The Top 52 Hall of Fame Players to Never Win a Super Bowl

Who are the best 52 players in NFL history who have never won a Super Bowl? Since there are 14 NFL teams that have never won the Super Bowl, you realize that many players would qualify for consideration to be one of our top 52. Then you add the players who were on teams that actually won the Super Bowl, but they just didn't happen to be on their roster for one of the year(s) that they won the championship.

So, to narrow down the field, we will go directly to the cream of the crop of the NFL, and look at the 267 members of the NFL Hall of Fame. You may disagree with some of the players voted in, or argue that other players need to be voted in, and I understand that. If the player is in the Hall of Fame, and played the majority of their career after 1967 (the year of Super Bowl I), then they have earned a spot on this list.

For players in the Hall of Fame who only played a portion of their career after 1967, we will find a place for them on our honorable mention list. As for the best NFL players in history who never were elected to the Hall of Fame, we will have to omit them from consideration for now, but will be sure to add them to future editions of this list.

Finally, I don't feel any kind of burning need to power rank these 52 players. They were voted in to the Hall of Fame because they were truly great athletes who deserve recognition. I have no desire to slight them by trying to determine who should be ranked 49th, 32nd or eighth. They are presented in alphabetical order. By the way, this group would make an outstanding deck of cards.

14 Teams That Have Never Won a Super Bowl

There are a total of 14 NFL teams that have never won a Super Bowl. Ten teams have at least made a Super Bowl and failed to win the big game, while four teams are still waiting to make their first appearance in the big game.

The 10 teams that have already appeared at least once and their Super Bowl record to date are:

Minnesota Vikings (0-4), Buffalo Bills (0-4), Cincinnati Bengals (0-2), Philadelphia Eagles (0-2), San Diego Chargers (0-1), Atlanta Falcons (0-1), Tennessee Titans (0-1), Carolina Panthers (0-1), Seattle Seahawks (0-1) and the Arizona Cardinals (0-1).

The four NFL franchises that have never played in the Super Bowl to date are: Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans (and Houston Oilers) and Jacksonville Jaguars.

By the way, if you want to see the list of the 267 members of the NFL Hall of Fame, you can find the link here. For a rundown of Super Bowl winners, here is a link for that list.

If you would like to learn more about the 52 players on our list, just click on the players name, and that link will take you directly to their home page on the Hall of Fame website, where you can click through the various tabs to educate yourself on the player in question. Thanks to the Hall of Fame website as the source we used for the player statistics and accomplishments.

Honorable Mention

This is the list of Hall of Fame players who played the majority of their careers before 1967, and had at least a chance to win a Super Bowl ring, but never did. So we wanted to at least acknowledge them by giving them an honorable mention on our presentation.

George Blanda, QB and kicker, Chicago Bears, Baltimore Colts, Houston Oilers and Oakland Raiders

Deacon Jones, DE, Los Angeles Rams, San Diego Chargers and Washington Redskins

Sonny Jurgensen, QB, Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins

Ron Mix, tackle, Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders

Jim Otto, center, Oakland Raiders

Billy Shaw, guard, Buffalo Bills

Larry Wilson, safety, St. Louis Cardinals

Lem Barney

Lem Barney was a cornerback who played for the Detroit Lions from 1967-1977. Barney was one of the top cornerbacks of his era, and served as a multi-purpose threat for the Lions.

During his career, Barney gained over 1,000 yards in three different ways: interception return yardage, punt returns and kickoff returns. He totaled 56 interceptions during his career. Scored 11 career touchdowns that proved how valuable he was to the Lions.

Was named to seven Pro Bowl teams, and named to four All-NFC teams.

Elvin Bethea

Elvin Bethea was a defensive end who played for the Houston Oilers from 1968-1983. 

Too bad that sacks were not an official statistic in the NFL when Bethea played, because his unofficial 105 sacks would rank him as the best in team history. He also had a team high of 16 sacks in 1973.

Bethea played in eight Pro Bowls and was All-AFC four times. He played in 135 consecutive regular season games for the Oilers, which was a team record when he retired.

Bob "Boomer" Brown

Bob "Boomer" Brown was a tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles (1964-1968), the Los Angeles Rams (1969-1970) and for the Oakland Raiders (1971-1973).

Brown was able to use his tremendous size for that era, 6'4" and 280 pounds, to become a very effective blocker. He was named to to seven All-NFL teams.

Was named as NFC Offensive Lineman of the Year three times during his career. Elected to six Pro Bowls and made the Pro Bowl as a member of all three teams that he played for. Was named to the NFL All-Decade of the 1960s.

