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. He did anything the Bears asked of him, especially stuffing the run. He had eight seasons with 10+ sacks. No. He made five straight Pro Bowls, but the reason he doesnt rank higher on this list is because he was never a feared player like his teammate Michael Strahan was, and his stats just arent good enough. Lambert was a Pro Bowler in all but his rookie season and his final pro season, totaling nine selections. 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. Thomas was one of the most instinctive linebackers of all-time. He was always around the ball. could hit like a freight train, but it was his finesse and high football IQ that helped him revolutionize the linebacker position. He also had 1,173 tackles in his career. Steve Kiner (1966-69): Tennessee fans didn't have to wait long after Emanuel left to find the next superstar linebacker. 1970s A 1-13 record in 1969 gave the Steelers the first overall choice in the 1970 draft, with which Noll addressed the offense by selecting quarterback Terry Bradshaw, another Hall of Famer, after the Steelers won the first selection by winning a coin toss with the Chicago Bears. Mills was more of a complete player than Swilling, although the two are too close to separate one from the other. No. He was 73. He had ten seasons with 10+ sacks. 17, Brian Urlacher* (Bears) (2000-Present) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Four-time 1st Team All-Pro. [1][2] The squad consists of first- and second-team offensive, defensive, and special teams units, as well as a first- and second-team head coaches. As also playing DE should tell you, he was very versatile and could play many different positions. For a four-year span with Seattle, Young was arguably the best Seahawks linebacker of all-time. 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. Gambling Problem? He also had at least 99 tackles in seven years of his 12-year career, which is outstanding. Other Links > Football > Player Rankings by Position > Top Ranked Linebackers . In 1993 as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers middle linebacker, Nickerson piled up an astounding 214 tackles. He was blue collar player who was a great leader on defense and could do everything well on a football field. 5.) 4, Derrick Thomas (Chiefs) (1989-1999) *Nine-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 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If Bulluck played on a better team, I believe his stats would be much better and his accomplishments would be a lot more. 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. Nickerson wasnt just a one hit wonder though. Ham is the only linebacker other than Tom Jackson to have seven INTs in a single season. Lambert won four Super Bowls with the Steelers in the 1970s playing in the Steel Curtain. Brooks is most known for his coverage ability in the Bucs cover-two scheme. Porter is mostly known as a sack master. Derrick Thomas was on pace to absolutely shatter NFL records before his tragic death in 2000. 6, Jack Ham (Steelers) (1971-1982) *Eight-time Pro Bowler *Six-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. An important part of the Las Vegas defense, the LB position includes middle or inside linebackers and outside (strong side or weakside) linebackers. He has speed, size, toughness, instincts, vision, patience, and football smarts. I know, how can I rate Kirkland over Greene? Jackson was the vocal leader of the orange crush defense. Derrick Thomas still holds the NFL record for most sacks in a single NFL game with seven, against the Seattle Seahawks in 1990. Next up, we look at a much better-rated unit in the linebackers. Peterson is another versatile linebacker who has played both inside and outside linebacker. The Pittsburgh Steelers are second with all-time players in four decades. 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Are you ready for some football history? Ham is the only linebacker other than Tom Jackson to have seven INTs in a single season. The best LB in the NFL today comes in at No. Blair was outstanding in coverage, along with being a great tackler. Suggs is a pass rushing monster with the Ravens. Mike Singletary is one of three players on this list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. No. 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 . In 1976, Jackson had seven INTs. The NFL is back in L.A. for the first time since 1995, as the Rams return to the Coliseum. He was always around the ball. Ham is the only linebacker other than Tom Jackson to have seven INTs in a single season. 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. Any coach would be lucky to have a player like Karl Mecklenburg on their roster. 43, Keith Brooking* (Falcons/Cowboys) (1998-Present) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 8. Two years later, the Giants sunk to 1-12-1. 