Gil Brandt was not the most important man in football. He was not the executive who created the greatest football team ever, nor was he the most impactful executive, talent scout ever, or radio host ever. What he was, for nearly 70 years straight, was one of football’s most interesting people.

His Wikipedia page doesn’t quite do him justice, good or bad, but I first learned of Brandt from his ranking series on Sports Illustrated. It is impossible to agree perfectly with any list, but Brandt’s were fascinating and clearly based upon more than just a calculator’s conclusion. Brandt was a figure of history who brought his observations over generations and decades, and those lists reflected the best of him.

The problem, of course, with lists like his (they were top 25 lists for general positions), is that they’re too big and in some ways too vague. The NFL 100 had this problem too. They make no distinctions between nuances of positions, especially positions within the trenches. The game of football is often won or lost on the lines. Men have played various different positions on the offensive or defensive lines, whether on the line itself or directly behind them, not to mention the men who played two-way positions or positions on special teams that so often go unrecognized and without respect.

The other problem is the #1. Sometimes it’s obvious. If you are ranking wide receivers and Jerry Rice isn’t your #1, your list is invalid from the beginning. If you are ranking quarterbacks and Tom Brady isn’t #1, sorry kids – your list is just as invalid. But no other position is quite as cut and dry.

I have been interested in the history of the game for a decade at least, especially as I have become more interested in history in general. I love ranking things and ranking people. I also love Top 4 lists. I can’t even begin to explain that one, but I rank films out of 4 stars too. The Navajo consider the number 4 to be of spiritual and scientific significance, but I just prefer 4 instead of 5 because it feels more exclusive, and I love very few things more than exclusion. You can’t determine worth or value until you know what you’re excluding, and those are words I live by, for better or worse.

This quality of mine I consider distinctly American, and there are very few landmarks in our great nation that I revere more than Mount Rushmore. Are the four presidents on that mountain truly our greatest ever? Certainly two of them – Washington and Lincoln – have no challenger. But I could quibble with Jefferson and Theodore Roosevelt. Theodore Roosevelt himself would have disputed Jefferson’s place on that mountain, let alone it being immediately next to his own. But as symbols of undisputed greatness – figures of such stature that it seems instinctively wrong to compare them with each other or anyone else except forces of nature that are bigger than all of us – there is no doubt that all four of those presidents belong where they do, and that any one of them could have that mountain all to himself.

Mount Rushmore itself, of course, is an odd structure. You might think that the presidents are displayed chronologically, but here Teddy Roosevelt is the outlier. He is the most recent president of the group, and he was less than 3 years old when the last guy on that mountain took office. Abraham Lincoln was born in the final month of Thomas Jefferson’s presidency. So true to form, my Rushmore groupings will mimic the real thing. The men are displayed in chronological order, with the most recent one displayed as #3.

So without further ado, I present to you, in honor of Gil Brandt, a special, subjective, exclusionary list of each position in football as Mount Rushmore. With all due respect to the many incredible players who do not make the list, and with due regard for their greatness and accomplishments, the faces and images below are, to me, the greatest of all time, of all eras, and of the game.

QUARTERBACKS

Johnny Unitas (1956-73)
(“Johnny U”)
University of Louisville
1955 Draft Pick #102 (Round 9)
Baltimore Colts (1956-72)
San Diego Chargers (1973)
10x Pro Bowl
5x All Pro
3x MVP
3x NFL Champion
1x Super Bowl Champion
211 Career Reg. Games
2,830 Career Reg. Completions
40,239 Career Reg. Yards
290 Career Reg. Touchdowns
—

Joe Montana (1979-94)
(“Joe Cool”)
Notre Dame
1979 Draft Pick #87 (Round 3)
San Francisco 49ers (1978-92)
Kansas City Chiefs (1993-94)
8x Pro Bowl
3x All Pro
2x MVP
4x Super Bowl Champion
192 Career Reg. Games
3,409 Career Reg. Completions
40,551 Career Reg. Yards
273 Career Reg. Touchdowns
—

Tom Brady (2000-2022)
(“The GOAT”)
University of Michigan
2000 Draft Pick #199 (Round 6)
New England Patriots (2000-19)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2020-22)
15x Pro Bowl
3x All Pro
3x MVP
7x Super Bowl Champion
335 Career Reg. Games
7,753 Career Reg. Completions
89,214 Career Reg. Yards
649 Career Reg. Touchdowns
—

