best linebackers of the 1970s

credit : - yahoo. Mike Kolen 1970-77. A truly great linebacker must be able to read the offense, set the defensive scheme, play the run with cat-like instincts and defend the pass with the utmost precision. Already in his career, Ware has forced 23 fumbles. Urlacher was an all-around great linebacker who flew around the field with reckless abandon. Joe Schmidt. Thomas was one of the most instinctive linebackers of all-time. Singletary was a leader, not only vocally, but by example. He just goes out every week and hustles. He would always be found around the ball, and around the play. 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. Chad Brown played a very long NFL career, especially for a linebacker. He has speed, size, toughness, instincts, vision, patience, and football smarts. Of course, prior to 1970, there was only one captain chosen; since 1970, we've had as many as four chosen in a single season. Earl Campbell called Williams the toughest linebacker he ever played against. Robert "Dr. Doom" Brazile is another one of those underrated linebackers. In 1985, a trophy awarded to the best linebacker in college football was named in his honor. He had an outstanding attitude and would do anything to get his team a win. He was a good pass rusher, having at least 5.5 sacks in 10 straight years, but he was also good against the run and in coverage. Defensive MVP in 2002. Find out what the legends have to say about sports this week. thegruelingtruth.com is available in the following countries: The bonus offer of was already opened in an additional window. 1970s A 1-13 record in 1969 gave the Steelers the first overall choice in the 1970 draft, with which Noll addressed the offense by selecting quarterback Terry Bradshaw, another Hall of Famer, after the Steelers won the first selection by winning a coin toss with the Chicago Bears. He was always around the ball. 7, Rickey Jackson (Saints/49ers) (1981-1995) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Five-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Lloyd had 54.5 sacks and 11 INTs in his career, but the most remarkable number was his 35 forced fumbles. 41, Mo Lewis (Jets) (1991-2003) *Three-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. Those are remarkable numbers, especially when he is still going strong. Lewis wasnt as vocal as Cox, but his play was a little better, and lasted for a longer period of time. He led the Eagles in tackles in his time with the team. The Chicago Bears have the most all-time great 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. Sam Huff. Greene and Greg Lloyd made one of the best pass rushing duos in NFL history with the Pittsburgh Steelers. 1. He totaled 28 INTs in his career while he also racked up 1,045 tackles. He may have been undersized, but he made up for it with his mind and his hustle. [1][2] The squad consists of first- and second-team offensive, defensive, and special teams units, as well as a first- and second-team head coaches. 18, Andre Tippett (Patriots) (1982-1993) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Greene led the way in the pass rushing department. He may be one of the most hated players, but man can he play football. AP Sports SummaryBrief at 7:03 a.m. EST. He was a dominating force in the NFL during that stretch of time. Im only going to be looking at players drafted in 1970 or later. Seau was the definition of consistency. I’m only going to be looking at players drafted in 1970 or later. He played in 10 playoff games and had two INTs and three fumble recoveries in them. No. 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 . . Theres not much Brooks doesnt have. He was Lawrence Taylor before Taylor was. Bill Romanowski (49ers, Eagles, Broncos, Raiders) : Two-time Pro Bowler. Robertson was one of the NFLs most athletic linebackers. He was selected late in the 12th Round, and nobody expected much out of him. He could play zone and man. Derrick Brooks may be the most accomplished linebacker on this list. 5.) Jackson had 40 forced fumbles, just one short of the NFL record. The second member of the Dome Patrol comes off the board at No. Peter Boulware was the pass rusher alongside Ray Lewis. 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 has done it all for the Bears with his pass coverage, run support, and blitzing. Hes also great against the run and is a turnover forcing monster. The versatile middle linebacker played a significant role in helping the Steelers win four Super Bowls in a span of six years in the 1970s. He was always good enough for Pro Bowls, but was never an All-Pro Player. No. After a very bad injury in 2008, Shawne Merriman hasnt been the same. No. 10. Bryce Paup was an outstanding pass rusher in the 1990s. 100th NFL Anniversary team. Bryan Cox was an all-around package at linebacker. The entire enterprise of Notre Dame basketball, gone strange. 