List your Top 10 Players of All-Time from your favorite NFL team

The Game Room
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The NFL Network has been doing Top 10 lists for a while now, and I just saw that they were debuting their Top 10 Steelers of All-Time on Christmas Eve. You know I’m going to be watching that, but I thought it might be interesting to see what your thoughts are on your favorite team, along with rationales for your picks if you so choose.

Discussion is encouraged, but let’s not get stupid about it, OK? Thanks.

My Top 10 Pittsburgh Steelers, from 10 to 1:

  1. Lynn Swann- Flashy, highly-skilled receiver. His career was way too short to be ranked higher, but was amazing when he played.
  2. Terry Bradshaw- The numbers don’t reflect greatness (although he is in the Hall), but he came through when the chips were down. Four Super Bowl rings don’t lie.
  3. Franco Harris- Good, dependable runner for a lot of years, always a threat to break it long. And, of course, the Immaculate Reception, which is still the greatest play ever (and the ball hit Tatum, no matter what he said).
  4. Iron Mike Webster- Greatest center ever. His nickname was quite apt, what happened to him later notwithstanding. His death, while unfortunate, may save many others in the years to come by raising awareness on concussions and head injuries.
  5. Hines Ward- Best receiver Pittsburgh has ever had statistically, hits like a truck, sure-handed throughout his career. Lock for the Hall.
  6. Troy Polamalu- If he plays for just a few more years he’ll be a lock for the Hall of Fame. Current heart and soul of the defense.
  7. Jerome Bettis- Great pound-them-into-oblivion running back. Fit the Pittsburgh mold perfectly. Lock for the Hall.
  8. John Stallworth- A much better receiver than Swann over the course of his career and a vastly underrated player during his playing days.
  9. Jack Lambert- Arguably the best middle linebacker of all time, and one of the meanest, take-no-prisoners players ever.
  10. Mean Joe Greene- Could it be anybody else? The heart and soul of the Steel Curtain defense of the 1970s, he wins by default.

That was tough. The only two that are locked in position on my list are Greene and Lambert. The rest can be moved without regard to ranking and the list is still solid.

As for the rest… I left out Shell, Greenwood, Ham, Russell, Woodson, Roethlisberger, Harrison, Farrior, Stautner, Blount, Dawson, Gildon, Faneca… God, it’s amazing who I had to leave out with only 10 choices. I could have made “the defense since 1970” one pick and not filled out the rest of the list, the defense was that great. I’m curious who NFL Films is going to leave out.

OK, the floor is open. Have at it.

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New York Jets.

  1. Freeman Mcneill, RB – great, underrated running back.
  2. Bruce Harper, RB – Had everything going against him, but was able to do it all.
  3. Mark Gastineau, DE – most notable of all the team’s defensive lineman. At his best, a sack machine, and his dance made it even better. Would be higher except for his penchant for pointless roughing the kicker penalties.
  4. Richard Todd, QB – I give him a lot of credit – he lost the starter job to Matt Robinson, then got it back and showed he deserved to be there.
  5. Joe Kleko, DE – part of the New York Sack Exchange with Gastineau. Probably more talent, but less flamboyant and he looked like an overgrown kid.
  6. Wesley Walker, WR – When he was in the lineup, the team won. When he was out with injuries, they lost. Simple as that.
  7. Wayne Chrebet, WR – never seemed to drop a pass. He was a walk-on (he went to school at Hofstra, where the Jets had their training facility).
  8. George Sauer, WR – One of the greatest receivers of all time. With Maynard, he gave the team one of the best tandems in pro football history (and TE Pete Lammons was also great). Retired at age 27 because he was tired of the game. Probably would have been in the Hall of Fame otherwise.
  9. Don Maynard, WR – Joe Namath’s favorite target (he threw more to Sauer, but he preferred Maynard when he could). Relied on pure speed.
  10. Joe Namath, WR – for obvious reasons. His career really didn’t have HOF numbers because of injuries, but when he was healthy, he was Superman.

Others just missing the cut: Larry Grantham, John Riggins, Matt Snell, Emerson Boozer, Jim Hudson, Pat Leahy, Jim Turner,

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Greatest New York Giants:

  1. Lawrence Taylor
  2. Sam Huff
  3. Harry Carson
  4. Michael Strahan
  5. Frank Gifford
  6. Fran Tarkenton (people forget he played for us!)
  7. Tiki Barber
  8. Phil Simms
  9. Y.A. Tittle
  10. Charle Conerly
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P.S. Since I started following football in the late Sixties/early Seventies, I don’t always feel qualified to judge players from an earlier era. I don’t really KNOW firsthand that Sam Huff, for instance, was as great as his legend.

I also regret not having room for Andy Robustelli, Emlen Tunnell and Tuffy Leemans, among others.

