best linebackers of the 1970s

An important part of the Las Vegas defense, the LB position includes middle or inside linebackers and outside (strong side or weakside) linebackers. No. 17, Brian Urlacher* (Bears) (2000-Present) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Four-time 1st Team All-Pro. 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. 12 sacks and three picks. [a][4]. 25 Greatest Defensive Linemen in NFL History - AthlonSports.com Derrick Brooks may be the most accomplished linebacker on this list. 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Spielman was a great leader and intense player who always gave everything he had. If you havnt guessed it by now, Lawrence LT Taylor is my top linebacker of the modern era. Next were Defensive end Jack Youngblood and Joe Greene who each had 18 votes. 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Simpson in 1973 or Terry Bradshaw's two Super Bowl MVP performances. He finished his career with 1,106 tackles and 627 assisted tackles as well. In 1976, Jackson had seven INTs. He was Terrell Suggs before Suggs got to Baltimore. He also had 1,173 tackles in his career. Banks was a player that any coach would want on their team. Brazile was drafted out of Jackson State and revolutionized linebacker play in the NFL. 1. How NFL Players Have Evolved. He had over 1,000 tackles, over 70 sacks, and over 30 forced fumbles in his career. 7, Rickey Jackson (Saints/49ers) (1981-1995) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Five-time 2nd Team All-Pro. *Ty Anderson, Thomasville: Anderson (6-0, 210) has been an all-state player since he was a sophomore Region 1-2A defensive co . Ray Lewis is another one of the three players on the list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. Robert Brazile- Tums all time neutralizer. He had 885 career solo tackles, which is impressive on a defense filled with swarming the ball, shown by his 1,488 career tackles. His best season was his first year with the Bills where he had 17.5 sacks, 70 tackles, two INTs, and three forced fumbles. Bulluck was one of the best pass coverage linebackers in NFL history. No. He wasnt very vocal, but his play did all the talking for him. Steve Kiner (1966-69): Tennessee fans didn't have to wait long after Emanuel left to find the next superstar linebacker. Also note that an asterisk (*) by the players name means they are still active today. Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter has returned to the NFL . O. J. Simpson and Lynn Swann were next with 22 and 21 votes, respectively. Bryce Paup was an outstanding pass rusher in the 1990s. 38, Chad Brown (Steelers/Seahawks/Patriots) (1993-2007) *Three-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro. Paul Naumoff. NFLs Merchants of Menace Cornelius Bennett and Bruce Smith. HELLO, PANDORA. Swilling was the best pass rusher of the Dome Patrol, but he also forced 36 fumbles to go along with all the sacks. Lewis stats at this point of his career are 1,349 tackles, 36.5 sacks, and 28 INTs. He was also a good pass rusher, and a good coverage man as well. Eleven Pro Bowls. A shot of Jameson for Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey. He took them to the AFC Championship game in 1998, where they fell victim to John Elways Super Bowl winning Broncos. The player that gives Butkus the most competition in that category would be Mike Singletary. Mike Singletary had the whole package. Next: A dangerous combination. Carson did most of the dirty work in that linebacking core. He knew how to make big plays. This list isnt based solely on performances from the 2020 NFL season. Tippett was a big reason to why so many teams value pass rushing OLBs in todays game. Jackson had 40 forced fumbles, just one short of the NFL record. No. Hes on pace to not only break, but shatter the NFL record of 41. Ralph Baker - Years with Jets: 11 (1964-74) Baker played in 142 games with the Jets in his 11 seasons, which is tied with Marvin Jones for the 4 th most by a linebacker. After a very bad injury in 2008, Shawne Merriman hasnt been the same. Lofa Tatupu* (Seahawks) : Three-time Pro Bowler, one-time 1st Team All-Pro. Ham had outstanding . Zach Thomas would be the perfect linebacker, no matter what style of defense you play. Other Links > Football > Player Rankings by Position > Top Ranked Linebackers . Isiah Robertson, nicknamed The Playmaker, was known for coming up with the big plays in the biggest games. He had an outstanding attitude and would do anything to get his team a win. He was unstoppable in goal line situations especially. No. Ill take into account Pro Bowls, All-Pros (1st and 2nd team), stats, team success, players success, intimidation factor, and reputation, along with many other factors to make this list. 