best linebackers of the 1970s

He could play zone and man. When you see a list of greatest linebackers, Isiah Robertson very rarely even gets brought into the discussion. His swinging the axe celebration sums up his style of play and tenacity on the field. Still, its an amazing number. No. Atlante vs Raya2 Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream Time, Date, Team News, lineup news, Odds, Stats, Betting Tips Trends, Where To Watch Live Score Mexican Liga de Expansin MX 2023 Telecast Today Match Details March 3, Club Tijuana vs Atlas Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream, Wydad AC vs Vita Club Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream, U Cluj vs Farul Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream Time,, Top 10 Best Football Agents In The World | 2023 Updates, Top 10 Most Successful Retired Soccer Players 2023, FC Magdeburg vs 1. Top 10 Draft Picks in Broncos History | No. The entire enterprise of Notre Dame basketball, gone strange. When you think of Singletary, the first thing that comes to mind is intense focus. He started his career out with the Packers, if they would have used him correctly he would have been higher on this list. Over his career, he totaled 1,271 tackles, 12 INTs, and 19 forced fumbles. Over the past 50 years, the Steelers have tallied 36 winning seasons . Brown was a very versatile linebacker. Leslie ONeal was a sack machine in his career. 12 sacks and three picks. Zach Thomas. Urlacher was an all-around great linebacker who flew around the field with reckless abandon. 46, Jon Beason* (Panthers) (2007-Present) *One-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Trotter was a complete, all-around linebacker. 33, Al Wilson (Broncos) (1999-2006) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 24, Leslie ONeal (Chargers/Rams/Chiefs) (1986-1999) *Six-time Pro Bowler *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Matt Blair was a very intimidating linebacker, and helped the Vikings get to two Super Bowls in his career. Bryan Cox was an all-around package at linebacker. Chris Spielman was a tackle machine during his 10 years in the NFL. This season marked the end for Tittle and fellow Canton-bound star Frank Gifford. That truly shows what kind of person he was off the field. *Ty Anderson, Thomasville: Anderson (6-0, 210) has been an all-state player since he was a sophomore Region 1-2A defensive co . Jackson was the vocal leader of the orange crush defense. 5.) Collect, curate and comment on your files. Wilber Marshall was one of the greatest pass coverage linebackers of the modern era. The defense was ranked right up there along with the 1985 Bears, and Steelers teams of the 1970s. Kolen was drafted by the Dolphins in the 12 th round . Over his career, he totaled 1,271 tackles, 12 INTs, and 19 forced fumbles. Chad Brown played a very long NFL career, especially for a linebacker. Born April 20 . Gary Reasons (1984-91) Gary Reasons, a fourth-round draft pick from Northwestern State, was a key . He was just a great all-around player who could do it all. He finished his career with 1,106 tackles and 627 assisted tackles as well. No. I personally think football before 1970 and after 1970 can be seen as two completely different games, in terms of its evolution. He had 1,301 tackles and 25 forced fumbles in his career. Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter has returned to the NFL . Brooks is most known for his coverage ability in the Bucs cover-two scheme. He also finished his career with 17 INTs. 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. Wilber Marshall was one of the greatest pass coverage linebackers of the modern era. Mike Singletary had the whole package. Mike Kolen 1970-77. There was a story of someone meeting Thomas at the Pro Bowl for no longer than 10 minutes. Dennis Onkotz was a two time first team All American on the great Penn State teams of 1968 and 1969. Spielman had seven straight 100 tackle seasons, and did it eight out of nine years. Anthony Simmons (1995-'97) is the only two-time First-Team All-American in Clemson . Wright has been one of the most reliable linebackers in the NFL since entering the league as a fourth-round pick out of Mississippi State . Greene and Greg Lloyd made one of the best pass rushing duos in NFL history with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Both . Young was a fierce hitter, and would always stick his nose in the middle of the play. 18, Andre Tippett (Patriots) (1982-1993) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 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. Thomas is also third all-time in safeties and fumble returns for touchdowns. He had over 1,000 tackles, over 70 sacks, and over 30 forced fumbles in his career. credit : - yahoo. Im only going to be looking at players drafted in 1970 or later. His high sack number was 15 in 2001, a year that he didnt even get voted into the Pro Bowl. He was one of a kind and will always be remembered as one of the best linebackers of all time. Briggs should only continue to move up this list, as he takes over as the star linebacker spot in Chicago. 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. 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. The NFL is back in L.A. for the first time since 1995, as the Rams return to the Coliseum. No. Quinto was a regular at both inside and outside linebacker for head coach Ron Gladnick's Saints. He was the notorious leader of one of the greatest defenses to ever make its way onto a football field Pittsburghs famed Steel Curtain.. The Steelers began their 1976 season 1-4 and lost their quarterback, Terry Bradshaw.For the nine games remaining in the season, the Steelers . 