8, Demarcus Ware* (Cowboys) (2005-Present) *Four-time Pro Bowler *Three-time 1st team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Brooks wasnt just a pass coverage linebacker, but he also played the run well. 24, Leslie ONeal (Chargers/Rams/Chiefs) (1986-1999) *Six-time Pro Bowler *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He was always around the ball. Well have to see how he does, but he could either climb up or fall off this list based on his performance in 2010. If you take away his last three seasons, where he was slowing down, he averaged 12.4 sacks per season, which is just remarkable. Williams recorded 16 interceptions and 23 fumble recoveries (a franchise record). 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. 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And here are the 25 greatest linebackers in NFL history: 25. Are you ready for some football history? 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. 1970 NFC Champion. Baker recorded 19 . No. He also had 20 INTs, three of which he returned for touchdowns. HELLO, PANDORA. Ham had outstanding speed. Derrick Brooks may be the most accomplished linebacker on this list. Paul Naumoff. A tall order to say the least, and these 5 players did it better than anyone in the history of the NFL. (Photo: David Boss, Getty) Historians will tell you that McAdams is one of the best linebackers to ever play at The University of Oklahoma. 9. No. Gradishar was the silent assassin of the team. During the late 1970s and early 80s, he was the best linebacker the NFL had. Sacks and tackles werent recorded until late in his career, but he was a great pass rusher and all round linebacker. He had ten seasons with 10+ sacks. Beason may be the most controversial player on this list. 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. Lawrence Taylor of course, is regarded as the best 3-4 linebacker ever, . The Steelers began their 1976 season 1-4 and lost their quarterback, Terry Bradshaw.For the nine games remaining in the season, the Steelers . Chris Spielman was a tackle machine during his 10 years in the NFL. In the 2017-18 NFL season, the current Buffalo Bills starting LBs and backup LBs are Lorenzo Alexander, Deon Lacey, Matt Milano, and Tanner Vallejo. Jackson was not just a coverage linebacker, he was also a good pass rusher and a very hard worker off the field. Junior Seau finished his career with 1,524 tackles, the highest total on this list. The Steelers went 6-10 in his first season, but along with players like Hines Ward, Jerome Bettis, and Alan Faneca . Andre Tippett may have been outshined by Lawrence Taylor playing basically the same position at the same time frame, but theres no mistaking what Tippett did on the field. Mike Singletary had the whole package. Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter has returned to the NFL . LaVar Arrington. In 2008, Suggs even had two INTs, both of which he returned for touchdowns. He also had 1,173 tackles in his career. In his time in the NFL, he intercepted 25 passes and returned six of them for touchdowns with three of those in 2002 alone. He also ranks third all . Lewis stats at this point of his career are 1,349 tackles, 36.5 sacks, and 28 INTs. O. J. Simpson and Lynn Swann were next with 22 and 21 votes, respectively. This team was widely regarded as having one of the best defenses of all time. 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. 3 hours ago. Top 10 Best Linebackers In Cleveland Browns History. The Top Ranked Linebackers of the 1970s Urlacher was the leader of those great Bears defenses of the 2000s, including when they got to the Super Bowl only to lose to Peyton Manning and the Colts. Top 13 Indiana High School Players of all Time, The 6 greatest Indiana Highschool pure Shooters, The 8 greatest IHSAA Championship Games in History. Sacks and tackles werent recorded until late in his career, but he was a great pass rusher and all-around linebacker. 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. He was Terrell Suggs before Suggs got to Baltimore. He was close to averaging a sack per game, which is an amazing number. He had 1,301 tackles and 25 forced fumbles in his career. 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. 16, Robert Brazile (Oilers) (1975-1984) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Four-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Rickey Jackson was one of the fastest linebackers in the game, but he was also one of the hardest hitters. 