Like Lewis, Lawrence Taylor is also one of the most feared defenders in NFL history. High school: Pahokee High School (Pahokee, Florida), Teams: New Orleans Saints (1981-93), San Francisco 49ers (1994-95), Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1994), six-time Pro Bowl (1983-86, 1992, 1993), five-time All-Pro (1984-86, 1992, 1993), Pro Football Hall of Fame (2010). Lewis recorded 2,059 career tackles, 41.5 sacks, 31 interceptions and forced 17 fumbles. Staff writer. "Dr. Doom" terrorized opposing offenses for 10 NFL seasons and was a six-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowl selection. Johnson, at 6-foot-3 and 242 pounds, was a high school star in Central Texas at Waco High before becoming an All-American at the University of Texas and an NFL All-Pro. The on-field brains behind Mike Ditka and Buddy Ryans famed 1985 Bears defense, Singletary is undeniably one of the greatest to ever play the position.5. Bednarik, who the Philadelphia Eagles selected with the first overall pick in the 1949 NFL Draft, helped build the Eagles into a defensive power house. We asked 50 experts to vote for the NFL's all-time greatest edge rusher, cornerback and kicker. That includes Super Bowl wins in 2000 and 2012, with the latter coming in Lewis' final game. He also finished his career with 25 interceptions and 24 sacks. Buoniconti would go on to register 32 interceptions over his career between the AFL and NFL. Chicago Bears: 15 greatest linebackers of all time - Da Windy City Tragically, Seau took his own life in 2012, at 43 years old. 1976 Defensive Player of the Year 5-time first-team All-Pro When most football fans think of the Steelers' defense, they think about. However, we're here to give this the good old college try, so let's dive in! NFL's best players ever at every defensive position - ESPN 7-time Pro Bowler18. He took his skills as a free agent to the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he won two Super Bowls. The Top 10 NFL Linebackers of All Time - Bleacher Report The league's top prospects stepped into the NFL Photo studio for Draft portraits. The former Green Bay Packers middle linebacker was a key member of the team and the leader on the defensive side of the football that helped the Packers win five NFL Championships and Super Bowl I and II Championships. The last 60-minute man in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik dominated on both sides of the ball for the Philadelphia Eagles. Knowing what we know now about concussions, which forced Kuechly's retirement, should players who accomplish what he did and have their careers shortened be in the Hall of Fame? The 15 Greatest NFL Linebackers of All Time - Sportscasting Born: June 3, 1959 (Neptune City, New Jersey), Died: April 18, 2005 (age 45, Charlotte, North Carolina), High school: Long Branch High School (Long Branch, New Jersey), Teams: New Orleans Saints (1986-94), Carolina Panthers (1995-97), Career highlights: Five-time Pro Bowl (1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1996), three-time All-Pro (1991, 1992, 1996). Injuries cut Luke Kuechly's career short, like they did with quite a few great linebackers. 10 Best Chicago Bears Linebackers of All Time - Sports Illustrated Wagner, who first turned heads by running a 4.4-second 40-yard dash at the Utah State pro day, helped lead the Seahawks to a Super Bowl win in 2013, won another NFC title two years later and was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 2010s. Fortunato, who was named one of the Bears 100 Greatest Players, did accomplish one thing that Butkus never would. Wilber Marshall was one of the greatest pass coverage linebackers of the modern era. 2-time Pro Bowler Born: Nov. 12, 1980 (Los Angeles, California), High school: Elk Grove High School (Elk Grove, California), Career highlights: Three-time NFL All-Pro (2005, 2006, 2009), seven-time Pro Bowl (2005-11). Top 10 Linebackers of All Time | NFL Highlights - YouTube - http://www.nfl.com/photoessays/0ap3000000816217. 6-time Pro Bowler21. Kendricks has graded at 91.7 over the last two years according to PFF. Owen Pappoe, Auburn. Nitschke died of a massive heart attack in Florida in 1998, when he was 61 years old. For the Tar Heels, Hanburger played both ways and earned most of his accolades at center, not on defense. Fan Rankings is a registered trademark of Fan Rankings LLC. On paper, Gradishar's resume was much better than Mecklenburg's career accolades. High school: Vocational High School (Chicago), Career highlights: Eight-time Pro Bowl (1965-72), eight-time All-Pro (1965-72), two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1969, 1970), NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1983). ", High school: Miami Northwestern High School (Miami, Florida), Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (2021), three-time NFL All-Pro (2013, 2016, 2020), Pro Bowl (2015), NFL All-Rookie Team (2012). Williams was the seventh-best linebacker by Brugler and was not on his Top 100. Joyner was unbelievably productive in different aspects of the game, with over 1,000 career tackles and 52 career sacks, and he was a standout on the great Philly defenses of the late 1980s and early 1990s alongside Reggie White under head coach Buddy Ryan. 6. These are the greatest linebackers in NFL history. 