{"id":71,"date":"2023-03-23T11:53:58","date_gmt":"2023-03-23T15:53:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/pfr-blog\/?p=71"},"modified":"2026-01-08T14:22:54","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T18:22:54","slug":"top-nfl-players-of-all-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/pfr-blog\/2023\/03\/top-nfl-players-of-all-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Top NFL Players of All Time"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>(last updated on January 8, 2026)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Attempting to select the greatest NFL player of all time is like trying to identify the greatest cheeseburger of all time. There are so many contenders and so many different characteristics that it\u2019s impossible to pick an absolute winner. Plus, each era owns its own legacy. Ask a fan who watched the NFL in the 1950s, and they might give a completely different opinion of what makes a great football player than someone who started watching football in the 2020s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One can, however, possibly create a list of perhaps the greatest of the greats. That is what we\u2019re crazy enough to tackle here at Pro Football Reference.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/nfl-100-all-time-team.htm\">The NFL released its top 100 NFL players of all time for its 100<sup>th<\/sup> anniversary by position<\/a>. I will use a similar template, listing some of the best NFL players of all time by position. There is no way to be completely comprehensive here, but I do believe this is a solid list to enjoy and discuss.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>QUARTERBACKS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What better position to start discussing the best NFL players than with quarterbacks? They have been the focal point of the team since the early days of football.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"info\" class=\"players open\">\n\t<div id=\"meta\">\n\t\n\n<div class=\"media-item\"><img decoding=\"async\" itemscope=\"image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/req\/20230307\/images\/headshots\/BradTo00_2022.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of Tom Brady\">\n<\/div><!-- div.media-item --><div>\n\t<h2>\n\t\t<span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/B\/BradTo00.htm\">Tom Brady<\/a><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\n\n  \n  \n\n\n\n  \n<p>\n  <strong>\n    Thomas Edward Patrick Brady\n    &nbsp;(<span>TB12,  Tom Terrific,  Touchdown Tom,  GOAT,  The Pharaoh,  Comeback Kid or  Sir<\/span>)\n  <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\t<strong>Position<\/strong>: QB\n\t\t\t<strong>Throws:<\/strong>\n\t\tRight\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n<p><span>6-4<\/span>,&nbsp;<span>225lb<\/span>&nbsp;(193cm,&nbsp;102kg) <\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n  <strong>Born:<\/strong> \n    <span\" id=\"necro-birth\" data-birth=\"1977-08-03\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthdays.cgi?month=8&amp;day=3\">August 3<\/a>,&nbsp;1977\n    \n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;San Mateo,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthplaces.cgi?country=USA&amp;state=CA\">CA<\/a><\/span>\n  \n<\/span\"> <span><nobr>(Age:&nbsp;47-172d)<\/nobr><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>College<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/michigan\/\">Michigan<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t&nbsp;(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/tom-brady-1.html\">College Stats<\/a>)\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/about\/approximate_value.htm\">Weighted Career AV (100-95-&#8230;)<\/a>:<\/strong> 184 (1st overall since 1960)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>High School<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?id=93b8d6c3\">Junipero Serra<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?hs_state=CA\">CA<\/a>)\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Draft<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/nwe\/2000_draft.htm\">New England Patriots<\/a> in the 6th round (199th overall) of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/years\/2000\/draft.htm\">2000 NFL Draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n  \n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n  <p><strong>Instagram:<\/strong>\n    <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/tombrady\">tombrady<\/a><\/p>\n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><!-- div#meta -->\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n<ul id=\"bling\">\n\n<li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/probowl\/\">15x Pro Bowl<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">3x All-Pro<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/super-bowl\/\">7x SB Champ<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>3x AP MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>2007 NEA MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>3x PFWA MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">5x SB MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">HOF All-2000s Team<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">HOF All-2010s Team<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">2009 AP Comeback Player<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">2x AP Off. PoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">2007 Bert Bell Award<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">2009 PFWA Comeback Player<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">2x PFWA Off. PoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">2x SN Off. PoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">2007 SN PoY<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\n\t<div class=\"uni_holder pfr\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=nwe&amp;number=12\" class=\"poptip\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#ff0000\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ff0000\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#000080\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#000080\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">12<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=tam&amp;number=12\" class=\"poptip default\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#696969\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#696969\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#8b0000\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#8b0000\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">12<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<div class=\"counter opener\" data-class=\"open\" data-id=\"info\" data-control-id=\"meta_more_button\" data-type=\"hide_after\" data-has-listener=\"true\">+1<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"stats_pullout\">\n<div><div>\n<span><strong>SUMMARY<\/strong><\/span>\n\n<p><strong>Career<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>G<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>335<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>AV<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>326<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>QBrec<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>251-82-0<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Cmp%<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>64.3<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Yds<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>89214<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Y\/A<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>7.4<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>TD<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>649<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Int<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>212<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>FantPt<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>5943.4<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I am going to start with Tom Brady simply because everybody reading this knows about Tom Brady and is aware of his Super Bowl rings. He is the easiest person to kick off this list. In terms of championships over a career, Brady ranks among the best of the best in terms of the number of championships for any player at any given position. While some criticized him as being a product of coach Bill Belichick and his system, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/boxscores\/202102070tam.htm\">he did win a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay<\/a>. Tom Brady is the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/leaders\/pass_yds_career.htm\">NFL\u2019s all-time leader in passing yards<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/leaders\/pass_td_career.htm\">touchdown passes<\/a>, and Super Bowl victories. That might not necessarily make him the greatest player in NFL history, but it makes it mandatory to drop his name in the discussion. Furthermore, Brady stands far above any other player in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/leaders\/av_career.htm\">PFR\u2019s career AV ratings<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"info\" class=\"players open\">\n\t<div id=\"meta\">\n\t\n\n<div class=\"nothumb\">\n\t<h2>\n\t\t<span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/G\/GrahOt00.htm\">Otto Graham<\/a><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\n\n\n\n  \n<p>\n  <strong>\n    Otto Everett Graham Jr.\n    \n  <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\t<strong>Position<\/strong>: QB-DB\n\t\t\t<strong>Throws:<\/strong>\n\t\tRight\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n<p><span>6-1<\/span>,&nbsp;<span>196lb<\/span>&nbsp;(185cm,&nbsp;88kg) <\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n  <strong>Born:<\/strong> \n    <span\" id=\"necro-birth\" data-birth=\"1921-12-06\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthdays.cgi?month=12&amp;day=6\">December 6<\/a>,&nbsp;1921\n    \n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;Waukegan,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthplaces.cgi?country=USA&amp;state=IL\">IL<\/a><\/span>\n  \n<\/span\"><\/p>\n\n\n<p><strong>Died:<\/strong>\n    <span id=\"necro-death\" data-death=\"2003-12-17\" \"=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/deathdays.cgi?month=12&amp;day=17\">December&nbsp;17<\/a>,&nbsp;2003 <nobr>(Aged&nbsp;82-011d)<\/nobr><\/span>\n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;Sarasota,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/deathplaces.cgi?state=FL\">FL<\/a><\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p><strong>College<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/northwestern\/\">Northwestern<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t&nbsp;(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/otto-graham-1.html\">College Stats<\/a>)\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p><strong>High School<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?id=93bc6cb2\">Waukegan<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?hs_state=IL\">IL<\/a>)\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Draft<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/det\/1944_draft.htm\">Detroit Lions<\/a> in the 1st round (4th overall) of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/years\/1944\/draft.htm\">1944 NFL Draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Hall of Fame<\/strong>: Inducted as \n\t\tPlayer in 1965\n(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Full&nbsp;List<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>As Coach<\/strong>: 3&nbsp;Yrs\n\t\n\t(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/coaches\/GrahOt0.htm\">Full&nbsp;Record<\/a>)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>As Exec<\/strong>: 3&nbsp;Yrs\n\t(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/executives\/GrahOt0.htm\">Full&nbsp;Record<\/a>)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n  \n\n<p><\/p>\n\n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><!-- div#meta -->\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n<ul id=\"bling\">\n\n<li class=\"important special\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Hall of Fame<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/probowl\/\">5x Pro Bowl<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">7x All-Pro<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>3x NFL Champ<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>4x AAFC Champ<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>3x UPI MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">HOF All-1950s Team<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1955 SN PoY<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\n\t<div class=\"uni_holder pfr\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=cle&amp;number=60\" class=\"poptip\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#000000\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#ffffff\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ffffff\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#000000\">60<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=cle&amp;number=60\" class=\"poptip\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#ff4500\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ff4500\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#8b4513\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#8b4513\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">60<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=cle&amp;number=14\" class=\"poptip default\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#ff4500\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ff4500\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#8b4513\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#8b4513\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">14<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<div class=\"counter opener\" data-class=\"open\" data-id=\"info\" data-control-id=\"meta_more_button\" data-type=\"hide_after\" data-has-listener=\"true\">+2<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"stats_pullout\">\n<div><div>\n<span><strong>SUMMARY<\/strong><\/span>\n\n<p><strong>Career<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>G<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>126<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>AV<\/strong><\/span>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>QBrec<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>57-13-1<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Cmp%<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>55.8<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Yds<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>23584<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Y\/A<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>9.0<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>TD<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>174<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Int<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>135<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>FantPt<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>1692.5<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If championships are criteria for greatness, then Otto Graham also has to be included on the list of best players in pro football history. While you\u2019re likely familiar with Tom Brady\u2019s high number of Super Bowl appearances, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/cle\/\">you might not know that Graham led the Cleveland Browns to 10 consecutive league championship games in the era before the Super Bowl<\/a>. That\u2019s right, Graham quarterbacked the Browns to the modern-day equivalent of 10 straight Super Bowl appearances, from 1946-1955. Like Brady, Graham won three MVP awards. Otto Graham set numerous records over his sparkling career and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/leaders\/pass_yds_per_att_career.htm\">still holds the career record for yards per attempt, with 9.0 yards<\/a>. Early in his career, he also returned punts and played defensive back. He even returned an interception back for a touchdown in 1946!