Dick Butkus

Dick Butkus was the poster boy for tough defensive football players through the late 1960s through the early 1970s. Butkus played for the Bears from 1965-1973.

Butkus was the ultimate playmaker at middle linebacker, as he amassed 22 interceptions and 25 fumble recoveries during his career. He simply had a nose for the ball in addition to delivering devastating shots to anyone who had the ball that would have made Ray Lewis proud.

At 6'3" and 245 pounds, Butkus was surprisingly quick and had reasonably good speed for his size. He would cover sideline to sideline. Loved to compete.

Butkus was named to eight straight Pro Bowl teams and was named to the All-NFL team six times. His career ended early due to a bad knee injury.

Earl Campbell

Earl Campbell was a running back who played for the Houston Oilers from 1978-1984 and for the New Orleans Saints from 1984-1985.

Campbell was a load for defenders to tackle because he was 5'11" and 232 pounds. He would bend down and drive his helmet into tacklers which left them nothing to tackle but a battering ram. Campbell seemed to excel at running defenders over, as if they weren't even there.

Had a banner year in 1980 when he rushed for 1,934 yards. Was named to five Pro Bowl teams.

Was a Heisman Trophy winner and an NFL Player of the Year. Name to three All-Pro teams. Gained over 9,000 rushing yards in his career to go along with 74 rushing touchdowns.

 

Joe DeLamielleure

Joe DeLamielleure was a guard for the Buffalo Bills from 1973-1979 and 1985 and played for the Cleveland Browns from 1980-1984.

DeLamielleure is best remembered as the top offensive lineman on the "Electric Company," which was the nickname given to the Bills offensive line that led O.J. Simpson in 1973 to become the first NFL back to gain over 2,000 rushing yards in a season. 

At 6'3" and 254 pounds, DeLamielleure was tough and durable, as evidenced by his streak of playing in 185 consecutive games.

Joe D. was named to the All-Pro and All-AFC every year from 1975 through 1980. He was named to six Pro Bowl teams and was a member of the 1970s NFL All-Decade Team.

Eric Dickerson

Eric Dickerson was a running back who played for the Los Angeles Rams (1983-1987), the Indianapolis Colts (1987-1991), the Los Angeles Raiders (1982) and for the Atlanta Falcons (1983).

Dickerson was tall for a running back at 6'3" and strong at 220 pounds. He tended to run upright, but due to his speed and natural athleticism he would easily run past most defenders.

Dickerson cracked the 2,000-yard barrier in 1984 when he rushed for 2,105 yards. When he retired following the 1983 season, he was the second leading rusher in the history of the NFL with 13,259 yards. He was just four carries shy of 3,000 total carries in his career.

Dickerson was named to five All-Pro teams and to six Pro Bowl games. He wound up leading the NFL in rushing four different seasons during his career.

Dan Dierdorf

How ironic is it that Dan Dierdorf was born in Canton, Ohio, home of the NFL Hall of Fame? To think that he will always be the local kid who made good, is quite an honor.

Dierdorf was a tackle for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1971-1983. At 6'3" and 275 pounds, he had the size and speed to be effective in both run and pass-blocking.

Dierdorf was named to five All-Pro teams and to six Pro Bowl games. The NFL Players Association named Dierdorf as the best blocker in the NFL three different times.

The Cardinals gave up the fewest sacks in the NFL three times during his career, which is a testament to how solid a tackle he was.

Carl Eller

Carl Eller played DE for the Minnesota Vikings form 1964-1978 and for the Seattle Seahawks in 1979.

Was part of the infamous Purple People Eaters defensive line that led the Minnesota Vikings to greatness. Was both strong in rushing the passer and defending against the run. Used his size, 6'6" and 247 pounds, to great advantage.

During a three-year span from 1975-1977, Eller was unstoppable as he totaled 44 sacks. Eller was named to six Pro Bowl teams. Was named to either the first-team or second-team as All-NFL every year from 1967-1973.

Dan Fouts

Dan Fouts was a quarterback for the San Diego Chargers from 1973-1987.  Fouts had good size at 6'3" and 204 pounds. Fouts was the ringleader of Air Coryell, which was a vertical passing attack that was choreographed by Don Coryell.

Fouts passed for more than 43,000 yards during his career. Was named to six Pro Bowls and was named to three All-Pro teams. Threw for 254 touchdowns and rushed for 13 more. 

Was voted the NFL Most Valuable Player in 1982 and was the AFC Player of the Year in both 1979 and 1982.

Chris Hanburger

Chris Hanburger was just part of the recent NFL Hall of Fame class that was inducted last weekend. Hanburger was a linebacker for the Washington Redskins from 1965-1978.