Peyton Manning (1998-2015)
(“The Sheriff”)
University of Tennessee
1998 Draft Pick #1 (Round 1)
Indianapolis Colts (1998-2010)
Denver Broncos (2012-15)
14x Pro Bowl
7x All Pro
5x MVP
2x Super Bowl Champion
266 Career Reg. Games
6,125 Career Reg. Completions
71,940 Career Reg. Yards
539 Career Reg. Touchdowns

CENTERS

Bulldog Turner (1940-52)
Hardin-Simmons College
1940 Draft Pick #7 (Round 1)
Chicago Bears
4x Pro Bowl
7x All Pro
4x NFL Champion
138 Career Reg. Games
—

Jim Otto (1960-74)
(“Double O”)
University of Miami
1960 AFL Draft
Oakland Raiders
12x Pro Bowl
10x All Pro
1x AFL Champion
210 Career Reg. Games
—

Dermontti Dawson (1988-2000)
(“Dirt”)
University of Kentucky
1988 Draft Pick #44 (Round 2)
Pittsburgh Steelers
7x Pro Bowl
6x All Pro
184 Career Reg. Games
—

Mike Webster (1974-90)
(“Iron Mike”)
University of Wisconsin-Madison
1974 Draft Pick #125 (Round 5)
Pittsburgh Steelers (1974-88)
Kansas City Chiefs (1989-90)
9x Pro Bowl
5x All Pro
4x Super Bowl Champion
245 Career Reg. Games

LEFT GUARDS

Gene Upshaw (1967-81)
(“Uptown Gene”)
Texas A&M University
1967 Draft Pick #17 (Round 1)
Oakland Raiders
7x Pro Bowl
5x All Pro
1x AFL Champion
2x Super Bowl Champion
217 Career Reg. Games
—

John Hannah (1973-85)
(“Hog”)
University of Alabama
1973 Draft Pick #4 (Round 1)
New England Patriots
9x Pro Bowl
7x All Pro
183 Career Reg. Games
—

Larry Allen (1994-2007)
Sonoma State University
1994 Draft Pick #46 (Round 2)
Dallas Cowboys (1994-2005)
San Francisco 49ers (2006-07)
11x Pro Bowl
6x All Pro
1x Super Bowl Champion
203 Career Reg. Games
—

Bruce Matthews (1983-2001)
U.S.C.
1983 Draft Pick #9 (Round 1)
Houston Oilers (1983-96)
Tennessee Oilers (1997-98)
Tennessee Titans (1999-2001)
14x Pro Bowl
7x All Pro
296 Career Reg. Games

LEFT TACKLES

Jim Parker (1957-67)
(“Jumbo Jim”)
The Ohio State University
1957 Draft Pick #8 (Round 1)
Baltimore Colts
8x Pro Bowl
8x All Pro
2x NFL Champion
135 Career Reg. Games
—

Art Shell (1968-82)
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
1968 Draft Pick #80 (Round 3)
Oakland Raiders (1968-81)
Los Angeles Raiders (1982)
8x Pro Bowl
2x All Pro
2x Super Bowl Champion
207 Career Reg. Games
—

Jonathan Ogden (1996-2007)
UCLA
1996 Draft Pick #4 (Round 1)
Baltimore Ravens
11x Pro Bowl
4x All Pro
1x Super Bowl Champion
177 Career Reg. Games
—

Anthony Muñoz (1980-92)
U.S.C.
1980 Draft Pick #3 (Round 1)
Cincinnati Bengals
11x Pro Bowl
9x All Pro
185 Career Reg. Games

RIGHT GUARDS

Larry Little (1967-80)
(“Chicken”)
Bethune-Cookman University
Undrafted
San Diego Chargers (1967-68)
Miami Dolphins (1969-80)
5x Pro Bowl
5x All Pro
2x Super Bowl Champion
183 Career Reg. Games
—

Joe DeLamielleure (1973-85)
(“Joe D”)
Michigan State University
1973 Draft Pick #26 (Round 1)
Buffalo Bills (1973-79, 1985)
Cleveland Browns (1980-84)
6x Pro Bowl
3x All Pro
185 Career Reg. Games
—

Zack Martin (2014-Present)
(“The Butcher”)
Notre Dame
2014 Draft Pick #16 (Round 1)
Dallas Cowboys
8x Pro Bowl
6x All Pro
137 Career Reg. Games…
—

Will Shields (1993-2006)
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
1993 Draft Pick #74 (Round 3)
Kansas City Chiefs
12x Pro Bowl
2x All Pro
224 Career Reg. Games

