best linebackers of the 1970s

LT was the most intimidating player ever to put on an NFL uniform. Thomas never had less than seven sacks in a season in his entire career, and only had less than eight sacks in one season. Dennis Onkotz was a two time first team All American on the great Penn State teams of 1968 and 1969. He could do it all. That suggestion from the newly appointed House . Mike Singletary had the whole package. Ware has made four consecutive Pro Bowls and has had three consecutive All-Pro seasons. 7, Rickey Jackson (Saints/49ers) (1981-1995) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Five-time 2nd Team All-Pro. These are the newest members of GHSF Daily's Georgia Power 100. Next: A dangerous combination. Brazile might not get the credit because of the team he played for, but he was an outstanding player. His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers. He did everything. Swilling was the best pass rusher of the Dome Patrol, but he also forced 36 fumbles to go along with all the sacks. A shot of Jameson for Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey. He had over 1,000 tackles, over 70 sacks, and over 30 forced fumbles in his career. 17 Reasons why Jordan is greater than Lebron, 16 Reasons why Lebron is greater than Jordan, The 18 greates Coaches in College Football History, The Top 21 Offensive Linemen in NFL History, 19 undeniable Lies in Disney's Remember the Titans. [a][4]. All while being tasked with avoiding blocks and keeping tabs on the opposing quarterback. 14, Hardy Nickerson (Steelers/Bucs/Jaguars/Packers) (1987-2002) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He had 1,301 tackles and 25 forced fumbles in his career. He played for a bad team with not much of a surrounding cast, but still excelled. Gary Reasons (1984-91) Gary Reasons, a fourth-round draft pick from Northwestern State, was a key . This brings us to the first night of March and a not-quite-full Purcell . 10. could hit like a freight train, but it was his finesse and high football IQ that helped him revolutionize the linebacker position. No. His 1989 rookie season was one of the best the NFL has ever seen. No. The Steelers began their 1976 season 1-4 and lost their quarterback, Terry Bradshaw.For the nine games remaining in the season, the Steelers . Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Porter is mostly known as a sack master. 2-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1985, '88) Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1989. Teamwork and Leadership from Karl Mecklenburg NFL Motivational Keynote Speaker. Visit Our Patreon Page to Create Your Own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See Other Bonus Material . Lost Super Bowl 13-16 vs. Baltimore Colts. Singletary was a leader, not only vocally, but by example. Ray Lewis came into the league and dominated right away. Official list of the NFL's best players in the 1970s, National Football League 1970s All-Decade Team, National Football League 1960s All-Decade Team, https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/04/06/tom-brady-is-first-qb-to-make-two-all-decade-teams/, National Football League All-Decade Teams, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=National_Football_League_1970s_All-Decade_Team&oldid=1132426489, National Football League records and achievements, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 8 January 2023, at 20:52. He was never the most athletic player on the field, but he was always the hardest working. 30, Matt Blair (Vikings) (1974-1985) *Six-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. Singletary was a leader, not only vocally, but by example. Kevin Greene will always be known as one of the craziest and talented pass rushers in NFL history. Don Moorehead, Dennis Franklin, Jim Harbaugh, Elvis Grbac, Tom Brady, Forest Evashevski, Benny Friedman and John Navarre were all elected Captains by their teammates. Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1969), three-time Pro Bowl (1970-72), two . Hes on pace to not only break, but shatter the NFL record of 41. He did anything the Bears asked of him, especially stuffing the run. Many of you will say that Keith Bulluck is way too high. LSU ENDS REGULAR SEASON 27-1LSU women's basketball ties program-best season . He played in 10 playoff games and had two INTs and three fumble recoveries in them. He became a starter at inside linebacker for the Steelers in his second season, 1993, replacing Pro Bowler David Little. Lloyd will always be remembered as the lightning quick pass rusher from the Blitzburgh days. Isiah Robertson, nicknamed The Playmaker, was known for coming up with the big plays in the biggest games. If Bulluck played on a better team, I believe his stats would be much better and his accomplishments would be a lot more. Siemon was always a good player, but never a great player. 