best linebackers of the 1970s

Punter Ray Guy was the leading vote-getter for the 1970s All-Decade Team, receiving 24 of a possible 25 votes. Over the course of his two-year Ohio State career, Lee accumulated 147 tackles. No. No. Edmunds will have to clean up the missed tackles and improve in coverage to rise toward where most slot him currently a top-10 linebacker on this list next season. He also played two different positions, playing ILB and OLB for the Vikings in his career. He could do it all. Ray Lewis is the highest-ranked active player on this list, and the top middle linebacker on it. In his final two seasons with the Bengals, Williams was appointed to an open seat on the Cincinnati City Council in 1988 and was elected for a second term in 1989 on the Charter Party ticket. Brazile was drafted out of Jackson State and revolutionized linebacker play in the NFL. 48, Terrell Suggs* (Ravens) (2003-Present) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Bet with your head, not over it. He was a hard worker, good tackler, and had great hands. Jul 07, 2014 at 11:02 PM. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. Over his career, he totaled 1,271 tackles, 12 INTs, and 19 forced fumbles. Already in his career, Ware has forced 23 fumbles. With time to spare in the NFL offseason, Ill take a look at the top 50 linebackers in the NFL in the modern era. The Pittsburgh Steelers are second with all-time players in four decades. He recently missed most of last season with surgery. He was always around the ball. Suggs will only continue to climb this list the longer he plays, since hes in the middle of his prime right now. Kirkland was an all-around better linebacker, he was a 300lb linebacker whose coverage skills were vastly underrated. could hit like a freight train, but it was his finesse and high football IQ that helped him revolutionize the linebacker position. In 1984 and 1985, Tippett put up two of the best back to back seasons recording 18.5 and 16.5 sacks in them. Top 9 Most Underrated Running Backs in NFL History, QB Derek Carr to visit Jets on Saturday after leaving Raiders, Top 9 Worst Draft Picks in Bengals History, Super Bowl XIX: Montana and Walsh establish dominance, The 5 Greatest Quarterbacks Who Never Won a Championship, Top 11 Single Game Performances in NCAA Football History, Top 10 College football's greatest true freshman seasons of all time, Top 10 Two Year Runs in College Football History, where do the Georgia Bulldogs rank, NCAA FB Championship TCU vs Georgia: Odds, Tips and Predictions 01/09/23, Georgia vs. TCU National Championship: Preview & Prediction, Michigan Coach Jim Harbaugh facing possible suspension from the NCAA, The night Cassius Clay shook up the world, Boxing Paul vs Fury: Odds, Tips and Predictions 02/26/23, Matias vs. Ponce: Cant Miss Scrap Brings Heat To Chilly Minneapolis. Next were Defensive end Jack Youngblood and Joe Greene who each had 18 votes. Zach Thomas. The defense was ranked right up there along with the 1985 Bears, and Steelers teams of the 1970s. Lost Super Bowl 13-16 vs. Baltimore Colts. Lawrence Taylor of course, is regarded as the best 3-4 linebacker ever, . No. Blair was also one of the greatest special teams players of all-time! He was also a big hitter and very intimidating on the field of play. He played in 10 playoff games and had two INTs and three fumble recoveries in them. The next year, he followed it up with four more interceptions. Thats right, seven. May 24, 2022. Blair was outstanding in coverage, along with being a great tackler. He was also the first player to have a TE or RB used for chip blocking on, and overall changed the way offensive lineman block. Butkus nasty disposition and ability to blow up anyone standing in his path, made him one of the most feared players in the history of the game. 6 - Carl McAdams. Gildon was most known for his pass rushing ability, picking up 54 sacks in a 5 year span. That suggestion from the newly appointed House . He even made the Pro Bowl in a year that he only started eight games and also a year in which he only started nine games. He came one tackle short from having five consecutive 100 tackle seasons in 2004, which is saying a lot, since he was the guy taking up blockers most of the time as well. He could do it all. 21. Hardy Nickerson makes it this high on the list mainly because of one ridiculous season he had. Julian Peterson has had a very well-rounded NFL career to this point, and its still going on. Floyd Reese, the general manager who assembled the roster for the Tennessee Titans' lone Super Bowl appearance, died Saturday. The Chicago Bears have the most all-time great linebackers. Some of you will say hes too low. Who knows how many he wouldve had if he played in the entire 16? No. That truly shows what kind of person he was off the field. Less of a nod goes to pass rushers, linebackers and safeties. *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. No. I’m only going to be looking at players drafted in 1970 or later. 