RIGHT TACKLES

Forrest Gregg (1956, 1958-71)
(“Iron Man”)
Southern Methodist University
1956 Draft Pick #26 (Round 2)
Green Bay Packers (1956, 1958-70)
Dallas Cowboys (1971)
9x Pro Bowl
7x All Pro
5x NFL Champion
3x Super Bowl Champion
193 Career Reg. Games
—

Ron Mix (1960-69, 1971)
(“The Intellectual Assassin”)
U.S.C.
1960 Draft Pick #10 (Round 1)
Los Angeles Chargers (1960)
San Diego Chargers (1961-69)
Oakland Raiders (1971)
8x Pro Bowl
9x All Pro
1x AFL Champion
142 Career Reg. Games
—

Bob Brown (1964-72)
(“The Boomer”)
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
1964 Draft Pick #2 (NFL), 1964 Draft Pick #4 (AFL)
Philadelphia Eagles (1964-68)
Los Angeles Rams (1969-70)
Oakland Raiders (1971-73)
6x Pro Bowl
5x All Pro
126 Career Reg. Games
—

Ron Yary (1968-82)
U.S.C
1968 Draft Pick #1 (Round 1)
Minnesota Vikings (1968-81)
Los Angeles Rams (1982)
7x Pro Bowl
6x All Pro
1x NFL Champion
207 Career Reg. Games

TIGHT ENDS

Kellen Winslow (1979-87)
University of Missouri
1979 Draft Pick #13 (Round 1)
San Diego Chargers
5x Pro Bowl
3x All Pro
109 Career Reg. Games
541 Career Reg. Receptions
6,741 Career Reg. Yards
45 Career Reg. Touchdowns

—

Tony Gonzalez (1997-2013)
(“Gonzo”)
UC – Berkeley
1997 Draft Pick #13 (Round 1)
Kansas City Chiefs (1997-2008)
Atlanta Falcons (2009-13)
14x Pro Bowl
6x All Pro
270 Career Reg. Games
1,325 Career Reg. Receptions
15,127 Career Reg. Yards
111 Career Reg. Touchdowns
—

Travis Kelce (2013-Present)
(“Big Yeti”)
University of Cincinnati
2015 Draft Pick #63 (Round 3)
Kansas City Chiefs (2013-Present)
8x Pro Bowl
4x All Pro
2x Super Bowl Champion
144 Career Reg. Games…
814 Career Reg. Receptions…
10,344 Career Reg. Yards…
69 Career Reg. Touchdowns…
—

Rob Gronkowski (2010-18, 2020-21)
(“Gronk”)
University of Arizona
2010 Draft Pick #42 (Round 2)
New England Patriots (2010-18)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2020-21)
5x Pro Bowl
4x All Pro
4x Super Bowl Champion
143 Career Reg. Games
621 Career Reg. Receptions
9,286 Career Reg. Yards
92 Career Reg. Touchdowns

RUNNING BACKS

Jim Brown (1955-64)
(“First Down Brown”)
Syracuse University
1957 Draft Pick #6 (Round 1)
Cleveland Browns
9x Pro Bowl
8x All Pro
3x MVP
1x NFL Champion
118 Career Reg. Games
14,811 Career Reg. Yards
126 Career Reg. Touchdowns
—

Walter Payton (1975-87)
(“Sweetness”)
Jackson State University
1975 Draft Pick #4 (Round 1)
Chicago Bears
9x Pro Bowl
5x All Pro
1x MVP
1x Super Bowl Champion
190 Career Reg. Games
21,264 Career Reg. Yards
125 Career Reg. Touchdowns
—

Emmitt Smith (1990-2004)
(“Catch 22”)
University of Florida
1990 Draft Pick #17 (Round 1)
Dallas Cowboys (1990-2002)
Arizona Cardinals (2003-04)
8x Pro Bowl
4x All Pro
1x MVP
3x Super Bowl Champion
1x Super Bowl MVP
226 Career Reg. Games
21,579 Career Reg. Yards
175 Career Reg. Touchdowns
—

Barry Sanders (1989-98)
(“B”)
Oklahoma State University
1989 Draft Pick #3 (Round 1)
Detroit Lions
10x Pro Bowl
6x All Pro
1x MVP
153 Career Reg. Games
18,190 Career Reg. Yards
109 Career Reg. Touchdowns

WIDE RECEIVERS

Don Hutson (1935-45)
(“The Alabama Antelope”)
University of Alabama
Pre-Draft
Green Bay Packers
4x Pro Bowl
8x All Pro
2x MVP
3x NFL Champion
116 Career Reg. Games
488 Career Reg. Receptions
8,275 Career Reg. Yards
102 Career Reg. Touchdowns
—

