There have been many great players in the history of the NFL, and it is tough to distinguish greatness from position to position, but here is a list of the players I consider to be the top 10 players in the history of the NFL.
1) Jerry Rice
Rice's record-breaking year in 1984 at Mississippi Valley St. caught the eye of the NFL, but his 4.7 40-yard time put a lot of teams off. Still, two teams thought enough of Rice to try and select him with a first-round pick: the Cowboys with the 17th pick and the reigning Super Bowl champion 49ers with the 31st pick.
Realizing what Dallas was planning on doing, the 49ers quickly set up a trade with the Colts for the 16th pick, and the rest is history. Rice won three Super Bowls with the 49ers, and he appeared in one other with the Raiders.
He holds career records in receptions, receiving yards, yards from scrimmage, and total TDs. There will never be another receiver to put up the kind of numbers with the same consistency as Rice did in his career.
2) Jim Brown
Widely considered as the greatest running back of all time, Jim Brown could probably be great even in today’s NFL. Brown is the NFL's eighth all-time leading rusher. However, the most impressive thing about that is that it was done in four 12-game seasons and five 14-game seasons.
Brown's career ended abruptly when Cleveland Brown owner Art Modell told Brown to choose between his movie career or his football career. He gave him the choice of going to training camp to play football, or keep working on the Dirty Dozen and retire. Unfortunately for football fans, he chose to retire and focus on making movies.
3) Lawrence Taylor
In 1980, the New York Giants went 4-12 and landed the second-overall pick. The GMs of the NFL were polled on whether they would take LT with the first pick of the draft, and 26 of 28 said they would.
One of the two that said they wouldn't was the GM of the New Orleans Saints, who had the first pick of the draft.
There was controversy surrounding the Giants' pick of Taylor when he said that he wanted $250,000 his rookie year. Several Giants said that they would walk out on the team if they gave Taylor that much money. But after meeting LT, everyone was on board. Taylor was an All-Pro performer his first 10 years in the league. He won NFL DPOY three times and the NFL MVP in 1986. He will always be considered the most disruptive LB in NFL history.
4) Joe Montana
Montana played in four Super Bowls, and he won all of them. Coming out of Notre Dame, he wasn't even close to being considered the best QB in his draft class. Never has there been another QB with the calmness under pressure that Montana was blessed with. Montana won the NFL MVP award twice and Super Bowl MVP three times.
5) Walter Payton
"Sweetness" was one of the best running backs ever. But as great as he was as a player, he was an even better person. Once the all-time leading rusher in NFL history, the 1975 fourth-overall pick had an inauspicious start to his career, with 679 yards and seven TDs in his first season.
That quickly changed, however, as he rushed for over 1,000 yards and 17 TDs in his second season, and over 1,800 yards his third season when he won AP NFL MVP. In 1999, Payton’s life was tragically cut short from liver disease.
6) Tom Brady
Largely ignored coming out of Michigan, he was picked in the sixth round by the Patriots. Brady spent his first year on the bench, going three of six for six yards.
In the third game of the 2001 season, Brady was thrust into action after starter Drew Bledsoe suffered internal bleeding after being hit. The Patriots won 11 of the 14 games Brady played in and made it to the playoffs, where they eventually won the Super Bowl. Brady has made it to four Super Bowls and won three. He is a two-time Super Bowl MVP, and he also won the 2007 NFL MVP.
7) Reggie White
"The Minister of Defense", as he was known, was probably the most dominating D-end in the history of the league. White started his pro career in Memphis in the USFL where he had 23.5 sacks and 192 tackles in two seasons.
After the USFL folded, White went into the NFL and spent eight years with Philly, six years with the Packers, and one year with the Panthers. White helped lead the Packers to two Super Bowls, and he finally got his ring after winning in Super Bowl XXXI. Sadly, White died of SADS in December of 2004.
8) John Elway
Elway's greatness and comeback-ability were personified in what is now known as "The Drive", the 98-yard touchdown drive that he lead to beat Cleveland in the 1986 AFC Championship game.
Originally drafted by the Colts, Elway stated that he would not play for them, saying that the team could not allow him to be successful. The Colts traded Elway to Denver, and although he lost the first three Super Bowls he played in, he finished strong and beat the Packers and Falcons in back to back Super Bowls.
9) Dick Butkus
Chicago born and bred, Butkus attended and played football at the University of Illinois, and was then drafted by his hometown team, the Chicago Bears, in the first round.
Though he only played for nine years, Butkus was always known as one of the most feared men in football. In fact, Sports Illustrated put him on the cover of a 1970 issue with the caption "Most feared man in the game."