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"info\" class=\"players open\">\n\t<div id=\"meta\">\n\t\n\n<div class=\"nothumb\">\n\t<h2>\n\t\t<span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/U\/UnitJo00.htm\">Johnny Unitas<\/a><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\n\n  \n  \n\n\n\n  \n<p>\n  <strong>\n    John Constantine Unitas\n    &nbsp;(<span>Johnny U<\/span>)\n  <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\t<strong>Position<\/strong>: QB\n\t\t\t<strong>Throws:<\/strong>\n\t\tRight\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n<p><span>6-1<\/span>,&nbsp;<span>194lb<\/span>&nbsp;(185cm,&nbsp;87kg) <\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n  <strong>Born:<\/strong> \n    <span\" id=\"necro-birth\" data-birth=\"1933-05-07\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthdays.cgi?month=5&amp;day=7\">May 7<\/a>,&nbsp;1933\n    \n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;Pittsburgh,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthplaces.cgi?country=USA&amp;state=PA\">PA<\/a><\/span>\n  \n<\/span\"><\/p>\n\n\n<p><strong>Died:<\/strong>\n    <span id=\"necro-death\" data-death=\"2002-09-11\" \"=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/deathdays.cgi?month=9&amp;day=11\">September&nbsp;11<\/a>,&nbsp;2002 <nobr>(Aged&nbsp;69-127d)<\/nobr><\/span>\n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;Towson,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/deathplaces.cgi?state=MD\">MD<\/a><\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p><strong>College<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/louisville\/\">Louisville<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/about\/approximate_value.htm\">Weighted Career AV (100-95-&#8230;)<\/a>:<\/strong> 113 (63rd overall since 1960)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>High School<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?id=93be6a1e\">St. Justin&#8217;s<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?hs_state=PA\">PA<\/a>)\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Draft<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/pit\/1955_draft.htm\">Pittsburgh Steelers<\/a> in the 9th round (102nd overall) of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/years\/1955\/draft.htm\">1955 NFL Draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Hall of Fame<\/strong>: Inducted as \n\t\tPlayer in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/1979-ballot.htm\">1979<\/a>\n(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Full&nbsp;List<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n  \n\n<p><\/p>\n\n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><!-- div#meta -->\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n<ul id=\"bling\">\n\n<li class=\"important special\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Hall of Fame<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/probowl\/\">10x Pro Bowl<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">5x All-Pro<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/super-bowl\/\">1x SB Champ<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>3x NFL Champ<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>3x AP MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>3x UPI MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>2x NEA MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">HOF All-1960s Team<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">3x Bert Bell Award (Player of the Year)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">3x SN PoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1970 Walter Payton Man of the Year<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\n\t<div class=\"uni_holder pfr\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=clt&amp;number=19\" class=\"poptip default\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#0000ff\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#0000ff\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#ffffff\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ffffff\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#0000ff\">19<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=sdg&amp;number=19\" class=\"poptip\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#ffd700\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ffd700\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#b0e0e6\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#b0e0e6\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">19<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<div class=\"counter opener\" data-class=\"open\" data-id=\"info\" data-control-id=\"meta_more_button\" data-type=\"hide_after\" data-has-listener=\"true\">+1<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"stats_pullout\">\n<div><div>\n<span><strong>SUMMARY<\/strong><\/span>\n\n<p><strong>Career<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>G<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>211<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>AV<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>145<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>QBrec<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>118-63-4<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Cmp%<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>54.6<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Yds<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>40239<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Y\/A<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>7.8<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>TD<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>290<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Int<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>253<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>FantPt<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>2424.4<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another three-time MVP, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/leaders\/pass_yds_career.htm\">Johnny Unitas was the first quarterback to amass 40,000 yards passing<\/a>. He held the record for most games with four or more passing touchdowns until Dan Marino broke it in 1994. Unitas also retired as the all-time leader in touchdown passes, a record he held for several years before retiring. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/leaders\/pass_td_year_by_year.htm\">Johnny U led the NFL in passing touchdowns for four consecutive seasons between 1957-1960<\/a>. No one else has completed that feat before or since. Unitas became the first player to lead the league in touchdown pass percentage in three consecutive seasons, and only Steve Young and Brett Favre have matched that streak. Unitas was also the first NFL quarterback to throw for 3,000 yards when he tossed for 3,099 yards in 12 games during the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/U\/UnitJo00\/gamelog\/1960\/\">1960 season<\/a>. Frank Tripuka and Jack Kemp also topped 3,000 in the AFL, but that was in a 14-game season, and both fell short of Unitas\u2019 total in his 12-game NFL schedule. Add to it that Johnny Unitas put together one of the most iconic drives in NFL history during the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/boxscores\/195812280nyg.htm\">1958 NFL Championship Game<\/a>, and you have a man that needs to be near the top of the all-time NFL player rankings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"info\" class=\"players open\">\n\t<div id=\"meta\">\n\t\n\n<div class=\"nothumb\">\n\t<h2>\n\t\t<span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/B\/BaugSa00.htm\">Sammy Baugh<\/a><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\n\n  \n  \n\n\n\n  \n<p>\n  <strong>\n    Sam Adrian  Baugh\n    &nbsp;(<span>Slinging Sammy<\/span>)\n  <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\t<strong>Position<\/strong>: QB-TB\n\t\t\t<strong>Throws:<\/strong>\n\t\tRight\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n<p><span>6-2<\/span>,&nbsp;<span>182lb<\/span>&nbsp;(188cm,&nbsp;82kg) <\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n  <strong>Born:<\/strong> \n    <span\" id=\"necro-birth\" data-birth=\"1914-03-17\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthdays.cgi?month=3&amp;day=17\">March 17<\/a>,&nbsp;1914\n    \n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;Temple,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthplaces.cgi?country=USA&amp;state=TX\">TX<\/a><\/span>\n  \n<\/span\"><\/p>\n\n\n<p><strong>Died:<\/strong>\n    <span id=\"necro-death\" data-death=\"2008-12-17\" \"=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/deathdays.cgi?month=12&amp;day=17\">December&nbsp;17<\/a>,&nbsp;2008 <nobr>(Aged&nbsp;94-275d)<\/nobr><\/span>\n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;Rotan,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/deathplaces.cgi?state=TX\">TX<\/a><\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p><strong>College<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/tcu\/\">TCU<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t&nbsp;(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/sammy-baugh-1.html\">College Stats<\/a>)\n\t\n\n\n\n<\/p><p><strong>College Coaching<\/strong>:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/coaches\/sammy-baugh-1.html\">View Records<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>High School<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?id=93b845fb\">Temple<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?hs_state=TX\">TX<\/a>), \n\t\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?id=93b8e8ee\">Sweetwater<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?hs_state=TX\">TX<\/a>)\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Draft<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/was\/1937_draft.htm\">Washington Redskins<\/a> in the 1st round (6th overall) of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/years\/1937\/draft.htm\">1937 NFL Draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Hall of Fame<\/strong>: Inducted as \n\t\tPlayer in 1963\n(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Full&nbsp;List<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>As Coach<\/strong>: 3&nbsp;Yrs\n\t\n\t(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/coaches\/BaugSa0.htm\">Full&nbsp;Record<\/a>)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n  \n\n<p><\/p>\n\n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><!-- div#meta -->\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n<ul id=\"bling\">\n\n<li class=\"important special\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Hall of Fame<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/probowl\/\">6x Pro Bowl<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">4x All-Pro<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>2x NFL Champ<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">HOF All-1940s Team<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\n\t<div class=\"uni_holder pfr\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=was&amp;number=33\" class=\"poptip\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#000000\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#ffffff\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ffffff\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#000000\">33<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=was&amp;number=33\" class=\"poptip default\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#ffd700\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ffd700\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#800000\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#800000\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">33<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<div class=\"counter opener\" data-class=\"open\" data-id=\"info\" data-control-id=\"meta_more_button\" data-type=\"hide_after\" data-has-listener=\"true\">+1<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"stats_pullout\">\n<div><div>\n<span><strong>SUMMARY<\/strong><\/span>\n\n<p><strong>Career<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>G<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>167<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>AV<\/strong><\/span>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>QBrec<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>11-10-0<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Cmp%<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>56.5<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Yds<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>21886<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Y\/A<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>7.3<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>TD<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>187<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Int<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>203<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>FantPt<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>1258.1<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before Johnny Unitas, there was Sammy Baugh. Baugh was the first quarterback with 20,000 career passing yards and retired as the NFL\u2019s all-time passing leader. Slingin\u2019 Sammy was also the first player to throw 150 touchdowns and retired with the most career touchdown passes and completions. Those weren\u2019t all of the records Baugh held when he retired. Although he hung up the cleats after the 1952 NFL season, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/leaders\/punt_yds_per_punt_career.htm\">his 45.1 yards per punt still stood as an NFL record in the year 2000<\/a>! Furthermore, Baugh excelled as a defensive back and led the NFL in interceptions in 1943, the same year that he led the league in completion percentage as a quarterback. To top it all off, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/B\/BaugSa00\/gamelog\/1943\/\">Baugh once threw for 23 touchdowns in a 10-game season<\/a>. Although there have been many great quarterbacks in NFL history, Sammy Baugh shined on offense, defense, and special teams.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"info\" class=\"players open\">\n\t<div id=\"meta\">\n\t\n\n<div class=\"media-item\"><img decoding=\"async\" itemscope=\"image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/req\/20230307\/images\/headshots\/MontJo01_USAT_1991.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of Joe Montana\">\n<\/div><!-- div.media-item --><div>\n\t<h2>\n\t\t<span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/M\/MontJo01.htm\">Joe Montana<\/a><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\n\n  \n  \n\n\n\n  \n<p>\n  <strong>\n    Joseph Clifford Montana Jr.\n    &nbsp;(<span>Joe Cool<\/span>)\n  <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\t<strong>Position<\/strong>: QB\n\t\t\t<strong>Throws:<\/strong>\n\t\tRight\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n<p><span>6-2<\/span>,&nbsp;<span>200lb<\/span>&nbsp;(188cm,&nbsp;90kg) <\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n  <strong>Born:<\/strong> \n    <span\" id=\"necro-birth\" data-birth=\"1956-06-11\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthdays.cgi?month=6&amp;day=11\">June 11<\/a>,&nbsp;1956\n    \n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;New Eagle,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthplaces.cgi?country=USA&amp;state=PA\">PA<\/a><\/span>\n  \n<\/span\"> <span><nobr>(Age:&nbsp;69-211d)<\/nobr><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>College<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/notredame\/\">Notre Dame<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t&nbsp;(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/joe-montana-1.html\">College Stats<\/a>)\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/about\/approximate_value.htm\">Weighted Career AV (100-95-&#8230;)<\/a>:<\/strong> 125 (35th overall since 1960)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>High School<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?id=93bedbd5\">Ringgold<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?hs_state=PA\">PA<\/a>)\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Draft<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/sfo\/1979_draft.htm\">San Francisco 49ers<\/a> in the 3rd round (82nd overall) of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/years\/1979\/draft.htm\">1979 NFL Draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Hall of Fame<\/strong>: Inducted as \n\t\tPlayer in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/2000-ballot.htm\">2000<\/a>\n(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Full&nbsp;List<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><!