Lance Alworth (1962-72)
(“Bambi”)
University of Arkansas
1962 Draft Pick #8 (NFL), 1962 Draft Pick #9 (AFL)
San Diego Chargers (1962-70)
Dallas Cowboys (1971-72)
7x Pro Bowl
6x All Pro
1x AFL Champion
1x Super Bowl Champion
136 Career Reg. Games
542 Career Reg. Receptions
10,395 Career Reg. Yards
87 Career Reg. Touchdowns
—

Randy Moss (1998-2010, 2012)
(“The Freak”)
Marshall College
1998 Draft #21 (Round 1)
Minnesota Vikings (1998-2004, 2010)
Oakland Raiders (2005-06)
New England Patriots (2007-2010)
Tennessee Titans (2010)
San Francisco 49ers (2012)
6x Pro Bowl
5x All Pro
218 Career Reg. Games
982 Career Reg. Receptions
15,451 Career Reg. Yards
156 Career Reg. Touchdowns
—

Jerry Rice (1985-2004)
(“World”)
Mississippi Valley State University
1985 Draft Pick #16 (Round 1)
San Francisco 49ers (1985-2000)
Oakland Raiders (2001-04)
Seattle Seahawks (2004)
13x Pro Bowl
10x All Pro
3x Super Bowl Champion
1x Super Bowl MVP
303 Career Reg. Games
1,549 Career Reg. Receptions
23,540 Career Reg. Yards
207 Career Reg. Touchdowns

SCORE KICKERS

Jan Stenerud (1967-85)
Montana State University
1966 Draft Pick #24 (AFL)
Kansas City Chiefs (1967-79)
Green Bay Packers (1980-83)
Minnesota Vikings (1984-85)
6x Pro Bowls
1x All Pro
1x Super Bowl Champion
263 Career Reg. Games
580 Career Reg. Extra Points
373 Career Reg. Field Goals
1,699 Career Reg. Total Points
–

Morten Andersen (1982-2004, 2006-07)
(“The Great Dane”)
Michigan State University
1982 Draft Pick #86 (Round 4)
New Orleans Saints (1982-94)
Atlanta Falcons (1995-2000, 2006-07)
New York Giants (2001)
Kansas City Chiefs (2002-03)
Minnesota Vikings (2004)
7x Pro Bowl
3x All Pro
382 Career Reg. Games
849 Career Reg. Extra Points
565 Career Reg. Field Goals
2,544 Career Reg. Total Points
–

Justin Tucker (2012-Present)
(“J-Tuck”)
University of Texas – Austin
Undrafted
Baltimore Ravens
6x Pro Bowl
5x All Pro
1x Super Bowl Champion
178 Career Reg. Games…
413 Career Reg. Extra Points…
363 Career Reg. Field Goals…
1,502 Career Reg. Total Points…
–

Adam Vinatieri (1996-2019)
(“Automatic Adam”)
South Dakota State University
Undrafted
New England Patriots (1996-2005)
Indianapolis Colts (2006-19)
3x Pro Bowl
3x All Pro
4x Super Bowl Champion
365 Career Reg. Games
874 Career Reg. Extra Points
599 Career Reg. Field Goals
2,763 Career Reg. Total Points

PUNTERS

Sammy Baugh (1939-52)
(“Slingin’ Sammy”)
TCU
1937 Draft Pick #6 (Round 1)
Washington Redskins
6x Pro Bowl
2x All Pro
2x NFL Champion
167 Career Reg. Games
338 Career Reg. Punts
15,245 Career Reg. Punting Yards
—

Yale Lary (1952-64)
Texas A&M University
1952 Draft Pick #34 (Round 3)
Detroit Lions
9x Pro Bowl
3x All Pro
3x NFL Champion
133 Career Reg. Games
503 Career Reg. Punts
22,279 Career Reg. Punting Yards
—

Shane Lechler (2000-17)
Texas A&M University
2000 Draft Pick #142 (Round 5)
Oakland Raiders (2000-12)
Houston Texans (2013-17)
7x Pro Bowl
6x All Pro
286 Career Reg. Games
1,444 Career Reg. Punts
68,676 Career Reg. Punting Yards
—

Ray Guy (1973-86)
University of Southern Mississippi
1973 Draft Pick #23 (Round 1)
Oakland Raiders (1973-81)
Los Angeles Raiders (1982-86)
7x Pro Bowl
3x All Pro
3x Super Bowl Champion
207 Career Reg. Games
1,049 Career Reg. Punts
44,493 Career Reg. Punting Yards

