best linebackers of the 1970s

The only thing that could match his signature stare was the stellar play of Samurai Mike on the field. Joey Porter may be the most vocal linebacker on this list. Top 30 Linebackers in the NFL Since 1970 - The Grueling Truth NFL WAGS: 10 Hottest NFL Wives & Girlfriends 2023. The Steelers had lost their emotional leader, outside linebacker Greg Lloyd, at the start of the season to a knee injury, but Kirkland took over the mantle of leadership. Mecklenburg was never a cocky player, but just a guy who would show up on Sundays. Punter Ray Guy was the leading vote-getter for the 1970s All-Decade Team, receiving 24 of a possible 25 votes. Thats an outstanding number. Coverage was definitely Bullucks claim to fame, but he was also good at other things. Although he only played three full seasons, he made five Pro Bowls. Find 1970 1979 America stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Named to NFL's All-Decade Team for 1970s and 1980s. He was also the fastest linebacker of the bunch and excelled in pass coverage. Eleven Pro Bowls. He was a tackling machine for the majority of his career. Here's a list of the Packers' top 10 all-time defensive players since 1950, when unlimited substitution was restored to the NFL, paving the way for two-platoon football. 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. If you take away his last three seasons, where he was slowing down, he averaged 12.4 sacks per season, which is just remarkable. For most other franchises, a resume like this would make Jack Ham the greatest linebacker in thier history by a wide margin. 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. Neal Olkewicz. Urlacher was an all-around great linebacker who flew around the field with reckless abandon. He totaled 28 INTs in his career while he also racked up 1,045 tackles. Eleven Pro Bowls. Linebacker Jack Ham and Tight end Dave Casper each received 20 votes. Ware is not just an outstanding pass rusher though. He also had at least 99 tackles in seven years of his 12 year career, which is outstanding. Nickerson wasnt just a one hit wonder though. Greene was one of the best pass rushers of all-time, recording 160 sacks in his career. Lance Briggs may be overshadowed by Brian Urlacher, but dont forget how great of a player Briggs has been for the Bears. Singletary was one of the key leaders of the famous 85 Bears defense, arguably the greatest defense in the history of the NFL. Next up on the docket for my top Redskins players series are the linebackers. 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. 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. 22, Chris Spielman (Lions/Bills) (1988-1997) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Lewis wasnt as vocal as Cox, but his play was a little better, and lasted for a longer period of time. 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). He is still active, and is a starter, but he might be on his way out of San Diego. Rickey Jackson was one of the fastest linebackers in the game, but he was also one of the hardest hitters. Thomas never had less than seven sacks in a season in his entire career, and only had less than eight sacks in one season. Brazile was drafted out of Jackson State and revolutionized linebacker play in the NFL. 42, Chip Banks (Browns/Chargers/Colts) (1982-1992) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st team All-Pro. 45, Shawne Merriman* (Chargers) (2005-Present) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. No. No. NFL's All-Decade Team of the 1970s - DEFENSE - pfhof Use Isiah Robertsons name in a talk of most underrated players of all time, and youll impress your fellow football fans. Elected to the Pro Football Hall Of Fame in 2018. Ray Lewis is the top MLB of the modern era and is easily the linebacker of the 2000s. The transition from college football to the NFL . He also played two different positions, playing ILB and OLB for the Vikings in his career. 21, Patrick Willis* (49ers) (2006-Present) *Three-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Sacks and tackles werent recorded until late in his career, but he was a great pass rusher and all-around linebacker. Randy Gradishar Joins The Speer Wealth Team. 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. Here is my ranking of the top 10 Giants linebackers, along with some honorable mentions. But in those three years, hes racked up 328 tackles and seven INTs, all while starting every game of his career. 10 Tom Jackson. 6 - Carl McAdams. 25 Greatest Middle Linebackers in NFL History HELLO, PANDORA. In 2008, Suggs even had two INTs, both of which he returned for touchdowns. Mike Singletary. With time to spare in the NFL offseason, Ill take a look at the top 50 linebackers in the NFL in the modern era. 31, Tom Jackson (Broncos) (1973-1986) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Ray Lewis is the highest-ranked active player on this list, and the top middle linebacker on it. We adapted Google's Privacy Guidelines to keep your data safe at all times. NFL 100 All-Time Team (2019). The Top Ranked Linebackers of the 1960s Seau is one of the Chargers' all-time great players, and will go to Canton five years after he retires like he should. Call it foreshadowing, but you will see some of his teammates higher up on this list. 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. 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. He may have actually been crazy. Greene and Greg Lloyd made one of the best pass rushing duos in NFL history with the Pittsburgh Steelers. That Steelers linebacking core could easily be the best of all-time, and it was led by Jack Lambert and Jack Ham. He was very athletic, a great tackler, and he could cover. Schmidt stood out in an era of great middle linebackers. 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. They surrendered only 20 points in that game, and seven of them were off a blocked punt. No. Mo Lewis was another very consistent and solid player. 