21. No. Opponents thought Kirkland would not be as adept in pass coverage as the fast Lloyd, but they quickly found out that Kirkland was just as fast and quick. Super Bowl XX champion. Two years later, the Giants sunk to 1-12-1. An important part of the Las Vegas defense, the LB position includes middle or inside linebackers and outside (strong side or weakside) linebackers. He was always around the ball. The second member of the Dome Patrol comes off the board at No. The 'Skins historically have had some solid inside linebackers capable of both stopping the run and being reliable in coverage. He may have actually been crazy. He was 73. Lawrence Taylor: one of the greatest defensive players ever, Taylor was a pass-rushing force who revolutionized the outside linebacker position . We adapted Google's Privacy Guidelines to keep your data safe at all times. The Top Ranked Linebackers of the 1960s Hes been amazing. Hes had 92 sacks and 23 forced fumbles so far in his career. Find 1970 1979 America stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Ray Lewis is another one of the three players on the list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. No. Discuss this article along with many other quality articles, discussions, and much more at: http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=54444. 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. Mills, along with Swilling, was another member of that Dome Patrol defense. Beason may be the most controversial player on this list. 2011 Butkus Award winner for nation s best linebacker at Boston College. He also played a big role in one of the most dominant performances by a defense in Super Bowl history. 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. Greene was one of the best pass rushers of all time, recording 160 sacks in his career. 26, Cornelius Bennett (Bills/Falcons/Colts) (1987-2000) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. Lofa Tatupu didnt take any time breaking into the NFL, making the Pro Bowl in his first three seasons. Pittsburgh 2002, '04-12, '14-17; Cincinnati 2013; New England 2017. Offensive Coordinator: Jim Myers. Randy Gradishar played along with Tom Jackson in the Denver Broncos Orange Crush defense. This site is using Cloudflare and adheres to the Google Safe Browsing Program. He was the type of player that you would want your kids to look up to. Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1989. 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. The best LB in the NFL today comes in at No. Top 9 Most Underrated Running Backs in NFL History, QB Derek Carr to visit Jets on Saturday after leaving Raiders, Top 9 Worst Draft Picks in Bengals History, Super Bowl XIX: Montana and Walsh establish dominance, The 5 Greatest Quarterbacks Who Never Won a Championship, Top 11 Single Game Performances in NCAA Football History, Top 10 College football's greatest true freshman seasons of all time, Top 10 Two Year Runs in College Football History, where do the Georgia Bulldogs rank, NCAA FB Championship TCU vs Georgia: Odds, Tips and Predictions 01/09/23, Georgia vs. TCU National Championship: Preview & Prediction, Michigan Coach Jim Harbaugh facing possible suspension from the NCAA, The night Cassius Clay shook up the world, Boxing Paul vs Fury: Odds, Tips and Predictions 02/26/23, Matias vs. Ponce: Cant Miss Scrap Brings Heat To Chilly Minneapolis. Lambert wasnt just great on the inside, he was an outstanding coverage linebacker. Wagers only accepted in CO. For full terms and conditions, click here. 48, Terrell Suggs* (Ravens) (2003-Present) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Ham had outstanding . The Steel Curtain was the defensive line of the 1970s American football team Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). Butkus nasty disposition and ability to blow up anyone standing in his path, made him one of the most feared players in the history of the game. . And he's still going. Zachary Petrizzo. Since Donnie Shell finally cracked the Hall of Fame, I would say the . Spielman was a great leader and intense player who always gave everything he had. ONeal should get more recognition as one of the best pass rushers to play the game. He was also a good pass rusher, and a good coverage man as well. 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 was close to averaging a sack per game, which is an amazing number. Lamberts best season was in 1976, where he won the Defensive Player of the Year award. Brooks was the leader of that defense, but his surrounding cast was just too good to rank him higher. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. McAdams was a two-time All-American . Hes on pace to not only break, but shatter the NFL record of 41. Lewis, playing alongside Bryan Cox, led a very good Jets team to the closest theyve been to a Super Bowl since they won Super Bowl III. If you dont believe me, watch the film, as they say, the film doesnt lie! 9. He would always be found around the ball, and around the play. Porter will try to continue his success in Arizona and continue to climb up this list. He is the only linebacker to ever take the honor. 