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. Lawrence Taylor of course, is regarded as the best 3-4 linebacker ever, . Nickerson wasnt just a one hit wonder though. He finished his career with 132.5 sacks. Randy Gradishar may be the single-most deserving player of a spot in Canton. He is still active, and is a starter, but he might be on his way out of San Diego. White House Livid Over Republican's Attack on Biden's Dead Son Regardless, he definitely deserves the respect for what he accomplished on the field. No. Their greats span the decades of the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s. He also took over Lloyds role in pass coverage as the only linebacker in the Steelers nickel defense. No. He was one of a kind and will always be remembered as one of the best linebackers of all time. Ham had outstanding speed. Over the past decade, virtually every stage of the offensive evolution has increased stress on linebackers, putting them in a bind and asking them to account for multiple things on the same play. Blair was outstanding in coverage, along with being a great tackler. Known as quite possibly the most sound tackler in school history, Ham was an extremely fundamental linebacker who was the captain of the 1970 Penn State defense. Kirkland had great speed and agility for a big man. From his time at USC, Lott . 1953-65, Detroit Lions. K.J. 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. The Steelers went 6-10 in his first season, but along with players like Hines Ward, Jerome Bettis, and Alan Faneca . There is a reason the award given to the best linebacker in high school, college and the NFL each year is named after Butkus. Both . 23, Isiah Robertson (Rams/Bills) (1971-1982) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. The Chicago Bears have the most all-time great linebackers. He did it in 2000 and again in 2003. A two-time All-American and a three-year starter for the Vols, Kiner . 31, Tom Jackson (Broncos) (1973-1986) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Since Donnie Shell finally cracked the Hall of Fame, I would say the . Baker recorded 19 . . Suggs will only continue to climb this list the longer he plays, since hes in the middle of his prime right now. No. Briggs has made five straight Pro Bowls for the Bears, and that streak still continues. He was a hard worker, good tackler, and had great hands. No. No. 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 runningback Franco Harris. This brings us to the first night of March and a not-quite-full Purcell . The Raiders defeated the Eagles 27-10. He was always around the ball. If Bulluck played on a better team, I believe his stats would be much better and his accomplishments would be a lot more. No. Love him or hate him, Lewis has earned the title of greatest middle linebacker of all time. Lewis was the leader of the 2000 Super Bowl winning Ravens team. 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. Wagers only accepted in CO. For full terms and conditions, click here. When you think of Singletary, the first thing that comes to mind is intense focus. 26, Cornelius Bennett (Bills/Falcons/Colts) (1987-2000) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. Greene and Greg Lloyd made one of the best pass rushing duos in NFL history with the Pittsburgh Steelers. No. He was always around the ball. Rickey Jackson was one of the fastest linebackers in the game, but he was also one of the hardest hitters. Porter will try to continue his success in Arizona and continue to climb up this list. The versatile middle linebacker played a significant role in helping the Steelers win four Super Bowls in a span of six years in the 1970s. Gildon was most known for his pass rushing ability, picking up 54 sacks in a 5 year span. No. Who are the Packers' greatest defenders of all time? - Green Bay Packers The NFL's Top 50 Linebackers of the Modern Era - Bleacher Report Jack Lambert was the teammate of Jack Ham who took the inside linebacker duties. These are the newest members of GHSF Daily's Georgia Power 100. [3] He was one of the most feared players in the game. Paup was a complete linebacker, who was especially great at rushing the passer. Seau is one of the Chargers' all-time great players, and will go to Canton five years after he retires like he should. 