best linebackers of the 1970s

He finished his career with 1,106 tackles and 627 assisted tackles as well. LT finished his career with 142 sacks, averaging nearly 11 sacks per season. Thats an amazing number as well. He also played two different positions, playing ILB and OLB for the Vikings in his career. Check out the 1970 Minnesota Vikings Roster, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports and more on Pro-Football-Reference.com. Jeremiah The Axeman Trotter has been a very recognizable name over the past decade. Ham is the only linebacker other than Tom Jackson to have seven INTs in a single season. 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. Bill Romanowski (49ers, Eagles, Broncos, Raiders) : Two-time Pro Bowler. Urlacher was an all-around great linebacker who flew around the field with reckless abandon. Hes going into his first healthy season again in three years. No. Im only going to be looking at players drafted in 1970 or later. This team was widely regarded as having one of the best defenses of all-time. The NFL started in 1920 and commemorated its 100th season in 2019 with a season-long celebration of "NFL 100." The game has come a long way in 100 years. AP. He should be in the Hall of Fame. 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He was effective as a pass rushing OLB, tallying up 14 sacks in one season with the Dolphins, and as an inside run stopping linebacker with the Jets. It seemed like he knew where the ball was going at all times. Leslie ONeal was a sack machine in his career. First-Team All-Pro, Pro Bowl w/Raiders (1991) NFL interceptions leader w/Raiders (1991) Ronnie Lott is best known for being arguably the best safety in football history. The former college basketball star is considered one of the best defensive linemen to ever play in the NFL. Cornerback Mel Blount was added in the . 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. No. Brooks wasnt just a pass coverage linebacker, but he also played the run well. From canvas high-tops to social media dominance, the NBA has come a long way. 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. In 2008, Suggs even had two INTs, both of which he returned for touchdowns. Hes also great against the run and is a turnover forcing monster. Randy Gradishar Joins The Speer Wealth Team. 23, Isiah Robertson (Rams/Bills) (1971-1982) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Siemon was always a good player, but never a great player. Derrick Thomas was on pace to absolutely shatter NFL records before his tragic death in 2000. 42, Chip Banks (Browns/Chargers/Colts) (1982-1992) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st team All-Pro. No. Still, he was a very solid MLB for many years. No. The only thing that could match his signature stare was the stellar play of Samurai Mike on the field. 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 . 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 . Eleven Pro Bowls. And he's still going. 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. Kirkland had 10 tackles and a key sack of Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman. He had eight seasons with 10+ sacks. His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers. So while there were outstanding linebackers in previous years, like Dick Butkus and Ray Nitschke, they will not be on this list. Tribute to Elvis His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers. Other Links > Football > Player Rankings by Position > Top Ranked Linebackers . Patrick Willis is everything you look for in a linebacker. Gambling Problem? Wilber Marshall was one of the greatest pass coverage linebackers of the modern era. Being a linebacker makes that feat that much more impressive. The Top Ranked Linebackers of the 1970s *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. The 2008 season was his best sack season with 17.5. He may have been undersized, but he made up for it with his mind and his hustle. Houston Oilers, 1975-1984. Baltimore, with 2,038 rushing yards through its first 10 games of the season, is the seventh team since 1970 and first since the 1978 New England Patriots (2,029 rushing yards) with at least 2,000 . For a four-year span with Seattle, Young was arguably the best Seahawks linebacker of all-time. Top 10 Boxers of the 1990s: Was Roy Jones Jr. the best? Also note that an asterisk (*) by the players name means they are still active today. Any coach would be lucky to have a player like Karl Mecklenburg on their roster. 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. Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter has returned to the NFL . He was a tackle machine and a very big hitter. He came one tackle short from having five consecutive 100 tackle seasons in 2004, which is saying a lot, since he was the guy taking up blockers most of the time as well. Brian Urlacher is one of the greatest linebackers of this decade. [3] Jack Ham might be the best coverage linebacker of all time. 21, Patrick Willis* (49ers) (2006-Present) *Three-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. As an outside linebacker, he put a lot of pressure on opponents' quarterbacks. No. If you take away his last three seasons, where he was slowing down, he averaged 12.4 sacks per season, which is just remarkable. Suggs will only continue to climb this list the longer he plays, since hes in the middle of his prime right now. I know, how can I rate Kirkland over Greene? James Farrior* (Jets/Steelers): Two-time Pro Bowler, one-time 1st Team All-Pro, one-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He was always around the ball. Johnson wasnt very flashy, but he was very solid all-around, which is why he sneaks onto the list. Lawrence Taylor of course, is regarded as the best 3-4 linebacker ever, . NFL Defensive Rookie of the . 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. In the first round, the team tabbed Fred McNeill of USC, who became a fixture at the outside linebacker spot for many . The player that gives Butkus the most competition in that category would be Mike Singletary. Wilson recorded 560 tackles and 21.5 sacks as a member of the Broncos. Mecklenburg was never a cocky player, but just a guy who would show up on Sundays. Thats over 10 sacks per season, which is outstanding. Jeff Siemon (Vikings) : Four-time Pro Bowler. No. He played in 10 playoff games and had two INTs and three fumble recoveries in them. The most obvious change from 1920 to today is the size of players, but there also have been many changes in the schemes . No. Offensive Coordinator: Jim Myers. Lewis stats at this point of his career are 1,349 tackles, 36.5 sacks, and 28 INTs. *Ty Anderson, Thomasville: Anderson (6-0, 210) has been an all-state player since he was a sophomore Region 1-2A defensive co . Visit Our Patreon Page to Create Your Own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See Other Bonus Material . In his time in the NFL, he intercepted 25 passes and returned six of them for touchdowns with three of those in 2002 alone. Lambert wasnt just great on the inside, he was an outstanding coverage linebacker. 4, Derrick Thomas (Chiefs) (1989-1999) *Nine-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. With rule changes being what they have been, The number one pick was obvious. Over the past 50 years, the Steelers have tallied 36 winning seasons . Derrick Brooks may be the most accomplished linebacker on 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. Use Isiah Robertsons name in a talk of most underrated players of all time, and youll impress your fellow football fans. When you see a list of greatest linebackers, Isiah Robertson very rarely even gets brought into the discussion. 43, Keith Brooking* (Falcons/Cowboys) (1998-Present) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Thats an outstanding number. Even now, you can tell what kind of person he is by his charity work with the REACH Foundation that he started. 9, Derrick Brooks (Bucs) (1995-2008) *Eleven-time Pro Bowler *Five-time 1st Team All-Pro *Four-time 2nd Team All-Pro. . Since Donnie Shell finally cracked the Hall of Fame, I would say the . No. Behind the Purple People Eaters of the 70s was one of the best safeties the league has ever seen. He was a hard worker, good tackler, and had great hands. 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. He was never the most athletic player on the field, but he was always the hardest working. If you havnt guessed it by now, Lawrence LT Taylor is my top linebacker of the modern era. Singletary was a leader, not only vocally, but by example. Bryan Cox was an all-around package at linebacker. Robert "Dr. Doom" Brazile is another one of those underrated linebackers. Brazile was drafted out of Jackson State and revolutionized linebacker play in the NFL. Super Bowl XX champion. After a very bad injury in 2008, Shawne Merriman hasnt been the same. Discuss this article along with many other quality articles, discussions, and much more at: http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=54444. He also had 1,173 tackles in his career. Ranking Explanation . Jackson had 40 forced fumbles, just one short of the NFL record. He would always be found around the ball, and around the play. by Ben Watanabe. Lance Briggs may be overshadowed by Brian Urlacher, but dont forget how great of a player Briggs has been for the Bears. Bryce Paup was an outstanding pass rusher in the 1990s. Jul 07, 2014 at 11:02 PM. He was a dominating force in the NFL during that stretch of time. He had over 1,000 tackles, over 70 sacks, and over 30 forced fumbles in his career. Who knows how many he wouldve had if he played in the entire 16? No. Gary Reasons (1984-91) Gary Reasons, a fourth-round draft pick from Northwestern State, was a key . Lambert was a Pro Bowler in all but his rookie season and his final pro season, totaling nine selections. No. His 1989 rookie season was one of the best the NFL has ever seen. Williams was the heart and soul of two Super Bowl defenses. He had over 1,000 tackles, over 70 sacks, and over 30 forced fumbles in his career. He is ninth in team history with 14 forced fumbles; he recovered 11, had 6 QB sacks, and 11 interceptions. He was always around the ball. Rickey Jackson could do it all. He was close to averaging a sack per game, which is an amazing number. 