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. His 1989 rookie season was one of the best the NFL has ever seen. The Pittsburgh Steelers are second with all-time players in four decades. Punter Ray Guy was the leading vote-getter for the 1970s All-Decade Team, receiving 24 of a possible 25 votes. He may have been undersized, but he made up for it with his mind and his hustle. Mills racked up 1,142 tackles in his career. Other Links > Football > Player Rankings by Position > Top Ranked Linebackers . Patrick Willis is everything you look for in a linebacker. . Lewis wasnt as vocal as Cox, but his play was a little better, and lasted for a longer period of time. Depending on the day, you might view Ham as the best player on the Steel Curtain defense or the 4th best, and it's . With rule changes being what they have been, I decided to rank the linebackers that have played since 1970. Lawrence Taylor of course, is regarded as the best 3-4 linebacker ever, . 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. 20, Keith Bulluck* (Titans) (2000-Present) *One-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. No. 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 . Lewis stats at this point of his career are 1,349 tackles, 36.5 sacks, and 28 INTs. Chuck Drazenovich. I think thats largely due to the NFL not keeping sacks and tackles numbers during his career. 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 running back Franco Harris. 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. 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. Eleven Pro Bowls. 2-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1985, '88) Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1989. He became a starter at inside linebacker for the Steelers in his second season, 1993, replacing Pro Bowler David Little. He was a dominating force in the NFL during that stretch of time. Tippett finished his career with 100 sacks. 7. Over his career, Brooking has racked up 962 tackles and 12 INTs. Taylor changed the way football is played today. He always tried to better himself and did it effectively. Jackson had 40 forced fumbles, just one short of the NFL record. Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1969), three-time Pro Bowl (1970-72), two . NFLs Merchants of Menace Andre Tippett. 19, Harry Carson (Giants) (1976-1988) *Nine-time Pro Bowler *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. No. The defense was ranked right up there along with the 1985 Bears, and Steelers teams of the 1970s. Robert Brazile. Johnson was most known for his days with the Saints. O. J. Simpson and Lynn Swann were next with 22 and 21 votes, respectively. 9-time All-Pro, 10-time Pro Bowler. He was unstoppable in goal-line situations especially. Anything you asked him to do, he would do. 100th NFL Anniversary team. Mecklenburg was never a cocky player, but just a guy who would show up on Sundays. Mar 3, 2023 Updated 4 min ago. He was one of the most feared players in the game. No. May 24, 2022. Use Isiah Robertsons name in a talk of most underrated players of all time, and youll impress your fellow football fans. Ray Lewis is another one of the three players on the list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. Andre Tippett. Simpson in 1973 or Terry Bradshaw's two Super Bowl MVP performances. As also playing DE should tell you, he was very versatile and could play many different positions. The player that gives Butkus the most competition in that category would be Mike Singletary. Robertson is one of the most underrated players in NFL history. Kirkland was an all-around better linebacker, he was a 300lb linebacker whose coverage skills were vastly underrated. He could do it all. Floyd Reese, the general manager who assembled the roster for the Tennessee Titans' lone Super Bowl appearance, died Saturday. He is most known for the neck plate he wore behind his head, but dont let that distract you from his great play on the field. But, theres no doubt that hes been one of the top linebackers in the NFL, and still is today. Jackson tallied up 128 sacks in his career, but even thats not his most impressive number. Top 10 Boxers of the 1990s: Was Roy Jones Jr. the best? Linebacker Jack Ham and Tight end Dave Casper each received 20 votes. Running back Larry Csonka of the Miami Dolphins is brought down by linebacker Henry Davis of . Blair was also one of the greatest special teams players of all-time! He had over 1,000 tackles, over 70 sacks, and over 30 forced fumbles in his career. With time to spare in the NFL offseason, Ill take a look at the top 50 linebackers in the NFL in the modern era. Greene led the way in the pass rushing department. 16, Robert Brazile (Oilers) (1975-1984) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Four-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Next were Defensive end Jack Youngblood and Joe Greene who each had 18 votes. Overlooked because he played alongside Lawrence Taylor, Carson did most of the dirty work in that linebacking core. Lost Super Bowl 13-16 vs. Baltimore Colts. And here are the 25 greatest linebackers in NFL history: 25. Joey Porter may be the most vocal linebacker on this list. 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. Comic-Con Museum named best pop culture museum by USA Today. . He totaled 28 INTs in his career while he also racked up 1,045 tackles. [3] Theres not much Brooks doesnt have. 3 hours ago. Baker recorded 19 . 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. Playoffs: Won Divisional Round 5-0 vs. Detroit Lions. Mo Lewis was another very consistent and solid player. But he proved them wrong and was a key piece on the Broncos Super Bowl winning team. Although still early in his career, Demarcus Ware deserves to be this high on the list. . Ranking Explanation . All while being tasked with avoiding blocks and keeping tabs on the opposing quarterback. Jack Ham might be the best coverage linebacker of all-time. Banks was a player that any coach would want on their team. Peter Boulware was the pass rusher alongside Ray Lewis. 