Bow before your gods of football.

Behold the Pyramid of Left Defensive Ends – the greatest who ever played the game.

The rules of the pyramid are simple. There is one spot at the very top, four spots on the second level, and five spots on the third. If you are on the second level, you are tied for second place; same goes for the third.

Players on each level are ordered chronologically.

THE LEFT DEFENSIVE ENDS

#1

Reggie White (1985-1998, 2000)

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)
1x Super Bowl Champion
13x Pro Bowl
8x All Pro #1
5x All Pro #2
2x Sacks Leader
2x Defensive Player of the Year
1980s All Decade Team
1990s All Decade Team
232 Career Reg. Games
198 Career Reg. Sacks
33 Career Reg. Forced Fumbles
20 Career Reg. Fumble Recoveries
2 Career Reg. Defensive Touchdowns

#2

Gino Marchetti | Deacon Jones | Jack Youngblood | Julius Peppers

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)
2x NFL Champion
11x Pro Bowl
7x All Pro #1
2x All Pro #2
1950s All Decade Team
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 #1
3x All Pro #2
5x Sacks Leader
1960s All Decade Team
191 Career Reg. Games
173.5 Career Reg. Sacks
—

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 #1
3x All Pro #2
2x Sacks Leader
1970s All Decade Team
202 Career Reg. Games
151.5 Career Reg. Sacks
—

Julius Peppers (2002-18)
University of North Carolina
2002 Draft Pick #2 (Round 1)
Carolina Panthers (2002-09, 2017-18)
Chicago Bears (2010-13)
Green Bay Packers (2014-16)
9x Pro Bowl
3x All Pro #1
4x All Pro #2
2000s All Decade Team
2010s All Decade Team
266 Career Reg. Games
159.5 Career Reg. Sacks
52 Career Reg. Forced Fumbles
21 Career Reg. Fumble Recoveries
6 Career Reg. Defensive Touchdowns

#3

Willie Davis | Carl Eller | Harvey Martin | Michael Strahan | J.J. Watt

Willie Davis (1958-69)
(“Dr. Feelgood”)
Grambling State University
1956 Draft Pick #181 (Round 5)
Cleveland Browns (1958-59)
Green Bay Packers (1960-69)
5x NFL Champion
2x Super Bowl Champion
5x Pro Bowl
5x All Pro #1
1x All Pro #2
1960s All Decade Team
162 Career Reg. Games
99.5 Career Reg. Sacks
22 Career Reg. Fumble Recoveries
2 Career Reg. Defensive Touchdowns
—

Carl Eller (1964-79)
(“Moose”)
University of Minnesota
1964 Draft Pick #6 (NFL); 1964 Draft Pick #5 (AFL)
Minnesota Vikings (1964-78)
Seattle Seahawks (1979)
1x NFL Champion
6x Pro Bowl
5x All Pro #1
2x All Pro #2
1x Sacks Co-leader
1x Defensive Player of the Year
1970s All Decade Team
225 Career Reg. Games
133.5 Career Reg. Sacks
23 Career Reg. Fumble Recoveries
—

Harvey Martin (1973-83)
(“Too Mean”)
East Texas State
1973 Draft Pick #53 (Round 3)
Dallas Cowboys
1x Super Bowl Champion
1x Super Bowl Co-MVP
4x Pro Bowl
1x All Pro #1
3x All Pro #2
1x Sacks Leader
1x Defensive Player of the Year
1970s All Decade Team
158 Career Reg. Games
114 Career Reg. Sacks
—

Michael Strahan (1993-2007)
(“Bob”)
Texas Southern University
1993 Draft Pick #40 (Round 2)
New York Giants
1x Super Bowl Champion
7x Pro Bowl
4x All Pro #1
2x All Pro #2
2x Sacks Leader
1x Forced Fumbles Co-leader
1x Defensive Player of the Year
2000s All Decade Team
216 Career Reg. Games
141.5 Career Reg. Sacks
24 Career Reg. Forced Fumbles
663 Career Reg. Solo Tackles
854 Career Reg. Combined Tackles
3 Career Reg. Defensive Touchdowns
—

J.J. Watt (2011-22)
(“J.J. Swatt”)
University of Wisconsin
2011 Draft Pick #11 (Round 1)
Houston Texans (2011-20)
Arizona Cardinals (2021-22)
5x Pro Bowl
5x All Pro #1
1x Forced Fumbles Co-leader
2x Sacks Leader
3x Defensive Player of the Year
2010s All Decade Team
151 Career Reg. Games
114.5 Career Reg. Sacks
27 Career Reg. Forced Fumbles
449 Career Reg. Solo Tackles
586 Career Reg. Combined Tackles
3 Career Reg. Defensive Touchdowns