Since the NFL was founded 106 years ago in 1919, many great players have graced the gridiron. From legends of the past like Jim Thorpe, Joe Namath and Bo Jackson, to more recent superstars like Rob Gronkowski and Patrick Mahomes, there have been endless spectacular athletes to play the game of professional football.
That’s why Sports Illustrated decided to rank the 30 best players the league has ever seen.
While it's difficult to compare eras and positions, the players below were all dominant stars throughout their professional careers. Every player on this list is either already a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame or a surefire future one, while each—aside from the one active player—is also a member of an NFL All-Decade Team, signifying they were one of the best players of their era.
Additionally, every player who made the top 30 is a member of the NFL’s 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, with the only exceptions being the two players who were still active when the team was announced in 2019.
Without further ado, here are the 30 best players in NFL history.
30. Larry Allen, OL (1994-07)
Major Achievements: Pro Football Hall of Fame, Super Bowl XXX champion, six-time first team All-Pro, 11-time Pro Bowler, NFL 1990s and 2000s All-Decade Team, NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
Larry Allen makes the list not only as one of the best offensive linemen in NFL history, but also among the most versatile trench players the league has ever seen. A second-round pick of the Cowboys in 1994, Allen spent time at all but one position along the offensive line throughout his career, at times playing right tackle, right guard, left tackle, and left guard.
Allen is a six-time First-team All-Pro, an 11-time Pro Bowler, a Super Bowl XXX champion, and was a major part in helping former Dallas running back Emmitt Smith become the league’s all-time leading rusher.
29. Bob Lilly, DT (1961-74)
Major Achievements: Pro Football Hall of Fame, Super Bowl VI champion, seven-time first team All-Pro, 11-time Pro Bowler, 1960s and 1970s All-Decade Team, NFL 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
“There won’t be another Bob Lilly in my time. Nobody was better than Lilly. He is a man who will become a legend.”Tom Landry
Source: Pro Football Hall of Fame
With the Cowboys first-ever draft pick, they hit big by selecting defensive tackle Bob Lilly out of TCU in 1961. Nicknamed “Mr. Cowboy,” Lilly represented Cowboys football from the start as he became the leader and star of coach Tom Landry’s 4-3 “Doomsday Defense.”
Lilly’s best play came when he finally helped the Cowboys get over the hump to win their first Super Bowl in 1971. He sacked Hall of Fame quarterback Bob Griese for a 29-yard loss, one of the greatest plays in Super Bowl history.
#DallasCowboys icon Bob Lilly sacks the Dolphins' Bob Griese for an unforgettable 29-yard loss on the final play of the first quarter of Super Bowl VI — the largest tackle-for-loss in #SuperBowl history.
— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) January 16, 2025
Legends Ray Scott and Pat Summerall on the call for CBS.
January 16, 1972 pic.twitter.com/1ihKjZQIDr
A perennial All-Pro and Pro Bowler, Lilly retired after the 1974 season with 95.5 unofficial sacks and 18 fumble recoveries. He played in 196 consecutive regular season games, and was a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 1980.
28. Emmitt Smith, RB (1990-04)
Major Achievements: Pro Football Hall of Fame, three-time Super Bowl champion, Super Bowl XXVIII MVP, 1993 NFL MVP, 1990 Offensive Player of the Year, four-time first team All-Pro, eight-time Pro Bowler NFL 1990s All-Decade Team, NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
Of all the players and draft picks the Cowboys acquired as part of the Herschel Walker trade, their pick that they used to select Emmitt Smith was by far the most valuable. Smith was the engine of the Cowboys’ offense during their dynasty in the 1990s that saw them win three Super Bowls.
Smith’s value to the Cowboys was most evident in the 1993 season. He missed the first two games of the season, and the Cowboys lost both matchups. After his return, they won 12 of their next 14 games and went on to win their second straight Super Bowl while he captured both NFL and Super Bowl MVP. One of his most iconic performances came in the regular season finale against the Giants that year. Despite his shoulder separating in the first half, he compiled 229 yards from scrimmage to defeat New York and earn the No. 1 seed.
After 15 NFL seasons, Smith finished as the NFL’s all-time leader in rushing yards (18,355) and touchdowns (164). Both records stand to this day.
27. Jonathan Ogden, OT (1996-07)
Major Achievements: Pro Football Hall of Fame, Super Bowl XXXV champion, four-time first team All-Pro, 11-time Pro Bowler, NFL 2000s All-Decade Team, NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
One of only a handful of offensive linemen on the list, Ravens legend Jonathan Ogden cemented himself as one of the top players in NFL history throughout his 12-year career in Baltimore.