Butkus’ career ended after he felt the Bears made him play on busted knees. He sued the Bears in 1975, saying the Bears had kept him on the field even though they knew he needed surgery.
10) Brett Favre
You would think that a guy who has won a Super Bowl and holds all the NFL passing records would be higher on this list, yet some would argue that he doesn’t belong on this list at all. The gunslinger from Mississippi holds the NFL records for passing TDs, passing yards, passing attempts, passing completions, regular season wins by a QB, and interceptions. Favre will always be known as an all-or-nothing player who was the face of the NFL for the last 10 years.
Honorable Mention
Johnny Unitis, Bartt Starr, Barry Sanders, Anthony Munoz, Dan Marino, Emmitt Smith, Deacon Jones, Sammy Baugh
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4 months ago
Nice job, but unless you're a rabid Packers fan, Brett Favre doesn't come close to consideration for this list.
from 4 months ago
he actually does, sean. why wouldn't he? he has the career records for passing yards, touchdowns, and completions. he's even got a super bowl win and quite a few pro bowls. why isn't he one of the best of all time?
from 4 months ago
He has longevity, but the entire second half of his career he was a mediocre player. Even, in a lot of cases, a detriment.
The last drive of his last game was a microcosm of his career post-Holmgren.
Great players don't throw 6 interceptions in a playoff game. Great players aren't the only quarterback in history to end two seasons with overtime interceptions in a playoff game.
He was great for a period of time, but his entire career? Overrated because of his longevity...
from 4 months ago
While it may be true that he wasn't great over the course of the second half of his career I sertainly wouldn't say he was mediocre.
for the last ten years Favre was probably the most recognizable player in the NFL and I don't ever think I've watched a game with him in it where every seat wasn't filled. I think there is something great about being the NFL's biggest attraction.
from 4 months ago
I'm going to point out to Brad that being recognizable doesn't indicate greatness. If that were the case then you'd have to include someone like Terrell Owens, I mean there aren't to many players who get their face out there like that guy. If being recognizable is a sign of greatness then how can this list be without a guy like Jack Lambert? Maybe not everyone will be able to identify who he is, but I'm sure they'll know his face.
4 months ago
Boo! Where's Dbrickashaw Ferguson.
from 4 months ago
Wow, I surprised that you don't think Elway is too low.
from 4 months ago
If it was me I would have Ryan Leaf at the top.
4 months ago
What about the assassin?
PS: I agree with Sean
4 months ago
Elway needs to be higher. He did not have any type of team and he still was doing amazing and pro bowl level, when he received all the talent he won two back to back super bowls.
4 months ago
I'm no Packers fan, but HOW THE HELL do you put Brett Favre on this list and put BART STARR as an honorable mention. Are you insane!? Brett Favre's legacy can't touch what Starr and Lombardi's Packers did in the 60's.
And no offense to Jerry Rice, but Walter Payton was leaps and bounds beyond Rice. Rice was the best receiver of all time, hands down - no contest there - but that's all he could do, aside from blocking here or there - he ran down the field and caught the long ball. Walter Payton did EVERYTHING. He passed, he blocked, he was possibly the greatest running back of all time, and he played receiver. Rice was also on an all-star team for most of his career, whereas Payton came in and reshaped the franchise. Chicago was NOTHING before he came along and was a champion contender after he cemented himself in. Rice came into a winning system.
Nice list - but a very inaccurate one if you're really trying to compare the top 10 players of all time. I don't agree with most of your selections, but it's a nice attempt.
from 4 months ago
Starr played on aguably the greatest team ever.
Favre had White and...?
Starr had Nichkie, Wood, Aderley, Davis, Hourning, Taylor, McGee, Dowler, and aguably the best O-line ever headlined by Forest Gregg and Fuzzy Thurston.
All Starr had to do was not screw up and make plays when he needed to in an offense that probably ran 65% of the time, which he did very well, but he was never the best player in his own backfield.
Favre was the best player on his team for 15 years.
from 4 months ago
Jimm, saying Walter Payton is leaps and bounds ahead of Jerry Rice is pretty extreme. It's true that when Payton came in the Bears weren't the same team that 49er's were when Rice showed up but can you say Payton's teams endured as much change in his 13 seasons as Rice did in his 20? Payton was an amazing player but no ones numbers even come close to what Rice put up. Where Rice has 67 more recieving touchdowns then the closest player to him Payton his 54 behind Emmit Smith, the all-time leader. I'm also just going to throw out there the fact that Rice had more 1,000 yards seasons then Payton played in the NFL
And if we're really going to play the look at the team he was on, then I have to point out that even if the team wasn't good when Payton showed it certainly got good. He was part of the '85 Bears, arguably one of the most recognized teams in the history of the league. Whereas Barry Sanders, who's not even on this list (a mistake I feel) played with virtually no one on his team. For ten years Sanders dominated the game without having an offense around him or a defense getting him good field position. I can name several players Payton called team mates, but I can't tell you one that Sanders played with.
