NFL Then and Now: How Today's Superstars Would Have Fared Across Eras

Although the NFL is always changing, some of the sport's best athletes would succeed in any era of football.

This is not a guarantee for everyone. Rule changes and coaching strategies have made the sport almost unrecognizable to that of 40-50 years ago. A touchdown is still worth six points, but almost everything in between is much different.

There is a long list of superstars in 2016 who simply wouldn't be as effective if they entered the league in a different decade.

Drew Brees is statistically one of the best quarterbacks of all time, but he benefits greatly from spread offenses in a passing era. The same could be said about Antonio Brown, who can run routes more freely without having to fight off physical cornerbacks down the field. Meanwhile, NFL coaches of decades past wouldn't even know what to do with a player like Tyrann Mathieu.

While a time machine wouldn't benefit these players, there are other big names who could easily go back and excel. Some would be even better in an era that allowed them to take advantage of their athleticism and skill set.

We will never really know what would happen if we transported Cam Newton or Adrian Peterson back in time, but here is a look at some players who would likely be successful if they played in other decades. 

Note: Unless otherwise noted, all statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference.

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Luke Kuechly in the 1960s

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Player Comparison: Dick Butkus

Back in the good old days before "analytics" and "player safety," you can rank the best defensive players by the ones who hit the hardest. There was no need to track tackles—just find the guys who are around the action on every play.

Dick Butkus remains the gold standard at linebacker as the leader of the vaunted Chicago Bears defenses in the late '60s and early '70s. He was feared by opponents, respected by teammates and always seemed to be around the football.

This is what Luke Kuechly provides for the Carolina Panthers. He is a hard-nosed player with great athleticism that allows him cover the field from sideline to sideline. There is a reason he was named first-team All-Pro three years in a row, not to mention being the 2013 Defensive Player of the Year.

His 10.2 tackles per game over the course of his career show his knack for making plays all over the field.

Although the game has changed over the last 50 years, this type of linebacker play remains valuable in any era.

In addition to tackles, Kuechly is one of the few players who can match Butkus in his ability to force turnovers. The Bears legend ended his nine-year career with 22 interceptions and 27 fumble recoveries. Kuechly had 11 picks in his first four years in the league, more than any other linebacker in that span.

Even mentioning Kuechly in the conversation as one of the best players in NFL history is high praise, but the Panthers linebacker could have had a similar impact on the game if he played back then.

Tom Brady in the 1970s

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Player Comparison: Terry Bradshaw

Tom Brady is a sure-fire Hall of Famer and arguably the best to ever play the position. He also plays in the golden age for quarterbacks, featuring spread offenses and rules specifically created to improve passing attacks.

And yet, he would have been even more successful playing in the '70s.

Sure, Brady led the league with 36 touchdowns in 2015 and had 4,770 passing yards, but those numbers weren't much better than Kirk Cousins' (4,166 yards and 29 TDs) or Blake Bortles' (4,428 yards and 35 TDs). Anyone can throw the ball now, but only a select few truly separated themselves as passers 40 years ago.

As an accurate passer who makes few mistakes with the ball, Brady could have been truly dominant in the '70s. If Terry Bradshaw won four Super Bowl titles leading the Pittsburgh Steelers, Brady could have won six or seven with a similarly loaded roster around him.

Bradshaw actually had a similar career path, succeeding mostly as a game manager for the first title with an average of just 98.1 passing yards per game in 1974. In 2001, Brady averaged 189.5 yards per game, by far his lowest mark in any full season. By 1978, Bradshaw was able to lead the NFL in touchdown passes, something Brady has now done four times.

Of course, Bradshaw ended his career with 212 touchdowns and 210 interceptions. Brady entered 2016 with 428 touchdowns and just 150 interceptions, a ratio of 2.85. His 1.9 percent interception rate is the second lowest all time behind only Aaron Rodgers.

The best part is there would be zero discussion about PSI or deflated footballs. And for anyone who thinks a "pretty boy" couldn't succeed in the rough and tumble days in the NFL, remember this guy played back then.

Brady's numbers would take a hit with the coaches utilizing a slower, run-heavy approach offensively. However, he would be in complete control every week while giving his team a chance to win a whole lot of games.