A D.C. native who attended UCLA, Ogden came back East upon being the first ever draft selection of the Ravens in 1996. Over 12 years, he tallied just 30 penalties while being elected to the Pro Bowl 11 times, earning All-Pro nods four times, and winning Super Bowl XXXV with the club in 2001.
26. Bruce Smith, DE (1985-03)
Major Achievements: Pro Football Hall of Fame, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, eight-time first team All-Pro, 11-time Pro Bowler, NFL 1980s and 1990s All-Decade Team, NFL 100th Anniversary Team, No. 78 jersey retired by Bills
The No. 1 pick in 1985, Bruce Smith’s career with the Bills got off to a sluggish start as he recorded just 6.5 sacks during his rookie season. Smith spent his first offseason refocusing and getting into better shape and the work paid off as Smith would turn into one of the greatest defensive ends of all time.
Following that rookie campaign, Smith tallied double-digit sacks in 12 of his next 13 seasons—only falling short of the mark in 1991 due to injuries. This stretch led Smith to become the NFL’s all-time sack leader with 200 sacks. He additionally holds the record for most seasons with at least 10 sacks, achieving the feat in 13 separate seasons.
25. Sammy Baugh, QB (1937-52)
Major Achievements: Pro Football Hall of Fame, two-time NFL champion, four-time first team All-Pro, six-time Pro Bowler, NFL 1940s All-Decade Team, NFL 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, No. 33 jersey retired by Washington
”Without qualification I nominate Sammy Baugh as the greatest passer we have ever faced. He was superb.”Curly Lambeau
Source: Milwaukee Journal, via Packers historian Cliff Christl
“Slinging” Sammy Baugh became the NFL’s first great passer during his career with Washington from 1937-1952. Baugh wasn’t just great at “slinging” the ball down the field, he was also the most accurate passer of his era, leading the NFL in completion percentage eight times. In an era when quarterbacks often completed fewer than 55% of their passes, Baugh notably completed a then-record 70.3% of his passes in 1945.
What makes Baugh a top-30 player all-time is he was far from just a tremendous quarterback. In 1943, Baugh authored arguably the greatest season in NFL history as he led the league in completion percentage (55.6%), passer rating (78.0), punting average (45.9 yards per punt) and interceptions (11). In one game that season, Baugh remarkably threw four touchdown passes and intercepted four passes. He went on to retire as the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards.
24. Rod Woodson, DB (1987-03)
Major Achievements: Pro Football Hall of Fame, Super Bowl XXXV champion, 1993 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, six-time first team All-Pro, 11-time Pro Bowler, NFL 1990s All-Decade Team, NFL 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
Considered one of the best cornerbacks of all time, Rod Woodson was the No. 10 pick of the Steelers in 1987 and went on to earn six first team All-Pro nods throughout his career. Playing for Pittsburgh, the 49ers, Ravens, and Raiders over his 17-year NFL tenure, Woodson holds the all-time record for fumble recoveries (32) by a defensive player, as well as interceptions returned for a touchdown (12).
Woodson was the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 1993, and won Super Bowl XXXV with the Ravens in 2000.
23. John Hannah, G (1973-85)
Major Achievements: Pro Football Hall of Fame, seven-time first team All-Pro, nine-time Pro Bowler, NFL 1970s and 1980s All-Decade Team, NFL 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, No. 73 jersey retired by Patriots
John Hannah, nicknamed “Hog” was selected by the Patriots out of Alabama with the No. 4 pick in the 1973 draft and went on to become one of the most feared interior offensive linemen the NFL has ever seen.
While he only measured in at 6’2”, Hannah made up for his height with speed, quickness, and power. He was elite at both pass protection and run blocking—and his ability to pull at you, full speed ahead on the outside, put fear into opposing defenders.
In tandem with tackle Leon Gray, Hannah anchored a New England offensive line that set an NFL record with 3,165 rushing yards in 1978, a number that has since been broken by the 2019 and ‘24 Ravens. Hannah played his entire career with the Patriots and earned first team All-Pro nods seven times.
22. Randy Moss, WR (1998-12)
Major Achievements: Pro Football Hall of Fame, 1998 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, 2007 Comeback Player of the Year, four-time first team All-Pro, six-time Pro Bowler, NFL 2000s All-Decade Team, NFL 100th Anniversary Team
A first-round pick of the Vikings out of Marshall in 1998, Randy Moss turned in one of the greatest careers we’ve seen from a wide receiver in NFL history.