7-time Pro Bowler19. Gary Reasons (1984-91) Gary Reasons, a fourth-round draft pick from Northwestern State, was a key . FP - TopX: Greatest Middle Linebacker of All Time He doesn't have overwhelming traits, but he has filled in capably as a . With the third-most sacks in NFL history, there's no question Kevin Greene belongs among the best linebackers of all-time. 1-time first-team All-Pro Featuring NO Saints and some of the greatest NFL linebackers of all time, the best Saints LBs include Rickey Jackson, Joe Federspiel, Jonathan Vilma, Scott Shanle, and Scott Fujita. Houston Texans loaded with linebackers from Alabama - al.com The 1990 Pro Football Hall of Famer was so elite throughout his career that he was a member of four of the most prestigious all-time teams in NFL history. High school: Matoaca High School (Chesterfield, Virginia), Teams:New York Jets (1997-2001), Pittsburgh Steelers (2002-11), Career highlights: Two-time Super Bowl champion (2005, 2008), two-time Pro Bowl (2004, 2008), two-time NFL All-Pro (2004, 2008). He was 6-foot-3, 225 pounds and ran a 4.6-second 40-yard dash. This list explores these reasons by looking at the three greatest middle linebackers of all time. Gil Brandt's greatest NFL linebackers of all time Photos Home 100 Greatest Photos Game Galleries Gil Brandt's greatest NFL linebackers of all time NFL.com senior analyst and personnel. Brooking was incredibly consistent throughout his career. Huff became the first rookie middle linebacker to start an NFL championship game, leading the Giants to the title in 1956 and led them to four more NFL championship games, losing each time. Backups: Luke Masterson, Curtis Bolton. Fletcher, 5-foot-11 and 242 pounds, ran a blazing 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine coming out of NCAA Division III John Carroll University, but he still went undrafted. His 1,018 career tackles are No. The two-time Super Bowl champ is one of the greatest overall defenders in NFL history. Jackson retired in the top three in NFL history for sacks (128) and fumble recoveries (28). You could say he was as close to a Lawrence Taylor version of a linebacker the NFL ever had before we got the real thing. 1 Ray Lewis Lewis is widely considered one of the greatest middle linebackers of all time. But it was his leadership in four Super Bowl wins that moves Lambert ahead of Dick Butkus as sacrilegious as that may seem.3. 2020 Stats: 69 Solo, 0 Sacks, 0 FF, 3 INT. He's a rangy, sideline-to-sideline tackler, and though he lacks size and . His play on the field was filled with passion and talent that helped him become one of the best to play the game. He started all 26 games at middle linebacker the last two seasons. 8-time first-team All-Pro Brazile is often credited for being the first outside linebacker to define how the game was played in a 3-4 defense while rushing the passer, although sacks weren't an official NFL statistic until his last three seasons. He beat a double-murder charge before the 2000 season following the stabbing deaths of two men in a fight after a Super Bowl party in Atlanta. College Football's Top 50 Linebackers of the BCS Era 5-time Pro Bowler Over his career, Bednarick helped guide the Eagles to two NFL Championships while being named to eight Pro Bowl teams and selected eight times as a First Team All-Pro. Your login session has expired. From the likes of Mike Singletary to Nick Bouniconti to Chuck Bednarik to Ray Lewis, the middle linebacker position is loaded with talent making the top choice a difficult selection. A notorious freelancer, Seau notched 56.5 sacks, 18 INTs returned for 238 yards, 11 forced fumbles, 18 fumble recoveries and one TD while winning two AFC titles with the 1994 Chargers and 2007 Patriots.8. In four seasons, Willis has 594 total tackles, 15 sacks, made the Pro Bowl every year, and three times has been named a first-team All-Pro linebacker. High school: Washington County High School (Sandersville, Georgia), Teams: Cincinnati Bengals (1998-2002), Buffalo Bills (2003-06), Philadelphia Eagles (2007), San Francisco 49ers (2008-10), San Diego Chargers (2011-12), Career highlights: Two-time Pro Bowl (2003, 2004), NFL All-Pro (2004). Behind Lawrence Taylor, Andre Tippett was the most dominant NFL linebacker in the 1980s. Isiah Robertson was one of the stars on the Los Angeles Rams' defenses that won six consecutive NFC West titles. The first Hall of Famer to go in as a player primarily for the Saints, Rickey Jackson was the leader of the famed "Doom Patrol" linebacker corps in New Orleans and is one of the toughest players in NFL history. But in his eight seasons, Kuechly accomplished almost everything an NFL linebacker could, including being perhaps the best coverage linebacker in the history of the game. Mike Singletary, Chicago Bears (1981-92)Hall of Fame, Class of 1998 Zach Thomas brought a certain attitude to defenses as a middle linebacker, both in college at Texas Tech and in the NFL, that was evident from the moment he stepped on the field. Over his career Willis racked up 865 tackles to go with 20.5 sacks, 16 forced fumbles and eight interceptions. Bills draft Dorian Williams: Does Tulane product give Buffalo what it Jack . High school: Waco High School (Waco, Texas), Teams: Kansas City Chiefs (2005-17), Oakland Raiders (2018), Career highlights: Two-time NFL All-Pro (2011, 2015), four-time Pro Bowl (2011-13, 2015). 