greatest middle linebackers of all time
Urclacher recorded at least 100 tackles nine times over his career including a career high 153 during the 2002 NFL season. Born into abject poverty in rural Tennessee, he was working full-time in the cotton fields by the time he was 10 years old and had to flee his home with his sisters at 17 to get away from his violent, alcoholic father. Al Messerschmidt Archive/Associated Press. On the field, Butkus recorded 22 career interceptions to go along with 27 fumble recoveries. Bobby Wagner has been one of the best linebackers in the NFL for almost a decade at this point, winning a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks in 2013. Brooks, like so many players on this list, played his entire career with just one team. Analysis: Nothing against this group of . Fortunato, who was named one of the Bears 100 Greatest Players, did accomplish one thing that Butkus never would. 1969 Defensive Player of the Year No NFL team has the linebacker tradition of the Bears, who boast Hall of Famers Dick Butkus, Mike Singletary, Urlacher and Mack, a future Hall of Famer, among their all-time greats. 2-time first-team All-Pro 1972 NFL Man of the Year 5-time first-team All-Pro Brian Urlacher, Chicago Bears (2000-12)2005 Defensive Player of the Year The lineage of great Chicago Bears middle linebackers is clear, with 4 players making this list. He also finished his career with 25 interceptions and 24 sacks. Fans of the Dallas Cowboys feel the same way about him after he helped lead them to their first Super Bowl win in 1971, the same year he set a team record with 21 tackles. 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). Here are five of the top undrafted free-agent signings since the draft ended: Ivan Pace Jr., LB, Minnesota Vikings Linebacker was a key position of need for the Vikings but they didn't use any . 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. He's fifth on the NFL career list with 1,734 tackles to go with 17 interceptions and 17 fumble recoveries. His production would not slow as he helped from the Steelers Steel Curtain defense and helped lead the Steelers to four Super Bowl Championships. 2 overall pick in 1981 out of North Carolina led the Giants to two Super Bowl wins, was a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and the NFL Most Valuable Player in 1986 the last defensive player to win that award. A notorious freelancer, Seau notched 56.5 sacks, 18 INTs returned for 238 yards, 11 forced fumbles, 18 fumble recoveries and one TD while winning two AFC titles with the 1994 Chargers and 2007 Patriots.8. Chuck Howley thought his career was over due to a devastating knee injury just three games into the 1959 season with the Chicago Bears. They paled in comparison but were great players in their own right most notably Wilber Marshall. James Harrison Pittsburgh 2002, '04-12, '14-17; Cincinnati 2013; New England 2017 4-time All-Pro, 5-time Pro Bowler Super Bowl. Nick Buoniconti, Boston Patriots (1962-68), Miami Dolphins (69-76)Hall of Fame, Class of 2001 8-time Pro Bowler Karl Mecklenburg, Denver Broncos (1983-94) Introduction The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. And that dance. Not many linebackers can boast the athleticism of Urlacher, who set the single-season Bears record with 153 tackles in 2002 and owns the team's career tackles record with 1,361. Keeping all aspects of the job in mind, we rank the top 25 greatest middle linebackers in NFL history. Top 10 Linebackers of All Time | NFL Highlights - YouTube 2005 Comeback Player of the Year 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. No questions asked. 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. He was selected to the 1990s All-Decade team. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. He also was a defensive captain in two of those seasons. Here are my top 10 linebackers: 1. These are the greatest linebackers in NFL history. Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens (1996-2012)2000 Defensive Player of the Year George was known for his ability to play the defensive line as well as dropping back disrupting the passing lanes of opposing quarterbacks. He started 167 of a possible 173 games during his 13-year career, so he was always ready to play. 2-time Pro Bowler 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). Mar 23. With that said, here is our list of the Top 10 Tight Ends All-Time. 15 on the all-time list Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Philadelphia Eagles, 1949-1962 Two-time NFL champion Voted to eight Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro five times Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Chicago Bears, 1981-1992 One-time Super Bowl champion Voted to 10 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro seven times Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Green Bay Packers, 1963-1972; Washington Redskins 1973-1974 Three-time NFL champion Voted to three Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro once Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, San Diego Chargers, 1990-2002; Miami Dolphins, 2003-2005; New England Patriots, 2006-2009 Voted to 12 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro six times Recorded 56.5 career sacks and 1,522 career tackles Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Los Angeles Rams, 1985-1992; Pittsburgh Steelers, 1993-1995; Carolina Panthers, 1996, 1998-1999; San Francisco 49ers, 1997 Voted to five Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro twice Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Recorded 160 career sacks, which ranks No. I had the pleasure of meeting him when I was younger before he passed. Gradishar also was a six-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler. 10 Best Linebackers in Steelers History (+Honorable Mentions) Mar 23. They play fast from sideline to sideline. First, he went to junior college in Fort Scott, Kansas. ranked by. 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. 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. Super Bowl XXXVIII champion Like Lewis, Lawrence Taylor is also one of the most feared defenders in NFL history. He took his skills as a free agent to the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he won two Super Bowls. 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). An all-time great Packer/NFL player. He was in The Monkees' cult-favorite film "Head" and also in the original "The Longest Yard" starring Burt Reynolds. Few players in NFL history have captured the public's imagination like Green Bay Packers linebacker Ray Nitschke, who won three NFL championships and two Super Bowl trophies. 1-time Pro Bowler Being the son of a former heavyweight boxing champion might be a burden for some, but Ken Norton Jr. embraced it. Top 10 NFL linebackers of all time | The TwinSpires Edge NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. Briggs ended up making approximately $52.2 million in career earnings. Porter's 40% forced incompletion rate in 2022 led all Power Five cornerbacks. 10 Best Chicago Bears Linebackers of All Time - Sports Illustrated Dont forget Rays dance.2. Fear does not exist in this dojo, does it? It didn't slow Mills' production, and he made three Pro Bowls and five Pro Bowls despite spending his first five seasons elsewhere. This article explores the franchise's top 10 linebackers of all time. Richter didn't miss a game in nine seasons with the Los Angeles Rams and made seven All-Pro teams. 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. 2009 NFL Butkus Award winner Much like Chicago Bears linebacker Joe Fortunato, Randy Gradishar doesn't have the legacy he should be because of the player he directly preceded. High school: Waco High School (Waco, Texas), Teams: Kansas City Chiefs (2005-17), Oakland Raiders (2018), Career highlights: Two-time NFL All-Pro (2011, 2015), four-time Pro Bowl (2011-13, 2015). Wilber Marshall was one of the greatest pass coverage linebackers of the modern era. Robinson's name has been somewhat lost to history because he played next to the great Ray Nitschke, on Nitschke's left side. It worked, and Connor never put his hand in the dirt again during a Hall of Fame career. Paup was a complete linebacker, who was especially great at rushing the passer. 2003 Defensive Player of the Year Those are both more than Mecklenburg's career totals, and Gradishar played two fewer seasons. The No. Inducted into the Hall of Fame as recently as 2016, Greene's career was arguably underrated. You could say he was as close to a Lawrence Taylor version of a linebacker the NFL ever had before we got the real thing. 8-time Pro Bowler20. He played for the Baltimore Ravens for 17 seasons and recorded 2,061 tackles and 41.5 sacks in his. In four seasons, Willis has 594 total tackles, 15 sacks, made the Pro Bowl every year, and three times has been named a first-team All-Pro linebacker. 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). 