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Oakland Raiders:

Can’t possibly put these into order (plus to do so would be antithetical to one of the Raiders’ unwritten rules, as I’ve discovered while reading the recent book on the Raiders, Badasses):

Marcus Allen
Howie Long
Fred Biletnikoff
Ken Stabler
Willie Brown
Gene Upshaw
Art Shell
Ted Hendricks
Jim Otto
Ray Guy

Just missed the cut: Jim Plunkett, Cliff Branch, Dave Casper, Mark van Eeghen, Phil Villapiano. In their primes I’d rather have Snake than Plunkett as my QB.

6

Philadelphia Eagles
Very long, very storied history. Not really a ton of great choices, though. Not nearly as many as you might think. I’ll absolutely admit I had to do some research for this post because I’m not a football historian. A lot of the older players are on this list due to reputation or accolades more so than anything I know about them.

10. Randall Cunningham, QB
My favorite football player of all time. One of the most dynamic athletes I’ve ever seen, I’ll never forget his incredible grace and speed, but also his effortlessly strong arm and his punting ability (yes, punting, he holds the fourth longest punt ever at 91 yards).

**9. William “Tra” Thomas, LT
**A mainstay at the most critical O-Line position for over a decade, he never seemed to get enough credit for his advanced skill blocking for the run and the pass. Still, a three time Pro Bowler and exceptionally durable, he’s the best O-Lineman the Eagles have had in decades.

8. Norm Willey, DE
The only “old” player I actually knew about beforehand and without help. He would be ranked a lot higher if they kept relevant stats back in his day. It’s widely accepted that he would hold the single game sack record (with multiple witnesses, players, and coaches confirming) with… seventeen. It’s also believed he would easily hold the career sack record and single season sack record had they kept that stat at the time.

**7. Brian Westbrook, RB
**The team’s second all time rusher in yards, third all time in receptions, and one of the most complete backs in modern NFL history. He could do everything exceptionally well and was one of the most dangerous players in open field during his prime. He always seemed to be playing at a higher speed than anyone else.

**6. Pete Pihos
**Yeah, I know nothing about the guy. But what I learned was impressive; 5 time first-team All Pro and one of the better two way players in football history. He was a dynamic receiver (leading the league in receptions for three straight seasons) and an All NFL defensive end.

And he’s in the Hall of Fame.

**5. Steve Van Buren, RB
**Didn’t know anything about him either. He’s another 5 time First-Team All Pro who led the league in rushing and touchdowns for four seasons apiece. and he was the main piece of the Eagles’ two championships in the late 40’s. He’s also in the Hall of Fame.

4. Donovan McNabb, QB
I know. But! He leads the franchise in all the major passing categories and he was the focal point in the resurgence of the franchise in the late 90’s and 2000’s. He’s had a tremendous amount of success and received far, far more criticism than he ever deserved (though he’s deserved a lot too). For a time, he was all this team had for offense, and he was constantly cursed with poor receiver talent. It would be interesting to know what would have happened had he gotten to play with an All Pro receiver for more than one season. As it was, he made the most of the opportunity he had with Terrell Owens and gave a glimpse of what could have been. Fantastic talent, terrific results, just not quite ever great enough.

**3. Brian Dawkins, S
**It’s hard to find exactly the right amount of praise for Dawkins. Is he one of the best at his position ever? I’d say so, especially considering the intangibles. But he always seemed just beyond the limelight and the national praise of fans and media. He was the unquestioned leader of a high-pressure, blitzing, playmaking defense for over a decade. He was everywhere, and always had to be accounted for. He made eight Pro Bowls and was a four time First Team All Pro and made the NFL’s 2000’s All Decade team. I imagine he’s a sure-fire Hall of Famer.

**2. Reggie White, DE
**The Minister of Defense comes in at #2. You all know about him, he needs no other mention. I will point out that he started his NFL career as an Eagle, played the majority of his career as an Eagle, had his best seasons as an Eagle, and deserves to be seen primarily in an Eagles uniform. Hands off, Packers.

**1. Chuck Bednarik, C/LB
**Hall of Famer, signature play that single-handedly saved a Championship victory, and name recognition even after 50-60 years. He played at an All Pro level on both sides of the ball for years, even after players were no longer asked to do so.

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Hmm, this is difficult. I’m not going to try to rank them yet.

New England Patriots
Tom Brady
Gino Cappelletti
John Hannah
Steve Nelson
John Smith
Steve Grogan
Andre Tippett
Tedi Bruschi
Stanley Morgan
Troy Brown

Honorable mention: Adam Vinatieri, Nick Buoniconti, Ben Coates, Drew Bledsoe

ETA: Sam “Bam” Cunningham, forgot him.

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The Houston Oilers weren’t good enough to deserve ten players, so I’m picking five. And Tennessee doesn’t count.