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. Thomas did everything you asked out of a linebacker. 12, Randy Gradishar (Broncos) (1974-1984) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Those are remarkable numbers, especially when he is still going strong. Zach Thomas is exactly what you want in a player and a linebacker. Earl Campbell called Williams the toughest linebacker he ever played against. 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. 2022 - SportsUnfold. Junior Seau finished his career with 1,524 tackles, the highest total on this list. Taylor is one of only two defensive players (DT Alan Page, 1971) in the history of the NFL to be named NFL MVP. The middle linebacker also recorded 52 tackles for loss, which is fourth all-time in Clemson history. Hardy Nickerson makes it this high on the list mainly because of one ridiculous season he had. His sacks are the main reason hes this high, but he was also a great all-around player. St. LT was the most intimidating player ever to put on an NFL uniform. How NFL Players Have Evolved. He also had 1,173 tackles in his career. He should be in the Hall of Fame. No. Gradishar was the silent assassin of the team. Call 1-800-522-4700. Please click on "Comments" and make sure to vote in the poll. Punter Ray Guy was the leading vote-getter for the 1970s All-Decade Team, receiving 24 of a possible 25 votes. 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. Jack Ham, Linebacker. Nine All-Pros. NFLs Merchants of Menace Cornelius Bennett and Bruce Smith. He could do it all. He tried to get in your head before you even took a step on the field of play. So while there were outstanding linebackers in previous years, like Dick Butkus and Ray Nitschke, they will not be on this list. Eleven Pro Bowls. 2, Ray Lewis* (Ravens) (1996-Present) *Eleven-time Pro Bowler *Seven-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Briggs does a lot of pass coverage with the Bears, and has had 53 passes deflected already in his career. His best days were with the Bears and Redskins, but he had an impact everywhere he went. Randy Gradishar Joins The Speer Wealth Team. Jackson tallied up 128 sacks in his career, but even thats not his most impressive number. Cox was also a vocal leader of the teams he played for, directing his defenses to success. The thing about Derrick Thomas that is the most remarkable was how nice of a person he was off the field. Even now, you can tell what kind of person he is by his charity work with the REACH Foundation that he started. Tippett was a big reason to why so many teams value pass rushing OLBs in todays game. Jessie Armstead was one of the most consistent linebackers on this list. He was a very solid 3-4 ILB playing on one of the best LB Cores of all-time, the Dome Patrol. He led some of the greatest defenses in NFL history in both performance and spirit. Behind the Purple People Eaters of the 70s was one of the best safeties the league has ever seen. 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. Al Wilson was an outstanding MLB for the Broncos. In 1993 as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers middle linebacker, Nickerson piled up an astounding 214 tackles. Visit Our Patreon Page to Create Your Own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See Other Bonus Material . 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. Top 30 Linebackers in the NFL since 1970! 1, Lawrence Taylor (Giants) (1981-1993) *Ten-time Pro Bowler *Eight-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Thomas' remarkable personality was also recognized by being awarded the Walter Peyton Man of the Year Award in 1993. Cornelius Bennett was just a great all-around player. Mills was more of the tackler of the bunch, racking up 1,142 tackles in his career. Bet with your head, not over it. He wasnt very vocal, but his play did all the talking for him. Robertson was one of the NFLs most athletic linebackers. The two-time All-American helped the Cornhuskers win back-to-back national titles in 1970 and '71 . 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. That Steelers linebacking core could easily be the best of all-time, and it was led by Jack Lambert and Jack Ham. No. Thomas did everything you asked out of a linebacker. Regardless, he definitely deserves the respect for what he accomplished on the field. He was the only good player (other than Albert Haynesworth, but even he was only good for 2-3 years) on a generally bad defense and team. The 1970s had many great moments by individual players such as the NFL's first 2,000-yard season by O.J. He was a dominating force in the NFL during that stretch of 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. He was Lawrence Taylor before Taylor was. Suggs is a pass rushing monster with the Ravens. Gildon was most known for his pass rushing ability, picking up 54 sacks in a 5 year span. Still, he was a very solid MLB for many years. He did it once in 1985 and again in 1988. Jackson was not just a coverage linebacker, he was also a good pass rusher and a very hard worker off the field. Republican Rep. James Comer suggested during a right-wing podcast earlier this week that President Joe Biden's deceased son Beau Biden should have been investigated in connection with a long-settled case on "campaign donations" from a backer who was eventually indicted. This team was widely regarded as having one of the best defenses of all time.

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