-- div#meta -->\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n<ul id=\"bling\">\n\n<li class=\"important special\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Hall of Fame<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/probowl\/\">8x Pro Bowl<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">3x All-Pro<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/super-bowl\/\">4x SB Champ<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>2x AP MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>1989 NEA MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>1989 PFWA MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">3x SB MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">HOF All-1980s Team<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1989 AP Off. PoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1989 Bert Bell Award<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1986 PFWA Comeback Player<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1989 SN PoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1989 UPI Off. PoY<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\n\t<div class=\"uni_holder pfr\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=sfo&amp;number=16\" class=\"poptip default\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#cdbe70\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#cdbe70\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#ff0000\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ff0000\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">16<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=kan&amp;number=19\" class=\"poptip\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#ffd700\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ffd700\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#ff0000\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ff0000\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">19<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<div class=\"counter opener\" data-class=\"open\" data-id=\"info\" data-control-id=\"meta_more_button\" data-type=\"hide_after\" data-has-listener=\"true\">+1<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"stats_pullout\">\n<div><div>\n<span><strong>SUMMARY<\/strong><\/span>\n\n<p><strong>Career<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>G<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>192<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>AV<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>166<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>QBrec<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>117-47-0<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Cmp%<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>63.2<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Yds<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>40551<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Y\/A<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>7.5<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>TD<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>273<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Int<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>139<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>FantPt<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>2669.5<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Joe Montana won back-to-back Most Valuable Player awards in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/awards_1989.htm\">1989<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/awards_1990.htm\">1990<\/a> before missing the 1991 season with an elbow injury. But it\u2019s his playoff and clutch performances for which he is remembered best. \u201cJoe Cool\u201d never lost a Super Bowl in his four appearances with the San Francisco 49ers and threw the famous touchdown pass to Dwight Clark in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/boxscores\/198201100sfo.htm\">1981 NFC Championship Game<\/a>, forever remembered as \u201cThe Catch.\u201d Pro Football Reference credits Montana with five game-winning drives in the playoffs during his career. After leaving the 49ers, he led the Kansas City Chiefs to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/boxscores\/199401230buf.htm\">1993 AFC Championship Game<\/a>, the furthest the team achieved since their Super Bowl-winning season of 1969. He held a .719 winning percentage as a starting quarterback for San Francisco in the regular season and an astonishing .737 winning percentage in the playoffs, eclipsing even Tom Brady\u2019s playoff winning percentage with the Patriots.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>RUNNING BACKS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"info\" class=\"players open\">\n\t<div id=\"meta\">\n\t\n\n<div class=\"media-item\"><img decoding=\"async\" itemscope=\"image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/req\/20230307\/images\/headshots\/BrowJi00_USAT_1964.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of Jim Brown\">\n<\/div><!-- div.media-item --><div>\n\t<h2>\n\t\t<span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/B\/BrowJi00.htm\">Jim Brown<\/a><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\n\n\n\n  \n<p>\n  <strong>\n    James Nathaniel Brown\n    \n  <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\t<strong>Position<\/strong>: FB\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n<p><span>6-2<\/span>,&nbsp;<span>232lb<\/span>&nbsp;(188cm,&nbsp;105kg) <\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n  <strong>Born:<\/strong> \n    <span\" id=\"necro-birth\" data-birth=\"1936-02-17\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthdays.cgi?month=2&amp;day=17\">February 17<\/a>,&nbsp;1936\n    \n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;St. Simons Island,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthplaces.cgi?country=USA&amp;state=GA\">GA<\/a><\/span>\n  \n<\/span\"><\/p>\n\n\n<p><strong>Died:<\/strong>\n    <span id=\"necro-death\" data-death=\"2023-05-18\" \"=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/deathdays.cgi?month=5&amp;day=18\">May&nbsp;18<\/a>,&nbsp;2023 <nobr>(Aged&nbsp;87-090d)<\/nobr><\/span>\n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;Los Angeles,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/deathplaces.cgi?state=CA\">CA<\/a><\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p><strong>College<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/syracuse\/\">Syracuse<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t&nbsp;(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/jim-brown-1.html\">College Stats<\/a>)\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/about\/approximate_value.htm\">Weighted Career AV (100-95-&#8230;)<\/a>:<\/strong> 108 (87th overall since 1960)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>High School<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?id=93ba0dc1\">Manhasset<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?hs_state=NY\">NY<\/a>)\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Draft<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/cle\/1957_draft.htm\">Cleveland Browns<\/a> in the 1st round (6th overall) of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/years\/1957\/draft.htm\">1957 NFL Draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Hall of Fame<\/strong>: Inducted as \n\t\tPlayer in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/1971-ballot.htm\">1971<\/a>\n(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Full&nbsp;List<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n  \n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n  <p><strong>Instagram:<\/strong>\n    <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/jimbrown\">jimbrown<\/a><\/p>\n    \n\n\n<p><strong>Relatives<\/strong>: Son-In-Law&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/W\/WardCh20.htm\">Chris&nbsp;Ward<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><!-- div#meta -->\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n<ul id=\"bling\">\n\n<li class=\"important special\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Hall of Fame<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/probowl\/\">9x Pro Bowl<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">8x All-Pro<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>1x NFL Champ<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>3x AP MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>3x UPI MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>3x NEA MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">HOF All-1960s Team<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1957 AP RoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1963 Bert Bell Award<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">3x SN PoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1957 SN RoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1957 UPI RoY<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\n\t<div class=\"uni_holder pfr\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=cle&amp;number=32\" class=\"poptip default\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#ff4500\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ff4500\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#8b4513\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#8b4513\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">32<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"stats_pullout\">\n<div><div>\n<span><strong>SUMMARY<\/strong><\/span>\n\n<p><strong>Career<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>G<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>118<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>AV<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>122<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Rush<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>2359<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Yds<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>12312<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Y\/A<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>5.2<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>TD<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>106<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>FantPt<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>2196.8<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Few of the best 100 NFL players of all time have dominated their position like the great Jim Brown. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/leaders\/rush_yds_year_by_year.htm\">He led the NFL in total rushing yards<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/leaders\/rush_yds_per_g_year_by_year.htm\">rushing yards per game<\/a> in eight of his nine pro seasons. Brown also made the Pro Bowl in every single season in which he played. He retired at 29 years old after the 1965 season. At the time, Brown stood as the NFL&#8217;s all-time leading rusher, a full 3,000 yards ahead of future Hall of Famer Joe Perry in second place. Brown\u2019s record stood until 1984, when it was broken by Walter Payton. Although his record fell, Brown will always remain the first player to ever rush for 10,000 yards in a career. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/leaders\/rush_yds_career.htm\">Brown currently ranks 12<sup>th<\/sup> in all-time rushing yards<\/a>, but he is the only player with over 8,000 rushing yards combined with a yards-per-carry average of over 5 (5.2).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"info\" class=\"players open\">\n\t<div id=\"meta\">\n\t\n\n<div class=\"media-item\"><img decoding=\"async\" itemscope=\"image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/req\/20230307\/images\/headshots\/PaytWa00_USAT_1977.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of Walter Payton\">\n<\/div><!-- div.media-item --><div>\n\t<h2>\n\t\t<span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/P\/PaytWa00.htm\">Walter Payton<\/a><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\n\n  \n  \n\n\n\n  \n<p>\n  <strong>\n    Walter Jerry Payton\n    &nbsp;(<span>Sweetness<\/span>)\n  <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\t<strong>Position<\/strong>: RB\n\t\t\t<strong>Throws:<\/strong>\n\t\tRight\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n<p><span>5-10<\/span>,&nbsp;<span>200lb<\/span>&nbsp;(178cm,&nbsp;90kg) <\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n  <strong>Born:<\/strong> \n    <span\" id=\"necro-birth\" data-birth=\"1953-07-25\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthdays.cgi?month=7&amp;day=25\">July 25<\/a>,&nbsp;1953\n    \n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;Columbia,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthplaces.cgi?country=USA&amp;state=MS\">MS<\/a><\/span>\n  \n<\/span\"><\/p>\n\n\n<p><strong>Died:<\/strong>\n    <span id=\"necro-death\" data-death=\"1999-11-01\" \"=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/deathdays.cgi?month=11&amp;day=1\">November&nbsp;1<\/a>,&nbsp;1999 <nobr>(Aged&nbsp;46-099d)<\/nobr><\/span>\n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;South Barrington,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/deathplaces.cgi?state=IL\">IL<\/a><\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p><strong>College<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/jacksonst\/\">Jackson St.<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/about\/approximate_value.htm\">Weighted Career AV (100-95-&#8230;)<\/a>:<\/strong> 127 (33rd overall since 1960)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>High School<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?id=93bb7ba5\">Columbia<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?hs_state=MS\">MS<\/a>)\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Draft<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/chi\/1975_draft.htm\">Chicago Bears<\/a> in the 1st round (4th overall) of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/years\/1975\/draft.htm\">1975 NFL Draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Hall of Fame<\/strong>: Inducted as \n\t\tPlayer in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/1993-ballot.htm\">1993<\/a>\n(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Full&nbsp;List<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Relatives<\/strong>: Brother&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/P\/PaytEd00.htm\">Eddie&nbsp;Payton<\/a>; Son&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/P\/PaytJa00.htm\">Jarrett&nbsp;Payton<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><!-- div#meta -->\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n<ul id=\"bling\">\n\n<li class=\"important special\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Hall of Fame<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/probowl\/\">9x Pro Bowl<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">5x All-Pro<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/super-bowl\/\">1x SB Champ<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>1977 AP MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>1977 UPI NFC MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>2x NEA MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>1977 PFWA MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">HOF All-1970s Team<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">HOF All-1980s Team<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1977 AP Off. PoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1985 Bert Bell Award<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">2x SN PoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1985 UPI Off. PoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1977 Walter Payton MotY<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\n\t<div class=\"uni_holder pfr\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=chi&amp;number=34\" class=\"poptip default\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#ff4500\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ff4500\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#000080\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#000080\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">34<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"stats_pullout\">\n<div><div>\n<span><strong>SUMMARY<\/strong><\/span>\n\n<p><strong>Career<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>G<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>190<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>AV<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>167<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Rush<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>3838<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Yds<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>16726<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Y\/A<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>4.4<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>TD<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>110<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>FantPt<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>2823.7<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSweetness\u201d truly was a sweet spot for the Chicago Bears. Although he only led the NFL in rushing one season, he retired as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/leaders\/rush_yds_career.htm\">NFL\u2019s all-time leading rusher<\/a>. Payton currently ranks second today in all-time rushing yards. He was the first player in NFL history to reach the 15,000-yard plateau and was named to nine Pro Bowls in 13 seasons. He rushed for at least 1,200 yards in 10 of those years. He might have done it an 11<sup>th<\/sup> time if not for the 1982 players\u2019 strike that wiped out nearly half of the season. Walter Payton is remembered by those who saw him as truly one of the best NFL players of all time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"info\" class=\"players open\">\n\t<div id=\"meta\">\n\t\n\n<div class=\"media-item\"><img decoding=\"async\" itemscope=\"image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/req\/20230307\/images\/headshots\/SandBa00_USAT_1992.