30, Matt Blair (Vikings) (1974-1985) *Six-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. Don Moorehead, Dennis Franklin, Jim Harbaugh, Elvis Grbac, Tom Brady, Forest Evashevski, Benny Friedman and John Navarre were all elected Captains by their teammates. Thomas never had less than seven sacks in a season in his entire career, and only had less than eight sacks in one season. Willis could potentially end up in the top 10, or even top five of this list by the time his career is over. With time to spare in the NFL offseason, I’ll take a look at the top 50 linebackers in the NFL in the modern era. 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. Thomas was one of the most instinctive linebackers of all-time. Lambert is said by many to be the best inside linebacker of all-time. Pat Swilling was an outstanding pass rusher in his career, totaling up 107 sacks in his career and 101.5 sacks in a 10 year period throwing out his rookie year and last season of his career. 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). No. He did it in 2000 and again in 2003. Harry Carson was an outstanding linebacker who played alongside Lawrence Taylor. He is not only the greatest linebacker in NFL history, hes one of the games greatest players period. Junior Seau finished his career with 1,524 tackles, the highest total on this list. Cornerback Mel Blount was added in the . The 1970s had many great moments by individual players such as the NFL's first 2,000-yard season by O.J. No. He was close to averaging a sack per game, which is an amazing number. 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. Hes also great against the run and is a turnover forcing monster. 8. 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. 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. No. Mecklenburg was never a cocky player, but just a guy who would show up on Sundays. He had 885 career solo tackles, which is impressive on a defense filled with swarming the ball, shown by his 1,488 career tackles. Ham is the only linebacker other than Tom Jackson to have seven INTs in a single season. 14, Hardy Nickerson (Steelers/Bucs/Jaguars/Packers) (1987-2002) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. No. Shawne Lights Out Merriman was the face of NFL linebackers for a three year stretch. When you ask who is the greatest MLB of all-time is, many people jump straight to Dick Butkus. Cornelius Bennett was just a great all-around player. In the words of Vikings' head coaching legend Bud Grant, "Paul personified the term free safety.". He was selected late in the 12th Round, and nobody expected much out of him. . No. L.T. I think thats largely due to the NFL not keeping sacks and tackles numbers during his career. Tippett finished his career with 100 sacks. He may be one of the most hated players, but man can he play football. The thing about Derrick Thomas that is the most remarkable was how nice of a person he was off the field. 1, Lawrence Taylor (Giants) (1981-1993) *Ten-time Pro Bowler *Eight-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 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. Joey Porter may be the most vocal linebacker on this list. Wright, Seattle Seahawks. I’m only going to be looking at players drafted in 1970 or later. Hes been amazing. Urlacher was an all-around great linebacker who flew around the field with reckless abandon. Lofa Tatupu didnt take any time breaking into the NFL, making the Pro Bowl in his first three seasons. Keith Brooking has been one of the most consistent linebackers of all-time. Chad Brown played a very long NFL career, especially for a linebacker. No. Hes also had at least 83 tackles in every year other than his rookie season. Joe Schmidt. AP. Lewis stats at this point of his career are 1,349 tackles, 36.5 sacks, and 28 INTs. Wilson recorded 560 tackles and 21.5 sacks as a member of the Broncos. 1970, slow dancing in Mark Wooldridge's basement with my first girlfriend, Karen Frey, who wore white high-top . 6, Jack Ham (Steelers) (1971-1982) *Eight-time Pro Bowler *Six-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He also played two different positions, playing ILB and OLB for the Vikings in his career. 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. 