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. Linebacker Jack Ham and Tight end Dave Casper each received 20 votes. Derrick Brooks may be the most accomplished linebacker on this list. 3, Mike Singletary (Bears) (1981-1992) *Ten-time Pro Bowler *Seven-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. The leader of the Dome Patrol comes in at No. Ware is not just an outstanding pass rusher though. . and Jack Ham played as . The only thing that could match his signature stare was the stellar play of Samurai Mike on the field. Briggs does a lot of pass coverage with the Bears, and has had 53 passes deflected already in his career. A true enforcer in every sense of the word, Lewis intensity was unmatched by any player of his era. Anything you asked him to do, he would do. Dennis Onkotz 1967 - 1969. No. No. He finished his career with 1,106 tackles and 627 assisted tackles as well. Less of a nod goes to pass rushers, linebackers and safeties. Playoffs: Won Divisional Round 5-0 vs. Detroit Lions. 18, Andre Tippett (Patriots) (1982-1993) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. With rule changes being what they have been, I decided to rank the linebackers that have played since 1970. If you take away his last three seasons, where he was slowing down, he averaged 12.4 sacks per season, which is just remarkable. 2013 MAC Hall of Fame Inductee: Western Michigans John Offerdahl. 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. He had five INTs in a season twice in his career. The second member of the Dome Patrol comes off the board at No. 38, Chad Brown (Steelers/Seahawks/Patriots) (1993-2007) *Three-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro. The exhibit features the Fleet's classic collection set in five themed galleries representing the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. Cornelius Bennett was just a great all-around player. He was also a big hitter and very intimidating on the field of play. 10. Brooking was the face of the Falcons defense for nearly a decade, and is a well-rounded player. Johnson was most known for his days with the Saints. 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. 35, Lance Briggs* (Bears) (2003-Present) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He was close to averaging a sack per game, which is an amazing number. Defensive MVP in 2002. And here are the 25 greatest linebackers in NFL history: 25. He was close to averaging a sack per game, which is an amazing number. His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers. 1953-65, Detroit Lions. He was never the most athletic player on the field, but he was always the hardest working. I personally think football before 1970 and after 1970 can be seen as two completely different games, in terms of its evolution. Regardless, he definitely deserves the respect for what he accomplished on the field. 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. No. He had 885 career solo tackles, which is impressive on a defense filled with swarming the ball, shown by his 1,488 career tackles. Gradishar was the silent assassin of the team. 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. Teamwork and Leadership from Karl Mecklenburg NFL Motivational Keynote Speaker. If you dont believe me, watch the film, as they say, the film doesnt lie! 12. Brooks is most known for his coverage ability in the Bucs cover-two scheme. He produced 32 sacks over the 3 seasons. Wilson recorded 560 tackles and 21.5 sacks as a member of the Broncos. His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers. Super Bowl XX champion. Seau was the definition of consistency. 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. Seau was the definition of consistency. . Collect, curate and comment on your files. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Thats an outstanding number. 7. 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. But Mills did much more than that. Thomas never had less than seven sacks in a season in his entire career, and only had less than eight sacks in one season. 12, Randy Gradishar (Broncos) (1974-1984) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 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. The defense was ranked right up there along with the 1985 Bears, and Steelers teams of the 1970s. Thats right, seven. He was never the most athletic player on the field, but he was always the hardest working. 28a, Pat Swilling (Saints/Lions/Raiders) (1986-1998) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Offerdahl was a blue collar type of player who was an even better person off the field. 1. 13, Greg Lloyd (Steelers/Panthers) (1988-1998) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro. Julian Peterson has had a very well-rounded NFL career to this point, and its still going on. No. He has done it all for the Bears with his pass coverage, run support, and blitzing. Selected by the Baltimore Colts in the 2nd round . In his time in the NFL, he intercepted 25 passes and returned six of them for touchdowns with three of those in 2002 alone. Super Bowl winner. Taylor changed the way football is played today. That suggestion from the newly appointed House . He was also the fastest linebacker of the bunch and excelled in pass coverage. Swilling was the best pass rusher of the Dome Patrol, but he also forced 36 fumbles to go along with all the sacks. Baker recorded 19 . Already in his career, Ware has forced 23 fumbles. Joe Schmidt. He recently missed most of last season with surgery. 