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 . Peter Boulware was the pass rusher alongside Ray Lewis. In the words of Vikings' head coaching legend Bud Grant, "Paul personified the term free safety.". PFF Rankings: The NFL's top 25 linebackers ahead of the 2020 NFL season Taylor changed the way football is played today. Well have to see how he does, but he could either climb up or fall off this list based on his performance in 2010. When you see a list of greatest linebackers, Isiah Robertson very rarely even gets brought into the discussion. The forgotten members of the legendary 1970's Steelers team Jack Ham might be the best coverage linebacker of all time. 25, Karl Mecklenburg (Broncos) (1983-1994) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Three-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro Karl "The Albino Rhino" Mecklenburg was the definition of a blue collar player. Ham is the only linebacker other than Tom Jackson to have seven INTs in a single season. Ray Lewis is another one of the three players on the list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. Other Links > Football > Player Rankings by Position > Top Ranked Linebackers . I personally think football before 1970 and after 1970 can be seen as two completely different games, in terms of its evolution. 24, Leslie ONeal (Chargers/Rams/Chiefs) (1986-1999) *Six-time Pro Bowler *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 27. McAdams was a two-time All-American . Next: A dangerous combination. More Team Info. 23. Chris Spielman was a tackle machine during his 10 years in the NFL. 1. Next were Defensive end Jack Youngblood and Joe Greene who each had 18 votes. (Photo: David Boss, Getty) Historians will tell you that McAdams is one of the best linebackers to ever play at The University of Oklahoma. May 24, 2022. He was the type of player that you would want your kids to look up to. You might be thinking Top 10 already? But look at his numbers. Select from premium 1970 1979 America of the highest quality. 7. 2022 NFL Linebacker Rankings and Tiers | NFL News, Rankings and - PFF Call 1-800-522-4700. He also had 1,173 tackles in his career. 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 . No. 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. 36, Jeremiah Trotter (Eagles/Redskins/Bucs) (1999-2007 & 2009) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Johnson wasnt very flashy, but he was very solid all-around, which is why he sneaks onto the list. He was the notorious leader of one of the greatest defenses to ever make its way onto a football field Pittsburghs famed Steel Curtain.. Jack Ham, Linebacker. 19, Harry Carson (Giants) (1976-1988) *Nine-time Pro Bowler *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He did anything the Bears asked of him, especially stuffing the run. 39, Peter Boulware (Ravens) (1997-2005) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 2nd 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. Minnesota Vikings reporter suggests All-Pro defender a likely 2023 cap LT was the most intimidating player ever to put on an NFL uniform. Outside linebacker Joey Porter came to Pittsburgh in 1999. No. could hit like a freight train, but it was his finesse and high football IQ that helped him revolutionize the linebacker position. Dennis Onkotz was a two time first team All American on the great Penn State teams of 1968 and 1969. Top 25 SEC LBs of all-time: 10-6. Since Donnie Shell finally cracked the Hall of Fame, I would say the . Jessie Armstead was one of the most consistent linebackers on this list. No. He was just a great all-around player who could do it all. He was one of the most feared players in the game. 12, Randy Gradishar (Broncos) (1974-1984) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. No. Gildon was most known for his pass rushing ability, picking up 54 sacks in a 5 year span. Who are the Packers' greatest defenders of all time? - Green Bay Packers He had 885 career solo tackles, which is impressive on a defense filled with swarming the ball, shown by his 1,488 career tackles. LSU ENDS REGULAR SEASON 27-1LSU women's basketball ties program-best season . Wright, Seattle Seahawks. No. He took up blockers and threw his body around a lot. Lofa Tatupu* (Seahawks) : Three-time Pro Bowler, one-time 1st Team All-Pro. In 1985, a trophy awarded to the best linebacker in college football was named in his honor. The best LB in the NFL today comes in at No. Less of a nod goes to pass rushers, linebackers and safeties. 33, Al Wilson (Broncos) (1999-2006) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. No. Thats right, seven. 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 . Bet with your head, not over it. Mike Singletary had the whole package. *Ty Anderson, Thomasville: Anderson (6-0, 210) has been an all-state player since he was a sophomore Region 1-2A defensive co . Top 30 Linebackers in the NFL since 1970! Lloyd will always be remembered as the lightning quick pass rusher from the Blitzburgh days. . Porter is mostly known as a sack master. Anything you asked him to do, he would do. Defensive MVP in 2002. Visit Our Patreon Page to Create Your Own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See Other Bonus Material . Holdovers from the National Football League 1960s All-Decade Team were Bob Lilly, Dick Butkus, Merlin Olsen, Larry Wilson, and Jim Bakken, which made them the first players to make multiple All-Decade teams in NFL history. He won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1974 and Defensive Player of the Year two years later. Hes been amazing. In his time in the NFL, he intercepted 25 passes and returned six of them for touchdowns with three of those in 2002 alone. Patrick Willis is everything you look for in a linebacker. He was close to averaging a sack per game, which is an amazing number. It was tied for the best of the day with linebacker Owen Pappoe, of Auburn, and was the second-fastest time from an . 