16, Robert Brazile (Oilers) (1975-1984) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Four-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Playing 20 seasons in the NFL is amazing at any position. But Mills did much more than that. His 1989 rookie season was one of the best the NFL has ever seen. 10. He did everything. 17, Brian Urlacher* (Bears) (2000-Present) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Four-time 1st Team All-Pro. Lawrence Taylor. I think thats largely due to the NFL not keeping sacks and tackles numbers during his career. 1970 Robert E. Lee Generals (13-0) Jim Chafin's team allowed just seven points a game and held 10 of its 13 opponents to 10 points or less. . Chris Spielman was a tackle machine during his 10 years in the NFL. Mills, along with Swilling, was another member of that Dome Patrol defense. . 10. Lawrence Taylor: one of the greatest defensive players ever, Taylor was a pass-rushing force who revolutionized the outside linebacker position . These were the players who were great players, but not quite good enough to be placed inside the top 50. Thomas was one of the most instinctive linebackers of all-time. Among linebackers, that would include two-way stars George Svendsen (1935-41), Bud Svendsen (1937, 1939) and Charley Brock (1939-47), along with Bill Forester (1953-63), Tom Bettis (1955-61) and Roger Zatkoff (1953-56). Greene led the way in the pass rushing department. He was never the most athletic player on the field, but he was always the hardest working. 38, Chad Brown (Steelers/Seahawks/Patriots) (1993-2007) *Three-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro. The Top Ranked Linebackers of the 1960s Joe Schmidt. In 1976, Jackson had seven INTs. Peppers' 159.5 career sacks rank fourth on the all-time list. Jason Gildon (Steelers/Jaguars): - Three-time Pro Bowler, one-time 1st Team All-Pro. Thats an outstanding number. He had over 1,000 tackles, over 70 sacks, and over 30 forced fumbles in his career. In 1984 and 1985, Tippett put up two of the best back-to-back seasons recording 18.5 and 16.5 sacks in them. This season marked the end for Tittle and fellow Canton-bound star Frank Gifford. In only 11 seasons, Thomas had 126.5 sacks, and an NFL record of 41 forced fumbles. Pat Swilling was an outstanding pass rusher in his career, totaling up 107 sacks in his career and 101.5 sacks in a 10 year period throwing out his rookie year and last season of his career. He has speed, size, toughness, instincts, vision, patience, and football smarts. Elected to the Pro Football Hall Of Fame in 2018. Linebacker is one of the most important and demanding positions in football. NFLs Merchants of Menace Cornelius Bennett and Bruce Smith. Punter Ray Guy was the leading vote-getter for the 1970s All-Decade Team, receiving 24 of a possible 25 votes. 3 hours ago. Anything you asked him to do, he would do. Offensive Coordinator: Jim Myers. 9. When Indiana travels to San Antonio, it will MLB Rule Changes | Can F1 Compete With NASCAR | Froggy Talkin Sports #MLB #indianahoosiers #nascar, Indiana Basketball Postgame W/Steve Risley: Indiana vs Iowa Recap and more, Must be 21+. Williams recorded 16 interceptions and 23 fumble recoveries (a franchise record). Robertson is one of the most underrated players in NFL history. Lewis was the leader of the 2000 Super Bowl-winning Ravens team. Carson did most of the dirty work in that linebacking core. Lamberts signature toothless snarl struck fear into the hearts of the opposition and lends credence to his legendary status as one of the toughest players all-time. No. He was close to averaging a sack per game, which is an amazing number. No. Wilber Marshall had the whole package. The Steelers began their 1976 season 1-4 and lost their quarterback, Terry Bradshaw.For the nine games remaining in the season, the Steelers . Dennis Onkotz was a two time first team All American on the great Penn State teams of 1968 and 1969. He wasnt very vocal, but his play did all the talking for him. No. Comic-Con Museum named best pop culture museum by USA Today. Trotter was a complete, all-around linebacker. Hes also had at least 83 tackles in every year other than his rookie season. Brooks was the leader of that defense, but his surrounding cast was just too good to rank him higher. Harry Carson was an outstanding linebacker who played alongside Lawrence Taylor. Thats right, seven. Lambert wasnt just great on the inside, he was an outstanding coverage linebacker. He was said to have the fastest 10-yard burst of any player on the team, and that included receivers John Stallworth and Lynn Swann, and running back Franco Harris. Those would be accomplishments by themselves, let alone all together. 