Kam Chancellor in the 1980s

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Player Comparison: Ronnie Lott

Players like Kam Chancellor don't come around often. The safety is an excellent athlete who can cover bigger receivers and tight ends while also making an impact in the run game. Above all, though, he is an enforcer who keeps opponents from getting anything easy over the middle of the field.

After just watching some of his big hits, the intimidation factor alone will force receivers to change their routes. This is something Ronnie Lott did on a regular basis during his playing days with the San Francisco 49ers.

"You want to put a hitting on them and make sure they remember you," Chancellor said after the Seattle Seahawks' Week 3 win over the 49ers, per John Boyle of Seahawks.com.

Lott—who admittedly was a more versatile player, spending time at cornerback and both safety positions—stood at 6'0", 203 lbs. during his playing days. Chancellor is 6'3", 232 lbs., which is a whole lot more force to take out receivers and running backs.

The Seahawks safety could also be unleashed without having to worry about those pesky flags for player safety, something that was much less of a concern 30 years ago. According to Pro Football Reference, Chancellor has been called for 12 personal foul penalties since 2011, including eight for unnecessary roughness.

Eliminate these calls from the equation and Chancellor would be hurting a whole lot of opposing players.

Jerry Rice didn't have to worry about Lott because he was on the same team, but he would be in trouble if he played the Seahawks.

Allowing more physicality in the secondary would make Seattle's already elite defense one of the best ever, and Chancellor would be right there leading the way. 

Todd Gurley in the 1990s

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Player Comparison: Emmitt Smith

Todd Gurley could already be one of the best running backs in the NFL, but he was born in the wrong decade. 

While people still care about the position for fantasy football purposes, running backs are almost an afterthought in real life. Between committees in the backfield to pass-heavy attacks, only one player finished 2015 with over 300 rushing attempts (Adrian Peterson). No more than two players have reached that milestone in any of the last three seasons.

There were 11 different running backs with at least 300 carries in 1996.

Gurley turned heads during his rookie season, ranking third in the NFL with 1,106 rushing yards despite playing only 13 games. Imagine the numbers he would put up if the Los Angeles Rams used him the way teams did in the '90s.

Emmitt Smith's best season came in 1995 when he had 2,148 yards from scrimmage and 25 touchdowns. The Dallas Cowboys gave him 377 rushing attempts and 62 receptions to get there. Jamal Anderson carried the ball 410 times during his breakout year in 1998. DeMarco Murray is the last player to even approach this usage rate in recent years.

While Gurley is already the focal point of a bad offense now, he would have even bigger numbers 20 years ago. The Rams would pound the ball on the ground and make sure the running back saw over 400 touches each season, at least until he got hurt or retired young.

Even with a slow start to 2016, the 22-year-old athlete has obvious talent. His size at 6'1", 226 lbs makes him a challenge to bring down, while his speed and vision always prime him for a big play.

If the blocking was good enough, the second-year player could approach 2,000 yards from scrimmage every season in the '90s.

Ndamukong Suh in the 2000s

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Player Comparison: Warren Sapp

This isn't just because there would be fewer high-definition replays to capture Ndamukong Suh's extra-curricular activities. The entire position is different from what it was just a short time ago. 

Defensive tackles aren't always appreciated in the NFL. With the exception of a select few, most see their role as clearing up space for others to make a play, something that doesn't always show up on the stat sheet.

With the ever-growing use of sub-packages, the dominant run-stuffers don't even spend the entire game on the field.

Suh still has value in today's NFL—there's a reason the Miami Dolphins signed him to a $114 million contract—but he is of a dying breed. The top interior defenders today are lighter, more agile and penetrate into the backfield, like J.J. Watt and Aaron Donald.

At 6'4", 307 pounds, Suh is much more comparable to Warren Sapp. Like Suh, Sapp had a knack for getting to the quarterback, but he also excelled at clogging up rushing lanes in the middle of the field—a player to account for on every down.

The difference is 10 years ago, stopping the run was a much bigger priority. If you have a lead in today's games, you can keep five or six defensive backs on the field for the rest of day because your opponent will be throwing.

The 2000s don't seem like that long ago, but it's tough to imagine 365-pound Ted Washington being first-team All-Pro in 2016 like he was in 2001.

While Suh is off to a strong start to his career, Sapp is a Hall of Famer with a similar skill set. This isn't to say Suh can't get there eventually, but it's amazing the difference 10 years can make in a league.

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