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. He racked up a staggering 1,181 tackles, and 1,131 of them in his first nine seasons. by Ben Watanabe. He did everything. Patrick Willis has made the Pro Bowl and an All-Pro team every single year hes been in the NFL. Willis could potentially end up in the top 10, or even top five of this list by the time his career is over. The two-time All-American helped the Cornhuskers win back-to-back national titles in 1970 and '71 . Floyd Reese, the general manager who assembled the roster for the Tennessee Titans' lone Super Bowl appearance, died Saturday. Ranking Explanation . He was 73. His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers. He was very athletic, a great tackler, and he could cover. Regardless, he definitely deserves the respect for what he accomplished on the field. Bryce Paup was an outstanding pass rusher in the 1990s. No. Baltimore, with 2,038 rushing yards through its first 10 games of the season, is the seventh team since 1970 and first since the 1978 New England Patriots (2,029 rushing yards) with at least 2,000 . McAdams was a two-time All-American . Still, its an amazing number. He is ninth in team history with 14 forced fumbles; he recovered 11, had 6 QB sacks, and 11 interceptions. Overlooked because he played alongside Lawrence Taylor, Carson did most of the dirty work in that linebacking core. Hes also had at least 83 tackles in every year other than his rookie season. Ranking Explanation . He was very solid in coverage, good against the run, and had no real weaknesses. That is just unheard of. 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. (Pro Football Weekly 1975 Defensive Player of the Year, 1970s All-Decade Team, 1994 75th anniversary team), and also the team success (4 Super Bowls). He is the only linebacker to ever take the honor. Woodrow Lowe, Alabama (1972-75) Respected as college football's top linebacker in the early 1970s, Lowe was the first . Schmidt stood out in an era of great middle linebackers. No. Ware has made four consecutive Pro Bowls and has had three consecutive All-Pro seasons. Paul Naumoff played for 12 seasons from 1967-1978. . . 1986 Boston Celtics - Were they the greatest Team? Although he only played three full seasons, he made five Pro Bowls. During the five year stretch from 1991-1995 where he made five consecutive Pro Bowls, Lloyd was one of, if not the, most dominating linebackers in the NFL. 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. No. Hardy Nickerson may not have the name recognition as many of the other linebackers on this list, but he deserves to be this high. To stoke the nostalgia, we talked to some of the key players from the team's winningest, most . 23, Isiah Robertson (Rams/Bills) (1971-1982) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. 2-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1985, '88) Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1989. He did it once in 1985 and again in 1988. Teamwork and Leadership from Karl Mecklenburg NFL Motivational Keynote Speaker. But Mills did much more than that. Super Bowl winner. No. 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 also the fastest linebacker of the bunch and excelled in pass coverage. He had five INTs in a season twice in his career. Matt Blair was a very intimidating linebacker, and helped the Vikings get to two Super Bowls in his career. Al Wilson was an outstanding MLB for the Broncos. 10 Tom Jackson. Ray Lewis came into the league and dominated right away. No. Pittsburgh 2002, '04-12, '14-17; Cincinnati 2013; New England 2017. Greene was one of the best pass rushers of all time, recording 160 sacks in his career. Rickey Jackson was one of the fastest linebackers in the game, but he was also one of the hardest hitters. Ray Lewis is the highest-ranked active player on this list, and the top middle linebacker on it. A true enforcer in every sense of the word, Lewis intensity was unmatched by any player of his era. The Pittsburgh Steelers are second with all-time players in four decades. In the first round, the team tabbed Fred McNeill of USC, who became a fixture at the outside linebacker spot for many . Zachary Petrizzo. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. Not only did he change the way defenses are run, but he changed the way offensive schemes are run as well. Thomas is also third all-time in safeties and fumble returns for touchdowns. 