49, Vaughn Johnson (Saints/Eagles) (1986-1994) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Eddie Johnson. His sacks are the main reason hes this high, but he was also a great all-around player. The two-time All-American helped the Cornhuskers win back-to-back national titles in 1970 and '71 . 28a, Pat Swilling (Saints/Lions/Raiders) (1986-1998) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. St. Beason has only been in the league for three years now. Thomas' remarkable personality was also recognized by being awarded the Walter Peyton Man of the Year Award in 1993. Ray Lewis is another one of the three players on the list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. 1970s All-decade team. That game and his outstanding 1996 season earned Kirkland his first trip to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors after the 1996 season. He was the type of player that you would want your kids to look up to. ONeal should get more recognition as one of the best pass rushers to play the game. Call it foreshadowing, but you will see some of his teammates higher up on this list. NFL WAGS: 10 Hottest NFL Wives & Girlfriends 2023. He was a dominating force in the NFL during that stretch of time. FCK Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream, Hamilton vs Arbroath Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream, Paderborn vs FC St. Pauli Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live, Andorra vs Las Palmas Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream, AGF vs Horsens Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream Time,, Southend Utd vs Barnet Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live Stream, Kawasaki vs Shonan Bellmare Prediction, Head-To-Head, Live. Briggs should only continue to move up this list, as he takes over as the star linebacker spot in Chicago. I know, how can I rate Kirkland over Greene? He knew how to make big plays. 37, Wilber Marshall (Bears/Redskins/Oilers/Cardinals/Jets) (1984-1995) *Three-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 12. Isiah Robertson, nicknamed The Playmaker, was known for coming up with the big plays in the biggest games. In that career he played both 4-3 OLB and 3-4 ILB. No. Mecklenburg was never a cocky player, but just a guy who would show up on Sundays. 45, Shawne Merriman* (Chargers) (2005-Present) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He led some of the greatest defenses in NFL history in both performance and spirit. No. 20, Keith Bulluck* (Titans) (2000-Present) *One-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. No. Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1989. T&Cs apply. He may have actually been crazy. He finished his career with 1,106 tackles and 627 assisted tackles as well. He was Lawrence Taylor before Taylor was. Lance Briggs may be overshadowed by Brian Urlacher, but dont forget how great of a player Briggs has been for the Bears. Jackson had 40 forced fumbles, just one short of the NFL record. Over the past 50 years, the Steelers have tallied 36 winning seasons . He was the notorious leader of one of the greatest defenses to ever make its way onto a football field Pittsburghs famed Steel Curtain.. He tried to get in your head before you even took a step on the field of play. Taylor changed the way football is played today. Let me start out by saying that yes, I know that he was only a linebacker for half his career and DE the other half. Mecklenburg was never a cocky player, but just a guy who would show up on Sundays. Lewis wasnt as vocal as Cox, but his play was a little better, and lasted for a longer period of time. Lewis stats at this point of his career are 1,349 tackles, 36.5 sacks, and 28 INTs. Ham is the only linebacker other than Tom Jackson to have seven INTs in a single season. 22, Chris Spielman (Lions/Bills) (1988-1997) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Ham is the only linebacker other than Tom Jackson to have seven INTs in a single season. He also had 1,173 tackles in his career. Jackson tallied up 128 sacks in his career, but even thats not his most impressive number. Ray Lewis came into the league and dominated right away. The player that gives Butkus the most competition in that category would be Mike Singletary. Ham had outstanding . 28b, Sam Mills (Saints/Panthers) (1986-1997) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Coverage was definitely Bullucks claim to fame, but he was also good at other things. by Ben Watanabe. Collect, curate and comment on your files. It seemed like he knew where the ball was going at all times. But in those three years, hes racked up 328 tackles and seven INTs, all while starting every game of his career. Derrick Thomas still holds the NFL record for most sacks in a single NFL game with seven, against the Seattle Seahawks in 1990. Ranking Explanation . No. Hes also great against the run and is a turnover forcing monster. Junior Seau finished his career with 1,524 tackles, the highest total on this list. He had 885 career solo