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of Barry Sanders\">\n<\/div><!-- div.media-item --><div>\n\t<h2>\n\t\t<span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/S\/SandBa00.htm\">Barry Sanders<\/a><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\n\n\n\n  \n<p>\n  <strong>\n    Barry Sanders\n    \n  <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\t<strong>Position<\/strong>: RB\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n<p><span>5-8<\/span>,&nbsp;<span>203lb<\/span>&nbsp;(173cm,&nbsp;92kg) <\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n  <strong>Born:<\/strong> \n    <span\" id=\"necro-birth\" data-birth=\"1968-07-16\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthdays.cgi?month=7&amp;day=16\">July 16<\/a>,&nbsp;1968\n    \n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;Wichita,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthplaces.cgi?country=USA&amp;state=KS\">KS<\/a><\/span>\n  \n<\/span\"> <span><nobr>(Age:&nbsp;57-176d)<\/nobr><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>College<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/oklahomast\/\">Oklahoma St.<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t&nbsp;(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/barry-sanders-1.html\">College Stats<\/a>)\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/about\/approximate_value.htm\">Weighted Career AV (100-95-&#8230;)<\/a>:<\/strong> 120 (45th overall since 1960)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>High School<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?id=93ba6714\">North<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?hs_state=KS\">KS<\/a>)\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Draft<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/det\/1989_draft.htm\">Detroit Lions<\/a> in the 1st round (3rd overall) of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/years\/1989\/draft.htm\">1989 NFL Draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Hall of Fame<\/strong>: Inducted as \n\t\tPlayer in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/2004-ballot.htm\">2004<\/a>\n(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Full&nbsp;List<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Instagram:<\/strong> <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/barrysanders\">barrysanders<\/a>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><!-- div#meta -->\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n<ul id=\"bling\">\n\n<li class=\"important special\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Hall of Fame<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/probowl\/\">10x Pro Bowl<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">6x All-Pro<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>1997 AP MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>1997 NEA MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>1997 PFWA MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">HOF All-1990s Team<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">2x AP Off. PoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1989 AP Off. RoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">2x Bert Bell Award<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">2x PFWA Off. PoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1989 PFWA RoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1997 SN PoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1989 SN RoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1989 UPI RoY<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\n\t<div class=\"uni_holder pfr\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=det&amp;number=20\" class=\"poptip default\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#c0c0c0\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#c0c0c0\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#009acd\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#009acd\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">20<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"stats_pullout\">\n<div><div>\n<span><strong>SUMMARY<\/strong><\/span>\n\n<p><strong>Career<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>G<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>153<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>AV<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>149<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Rush<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>3062<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Yds<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>15269<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Y\/A<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>5.0<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>TD<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>99<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>FantPt<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>2425.4<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I mentioned earlier that Jim Brown is the only running back with over 8,000 yards who also owns a yards-per-carry average of <em>over<\/em> 5. Barry Sanders is next on that list with <em>exactly<\/em> 5 yards per carry over his stellar career. Like Brown, Sanders also retired in his prime. Nevertheless, Barry surpassed the 15,000-yard rushing mark for his career, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/leaders\/rush_yds_career.htm\">one of only four running backs in history to accomplish that feat<\/a>. The sidebar is that Sanders averaged over a half yard per carry more than the other three members of that group.\u00a0 He rushed for well over 1,000 yards in each of his 10 seasons, including over 1,100 yards during a year in which he missed five games. He dashed for over 1,400 yards in an eye-popping 70% of his career seasons and averaged over 5 yards per carry in half of those seasons. The year before he retired, he averaged an astonishing 6.1 yards per carry and topped the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/S\/SandBa00\/gamelog\/1997\/\">2,000-yard mark<\/a>. Sanders was named to the Pro Bowl in every single season in which he played.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>RECEIVERS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"info\" class=\"players open\">\n\t<div id=\"meta\">\n\t\n\n<div class=\"media-item\"><img decoding=\"async\" itemscope=\"image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/req\/20230307\/images\/headshots\/RiceJe00_USAT_1993.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of Jerry Rice\">\n<\/div><!-- div.media-item --><div>\n\t<h2>\n\t\t<span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/R\/RiceJe00.htm\">Jerry Rice<\/a><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\n\n  \n  \n\n\n\n  \n<p>\n  <strong>\n    Jerry Lee Rice\n    &nbsp;(<span>The G.O.A.T.,  World or  Flash 80<\/span>)\n  <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\t<strong>Position<\/strong>: WR\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n<p><span>6-2<\/span>,&nbsp;<span>200lb<\/span>&nbsp;(188cm,&nbsp;90kg) <\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n  <strong>Born:<\/strong> \n    <span\" id=\"necro-birth\" data-birth=\"1962-10-13\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthdays.cgi?month=10&amp;day=13\">October 13<\/a>,&nbsp;1962\n    \n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;Crawford,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthplaces.cgi?country=USA&amp;state=MS\">MS<\/a><\/span>\n  \n<\/span\"> <span><nobr>(Age:&nbsp;63-087d)<\/nobr><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>College<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/missvalleyst\/\">Miss. Valley St.<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/about\/approximate_value.htm\">Weighted Career AV (100-95-&#8230;)<\/a>:<\/strong> 160 (5th overall since 1960)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>High School<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?id=93bfa13f\">B.L. Moor<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?hs_state=MS\">MS<\/a>)\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Draft<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/sfo\/1985_draft.htm\">San Francisco 49ers<\/a> in the 1st round (16th overall) of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/years\/1985\/draft.htm\">1985 NFL Draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Hall of Fame<\/strong>: Inducted as \n\t\tPlayer in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/2010-ballot.htm\">2010<\/a>\n(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Full&nbsp;List<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Instagram:<\/strong> <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/jerryrice\">jerryrice<\/a>\n<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Relatives<\/strong>: Sons&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/R\/RiceBr00.htm\">Brenden&nbsp;Rice<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/R\/RiceJe01.htm\">Jerry&nbsp;Rice&nbsp;Jr.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><!-- div#meta -->\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n<ul id=\"bling\">\n\n<li class=\"important special\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Hall of Fame<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/probowl\/\">13x Pro Bowl<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">10x All-Pro<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/super-bowl\/\">3x SB Champ<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>1987 NEA MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>1987 PFWA MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">SB XXIII MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">HOF All-1980s Team<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">HOF All-1990s Team<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">2x AP Off. PoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1987 Bert Bell Award<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">2x SN PoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1987 UPI Off. PoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1985 UPI RoY<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\n\t<div class=\"uni_holder pfr\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=sfo&amp;number=80\" class=\"poptip default\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#cdbe70\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#cdbe70\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#ff0000\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ff0000\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">80<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=sfo&amp;number=80\" class=\"poptip\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#cdbe70\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#cdbe70\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#8b0000\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#8b0000\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">80<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=rai&amp;number=80\" class=\"poptip\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#000000\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#c0c0c0\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#c0c0c0\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">80<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=sea&amp;number=80\" class=\"poptip\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#00cd00\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#00cd00\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#000080\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#000080\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">80<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<div class=\"counter opener\" data-class=\"open\" data-id=\"info\" data-control-id=\"meta_more_button\" data-type=\"hide_after\" data-has-listener=\"true\">+3<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"stats_pullout\">\n<div><div>\n<span><strong>SUMMARY<\/strong><\/span>\n\n<p><strong>Career<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>G<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>303<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>AV<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>251<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Rec<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>1549<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Yds<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>22895<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Y\/R<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>14.8<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>TD<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>197<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>FantPt<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>3580.8<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are very few who nearly everyone can agree is clearly one of the greatest NFL players of all time, but Jerry Rice is one of those players. He not only is the all-time leader in many if not all of the most important receiving categories, but he\u2019s also miles ahead of the competition. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/leaders\/rec_career.htm\">Career receptions<\/a>? Rice stands over 100 catches ahead of Larry Fitzgerald in second place. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/leaders\/rec_yds_career.htm\">Yardage<\/a>? Jerry Rice is the only player in NFL history with 20,000 yards receiving and towers 5,000 yards ahead of anyone else. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/leaders\/rec_td_career.htm\">Receiving touchdowns<\/a>? With 197, he\u2019s in first place in that category as well \u2013 by <em>over 40 touchdowns<\/em>. In total touchdowns, Jerry Rice is the only player in NFL history to score 200 touchdowns. He gained at least 800 yards receiving for the first 19 seasons of his career except for one season in which he only played a handful of games due to injury. Of those 19 seasons, he notched at least 1,000 yards in 14 of those seasons. Although it is very difficult to compare eras and determine how great someone truly is in terms of all time rather than just his generation, Jerry Rice is a rare exception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"info\" class=\"players open\">\n\t<div id=\"meta\">\n\t\n\n<div class=\"nothumb\">\n\t<h2>\n\t\t<span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/H\/HutsDo00.htm\">Don Hutson<\/a><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\n\n  \n  \n\n\n\n  \n<p>\n  <strong>\n    Donald Montgomery Hutson\n    &nbsp;(<span>The Alabama Antelope<\/span>)\n  <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\t<strong>Position<\/strong>: E-DB-DE\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n<p><span>6-1<\/span>,&nbsp;<span>183lb<\/span>&nbsp;(185cm,&nbsp;83kg) <\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n  <strong>Born:<\/strong> \n    <span\" id=\"necro-birth\" data-birth=\"1913-01-31\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthdays.cgi?month=1&amp;day=31\">January 31<\/a>,&nbsp;1913\n    \n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;Pine Bluff,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthplaces.cgi?country=USA&amp;state=AR\">AR<\/a><\/span>\n  \n<\/span\"><\/p>\n\n\n<p><strong>Died:<\/strong>\n    <span id=\"necro-death\" data-death=\"1997-06-26\" \"=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/deathdays.cgi?month=6&amp;day=26\">June&nbsp;26<\/a>,&nbsp;1997 <nobr>(Aged&nbsp;84-146d)<\/nobr><\/span>\n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;Rancho Mirage,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/deathplaces.cgi?state=CA\">CA<\/a><\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p><strong>College<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/alabama\/\">Alabama<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t&nbsp;(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/don-hutson-1.html\">College Stats<\/a>)\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p><strong>High School<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?id=93b8c3ac\">Pine Bluff<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?hs_state=AR\">AR<\/a>)\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Hall of Fame<\/strong>: Inducted as \n\t\tPlayer in 1963\n(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Full&nbsp;List<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n  \n\n<p><\/p>\n\n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><!-- div#meta -->\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n<ul id=\"bling\">\n\n<li class=\"important special\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Hall of Fame<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/probowl\/\">4x Pro Bowl<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">8x All-Pro<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>3x NFL Champ<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">HOF All-1930s Team<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">2x Joe F. Carr Trophy (MVP)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\n\t<div class=\"uni_holder pfr\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=gnb&amp;number=14\" class=\"poptip default\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#000000\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#ffffff\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ffffff\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#000000\">14<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"stats_pullout\">\n<div><div>\n<span><strong>SUMMARY<\/strong><\/span>\n\n<p><strong>Career<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>G<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>116<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>AV<\/strong><\/span>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Rec<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>488<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Yds<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>7991<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Y\/R<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>16.4<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>TD<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>99<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>FantPt<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>1612.0<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don Hutson might be the only receiver in history that compares with Jerry Rice in terms of dominance within his era. In fact, although Jerry Rice has authored much of the NFL\u2019s receiving record book, Don Hutson still holds records that have stood since the 1940s. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/leaders\/rec_yds_year_by_year.htm\">He led the NFL in receiving yardage for four consecutive seasons<\/a>, a feat no one has matched. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/leaders\/rec_year_by_year.htm\">He led the league in receptions for five consecutive seasons<\/a>, which also remains unmatched. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/leaders\/rec_td_year_by_year.htm\">Hutson led the NFL in touchdown receptions for 9 out of 10 years<\/a> \u2013 a solid decade of dominance that nobody else has come close to achieving. His streaks of five and four consecutive years of leading the NFL in touchdown receptions rank first and second all time. Although he played in the 1930s and 1940s, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/leaders\/rec_td_career.htm\">Don Hutson still ranks 13<sup>th<\/sup> all time in receiving touchdowns<\/a>. Hutson, however, was more than a receiver. As a defensive back, he led the NFL in interceptions in 1940 and ranked in the top 10 in that category for 5 of his 11 pro seasons. On special teams, Hutson led the NFL in extra points three times.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>OFFENSIVE LINEMEN<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"info\" class=\"players open\">\n\t<div id=\"meta\">\n\t\n\n<div class=\"nothumb\">\n\t<h2>\n\t\t<span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/P\/ParkJi00.htm\">Jim Parker<\/a><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\n\n\n\n  \n<p>\n  <strong>\n    James Thomas Parker\n    \n  <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\t<strong>Position<\/strong>: T-G\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n<p><span>6-3<\/span>,&nbsp;<span>273lb<\/span>&nbsp;(190cm,&nbsp;123kg) <\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n  <strong>Born:<\/strong> \n    <span\" id=\"necro-birth\" data-birth=\"1934-04-03\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthdays.cgi?month=4&amp;day=3\">April 3<\/a>,&nbsp;1934\n    \n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;Macon,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthplaces.cgi?country=USA&amp;state=GA\">GA<\/a><\/span>\n  \n<\/span\"><\/p>\n\n\n<p><strong>Died:<\/strong>\n    <span id=\"necro-death\" data-death=\"2005-07-18\" \"=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/deathdays.cgi?month=7&amp;day=18\">July&nbsp;18<\/a>,&nbsp;2005 <nobr>(Aged&nbsp;71-106d)<\/nobr><\/span>\n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;Columbia,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/deathplaces.cgi?state=MD\">MD<\/a><\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p><strong>College<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/ohiost\/\">Ohio St.<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t&nbsp;(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/jim-parker-2.html\">College Stats<\/a>)\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/about\/approximate_value.htm\">Weighted Career AV (100-95-&#8230;)<\/a>:<\/strong> 77 (488th overall since 1960)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>High School<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?id=93b82ef2\">Ballard Hudson<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?hs_state=GA\">GA<\/a>), \n\t\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?id=93c0b906\">Scott<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?hs_state=OH\">OH<\/a>)\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Draft<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/clt\/1957_draft.htm\">Baltimore Colts<\/a> in the 1st round (8th overall) of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/years\/1957\/draft.htm\">1957 NFL Draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Hall of Fame<\/strong>: Inducted as \n\t\tPlayer in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/1973-ballot.htm\">1973<\/a>\n(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Full&nbsp;List<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n  \n\n<p><\/p>\n\n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><!-- div#meta -->\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n<ul id=\"bling\">\n\n<li class=\"important special\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Hall of Fame<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/probowl\/\">8x Pro Bowl<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">8x All-Pro<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>2x NFL Champ<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">HOF All-1950s Team<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\n\t<div class=\"uni_holder pfr\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=clt&amp;number=77\" class=\"poptip default\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#0000ff\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#0000ff\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#ffffff\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ffffff\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#0000ff\">77<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"stats_pullout\">\n<div><div>\n<span><strong>SUMMARY<\/strong><\/span>\n\n<p><strong>Career<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>G<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>135<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>AV<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>89<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>GS<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>133<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There aren\u2019t many statistics for offensive linemen, especially those who played in the 1950s and 1960s. Jim Parker, however, made All-Pro for eight consecutive seasons, at both offensive tackle and guard. Perhaps most importantly, he gained the esteem of his peers. Both Hall of Famer Paul Hornung and Parker\u2019s teammate Tory Lorick told me that Jim Parker might not have been one of the greatest offensive linemen of all time, but one of the greatest football players of all time. Parker was named to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/nfl-100-all-time-team.htm\">NFL 100 team<\/a>, a compilation of the top 100 NFL players of all time. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/clt\/\">The Colts won three NFL titles during Parker\u2019s tenure<\/a>, undoubtedly helped by his often unsung contributions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>DEFENSIVE LINEMEN<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"info\" class=\"players open\">\n\t<div id=\"meta\">\n\t\n\n<div class=\"media-item\"><img decoding=\"async\" itemscope=\"image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/req\/20230307\/images\/headshots\/WhitRe00_USAT_1990.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of Reggie White\">\n<\/div><!-- div.media-item --><div>\n\t<h2>\n\t\t<span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/W\/WhitRe00.htm\">Reggie White<\/a><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\n\n  \n  \n\n\n\n  \n<p>\n  <strong>\n    Reginald Howard White\n    &nbsp;(<span>The Minister of Defense or  Big Dawg<\/span>)\n  <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\t<strong>Position<\/strong>: DE-DT\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n<p><span>6-5<\/span>,&nbsp;<span>291lb<\/span>&nbsp;(196cm,&nbsp;131kg) <\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n  <strong>Born:<\/strong> \n    <span\" id=\"necro-birth\" data-birth=\"1961-12-19\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthdays.cgi?month=12&amp;day=19\">December 19<\/a>,&nbsp;1961\n    \n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;Chattanooga,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthplaces.cgi?country=USA&amp;state=TN\">TN<\/a><\/span>\n  \n<\/span\"><\/p>\n\n\n<p><strong>Died:<\/strong>\n    <span id=\"necro-death\" data-death=\"2004-12-26\" \"=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/deathdays.cgi?month=12&amp;day=26\">December&nbsp;26<\/a>,&nbsp;2004 <nobr>(Aged&nbsp;43-007d)<\/nobr><\/span>\n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;Huntersville,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/deathplaces.cgi?state=NC\">NC<\/a><\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p><strong>College<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/tennessee\/\">Tennessee<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t&nbsp;(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/reggie-white-2.html\">College Stats<\/a>)\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/about\/approximate_value.htm\">Weighted Career AV (100-95-&#8230;)<\/a>:<\/strong> 160 (5th overall since 1960)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>High School<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?id=93bfd97a\">Howard<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?hs_state=TN\">TN<\/a>)\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Draft<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/phi\/1984_draft.htm\">Philadelphia Eagles<\/a> in the 1st round (4th overall) of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/years\/1984\/draft.htm\">1984 NFL Supplemental Draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Hall of Fame<\/strong>: Inducted as \n\t\tPlayer in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/2006-ballot.htm\">2006<\/a>\n(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Full&nbsp;List<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Relatives<\/strong>: Cousin&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/M\/MattCh00.htm\">Chris&nbsp;Matthews<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><!-- div#meta -->\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n<ul id=\"bling\">\n\n<li class=\"important special\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Hall of Fame<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/probowl\/\">13x Pro Bowl<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">8x All-Pro<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/super-bowl\/\">1x SB Champ<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">HOF All-1980s Team<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">HOF All-1990s Team<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">2x AP Def. PoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1998 PFWA Def. PoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">3x UPI Def. PoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1991 Alan Page Award<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\n\t<div class=\"uni_holder pfr\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=phi&amp;number=91\" class=\"poptip\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#c0c0c0\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#c0c0c0\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#008000\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#008000\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">91<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=phi&amp;number=92\" class=\"poptip default\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#c0c0c0\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#c0c0c0\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#008000\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#008000\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">92<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=gnb&amp;number=92\" class=\"poptip\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#ffd700\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ffd700\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#006400\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#006400\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">92<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=car&amp;number=92\" class=\"poptip\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#000000\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#1c86ee\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#1c86ee\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">92<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<div class=\"counter opener\" data-class=\"open\" data-id=\"info\" data-control-id=\"meta_more_button\" data-type=\"hide_after\" data-has-listener=\"true\">+3<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"stats_pullout\">\n<div><div>\n<span><strong>SUMMARY<\/strong><\/span>\n\n<p><strong>Career<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>G<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>232<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>AV<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>231<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Sk<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>198.0<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Solo<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>1048<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>FF<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>33<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reggie White leads all defensive players in Pro Football Reference\u2019s career Approximate Value (AV) leaderboard (231). <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/leaders\/sacks_career.htm\">He is second all time in career sacks<\/a>. He won <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/awards_1987.htm#all_voting_apdpoy\">AP Defensive Player of the Year<\/a> honors twice and UPI honors three times. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/awards_1998.htm#all_voting_apdpoy\">He earned one of those AP titles<\/a> in the second-to-last season of his career, symbolizing his sustained dominance throughout his career. The Minister of Defense was named to the Pro Bowl 13 times, second most for a defensive player in history and the same number of nominations as Jerry Rice. White\u2019s eight All-Pro selections tie him for first place among defensive players in that category.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"info\" class=\"players open\">\n\t<div id=\"meta\">\n\t\n\n<div class=\"nothumb\">\n\t<h2>\n\t\t<span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/J\/JoneDe00.htm\">Deacon Jones<\/a><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\n\n\n\n  \n<p>\n  <strong>\n    David D. Jones\n    \n  <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\t<strong>Position<\/strong>: DE\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n<p><span>6-5<\/span>,&nbsp;<span>272lb<\/span>&nbsp;(196cm,&nbsp;123kg) <\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n  <strong>Born:<\/strong> \n    <span\" id=\"necro-birth\" data-birth=\"1938-12-09\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthdays.cgi?month=12&amp;day=9\">December 9<\/a>,&nbsp;1938\n    \n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;Eatonville,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthplaces.cgi?country=USA&amp;state=FL\">FL<\/a><\/span>\n  \n<\/span\"><\/p>\n\n\n<p><strong>Died:<\/strong>\n    <span id=\"necro-death\" data-death=\"2013-06-03\" \"=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/deathdays.cgi?month=6&amp;day=3\">June&nbsp;3<\/a>,&nbsp;2013 <nobr>(Aged&nbsp;74-176d)<\/nobr><\/span>\n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;Anaheim Hills,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/deathplaces.cgi?state=CA\">CA<\/a><\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p><strong>College<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/socarolinast\/\">South Carolina St.<\/a>, \n\t\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/missvalleyst\/\">Miss. Valley St.<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/about\/approximate_value.htm\">Weighted Career AV (100-95-&#8230;)<\/a>:<\/strong> 103 (115th overall since 1960)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>High School<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?id=93bd9d98\">Hungerford<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?hs_state=FL\">FL<\/a>)\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Draft<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/ram\/1961_draft.htm\">Los Angeles Rams<\/a> in the 14th round (186th overall) of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/years\/1961\/draft.htm\">1961 NFL Draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Hall of Fame<\/strong>: Inducted as \n\t\tPlayer in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/1980-ballot.htm\">1980<\/a>\n(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Full&nbsp;List<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n  \n\n<p><\/p>\n\n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><!-- div#meta -->\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n<ul id=\"bling\">\n\n<li class=\"important special\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Hall of Fame<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/probowl\/\">8x Pro Bowl<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">5x All-Pro<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">HOF All-1960s Team<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\n\t<div class=\"uni_holder pfr\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=ram&amp;number=75\" class=\"poptip\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#ffd700\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ffd700\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#0000ff\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#0000ff\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">75<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=ram&amp;number=75\" class=\"poptip default\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#0000ff\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#0000ff\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#ffffff\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ffffff\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#0000ff\">75<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=sdg&amp;number=75\" class=\"poptip\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#ffd700\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ffd700\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#b0e0e6\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#b0e0e6\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">75<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=was&amp;number=75\" class=\"poptip\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#ffd700\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ffd700\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#800000\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#800000\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">75<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<div class=\"counter opener\" data-class=\"open\" data-id=\"info\" data-control-id=\"meta_more_button\" data-type=\"hide_after\" data-has-listener=\"true\">+3<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"stats_pullout\">\n<div><div>\n<span><strong>SUMMARY<\/strong><\/span>\n\n<p><strong>Career<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>G<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>191<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>AV<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>134<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Sk<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>173.5<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Newly recognized unofficial sack totals provide a glimpse of Deacon Jones\u2019 greatness. He raked in over 20 sacks in three seasons and is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/leaders\/sacks_career.htm\">currently third on the all-time leaderboard<\/a>. Knowing that Jones posted those 20+ sack seasons during an era when the NFL played 14-game regular seasons makes his numbers even more impressive. Jones was known for his \u201chead slap\u201d move, which was eventually banned by the NFL rules committee.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"info\" class=\"players open\">\n\t<div id=\"meta\">\n\t\n\n<div class=\"nothumb\">\n\t<h2>\n\t\t<span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/G\/GreeJo02.htm\">Joe Greene<\/a><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\n\n  \n  \n\n\n\n  \n<p>\n  <strong>\n    Charles Edward Greene\n    &nbsp;(<span>Mean Joe<\/span>)\n  <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\t<strong>Position<\/strong>: DT\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n<p><span>6-4<\/span>,&nbsp;<span>275lb<\/span>&nbsp;(193cm,&nbsp;124kg) <\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n  <strong>Born:<\/strong> \n    <span\" id=\"necro-birth\" data-birth=\"1946-09-24\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthdays.cgi?month=9&amp;day=24\">September 24<\/a>,&nbsp;1946\n    \n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;Temple,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthplaces.cgi?country=USA&amp;state=TX\">TX<\/a><\/span>\n  \n<\/span\"> <span><nobr>(Age:&nbsp;76-180d)<\/nobr><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>College<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/notexas\/\">North Texas<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t&nbsp;(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/joe-greene-2.html\">College Stats<\/a>)\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/about\/approximate_value.htm\">Weighted Career AV (100-95-&#8230;)<\/a>:<\/strong> 109 (80th overall since 1960)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>High School<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?id=93bc817c\">Dunbar<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?hs_state=TX\">TX<\/a>)\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Draft<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/pit\/1969_draft.htm\">Pittsburgh Steelers<\/a> in the 1st round (4th overall) of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/years\/1969\/draft.htm\">1969 NFL Draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Hall of Fame<\/strong>: Inducted as \n\t\tPlayer in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/1987-ballot.htm\">1987<\/a>\n(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Full&nbsp;List<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n  \n\n<p><\/p>\n\n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><!-- div#meta -->\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n<ul id=\"bling\">\n\n<li class=\"important special\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Hall of Fame<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/probowl\/\">10x Pro Bowl<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">4x All-Pro<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/super-bowl\/\">4x SB Champ<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">HOF All-1970s Team<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">2x AP Def. PoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1969 AP Def. RoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1979 Walter Payton Man of the Year<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\n\t<div class=\"uni_holder pfr\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=pit&amp;number=75\" class=\"poptip default\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#ffd700\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ffd700\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#000000\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">75<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"stats_pullout\">\n<div><div>\n<span><strong>SUMMARY<\/strong><\/span>\n\n<p><strong>Career<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>G<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>181<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>AV<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>143<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Sk<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>77.5<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Named to 10 Pro Bowls, winner of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/awards_1972.htm\">two<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/awards_1974.htm\">DPOY<\/a> awards, and the anchor of the Steelers \u201cSteel Curtain\u201d defensive line at the defensive tackle position, Joe Greene was more than just a soda commercial icon. During an era in which statistics such as tackles for loss and forced fumbles were not kept, the disruptive Greene found himself the cause of many of those plays. His unofficial career sack total is 77.5. Although his accrued accolades are the best-preserved statistical indicator of Greene\u2019s stature as a player, few would argue that Joe Greene wasn&#8217;t one of the best NFL players ever. His has the fifth-highest career AV value for defensive tackles in NFL history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"info\" class=\"players open\">\n\t<div id=\"meta\">\n\t\n\n<div class=\"nothumb\">\n\t<h2>\n\t\t<span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/L\/LillBo00.htm\">Bob Lilly<\/a><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\n\n  \n  \n\n\n\n  \n<p>\n  <strong>\n    Robert Lewis Lilly\n    &nbsp;(<span>Tiger<\/span>)\n  <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\t<strong>Position<\/strong>: DT-DE\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n<p><span>6-5<\/span>,&nbsp;<span>260lb<\/span>&nbsp;(196cm,&nbsp;117kg) <\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n  <strong>Born:<\/strong> \n    <span\" id=\"necro-birth\" data-birth=\"1939-07-26\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthdays.cgi?month=7&amp;day=26\">July 26<\/a>,&nbsp;1939\n    \n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;Olney,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthplaces.cgi?country=USA&amp;state=TX\">TX<\/a><\/span>\n  \n<\/span\"> <span><nobr>(Age:&nbsp;83-240d)<\/nobr><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>College<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/tcu\/\">TCU<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t&nbsp;(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/bob-lilly-1.html\">College Stats<\/a>)\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/about\/approximate_value.htm\">Weighted Career AV (100-95-&#8230;)<\/a>:<\/strong> 112 (67th overall since 1960)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>High School<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?id=93be3153\">Throckmorton<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?hs_state=TX\">TX<\/a>), \n\t\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?id=93babb35\">Pendleton<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?hs_state=OR\">OR<\/a>)\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Draft<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/dal\/1961_draft.htm\">Dallas Cowboys<\/a> in the 1st round (13th overall) of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/years\/1961\/draft.htm\">1961 NFL Draft<\/a>., \n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/kan\/1961_draft.htm\">Dallas Texans<\/a> in the 2nd round (14th overall) of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/years\/1961_AFL\/draft.htm\">1961 AFL Draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Hall of Fame<\/strong>: Inducted as \n\t\tPlayer in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/1980-ballot.htm\">1980<\/a>\n(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Full&nbsp;List<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n  \n\n<p><\/p>\n\n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><!-- div#meta -->\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n<ul id=\"bling\">\n\n<li class=\"important special\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Hall of Fame<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/probowl\/\">11x Pro Bowl<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">7x All-Pro<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/super-bowl\/\">1x SB Champ<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">HOF All-1960s Team<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">HOF All-1970s Team<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\n\t<div class=\"uni_holder pfr\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=dal&amp;number=74\" class=\"poptip\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#0000ff\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#0000ff\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#ffffff\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ffffff\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#0000ff\">74<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=dal&amp;number=74\" class=\"poptip default\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#a2b5cd\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#a2b5cd\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#0000ff\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#0000ff\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">74<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<div class=\"counter opener\" data-class=\"open\" data-id=\"info\" data-control-id=\"meta_more_button\" data-type=\"hide_after\" data-has-listener=\"true\">+1<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"stats_pullout\">\n<div><div>\n<span><strong>SUMMARY<\/strong><\/span>\n\n<p><strong>Career<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>G<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>196<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>AV<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>153<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Sk<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>95.5<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re wondering who set the all-time record for defensive tackles in touchdowns scored, Pro Football Reference\u2019s Stathead feature will let you know that Bob Lilly was the first player to score four touchdowns as a defensive tackle. Although that total has since been tied, Lilly\u2019s greatness earned him 7 All-Pro honors and 11 Pro Bowl appearances. Defensive tackles often go unheralded, but Lilly finished in the top 10 of the AP\u2019s Most Valuable Player award three times in his career, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/awards_1968.htm\">including a fourth-place finish in 1968<\/a>. Lilly\u2019s unofficial career sack total is even higher than Greene\u2019s, at 95.5.