Hanburger wasn't huge, but at 6'2" and 218 pounds, he was tough and relentless. Was named to four All-NFL teams during a stretch from 1972-1976. Named as All-NFC six different times from 1970-1976.

Elected to nine Pro Bowl games. Retired with 19 interceptions during his career and returned three fumbles for touchdowns, which was a NFL record at the time.

 

John Hannah

John Hannah played guard for the New England Patriots from 1973-1985. Hannah was 6'2" and weighed 265 pounds.

Hannah was generally considered to be the best guard in the NFL during his era. Was an All-Pro for 10 straight years from 1976-1985, which is the model of consistency.

Was elected to nine Pro Bowl games and was voted as the NFLPA Offensive Lineman of the Year four different times during his career.

Ken Houston

Ken Houston was a safety for the Houston Oilers from 1967-1972 and also played for the Washington Redskins from 1973-1980.

Houston was tall at 6'3" and he weighed 197 pounds. The Redskins valued Houston so much that they traded five players to the Oilers to acquire him.

Used his size and speed to come up 49 interceptions during his career, of which he returned nine for touchdowns. He also scored by blocking a field goal and by returning a punt. He was named to 10 Pro Bowl teams during his career, along with being named All-Pro or All-AFC/NFC during eight of the nine years from 1971-1979.

Jimmy Johnson

Jimmy Johnson was a cornerback who played for the San Francisco 49ers from 1961-1976. Johnson was a tall corner at 6'2", but only weighed 187 pounds. He had a good eye for the football however, as he came up with 47 interceptions during his career, which set a record for the 49ers team.

Johnson was used in multiple spots by the 49ers, playing on both offense and at safety before the team finally settled on his role as cornerback. That decision came in his third year with the team. 

During his career, Johnson played in five Pro Bowl games and was named All-Pro four times. He was a shut-down cornerback in his era as quarterbacks found it was easier just to not throw the ball in his area. Does that sound familiar to anyone today?

Charlie Joiner

Charlie Joiner was a wide receiver for the Houston Oilers from 1969-1972, for the Cincinnati Bengals from 1972-1975 and for the San Diego Chargers from 1976-1986.

Joiner wasn't very big at 5'11" and 188 pounds, but he was smart and very tough as he lasted long enough to play 18 years in the NFL. Reliable as well, since Joiner only missed one game during the final 13 years of his career.

Joiner played in a record 239 games (for wide receivers in NFL history), before he retired. He caught 750 passes for 65 touchdowns, and over 12,100 yards in receptions—one of Dan Fouts' favorite targets during the Air Coryell era.

Turned in 29 games with at least 100 yards in receptions. Played in three Pro Bowl games.

 

Jim Kelly

Jim Kelly was a quarterback for the Buffalo Bills from 1986-1996. Kelly was the driving force of the K-Gun offense, a hurry-up offense that allowed Kelly to call plays at the line of scrimmage and take advantage of better defensive personnel matchups, as teams had no way to substitute their players. The hurry-up attack allowed Kelly to lead the Bills to four straight AFC Championships from 1990-1993. It also, unfortunately, led to four straight Super Bowl losses.

Kelly was 6'3" and 225 pounds. He was tough and played the game with the mentality of a linebacker. He had eight seasons of passing for at least 3,000 yards and led the Bills to the playoffs eight different years during his career.

Kelly was named to four Pro Bowl teams and threw for over 35,000 yards in his career, which included 237 touchdown passes.

Leroy Kelly

Leroy Kelly was a running back for the Cleveland Browns from 1964-1973. He was 6'0" and weighed 202 pounds. Kelly had to show some patience until he finally became the starting running back for the Browns in 1966, which was his third year.

Once he got the starting nod, Kelly ripped off three straight seasons of over 1,000 rushing yards. In fact, Kelly led the NFL in rushing in both 1967 and 1968.  He also led the NFL in punt returns in 1965 and led the AFC in 1971.

Kelly was named to six Pro Bowl teams and to five All-NFL teams during his career. Kelly scored 90 touchdowns in his career and gained over 12,000 combined yards during his career.

Paul Krause

Paul Krause was a safety for the Washington Redskins from 1964-1967 and also played for the Minnesota Vikings from 1968-1979. Krause was a tall safety, playing at 6'3" and weighing 200 pounds.

Krause made quite a first impression when he led the NFL with 12 interceptions in his rookie year and made the All-Pro team. When he retired, Krause was the NFL's all-time leader in interceptions with 81.

Krause played in eight Pro Bowl games, and was named to the All-NFL team four times. He was named to the All-NFC team five times. Played in four Super Bowl games, but lost them all.