KICK RETURNERS

Gale Sayers (1965-71)
(“The Kansas Comet”)
University of Kansas
1965 Draft Pick #4 (NFL), 1965 Draft Pick #5 (AFL)
Chicago Bears
4x Pro Bowl
5x All Pro
68 Career Reg. Games
118 Career Reg. Kick Returns
8 Career Reg. Kick Return Touchdowns
9,435 Career Reg. All Purpose Yards
—

Billy Johnson (1974-88)
(“White Shoes”)
Widener University
1974 Draft Pick #365 (Round 15)
Houston Oilers (1974-80)
Atlanta Falcons (1982-87)
Washington Redskins (1988)
3x Pro Bowl
1x All Pro
143 Career Reg. Games
405 Career Reg. Kick Returns
8 Career Reg. Kick Return Touchdowns
10,785 Career Reg. All Purpose Yards
—

Josh Cribbs (2005-14)
Kent State University
Undrafted
Cleveland Browns (2005-12)
New York Jets (2013)
Indianapolis Colts (2014)
3x Pro Bowl
1x All Pro
136 Career Reg. Games
648 Career Reg. Kick Returns
11 Career Reg. Kick Return Touchdowns
15,453 Career Reg. All Purpose Yards
—

Devin Hester (2006-16)
University of Miami
2006 Draft Pick #57 (Round 2)
Chicago Bears (2006-13)
Atlanta Falcons (2014-15)
Baltimore Ravens (2016)
Seattle Seahawks (2016)
4x Pro Bowl
3x All Pro
156 Career Reg. Games
610 Career Reg. Kick Returns
19 Career Reg. Kick Return Touchdowns
14,455 Career Reg. All Purpose Yards

2-WAY PLAYERS

Jim Thorpe (1920-26, 1928)
(“Wa-Tho-Huk”)
Carlisle Indian Industrial School
Pre-Draft
Canton Bulldogs (1920, 1926)
Cleveland Indians (1921)
Oorang Indians (1922-23)
Rock Island Independents (1924, 1925)
New York Giants (1925)
Chicago Cardinals (1928)
Running Back & Defensive End

Mel Hein (1931-45)
(“Old Indestructible”)
Washington State College
Pre-Draft
New York Giants
Center & Linebacker

Chuck Bednarik (1949-62)
(“Concrete Charlie”)
U Penn
1949 Draft Pick #1 (Round 1)
Philadelphia Eagles
Center & Linebacker

Danny Fortmann (1936-43)
Colgate College
1936 Draft Pick #78 (Round 9)
Chicago Bears
Guard & Linebacker

LEFT DEFENSIVE TACKLES

Art Donovan (1950-61)
(“Fatso”)
Boston College
1947 Draft Pick #204 (Round 22)
Baltimore Colts (1950)
New York Yanks (1951)
Dallas Texans (1952)
Baltimore Colts (1953-61)
5x Pro Bowl
4x All Pro
2x NFL Champion
138 Career Reg. Games

Merlin Olsen (1962-76)
Utah State University
1962 Draft Pick #3 (NFL), 1962 Draft Pick #2 (AFL)
Los Angeles Rams
14x Pro Bowl
5x All Pro
208 Career Reg. Games

Aaron Donald (2014-Present)
(“The Terminator”)
University of Pittsburgh
2014 Draft Pick #13 (Round 1)
St. Louis Rams (2014-15)
Los Angeles Rams (2016-Present)
9x Pro Bowl
7x All Pro
3x Defensive Player of the Year
1x Super Bowl Champion
138 Career Reg. Games…

Joe Greene (1969-81)
(“Mean Joe”)
North Texas State University
1969 Draft Pick #4 (Round 1)
Pittsburgh Steelers
10x Pro Bowl
4x All Pro
2x Defensive Player of the Year
4x Super Bowl Champion
181 Career Reg. Games

RIGHT DEFENSIVE TACKLES

Bob Lilly (1961-74)
(“Tiger”)
TCU
1961 Draft Pick #13 (NFL), 1961 Draft Pick #14 (AFL)
Dallas Cowboys
11x Pro Bowl
7x All Pro
1x Super Bowl Champion
196 Career Reg. Games

Randy White (1975-88)
(“The Manster”)
University of Maryland
1975 Draft Pick #2 (Round 1)
Dallas Cowboys
9x Pro Bowl
7x All Pro
1x Super Bowl Champion
209 Career Reg. Games