  1. Bruce Matthews
  2. Mike Munchak God what a waste of offensive line talent those teams in the 90s were.
  3. Earl Campbell
  4. Warren Moon One underrated thing about Moon was just how durable he was. Played the better part of a decade in the run and shoot and was rarely injured.
  5. Ray Childress

I could throw in the receivers from the 90s teams (Ernest Givens and Drew Hill particularly) and George Blanda from the team’s early history, but really who are we kidding? That team deserved to be erased from history.

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Pittsburgh Steelers…

…what Airman Doors said. Hard to argue with any of that. Great list.

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Cleveland Browns - My favorites (which means I’d have to have seen them play), not the best

  1. Michael Jackson - mostly for the name
  2. Leroy Hoard - You need 1 yard, I’ll get you 2. You need 3 yards, I’ll get you 2.
  3. Phil Dawson - underrated kicker
  4. Earnest Byner - great RB, would be my #2 if not for the fumble
  5. Eric Metcalf - good RB on decent teams
  6. Josh Cribbs - awesome special teams player and only post-expansion team player on my list
  7. Michael Dean Perry - beast on the DLine
  8. Clay Matthews - underrated LB
  9. Bob Golic - went to ND and was on Saved by the Bell (the College Years)
  10. Bernie Kosar - great QB, maybe even better commentator (mostly for drunkenness)
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All very valid, worthy selections… but as a Giants fan who’s seen a LOT of the Eagles over the years, I wish you’d found a place for both Harold Carmichael and Bill Bergey. Those were two guys who always gave us fits!

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Detroit Lions

  1. Barry Sanders
  2. Dick “Night Train” Lane
  3. Bobby Layne
  4. Doak Walker
    __________________ There are a lot of Hall of Famers to name off here, but from here on, it’ll be ones in my lifetime
  5. Chris Spielman
  6. Herman Moore
  7. Jerry Ball
  8. Mel Gray
  9. Mark Carrier
  10. Jason Hanson
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How can your favorite football player of all time barely crack your top 10 favorites from your team???

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Because there’s a distinction between “personal favorite” and “greatest”?

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I’ll take a shot at the Vikings.

Top ten:
Alan Page (DT)
Ron Yary (T)
Carl Eller (DE)
Cris Carter (WR)
Randy Moss (WR)
Fran Tarkenton (QB)
John Randle (DT)
Randall McDaniel (G)
Paul Krause (DB)
Adrian Peterson (RB)

Honorable mention:
Robert Smith (RB)
Gary Zimmerman (T)
Jim Marshall (DE)
Mick Tingelhoff ©

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Denver Broncos:

  1. Floyd Little, RB: The Broncos’ sole “star” for many years; his efforts on and off the field probably kept the franchise from moving away before the days of the Orange Crush.
  2. Champ Bailey, CB: I hope he finds his way to a championship-caliber team; he’s lost a step but he’s still better than most. For many years, most teams just wouldn’t bother throwing anything in his direction.
  3. Gary Zimmerman, OT: played most of his career with the Vikings, but anchored a stellar Broncos offensive line that protected Elway, made big holes for Terrell Davis, and ultimately delivered a championship.
  4. Shannon Sharpe, TE: Redefined the role of a tight end.
  5. Karl Mecklenburg, LB: 6-time Pro Bowler, very savvy anchor of an outstanding LB unit.
  6. Randy Gradishar, LB: If Tom Jackson was the soul of the Orange Crush, Gradishar was the heart.
  7. Rod Smith, WR: Terribly underrated receiver who was a walkon for the Broncos; the things he did to get yards after the catch were phenomenal. Huge leader in the locker room, and I think the Broncos’ long slide into mediocrity (or worse) began with his retirement.
  8. Steve Atwater, S: 8-time Pro Bowler and a savage tackler; his defensive performance in Super Bowl XXXII was amazing to watch. Also, he delivered a MNF hit on The Nigerian Nightmare that Okoye is probably still feeling.
  9. Terrell Davis, RB: Just a joy to watch; didn’t have the moves of Barry Sanders, but still did some amazing things when carrying the football. Played in Super Bowl XXXII nearly blinded from a migraine and was named the game’s MVP.
  10. John Elway, QB: it’s simple – he’s always in the discussion of all-time best NFL quarterback.

Left off the list: Craig Morton, Dennis Smith, Steve Foley, Rick Upchurch, Tom Jackson, Haven Moses, Louis Wright, Ed McCaffrey

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Joe Namath is if not the most one of the most overrated players to ever strap on a helmet. The fact he is listed as the best Jets player ever is very sad indeed.

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Ah, I understood the list as “top 10 favorite players from your favorite team.”

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Not even an honorable mention for Chuck Foreman?

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He’s my favorite football player of all-time. I still can’t seem to find an authentic Stallworth jersey though. I’ve been searching for quite some time. Can’t really argue with that list.