Pro Football Reference Blog

Best 15 Offensive Linemen of All Time

Posted by Darin Hayes on March 31, 2023

The offensive playmakers get all the glory in the media, award shows, and even in conversations around the water coolers and barber shops. But the quarterbacks, running backs, and receivers could only do their jobs with the help of their gigantic teammates in the trenches: the offensive linemen. Our objective in this post is to find the greatest linemen of all time, using the statistics of Pro Football Reference and Stathead. We will only look at numbers from the regular season as criteria to keep it fair. Still, we may consider championships and post-season awards to determine the NFL offensive linemen rankings.


The Offensive Linemen with the most snaps in NFL history

Stats are few and far between to judge the big fellows up front. One, though, is longevity and activeness. The old saying by football coaches is that the best ability of an athlete is availability. Let’s face it: linemen on both sides of the ball are experiencing highly combative contact in almost every gameplay. The following players have shown the endurance to return for more over a long period. They are the only four since 2012, the first year that PFRef has snap counts, to have reached the milestone of 10,000 plays on the O-line.

Photo of Ben Jones

Ben Jones

Benjamin Jones

Position: C

6-3308lb (190cm, 139kg)

Born: July 2, 1989 in Birmingham, AL (Age: 33-272d)

College: Georgia  (College Stats)

Weighted Career AV (100-95-…): 58 (1153rd overall since 1960)

High School: Bibb County (AL)

Draft: Houston Texans in the 4th round (99th overall) of the 2012 NFL Draft.

SUMMARY

2022

Career

G

12

172

AV

5

73

GS

12

151

Jones is the longtime center of the Tennessee Titans. Until his eleventh season in 2022, when he suffered an injury, Ben had been a rock in the middle of the Titans’ O-line. The man logged 10,200 NFL snaps so far in his career.

Photo of Jason Kelce

Jason Kelce

Jason D. Kelce

Position: C

6-3295lb (190cm, 133kg)

Team: Philadelphia Eagles

Born: November 5, 1987 in Cleveland Heights, OH (Age: 35-146d)

College: Cincinnati  (College Stats)

Weighted Career AV (100-95-…): 95 (198th overall since 1960)

High School: Cleveland Heights (OH)

Draft: Philadelphia Eagles in the 6th round (191st overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft.

Pronunciation: \KELL-see\

Twitter: @JasonKelce

Relatives: Brother Travis Kelce

SUMMARY

2022

Career

G

17

176

AV

14

119

GS

17

176

There is a reason that this Philadelphia Eagle lineman got a lot of face time along with his mother and brother before Super Bowl LVII. He is a darn good player and has experienced many a hand fight at the line of scrimmage. The 6 foot – 3 inches 295, pound center, has been seen in action in 10,894 career NFL snaps through the 2022 season.

Photo of Duane Brown

Duane Brown

Duane Anthony Brown

Position: LT

6-4315lb (193cm, 142kg)

Team: New York Jets

Born: August 30, 1985 in Richmond, VA (Age: 37-213d)

College: Virginia Tech  (College Stats)

Weighted Career AV (100-95-…): 90 (260th overall since 1960)

High School: Hermitage (VA)

Draft: Houston Texans in the 1st round (26th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft.

Twitter: @DuaneBrown76

SUMMARY

2022

Career

G

12

215

AV

5

127

GS

12

215

Mr. Brown, a left tackle by trade, has been an active and willing participant in keeping defenders at bay. His count of 10,088 plays in his NFL career shows why he has been a pivotal member of the Houston Texans, Seattle Seahawks, and New York Jets blocking experts.

Photo of Kevin Zeitler

Kevin Zeitler

Kevin Zeitler

Position: G

6-4315lb (193cm, 142kg)

Team: Baltimore Ravens

Born: March 8, 1990 in Waukesha, WI (Age: 33-023d)

College: Wisconsin  (College Stats)

Weighted Career AV (100-95-…): 56 (1264th overall since 1960)

High School: Wisconsin Lutheran (WI)

Draft: Cincinnati Bengals in the 1st round (27th overall) of the 2012 NFL Draft.

Pronunciation: \ZITE-ler\

SUMMARY

2022

Career

G

15

167

AV

6

73

GS

15

166

Zeitler is a true iron man of the “Big Uglies,” as he has been on the field for an amazing 11,054 regular season snaps in his illustrious NFL tenure. His career so far has spanned eleven seasons as a guard with the Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, and Baltimore Ravens.


Offensive linemen with the most Pro Bowls

Four men in history have been selected to the Pro Bowl at least a dozen times during their careers. This is a true testament to their consistently high level of play, staying healthy and surviving the rigors of an NFL season year after year. Perhaps this category guides us to the best offensive linemen in NFL history.