3-time Pro Bowler 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). It was a good fit. 8-time Pro Bowler Cornelius Bennett forced a trade from the Colts to the Bills after being drafted in 1987 and was one of the best linebackers in the NFL for the next decade-plus. Two players of the four players with more tackles, Ray Lewis and Junior Seau, are in the Hall of Fame. 3-time first-team All-Pro Houston Texans loaded with linebackers from Alabama - al.com Five of the NFL's best undrafted free agent signings That is the highest among all linebackers. 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. Born: May 3, 1941 (Mount Holly, New Jersey), High school: Moorestown High School (Moorestown, New Jersey), Teams: Green Bay Packers (1963-72), Washington Redskins (1973-74), Career highlights: Three-time NFL champion (1965-67), two-time Super Bowl champion (1966, 1967), three-time Pro Bowl (1966, 1967, 1969), three-time All-Pro (1967-69), NFL 1960s All-Decade Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (2013). His 53 takeaways are still the most in NFL history by a non-defensive back. Not bad for a former third-round draft pick out of Arizona. From the likes of Mike Singletary to Nick Bouniconti to Chuck Bednarik to Ray Lewis, the middle linebacker position is loaded with talent making the top choice a difficult selection. 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). He led the league in combined tackles in 2016 and 2019, and in solo tackles in 2017. 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. 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). A study of his brain revealed he had a severe case of CTE, which can cause rage, amnesia and severe depression. Who are the 3 Greatest Middle Linebackers of All Time? - Sportskeeda Ranking the 10 best linebackers in Raiders history 1-time first-team All-Pro During that time Kendricks has broken up 40 passes as a linebacker which is tops in the NFL. Nobis was the first overall pick in the 1966 NFL draft and the first player picked by the expansion Atlanta Falcons. Mike Singletary was the best of the bunch. Top 10 middle linebackers of all time - Pro Football Mania Play in a Super Bowl. Join the contest by ranking below. Chris Simms and Mike Florio draft their top middle linebackers of all time. It's on Sean McDermott & Co. to coach up whoever mans the middle. Super Bowl XXVII champion Willie Lanier played in an era of football best defined by his hitting style which mainly consisted of him trying to put the crown of his helmet through your sternum. A post shared by Juan Diaz (@juandiaz0620). Will Levis lands with the Tennessee Titans: Will Levis' slide ends early on Day 2, with the Titans trading up to Pick 33 to grab the signal-caller. Once drafted, Buoniconti became one of the teams best defensive players despite his lack of size. After the 2023 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans have four Alabama linebackers - Will Anderson Jr., Christian Harris, DeMeco Ryans and Henry To'oTo'o - except Ryans is the head coach and . Playing defensive tackle/end for the first two seasons of his NFL career, Connor became a linebacker when Bears head coach George Halas wanted to try and find a way to neutralize Philadelphia running back Steve Van Buren, so he had Connor stand up outside of the tight end to check Van Buren. With the combination of speed and power, he is one of the greatest linebackers to ever play in NFL history. Willis played just eight seasons in the NFL, but that's kind of misleading. Pat Swilling was part of perhaps the finest assembly of linebackers in NFL history the New Orleans Saints' famous "Dome Patrol" of the late 1980s and early 1990s. It's hard to claim that anyone other than the great Lawrence Taylor is the best linebacker ever. In all, he was a two-time AFC Defensive Player of the Year and played in five Super Bowls, losing every time to set an NFL record. That's what linebackers do. Dick Butkus No. Hall of Fame, Class of 2011 On paper, Gradishar's resume was much better than Mecklenburg's career accolades. 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. Super Bowl II champion There is a reason why he was a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2018. 5-time first-team All-Pro 2023 NFL Draft: Grades for all Day 2 picks | NFL Draft | PFF Born: Jan. 25, 1985 (Bruceton, Tennessee), High school: Central High School (Bruceton, Tennessee), Career highlights: Seven-time Pro Bowl (2007-13), six-time All-Pro (2007-12), NFL 2010s All-Decade team, NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (2007). 13-time Pro Bowler He joined the military for two years out of high school before going to play football for the University of North Carolina.Lancaster Mennonite Conference Bishops, Philip Chism Mother And Father, Limitations Of Logistic Growth Model, Full Size Loft Bed Conversion Kit, Articles G