Steve Largent

Steve Largent was a wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks from 1976-1989. Largent was 5'11" and weighed 187 pounds.

Largent was a remarkably consistent receiver. He caught passes in 177 consecutive games. Largent had 100 touchdown receptions during his career. Was also very durable, as he only missed four games due to injury over the first 13 seasons of his career.

Led the NFL in receiving yards in both 1979 and 1985. He was All-Pro three times and played in seven Pro Bowl games.

Floyd Little

Floyd Little was a running back for the Denver Broncos from 1967-1975. Little was 5'10" and weighed 196 pounds.

Little led the AFC in rushing in 1970 and was the Denver Bronco to ever rush for more than 1,000 yards. He won the NFL rushing title in 1971. Was a dual threat, running the ball and catching passes out of the backfield, as evidenced by scoring 32 touchdowns from 1971-1973. 

Little was named to five Pro Bowl teams, and was named All-AFC and All-NFL two times. Little gained over 12,000 all-purpose yards during his career and scored 54-career touchdowns. When Little retired, he was the seventh leading all-time rusher in NFL history.

James Lofton

James Lofton was a wide receiver who played for the Green Bay Packers from 1978-1986, the Los Angeles Raiders from 1987-1988, the Buffalo Bills from 1989-1992, the Los Angeles Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles both in 1993. 

Lofton, 6'3" and 192 pounds, was a gifted receiver who had long, graceful strides and great hands. Lofton lasted a long time in the NFL, and was actually able to span three decades with his career. He scored at least one touchdown in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. 

During his career, Lofton gained over 14,000 yards in receptions, which had him ranked No. 1 all-time when he retired after the 1993 season. Lofton was named to eight Pro Bowl games, and was All-Pro four times.

On a personal note, I will never forget witnessing a catch that Lofton made in Super Bowl XXV, when he caught a long pass from Jim Kelly along the sidelines against the New York Giants. That was a huge play and showed the kind of threat that he was, still late in his career.

Tom Mack

Tom Mack was a guard for the Los Angeles Rams from 1966-1978. Mack was 6'3" and weighed 250 pounds.

Mack was able to convince the Rams that he deserved to start as a rookie and he held the same job with the team for the next 13 years. Mack never missed one game during his entire NFL career, which spanned 184 games.

Was named to 11 Pro Bowl teams. Was named to All-NFL team five different times. Made the All-NFC team eight times.

Dan Marino

Dan Marino was a quarterback for the Miami Dolphins from 1983-1999. Marino was tall at 6'4" and weighed 218 pounds.

Marino was one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the NFL, as he threw for 420 touchdowns during his career. Completed passes that went for over 61,000 yards. Marino was the first NFL quarterback to throw for over 5,000 yards in one season.

Marino had a quick release which his coaches marveled over. Marino threw for 48 touchdowns in 1984, which was a NFL record at the time. He threw for at least 3,000 yards in 13 different seasons.

Was named to nine Pro Bowl games, was All-AFC six times and was voted All-Pro first or second team for eight seasons, considering that he had stiff competition from the great quarterback draft class of 1983.

Bruce Matthews

Bruce Matthews was an offensive lineman for the Houston Oilers and for the Tennessee Oilers/Titans from 1983-2001. Matthews was a big man at 6'6" and weighed 289 pounds.

When he finally retired in 2001, Matthews had played in more NFL games (296) than any position player in NFL history. Matthews was extremely versatile as he played tackle, center and guard during his career.

Was named to 14 straight Pro Bowl teams, nine of which were as a guard and five as a center. Was named to nine All-Pro teams and was named All-AFC 12 times. Selected as a guard on the All-NFL Decade Team of the 1990s.

Randall McDaniel

Randall McDaniel was a guard who played for the Minnesota Vikings from 1988-1999 and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2000-2001. McDaniel was 6'3" and weighed 276 pounds.

McDaniel established himself early in his career, as he made the all-rookie team. Went on to start for 202 consecutive games. Also started in 13 straight playoff games for Minnesota.

McDaniel was considered to be the key lineman for that, allowing the Minnesota offense to score a record 556 points in the 1998 season. McDaniel was effective in both run blocking and pass blocking.

He was named All-Pro nine straight years from 1990-1998. Played in a record 12 straight Pro Bowl games from 1990-2001.

Warren Moon

Warren Moon was a quarterback for the Houston Oilers from 1984-1993, for the Minnesota Vikings from 1994-1996, for the Seattle Seahawks from 1997-1998 and for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1999-2000. Moon began playing in the CFL where he was just about perfect, winning five straight Grey Cups.