John Randle (1990-2003)
(“Motor Mouth”)
Texas A&M University
Undrafted
Minnesota Vikings (1990-2000)
Seattle Seahawks (2001-03)
7x Pro Bowl
6x All Pro
219 Career Reg. Games

Alan Page (1967-81)
Notre Dame
1967 Draft Pick #15 (Round 1)
Minnesota Vikings (1967-78)
Chicago Bears (1978-81)
9x Pro Bowl
5x All Pro
1x MVP
1x Defensive Player of the Year
1x NFL Champion

LEFT DEFENSIVE ENDS

Gino Marchetti (1952-64, 1966)
(“Gino the Giant”)
University of San Francisco
1952 Draft Pick #14 (Round 2)
Dallas Texans (1952)
Baltimore Colts (1954-64, 1966)
11x Pro Bowl
7x All Pro
2x NFL Champion
161 Career Reg. Games

Deacon Jones (1961-74)
(“The Secretary of Defense”)
Mississippi Valley State University
1961 Draft Pick #186 (Round 4)
Los Angeles Rams (1961-71)
San Diego Chargers (1972-73)
Washington Redskins (1974)
8x Pro Bowl
5x All Pro
191 Career Reg. Games

Reggie White (1985-98, 2000)
(“The Minister of Defense”)
University of Tennessee
1984 Draft Pick #4 (Round 1 – Supplemental)
Philadelphia Eagles (1985-92)
Green Bay Packers (1993-98)
Carolina Panthers (2000)
13x Pro Bowl
8x All Pro
2x Defensive Player of the Year
1x Super Bowl Champion
232 Career Reg. Games

Jack Youngblood (1971-84)
(“The John Wayne of Football”)
University of Florida
1971 Draft Pick #20 (Round 1)
Los Angeles Rams
7x Pro Bowl
5x All Pro
202 Career Reg. Games

RIGHT DEFENSIVE ENDS

Doug Atkins (1953-69)
University of Tennessee
1953 Draft Pick #11 (Round 1)
Cleveland Browns (1953-54)
Chicago Bears (1955-66)
New Orleans Saints (1967-69)
8x Pro Bowl
1x All Pro
2x NFL Champion
205 Career Reg. Games

Lee Roy Selmon (1976-84)
(“The Gentle Giant”)
University of Oklahoma
1976 Draft Pick #1 (Round 1)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
6x Pro Bowl
1x All Pro
1x Defensive Player of the Year
121 Career Reg. Games

Bruce Smith (1985-2003)
(“The Sack Man”)
Virginia Tech
1985 Draft Pick #1 (Round 1)
Buffalo Bills (1985-99)
Washington Redskins (2000-03)
11x Pro Bowl
8x All Pro
2x Defensive Player of the Year
279 Career Reg. Games

Chris Doleman (1985-99)
University of Pittsburgh
1985 Draft Pick #4 (Round 1)
Minnesota Vikings (1985-93, 1999)
Atlanta Falcons (1994-95)
San Francisco 49ers (1996-98)
8x Pro Bowl
2x All Pro
232 Career Reg. Games

LEFT-SIDE LINEBACKERS

Dave Robinson (1963-74)
(“Black Panther”)
Penn State University
1963 Draft Pick #14 (NFL), 1963 Draft Pick #17 (AFL)
Green Bay Packers (1963-72)
Washington Redskins (1973-74)
3x Pro Bowl
2x All Pro
3x NFL Champion
2x Super Bowl Champion
155 Career Reg. Games
—

Bobby Bell (1963-74)
(“Dr. Doom”)
University of Minnesota
1963 Draft Pick #16 (NFL), 1963 Draft Pick #56 (AFL)
Kansas City Chiefs
9x Pro Bowl
6x All Pro
2x AFL Champion
1x Super Bowl Champion
168 Career Reg. Games

Ted Hendricks (1969-83)
(“The Mad Stork”)
University of Miami
1969 Draft Pick #33 (Round 2)
Baltimore Colts (1969-73)
Green Bay Packers (1974)
Oakland Raiders (1975-81)
Los Angeles Raiders (1982-83)
8x Pro Bowl
4x All Pro
4x Super Bowl Champion
215 Career Reg. Games

Jack Ham (1971-82)
(“Dobre Shunka”)
Penn State University
1971 Draft Pick #34 (Round 2)
Pittsburgh Steelers
8x Pro Bowl
6x All Pro
4x Super Bowl Champion
162 Career Reg. Games