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"info\" class=\"players open\">\n\t<div id=\"meta\">\n\t\n\n<div class=\"nothumb\">\n\t<h2>\n\t\t<span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/P\/PageAl00.htm\">Alan Page<\/a><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\n\n\n\n  \n<p>\n  <strong>\n    Alan Cedric Page\n    \n  <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\t<strong>Position<\/strong>: DT\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n<p><span>6-4<\/span>,&nbsp;<span>245lb<\/span>&nbsp;(193cm,&nbsp;111kg) <\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n  <strong>Born:<\/strong> \n    <span\" id=\"necro-birth\" data-birth=\"1945-08-07\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthdays.cgi?month=8&amp;day=7\">August 7<\/a>,&nbsp;1945\n    \n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;Canton,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthplaces.cgi?country=USA&amp;state=OH\">OH<\/a><\/span>\n  \n<\/span\"> <span><nobr>(Age:&nbsp;77-228d)<\/nobr><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>College<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/notredame\/\">Notre Dame<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t&nbsp;(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/alan-page-1.html\">College Stats<\/a>)\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/about\/approximate_value.htm\">Weighted Career AV (100-95-&#8230;)<\/a>:<\/strong> 144 (15th overall since 1960)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>High School<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?id=93bbcc86\">Central Catholic<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?hs_state=OH\">OH<\/a>)\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Draft<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/min\/1967_draft.htm\">Minnesota Vikings<\/a> in the 1st round (15th overall) of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/years\/1967\/draft.htm\">1967 NFL Draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Hall of Fame<\/strong>: Inducted as \n\t\tPlayer in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/1988-ballot.htm\">1988<\/a>\n(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Full&nbsp;List<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n  \n\n<p><\/p>\n\n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><!-- div#meta -->\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n<ul id=\"bling\">\n\n<li class=\"important special\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Hall of Fame<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/probowl\/\">9x Pro Bowl<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">5x All-Pro<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>1x NFL Champ<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>1971 AP MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>1971 UPI NFC MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">HOF All-1970s Team<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1971 AP Def. PoY<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\n\t<div class=\"uni_holder pfr\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=min&amp;number=88\" class=\"poptip default\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#ffd700\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ffd700\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#800080\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#800080\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">88<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=chi&amp;number=82\" class=\"poptip\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#ff4500\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ff4500\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#000080\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#000080\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">82<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<div class=\"counter opener\" data-class=\"open\" data-id=\"info\" data-control-id=\"meta_more_button\" data-type=\"hide_after\" data-has-listener=\"true\">+1<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"stats_pullout\">\n<div><div>\n<span><strong>SUMMARY<\/strong><\/span>\n\n<p><strong>Career<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>G<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>218<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>AV<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>197<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Sk<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>148.5<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The late 1960s and early 1970s proved to be a golden era for defensive tackles. Alan Page is the third of those men presented on this list, and all three fit easily within the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/nfl-100-all-time-team.htm\">top 100 NFL players in history<\/a> and are worthy of being included in the discussion of greatest NFL players of all time. Alan Page was such a destructive force that he won the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/awards_1971.htm\">AP\u2019s NFL MVP award in 1971<\/a>, the first defensive player in history to claim that honor. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/awards_1970.htm\">Page also finished third in MVP voting the previous year<\/a>. He proved highly productive throughout his 15-year career, collecting 18.5 sacks over his final two seasons. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/leaders\/sacks_career.htm\">His 148.5 career sacks are more than any other defensive tackle in history<\/a>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/leaders\/career_av_career.htm\">His career Weighted AV of 144 lands him at 15<sup>th<\/sup> on the all-time list of all players, past and present<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>LINEBACKERS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"info\" class=\"players open\">\n\t<div id=\"meta\">\n\t\n\n<div class=\"media-item\"><img decoding=\"async\" itemscope=\"image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/req\/20230307\/images\/headshots\/TaylLa00_USAT_1991.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of Lawrence Taylor\">\n<\/div><!-- div.media-item --><div>\n\t<h2>\n\t\t<span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/T\/TaylLa00.htm\">Lawrence Taylor<\/a><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\n\n  \n  \n\n\n\n  \n<p>\n  <strong>\n    Lawrence Julius Taylor\n    &nbsp;(<span>L.T.<\/span>)\n  <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\t<strong>Position<\/strong>: LB\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n<p><span>6-3<\/span>,&nbsp;<span>237lb<\/span>&nbsp;(190cm,&nbsp;107kg) <\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n  <strong>Born:<\/strong> \n    <span\" id=\"necro-birth\" data-birth=\"1959-02-04\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthdays.cgi?month=2&amp;day=4\">February 4<\/a>,&nbsp;1959\n    \n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;Williamsburg,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthplaces.cgi?country=USA&amp;state=VA\">VA<\/a><\/span>\n  \n<\/span\"> <span><nobr>(Age:&nbsp;66-338d)<\/nobr><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>College<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/nocarolina\/\">North Carolina<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t&nbsp;(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/lawrence-taylor-2.html\">College Stats<\/a>)\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/about\/approximate_value.htm\">Weighted Career AV (100-95-&#8230;)<\/a>:<\/strong> 146 (12th overall since 1960)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>High School<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?id=93bc7719\">Lafayette<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?hs_state=VA\">VA<\/a>)\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Draft<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/nyg\/1981_draft.htm\">New York Giants<\/a> in the 1st round (2nd overall) of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/years\/1981\/draft.htm\">1981 NFL Draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Hall of Fame<\/strong>: Inducted as \n\t\tPlayer in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/1999-ballot.htm\">1999<\/a>\n(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Full&nbsp;List<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><!-- div#meta -->\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n<ul id=\"bling\">\n\n<li class=\"important special\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Hall of Fame<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/probowl\/\">10x Pro Bowl<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">8x All-Pro<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/super-bowl\/\">2x SB Champ<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>1986 AP MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a>1986 PFWA MVP<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">HOF All-1980s Team<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">3x AP Def. PoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1981 AP Def. RoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1986 Bert Bell Award<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">1986 SN PoY<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">3x UPI Def. PoY<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\n\t<div class=\"uni_holder pfr\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=nyg&amp;number=56\" class=\"poptip default\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#ff0000\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ff0000\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#0000ff\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#0000ff\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">56<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"stats_pullout\">\n<div><div>\n<span><strong>SUMMARY<\/strong><\/span>\n\n<p><strong>Career<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>G<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>184<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>AV<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>192<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Sk<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>142.0<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Linebacker Lawrence Taylor is the only defensive player besides Alan Page to win <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/awards_1986.htm\">AP NFL MVP<\/a> honors. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/ap-defensive-player-of-the-year.htm\">The outside linebacker was named Defensive Player of the Year three times<\/a>. In 1986, Taylor racked up 20.5 sacks, the first linebacker to ever nail down the 20-sack mark for a single season. Many writers credit Taylor with redefining the outside linebacker position because of his elite pass-rushing skills. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/leaders\/sacks_career.htm\">His unofficial career sack total places him ninth on the all-time list<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/leaders\/career_av_career.htm\">his Weighted AV slots him 12<sup>th<\/sup> all time<\/a>. No top NFL player rankings list would be complete without Lawrence Taylor, who was selected to 10 Pro Bowls and named All-Pro 8 times.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"info\" class=\"players open\">\n\t<div id=\"meta\">\n\t\n\n<div class=\"media-item\"><img decoding=\"async\" itemscope=\"image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/req\/20230307\/images\/headshots\/ButkDi00_USAT_1973.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of Dick Butkus\">\n<\/div><!-- div.media-item --><div>\n\t<h2>\n\t\t<span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/B\/ButkDi00.htm\">Dick Butkus<\/a><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\n\n  \n  \n\n\n\n  \n<p>\n  <strong>\n    Richard Marvin Butkus\n    &nbsp;(<span>The Animal,  The Enforcer,  The Maestro of Mayhem or  The Robot of Destruction<\/span>)\n  <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\t<strong>Position<\/strong>: LB\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n<p><span>6-3<\/span>,&nbsp;<span>245lb<\/span>&nbsp;(190cm,&nbsp;111kg) <\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n  <strong>Born:<\/strong> \n    <span\" id=\"necro-birth\" data-birth=\"1942-12-09\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthdays.cgi?month=12&amp;day=9\">December 9<\/a>,&nbsp;1942\n    \n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;Chicago,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthplaces.cgi?country=USA&amp;state=IL\">IL<\/a><\/span>\n  \n<\/span\"><\/p>\n\n\n<p><strong>Died:<\/strong>\n    <span id=\"necro-death\" data-death=\"2023-10-05\" \"=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/deathdays.cgi?month=10&amp;day=5\">October&nbsp;5<\/a>,&nbsp;2023 <nobr>(Aged&nbsp;80-300d)<\/nobr><\/span>\n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;Malibu,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/deathplaces.cgi?state=CA\">CA<\/a><\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p><strong>College<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/illinois\/\">Illinois<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t&nbsp;(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/dick-butkus-1.html\">College Stats<\/a>)\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/about\/approximate_value.htm\">Weighted Career AV (100-95-&#8230;)<\/a>:<\/strong> 82 (394th overall since 1960)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>High School<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?id=93ba5383\">Chicago Vocational<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?hs_state=IL\">IL<\/a>)\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Draft<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/chi\/1965_draft.htm\">Chicago Bears<\/a> in the 1st round (3rd overall) of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/years\/1965\/draft.htm\">1965 NFL Draft<\/a>., \n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/teams\/den\/1965_draft.htm\">Denver Broncos<\/a> in the 2nd round (9th overall) of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/years\/1965_AFL\/draft.htm\">1965 AFL Draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Hall of Fame<\/strong>: Inducted as \n\t\tPlayer in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/1979-ballot.htm\">1979<\/a>\n(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Full&nbsp;List<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n  \n\n<p><\/p>\n\n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><!