In the NFL, Moon passed for over 49,000 yards and 291 touchdowns. He played 17 years in the NFL, during which he had nine seasons of at least 3,000 yards in passing. That figure was third overall in NFL history—four times Moon passed for over 4,000 yards.

Moon was named to nine Pro Bowl teams and was All-AFC either first or second team from 1988-1990. Made the All-Pro team in 1990. Faced stiff competition for annual awards from the likes of Dan Marino, Jim Kelly and John Elway. 

 

Mike Munchak

Mike Munchak was a guard for the Houston Oilers from 1982-1993.

Was awarded the starting guard assignment right out of college. Very strong blocker in the running game and pass blocking.

Munchak was 6'3" and weighed 281 pounds. Was named to either the first-team or second-team All-Pro for 10 different seasons. Was All-AFC seven times and was named to nine Pro Bowls in his career.

He is now head coach for the Tennessee Titans.

Anthony Munoz

Anthony Munoz was an offensive tackle for the Cincinnati Bengals from 1980-1992. Munoz was thought to be the ideal tackle in the NFL, as he was selected to the NFL's 75th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1994.

Munoz was All-Pro for 11 straight years from 1981-1991 and also elected to 11 straight Pro Bowl games. He was 6'6" and weighed 278 pounds. Munoz possessed great agility, which allowed him to control the defender in front of him.

Munoz played in two Super Bowl games, but the Bengals lost both times. He was voted as the NFL Offensive Lineman of the Year three times, in 1981, 1987 and 1988. Munoz also had good hands, as he caught four touchdown passes on tackle-eligible plays during his career.

Ozzie Newsome

Ozzie Newsome was a tight end for the Cleveland Browns from 1978-1990. Newsome was 6'2" and weighed 232 pounds.

Newsome was nicknamed the Wizard of Oz by his college coach at Alabama University, Paul "Bear" Bryant. Bryant gave him the name because Ozzie made things happen on the football field similar to what the Wizard of Oz did in the movie.

When Newsome retired in 1990, he was the fourth-leading receiver of all time in NFL history, and was the No. 1 tight end of all time. Made 662 catches in his career for 7,980 yards and also scored 47 touchdowns. Made 89 catches in both 1983 and 1984. Caught at least one pass in 150 straight games. Was voted to the All-Pro team in both 1979 and 1984. Was named to three Pro Bowl teams. 

Newsome is currently the general manager of the Baltimore Ravens.

Merlin Olsen

Merlin Olsen was a defensive tackle for the Los Angeles Rams from 1962-1976. Olsen was 6'5" and weighed 270 pounds. He had many qualities that made him outstanding, such as his agility, speed and using his smarts on the field.

Was NFL Rookie of the Year in 1962. In 1970, Olsen was voted to be on the Rams All-Time Team. Appeared in 208 games during his career, which ended with him appearing in 198 consecutive games.

Olsen was All-NFL in 1964 and then every year from 1966-1970. Was voted All-NFC twice. Member of the Rams legendary defensive line known as the "Fearsome Foursome."

Alan Page

Alan Page was a defensive tackle with the Minnesota Vikings from 1967-1978 and played for the Chicago Bears from 1978-1981. Page was a member of the famous "Purple People Eaters" defense in Minnesota.

Page was a solid 6'4" and 245-pound tackle. He was a very fast, strong man and had great reflexes that allowed him to move past lumbering linemen. He was extremely durable, as he played in 238 consecutive games, which included playing in four Super Bowls. Unfortunately, his team lost all four times.

Was the NFL Most Valuable Player in 1971, and was voted as the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in both 1971 and 1973. Made six All-NFL teams, and was voted to the second-team three times. Named to 10 different All-Conference teams, and made nine consecutive Pro Bowl appearances. Was one of the best playmakers ever for a defensive tackle, as he was responsible for 23 fumble recoveries, he blocked 28 kicks and made 173 sacks during his career.

John Randle

John Randle was another example of an outstanding defensive tackle who played for the Minnesota Vikings (1990-2000) and for the Seattle Seahawks from 2001-2003. What is it that attracts so many great defensive linemen to one team? Not sure what the answer is, but the Vikings track record is amazing.

Randle was not very tall at 6'1" but was very solid at 278 pounds. He was never drafted out of college, yet went on to record 137.5 sacks over his NFL career. He recorded at least 10 sacks for eight consecutive years (from 1992-1999) even though offenses were game planning for him.

Led the NFL with 15.5 sacks in 1997. Was named to the first-team NFL All-Pro team six straight years from 1993-1998. He was also named All-AFC with Seattle in 2001, when the Seahawks were still in the AFC. Was named to seven Pro Bowl teams.

