bowl (2014-19), six-time All-Pro (2014-19), NFL 2010s All-Decade Team. Chuck Bednarik, Philadelphia Eagles (1949-62)Hall of Fame, Class of 1967 Fletcher, 5-foot-11 and 242 pounds, ran a blazing 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine coming out of NCAA Division III John Carroll University, but he still went undrafted. We'll find out in 2024, when he'll be on the ballot for the first time. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. 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). 4-time first-team All-Pro The 37 sacks he collected in kelly green puts Joyner atop that list of Eagles' linebackers 1. With Singletary, all it took was one look into his eyes to understand why. Sori-Marin is more of a traditional two-down middle linebacker with good size 6-2, 236 pounds for the position. Vince Lombardis leader on defense, Nitschke (No. Buoniconti, who was also a practicing attorney, died in 2019 at 78 years old. It is hard to look past Jack Lambert as one of the Top 10 Middle Linebackers All-Time based on his career resume and his play on the football field. After being considered by most teams too small, the Boston Patriots selected Nick Buoniconti with the teams 13th round selection. 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 addition, Lewis was a two time Defensive Player of the Year, seven time First Team All-Pro and a 13 time Pro Bowler. Alongside Hall of Famer Rickey Jackson, Sam Mills and Vaughan Johnson, Swilling wreaked havoc on opposing offenses. Brian Urlacher, Chicago Bears (2000-12)2005 Defensive Player of the Year Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens (1996-2012) 2000 Defensive Player of. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. The former Miami Hurricane is a member of the NFL's 2000s All-Decade Team and a member of the NFL's 100th Anniversary Team. 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. Poll : Are these the 3 Greatest Middle Linebackers of All-Time? 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. Taylor's dominance changed the way football is played on every level, from how offensive lines block to the way teams teach how to rush the quarterback. Gil Brandt's greatest NFL linebackers of all time Photos Home 100 Greatest Photos Game Galleries Gil Brandt's greatest NFL linebackers of all time NFL.com senior analyst and personnel. He started 167 of a possible 173 games during his 13-year career, so he was always ready to play. Forester died in 2007 after a long illness. 2-time NFL Championship Game winner13. Born: Aug. 13, 1941 (Fort Bragg, North Carolina), High school: Hampton High School (Hampton, Virginia), Team: Washington Football Team (formerly Washington Redskins), Career highlights: Nine-time Pro Bowl (1966-69, 1972-76), six-time All-Pro (1969, 1972-76), Pro Football Hall of Fame (2011). His production would not slow as he helped from the Steelers Steel Curtain defense and helped lead the Steelers to four Super Bowl Championships. But assistant coach Vince Lombardi tracked him down at the airport and convinced him to come back, and defensive coordinator Tom Landry made the decision to move him to middle linebacker. Lavonte David's football career took him across the United States after growing up in Miami, Florida. His production on the field helped earn Seau one Defensive Player of the Year award while being selected to the Pro Bowl team in 12 straight seasons. Joe Fortunato's greatest teammate, fellow linebacker Dick Butkus, also became perhaps the greatest impediment to Fortunato's long-term legacy. While some of the linebackers on this list probably wouldn't even get a second look in today's NFL because of their size, Wilcox (who's the father of Cal head coach Justin Wilcox) is actually the opposite. 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. Robertson died in a car accident in 2018, at 69 years old. Briggs made seven consecutive Pro Bowls while playing for the Chicago Bears alongside another great linebacker, Brian Urlacher. Here is my ranking of the top 10 Giants linebackers, along with some honorable mentions. The Bears have fielded four of the best middle linebackers in NFL history: Dick Butkus, Bill George, Mike Singletary and Brian Urlacher. No questions asked. 10. Lee Roy Jordan, Dallas Cowboys (1963-76) 13 on the all-time list Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Mar 23. But for all his individual success, he never made the playoffs.4. Born: April 18, 1973 (Pensacola, Florida), High school: Booker T. Washington High School (Pensacola, Florida), Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (2002), nine-time All-Pro (1997-2005), 11-time Pro Bowl (1997-2006, 2008), NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2002), NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (2014). Over his career, Bednarick helped guide the Eagles to two NFL Championships while being named to eight Pro Bowl teams and selected eight times as a First Team All-Pro.