The 10 Gutsiest Performances in NFL History

The NFL is full of tough players. It is a violent sport, after all (even if it seems like the game is moving toward flag football lately), and so there have been many gutsy performances in the league over the years. 

Players have played through injury and endured multiple surgeries to be on the gridiron, playing the sport that they love on Sundays.

While a large percentage of the players in the league have been injured at one point or another in their careers, there are the rare players who are able to play through even the most gruesome injuries.

Here is a look at 10 of the gutsiest performances in NFL history.

This list is in no particular order.

1. Philip Rivers Playing on a Torn ACL

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CINCINNATI - DECEMBER 26: Philip Rivers #17 of the San Diego Chargers runs off of the field following the Chargers 34-20 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals during the NFL game at Paul Brown Stadium on December 26, 2010 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Ly

Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers injured his knee in his team's 2008 AFC divisional playoff victory over the Colts, but he would go on to play the next weekend against the Patriots for the AFC championship.

Rivers and the Chargers would lose that game, but the quarterback's determination was more than admirable as he completed 19 of his 37 pass attempts for 211 yards.

Rivers ended up having surgery just three days after the loss to repair his torn ACL.

2. Matthew Stafford Comes Back from Injury to Win Game

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DETROIT, MI - NOVEMBER 22: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions passes the football against the Cleveland Browns at Ford Field on November 22, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan. Pass interference was called on the pass as time expired, giving the Lions one la

Matthew Stafford has spent far too much time in his young NFL career on the sidelines due to injury. But in Week 11 of the 2009 season, he did not let an injury hold him back.

Stafford's injury was not as gruesome as many of the other injuries on this list, but the former first-round pick's return to the game was gutsy nonetheless.

Stafford was injured on what appeared to be the game's final play against the Browns as he threw a Hail Mary in an attempt to win the game for the Lions. The pass fell incomplete, but defensive pass interference was called on the play. The Lions were given one more shot to win the game from the one-yard line.

Stafford was hurt on the Hail Mary attempt as he was driven into the ground, causing an injury to his collarbone. He had to come out of the game at first, but after the Browns took a timeout, he was able to return and throw the game-tying touchdown, with Jason Hanson adding the game-winning extra point.

3. Terrell Owens Playing with a Broken Leg

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Eagles # 81 WR Terrell Owens during Super Bowl XXXIX between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida on February 6, 2005. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

Terrell Owens missed the final two regular-season games in 2004 after suffering a broken leg, but he was able to make a remarkable comeback for the Eagles' Super Bowl XXXIX appearance.

Owens caught nine passes for 122 yards in the game, and even though the Eagles came up on the wrong side of the outcome, there is little questioning T.O.'s toughness after that performance.

4. Jack Youngblood Plays Through a Broken Fibula

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04 Aug 2001 : Jack Youngblood stands next to his bust as he is honored during the 2001 Pro Football Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at Hall's Game Day Theater in Canton, Ohio. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Tom Pidgeon/Allsport

Jack Youngblood is one crazy individual, as his playoff performances in 1979 proved.

Youngblood missed just one game in his 14-year NFL career. You would've thought that game would have been after the Hall of Fame linebacker broke his leg, but it wasn't.

Youngblood broke his leg in the 1979 divisional playoffs against the Cowboys, but instead of missing the rest of the playoffs, he returned to action and ended up playing in the Super Bowl.

The Rams would go on to lose the Super Bowl to the Steelers, but Youngblood gave it his all throughout the game despite playing on a broken leg.

5. Ronnie Lott Loses Part of His Finger to Keep Playing

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28 Jan 1990: Defensive back Ronnie Lott of the San Francisco 49ers observes the action during Super Bowl XXIV against the Denver Broncos at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The 49ers won the game, 55-10. Mandatory Credit: Rick Stewart

Speaking of tough individuals, Hall of Fame safety Ronnie Lott surely fits that bill.

Lott had the tip of his left pinky finger amputated following the 1986 season instead of having surgery so that he did not have to miss any time recovering from the procedure.

Most players in the NFL are tough, but Lott took that toughness to another level.

6. Donovan McNabb Plays on a Broken Ankle

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ARLINGTON, TX - JANUARY 09: Quarterback Donovan McNabb #5 of the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2010 NFC wild-card playoff game at Cowboys Stadium on January 9, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Donovan McNabb suffered a broken ankle on the third play of a Week 11 game during the 2002 season, but that was not enough to keep him out of the game.

McNabb would go on to complete 20 of his 25 pass attempts while throwing for four touchdowns and leading the Eagles to a 38-14 victory.

7. Emmitt Smith Plays Through Separated Shoulder

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IRVING, TX - DECEMBER 8: Running back Emmitt Smith #22 of the Dallas Cowboys runs with the ball during a game against the San Francisco 49ers on December 8, 2002 at Texas Stadium in Irving, Texas. The 49ers beat the Cowboys 31-27. (Photo by Brian Bahr/

Emmitt Smith had an outstanding NFL career, and his toughness made him nearly unstoppable for a large portion of it.

The Cowboys' Week 17 contest during the 1993 season against the New York Giants was proof of that, as Smith played through a separated shoulder to rush for 168 yards and help his team to the NFC East title.

Smith also clinched the rushing title in a 16-13 Dallas win in overtime.

8. Ben Roethlisberger Plays with Broken Foot and Nose

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PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 23: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on against the New York Jets in the 2011 AFC Championship game at Heinz Field on January 23, 2011 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Steelers won 24 to 19. (Photo by Ronal

I'm not a Big Ben fan in the least, but I do recognize his toughness. That was on full display in a 2010 game against the Ravens.

Roethlisberger was already playing with a broken foot when Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata stuck his hand through Big Ben's facemask and broke the nose of the Steelers signal-caller.

Despite a lot of blood, and the fact that his nose had been displaced (score one for the good guys), Big Ben would go on to finish the contest. 

9. Chris Simms Has Spleen Removed Following Game

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TAMPA, FL - AUGUST 17: Quarterback Chris Simms #2 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers scrambles from the pocket against the New England Patriots at Raymond James Stadium on August 17, 2008 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

Chris Simms doesn't exactly strike fear into opposing defenses, but he did prove to be a very tough competitor during his time with the Tampa Bay Bucs.

Simms had his spleen removed following the Bucs 2006 loss to the Carolina Panthers, but first he returned to the game in the fourth quarter after having left early.

Simms suffered multiple hard hits during the contest, causing his spleen to rupture and his ribs to be bruised, but he came back to give his team the lead, only to see the Bucs defense let it slip away late.

10. Larry Wilson Plays with Two Broken Wrists

Larry Wilson is an NFL Hall of Famer who played safety for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1960-1972, and while he was obviously a very good player, he was also a very tough player.

Wilson once played with two broken wrists in a game, and he intercepted a pass with casts on both hands.

The fact that Wilson was able to play at all was quite impressive, but the interception only added to the greatness.