MIDDLE LINEBACKERS

Dick Butkus (1965-73)
(“The Enforcer”)
University of Illinois
1965 Draft Pick #3 (NFL), 1965 Draft Pick #9 (AFL)
Chicago Bears
8x Pro Bowl
5x All Pro
119 Career Reg. Games

Jack Lambert (1974-84)
(“Jack Splat”)
Kent State University
1974 Draft Pick #46 (Round 2)
Pittsburgh Steelers
9x Pro Bowl
6x All Pro
1x Defensive Player of the Year
4x Super Bowl Champion
146 Career Reg. Games

Ray Lewis (1996-2012)
(“Sugar”)
University of Miami
1996 Draft Pick #26 (Round 1)
Baltimore Ravens
12x Pro Bowl
7x All Pro
2x Defensive Player of the Year
2x Super Bowl Champion
1x Super Bowl MVP
226 Career Reg. Games

Mike Singletary (1981-92)
(“Samurai Mike”)
Baylor University
1981 Draft Pick #38 (Round 2)
Chicago Bears
10x Pro Bowl
7x All Pro
2x Defensive Player of the Year
1x Super Bowl Champion
179 Career Reg. Games

RIGHT-SIDE LINEBACKERS

Lawrence Taylor (1981-93)
(“L.T.”)
University of North Carolina
1981 Draft Pick #2 (Round 1)
New York Giants
10x Pro Bowl
8x All Pro
1x MVP
3x Defensive Player of the Year
2x Super Bowl Champion
184 Career Reg. Games

Junior Seau (1990-2009)
(“Tasmanian Devil”)
U.S.C.
1990 Draft Pick #5 (Round 1)
San Diego Chargers (1990-2002)
Miami Dolphins (2003-05)
New England Patriots (2006-09)
12x Pro Bowl
6x All Pro
268 Career Reg. Games

DeMarcus Ware (2005-16)
(“Boot”)
Troy University
2005 Draft Pick #11 (Round 1)
Dallas Cowboys (2005-13)
Denver Broncos (2014-16)
9x Pro Bowl
4x All Pro
1x Super Bowl Champion
178 Career Reg. Games

Derrick Brooks (1995-2008)
Florida State University
1995 Draft Pick #28 (Round 1)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
11x Pro Bowl
5x All Pro
1x Defensive Player of the Year
1x Super Bowl Champion
224 Career Reg. Games

STRONG SAFETIES

Emlen Tunnell (1948-61)
(“Emlen the Gremlin”)
University of Iowa
Undrafted
New York Giants (1948-58)
Green Bay Packers (1959-61)
9x Pro Bowl
4x All Pro
2x NFL Champion
167 Career Reg. Games

Jack Christiansen (1951-58)
Colorado State University
1951 Draft Pick #69 (Round 6)
Detroit Lions
5x Pro Bowl
6x All Pro
3x NFL Champion
89 Career Reg. Games

Troy Polamalu (2003-14)
(“The Flyin’ Hawaiian”)
U.S.C.
2003 Draft Pick #16 (Round 1)
Pittsburgh Steelers
8x Pro Bowl
4x All Pro
2x Super Bowl Champion
158 Career Reg. Games

Ken Houston (1967-80)
Prairie View A&M University
1967 Draft Pick #214 (Round 7)
Houston Oilers (1967-72)
Washington Redskins (1973-80)
12x Pro Bowl
2x All Pro
196 Career Reg. Games

FREE SAFETIES

Johnny Robinson (1960-71)
LSU
1960 Draft Pick #3 (Round 1)
Dallas Texans (1960-62)
Kansas City Chiefs (1963-71)
7x Pr Bowl
6x All Pro
3x AFL Champion
1x Super Bowl Champion
164 Career Reg. Games

Larry Wilson (1960-72)
(“Wildcat”)
University of Utah
1960 Draft Pick #74 (Round 7)
St. Louis Cardinals
8x Pro Bowl
5x All Pro
169 Career Reg. Games

Ed Reed (2002-13)
(“Speedo Killer”)
University of Miami
2002 Draft Pick #24 (Round 1)
Baltimore Ravens (2002-12)
Houston Texans (2013)
New York Jets (2013)
9x Pro Bowl
5x All Pro
1x Defensive Player of the Year
1x Super Bowl Champion
174 Career Reg. Games