Jim Otto

James Edwin Otto  (Double O)

Position: C

6-2255lb (188cm, 115kg)

Born: January 5, 1938 in Wausau, WI (Age: 85-085d)

College: Miami (FL)

Weighted Career AV (100-95-…): 112 (67th overall since 1960)

High School: Wausau (WI)

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1980 (Full List)

SUMMARY

Career

G

210

AV

163

GS

210

Ol’ “00” played center for the Oakland Raiders in the NFL and for much of the AFL existence and is known as one of the best offensive linemen ever. When you add the AFL accolades with the NFL, Jim Otto played in 12 Pro Bowls and was a 10-time All-Pro. It is no wonder that his bust is displayed in Canton.

Randall McDaniel

Randall Cornell McDaniel

Position: G

6-3276lb (190cm, 125kg)

Born: December 19, 1964 in Phoenix, AZ (Age: 58-102d)

College: Arizona St.  (College Stats)

Weighted Career AV (100-95-…): 129 (28th overall since 1960)

High School: Agua Fria (AZ)

Draft: Minnesota Vikings in the 1st round (19th overall) of the 1988 NFL Draft.

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2009 (Full List)

SUMMARY

Career

G

222

AV

175

Rush

2

Yds

1

Y/A

0.5

TD

0

FantPt

6.3

Rec

1

Yds

2

Y/R

2.0

TD

1

FantPt

6.3

McDaniel had a Hall of Fame career at the position of guard with the Minnesota Vikings, as well as a short stint in Tampa Bay. There were twelve seasons where Randall was honored as being a Pro Bowl selection and seven times as an All-Pro.

Bruce Matthews

Bruce Rankin Matthews

Position: G-C-T

6-5305lb (196cm, 138kg)

Born: August 8, 1961 in Raleigh, NC (Age: 61-235d)

College: USC  (College Stats)

Weighted Career AV (100-95-…): 138 (19th overall since 1960)

High School: Arcadia (CA)

Draft: Houston Oilers in the 1st round (9th overall) of the 1983 NFL Draft.

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2007 (Full List)

Relatives: Brother Clay Matthews; Father Clay Matthews; Nephews Casey Matthews, Clay Matthews, Troy Niklas; Sons Jake Matthews, Kevin Matthews, Mike Matthews

SUMMARY

Career

G

296

AV

215

GS

293

Matthews received Pro Bowl honors fourteen times during his NFL tenure and seven All-Pro selections. He played with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans organization for his entire amazing 19-year career.

Will Shields

Will Herthie Shields

Position: G

6-3315lb (190cm, 142kg)

Born: September 15, 1971 in Fort Riley, KS (Age: 51-197d)

College: Nebraska  (College Stats)

Weighted Career AV (100-95-…): 113 (63rd overall since 1960)

High School: Lawton (OK)

Draft: Kansas City Chiefs in the 3rd round (74th overall) of the 1993 NFL Draft.

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2015 (Full List)

SUMMARY

Career

G

224

AV

157

GS

223

This big man wore a Kansas City Chiefs jersey bearing the number 68 for fourteen seasons. Shields donned the Pro Bowl jersey 12 of those years and became a two-time All-Pro.


Linemen with the most First-Team All-Pro selections

There are All-Pro selections, and then there are this distinguished group’s elite First-Team members. We have already mentioned a few of them in other categories above, but here are a handful of others with many First-Team ballots submitted with their names on them.

John Hannah

John Allen Hannah

Position: G

6-2265lb (188cm, 120kg)

Born: April 4, 1951 in Canton, GA (Age: 71-361d)

College: Alabama  (College Stats)

Weighted Career AV (100-95-…): 112 (67th overall since 1960)

High School: Albertville (AL)

Draft: New England Patriots in the 1st round (4th overall) of the 1973 NFL Draft.

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1991 (Full List)

Twitter: @hoghannah

Relatives: Brother Charley Hannah; Father Herb Hannah

SUMMARY

Career

G

183

AV

149

GS

183

Hannah was an old-school road grader at the top of his game. John played for thirteen years on the New England Patriots, meeting every challenge with the vigor of a gladiator. He was rewarded for his fine play by receiving seven First-Team All-Pro awards.

Anthony Munoz

Michael Anthony Munoz

Position: T

6-6278lb (198cm, 126kg)

Born: August 19, 1958 in Ontario, CA (Age: 64-224d)

College: USC

Weighted Career AV (100-95-…): 138 (19th overall since 1960)

High School: Chaffey (CA)

Draft: Cincinnati Bengals in the 1st round (3rd overall) of the 1980 NFL Draft.