Barry Sanders

Barry Sanders was a running back for the Detroit Lions from 1989-1998. Sanders was not very big at only 5'9" but he weighed a solid 203 pounds. Sanders was extremely nimble, yet very strong and tough at the same time. Had an explosive and electric running style.

To begin his career, Sanders was the first player in NFL history to rush for at least 1,000 yards in his first 10 seasons. That is an amazingly consistent feat. Sanders led the NFL in rushing four years, and was the NFL Most Valuable Player in 1997.

For his career, Sanders rushed for over 15,000 yards and scored 99 touchdowns. Topped the 2,000-yard barrier in 1997, when he recorded 14 straight games of at least 100 yards rushing. Was named to the All-NFL first-team or second-team for each of the 10 seasons of his career. Also selected to appear in the Pro Bowl game for all 10 years of his career.

Charlie Sanders

Charlie Sanders was a tight end for the Detroit Lions from 1968-1977. Sanders was a big target, as he was 6'4" and weighed 230 pounds.

Sanders best qualities were his ability to jump and haul in passes due to his big hands. He was very elusive after the catch. When Sanders retired, he was the all-time reception leader in Lions team history with 336 catches.

Sanders played in seven Pro Bowl games. Was named to the All-NFL team three straight years. During his 10-year career, Sanders either led the Lions or was tied for the lead in receptions six times, which is not easy for a tight end to do. Was named to the NFL All-Decade team of the 1970s.

Gale Sayers

Gale Sayers was a running back for the Chicago Bears from 1965-1971. Sayers was 6'0" and weighed 198 pounds. The "Kansas Comet" had exceptional running skills, and was able to break off many long runs due to his speed and ability to make tacklers miss.

Sayers made quite an impression as a rookie, when he set an NFL-rookie record of 22 touchdowns in 1965.The rookie season included his infamous record-tying six-touchdown game against the San Francisco 49ers. Sayers led all rushers in the NFL in both 1966 and in 1969. Was named NFL All-Time halfback in 1969.

Was named to the All-NFL team for five straight years. Voted as Player of Game in three different Pro Bowl games. Sayers rushed for 4,956 yards and amassed 9,435 yards combined all-purpose net yards during his career. Scored 336 points during his career and when he retired was the NFL lifetime kickoff return leader. Injuries cut his career short, but the highlight reels are still there for all to see how great he was.

Lee Roy Selmon

Lee Roy Selmon was a defensive end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1976-1984. When the Buccaneers started up as an organization in 1976, Selmon was the very first draft choice of the franchise, and they picked a guy who would go all the way to the Hall of Fame.

During his career, the 6'3" and 256-pound Selmon came up with 78.5 sacks. He was also credited with 380 quarterback pressures, forced 28 fumbles and recovered 10 of them. In short, he was a menace to offenses every week.

Helped lead the Bucs to NFC Central titles in 1979 and 1981. Made the All-Pro team three times and was on the All-NFC team five times. Selmon was on six Pro Bowl teams. Was named as the NFL Defensive Lineman of the Year in 1979.

O.J. Simpson

O.J. Simpson was a running back for the Buffalo Bills from 1969-1977 and he also played for the San Francisco 49ers from 1978-1979.

Simpson was 6'1" and weighed 212 pounds. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1968 and was the overall No. 1 draft pick of the Buffalo Bills in 1969. Simpson and the Bills kept improving their ground game until they reached the pinnacle in 1973 when he rushed for 2,003 yards in just 14 games.

Rushed for over 1,000 yards in five straight seasons from 1972-1976. Won four NFL rushing titles. For his career, Simpson gained over 11,000 rushing yards, caught over 200 passes, finished 10 yards shy of 1,000 yards in kickoff returns and amassed over 14,000 all-purpose yards. Was named to five Pro Bowl games. Was the Pro Bowl Player of the Game in 1973.

Jackie Slater

Jackie Slater was a tackle for the Los Angeles Rams and St. Louis Rams from 1976-1995. Slater was 6'4" and weighed 277 pounds.

Slater played for a remarkable 20 years, and appeared in 259 games. He was tied for third most seasons ever played in a career. He played in the most NFL games by a lineman when he retired in 1995.

During his career, Slater helped seven different running backs top the 1,000-yard barrier in a season. He was named to either the first-team or the second-team All-Pro squad five different times. Was also named to the first-team or second-team All-NFC team seven times. Named to seven Pro Bowl teams.

Bruce Smith

Bruce Smith was a defensive end for the Buffalo Bills from 1985-1999 and he also played for the Washington Redskins from 2000-2003. Smith was the first overall draft pick in the 1985 draft, going to the Buffalo Bills. Smith was 6'4" and 280 pounds.