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 runningback Franco Harris. LaVar Arrington. He should still improve this season with Ndamukong Suh in front of him to help free him up. He was the quintessential linebacker and easily the greatest of his era. But in those three years, hes racked up 328 tackles and seven INTs, all while starting every game of his career. In only five seasons, Wares already totaled up 64.5 sacks, including 20 in 2008. Wilson recorded 560 tackles and 21.5 sacks as a member of the Broncos. The entire enterprise of Notre Dame basketball, gone strange. 16, Robert Brazile (Oilers) (1975-1984) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Four-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 42, Chip Banks (Browns/Chargers/Colts) (1982-1992) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st team All-Pro. The only thing that could match his signature stare was the stellar play of Samurai Mike on the field. Featuring 2018-2019 Raiders and some of the greatest NFL linebackers of all time, the best Raiders LBs include Ted Hendricks, Khalil Mack, Rod Martin, Sam Wiliams, and Greg Biekert. 10. 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. Greene and Greg Lloyd made one of the best pass rushing duos in NFL history with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He would always be found around the ball, and around the play. Theres not much Brooks doesnt have. Both . He has played the role of pass rusher and coverage linebacker in his career, and has excelled at both. Brazile was drafted out of Jackson State and revolutionized linebacker play in the NFL. . Over his nine-year career, he had 2,049 tackles, although this number is solo and assisted because he played before solo tackles were an official stat. His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers. First-Team All-Pro, Pro Bowl w/Raiders (1991) NFL interceptions leader w/Raiders (1991) Ronnie Lott is best known for being arguably the best safety in football history. Undersized height wise, but an overabundance of heart made him more than a handful to deal with. Shawne Lights Out Merriman was the face of NFL linebackers for a three year stretch. We started off with a rough one the wide receivers. Voted to seven Pro Bowls, named First Team All-Pro five times. Are you ready for some football history? Greene was one of the best pass rushers of all-time, recording 160 sacks in his career. No. Steve Kiner (1966-69): Tennessee fans didn't have to wait long after Emanuel left to find the next superstar linebacker. In 1976, Jackson had seven INTs. Hes going into his first healthy season again in three years. LT finished his career with 142 sacks, averaging nearly 11 sacks per season. He was also the first player to have a TE or RB used for chip blocking on him, and overall changed the way offensive lineman block. For most other franchises, a resume like this would make Jack Ham the greatest linebacker in thier history by a wide margin. I’m only going to be looking at players drafted in 1970 or later. Brooks was the leader of that defense, but his surrounding cast was just too good to rank him higher. He was always good enough for Pro Bowls, but was never an All-Pro Player. Mills, along with Swilling, was another member of that Dome Patrol defense. In the words of Vikings' head coaching legend Bud Grant, "Paul personified the term free safety.". Blair was also one of the greatest special teams players of all-time! . 1986 Boston Celtics - Were they the greatest Team? He was never the most athletic player on the field, but he was always the hardest working. In his time in the NFL, he intercepted 25 passes and returned six of them for touchdowns with three of those in 2002 alone. Leslie ONeal was a sack machine in his career. Lawrence Taylor. 18, Andre Tippett (Patriots) (1982-1993) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Top 10 Boxers of the 1990s: Was Roy Jones Jr. the best? The Minnesota Vikings did an outstanding job of drafting linebackers in 1974. Bryce Paup was an outstanding pass rusher in the 1990s. Paup was a complete linebacker, who was especially great at rushing the passer. Despite the bad taste he left when leaving the team, James Harrison belongs on the upper half of the top ten linebackers in Steelers history. Cornelius Bennett was just a great all-around player. Franchise Encyclopedia. A late 12th round pick Mecklenburg finished his career with 79 sacks, which is great for an ILB, and also ranks 2nd all-time in Broncos history. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNzd9Xd0who, No. Comic-Con Museum named best pop culture museum by USA Today. He had five INTs in a season twice in his career. He was a tackle machine and a very big hitter. Other Links > Football > Player Rankings by Position > Top Ranked Linebackers . Bill Parcells considered Carson the best all-around linebacker he ever coached, which is very high praise from someone who has coached a ton of linebackers in his day. 34, Julian Peterson* (49ers/Seahawks/Lions) (2000-Present) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. The middle linebacker also recorded 52 tackles for loss, which is fourth all-time in Clemson history. No. The line was the backbone of the Steelers dynasty, which won four Super Bowls (IX, X, XIII, and XIV) in six years.. 4, Derrick Thomas (Chiefs) (1989-1999) *Nine-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 12 sacks and three picks. Joey Porter may be the most vocal linebacker on this list. Mecklenburg was never a cocky player, but just a guy who would show up on Sundays. He was selected late in the 12th Round, and nobody expected much out of him. Kirkland had 10 tackles and a key sack of Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman. Sacks and tackles werent recorded until late in his career, but he was a great pass rusher and all round linebacker. No. AP Sports SummaryBrief at 7:03 a.m. EST. When you see a list of greatest linebackers, Isiah Robertson very rarely even gets brought into the discussion. To stoke the nostalgia, we talked to some of the key players from the team's winningest, most . When you think of Singletary, the first thing that comes to mind is intense focus. 10. Mike Singletary. Jalen Carter, top NFL prospect, posts bond in fatal crash. As also playing DE should tell you, he was very versatile and could play many different positions. Lofa Tatupu* (Seahawks) : Three-time Pro Bowler, one-time 1st Team All-Pro. Thats an outstanding number. The Chicago Bears have the most all-time great linebackers. He finished his career with 132.5 sacks. 3 hours ago. He always tried to better himself and did it effectively. He had five INTs in a season twice in his career. He totaled 28 INTs in his career while he also racked up 1,045 tackles. . I personally think football before 1970 and after 1970 can be seen as two completely different games, in terms of its evolution. Thats nearly 13 sacks per season. Thats right, seven. 25. Brooks wasnt just a pass coverage linebacker, but he also played the run well. He had over 1,000 tackles, over 70 sacks, and over 30 forced fumbles in his career. Jul 07, 2014 at 11:02 PM. Nine All-Pros. No. Top 9 Greatest World Series Upsets of All Time, 2021 NBA Finals Phoenix Suns vs Milwaukee Bucks: Series Preview and Prediction, Esteban de Jesus, Roberto Duran y AIDS (1972-89), NFL Draft 2021: Sam Teets top 100 prospects big board, Sam Teets two-round 2021 NFL Mock Draft 5.0 with Kyle the Commish, Every NFL teams best player not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame- NFC East, Top 100 remaining 2021 NFL free agents after Day 1, Predicting the next five Pro Football Hall of Fame classes, Ranking the top 200 players in the NFL ahead of the 2021 season, Top 100 NFL free agents entering the 2021 offseason, Notable Pro Football Senior Committee Hall of Fame candidates for 2020, Active NFL players in 2019 who will make the Hall of Fame- AFC North, Top 13 Indiana High School Players of all Time, The 6 greatest Indiana Highschool pure Shooters, The 8 greatest IHSAA Championship Games in History. Lambert wasnt just great on the inside, he was an outstanding coverage linebacker. Baker recorded 19 . He was always around the ball. Jack Ham, Linebacker. Mecklenburg was never a cocky player, but just a guy who would show up on Sundays. Super Bowl winner. Thomas' remarkable personality was also recognized by being awarded the Walter Peyton Man of the Year Award in 1993. by Ben Watanabe. The Best of Tommy Brady at Michigan . The next year at the Pro Bowl, Thomas remembered him by name. That is just unheard of. Dennis Onkotz 1967 - 1969. Bryce Paup was an outstanding pass rusher in the 1990s. Chicago 1981-92. He was the type of player that you would want your kids to look up to. Gambling Problem? He also had 20 INTs, three of which he returned for touchdowns. This team was widely regarded as having one of the best defenses of all-time. Top 10, however, is not only a sure thing but easy as it was very tough for me to keep Levy out of the top 5 over the guy that made it. He was a very solid 3-4 ILB playing on one of the best LB Cores of all-time, the Dome Patrol. Bergey became one of the NFL's best linebackers in Philly, where he made five consecutive All-Pro teams and was the foundation for the "Gang Green" defense that made the playoffs in each of his last three seasons, including a trip to the Super Bowl in 1980. . Linebacker Jack Ham and