Moss, a Rand, West Virginia native, immediately burst onto the scene, leading the NFL in touchdown receptions (17) as a rookie while also hauling in 69 passes for 1,313 yards and a career-high 19 yards per reception. His dominant production only continued throughout the remainder of his 14-year career, as he hauled in 156 touchdowns—second only to somebody else very high on this list—and racked up 15,000+ yards.
During his time with the Patriots, Moss helped lead New England to an undefeated regular season and, on the way, broke the record for most touchdown receptions in a single campaign with 23—a feat that still holds to this day.
It’s not purely Moss’ numbers that put him on this list, however. His electric personality, unforgettable celebrations, and the birth of the term “Mossed”—a tribute to his ability to make impossible catches look routine—cemented him as a true NFL icon.
21. Ronnie Lott, DB (1981-94)
Major Achievements: Pro Football Hall of Fame, four-time Super Bowl champion, eight-time first team All-Pro, 10-time Pro Bowler, NFL 1980s and 1990s All-Decade Team, NFL 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, No. 42 jersey retired by 49ers
”I’ve seen my share of him first-hand. He’s one of the best guys that has ever played . . . He epitomizes what a defensive player should be.”Bill Parcells, via Pro Football HOF
Source: Pro Football Hall of Fame
Drafted No. 8 in 1981 by the 49ers, Ronnie Lott was the defensive cornerstone of the team’s dynasty in the 1980s, helping them win four Super Bowls. The 49ers offense might have been known for finesse, but Lott brought the physicality as he struck fear in opposing ballcarriers like few others.
Lott was tough as they came. He famously amputated the top part of his pinkie finger to avoid the procedure that would’ve forced him to miss time in 1986. Lott was ready for the start of the season, and picked off a career-high 10 passes that year.
Not only was Lott one of the toughest, hardest-hitters in his time, he was a ball-hawk. He intercepted 63 passes in his career, tied for eighth-most all-time.
20. Patrick Mahomes, QB (2017-present)
Major Achievements: Three-time Super champion, three-time Super Bowl MVP, two-time NFL MVP, 2018 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, two-time first team All-Pro, six-time Pro Bowler
The lone active player on our list, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has already cemented himself as one of the top 30 players in NFL history, despite having only nine years of professional experience.
Selected by Kansas City in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, the former Texas Tech star won the MVP award in his first season as the Chiefs’ full-time starter, and has since led them to the AFC Championship every year, qualified for the Super Bowl five times, and hoisted three Lombardi Trophies.
Mahomes has shown an innate ability to come up clutch during the sport’s most pressure-filled moments, and—at times—also keep pace with the top player on our list.
19. Aaron Donald, DT (2014-23)
Major Achievements: Super Bowl LVI champion, three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, 2014 Defensive Rookie of the Year, eight-time first team All-Pro, 10-time Pro Bowler, NFL 2010s All-Decade Team
Aaron Donald became a wrecking ball along the defensive front almost immediately upon his arrival with the Rams.
A first-round pick of the franchise then settled in St. Louis, Donald endured plenty of ups and downs through the beginning of his NFL tenure—including an organizational move from middle America to the West Coast, but it never affected his play on the field.
Donald won the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2014 before ultimately becoming a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, an eight-time First-Team All-Pro, and Super Bowl champion in 2021. The career Ram tallied 543 tackles, 176 tackles for loss, and 111 sacks over his 10-year career—including six 10-plus sack seasons.
18. Deion Sanders, CB (1989-00, 2004-05)
Major Achievements: Pro Football Hall of Fame, two-time Super Bowl champion, 1994 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, six-time first team All-Pro, eight-time Pro Bowler, NFL 1990s All-Decade Team, NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
Deion Sanders brought a swagger to the NFL that’s yet to be matched since he debuted in 1989, and he was able to back it up with elite play in all three phases of the game.
A first-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 1989, “Prime Time” became a household name thanks to his knack for intercepting the football, ability to return punts for touchdowns, and also for moonlighting as a wide receiver. While primarily lining up as a defensive back, Sanders also hauled in 60 receptions for 784 yards and scored four total offensive touchdowns throughout the course of his 14-year career.
What makes Sanders’ career that much more impressive is the fact that he was a dual-sport athlete, playing in nine MLB seasons between 1988 and ‘01. He’s the only player to play in both a Super Bowl and a World Series.
17. Ray Lewis, LB (1996-12)
Major Achievements: Pro Football Hall of Fame, two-time Super Bowl champion, Super Bowl XXXV MVP, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, seven-time first team All-Pro, 13-time Pro Bowler, NFL 2000s All-Decade Team, NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
The NFL’s all-time leading tackler, Ray Lewis was selected by the Ravens in the first round of the 1996 and spent the entirety of his 16-year career in Baltimore.