Ronnie Lott (1981-94)
U.S.C.
1981 Draft Pick #8 (Round 1)
San Francisco 49ers (1981-90)
Los Angeles Raiders (1991-92)
New York Jets (1993-94)
10x Pro Bowl
6x All Pro
4x Super Bowl Champion
192 Career Reg. Games

LEFT CORNERBACKS

Richard Lane (1952-65)
(“Night Train”)
Western Nebraska Community College
Undrafted
Los Angeles Rams (1952-53)
Chicago Cardinals (1954-59)
Detroit Lions (1960-65)
7x Pro Bowl
3x All Pro
157 Career Reg. Games
68 Career Reg. Interceptions
6 Career Reg. Defensive Touchdowns

Rod Woodson (1987-2003)
(“Hot Rod”)
Purdue University
1987 Draft Pick #10 (Round 1)
Pittsburgh Steelers (1987-96)
San Francisco 49ers (1997)
Baltimore Ravens (1998-2001)
Oakland Raiders (2002-03)
11x Pro Bowls
6x All Pro
1x Defensive Player of the Year
1x Super Bowl Champion
238 Career Reg. Games
71 Career Reg. Interceptions
13 Career Reg. Defensive Touchdowns

Champ Bailey (1999-2013)
University of Georgia
1999 Draft Pick #9 (Round 1)
Washington Redskins (1999-2003)
Denver Broncos (2004-2013)
12x Pro Bowl
3x All Pro
215 Career Reg. Games
52 Career Reg. Interceptions
4 Career Reg. Defensive Touchdowns

Charles Woodson (1998-2015)
University of Michigan
1998 Draft Pick #4 (Round 1)
Oakland Raiders (1998-2005, 2013-15)
Green Bay Packers (2006-12)
9x Pro Bowl
3x All Pro
1x Defensive Player of the Year
1x Super Bowl Champion
254 Career Reg. Games
65 Career Reg. Interceptions
13 Career Reg. Defensive Touchdowns

RIGHT CORNERBACKS

Willie Brown (1963-78)
(“Old Man Willie”)
Grambling State University
Undrafted
Denver Broncos (1963-66)
Oakland Raiders (1967-78)
9x Pro Bowl
6x All Pro
1x AFL Champion
1x Super Bowl Champion
204 Career Reg. Games
54 Career Reg. Interceptions
2 Career Reg. Defensive Touchdowns

Mel Blount (1970-83)
Southern University
1970 Draft Pick #53 (Round 3)
Pittsburgh Steelers
5x Pro Bowl
2x All Pro
1x Defensive Player of the Year
4x Super Bowl Champion
200 Career Reg. Games
57 Career Reg. Interceptions
4 Career Reg. Defensive Touchdowns

Deion Sanders (1989-2000, 2004-05)
(“Primetime”)
Florida State University
1989 Draft Pick #5 (Round 1)
Atlanta Falcons (1989-93)
San Francisco 49ers (1994)
Dallas Cowboys (1995-99)
Washington Redskins (2000)
Baltimore Ravens (2004-05)
8x Pro Bowl
6x All Pro
1x Defensive Player of the Year
2x Super Bowl Champion
188 Career Reg. Games
53 Career Reg. Interceptions
10 Career Reg. Defensive Touchdowns

Darrell Green (1983-2002)
(“Ageless Wonder”)
Texas A&M University
1983 Draft Pick #28 (Round 1)
Washington Redskins
7x Pro Bowl
1x All Pro
2x Super Bowl Champion
295 Career Reg. Games
54 Career Reg. Interceptions
8 Career Reg. Defensive Touchdowns

HEAD COACHES

George Halas
(“Papa Bear”)
Decatur Staleys (1920)
Chicago Staleys (1921)
Chicago Bears (1922-29, 1933-42, 1946-55, 1958-67)
497 Career Reg. Games
318 Career Reg. Wins
2x Coach of the Year
6x NFL Champion

Paul Brown
Cleveland Browns (1946-62)
Cincinnati Bengals (1968-75)
326 Career Reg. Games
213 Career Reg. Wins
1x Coach of the Year
4x AAFC Champion
3x NFL Champion

Bill Belichick
(“Emperor Palpatine”)
Cleveland Browns (1991-95)
New England Patriots (2000-Present)
450 Career Reg. Games…
298 Career Reg. Wins…
3x Coach of the Year
6x Super Bowl Champion

Vince Lombardi
(“The Pope”)
Green Bay Packers (1959-67)
Washington Redskins (1969)
136 Career Reg. Games
96 Career Reg. Wins
1x Coach of the Year
5x NFL Champion
2x Super Bowl Champion