Smith is the all-time NFL record holder for career sacks with 200, which is only two ahead of Reggie White.The closest active player to Smith's total is Jason Taylor, with 132.5.

Teams would have to game plan specifically for how they were going to try to contain him, because he was so dominating. Recorded at least 10 sacks (or more) in 13 seasons, which is an NFL record. Smith had an amazing combination of power, speed and flexibility that allowed him to bend and separate from the tackle.

Was named as NFL Defensive Player of the Year in both 1990 and in 1996. Was named to the NFL's All-Decade team for both the 1980s and for the 1990s. Was voted to All-Pro team 11 times, either as first-team or second-team. Selected to 11 Pro Bowl teams. Smith played in four straight Super Bowls from Super Bowl XXV to Super Bowl XXIIX, but never won the Super Bowl.

Jackie Smith

Jackie Smith was a tight end who played for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1963-1977 and for the Dallas Cowboys in 1978. Smith was 6'4" and weighed 235 pounds.

Smith did play in one Super Bowl (XIII), which was the only year he played for the Dallas Cowboys. It is ironic that he is on this list, because if he had held on to a pass in the end zone, he may very well have a Super Bowl title to add to his resume.

Smith was a very good all-around tight end in that he was a strong blocker and very good receiver. He caught 480 passes over his career, gaining 7,918 yards and scoring 40 touchdowns. Smith was durable, as he appeared in 210 games. When he retired in 1978, Smith was the NFL leader in receptions for tight ends. He played in five Pro Bowls, from 1967-1971.

Dwight Stephenson

Dwight Stephenson was a center who played for the Miami Dolphins from 1980-1987. Stephenson was 6'2" and weighed 255 pounds.

Stephenson used his quickness to be a very effective blocker and was widely considered to be the best center of his era in the NFL. He was named to five straight All-Pro teams from 1983-1987. Played in five straight Pro Bowls as well.

Appeared in two Super Bowls with Miami, (XVII and XIX) but unfortunately Miami lost both games. Was the captain of the Dolphins team. Career ended early in 1987 due to a bad knee injury.

Fran Tarkenton

Fran Tarkenton was a quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings from 1961-1966 and then again from 1972-1978. Tarkenton also played for the New York Giants from 1967-1971.

Tarkenton was not very big at 6'0" and weighed 190 pounds, but he made up for his lack of size with great quickness, tremendous heart and outstanding scrambling ability. Excelled at creating something out of broken plays.Tarkenton used his scrambling ability to pick up 3,674 rushing yards and scored 32 rushing touchdowns.

Was the all-time leading NFL quarterback in four categories when he retired: pass attempts (6,467), completions (3,686), touchdowns (342) and passing yardage (47,003). Tarkenton led the Vikings to three Super Bowls but they lost all three games. Was named to All-NFL team twice. Was named to nine Pro Bowls.

Charley Taylor

Charley Taylor was a wide receiver for the Washington Redskins from 1964-1975 and then he came back to play one more season with them in 1977. Taylor was 6'3" and weighed 210 pounds.

Taylor was the all-time NFL leading receiver in history when he retired, with 649 catches for 9,110 yards and 79 touchdown catches. His all-purpose yardage was 10,803, and he scored 90 touchdowns overall.

Taylor started out as a running back and was moved over to split end two years later. Good thing that the Redskins made the switch, because he led the NFL in receptions for the first two years (1966 and 1967). Was named to one All-NFL team, and was named to the second-team All-NFL team five times. Played in eight Pro Bowl games. 

Derrick Thomas

Derrick Thomas was a linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1989-1999. Thomas is the only member of our 52-player presentation who was not alive when he went into the Hall of Fame, as he passed away at the age of 33.

Thomas was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1989. He led the NFL with 20 sacks in 1990, which included recording seven sacks in one game. That set a one-game NFL record for the modern era and he also set a team record with the 20 sacks in 1990.

Thomas was named to nine Pro Bowl teams. He amassed the most sacks in the NFL in the 1990s surpassing players like Bruce Smith. In his career, he totaled 126.5 sacks. Was voted to All-NFL team three times. Made seven All-AFC teams.

Thurman Thomas

Thurman Thomas was a running back for the Buffalo Bills from 1988-1999 and he played for the Miami Dolphins in 2000. Thomas was 6'0" and weighed 198 pounds.Thomas was a versatile threat who could run the ball out of the Bills K-gun attack, or could catch passes coming out of the backfield. Gifted athlete who had great balance, vision and superior hands for a running back.