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1998 (Full List)

SUMMARY

Career

G

185

AV

181

Rec

7

Yds

18

Y/R

2.6

TD

4

FantPt

26.4

Munoz came out as a tackle drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals and produced a stellar thirteen-year career. This Hall of Fame player accumulated nine First-Team varieties of the NFL All-Pro selections. Number 78 was everything good in an offensive tackle that a coach could want.

Jim Parker

James Thomas Parker

Position: T-G

6-3273lb (190cm, 123kg)

Born: April 3, 1934 in Macon, GA

Died: July 18, 2005 (Aged 71-106d) in Columbia, MD

College: Ohio St.  (College Stats)

Weighted Career AV (100-95-…): 77 (488th overall since 1960)

High School: Ballard Hudson (GA), Scott (OH)

Draft: Baltimore Colts in the 1st round (8th overall) of the 1957 NFL Draft.

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1973 (Full List)

SUMMARY

Career

G

135

AV

89

GS

133

The Baltimore Colts had a versatile stud of a lineman in Parker. Jim played both the guard and tackle positions for the “Blue Horseshoe” during the late 1950s and 1960s. The powers that be chose Jim Parker eight times to be on their NFL First-Team All-Pro team, and he eventually found himself enshrined in a certain museum in Canton, Ohio.

Ron Mix

Ronald Jack Mix

Position: T-G

6-4250lb (193cm, 113kg)

Born: March 10, 1938 in Los Angeles, CA (Age: 85-021d)

College: USC  (College Stats)

Weighted Career AV (100-95-…): 87 (306th overall since 1960)

High School: Hawthorne (CA)

Draft: Baltimore Colts in the 1st round (10th overall) of the 1960 NFL Draft.

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1979 (Full List)

SUMMARY

Career

G

142

AV

108

GS

130

A list of the best offensive linemen of all time would only be complete if Ron Mix weren’t mentioned. This man made a living and earned a gold jacket by playing tackle and guard in an eleven-year career playing for both the Chargers and the Raiders organizations in the AFL and NFL. Mix’s name shows up as a First-Team All-Pro nine times. Yes, this guy was good.


The Wild Card Selections

Here are two more deserving candidates that may not jump off the stat sheets, or lead in awards, but were instrumental in making their offense hum. Their names so show up the AV leaderboards of Stathead and in the memories of those who saw them play.

Mike Webster

Michael Lewis Webster  (Iron Mike)

Position: C-G

6-1255lb (185cm, 115kg)

Born: March 18, 1952 in Tomahawk, WI

Died: September 24, 2002 (Aged 50-190d) in Pittsburgh, PA

College: Wisconsin

Weighted Career AV (100-95-…): 114 (60th overall since 1960)

High School: Rhinelander (WI)

Draft: Pittsburgh Steelers in the 5th round (125th overall) of the 1974 NFL Draft.

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1997 (Full List)

SUMMARY

Career

G

245

AV

161

GS

217

The Hall of Fame center helped the Pittsburgh Steelers win four Super Bowl Titles by anchoring a solid line. Webbie was selected nine times to the Pro Bowl, was a five-time All-Pro, and even made the “All 1980s Decade” team.

Gene Upshaw

Eugene Thurman Upshaw Jr.

Position: G

6-5255lb (196cm, 115kg)

Born: August 15, 1945 in Robstown, TX

Died: August 20, 2008 (Aged 63-005d) in Truckee, CA

College: Texas A&M-Kingsville

Weighted Career AV (100-95-…): 108 (85th overall since 1960)

High School: Robstown (TX)

Draft: Oakland Raiders in the 1st round (17th overall) of the 1967 NFL Draft.

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1987 (Full List)

Relatives: Brother Marvin Upshaw

SUMMARY

Career

G

217

AV

149

GS

207

Upshaw was a pivotal member of the great Raiders teams of the 1970s. Number 63 in silver and black, was voted a seven-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro, and played on two Super Bowl Championship teams.

Many names could have been on this list as well. Honorable mentions are Willie Roaf, who is in the Hall of Fame with 11 Pro Bowls to his credit. Jeff Saturday, Kevin Muwae, and so many more worthy candidates. The list can go on and on.


Who is the best offensive lineman in the NFL?

This is a matter of personal choice because so many can claim this prize. Current players such as Jason Kelce and Ben Jones could be looked at. If you want to go into recent history, then Kevin Zeitler or Duan Brown may be options. It is the old-school guys where the most variety comes in when you consider Munoz, Hannah, Webster, Upshaw, and the gang. Look in the Pro-Football-Reference massive database and use these breadcrumbs we left you to decide.


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