Lewis won the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award twice, once in 2000—the same year he helped the Ravens win their first Super Bowl title—and again in ‘03. He is considered one of the most dominant linebackers in the history of the NFL, given his incredible ability to stop the run, as well as his keen sense in pass coverage—as evidenced by his 31 career interceptions.
16. John Elway, QB (1983-98)
Major Achievements: Pro Football Hall of Fame, two-time Super Bowl champion, Super Bowl XXXIII MVP, 1987 NFL MVP, 1992 NFL Man of the Year, nine-time Pro Bowler, NFL 1990s All-Decade Team, NFL 100th Anniversary All-Decade Team, No. 7 jersey retired by Broncos
The No. 1 pick in the famous 1983 quarterback class, John Elway spent his entire career with the Broncos and over the course of it, became one of the NFL’s all-time best signal callers.
Elway threw for over 51,000 yards and accounted for 333 total touchdowns over 16 seasons, won the NFL’s MVP award in 1987, and was selected as a first ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer in 2004.
The only knock on Elway was his inability to win the big game, up until he won back-to-back Super Bowls in 1998 and ‘99 to finish his career.
15. Anthony Muñoz, OT (1980-92)
Major Achievements: Pro Football Hall of Fame, nine-time first team All-Pro, 11-time Pro Bowlers, 1991 NFL Man of the Year, NFL 1980s All-Decade Team, NFL 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
“If I were as good at my position as Anthony is at his, then I’d be 10 times better than Joe Montana.“Boomer Esiason
From: SI vault
Coming out of USC in 1980, there were concerns about taking Anthony Muñoz high in the draft. Muñoz, who was a national champion at USC in both baseball and football, dealt with knee injuries that limited him throughout his college career and to only one game in his senior season.
When the Bengals saw Muñoz play in the Rose Bowl, they realized selecting him wouldn’t be that much of a risk. Then Bengals assistant general manager Mike Brown said years later, “The three of us just sat there and laughed out loud. The guy was so big and so good it was a joke.”
The Bengals would take Muñoz with the No. 3 pick in the draft and he went on to become widely considered the greatest offensive lineman of all time. He rarely missed time game during the first 11 years of his career. He also helped the Bengals reach the Super Bowl twice in 1981 and 1988, but Cincinnati lost to the 49ers in both games.
14. “Mean” Joe Greene, DT (1969-81)
Major Achievements: Pro Football Hall of Fame, four-time Super Bowl Champion, two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Defensive Rookie of The Year, 1979 NFL Man of the Year, five-time first team All-Pro, 10-time Pro Bowler, NFL 1970s All-Decade Team, NFL 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, No. 75 jersey retired by Steelers
“His play was intimidating. You would see him walk on the field and he would give you that little sneering smile he had, and he would get a little laugh. Once that ball was snapped, you knew it was a war.”Hall of Fame tackle Art Shell
Source: Steelers.com
Joe Greene was the leader of the famed Steel Curtain defense that ushered the Steelers to four Super Bowl victories in the 1970s. On a dynasty chock full of Hall of Famers, “Mean” Joe Greene was the best of them all.
Greene originally didn’t want to be drafted by the Steelers, a perennial losing franchise before he arrived as the No. 4 pick in 1969. Little did he know that he, along with recently hired coach Chuck Noll, were the starting pieces of the Steelers’ turnaround into the team of the 1970s. They made their first Super Bowl in 1974 as he won Defensive Player of the Year for the second time. In the big game, Greene intercepted a pass, and forced and recovered a fumble in the victory.
13. Barry Sanders, RB (1989-98)
Major Achievements: Pro Football Hall of Fame, 1997 NFL MVP, two-time Offensive Player of the Year, 1989 Offensive Rookie of the Year, six-time first team All-Pro, 10-time Pro Bowler, NFL 1990s All-Decade Team, NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, No. 20 jersey retired by Lions
Arguably the most exhilarating rusher of all time, Barry Sanders excelled at evading defenders and turning negative plays into positive gains over his Hall of Fame career with the Lions.
.@BarrySanders didn't just make defenders miss. He EMBARRASSED them. pic.twitter.com/kkahpn1jhy
— NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) February 26, 2019
The No. 3 pick in the 1989 draft, Sanders rushed for over 1,000 yards in all 10 years of his career. He had his best season in 1997, when he rushed for over 2,000 yards and won a joint MVP award with Brett Favre that season, one of four years he led the NFL in rushing.
Unfortunately for Sanders, even he couldn’t overcome the Lions’ longtime franchise woes. After the 1998 season, Sanders made the shocking decision to retire, finishing his career with 15,269 yards and 99 touchdowns. He remains fourth on the NFL’s all-time rushing list, but had he not retired prematurely, it’s hard to imagine he wouldn’t be the league’s all-time leader.
