The 25 Most Bone-Crushing NFL Hits of the Last 25 Years

The NFL is without a doubt a game of contact. If you're afraid to take a hit then it's quite simple: You want make it in the National Football League.

Over the years we have seen some brutal, bone-crushing hits from the likes of Sean Taylor, Lawrence Taylor and Bart Scott—and those are just naming a few.

With that being said, let's take a look at the 25 most bone-crushing NFL hits of the last 25 years. 

25. Big Ben, You're Not so Big After All

Ben Roethlisberger is a truck—a Mack truck for that matter—and Bart Scott certainly didn't believe so. 

This is what happens when you let Scott go untouched into the backfield. 

24. Mo Lewis Starts the New England Patriots Dynasty

Drew Bledsoe may be one of the better quarterbacks in NFL history, but Tom Brady is simply so much better.

I love Bledsoe as a player and a person but if it weren't for Mo Lewis, then the New England Patriots dynasty would have never happened. 

23. Hines Ward Is the Greatest Blocking Wide Receiver in NFL History

I said it: Hines Ward is the greatest blocking wide receiver in NFL history. 

Ward put quite the licking on Cincinnati Bengals rookie linebacker Keith Rivers on this play. 

Now this is being physical. 

22. Ike Taylor Puts a Devastating Blow on Pat White

Pat White's NFL career didn't lost too long as the "Wildcat" quarterback for the Miami Dolphins—thanks to Ike Taylor.

Thankfully, White ended up being just fine following this devastating hit from Taylor. 

21. Steven Jackson Gets Annihilated

Steve Jackson wanted to put a new dimension into his offensive game with the St. Louis Rams back in 2008, really? You really want to go out for passes now Steven?

I bet he thought twice about going out for a pass following this hit from Sheldon Brown. 

20. Hines Ward Gets Some Pay Back on Ed Reed

How many times do you think that Ed Reed has tackled Hines Ward? Probably a lot, right?

Well, Ward got the last laugh on this hit—and it was a bone-crushing one. 

19. Patrick Willis Almost Knocks off Brad Smith's Head

How is Brad Smith's head still attached to his body? 

I suppose you could label this as a dirty hit due to the helmet-to-helmet contract, but it was still quite the blow from Patrick Willis. 

18. Darrell Reid Absolutely Destroys Chris Henry

If I were Chris Henry, I would never, ever want to return kicks or punts ever again.

Why? Because of this monstrous hit put on by Darrell Reid. 

17. Dallas Clark Gets Rocked by Tanard Jackson

This may be a dirty hit nowadays in the NFL, but Tanard Jackson still put quite the licking on Dallas Clark.

Clark certainly probably thought twice about running in the area of Jackson from that point forward. 

16. Danny Woodhead Nearly Gets Be-Headed

This may be a preseason game but Danny Woodhead almost lost his head on this play.

It almost looked like Woodhead was a boxer on this play that just got knocked out. 

15. Steve Largent Decks Mike Harden

Mike Harden probably never wanted to intercept a pass against the Seattle Seahawks ever again thanks to Steve Largent—he made him pay in a big way. 

14. The Catch II

It still amazes me how Terrell Owens held onto this ball.

T.O. probably woke up the next morning with a ton of aches and sores but it was certainly well worth the catch. 

13. Ed Reed Destroys Knowshon Moreno

Dear, Knowshon Moreno,

Welcome to the NFL!

Sincerely, 

Ed Reed 

12. Joe Montana Blind-Sided by Leonard Marshall

Joe Montana may be the greatest quarterback in NFL history but on this play, he was just an average Joe that got rocked into next decade by Leonard Marshall. 

11. James Harrison May Be Dirty but He Can Still Hit

There is no question that this was an extremely dirty hit—but James Harrison absolutely destroyed Mohamed Massaquoi on this one.

10. Brandon Meriweather Leads with His Head

This may be a dirty hit but Brandon Meriweather lit up Baltimore Ravens tight end Todd Heap.

Meriweather may not be the greatest safety in the world but he can bring the lumber. 

9. Sean Taylor Doesn't Care If Brian Moorman Is a Punter

Brian Moorman is a punter? Who cares! He plays football, right?

This was just one of Sean Taylor's many beastly hits. 

8. James Harrison Takes out a Fan

This may not be a "football hit" but all I have to say is "wow, this is great." 

7. Wes Welker Meets Ryan Clark

This is a dirty, dirty, dirty hit. Completely unnecessary. 

However, Ryan Clark really destroyed Wes Welker on this play and it's certainly a bone-crushing hit. 

6. Bobby McCray Ends Kurt Warner's Career

Now with the whole "bountygate" scandal, all I have to say is that this is one of the dirtiest hits that I have ever seen. There is no need for it.

However it was still bone-crushing. 

5. Ray Lewis Smashes Dustin Keller

I remember seeing this hit live and I immediately thought that it was one of the greatest hits in NFL history...And it is. 

4. Ray Lewis Knocks Chad Ochocinco into Next Century

Sorry for the video quality. Apparently the man who recorded this used a toaster.

Either way, I think you can still see how huge of a hit this was from Ray Lewis on Chad Ochocinco. 

3. Kevin Everett's Brutal Helmet to Helmet Collision

Thankfully Kevin Everett ended up being okay but he still suffered a fracture and dislocation of his cervical spine on this hit but ultimately did walk again—despite doctors doubting that he would. 

Nevertheless, this is still a bone-crushing hit. 

2. Reggie Bush Meets Sheldon Brown

This is all that I have to say...BOOM!

1. Lawrence Taylor Destroys Joe Theismann

This hit may have taken place in 1985, but it is one of the most bone-crushing hits that I have ever seen.

Lawrence Taylor actually destroyed Joe Theismann's leg on this play and ultimately ended his career.