28a, Pat Swilling (Saints/Lions/Raiders) (1986-1998) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Randy Gradishar played along with Tom Jackson in the Denver Broncos Orange Crush defense. He should still improve this season with Ndamukong Suh in front of him to help free him up. No. A late 12th round pick Mecklenburg finished his career with 79 sacks, which is great for an ILB, and also ranks 2nd all-time in Broncos history. Lamberts signature toothless snarl struck fear into the hearts of the opposition and lends credence to his legendary status as one of the toughest players all-time. He was never the most athletic player on the field, but he was always the hardest working. Im only going to be looking at players drafted in 1970 or later. Overlooked because he played alongside Lawrence Taylor, Carson did most of the dirty work in that linebacking core. 25 Greatest Linebackers in NFL History - AthlonSports.com Although still early in his career, Demarcus Ware deserves to be this high on the list. Ware has made four consecutive Pro Bowls and has had three consecutive All-Pro seasons. No. [3] Andy Russell 7x Pro Bowl, 4x All-Pro, 2x Super Bowl Champion Linebacker '63, 1966-1976 Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images. O. J. Simpson and Lynn Swann were next with 22 and 21 votes, respectively. The defense was ranked right up there along with the 1985 Bears, and Steelers teams of the 1970s. Mecklenburg finished his career with 79 sacks, which is great for an ILB, and also ranks 2nd all-time in Broncos history. Ham had arguably the most successful NFL career out of any of the names on this list as he was a star for the Pittsburgh Steelers. 2022 NFL Linebacker Rankings and Tiers | NFL News, Rankings and - PFF He was unstoppable in goal-line situations especially. Those would be accomplishments by themselves, let alone all together. Jackson was the vocal leader of the orange crush defense. (Photo: David Boss, Getty) Historians will tell you that McAdams is one of the best linebackers to ever play at The University of Oklahoma. Kevin Greene was a mad man in a football uniform. 23. He was always good enough for Pro Bowls, but was never an All-Pro Player. The only thing that could match his signature stare was the stellar play of Samurai Mike on the field. *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. Of course, prior to 1970, there was only one captain chosen; since 1970, we've had as many as four chosen in a single season. Thats over 10 sacks per season, which is outstanding. 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. Williams has received numerous honors, including selection to the NFL All-Rookie Team (1976), the Byron Whizzer White Award for Humanitarian Service (1985), the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award (1986), and Sports Illustrateds Co-Sportsman of the Year (1987). Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1989. 35, Lance Briggs* (Bears) (2003-Present) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He totaled 28 INTs in his career while he also racked up 1,045 tackles. Please play responsibly. 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If you take away his last three seasons, where he was slowing down, he averaged 12.4 sacks per season, which is just remarkable. Las Vegas Raiders: 15 best defensive backs of all-time - Just Blog Baby He could do it all. There was a story of someone meeting Thomas at the Pro Bowl for no longer than 10 minutes. He wasnt very vocal, but his play did all the talking for him. He had five INTs in a season twice in his career. Linebacker Jack Ham and Tight end Dave Casper each received 20 votes. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. He should be in the Hall of Fame. James Harrison. Lloyd had 54.5 sacks and 11 INTs in his career, but the most remarkable number was his 35 forced fumbles. AP Sports SummaryBrief at 7:03 a.m. EST. This team was widely regarded as having one of the best defenses of all time. Junior Seau finished his career with 1,524 tackles, the highest total on this list. No. Steel Curtain - Wikipedia What Terry Fontenot said about Marcus Mariota release, the quarterback 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. AP Sports SummaryBrief at 12:30 a.m. EST Pittsburgh 2002, '04-12, '14-17; Cincinnati 2013; New England 2017. T&Cs apply. 1. Quinto was a regular at both inside and outside linebacker for head coach Ron Gladnick's Saints. Mills racked up 1,142 tackles in his career. Being a linebacker makes that feat that much more impressive. 20, Keith Bulluck* (Titans) (2000-Present) *One-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Already in his career, Ware has forced 23 fumbles. Dennis Onkotz was a two time first team All American on the great Penn State teams of 1968 and 1969. Depending on the day, you might view Ham as the best player on the Steel Curtain defense or the 4th best, and it's . The next year, he followed it up with four more interceptions. This site is using Cloudflare and adheres to the Google Safe Browsing Program. He has speed, size, toughness, instincts, vision, patience, and football smarts.