12. David “Deacon” Jones, DE (1961-74)
Major Achievements: Pro Football Hall of Fame, Two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, five-time first team All-Pro, eight-time Pro Bowler, NFL 1960s All-Decade Team, NFL 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, No. 75 jersey retired by Rams
“Deacon was the most outstanding defensive end there ever was. … Running an offense against him was like playing against the Shark in Jaws.”Johnny Unitas
Source: The book, ‘Headslap: The Life and Times of Deacon Jones’
From the get-go, the legendary David “Deacon” Jones was a bold presence on the gridiron. In his rookie season, the 14th-round pick rushed Hall of Fame quarterback Y.A. Tittle and took him to the ground. As if that weren’t enough of a statement, he recalled in Headslap that he had the gusto to tell the great signal-caller, “Thought we ought to get to know each other—since I’m gonna be seein’ you all day.”
When Tittle replied, “Only in your dreams rookie,” Jones retorted, “My dreams, your nightmares baldie.”
Jones’s words weren’t empty, he and the rest of the Rams’ iconic defensive line nicknamed the “Fearsome Foursome” became a nightmare for quarterbacks throughout the 1960s to early 1970s. Jones, himself dubbed “The Secretary of Defense,” was known for both his ferocious tackling and his signature pass rush move, the “headslap,” which is now banned. Jones was not just a hard hitter though; he had unseen speed at his position that allowed him to chase down ball-carriers.
Jones, who is credited with coining the term “sack,” remains best known for his work as a sack-artist. Though sacks did not become an official statistic until 1982, Jones unofficially recorded 173.5 sacks over his career, which would place him third all-time on the NFL’s all-time sack list. Jones unofficially led the NFL in sacks five times; no other player has done so more than three times.
11. Johnny Unitas, QB (1956-73)
Major Achievements: Pro Football Hall of Fame, Super Bowl V champion, three-time NFL champion, three-time NFL MVP, 1970 NFL Man of the Year, five-time first team All-Pro, 10-time Pro Bowler, 1960s All-Decade Team, NFL 50th, 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, No. 19 jersey retired by Colts
Johnny Unitas became the prototype for the quarterback position during his Hall of Fame career, primarily spent with the Baltimore Colts. But before he emerged as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, Unitas was a ninth-round pick unable to make the Steelers because then coach Walk Kiesling thought he wasn’t smart enough. Talk about an ice age-level cold take.
Unitas ended up getting a second chance with the Colts, and became the starter after quarterback George Shaw suffered a broken leg. He never relinquished the position. As he led the Colts to three NFL championships and a Super Bowl victory, Unitas led the league in passing yards and touchdowns four times. In an era when quarterbacks called their own plays, Unitas was the best at doing so.
Unitas cemented his impact on football history by leading the Colts to a game-winning drive over the Giants in the 1958 NFL Championship Game, a.k.a “The Greatest Game Ever Played.” He is credited with inventing the two-minute drill, and in the first NFL game that went to overtime, Unitas expertly authored a two-minute drive to tie up the game and force overtime. The Colts walked away victorious as Unitas’s heroics ended up popularizing the game of football and cementing him as a legend of the sport.
10. Don Hutson, End (1935-45)
Major Achievements: Pro Football Hall of Fame, Three-time NFL champion, two-time NFL MVP (Joe F. Carr Trophy), eight-time first team All-Pro, four-time Pro Bowler, NFL 1930s All-Decade Team, NFL’s 50th, 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, five-time NFL scoring leader, No. 14 retired by Packers
“Don Hutson, without a doubt the greatest pass catcher the game of football has ever known and probably the greatest it will ever know. No one but Superman could perform the feats Don Hutson has performed in catching passes.”Clark Shaughnessy
Source: The Athletic
In the 1930s and 1940s, Don Huston revolutionized the receiver position while playing for the Curly Lambeau-led Packers. Though the “Alabama Antelope” lined up like a tight end for much of his career, he became the league’s preeminent receiving threat as he revolutionized route running and recorded the league’s first 1,000-yard receiving season.
When teams double and even triple-teamed Hutson, he remained hard to stop. John Pingel, a Lions defensive back, quarterback and punter that faced Hutson twice in 1939, told Sports Illustrated in 1989 that he double-teamed Hutson, getting burned for two 50+ yard touchdowns in their first matchup. “Hutson's main assets were deceptive speed and wonderful hands. He would be great today, too.”
Don Hutson was a bona fide weapon for the @Packers of the 1930s and '40s.
