Almost 50 years after he retired, Bell's nine defensive touchdowns are still tied for the most in NFL history for a linebacker alongside fellow Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks. Here are five of the top undrafted free-agent signings since the draft ended: Ivan Pace Jr., LB, Minnesota Vikings Linebacker was a key position of need for the Vikings but they didn't use any . 8-time Pro Bowler The race for the best linebacker in NFL history can be narrowed down to five people: the aforementioned Butkus, Lewis, and Singletary, along with Jack Lambert and Willie Lanier. It's hard to claim that anyone other than the great Lawrence Taylor is the best linebacker ever. He finished his career with 458 tackles, 65.0 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, nine . 8 on the all-time list, Atlanta Falcons, 1966-1976 Voted to five Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro one time, Houston Oilers, 1975-1984 Elected to the Pro Football Hall Of Fame in 2018 Voted to seven Pro Bowls, named First Team All-Pro five times NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (1975) NFL 1970s All-Decade Team member Finished career with 48 sacks, 1,281 tackles, and 13 interceptions, Kansas City Chiefs, 1967-1977 One-time Super Bowl champion Voted to eight Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro three times Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Carolina Panthers 2012-present Voted to Pro Bowl five times, four-time First Team All-Pro NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2013) NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (2012) 818 career tackles, 10.5 sacks, 15 interceptions, Buffalo Bills, 1987-1995; Atlanta Falcons, 1996-1998; Indianapolis Colts, 1999-2000 Voted to five Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro once Recorded 71.5 career sacks Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, San Francisco 49ers, 1964-1974 Voted to seven Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro twice Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Pittsburgh Steelers, 1974-1984 Four-time Super Bowl champion Voted to nine Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro six times Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Chicago Bears, 2000-2012 Voted to eight Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro four times Recorded 41.5 career sacks and 1,040 career tackles, New Orleans Saints, 1981-1993; San Francisco 49ers 1994-1995 One-time NFL champion Voted to six Pro Bowls Recorded 128 career sacks, which ranks No. Bednarik is most famous for his 1960 tackle of Giants running back Frank Gifford, who was knocked unconscious on the play and out of football for almost two years. I had the pleasure of meeting him when I was younger before he passed. Ranking the top linebackers to ever suit up in the National Football League is far from easy. 10-time Pro Bowler Chuck Howley thought his career was over due to a devastating knee injury just three games into the 1959 season with the Chicago Bears. Ranking the 10 best linebackers in Raiders history Hardy Nickerson, Pittsburgh Steelers (1987-92), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (93-99), Jacksonville Jaguars (2000-01), Green Bay Packers (02) 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? Hall of Fame, Class of 1986 Born into abject poverty in rural Tennessee, he was working full-time in the cotton fields by the time he was 10 years old and had to flee his home with his sisters at 17 to get away from his violent, alcoholic father. Veteran A.J. Keeping all aspects of the job in mind, we rank the top 25 greatest middle linebackers in NFL history. High school: Maggie L. Walker (Richmond, Virginia), Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1969), six-time Pro Bowl (1970-75), eight-time All-Pro (1968-75), NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1986). How deep was Nitschke in pop culture during his career? Willie Lanier played in an era of football best defined by his hitting style which mainly consisted of him trying to put the crown of his helmet through your sternum. 1978 Defensive Player of the Year was tough and imposed his physical will on opponents. NFL Draft best available players for Buffalo Bills: Drew Sanders Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. was the top pick for Commanders General Manager Martin Mayhew, left, and . Lavonte David's football career took him across the United States after growing up in Miami, Florida. Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 240 pounds, Robert Brazile dominated on the field and had one of the greatest nicknames ever. 2023 NFL Draft: Top Linebackers - The San Diego Union-Tribune He took his skills as a free agent to the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he won two Super Bowls. That was the first of five consecutive seasons with at least 120 tackles. Super Bowl VIII champion High school: De La Salle High School (Chicago), Career highlights: Five-time All-Pro (1950-53, 1955), four-time Pro Bowl (1950-53), NFL 1940s All-Decade Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1975). Starters: Robert Spillane, Divine Deablo. During his playing days he helped lead the Chiefs to win Super Bowl IV 23-7 over the Minnesota Vikings in a game that many gave the Chiefs zero chance of winning. 6-time Pro Bowler12. In 11 dominant NFL seasons, Dave Wilcox only missed one game due to injury and confounded opposing offenses with his ability to elude blocks at the most basic level. 