tackles, which is impressive on a defense filled with swarming the ball, shown by his 1,488 career tackles. Born April 20 . Jackson tallied up 128 sacks in his career, but even thats not his most impressive number. The NFL started in 1920 and commemorated its 100th season in 2019 with a season-long celebration of "NFL 100." The game has come a long way in 100 years. Kevin Greene was a mad man in a football uniform. He is still active, and is a starter, but he might be on his way out of San Diego. He could do it all. Behind the Purple People Eaters of the 70s was one of the best safeties the league has ever seen. He was never the most athletic player on the field, but he was always the hardest working. LT finished his career with 142 sacks, averaging nearly 11 sacks per season. Jeremiah The Axeman Trotter has been a very recognizable name over the past decade. Sacks and tackles werent recorded until late in his career, but he was a great pass rusher and all-around linebacker. Randy Gradishar Joins The Speer Wealth Team. 26, Cornelius Bennett (Bills/Falcons/Colts) (1987-2000) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. Lamberts best season was in 1976, where he won the Defensive Player of the Year award. No. 3, Mike Singletary (Bears) (1981-1992) *Ten-time Pro Bowler *Seven-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. In the first round, the team tabbed Fred McNeill of USC, who became a fixture at the outside linebacker spot for many . Keith Bulluck WAS the Titans defense, and has been every year hes been there. Junior Seau finished his career with 1,524 tackles, the highest total on this list. Ray Lewis is another one of the three players on the list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. He racked up a staggering 1,181 tackles, and 1,131 of them in his first nine seasons. . Seau was the definition of consistency. Teamwork and Leadership from Karl Mecklenburg NFL Motivational Keynote Speaker. The Minnesota Vikings did an outstanding job of drafting linebackers in 1974. Although still early in his career, Demarcus Ware deserves to be this high on the list. This team was widely regarded as having one of the best defenses of all-time. Neal Olkewicz. His swinging the axe celebration sums up his style of play and tenacity on the field. Bryce Paup was an outstanding pass rusher in the 1990s. He finished his career with 132.5 sacks. Sacks and tackles werent recorded until late in his career, but he was a great pass rusher and all round linebacker. Those are remarkable numbers, especially when he is still going strong. 2013 MAC Hall of Fame Inductee: Western Michigans John Offerdahl. In 2008, Suggs even had two INTs, both of which he returned for touchdowns. Suggs is a pass rushing monster with the Ravens. The next year, he followed it up with four more interceptions. Lofa Tatupu* (Seahawks) : Three-time Pro Bowler, one-time 1st Team All-Pro. For most other franchises, a resume like this would make Jack Ham the greatest linebacker in thier history by a wide margin. Mar 3, 2023 Updated 4 min ago. But it was his style of play that made his career so short. Mike Singletary is one of three players on this list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. Other Links > Football > Player Rankings by Position > Top Ranked Linebackers . You might be thinking Top 10 already? But look at his numbers. Johnson was most known for his days with the Saints. Seau was the definition of consistency. He was also a good pass rusher, and a good coverage man as well. Brian Urlacher is one of the greatest linebackers of this decade. The only reason Brooks isnt higher up on this list is because he had a fantastic surrounding cast which includes, most notably, Warren Sapp taking up blockers on the line. Baker recorded 19 . His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers. The 70s were a rough decade for the Browns, but the 1980s were getting off to a great start with the franchise returning to the playoffs, despite the tragedy of " Red Right 88 " in 1981. He knew how to make big plays. Taylor changed the way football is played today. He was a tackle machine and a very big hitter. But perhaps more than the star players, the decade was dominated by dynasty teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota Vikings, Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders, and . Republican Rep. James Comer suggested during a right-wing podcast earlier this week that President Joe Biden's deceased son Beau Biden should have been investigated in connection with a long-settled case on "campaign donations" from a backer who was eventually indicted. He should still improve this season with Ndamukong Suh in front of him to help free him up. Banks was a player that any coach would want on their team. He had an outstanding attitude and would do anything to get his team a win. Jack Ham, Linebacker. 1986 Boston Celtics - Were they the greatest Team?