11, Kevin Greene (Rams/Steelers/Panthers/49ers), (1985-1999) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. They surrendered only 20 points in that game, and seven of them were off a blocked punt. Johnson was most known for his days with the Saints. He could do it all. 36, Jeremiah Trotter (Eagles/Redskins/Bucs) (1999-2007 & 2009) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Jackson was the vocal leader of the orange crush defense. Find 1970 1979 America stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. If you dont believe me, watch the film, as they say, the film doesnt lie! 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. Bulluck was one of the best pass coverage linebackers in NFL history. For most other franchises, a resume like this would make Jack Ham the greatest linebacker in thier history by a wide margin. Theres not much Brooks doesnt have. 2. Next up on the docket for my top Redskins players series are the linebackers. Jack Ham, Linebacker. No. But Mills did much more than that. But before you come to a conclusion, let's take a look at the facts. 10. 47, Fredd Young (Seahawks/Colts) (1984-1990) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. Not only did he change the way defenses are run, but he changed the way offensive schemes are run as well. Ray Lewis is the top MLB of the modern era and is easily the linebacker of the 2000s. 1986 Boston Celtics - Were they the greatest Team? In 1984 and 1985, Tippett put up two of the best back to back seasons recording 18.5 and 16.5 sacks in them. No. He should be in the Hall of Fame. He also had at least 99 tackles in seven years of his 12 year career, which is outstanding. Rickey Jackson doesnt always get the credit he deserves, but hes a top 10 linebacker of the modern era. Holdovers from the National Football League 1960s All-Decade Team were Bob Lilly, Dick Butkus, Merlin Olsen, Larry Wilson, and Jim Bakken, which made them the first players to make multiple All-Decade teams in NFL history. 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. No. 21. Mecklenburg finished his career with 79 sacks, which is great for an ILB, and also ranks 2nd all-time in Broncos history. L.T. NFL WAGS: 10 Hottest NFL Wives & Girlfriends 2023. He holds the NFL record for the most Pro Bowl selections by a middle linebacker (13). LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) At New Mexico State, the once-treasured men's basketball program has been suspended for the season due to a fatal shooting and a gruesome allegation of locker-room . 1970, slow dancing in Mark Wooldridge's basement with my first girlfriend, Karen Frey, who wore white high-top . He had less than seven sacks in a season only once. It may be a bit early to put Jon Beason on this list, but I think his play warrants the selection. Collect, curate and comment on your files. I have combined outside and inside linebackers on the list and factored in the players ability to stop the run, drop into coverage and leadership. In 1993 as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers middle linebacker, Nickerson piled up an astounding 214 tackles. Over the course of his two-year Ohio State career, Lee accumulated 147 tackles. SRS: 6.97 (5th of 26), SOS: 1.40. A five-time pro bowler, Wilson was one of the best linebackers in the league during the early 2000s. No. 29, Joey Porter* (Steelers/Dolphins/Cardinals) (1999-Present) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Singletary was one of the key leaders of the famous 85 Bears defense, arguably the greatest defense in the history of the NFL. Jason Gildon (Steelers/Jaguars): - Three-time Pro Bowler, one-time 1st Team All-Pro. He finished his career with 132.5 sacks. He was close to averaging a sack per game, which is an amazing number. Gradishar was the silent assassin of the team. Leslie ONeal was a sack machine in his career. No. Chuck Drazenovich. Seau was the definition of consistency. Also note that an asterisk (*) by the players name means they are still active today. Patrick Willis is everything you look for in a linebacker. O. J. Simpson and Lynn Swann were next with 22 and 21 votes, respectively. Wilson doesnt have the career numbers because his career was so short, but theres no doubt when he was playing he was the most feared player on the field. The best LB in the NFL today comes in at No. Dick Butkus: one of the fiercest and best linebackers the NFL has ever seen, Butkus was a Pro Bowler every year except his final season while also garnering five All-Pro selections for the Bears. Derrick Thomas was on pace to absolutely shatter NFL records before his tragic death in 2000. He was one of a kind and will always be remembered as one of the best linebackers of all time. The Raiders defeated the Eagles 27-10. Shawne Lights Out Merriman was the face of NFL linebackers for a three year stretch.

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