2007 Defensive Rookie of the Year Here are my top 10 linebackers: 1. Mike Singletary was the player at the heart of perhaps the greatest defense of all time the 1985 Chicago Bears, who went 15-1 in the regular season and blew out the New England Patriots, 46-10, in the Super Bowl. It's fitting that Khalil Mack now plays for the Chicago Bears. In addition to having the greatest linebacker of All-Time in Ray Lewis, 20 years of Ravens football has seen some incredible linebackers. Born: Dec. 29, 1936 (Elmwood Park, Illinois), Died: March 8, 1998 (age 61, Venice, Florida), High school: Proviso East High School (Mayfield, Illinois), Career highlights: Two-time Super Bowl champion (1966, 1967), three-time NFL champion (1961, 1962, 1965), Pro Bowl (1964), seven-time All-Pro (1962-67, 1969), NFL 1960s All-Decade Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1978). Arizona had until May 2 to make a final . Here is every player who has ever held the position of New Orleans Saints starting linebacker. 1 Ray Lewis Lewis is widely considered one of the greatest middle linebackers of all time. No NFL team has the linebacker tradition of the Bears, who boast Hall of Famers Dick Butkus, Mike Singletary, Urlacher and Mack, a future Hall of Famer, among their all-time greats. If the Professional Football Hall of Fame and its esteemed members and voters would like to actually live up to its name, then those parties should think of a way to add Sam Mills to their brethren. Born: Jan. 9, 1969 (Oceanside, California), Died: May 2, 2012 (age 43, Oceanside, California), High school: Oceanside High School (Oceanside, California), Teams: San Diego Chargers (1990-2002), Miami Dolphins (2003-05), New England Patriots (2006-09), Career highlights: 12-time Pro Bowl (1991-2002), 10-time All-Pro (1991-2000), NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1992), NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (2015). Briggs ended up making approximately $52.2 million in career earnings. Who are the 3 Greatest Middle Linebackers of All Time? - Sportskeeda Join the contest by ranking below. Best Eagles Linebackers: Top 10 All-Time in Franchise History Welcome to draft season! He was a second team All-American in 2011 when he racked up career highs with 13.5 tackles for loss and five sacks to go with 128 tackles. It is hard to look past Jack Lambert as one of the Top 10 Middle Linebackers All-Time based on his career resume and his play on the football field. 1973 Defensive Player of the Year 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. The former North Carolina Tar Heel is both a member of the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team and the 100th Anniversary Team. Chad Brown was the type of player who could do almost anything on the defensive front. And that dance. Mecklenburg anchored Denver's defense with safety Steve Atwater and helped lead Denver to three AFC titles, but the Broncos lost all three of those Super Bowls. Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens (1996-2012)2000 Defensive Player of the Year Zach Thomas, Miami Dolphins (1996-2007), Dallas Cowboys (08) Wilber Marshall was one of the greatest pass coverage linebackers of the modern era. 60 Greatest Linebackers in NFL History | Stadium Talk These all-time greats have electrified crowds with their energy and leadership and delivered on the field as some of the NFL's best defensive players ever. 2 overall pick in 1981 out of North Carolina led the Giants to two Super Bowl wins, was a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and the NFL Most Valuable Player in 1986 the last defensive player to win that award. 9-time Pro Bowler The 10-time All-Pro earned three Defensive Player of the Year awards in six seasons (1981-1982, 1986). His 1,018 career tackles are No. Norton's famous nod to his famous father was hitting the goal post pads like a punching bag, similar to how he treated opponents as the star linebacker for two of the best franchises in football for over a decade. Born: Sept. 1, 1960 (Seattle, Washington), High school: Edina West High School (Edina, Minnesota), Career highlights: Six-time Pro Bowl (1985-87, 1989, 1991, 1993), four-time All-Pro (1985-87, 1989). Continue with Recommended Cookies, Ranking the best Middle Linebackers in the history of the NFL such as Ray Lewis, Mike Singletary, and many more, By Fan Rankings | October 23, 2021 - 07:34 PM. Born: Aug. 13, 1941 (Fort Bragg, North Carolina), High school: Hampton High School (Hampton, Virginia), Team: Washington Football Team (formerly Washington Redskins), Career highlights: Nine-time Pro Bowl (1966-69, 1972-76), six-time All-Pro (1969, 1972-76), Pro Football Hall of Fame (2011). 7-time Pro Bowler19. Who are the best linebackers in New Orleans Saints history? 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. Top 10 Best NFL Linebackers of All Time - TheTopTens Who are the best linebackers in San Francisco 49ers history? Poll : Are these the 3 Greatest Middle Linebackers of All-Time? 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. High school: Vale High School (Vale, Oregon), Career highlights: Four-time All-Pro (1967, 1971-73), seven-time Pro Bowl (1966, 1968-73), Pro Football Hall of Fame (2000). Behind Lawrence Taylor, Andre Tippett was the most dominant NFL linebacker in the 1980s. Check out Gil's list here! He's been nothing but consistent since those days of Seahawks dominance in the league. 6-time first-team All-Pro 1-time first-team All-Pro 8-time Pro Bowler Baltimore Ravens: Top 10 Linebackers Of All Time - Ebony Bird

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