top 25 football players of all time
The 25 greatest footballers of all time have been named - Messi, Ronaldo or Maradona? Receptions: 87 | Receiving yards: 1,463 | Touchdowns: 16 Honestly, the biggest nod to his greatness was the effectiveness of a Colts offense (and team, really) that rested solely on his shoulders. Despite that, his NFL stats and influence are both undeniable. 2 Washington. Mike Rozier (RB, Nebraska, 1981-83) As a junior, Tebow led Florida to another national title, defeating Oklahoma 24-14 in the BCS championship game. Freshman? 13 ranking before suffering a broken arm against Houston. Legendary Florida State coach Bobby Bowden coached two Heisman Trophy winners, 26 consensus All-Americans and more than 150 NFL draft choices. Brees was a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. In 1978, he had 33 tackles against Arkansas and 31 against Ohio State. Bill Fralic (T, Pitt, 1981-84) Billy Ray Smith Jr. (DE, Arkansas, 1979-82) His reputation was built on the eye test, and his tackles were famous for being hard enough to generate regular turnovers. In one of the nail-biters, an 18-7 victory at Big East rival Boston College, Reed sealed the victory by stripping teammate Matt Walters of his interception and returning the ball 80 yards for a touchdown. The marquee name of the Chicago Bears defense in the 1980s (known as the Monsters of the Midway), Singletary was one of the most feared and yet most respected defenders in the NFL. In his time, Lilly was the lynchpin of a defense with an iconic nickname: the Doomsday Defense. 12 Stanford knocked off No. Rushing yards: 4,045 | Rushing TDs: 41 | 100-yard games: 22 Despite the heavy controversy surrounding his career, Terrell Owens was the greatest wide receiver of his day outside of Randy Moss. Roger Staubach, Herschel Walker and Jim Brown are among the greatest 11 players in college football history. After being slowed by injuries in his final season, he was drafted No. Now that were a few years removed from the NFLs 100th Anniversary and the GOAT Tom Brady just recently retired, its time to update our rankings of the 50 Greatest NFL Players of all time. The two-time All-American could run and pass, kick and defend. Total offense: 3,481 yards | Passing yards: 2,628 | Interceptions: 16 The 1982 consensus All-American is SMU's all-time leader in rushing yards, total TDs and 100-yard rushing games. He finished as the Heisman runner-up. Those 20 victories came in 1955 and 1956, when Oklahoma finished No. Click through the photo gallery below of the top 25 players in Bears history, a list that also includes Richard Dent, Dan Hampton, Devin Hester, Mike . Rushing yards: 1,683 | Total offense: 2,254 yards | Touchdowns: 35 The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner effectively completed football by leading Argentina to the 2022 World Cup. No one has ever quieted the Swamp quicker. Some of the stories told of Thorpe sound apocryphal. During his three-year collegiate career, Walker set 41 Georgia, 16 SEC and 11 NCAA records. 83. That scandal continues to overshadow just how good a running back Dickerson became. As a senior, Glover had 100 tackles and nine tackles for loss. Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, Oakland Raiders, Achievements: Inducted into Hall of Fame in 2009; 2001 Super Bowl champion; 1993 AP Defensive Player of the Year; 1st-team All-Pro (1989, 90, 92, 92, 94, 2002); 11-time Pro Bowler, Teams: Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Raiders, Atlanta Falcons, Achievements: Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1999; 1986 AP Offensive Player of the Year; 1st-team All-Pro (1983, 84, 86, 87, 88); 6-time Pro Bowler, Achievements: Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1989; 4-time Super Bowl champion (1974, 75, 78, 79); 1975 AP Defensive Player of Year; 1st-team All-Pro (1975, 81); 5-time Pro Bowler, Teams: Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers, Achievements: Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1985; 1973 NFL AP MVP; 1973 Bert Bell Award winner; 1st-team All-Pro (1972, 73, 74, 75, 76); 6-time Pro Bowler, Achievements: Super Bowl XLV champion; 2x NFL MVP (2011, 2014); Super Bowl XLV MVP; 2-time First-team All-pro (2011, 2014); Second-team All-pro (2012); Seven pro bowls, Achievements: Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1978; 3-time NFL champion (1961 62, 65); 2-time Super Bowl champion (1966, 67); 1st-team All-Pro (1964, 65); Pro Bowler. Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (2004 Class); 2x Super Bowl Champion; 1x MVP; 1x Super Bowl MVP; 2x AFC OPoY; 1x First-Team All-Pro; 2x Second-Team All-Pro; 9x Pro Bowl. Claiborne was a smart coach. Davis led Syracuse to the 1959 national championship, almost single-handedly beating Texas 23-14 in the Cotton Bowl. Tackles: 251 | Blocked kicks: 4 Rich Glover (DL, Nebraska, 1970-72) Achievements: Inducted into the Pro Football HOF (1968. As a freshman, Plunkett pushed back when head coach John Ralston wanted to move him to defensive end. 110. But Bruins coach Tommy Prothro made two comments about Beban that defined his worth: "He has no weaknesses," and "The more pressure, the better he is." Cappelletti is most remembered for his emotional Heisman Trophy acceptance speech in 1973, in which he belittled his football achievements compared to the fight his 11-year-old brother, Joey, endured while battling leukemia. Randy Moss (WR, Marshall, 1996-97) 11-100 in our list of the greatest NFL players of all time: Achievements: Inducted into the Pro Football HOF (1987); 4-time Super Bowl champ; 5-time First-team All-Pro (1972-1974, 1977, 1979); 3-time Second-team All-Pro (1971, 1975, 1976); 2-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1972, 1974); NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (1969); 10-time Pro Bowler, Achievements: Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1979); 6-time first-team All-Pro (1965, 1967-1970, 1972); 2-time second-team All-Pro (1966, 1971); 8 Pro Bowls; 2-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1969, 1970), Teams: San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Raiders, New York Jets, Achievements: Inducted into Hall of Fame in 2000; 4-time Super Bowl Champion (1982, 84, 88, 89); 1st-team All-Pro (81, 86, 87, 89, 90, 91); 10-time Pro Bowler, Achievements: Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1998; 1st-team All-Pro (1981, 82, 83, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90); 11-time Pro Bowler; 1991 NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year, Teams: Los Angeles Rams, San Diego Chargers, Washington Redskins, Achievements: Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1980); 5-time First-Team All-Pro (1965-1969); 3-time second-team All-Pro (1964, 1970, 1972); 8 Pro Bowls; 2-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1967, 1968); NFL didnt record sacks an as official stat until 1982, but it is said Jones had 194.5 during his career, Teams: Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, Baltimore Ravens, Achievements: Inducted into Hall of Fame in 2011; 2-time Super Bowl Champion (1995, 96); 1994 AP Defensive Player of the Year; 1st-team All-Pro (92, 93, 94, 96, 97, 98); 8-time Pro Bowler, Achievements: Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1965; 3-time NFL Champion (1950, 54, 55); 4-time AAFC champion (1946, 47, 48, 49); 3-time NFL UPI MVP (1951, 53, 55), 1st-team All-Pro (1947, 48, 49, 51, 53, 54, 55); 5-time Pro Bowler. It's why Smith waited until junior high to use his full birth name. Simpson averaged 31 carries and 156 rushing yards per game. Having an athlete as big (6-4, 210) as Newsome on the outside made passing easier to accomplish. -- Ivan Maisel. Tackles: 211 | Tackles for loss: 25 In World War II, Harmon joined the Army Air Corps and received the Silver Star and Purple Heart. 123. Mariota left Oregon as the career leader in completions (779), passing yards (10,796), total offense (13,033) and total touchdowns (134). By his junior year, USC won a share of the conference championship. The centerpiece of one of the most successful Oilers eras in history, Campbell has a legitimate claim to be the greatest power runners in NFL history. as his initials imply, Terrell Owens earned 6 Pro Bowl invites and 5 First-team All-Pro selections in his 16 season stint in the NFL. 35. 1. He delivered unforgettable moments, too, including a one-handed catch against NC State and a game-winning snag against Clemson in 2004. The Carolina Panthers selected Bryce Young, the Alabama quarterback, at No. As a freshman with the Gators in 1987, he ran for 1,341 yards and finished ninth in Heisman voting. Bo Jackson? Rushing yards: 6,279 | Rushing TDs: 72 | Yards per carry: 6.21 Raiders. In fewer than four months, however, Munoz, through sheer will and arduous rehab, returned to the field for the Rose Bowl. 24. We've put together a list of the greatest college football players ever, and ranked. Jerry Rice (WR, Mississippi Valley State, 1981-84) Achievements: Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1994; 1977 Super Bowl champion; 1st-team All-Pro (1981); 4-time Pro Bowler; 1977 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. Otto Graham is one of the forgotten greats of the game if youre not a huge football fan, or a proper Cleveland Browns fan. The panel's selections spanned across 111 of the 150 seasons, across 51 colleges and universities. Tackles: 204 | Tackles for loss: 68 | Sacks: 52 He was unfortunately stuck on some heartbreakingly good teams: his Niners were on the verge of glory before they ran into a historical anomaly in the early 2000s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and later was a part of the Eagles team that fell victim to Tom Brady. Teams: Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers. Leroy Keyes (RB, Purdue, 1966-68) USC won 34 straight games and two national titles during Bush's sensational three-year career. One of the most explosive offensive players in history, McCaffrey broke Barry Sanders' NCAA single-season all-purpose yards record (3,864) as a sophomore in 2015, when he had eight straight games with more than 200 total yards; finished runner-up in the Heisman Trophy voting; and was a unanimous All-American and the AP player of the year. Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (1993 Class); 1x Super Bowl Champion; 1x MVP; 1x OPoY; 2x NFC OPoY; 1x MoY; 7x First-Team All-Pro; 1x Second-Team All-Pro; 9x Pro Bowl. Nobis was the only sophomore starter on Texas' 1963 national championship team -- and he still played both ways, at linebacker and guard, after the rules were changed in 1964 to allow two-platoon football. NFL defensive player of the Year in 2010 (AP). Alfredo Di Stefano 4. Raghib "Rocket" Ismail (WR, Notre Dame, 1988-90) Cam Newton (QB, Florida/Auburn, 2007-08/2010) During the 1950 season, Janowicz was the Buckeyes' star ball-carrier, rushing for 314 yards. It was presented by the NFL Network in 2010. He ran for 1,616 yards with 15 touchdowns as a freshman in 1980, leading the Bulldogs to a 12-0 record and national championship. Tatum was one of the most feared hitters and tacklers in the country as a safety. That may not sound amazing, except that Switzer called from a locker room pay phone at halftime of a Sooners game. Final score: 0-0. Brown did it all on the football field, too. Synonymous with the peak of the San Francisco 49ers, Montana was the undisputed GOAT quarterback before a certain Patriot/Buccaneer leveled up in the 2010s (more on that later). He's faster and he cuts better." 144. Charles White (RB, USC, 1976-79) He also assisted on the tackle at the LSU goal line as time expired. An heir to the great Steelers defenses of decades past, Woodson did his part to continue that legacy before helping the Ravens win Super Bowl XXXV. He also established NCAA career records for carries (905), rushing yards (3,867), touchdowns (56) and points (336). During White's senior season in 1983, he had 100 tackles, 72 unassisted, and set a UT single-season record with 15 sacks. Achievements: Inducted into Pro Football HOF (1986); Started 146 of 149 regular-season games. Achievements: Inducted into Pro Football HOF in 1988 in hometown of Canton, Ohio; played in 238 consecutive games, including postseason; NFL MVP for 1971 season; NFL defensive player of the year 1971, 1973; 23 fumble recoveries. 9 and guard Danny Fortmann at No. 5. Newton started out at Florida, where a young quarterbacks coach named Dan Mullen lobbied head coach Urban Meyer to replace Tim Tebow with Newton. Grading big trades during the NFL draft: Who won the D'Andre Swift deal? Seattle Seahawks (1995-1999) Dallas Cowboys (2000-2003) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2004-2008) New England Patriots (2009) Pittsburgh Steelers (2009) Washington Redskins (2010) Joey Galloway has had a. 68. One player on this list even went to a college that no longer exists. Campbell got healthy, lost the 20 pounds, and -- under new head coach Fred Akers -- rushed for 1,744 yards, 6.5 yards at a time. Floyd Little (RB, Syracuse, 1964-66) Justice is on the short list of greatest players never to win the Heisman. A significant portion of the electorate balked at voting for a black man. Rushing yards: 2,386 | Yards per rush: 6.6 | Touchdowns: 35 He ran for 100 or more yards in 48 consecutive games, leading the Eagles to three national championship appearances, including back-to-back titles in 1999 and 2000. Simpson, Ricky Williams and LaDainian Tomlinson. Faulk made a name soon enough, rushing for 386 yards against Pacific in his second collegiate game (imagine if he had started). Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (1987 Class); 4x Super Bowl Champion; 2x DPoY; DRoY; 1x MoY; 5x First-Team All-Pro; 3x Second-Team All-Pro; 10x Pro Bowl. Peyton Manning 8. 7, center/linebacker Bulldog Turner at No. Jim Plunkett (QB, Stanford, 1968-70) Belichick was great in New England as well and was vital to Bradys growth, but all questions have been answered. What makes Jerry Rices case unique is his longevity and extended excellence. All three losses came in his senior season, when the All-American made 91 tackles, intercepted four passes and blocked three kicks. Before leaving for the 2004 NFL draft, he set or tied four FBS, eight Big East and 11 Pitt records.
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