4 months ago
That is a pretty accurate account but i believe that Barry Sanders could have been added to this list. He quit in his prime though but if he stayed then i believe he would most definately have to be added to this list.
4 months ago
barry should be in the top 10 and 3/10 defensive players no steelers dynasty no cowboys dynasty
4 months ago
I guess this list is based on championships and not stats. Peyton Manning is going to shatter almost all the statistical records at QB. He didn't even get an honorable mention.
4 months ago
sorry if I forgot to mention someone on the honorable mention, I was just ready to be done by the time I got to that.
4 months ago
Manning is a better QB than Brady.... and Manning didn't even get honorable mention.... I think this is the worst list of top 10 players I have ever seen.... Barry Sanders not in the top 10 because he retired early I am guessing... Yet Jim Brown is #2...
from 4 months ago
No, Brown was better than Sanders
Sanders played in thirtyone less games with about 700 less Carrys and 90 less catches yet Brown scored 17 more Touchdowns.
Sanders:99 YPG
Brown: 104 YPG
4 months ago
Your list is nuts! How can sanders not be in top 10? Hes one of top 3 RB in history. Could have broken rushing record had he not retire early. The rest of your list is numerically out of order. I wouldnt put
Rice in top 5. Wouldnt have Brady in top 10. Your talking top 10 of all time, and you have Brady and not Marino?
from 4 months ago
Brady has 3 rings, remind me how many Marino has.
4 months ago
shame, shame... everyone hates on the recievers. why is jerry rice the only one on here? there's not even another one for honorable mention. what about tim brown and james lofton?????? they were the second and third greatest recievers ever, respectively. why not at least give the honorable mention?
from 4 months ago
again I was tired of writing by the end of the article.
and besides, Don Hudson was the second best WR ever.
4 months ago
No disrespect to Jerry Rice, Jim Brown deserves the number one spot!
from 4 months ago
I was debating that with myself for awile but than I thought who has a bigger Impact on the game an RB or a WR, obviously it's an RB. But when you think about touches per game no one made more impact with 7 touches per game (5 Catch, 2 Rush) than Jerry Rice did.
from 4 months ago
No, I understand, it's one of those tossups!
4 months ago
Jerry Rice should be in the top 5 for sure. He is by far the best WR ever, not only with Rings but also stats.
It doesn't matter that Marino never won a ring. In case you didn't notice Brad, football is a team sport. Marino is arguable the most talented QB ever. Brady never put up big numbers until he got Moss, Stallworth, and Welker. Not to mention an all pro offensive line.
Like i said, you can't soley base this on rings. How many rings would Jerry Rice have won if he didn't play with Young and Montana.
from 4 months ago
It's true that Brady didn't throw lots of touchdowns till Moss and company showed up, but he had a 28 td 4,000+ yards season with the biggest name reciever being Troy Brown all while playing behind 3 left tackles on an otherwise unspectacular offense. Lets also not forget that Dan Marino was also surrounded by some serious talent. For a solid portion of his career Marino played behind a great offensive line and got to throw to the Marks brothers (Mark Clayton and Mark Duper). He also got to a superbowl without winning one, so if you ask me Brady gets the edge (especially since he isn't even done yet).
4 months ago
Regardless, however fair it is, a QBs greatness will always be at least somewhat tied to the rings he has won.
Rice could never have won a ring but with those numbers he would probably be considered at least top three of all time no matter what
4 months ago
i just don't see how Johnny Unitas is not on that list... he helped launch the NFL to the mainstream with the 1958 NFL title game against the New York Football Giants... Tom Brady i have all of the respect in the world for him but i don't know if he really is that high
4 months ago
Way too many active/newly retired players on this list, and the fact that the no. 1 rusher of all time isn't even in the top ten is an absolute disgrace.
from 4 months ago
wow, I didn't put in a guy who had a career 4.2 YPC and 81 YPG, I guess I'm just a disgrace
4 months ago
OK Manning over Brady any day. I am neither a Pats nor Colts fan and I think Manning is far better than Brady. Better release, touch, accuracy, strength. Mobility doesn't matter because neither have it. Manning will most likely have every passing record as well. In addition Favre won three MVPs... you have to consider that. I think Favre should be in there. Rice is no doubt the greatest in the NFL in my mind. I think he's in the top five of the greatest athletes of all time. my list just off the top of my head would run something like this.