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) June 26, 2023
He won three NFL Championship, two MVPs and was the first Green Bay player ever enshrined in Canton.
Hutson passed away #OTD in 1997. #HOFForever pic.twitter.com/TiX8XvTsTF
In one game, Hutson scored 29 points in a single quarter, an NFL record that the league no longer recognizes.
After leading the NFL in scoring five times, receiving yards seven times and receiving yards nine times, Hutson retired with 488 catches for 7,991 yards and 99 touchdowns. His record of 99 touchdowns stood for 44 years until Hall of Fame receiver Steve Largent broke it in the final season of his 14-year career by catching his 100th and final touchdown pass.
On top of his record-setting production as a receiver, Huston also intercepted 30 passes and made 172 extra points. Interceptions were not an official statistic until his sixth NFL season.
9. Dick Butkus, LB (1965-73)
Major Achievements: From 1965-1973, linebacker Dick Butkus was the ever-imposing force in the middle of the Bears’ defense. Hall of Famer Bill George preceded Butkus as the Bears’ middle linebacker, but even he knew his time was running out when Butkus arrived.
From 1965-1973, linebacker Dick Butkus was the ever-imposing force in the middle of the Bears’ defense. Hall of Famer Bill George preceded Butkus as the Bears’ middle linebacker, but even he knew his time was running out when Butkus arrived.
"The second I saw him on the field [at training camp] I knew my playing days were over," George said, via ESPN. "Nobody ever looked that good before or since."
Deemed the “most feared man in the game” by Sports Illustrated in 1970, Butkus was one of the most violent hitters the league has ever seen. He once hit then-Broncos running back Floyd Little so hard that Little accidentally walked to the Bears’ huddle.
Butkus won Defensive Player of the Year in 1969 and 1970, but suffered a knee injury in 1970 that would never fully heal, and eventually forced his retirement in 1974. He finished his career with 22 interceptions and 27 fumble recoveries, and is the lone player on this list to never appear in a playoff game.
8. Peyton Manning, QB (1998-15)
Major Achievements: Pro Football Hall of Fame, two-time Super Bowl Bowl champion, Super Bowl XLI MVP, five-time NFL MVP, two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year, 2012 NFL Comeback Player of the Year, 2005 Walter Player Man of the Year, seven-time first team All-Pro, 14-time Pro Bowler, NFL 2000s All-Decade Team, NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, No. 18 jersey retired by Colts and Broncos
Had it not been for the No. 1 player on our list, there’s a real chance Peyton Manning would sit atop it as the NFL’s greatest ever.
Drafted first overall by the Colts in 1999, Manning spent 14 seasons in Indianapolis and began authoring one of the best careers the sport has ever seen. He earned the nickname “The Sheriff” for his command at the line of scrimmage, and paired that elite processing with arm talent good enough to win four MVP awards and a Super Bowl with the Colts.
Then, after a series of neck injuries sidelined him for the entire 2011 season, Manning was released by Indy, only to pick up right where he left off after signing with the Broncos. He put together the most prolific quarterback season in league history in 2013, throwing for an NFL-record 5,477 yards and 55 touchdowns on his way to a fifth MVP. Two years later, he rode off into the sunset as a Super Bowl champion with the Broncos.
7. Joe Montana, QB (1979-94)
Major Achievements: Pro Football Hall of Fame, four-time Super Bowl champion, three-time Super Bowl MVP, two-time NFL MVP, 1989 Offensive Player of the Year, three-time first team All-Pro, eight-time Pro Bowler, NFL 1980s All-Decade Team, NFL 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, No. 16 retired by 49ers
Leading Bill Walsh’s revolutionary West Coast Offense which used the horizontal passing game to stretch the field, Joe Montana propelled the 49ers to a dynasty as they won four Super Bowl titles in the 1980s. Montana’s legend would begin in the 1981 playoffs when with three Cowboys defenders in his face, he threw a game-winning touchdown pass to Dwight Clark in the back of the end zone to clinch the 49ers’ first trip to the first Super Bowl, a play that is famously known as “The Catch.”
Between pointing out John Candy in the stands right before leading a 92-yard game-winning touchdown drive in the Super Bowl to calling his wife on the sidelines during games, Joe Cool was poised like few others in the biggest of moments. Even in a 1989 game when the Eagles ferocious defensive line sacked Montana eight times, he responded in the fourth quarter by throwing four touchdowns to win the game. The three-time Super Bowl MVP threw 11 touchdowns to no interceptions across his four Super Bowl wins. He potentially could have won his fifth and achieved the NFL’s lone three-peat had he not gotten injured in the 1990 NFC championship game.