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). They had traded stalwart linebacker Sam Huff in the offseason. Already in his career, Ware has forced 23 fumbles. 6 - Carl McAdams. He was also a big hitter and very intimidating on the field of play. Thats the type of player you want on your team, especially on the defensive side of the ball. T&Cs apply. Dennis Onkotz 1967 - 1969. Spielman was a great leader and intense player who always gave everything he had. Greene and Greg Lloyd made one of the best pass rushing duos in NFL history with the Pittsburgh Steelers. They surrendered only 20 points in that game, and seven of them were off a blocked punt. 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? He was just a great all-around player who could do it all. He was also a good pass rusher, and a good coverage man as well. Young was a fierce hitter, and would always stick his nose in the middle of the play. Paul Naumoff. He was always good enough for Pro Bowls, but was never an All-Pro Player. A five-time pro bowler, Wilson was one of the best linebackers in the league during the early 2000s. No. 1970 NFC Champion. 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). Mike Singletary is one of three players on this list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. The 'Skins historically have had some solid inside linebackers capable of both stopping the run and being reliable in coverage. Zach Thomas. Peterson is another versatile linebacker who has played both inside and outside linebacker. If you take away his last three seasons, where he was slowing down, he averaged 12.4 sacks per season, which is just remarkable. Playoffs: Won Divisional Round 5-0 vs. Detroit Lions. 45, Shawne Merriman* (Chargers) (2005-Present) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. No. Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1969), three-time Pro Bowl (1970-72), two . In 2006, he had an amazing season and won defensive MVP, which is a very high honor that most players on this list never achieved. Zach Thomas would be the perfect linebacker, no matter what style of defense you play. Bryce Paup was an outstanding pass rusher in the 1990s. More from Green Bay Packers. 10. Thomas was the best linebacker of the 1990s, and one of the best pass rushers of all-time. 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. Lambert is said by many to be the best inside linebacker of all-time. Ray Lewis is the top MLB of the modern era and is easily the linebacker of the 2000s. Boulware gets overlooked a lot playing because of playing with Ray Lewis, but he was a key component in that dominating Ravens defense of the early 2000s. 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. Paul Krause | S. The NFL's all-time leader in interceptions spent 12 of his 16 years in Minnesota. 28a, Pat Swilling (Saints/Lions/Raiders) (1986-1998) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Mike Singletary is one of three players on this list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. In the words of Vikings' head coaching legend Bud Grant, "Paul personified the term free safety.". Well have to see how he does, but he could either climb up or fall off this list based on his performance in 2010. You could stick him on any TE in the league, even some slot receivers, and he would take them out of the game. During the late 1970s and early 80s, he was the best linebacker the NFL had. 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. Find 1970 1979 America stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Chris Spielman was a tackle machine during his 10 years in the NFL. 10. Ham had outstanding speed. Robert Brazile. Mike Singletary. Sacks and tackles werent recorded until late in his career, but he was a great pass rusher and all-around linebacker. 12, Randy Gradishar (Broncos) (1974-1984) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Top 10 Draft Picks in Broncos History | No. . Next up, we look at a much better-rated unit in the linebackers. Edmunds will have to clean up the missed tackles and improve in coverage to rise toward where most slot him currently a top-10 linebacker on this list next season. He has speed, size, toughness, instincts, vision, patience, and football smarts. These were the players who were great players, but not quite good enough to be placed inside the top 50. Lofa Tatupu* (Seahawks) : Three-time Pro Bowler, one-time 1st Team All-Pro. Hardy Nickerson may not have the name recognition as many of the other linebackers on this list, but he deserves to be this high. He would always be found around the ball, and around the play. Dennis Onkotz was a two time first team All American on the great Penn State teams of 1968 and 1969. He also played a big role in one of the most dominant performances by a defense in Super Bowl history. Ware has made four consecutive Pro Bowls and has had three consecutive All-Pro seasons. Lawrence Taylor: one of the greatest defensive players ever, Taylor was a pass-rushing force who revolutionized the outside linebacker position . He was unstoppable in goal line situations especially. Thats fine, he played enough linebacker to be considered this high. 2011 Butkus Award winner for nation s best linebacker at Boston College. 