1. Rice
2. Barry Sanders
3. Elway
4. Montana
5. Deacon Jones
6. Favre
7. Walter Payton
8. Lawrence Taylor
9. Reggie White
10. Emmitt Smith
Honorable Mention: Manning
from 4 months ago
I don't know how you could ever come up with a top ten list without Jim Brown.
from 4 months ago
Rice was amazing.. I am a niners fan and love Rice... But the best player of all-time is not a reciever I'm sorry. And your top 10 doesn't even include Jim Brown. Jim Brown was putting of 1500 yards a year when he only had a 12 game schedule and a 14 game schedule later on in his career... the man retired on top of his game much like your #2 Barry Sanders. I love Sanders as well but he was not better than Jim Brown. The real top 10 should look like this:
1. Joe Montana
2. Jim Brown
3. Walter Payton
4. Jerry Rice
5. Reggie White
6. John Elway
7. Barry Sanders
8. Deacon Jones
9. Johnny Unitas
10. Lawrence Taylor
from 4 months ago
You are a retard... I made the argument that everyone has their own top 10.... you didn't include the best running back of all time in your list so why don't you learn a thing or two about the history of the NFL and come back once you know something... and you have Elway above Montana you dumbass!
from 4 months ago
my fault i just dont like people talking to me as if they are superior to me.. telling me to get off my high horse?... anyways see your a washington fan... so i understand you probably hate sports most of the time.. wizards made a good run in the playoffs eh?
from 4 months ago
I'm all cleveland except for the Browns.. can't stand em. I guess that explains why I get PMS sometimes.. Cleveland sports... actually Ohio sports do that to you.
4 months ago
Everyone has their own top 10... but Jack yours is more discusting than this articles
from 4 months ago
Haha, agreed. Rice no. 1? That's a joke.
from 4 months ago
Adam just curious as to why this top ten stinks? I said below why Rice should be number one...In fact I consider him one of the greatest athletes of all time. When it comes to RBs it is just preference as to which ones are ranked higher. White was better than Bruce Smith despite being a hair less statistically. Deacon Jones played when sacks were not recorded, but he was known to get over ten a game at times. That's right TEN! Maybe Elway is a bit high, but whatever...Seriously once they get this good it's all just opinion...let's hear yours.
from 4 months ago
OK Adam 8 of our 10 players are exactly the same. Like I said everyone has their own version of how the top ten goes and it turns out that yours is very similar to my "discusting" top ten. Favre and Emmitt are in mine while you put in their place Johnny U and Jim Brown...We can quibble all we want about who should go where, but in the end it's all opinion once you start arguing about players this good. So get off your high horse.
from 4 months ago
Well I have mine and Jim Brown isn't in it...sorry you don't like it, but instead I put in the NFL's all time leading rusher. That's just my opinion. I never called you a retard or a dumbass so just chill out bro. I know plenty about the history of the NFL...I just haven't ever considered Brown to be in my top ten sorry that I fail to meet your criteria. There are plenty of other players that you or I could have included like Don Hutson, Sammy Baugh, Marino, etc. I still find it funny that our top tens are pretty much identical player wise and you just go nuts over a couple little things. I know plenty about football and this is my opinion I haven't trashed yours so lay off.
from 4 months ago
it's all good dude...sorry i just thought that you kinda had that superior thing going since you were blasting everybodies lists so it pissed me off...but it's all good everybody gets heated when these top tens come up so I apologize if you took me in the wrong way...hope all is good.
Yeah washington sports have been quite frustrating my whole life...I was two when the Skins won their last one...The Wizards piss me off...dumbest team in basketball by far, but they are the home team so i root for them. The Skins are my first passion though...they really do give a wide range of emotion to their fans, but hey the caps had a great season so that makes things a little better...Are you a cleveland fan for NBA? I know you like the Niners for football which has been rough recently.
from 4 months ago
Lol true that! At least O-State is pretty successful.
4 months ago
Montana is the best of all-time... after that it's a toss up of stats and playoff performances, leadership and dominance... I think it's to hard to make an actual top 10 list... I can name the best players of all-time at their position but not just a straight top ten best of all time
4 months ago
Tom Brady should not be on here at all i think
4 months ago
Tom Brady should not be on here at all i think
4 months ago
my top 5 are joe montana, jerry rice, john elway, walter payton and johny unitas
4 months ago
"Brady has 3 rings, remind me how many Marino has."
