On the football field Chuck Bednarik was one of the toughest players to play the game and possibly the best tackler to set forth on a football field. Bergey became one of the NFL's best linebackers in Philly, where he made five consecutive All-Pro teams and was the foundation for the "Gang Green" defense that made the playoffs in each of his last three seasons, including a trip to the Super Bowl in 1980. Mack, who holds the NCAA records for forced fumbles and tackles for loss, became the first player in NFL history to make All-Pro at two different positions in 2015 when he was a first-team defensive end and outside linebacker. Jack Ham was one of the smartest players to ever take a snap in the NFL, on offense or defense, and had a reputation for never being out of position, never being fooled by offensive trickery and making huge plays. Over his career, Urlacher was an eight time Pro Bowler and four time First Team All-Pro while racking up 1,086 tackles, 41.5 sacks and 22 interceptions. 2000 Defensive Rookie of the Year Few stories rival that of former NFL star Patrick Willis. However, we're here to give this the good old college try, so let's dive in! Hall of Fame, Class of 2006 Harry Carson, New York Giants (1976-88) That year was the first of two NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards for Singletary, who won again in 1988. 1994 Walter Payton Man of the Year Best Linebackers in the NFL | List of Top NFL Linebackers - Ranker 1969 Defensive Player of the Year 5-time first-team All-Pro High school: Excel High School (Excel, Alabama), Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1971), NFC Defensive Player of the Year (1973), five-time Pro Bowl (1967-69, 1973, 1974), two-time All-Pro (1969, 1973). He was 6-foot-3, 225 pounds and ran a 4.6-second 40-yard dash. Jackson only missed two games in his 13 seasons with the Saints in 1989 because of a car accident. Bednarik, who the Philadelphia Eagles selected with the first overall pick in the 1949 NFL Draft, helped build the Eagles into a defensive power house. Playing defensive tackle/end for the first two seasons of his NFL career, Connor became a linebacker when Bears head coach George Halas wanted to try and find a way to neutralize Philadelphia running back Steve Van Buren, so he had Connor stand up outside of the tight end to check Van Buren. Karlos Dansby was tall for an NFL inside linebacker at 6-foot-4, and he made plays all over the field. Renowned for his elite combination of size and speed, Tippett was scary coming off the edge and racked up 100 career sacks, which is still the Patriots' franchise record. During his career, Singletary won two Defensive Player of the Year awards, was named to 10 Pro Bowl teams and was selected as a First Team All-Pro in seven different seasons. Tippett had his most dominant season in 1985, when he led the Patriots to their first AFC title and was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year. You could say he was as close to a Lawrence Taylor version of a linebacker the NFL ever had before we got the real thing. And, yeah, he really did. Free and Easy-to-Use Mock Draft Simulator. Who are the best linebackers in San Francisco 49ers history? 10 Best Chicago Bears Linebackers of All Time - Sports Illustrated Onus on Bills' coaches, McDermott at middle linebacker draft His 1,077 career tackles put him in the NFL's top 10 career list. He played for the Baltimore Ravens for 17 seasons and recorded 2,061 tackles and 41.5 sacks in his. Cornelius Bennett forced a trade from the Colts to the Bills after being drafted in 1987 and was one of the best linebackers in the NFL for the next decade-plus. High school: Kathleen High School (Lakeland, Florida), Career highlights: Two-time Super Bowl champion (2000, 2012), Super Bowl Most Valuable Player (2000), 13-time Pro Bowl (1997-2001, 2003, 2004, 2006-11), 10-time All-Pro (1997-2001, 2003, 2004, 2008-10), two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2000, 2003), NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (2018). Five of the NFL's best undrafted free agent signings Over his career, Lambert recorded 1,479 career tackles with 28 interceptions and 23.5 career sacks. The race for the best linebacker in NFL history can be narrowed down to five people: the aforementioned Butkus, Lewis, and Singletary, along with Jack Lambert and Willie Lanier. In the NFL, he was a model of consistency for 14 seasons and earned postseason honors in 10 of 11 seasons and started 135 consecutive games at one point. Lanier collected three All-Pro mentions and eight spots in a Pro Bowl,. When most football fans think of the Steelers' defense, they think about. He was 74 years old. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Not only is Ray Nitschke one of the best LBs in NFL history, he had an act at making something out of nothing. Hall of Fame, Class of 1986 Gil Brandt's greatest NFL linebackers of all time 3-time first-team All-Pro Dick Butkus No. Les Richter, Los Angeles Rams (1954-62) You may have never heard of Joe Schmidt, but he was the single most dominant NFL linebacker through the 1950s and the early part of the 1960s. Arguably USCs most notable No. An all-time great Packer/NFL player. Brazile is often credited for being the first outside linebacker to define how the game was played in a 3-4 defense while rushing the passer, although sacks weren't an official NFL statistic until his last three seasons. Lanier was one of two Hall of Famers in the Kansas City linebacker corps during his era, alongside Bobby Bell, but it was Lanier who led the defense from his middle linebacker spot. Veteran A.J. The Top 10 NFL Linebackers of All Time - Bleacher Report Super Bowl XIV championThe foreman of the Steel Curtain defense, Lambert expanded the job description of the middle backer dropping into pass coverage as smooth as a safety while remaining the sledgehammer enforcer of an old-school middle man. Drew Sanders, Arkansas. Over his career Willis racked up 865 tackles to go with 20.5 sacks, 16 forced fumbles and eight interceptions. 1973 Defensive Player of the Year Lambert, who the Pittsburgh Steelers selected with the 46. pick during the 1974 NFL draft, showcased his abilities during his rookie season in route to helping solidify the Steelers defense and winning Defensive Rookie of the Year award. One of the most feared pass rushers in NFL history, Swilling finished his career with 107.5 sacks but no playoff wins. It was the second title in franchise history for the Bucs, and the three-time NFL All-Pro doesn't seem to be slowing down even in his 10th season. Born: Sept. 1, 1965 (Compton, California), High school: Verbum Dei High School (Los Angeles), Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers (1987-92), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1993-99), Jacksonville Jaguars (2000-01), Green Bay Packers (2002), Career highlights: Five-time Pro Bowl (1993, 1996-99), four-time All-Pro (1993, 1996, 1997, 1999), NFL 1990s All-Decade Team. Brooking was incredibly consistent throughout his career. He was so well regarded by those around him that when the Giants faced the Broncos in the Super Bowl, Carson walked out to face nine Broncos captains thinking he was one of three, but head coach Bill Parcells and his teammates decided to send Carson out by himself as a show of respect. Bobby Bell could do it all. Lewis recorded 2,059 career tackles, 41.5 sacks, 31 interceptions and forced 17 fumbles. Keith Brooking was an understated, dominant player for two teams, the Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys. Take a look at how all 47 of his selections stack up. George racked up 18 career interceptions over his career while helping lead the Bears to the 1963 NFL Championship. If you're ever asked what the perfect size, speed and level of skill you would create for an NFL linebacker, Derrick Johnson should come to mind. The most famous member of the No Name Defense, Buoniconti is alleged to be the ringleader of the 1972 Dolphins annual champagne toast when the last undefeated team loses each season.10. Vilma, who also won a national championship at the University of Miami in 2001, also is well-known for taking the NFL to court following a yearlong suspension in "Bountygate. Harry Carson's career stats don't jump off the page 11 interceptions, 14 fumbles recovered, eight sacks but he's still one of the greatest NFL linebackers. Zach Thomas, Miami Dolphins (1996-2007), Dallas Cowboys (08) Lambert is a member of the NFL's 1970s All-Decade Team, the 1980s All-Decade Team, the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team, and the league's 100th Anniversary Team. The Packers were an unstoppable force on both sides of the ball with the defensive playing a key role in the teams success. Born: June 17, 1940 (Shelby, North Carolina), High school: Cleveland High School (Shelby, North Carolina), Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1969), three-time Pro Bowl (1970-72), two-time All-Pro (1970, 1971), NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1969), NFL 100th Anniversary Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1983). It is hard to look past Jack Lambert as one of the Top 10 Middle Linebackers All-Time based on his career resume and his play on the football field. Something else inside of Lambert, best defined by the toothless, screaming pictures of him during games when he took out his dentures, made him the toughest. He registered a league-leading 20.5 sacks en route to winning