The 10 Greatest NFL Players of All-Time
Football is the biggest sport in America and also makes our list of 10 most-watched sports in the world. The NFL attracts a lot of money through TV rights and sponsorship. All combined this helps to produce some real greats.
Without further ado, here’s our countdown of the 10 greatest NFL Players of all-time.
10. Reggie White – Defensive End
The Minister of Defence is one of the most decorated players in NFL history. Reggie White terrorized every opponent he faced. He has won many awards including two defensive player of the year awards. He has appeared in 13 Pro Bowls and 12 All-Pro nods. He also earned himself a Super Bowl championship with the Green Bay Packers. White was a was a monster of a man on the field, he showed great strength to shed blockers and he also showed impressive speed to chase down ball carriers.
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9. Deion Sanders – Cornerback
Deion “Primetime” Sanders is 9 on our list of the 10 Greatest NFL Players of All-Time. Sanders was a huge man on and off the field. Whenever he touched the ball he seemed to produce a moment of magic for his team. Sanders is the only man to appear in a Super Bowl and a World Series, to hit a MLB home run and NFL touchdown in the same week. Another impressive stat is he has 2 Super Bowl title’s to his name and he is the one of two players to score a NFL touchdown six different ways.
8. Dick Butkus – Linebacker
Butkus is consistently ranked among the greatest NFL players of all-time, he was named 9th best in 1999, however we rank him a little higher. As a professional, he was drafted in the first round by both the Denver Broncos and the Chicago Bears. After several days, his decision was to sign for the Bears. He has 8 Pro Bowl appearances and 2 NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards. Butkus is deservedly regarded as one of the greatest and most intimating linebackers in NFL history.
7. Johnny Unitas – Quarterback
John “The Golden Arm” Unitas was a true legend of the game. He spent majority of his career playing for the Baltimore Colts. He was a record setting quarterback and the NFL’s MVP in 1957, 59, 64 and also 64. Unitas was entered into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979. His legacy lives on and since 1987, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award has been awarded to the top senior quarterback of the current year in college football.
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6. Walter Payton – Running Back
Walter Payton makes the top 5 in the list of the Greatest NFL Players of All-time. He was a true work horse and at 5 foot 10 inches tall and 200 pounds he was not exactly built for speed. His nickname was “Sweetness” and played for the Chicago Bears from 1975 to 87. Payton is remembered as a prolific rusher and he held many records for carries, yards from scrimmage and many others. Sadly, Payton died of a rare liver disease in 1999 at the young age of 45. He was always be remember as one of the Greatest NFL Players of All-time.
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5. Lawrence Taylor – Linebacker
Taylor or the original “L.T.” played for the New York Giants from 1981-93. He is considered to be of the greatest players in the history of the NFL. Taylor was many awards in his rookie seasons and has accumulated a very impressive resume over his playing career. He has appeared in 10 Pro Bowl’s and won the Super Bowl an impressive two times. He changed the way defence was played, the way linebackers played and the way pass-rushing was played.
4. Joe Montana – Quarterback
Montana played for the 49ers from 1979-92 and then the Chiefs from 93-94. He was nicknamed “Joe Cool” and he can lay claim to 4 Super Bowl titles and 3 Super Bowl MVP’s. He was a cool and confident character hence his name. He was noted for his ability to keep calm under pressure and he helped his team’s to 32 fourth-quarter comebacks which is a very impressive tally. He was entered into “Football’s 100 Greatest Players” in 1999 and he ranks 3rd on our Greatest NFL Players of All-time list.
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3. Jim Brown – Full Back
Brown was a true legend of the sport, he was a fullback for the Cleveland Brown’s from 1957 to 69. Brown was a Pro Bowl invitee every season he was in the league and was recognised as the AP NFL Most Value Player three times. He was a true champion, he led the league in rushing yards in eight out of his nine seasons. His number 32 jersey is retired by the Browns and following on from his football career he took to acting and landing many leading roles throughout the 1970’s.
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2. Jerry Rice – Wide Receiver
Jerry Rice played 20 seasons in the NFL and he is our Greatest NFL Player of All-time. He is without a doubt the greatest wide receiver of all-time. He had the best hands and most precise routes the game has ever seen. He amassed 13 Pro Bowl appearances, 10 first team All-Pro honours and not to mention 3 -time Super Bowl champion. He is the all-time leader is all major statistical categories in the NFL. Rice is remembered also as one of the best clutch players in football history and often made game winning catches throughout his career. With 303 games over 20 seasons, he showed what dedication was and what it meant to him. He only missed 17 regular season games and 14 of them in 1997. The 49er’s retired his no.80 jersey in 2010 and he was entered into the hall of fame class of 2010 in his first year of eligibility. He was a true great!
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$1,000 In Bonus BetsBONUS CODE: PLEDGE1. Tom Brady – Quarterback
In 2019 at Super Bowl LIII, Tom Brady cemented his place as the uncontested GOAT by winning his 6th Super Bowl at the ripe old age of 41! He is without doubt the all-time list of the greatest NFL players. Brady is a icon and true example of a player that worked hard to achieve his status as a great. Brady has Lombardi trophy a remarkable 7 times during his career, earned himself 4 Super Bowel MVP awards as well as a host of other NFL records.
If 2021 he did the impossible his by steering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to Super Bowl champions. He won his 7th Super Bowl at 43 years old, in his first year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and making history by being part of the first team to appear in a Super Bowl in its home stadium.
His journey from 7th round draft pick to legend is no fluke. Brady’s infamous work ethic, dedication to his craft, and natural leadership skills have helped him make his mark as much as his physical prowess. The fact that Tampa Bay are returning the same exact championship winning roster this season makes Tom Brady and the Bucs one of the best NFL bets today to repeat as Super Bowl champions at the immortal age of 44.
Brady is still as good as any quarterback in the NFL, the only question is how long he can keep defying time.
Brady’s Retirement
On the 1st February 2022 in his last season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the legendary quarterback confirmed that he would be retiring after 22 seasons. Writing on Twitter, Brady said: “I have always believed the sport of football is an ‘all-in’ proposition – if a 100% competitive commitment isn’t there, you won’t succeed.” He added: “This is difficult for me to write, but here it goes: I am not going to make that competitive commitment anymore.”
Brady’s Unretirement!
On 13th March Tom Brady announced that he’s back!
Writing on twitter: “These past two months I’ve realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands. That time will come. But it’s not now. I love my teammates, and I love my supportive family. They make it all possible. I’m coming back for my 23rd season in Tampa. Unfinished business LFG”
The Future
We have to look some future names for this list, and there are a few names on everyones lips:
Patrick Mahomes
Mahomes is just – incredible. The quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs seems to defy normal play. In the postseason, Mahomes has compiled the highest PFF passing grade of any quarterback since he became the starter in Kansas City, and nobody has more than the 137 big-time throws the Chiefs superstar has recorded over that span.
Mahomes is already on of the greats of the game and his future performance could just reward him with a place on the above list.
Arron Donald
How lucky did the LA Rams get signing Donald?? A unicorn, an outlier are just some of the terms people use to describe this NFL star. Keep watching this space.
Veteran Arran Rogers as well as Bobby Wagner, Travis Kelce and a few others rising stars should all be in this conversation too.
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