Brad that arguement doesnt work with your article. IF the article is the 10 greatest players ever, team achievement is shouldnt be the top criteria. Marino has statistically the better career than Brady.
If your going by the argument of rings, then Brady should be above Payton. Heck, Emmit Smith should be above Payton according to your argument since he has 3 rings to Paytons 1. To make an arguement for best players ever, you need to go on individual stats, not team achievements.
from 4 months ago
It dosn't count for other positions nearly as much as it counts for QBs
If Montana had never won a superbowl would he even be considered for this list?
4 months ago
Sorry you don't like them, but Jerry Rice is a freak of nature. Rice's will never be matched unlike the rushing records and the passing records. No one will touch Rice's achievements, but someone is going to catch up with Emmitt and Favre. Rice was putting up numbers late in his career that most WRs will never put up. He has rings, records, recognition, respectability. Who can you put over him?
4 months ago
No one will ever agree with someone elses top 10.. it's too objectice. The arguments will go back and forth for eternity and no one will ever say "You know what... you're right. Barry Sanders IS better than Jim Brown. I was wrong. You are a very compelling advocate for your beliefs in who are truly the top ten best players of all time."
4 months ago
I never said he was a class act, but the guy didn't go about bad mouthing his team and getting involved in scandals. He kept himself in top shape and was an incredible athlete. I could see where you would take Montana and some others over him, but I think he's the best player and athlete the NFL has ever had. And TO would never have passed him. He double catches almost everything he doesn't drop and he has become a downright pansy after the catch. The last two seasons he has been very weak in terms of being aggressive after the catch. TO isn't even the best receiver in the game today. He never would have touched Rice's records.
Oh and thank you Chris...Glad to see you agree with my point.
4 months ago
He did, but the past two seasons he hasn't even tried to shake off DBs. I watch the cowboys plenty and he doesn't look for contact anymore. He's not a bad receiver, but he would never have broken Rice's records.
4 months ago
Time for about 2 cents worth.
Stats, for what it's worth, aren't worth much. Wins are.
Marino and Favre both tossed for record setting careers, but when it was said and done, both combined for one ring, and a total of 3 visits, two by Favre.
Stats wise, Joe Montana had a great run, in San Fran. He was ok in KC, but not the same....could it be the lack of talent around him.
Of course, the same arguments could be used, with Elway. 5 trips to the Super Bowl, 2 wins, but even those probably wouldn't have come, if it wasn't for Terrell Davis, and his running to take the pressure off Elway.
A lot of factors will go into a player's career. Tim Brown had great hands, and played a long time, but because he played in LA and Oakland for most of his career, they never got the full package together, until the 2002 year.
Oh, and no, Rice didn't carry the Raiders....I think everyone in 2002 had either walkers, wheelchairs, or nurses handy, just in case.
Two things can be said for stats. First of all, 98 yards of a 100 yard drive, is simply moving the ball. It's the last yard, that counts. You could throw for over 500 yards in a game, but if you turn it over repeatedly in the red zone....you'll still lose.
And lastly, if you play long enough, and can hang onto the game long enough, you can reach any stat level.
Granted, it may take longer than you expected, but I don't think anyone will catch up to Rice.
4 months ago
"It dosn't count for other positions nearly as much as it counts for QBs
If Montana had never won a superbowl would he even be considered for this list?"
Then if Championships is the main criteria for evaluating top QBs in NFL history, why is Farve above Terry Bradshaw and his 4 superbowl victories? Your arguement remains flawed in my eyes.
But... Its your article and your opinion, so we will just leave it at that and agree to disagree. Keep writing more articles. Its fun to debate sports in a "friendly" manner.
from 4 months ago
With Bradshaw it's the same as it is with Starr. He played on an amazing team where Favre didn't have a multitiude of hall of famers playing on the same team.
4 months ago
It's almost impossible to have a top 10 list that everyone agrees with, so I won't get on my soapbox, but how can you have a top 10 NFL player's list without including Gayle Sayers? Not only could he play today, but he could play today and dominate. He was one of the all time greatest. (Let me also mention I am not a Bears fan, I am a Packers fan).
4 months ago
Alright Brad, I'm going to say that even though I disagree with a few here and there I like your top 10. Especially since I understand its your top ten, emphasis on the your. I especially like that you threw Sammy Baugh an honorable mention, he's a player thats far to often overlooked when it comes to talking about great players. Overall good article, I look forward to reading more.
16 days ago
uhh, Jack Lambert or Jack Ham maybe, Bradshaw, Franco Harris. Where's the love for Pittsburgh?
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