Defensive Player of the Year, NFL MVP, and Super Bowl XXI. They spoke of intensity, determination, and an undying will. George was known for his ability to play the defensive line as well as dropping back disrupting the passing lanes of opposing quarterbacks. He doesn't have overwhelming traits, but he has filled in capably as a . Brian Urlacher Brian Urlacher played for the Chicago Bears from 2000 to 2012. Introduction Bill George, Chicago Bears (1952-65), Los Angeles Rams (66)Hall of Fame, Class of 1974 Being the son of a former heavyweight boxing champion might be a burden for some, but Ken Norton Jr. embraced it. Joe Schmidt, Detroit Lions (1953-65) He only played six games in his final season before retiring because of a nagging toe injury. Lawrence Taylor isn't just the greatest linebacker of all time. Singletary recorded 1,488 career tackles to go along with seven interceptions and 19 sacks over his career. Joyner capped his career off by winning a Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos in his final season. No player has been as consistent on the defensive side of the ball, start to finish, as Ray Lewis was in his 17 seasons for the Baltimore Ravens. Sori-Marin is more of a traditional two-down middle linebacker with good size 6-2, 236 pounds for the position. 2005 Comeback Player of the Year Will Levis lands with the Tennessee Titans: Will Levis' slide ends early on Day 2, with the Titans trading up to Pick 33 to grab the signal-caller. Take a look at some of the best photos of Aaron Rodgers from throughout the years! Super Bowl XLIII champion23. Les Richter was an amazing football player and had size and speed that could have landed him on NFL rosters in any era. Talley was on all four of Buffalos AFC title teams that lost in the Super Bowl and finished his career with 1,252 tackles, 38.5 sacks and 29 takeaways. One other cool thing about Robinson was what he said about Green Bay Packers coach Dan Devine when he left the team after the 1972 season to play for Washington: "Lombardi was the best coach I ever had. 3-time Pro Bowler Super Bowl XXXIV champion25. Top 10 Linebackers of All Time | NFL Highlights - YouTube Karl Mecklenburg, Denver Broncos (1983-94) He spent the first five seasons of his career with the New York Jets, and it was long enough ago that the Jets were actually pretty good. Hall of Fame, Class of 2011 An important part of the Buffalo defense, the LB position includes middle or inside linebackers and outside (strong side or weakside) linebackers. 1-time first-team All-Pro Be the first one to comment on this story. High school: Lovington High School (Lovington, New Mexico), Career highlights: NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2005), five-time All-Pro (2001, 2002. High school: Farmington High School (Farmington, West Virginia), Teams: New York Giants (1956-63), Washington Football Team (1964-67, 1969), Career highlights: NFL champion (1956), six-time All-Pro (1957-61, 1963), five-time Pro Bowl (1958-61, 1964), NFL 1950s All-Decade Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1982). His production would not slow as he helped from the Steelers Steel Curtain defense and helped lead the Steelers to four Super Bowl Championships. Robertson died in a car accident in 2018, at 69 years old. Please logout and login again. Butkus punished ball carriers and crushed spirits. Ray Lewis For starters, Lewis has the most combined tackles in NFL history (2,059). High school: Vale High School (Vale, Oregon), Career highlights: Four-time All-Pro (1967, 1971-73), seven-time Pro Bowl (1966, 1968-73), Pro Football Hall of Fame (2000). Chicago Bears linebacker Dick Butkus is one of those. James Farrior, New York Jets (1997-2001), Pittsburgh Steelers (02-11) Lewis, who was selected by the Baltimore Ravens with the teams second first round selection during the 1996 NFL Draft would go on to put together one of the greatest careers of any defensive player to play the game. Born: Dec. 29, 1936 (Elmwood Park, Illinois), Died: March 8, 1998 (age 61, Venice, Florida), High school: Proviso East High School (Mayfield, Illinois), Career highlights: Two-time Super Bowl champion (1966, 1967), three-time NFL champion (1961, 1962, 1965), Pro Bowl (1964), seven-time All-Pro (1962-67, 1969), NFL 1960s All-Decade Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1978). Top 10 Middle Linebackers in NFL 2021 Rankings Mike Singletary was the player at the heart of perhaps the greatest defense of all time the 1985 Chicago Bears, who went 15-1 in the regular season and blew out the New England Patriots, 46-10, in the Super Bowl. Richter didn't miss a game in nine seasons with the Los Angeles Rams and made seven All-Pro teams. 5-time first-team All-Pro 2007 Defensive Rookie of the Year