Tight end Dave Casper each received 20 votes. Robert "Dr. Doom" Brazile is another one of those underrated linebackers. He was the only good player (other than Albert Haynesworth, but even he was only good for 2-3 years) on a generally bad defense and team. No. Eleven Pro Bowls. Chris Spielman was a tackle machine during his 10 years in the NFL. Robertson was one of the NFLs most athletic linebackers. Quinto was a regular at both inside and outside linebacker for head coach Ron Gladnick's Saints. He made five straight Pro Bowls, but the reason he doesnt rank higher on this list is because he was never a feared player like his teammate Michael Strahan was, and his stats just arent good enough. No. It was tied for the best of the day with linebacker Owen Pappoe, of Auburn, and was the second-fastest time from an . Next up, we look at a much better-rated unit in the linebackers. Andy Russell 7x Pro Bowl, 4x All-Pro, 2x Super Bowl Champion Linebacker '63, 1966-1976 Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images. He has done it all for the Bears with his pass coverage, run support, and blitzing. He was one of the most feared players in the game. Named to NFL's All-Decade Team for 1970s and 1980s. Gradishar was the silent assassin of the team. And here are the 25 greatest linebackers in NFL history: 25. 2) Jeff Siemon: A key player as the middle linebacker on the team's top defenses in the mid-1970's, Siemon played in 156 games, starting 123, and was selected to four Pro Bowls during his eleven year career with the Vikings. Ralph Baker - Years with Jets: 11 (1964-74) Baker played in 142 games with the Jets in his 11 seasons, which is tied with Marvin Jones for the 4 th most by a linebacker. 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. Jackson was the vocal leader of that defense. The offense, meanwhile, scored 29 points a game. Lambert won four Super Bowls with the Steelers in the 1970s playing in the Steel Curtain. The Top Ranked Linebackers of the 1970s Top 30 Linebackers in the NFL since 1970! Although he only played three full seasons, he made five Pro Bowls. Lloyd had 54.5 sacks and 11 INTs in his career, but the most remarkable number was his 35 forced fumbles. Over his career, he totaled 1,271 tackles, 12 INTs, and 19 forced fumbles. Born April 20 . Over his career, Brooking has racked up 962 tackles and 12 INTs. Not only did he change the way defenses are run, but he changed the way offensive schemes are run as well. The Steel Curtain was the defensive line of the 1970s American football team Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). Isiah Robertson, nicknamed The Playmaker, was known for coming up with the big plays in the biggest games. He already has 57.5 sacks in his short career, along with 16 forced fumbles. 5, Jack Lambert (Steelers) (1974-1984) *Nine-time Pro Bowlers *Seven-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Mike Singletary is one of three players on this list to win Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career. He knew how to make big plays. Jeff Siemon (Vikings) : Four-time Pro Bowler. No. Mills was more of a complete player than Swilling, although the two are too close to separate one from the other. Over the past 50 years, the Steelers have tallied 36 winning seasons . Ham is the only linebacker other than Tom Jackson to have seven INTs in a single season. His best season was his first year with the Bills where he had 17.5 sacks, 70 tackles, two INTs, and three forced fumbles. McAdams was a two-time All-American . No. A two-time All-American and a three-year starter for the Vols, Kiner . He took up blockers and threw his body around a lot. With time to spare in the NFL offseason, I’ll take a look at the top 50 linebackers in the NFL in the modern era. Even now, you can tell what kind of person he is by his charity work with the REACH Foundation that he started. He also had at least 99 tackles in seven years of his 12-year career, which is outstanding. 45, Shawne Merriman* (Chargers) (2005-Present) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 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. Johnson was most known for his days with the Saints. Since Donnie Shell finally cracked the Hall of Fame, I would say the . 2. No. He was Terrell Suggs before Suggs got to Baltimore. 26, Cornelius Bennett (Bills/Falcons/Colts) (1987-2000) *Five-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. 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. As an outside linebacker, he put a lot of pressure on opponents' quarterbacks. Chris Spielman was a tackle machine during his 10 years in the NFL. Robertson is one of the most underrated players in NFL history. Mills was more of the tackler of the bunch, racking up 1,142 tackles in his career.