1970, slow dancing in Mark Wooldridge's basement with my first girlfriend, Karen Frey, who wore white high-top . LSU ENDS REGULAR SEASON 27-1LSU women's basketball ties program-best season . No. He totaled 28 INTs in his career while he also racked up 1,045 tackles. 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. LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) At New Mexico State, the once-treasured men's basketball program has been suspended for the season due to a fatal shooting and a gruesome allegation of locker-room . Any coach would be lucky to have a player like Karl Mecklenburg on their roster. Ware has made four consecutive Pro Bowls and has had three consecutive All-Pro seasons. Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1969), three-time Pro Bowl (1970-72), two . Discuss this article along with many other quality articles, discussions, and much more at: http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=54444. If you havnt guessed it by now, Lawrence LT Taylor is my top linebacker of the modern era. Thats fine, he played enough linebacker to be considered this high. But in those three years, hes racked up 328 tackles and seven INTs, all while starting every game of his career. Robertson is one of the most underrated players in NFL history. 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. Thomas' remarkable personality was also recognized by being awarded the Walter Peyton Man of the Year Award in 1993. Carson did most of the dirty work in that linebacking core. He was very solid in coverage, good against the run, and had no real weaknesses. Eddie Johnson arrived in Cleveland at exactly the right time. Leslie ONeal was a sack machine in his career. Tippett was a big reason to why so many teams value pass rushing OLBs in todays game. Born April 20 . But it was his style of play that made his career so short. He was also a good pass rusher, and a good coverage man as well. May 24, 2022. No. Sacks and tackles werent recorded until late in his career, but he was a great pass rusher and all round linebacker. He is the only linebacker to ever take the honor. Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1989. Derrick Brooks may be the most accomplished linebacker on this list. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNzd9Xd0who, No. Jackson had 40 forced fumbles, just one short of the NFL record. He was one of the most feared players in the game. Select from premium 1970 1979 America of the highest quality. HELLO, PANDORA. No. Thomas is also third all-time in safeties and fumble returns for touchdowns. No. No. 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. The defense was ranked right up there along with the 1985 Bears, and Steelers teams of the 1970s. Mike Singletary was the leader of the most dominating defense the NFL has ever seenthe 1985 Bears. Robert "Dr. Doom" Brazile is another one of those underrated linebackers. Dennis Onkotz was a two time first team All American on the great Penn State teams of 1968 and 1969. He was unstoppable in goal line situations especially. LT finished his career with 142 sacks, averaging nearly 11 sacks per season. credit : - yahoo. He has been one of the most intimidating players in the NFL his entire career. Zach Thomas is exactly what you want in a player and a linebacker. Fredd Young went a little under the radar due to his short seven year career. No. 31, Tom Jackson (Broncos) (1973-1986) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Jackson was the vocal leader of that defense. He also had at least 99 tackles in seven years of his 12 year career, which is outstanding. Robert Brazile. He also took over Lloyds role in pass coverage as the only linebacker in the Steelers nickel defense. Swilling was the best pass rusher of the Dome Patrol, but he also forced 36 fumbles to go along with all the sacks. Theres not much Brooks doesnt have. Jeremiah The Axeman Trotter has been a very recognizable name over the past decade. But perhaps more than the star players, the decade was dominated by dynasty teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota Vikings, Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders, and . Hes also great against the run and is a turnover forcing monster. Their greats span the decades of the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s. He had an outstanding attitude and would do anything to get his team a win. 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. Brazile might not get the credit because of the team he played for, but he was an outstanding player. Lambert wasnt just great on the inside, he was an outstanding coverage linebacker. He holds the NFL record for the most Pro Bowl selections by a middle linebacker (13). A tall order to say the least, and these 5 players did it better than anyone in the history of the NFL.