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'fanrankings_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_7',127,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fanrankings_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); When considering great middle linebackers it is hard to look past another Chicago Bear All-Pro who racked up a pretty solid NFL career. He's been nothing but consistent since those days of Seahawks dominance in the league. But it's worth pointing out that he was much more than a football player. Other than having one of the coolest names in NFL history, Takeo Spikes was also one of the most durable linebackers of all time. Sadly, Mecklenburg's post-football life has been defined by his battle with brain injuries sustained playing football, and he's part of several concussion-related lawsuits against the NFL. Fear does not exist in this dojo, does it? 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. Al Messerschmidt Archive/Associated Press. He led the University of Minnesota to a national title in 1960, then won two AFL championships and a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs. 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. 2 Time Super Bowl Champion (VII, VIII) American Football League All Time Team 9.) An important part of the Buffalo defense, the LB position includes middle or inside linebackers and outside (strong side or weakside) linebackers. 2-time first-team All-Pro The former Green Bay Packers middle linebacker was a key member of the team and the leader on the defensive side of the football that helped the Packers win five NFL Championships and Super Bowl I and II Championships. George realized this allowed the quarterback to easily drop passes right over his head, so he began to try and read the play and react, dropping into coverage at times when he realized it was a pass play. Be the first one to comment on this story. Hardy Nickerson, Pittsburgh Steelers (1987-92), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (93-99), Jacksonville Jaguars (2000-01), Green Bay Packers (02) Knowing what we know now about concussions, which forced Kuechly's retirement, should players who accomplish what he did and have their careers shortened be in the Hall of Fame? 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. High school: Vocational High School (Chicago), Career highlights: Eight-time Pro Bowl (1965-72), eight-time All-Pro (1965-72), two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1969, 1970), NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1983). Porter's 40% forced incompletion rate in 2022 led all Power Five cornerbacks. Super Bowl XXVII champion Related:NFL Teams With Most Hall of Famers. 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). Owen Pappoe, Auburn. On offense, he played center, and on defense, he was a linebacker, where he earned a reputation as one of the most devastating tacklers of all time. That didn't matter. 1-time Pro Bowler Eight of those he made the All-Pro team and the Pro Bowl, with back-to-back NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards in 1969 and 1970. They spoke of intensity, determination, and an undying will. 8-time Pro Bowler20. Born: Dec. 29, 1936 (Elmwood Park, Illinois), Died: March 8, 1998 (age 61, Venice, Florida), High school: Proviso East High School (Mayfield, Illinois), Career highlights: Two-time Super Bowl champion (1966, 1967), three-time NFL champion (1961, 1962, 1965), Pro Bowl (1964), seven-time All-Pro (1962-67, 1969), NFL 1960s All-Decade Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1978). Brugler had both Wisconsin's Nick Herbig and Alabama's Henry To'oTo'o ranked ahead of Williams. 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. These all-time greats have electrified crowds with their energy and leadership and delivered on the field as some of the NFL's best defensive players ever. 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. I had the pleasure of meeting him when I was younger before he passed. It worked, and Connor never put his hand in the dirt again during a Hall of Fame career. According to Pro Football Reference, Taylor recorded either a fumble recovery, an interception, or double-digit sacks each season of his career. Analysis: Nothing against this group of . High school: Matoaca High School (Chesterfield, Virginia), Teams:New York Jets (1997-2001), Pittsburgh Steelers (2002-11), Career highlights: Two-time Super Bowl champion (2005, 2008), two-time Pro Bowl (2004, 2008), two-time NFL All-Pro (2004, 2008). Nobis was the first overall pick in the 1966 NFL draft and the first player picked by the expansion Atlanta Falcons.
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