45:47. But he'll always be best known for his role on the Bears' Super Bowl-winning team of 1985 that featured arguably the best defense in NFL history. London Fletcher, St. Louis Rams (1998-2001), Buffalo Bills (02-06), Washington Redskins (07-12) He was a two-time NFL Defensive Most Valuable Player, led the Detroit Lions to two NFL championships and made both the Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams every year for 10 consecutive years from 1954 to 1963. 10-time Pro Bowler NFL Championship Game MVP (1962) Putting outside, inside, and middle linebackers in one group gets tricky, and the position (like all positions in the game) has changed considerably over the years. A study of his brain revealed he had a severe case of CTE, which can cause rage, amnesia and severe depression. He was a two-time Super Bowl winner with the New York Giants, who he played for during each of his 13 NFL seasons. Ranking the top linebackers to ever suit up in the National Football League is far from easy. 10 Best Linebackers in Steelers History (+Honorable Mentions) Arguably USCs most notable No. He only played on teams with winning records three times in his career and only made two playoff appearances. In addition, Lewis was a two time Defensive Player of the Year, seven time First Team All-Pro and a 13 time Pro Bowler. Bednarik, who the Philadelphia Eagles selected with the first overall pick in the 1949 NFL Draft, helped build the Eagles into a defensive power house. In the NFL, he was a model of consistency for 14 seasons and earned postseason honors in 10 of 11 seasons and started 135 consecutive games at one point. 1973 Defensive Player of the Year Perhaps the most dominant defensive player of his generation, like so many other great linebackers on this list, Khalil Mack has had the misfortune of playing on some truly horrendous teams throughout the early portion of his career with the Raiders and the Bears. The most famous member of the No Name Defense, Buoniconti is alleged to be the ringleader of the 1972 Dolphins annual champagne toast when the last undefeated team loses each season.10. Super Bowl I champion He finished his career with 458 tackles, 65.0 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, nine . The Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams middle linebacker, Bill George is the one single man that is known for creating the middle linebacker position. Being the son of a former heavyweight boxing champion might be a burden for some, but Ken Norton Jr. embraced it. James Farrior, New York Jets (1997-2001), Pittsburgh Steelers (02-11) Over his career, Bednarick helped guide the Eagles to two NFL Championships while being named to eight Pro Bowl teams and selected eight times as a First Team All-Pro.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'fanrankings_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_7',127,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fanrankings_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); When considering great middle linebackers it is hard to look past another Chicago Bear All-Pro who racked up a pretty solid NFL career. That's what linebackers do. Bennett was convicted of rape in 1997 and sentenced to 60 days in jail, but still allowed to play in the NFL for four more seasons. 15 on the all-time list Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Philadelphia Eagles, 1949-1962 Two-time NFL champion Voted to eight Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro five times Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Chicago Bears, 1981-1992 One-time Super Bowl champion Voted to 10 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro seven times Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Green Bay Packers, 1963-1972; Washington Redskins 1973-1974 Three-time NFL champion Voted to three Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro once Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, San Diego Chargers, 1990-2002; Miami Dolphins, 2003-2005; New England Patriots, 2006-2009 Voted to 12 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro six times Recorded 56.5 career sacks and 1,522 career tackles Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Los Angeles Rams, 1985-1992; Pittsburgh Steelers, 1993-1995; Carolina Panthers, 1996, 1998-1999; San Francisco 49ers, 1997 Voted to five Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro twice Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Recorded 160 career sacks, which ranks No. Super Bowl XXVII champion 13 on the all-time list Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Hall of Fame, Class of 2011 Before the turn of the century, two of the best middle linebackers of all time were Lawrence Taylor andJack Lambert. According to Pro Football Reference, Taylor recorded either a fumble recovery, an interception, or double-digit sacks each season of his career. Fletcher carved out a 16-year NFL career, including a Super Bowl win with the Rams in his second season. Robertson's size, speed and athleticism often made the difference in games for the Rams.