January 22, 1989
— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) January 22, 2025
Late in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XXIII, #49ers quarterback Joe Montana spots legendary comedic actor John Candy standing behind the far end zone and points him out to teammate Harris Barton.
Joe Cool then engineers an epic 92-yard title-winning drive.… pic.twitter.com/mv4ItemGtc
6. Reggie White, DE (1985-00)
Major Achievements: Pro Football Hall of Fame, Super Bowl XXXI champion, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, eight-time first team All-Pro, 13-time Pro Bowler, NFL 1980s and 1990s All-Decade Team, NFL 75th and 100th Anniversary Team, No. 92 retired by Packers and Eagles
“When I look at the best defensive player to ever play the game, I don’t put myself No. 1. I’m looking at Reggie White as No. 1.”Lawrence Taylor
Source: NFL Films
After spending the first two years of his professional career in the USFL, Reggie White joined the Eagles in 1985. As a rookie, “The Minister of Defense” recorded two and a half sacks in his first game and 13 sacks total in his first NFL season. He was perhaps his most dominant in 1987, when he notched 21 sacks across just 12 games in the strike-shortened season. Arguably the best pass rusher of all time, White was known for his signature “hump move,” a one-handed blow that could even send a Hall of Famer like Larry Allen tumbling to the ground.
The greatest pass-rush move of all time?
— NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) February 18, 2019
Reggie White's hump move was pretty much unstoppable. pic.twitter.com/1mFaGMAwUO
In 1993, White became the NFL’s first major free agent, and signed with the Packers on a four-year, $17 million deal. He helped the Packers win a Super Bowl after the 1996 season as he recorded three sacks in the game. He would finish his career as the NFL’s all-time sack leader with 198 sacks, a record Bruce Smith later broke. White remains the NFL’s record-holder for most consecutive seasons with at least 10 sacks (9).
5. Walter Payton, RB (1975-87)
Major Achievements: Pro Football Hall of Fame, Super Bowl XX champion, 1977 NFL MVP, 1977 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, 1977 NFL Man of the Year, five-time first team All-Pro, nine-time Pro Bowler, NFL 1970s and 1980s All-Decade Team, NFL 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, No. 34 retired by Bears
“The first time I saw him on television, I almost jumped out of my seat because I saw the greatness in that one particular play.”Jim Brown
Source: NFL Network
Despite being the focal point of the Chicago Bears offense throughout his career, Walter Payton was one of the toughest running backs to defend. His nickname was “Sweetness,” but his motto was “never die easy.” As such, he was a relentless runner that drove through contact and refused to go out of bounds on his own accord.
A Chicago legend, Payton was part of the Bears’ 1985 Super Bowl-winning team. His most iconic performance, however, came in 1977—his MVP-winning season. Dealing with the flu and a 100+ degree fever, Payton broke the single-game rushing record with 275 yards in a win over the mighty Vikings.
Payton’s record-breaking streak continued in 1984, when he broke Jim Brown’s all-time rushing record, a monumental feat. He finished his career as the NFL’s all-time rushing leader with 16,726 yards, a record that Emmitt Smith has since surpassed.
4. Lawrence Taylor, OLB (1981-93)
Major Achievements: Pro Football Hall of Fame, Two-time Super Bowl champion, 1986 NFL MVP, three-time Defensive Player of the Year, eight-time first team All-Pro, 10-time Pro Bowler, NFL 1980s All-Decade Team, NFL 75th and 100th Anniversary Team, No. 56 retired by Giants
Lawrence Taylor tops our list as the best defensive player in NFL history.
A native of Williamsburg, Va., Taylor attended the University of North Carolina out of high school and, after a spectacular career with the Tar Heels, was selected by the Giants with the No. 2 pick in the 1981 NFL draft.
Taylor made an immediate impact in New York, winning the NFL’s Rookie of the Year and the Defensive Player of the Year award in ‘81 after putting together a 9.5-sack (albeit unofficial) season that also included five forced fumbles and an interception.
His best season, however, came in 1986. Over 16 regular-season games, Taylor recorded 20.5 sacks—which led the NFL—and in turn not only won his third career Defensive Player of the Year award, but was also named the league’s MVP. New York went on to win Super Bowl XXI over the Broncos that January.
Taylor finished his career with 132.5 sacks, an NFL record 56 forced fumbles, and nine interceptions—two of which were returned for touchdowns. His success is known to have changed how both offensive and defensive coaches scheme their respective sides of the ball.