-- div#meta -->\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n<ul id=\"bling\">\n\n<li class=\"important special\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Hall of Fame<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/probowl\/\">8x Pro Bowl<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">5x All-Pro<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">HOF All-1960s Team<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">HOF All-1970s Team<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\n\t<div class=\"uni_holder pfr\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=chi&amp;number=51\" class=\"poptip default\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#ff4500\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ff4500\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#000080\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#000080\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">51<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"stats_pullout\">\n<div><div>\n<span><strong>SUMMARY<\/strong><\/span>\n\n<p><strong>Career<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>G<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>119<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>AV<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>99<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Int<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>22<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Yds<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>166<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>TD<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>0<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Recognized as one of the most intimidating players in the history of the league, Dick Butkus was also a highly-skilled pass defender at linebacker. He intercepted five passes his rookie season of 1965 and had at least one interception every year of his injury-shortened career. The ball hawk also recovered 27 fumbles as a pro. He was named to the Pro Bowl eight times in his nine seasons, the only exception being the injury-shortened final season of his career. He was named All-Pro five times and was selected for two of the Hall of Fame\u2019s all-decade teams, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/pfhof_all_decade_1960.htm\">1960s<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/pfhof_all_decade_1970.htm\">1970s<\/a>. This was despite playing only three full seasons in the 1970s. There weren\u2019t as many defensive statistics kept during Dick Butkus\u2019 era, but his dominance at the middle linebacker position is nonetheless well documented and crashes him into the best NFL players of all time conversation.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>DEFENSIVE BACKS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"info\" class=\"players open\">\n\t<div id=\"meta\">\n\t\n\n<div class=\"nothumb\">\n\t<h2>\n\t\t<span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/L\/LaneDi00.htm\">Night Train Lane<\/a><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\n\n\n\n  \n<p>\n  <strong>\n    Richard Lane\n    \n  <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\t<strong>Position<\/strong>: DB-E\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n<p><span>6-1<\/span>,&nbsp;<span>194lb<\/span>&nbsp;(185cm,&nbsp;87kg) <\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n  <strong>Born:<\/strong> \n    <span\" id=\"necro-birth\" data-birth=\"1928-04-16\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthdays.cgi?month=4&amp;day=16\">April 16<\/a>,&nbsp;1928\n    \n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;Austin,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/birthplaces.cgi?country=USA&amp;state=TX\">TX<\/a><\/span>\n  \n<\/span\"><\/p>\n\n\n<p><strong>Died:<\/strong>\n    <span id=\"necro-death\" data-death=\"2002-01-29\" \"=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/deathdays.cgi?month=1&amp;day=29\">January&nbsp;29<\/a>,&nbsp;2002 <nobr>(Aged&nbsp;73-288d)<\/nobr><\/span>\n  <span>\n    in&nbsp;Austin,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/friv\/deathplaces.cgi?state=TX\">TX<\/a><\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p><strong>College<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/westnebraskaccscottsbluff\/\">Western Nebraska CC<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/about\/approximate_value.htm\">Weighted Career AV (100-95-&#8230;)<\/a>:<\/strong> 55 (1330th overall since 1960)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>High School<\/strong>: \n  \n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?id=93bc1458\">L.C. Anderson<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/schools\/high_schools.cgi?hs_state=TX\">TX<\/a>)\n\t\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Hall of Fame<\/strong>: Inducted as \n\t\tPlayer in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/1974-ballot.htm\">1974<\/a>\n(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Full&nbsp;List<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n  \n\n<p><\/p>\n\n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><!-- div#meta -->\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n<ul id=\"bling\">\n\n<li class=\"important special\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/hof\/\">Hall of Fame<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/probowl\/\">7x Pro Bowl<\/a><\/li><li class=\"all_star\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">3x All-Pro<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/awards\/\">HOF All-1950s Team<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\n\t<div class=\"uni_holder pfr\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=ram&amp;number=81\" class=\"poptip\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#ffd700\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ffd700\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#0000ff\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#0000ff\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">81<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=crd&amp;number=81\" class=\"poptip\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#8b0000\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#8b0000\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#ffffff\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ffffff\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#8b0000\">81<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/uniform.cgi?team=det&amp;number=81\" class=\"poptip default\">\n        <svg viewBox=\"0,0,50,50\" class=\"square\"> <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"51\" height=\"51\" stroke=\"#c0c0c0\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#c0c0c0\"><\/rect> <rect x=\"6\" y=\"6\" width=\"39\" height=\"39\" stroke=\"#009acd\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#009acd\"><\/rect> <text x=\"11\" y=\"34\" fill=\"#fff\">81<\/text> <\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\t<div class=\"counter opener\" data-class=\"open\" data-id=\"info\" data-control-id=\"meta_more_button\" data-type=\"hide_after\" data-has-listener=\"true\">+2<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"stats_pullout\">\n<div><div>\n<span><strong>SUMMARY<\/strong><\/span>\n\n<p><strong>Career<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>G<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>157<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>AV<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>59<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"p1\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Int<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>68<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>Yds<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>1207<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"p2\">\n<span class=\"poptip\"><strong>TD<\/strong><\/span>\n<p>5<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although there is debate about how Dick \u201cNight Train\u201d Lane wound up with his nickname, there is no debating his greatness. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/leaders\/def_int_single_season.htm\">His single-season interception record has stood for over 70 seasons<\/a>. What makes the feat even more incredible is that he accomplished the feat over a 12-game schedule! He finished his career with 68 interceptions, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/leaders\/def_int_career.htm\">still high enough for fourth on the NFL\u2019s all-time list<\/a>. While many fans know about his single-season interception record, few know that he also owns the Cardinals team record for the longest touchdown reception, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/boxscores\/195511130gnb.htm\">a 98-yard catch and run in 1955<\/a>. Although primarily a defensive back, Night Train found his way into the end zone eight times in his career, be it through an interception return, fumble return, or a reception. A vicious hitter, his patented \u201cNight Train Necktie\u201d clothesline was feared throughout the league. Lane also stands as perhaps the greatest undrafted NFL player of all time.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Narrowing the best football players ever down to a short list requires excluding the majority of the top 100 NFL players of all time. This was a very challenging task to tackle. I created a list that included many eras and a list in which many fans could agree that each player at the very least belongs in the discussion for the greatest ever NFL player. Some of the early great NFL players certainly merit consideration as well, including Red Grange, Bronko Nagurski, and Jim Thorpe. Records were not well kept during their time, however, and that makes it exceedingly difficult to compare their eras to others. Eras are already tricky to compare, but the lack of statistics and film in pro football\u2019s earliest days makes it even tougher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1679584052474\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Who is the best player in NFL history?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">That is a fun question to ask, but it is nearly impossible to answer. Many eras differ completely from each other in terms of rule changes, field conditions, and styles of play. Therefore, statistics can\u2019t provide a reliable answer. Furthermore, periods of NFL history differ in the records that were compiled. There are, however, a few players whom the majority of fans and historians would likely consider near the very top of the list, including Jim Brown and Jerry Rice.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>Join our Sports Reference Community<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<h3><strong><em>Of Statheads:<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.stathead.com\/sport\/football\">Subscribe to Stathead<\/a>, the most powerful research tools in sports, and find any player, team, season, game, and any play. With over 80 different search tools for baseball, basketball, football, and hockey, you\u2019ve got infinite answers at your finger tips.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stathead.com\/sport\/football\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/bbr-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Stathead-1024x180.png\" alt=\"Purple Stathead sign up button. Get your first month free. \" class=\"wp-image-19\" width=\"271\" height=\"47\"><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n<h3><strong><em>With Our Email Newsletters:<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n<p>Sign up for our newsletter and get curated stats, recaps, and more from the Pro Football Reference to your inbox every morning. No commitment, unsubscribe at any time.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/email\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/pfr-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/pfr-fbr-1.png\" alt=\"Green Pro Football Reference newsletter sign up button\" class=\"wp-image-15\" width=\"161\" height=\"51\"><\/a><\/figure>\n\n<h3><strong><em>On Social Media:<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n<p>Stay connected with Pro Football Reference on social media! Bringing you stats, trivia, and more on all our channels daily.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/pfref\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Twitter<\/a> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/profootballreference\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Instagram<\/a> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Pro.Football.Reference\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Facebook<\/a> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@profootballreference\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">TikTok<\/a> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/sportsreference\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">YouTube<\/a> &#8211;  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/SportsReference\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Reddit<\/a> &#8211; <strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/sports-reference-llc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">LinkedIn<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p><em>Follow the rest of the Sports Reference sites on social <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/blog\/sports-reference-social-media\/\">here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>(last updated on January 8, 2026) Attempting to select the greatest NFL player of all time is like trying to identify the greatest cheeseburger of all time. There are so many contenders and so many different characteristics that it\u2019s impossible to pick an absolute winner. Plus, each era owns its own legacy. Ask a fan [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[17,18,16,11,8,13],"class_list":["post-71","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-top-lists","tag-best-nfl-players","tag-football-history","tag-football-players","tag-football-stats","tag-nfl","tag-nfl-stats"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Top NFL Players of All Time - Pro Football Reference<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Checkout the list of best NFL players of all time on pro-football-reference.com\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/pfr-blog\/2023\/03\/top-nfl-players-of-all-time\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Top NFL Players of All Time\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Checkout the list of best NFL players of all time on pro-football-reference.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/pfr-blog\/2023\/03\/top-nfl-players-of-all-time\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Pro Football Reference\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-03-23T15:53:58+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-08T18:22:54+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/pfr-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/PFR-Social-Preview-Images-Evergreen-Blog-Posts-4.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"630\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jackson Michael\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Top NFL Players of All Time\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Checkout the list of best NFL players of all time on pro-football-reference.com\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/pfr-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/PFR-Social-Preview-Images-Evergreen-Blog-Posts-4.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jackson Michael\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"27 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pro-football-reference.com\\\/pfr-blog\\\/2023\\\/03\\\/top-nfl-players-of-all-time\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pro-football-reference.com\\\/pfr-blog\\\/2023\\\/03\\\/top-nfl-players-of-all-time\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Jackson Michael\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pro-football-reference.com\\\/pfr-blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/b962ff9363b604eda928da64c91121a4\"},\"headline\":\"Top NFL Players of All Time\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-03-23T15:53:58+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-08T18:22:54+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pro-football-reference.com\\\/pfr-blog\\\/2023\\\/03\\\/top-nfl-players-of-all-time\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":501,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pro-football-reference.com\\\/pfr-blog\\\/2023\\\/03\\\/top-nfl-players-of-all-time\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pro-football-reference.com\\\/req\\\/20230307\\\/images\\\/headshots\\\/BradTo00_2022.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"best nfl players\",\"football history\",\"football players\",\"football stats\",\"nfl\",\"nfl stats\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Top Lists\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":[\"WebPage\",\"FAQPage\"],\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pro-football-reference.com\\\/pfr-blog\\\/2023\\\/03\\\/top-nfl-players-of-all-time\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pro-football-reference.com\\\/pfr-blog\\\/2023\\\/03\\\/top-nfl-players-of-all-time\\\/\",\"name\":\"Top NFL Players of All Time - 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