Thomas led the NFL in combined yards from scrimmage for four consecutive seasons, the first time that was ever accomplished in the NFL. Was NFL Most Valuable Player in 1991. Rushed for at least 1,000 yards in eight straight seasons. Thomas was one of the driving forces who made the Bills' hurry-up offense work.

During his career, Thomas rushed for 12,074 yards and gained 16,532 all-purpose yards. He was named to five straight Pro Bowls. Was named to five straight All-Pro teams as either first-team or second-team.

Andre Tippett

Andre Tippett was a linebacker for the New England Patriots from 1982-1993. Tippett was 6'3" and weighed 240 pounds.

Tippett held the Patriots team record with 18.5 sacks in 1984. In the following year, 1985, Tippett was the AFC Defensive Player of the Year, as he led the AFC with 16.5 sacks and led his team to the Super Bowl, which they lost. He again led the AFC in sacks in 1987 with 12.5.

When he left the game in 1993, Tippett led the Patriots in career sacks, sacks in one season and fumble recoveries. He was named to five straight Pro Bowl teams. Was a member of the NFL All-Decade team of the 1980s.

Roger Wehrli

Roger Wehrli was a cornerback for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1969-1982. He was 6'0" and weighed 190 pounds. Wehrli started as a rookie for St. Louis and by his sophomore year set a career high in interceptions with six for the season, which he later matched in 1975.

He either led or tied for the team-lead in interceptions four times during his career. Came up with 40 career interceptions and is tied for the franchise lead with 19 fumble recoveries.

Was elected to the NFL All-Decade team of the 1970s. Was named to five All-Pro teams and was All-NFC five times as well. Made seven Pro Bowl teams.

Dave Wilcox

Dave Wilcox was a linebacker who played for the San Francisco 49ers from 1964-1974. Wilcox was 6'3" and weighed 241 pounds.

Wilcox was known as The Intimidator, because that was the way he played the game. Full of aggression and confidence, he didn't have any problem getting in the face of his opponents. Was one of the best outside linebackers of his era in the NFL. He excelled at not allowing tight ends to escape his pressing techniques at the line of scrimmage. Very effective jammer.

Was very difficult to block. Was named to five All-NFL teams, and named to the All-NFL second-team three times. Named All-NFC three times and was elected to seven Pro Bowl teams.

Kellen Winslow

Kellen Winslow was a tight end for the San Diego Chargers from 1979-1987. He had great size for a tight end, as he was 6'5" and weighed 251 pounds. Winslow caught 541 passes in his career, good for 45 touchdowns and 6,741 yards.

Winslow was the best tight end of his time period. He turned in an 89-catch season in 1980 and then followed that up with 88 catches in both 1981 and 1983. In the epic 1981 overtime playoff-game against Miami, Winslow had 13 catches and blocked a field goal to send the game into overtime.

Winslow made the All-Pro team three straight years from 1980-1982. Was All-AFC four times and named to five Pro Bowl teams.

Ron Yary

Ron Yary was a tackle for the Minnesota Vikings from 1968-1982. He also played for the Los Angeles Rams in 1982 as well. Yary was 6'5" and weighed 255 pounds.

Was the first overall draft pick of the 1968 draft. Had all of the traits you would want for a top-flight tackle, as he had durability, speed, work ethic and agility. Made All-Pro six straight years from 1971-1976. Was All-NFC for eight straight years from 1970-1977. Played in seven Pro Bowls.

Yary started for the Vikings in Super Bowls IV, VIII, IX and XI, but unfortunately he never was on the winning team. Yary only missed two games in his career due to being injured.

Jack Youngblood

Jack Youngblood was a defensive end for the Los Angeles Rams from 1971-1984. He was 6'4" and 247 pounds. Youngblood was very tough and determined to play at all costs, as evidenced by the season he played through a broken leg in the opening game of playoffs, yet played every down in the Super Bowl with a fractured leg.

Played in a Rams record 201-consecutive games. Played in five NFC Championship games with the Rams. Was voted All-Pro five times and All-NFC seven times. Played in seven straight Pro Bowl games.

Gary Zimmerman

Gary Zimmerman was a tackle for the Minnesota Vikings from 1986-1992 and then he played for the Denver Broncos from 1983-1997.

Zimmerman was 6'6" and weighed 294 pounds. During his career, he had a consecutive-game streak that reached 169 games. His blocking helped the Vikings lead the NFC in rushing in 1991. Similar results occurred when he joined the Broncos offensive line, as they led the NFL in total yardage in both 1996 and 1997.

Zimmerman was named to the NFL All-Decade Teams for both the 1980s and for the 1990s. Was voted as the first-team or second-team All-Pro eight times in his career. Named to seven Pro Bowl teams.