3. Jim Brown, FB (1957-1965)
Major achievements: Pro Football Hall of Fame, 1964 NFL champion, three-time NFL MVP, eight-time first team All-Pro, nine-time Pro Bowler, 1957 Rookie of the Year, 1960s All-Decade Team, NFL 50th, 75th and 100th Anniversary Team, No. 32 retired by Browns
It’s hard to find a player more dominant at their position in the history of the NFL than Jim Brown. Over his nine seasons in the league, the bruising fullback out of Syracuse led the league in rushing yards eight times. Only five running backs have even led the NFL in rushing yards four times—Steve Van Buren, O.J. Simpson, Eric Dickerson, Emmitt Smith and Barry Sanders—and all but Van Buren had longer careers than Brown.
3x MVP
— NFL (@NFL) May 19, 2023
1964 NFL champion
9x Pro Bowler
8x first-team All-Pro
Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 1971
NFL 100 All-Time Team
Jim Brown will forever be one of the greatest to play the game we love. pic.twitter.com/JXF5dBlA38
Despite playing just nine years during an era when NFL seasons were 12 or 14 games, Brown still ranks 12th on the NFL’s all-time rushing list. He was in his prime when he retired, too, having rushed for 1,544 yards in his final season in the league. He could be much higher on the all-time rushing list had he continued playing.
Along with rushing yards, Brown also led the NFL in rushing touchdowns a record five times. Outside of Hutson, he’s the only non-quarterback to win the NFL MVP award multiple times in his career, winning it three different times. He remains the NFL record-holder for career rushing yards per game (104.3) and rushing yards per carry for a player with at least 1,500 attempts (5.2). No other player has averaged 100 rushing yards per game over their entire career.
2. Jerry Rice, WR (1985-2005)
Major Achievements: Pro Football Hall of Famer, three-time Super Bowl champion, Super Bowl XXIII MVP, two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year, 10-time first team All-Pro, 13-time Pro Bowler, NFL 1980s and 1990s All-Decade Team, NFL 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, No. 80 jersey retired by 49ers
While many NFL greats are known for being the first to enter the building and last to leave, Rice’s work ethic was unmatched. Rice’s offseason workouts were legendary, with the 49ers receiver running The Hill and treacherous wind sprints to stay in top condition. When Rice tore his ACL during the first game of the 1997 season, he came back three months later to play in Joe Montana’s jersey retirement game, catching a touchdown in the game before missing the remainder of the season.
It’s that work ethic that not only allowed Rice to return from a torn ACL in three months, but play at his best in the biggest moments and achieve unprecedented longevity at the position. In his first Super Bowl, he caught 11 passes for a record 215 yards and a touchdown, and was subsequently named the Super Bowl MVP. He holds a record 589 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns across all his Super Bowl appearances.
Rice finished his career as the NFL’s all-time leading receiver, finishing his career with 1,549 receptions for 22,895 yards and 197 touchdowns—all records. He led the NFL in receiving yards and touchdowns six times, and recorded 11 consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons from 1986-96. Though many receivers are considered past their prime by the age of 30, Rice put up 12,274 receiving yards after turning 30. It’s why he’s the only player to become a 10-time first team All-Pro. It’s also why despite the influx of receiving talent in the modern era, Rice’s records remain unbreakable.
1. Tom Brady, QB (2000-2022)
Major Achievements: Seven-time Super Bowl champion, five-time Super Bowl MVP, three-time NFL MVP, two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year, NFL 2000s and 2010s All-Decade Team, NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, three-time first team All-Pro,15-time Pro Bowler, No. 12 jersey retired by Patriots
The goal of the NFL is to win Super Bowls, and nobody did this better in the history of the sport than Tom Brady, which alone is enough to make him the greatest ever. Over his incredible career, Brady won a record seven Super Bowls and appeared in 10 total. If you take out the 2000 and 2008 seasons—which he barely played in—Brady made the Super Bowl in nearly half of the seasons he played, a remarkable feat. He made eight consecutive AFC championship games from 2011-18, and holds the record for quarterback wins (251) and postseason wins (35).
Brady won at an unprecedented rate in the free agency and salary cap era, all the way until his mid-40s. Whether he was throwing to a former lacrosse player in Chris Hogan or Hall of Famer Randy Moss, he always elevated those around him and won. He was also the most clutch quarterback of all time, from authoring a record Super Bowl comeback against the Falcons to his comebacks against the Ravens and Seahawks in the 2014 playoffs.
If Brady's championship pedigree somehow wasn't enough, he's also the NFL all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns (both regular and postseason) by a wide margin. Against all odds, the lanky quarterback out of Michigan that was passed over 198 times in the 2000 NFL draft became the greatest quarterback and player of all time.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as The 30 Best NFL Players of All Time.