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. Please click on "Comments" and make sure to vote in the poll. K.J. Nickerson wasnt just a one hit wonder though. 2022 - SportsUnfold. LaVar Arrington. He finished his career with 132.5 sacks. He is not only the greatest linebacker in NFL history, hes one of the games greatest players period. 31, Tom Jackson (Broncos) (1973-1986) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Zach Thomas is exactly what you want in a player and a linebacker. Those are remarkable numbers, especially when he is still going strong. Let me start out by saying that yes, I know that he was only a linebacker for half his career and DE the other half. In only five seasons, Wares already totaled up 64.5 sacks, including 20 in 2008. The Steelers began their 1976 season 1-4 and lost their quarterback, Terry Bradshaw.For the nine games remaining in the season, the Steelers . Top 10 Best Linebackers In Cleveland Browns History. 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. During his career Williams amassed 62.5 sacks, which is the second most in Bengals history. In his final two seasons with the Bengals, Williams was appointed to an open seat on the Cincinnati City Council in 1988 and was elected for a second term in 1989 on the Charter Party ticket. Those would be accomplishments by themselves, let alone all together. He was never the most athletic player on the field, but he was always the hardest working. Ham is the only linebacker other than Tom Jackson to have seven INTs in a single season. A tall order to say the least, and these 5 players did it better than anyone in the history of the NFL. In 1993 as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers middle linebacker, Nickerson piled up an astounding 214 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. Simpson in 1973 or Terry Bradshaw's two Super Bowl MVP performances. 15, Zach Thomas (Dolphins/Cowboys) (1996-2008) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Five-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He was also the fastest linebacker of the bunch and excelled in pass coverage. Lewis was the leader of the 2000 Super Bowl-winning Ravens team. No. A shot of Jameson for Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey. He took up blockers and threw his body around a lot. 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. 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In today's NFL, few positions have become as difficult to play as off-ball linebacker. 24, Leslie ONeal (Chargers/Rams/Chiefs) (1986-1999) *Six-time Pro Bowler *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 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. 8, Demarcus Ware* (Cowboys) (2005-Present) *Four-time Pro Bowler *Three-time 1st team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He was very athletic, a great tackler, and he could cover. 23. Collect, curate and comment on your files. Ray Lewis is another one of the three players on the list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. Al Wilson was an outstanding MLB for the Broncos. He always tried to better himself and did it effectively. 39, Peter Boulware (Ravens) (1997-2005) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. (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). Despite the bad taste he left when leaving the team, James Harrison belongs on the upper half of the top ten linebackers in Steelers history. 46, Jon Beason* (Panthers) (2007-Present) *One-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Keith Brooking has been one of the most consistent linebackers of all-time. He was very solid in coverage, good against the run, and had no real weaknesses. Coverage was definitely Bullucks claim to fame, but he was also good at other things. The two-time All-American helped the Cornhuskers win back-to-back national titles in 1970 and '71 . Selected by the Baltimore Colts in the 2nd round . A true enforcer in every sense of the word, Lewis intensity was unmatched by any player of his era. Mills racked up 1,142 tackles in his career. He may have actually been crazy. He was also a good pass rusher, and a good coverage man as well. He took up blockers and threw his body around a lot. These are the newest members of GHSF Daily's Georgia Power 100. In only 11 seasons, Thomas had 126.5 sacks, and an NFL record of 41 forced fumbles. Seau was the definition of consistency. No. No. He also took over Lloyds role in pass coverage as the only linebacker in the Steelers nickel defense. 38, Chad Brown (Steelers/Seahawks/Patriots) (1993-2007) *Three-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro. Mills was more of the tackler of the bunch, racking up 1,142 tackles in his career. The exhibit features the Fleet's classic collection set in five themed galleries representing the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. Brooks was the leader of that defense, but his surrounding cast was just too good to rank him higher.

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