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. 1953-65, Detroit Lions. T&Cs apply. Siemon was always a good player, but never a great player. He has done it all for the Bears with his pass coverage, run support, and blitzing. He led the Eagles in tackles in his time with the team. He has played the role of pass rusher and coverage linebacker in his career, and has excelled at both. 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. NFLs Merchants of Menace Cornelius Bennett and Bruce Smith. Randy Gradishar played along with Tom Jackson in the Denver Broncos Orange Crush defense. The line was the backbone of the Steelers dynasty, which won four Super Bowls (IX, X, XIII, and XIV) in six years.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNzd9Xd0who, No. This season marked the end for Tittle and fellow Canton-bound star Frank Gifford. 46, Jon Beason* (Panthers) (2007-Present) *One-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Two years later, the Giants sunk to 1-12-1. After a very bad injury in 2008, Shawne Merriman hasnt been the same. 1986 Boston Celtics - Were they the greatest Team? His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers. The Best of Tommy Brady at Michigan . This team was widely regarded as having one of the best defenses of all-time. Any coach would be lucky to have a player like Karl Mecklenburg on their roster. 9. Ham had outstanding speed. 21. He started all but one game in his last eight seasons, which is very impressive for a linebacker. Top 10 Linebackers in New York Giants History #NFL100 - Top 6 Outside Linebackers When you ask who is the greatest MLB of all-time is, many people jump straight to Dick Butkus. If you dont believe me, watch the film, as they say, the film doesnt lie! Demarcus Ware has only played five seasons in the NFL, but already hes one of the best of this era. Tippett finished his career with 100 sacks. Dick Butkus: one of the fiercest and best linebackers the NFL has ever seen, Butkus was a Pro Bowler every year except his final season while also garnering five All-Pro selections for the Bears. Those would be accomplishments by themselves, let alone all together. 34, Julian Peterson* (49ers/Seahawks/Lions) (2000-Present) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Brooks wasnt just a pass coverage linebacker, but he also played the run well. Running back Larry Csonka of the Miami Dolphins is brought down by linebacker Henry Davis of . Any coach would be lucky to have a player like Karl Mecklenburg on their roster. He was always around the ball. His swinging the axe celebration sums up his style of play and tenacity on the field. He was also a good pass rusher, and a good coverage man as well. The 70s were a rough decade for the Browns, but the 1980s were getting off to a great start with the franchise returning to the playoffs, despite the tragedy of " Red Right 88 " in 1981. 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. In 1993 as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers middle linebacker, Nickerson piled up an astounding 214 tackles. He tried to get in your head before you even took a step on the field of play. Las Vegas Raiders: 15 best defensive backs of all-time - Just Blog Baby James Farrior* (Jets/Steelers): Two-time Pro Bowler, one-time 1st Team All-Pro, one-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Ware has made four consecutive Pro Bowls and has had three consecutive All-Pro seasons. Steelers by the decade: 1970s - Pittsburgh Steelers He did it once in 1985 and again in 1988. He even made the Pro Bowl in a year that he only started eight games and also a year in which he only started nine games. LaVar Arrington. He knew how to make big plays. Nine All-Pros. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports. 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. 38, Chad Brown (Steelers/Seahawks/Patriots) (1993-2007) *Three-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro. 7. He had over 1,000 tackles, over 70 sacks, and over 30 forced fumbles in his career. 47, Fredd Young (Seahawks/Colts) (1984-1990) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. LSU women's basketball makes it rain in rout of Georgia in SEC Top 50 Minnesota Vikings Players of All-Time - Sports Articles Singletary was a leader, not only vocally, but by example. FCK Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream, Hamilton vs Arbroath Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream, Paderborn vs FC St. Pauli Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live, Andorra vs Las Palmas Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream, AGF vs Horsens Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream Time,, Southend Utd vs Barnet Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream, Kawasaki vs Shonan Bellmare Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live. He did it once in 1985 and again in 1988. Houston Oilers, 1975-1984. He started his career out with the Packers, if they would have used him correctly he would have been higher on this list. Thats right, seven. Robert "Dr. Doom" Brazile is another one of those underrated linebackers. The two-time All-American helped the Cornhuskers win back-to-back national titles in 1970 and '71 . 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+. But, if you didnt know, Jackson was once an outstanding linebacker for the Denver Broncos Orange Crush defense. A true enforcer in every sense of the word, Lewis intensity was unmatched by any player of his era. Lewis was the leader of the 2000 Super Bowl winning Ravens team. Thats an amazing number as well. Derrick Brooks may be the most accomplished linebacker on this list. 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. In 1976, Jackson had seven INTs.

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