best linebackers of the 1970s

Chris Spielman was a tackle machine during his 10 years in the NFL. Beason may be the most controversial player on this list. No. Banks was a player that any coach would want on their team. Peppers' 159.5 career sacks rank fourth on the all-time list. He also had at least 99 tackles in seven years of his 12 year career, which is outstanding. Blair was outstanding in coverage, along with being a great tackler. He had 885 career solo tackles, which is impressive on a defense filled with swarming the ball, shown by his 1,488 career tackles. In 2007, he racked up a remarkable 17 sacks in only 12 games. Even now, you can tell what kind of person he is by his charity work with the REACH Foundation that he started. He was a good pass rusher, having at least 5.5 sacks in 10 straight years, but he was also good against the run and in coverage. Urlacher was an all-around great linebacker who flew around the field with reckless abandon. Singletary was a leader, not only vocally, but by example. Super Bowl winner. The versatile middle linebacker played a significant role in helping the Steelers win four Super Bowls in a span of six years in the 1970s. 3, Mike Singletary (Bears) (1981-1992) *Ten-time Pro Bowler *Seven-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. SRS: 6.97 (5th of 26), SOS: 1.40. NFL 100 All-Time Team (2019). Lambert won four Super Bowls with the Steelers in the 1970s playing in the Steel Curtain. He was a dominating force in the NFL during that stretch of time. 13, Greg Lloyd (Steelers/Panthers) (1988-1998) *Five-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro. The NFL is back in L.A. for the first time since 1995, as the Rams return to the Coliseum. Derrick Thomas still holds the NFL record for most sacks in a single NFL game with seven, against the Seattle Seahawks in 1990. Love him or hate him, Lewis has earned the title of greatest middle linebacker of all time. Over his nine-year career, he had 2,049 tackles, although this number is solo and assisted because he played before solo tackles were an official stat. But perhaps more than the star players, the decade was dominated by dynasty teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota Vikings, Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders, and . Harry Carson was an outstanding linebacker who played alongside Lawrence Taylor. Thomas' remarkable personality was also recognized by being awarded the Walter Peyton Man of the Year Award in 1993. Demarcus Ware has only played five seasons in the NFL, but already hes one of the best of this era. Peterson is another versatile linebacker who has played both inside and outside linebacker. Swilling was the best pass rusher of the Dome Patrol, but he also forced 36 fumbles to go along with all the sacks. A late 12th round pick Mecklenburg finished his career with 79 sacks, which is great for an ILB, and also ranks 2nd all-time in Broncos history. Patrick Willis is everything you look for in a linebacker. He came one tackle short from having five consecutive 100 tackle seasons in 2004, which is saying a lot, since he was the guy taking up blockers most of the time as well. He was said to have the fastest 10-yard burst of any player on the team, and that included receivers John Stallworth and Lynn Swann, and running back Franco Harris. Baker recorded 19 . Randy Gradishar played along with Tom Jackson in the Denver Broncos Orange Crush defense. Rickey Jackson was one of the fastest linebackers in the game, but he was also one of the hardest hitters. He was one of the most feared players in the game. Linebacker Jack Ham and Tight end Dave Casper each received 20 votes. 17 Reasons why Jordan is greater than Lebron, 16 Reasons why Lebron is greater than Jordan, The 18 greates Coaches in College Football History, The Top 21 Offensive Linemen in NFL History, 19 undeniable Lies in Disney's Remember the Titans. Hes on pace to not only break, but shatter the NFL record of 41. He was close to averaging a sack per game, which is an amazing number. He was effective as a pass rushing OLB, tallying up 14 sacks in one season with the Dolphins, and as an inside run stopping linebacker with the Jets. Jackson was the vocal leader of the orange crush defense. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. Cox was also a vocal leader of the teams he played for, directing his defenses to success. Jack Ham might be the best coverage linebacker of all-time. Willis could potentially end up in the top 10, or even top five of this list by the time his career is over. Derrick Brooks may be the most accomplished linebacker on this list. O. J. Simpson and Lynn Swann were next with 22 and 21 votes, respectively. Elected to the Pro Football Hall Of Fame in 2018. Over the past 50 years, the Steelers have tallied 36 winning seasons . Thomas never had less than seven sacks in a season in his entire career, and only had less than eight sacks in one season. The next year, he followed it up with four more interceptions. No. The nine-time Pro Bowl player, two-time All-Pro, and Hall of Fame is one of the all-time sacks leaders with 126.5, and he also forced 41 fumbles during his 11-year career. He had an outstanding attitude and would do anything to get his team a win. 38, Chad Brown (Steelers/Seahawks/Patriots) (1993-2007) *Three-time Pro Bowler *Two-time 1st Team All-Pro. and Jack Ham played as . Mills racked up 1,142 tackles in his career. NFLs Merchants of Menace Andre Tippett. Some of you will say hes too low. Teamwork and Leadership from Karl Mecklenburg NFL Motivational Keynote Speaker. Undersized height wise, but an overabundance of heart made him more than a handful to deal with. Jason Gildon (Steelers/Jaguars): - Three-time Pro Bowler, one-time 1st Team All-Pro. Atlanta Falcons outside linebacker Arnold Ebiketie #47 gets a hold of Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields #1 during the second half of a game against the Chicago Bears at Mercedes-Benz Stadium . He may be one of the most hated players, but man can he play football. Im only going to be looking at players drafted in 1970 or later. No. Thomas never had less than seven sacks in a season in his entire career, and only had less than eight sacks in one season. Kirkland was an all-around better linebacker, he was a 300lb linebacker whose coverage skills were vastly underrated. The only reason Brooks isnt higher up on this list is because he had a fantastic surrounding cast which includes, most notably, Warren Sapp taking up blockers on the line. Derrick Brooks may be the most accomplished linebacker on this list. No. Rickey Jackson could do it all. Mo Lewis was another very consistent and solid player. The Steelers went 6-10 in his first season, but along with players like Hines Ward, Jerome Bettis, and Alan Faneca . The two-time All-American helped the Cornhuskers win back-to-back national titles in 1970 and '71 . I think thats largely due to the NFL not keeping sacks and tackles numbers during his career. Paup was a complete linebacker, who was especially great at rushing the passer. Al Wilson was an outstanding MLB for the Broncos. Thats right, seven. LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) At New Mexico State, the once-treasured men's basketball program has been suspended for the season due to a fatal shooting and a gruesome allegation of locker-room . 15, Zach Thomas (Dolphins/Cowboys) (1996-2008) *Seven-time Pro Bowler *Five-time 1st Team All-Pro *Two-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Thomas is also third all-time in safeties and fumble returns for touchdowns. Mecklenburg was never a cocky player, but just a guy who would show up on Sundays. 5, Jack Lambert (Steelers) (1974-1984) *Nine-time Pro Bowlers *Seven-time 1st Team All-Pro *One-time 2nd Team All-Pro. He ran a 4.6 40 yard dash, which is outstanding for a linebacker, especially at that time period. Known as quite possibly the most sound tackler in school history, Ham was an extremely fundamental linebacker who was the captain of the 1970 Penn State defense. Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1989. 1. Thomas did everything you asked out of a linebacker. Joey Porter may be the most vocal linebacker on this list. Gary Reasons (1984-91) Gary Reasons, a fourth-round draft pick from Northwestern State, was a key . 17, Brian Urlacher* (Bears) (2000-Present) *Six-time Pro Bowler *Four-time 1st Team All-Pro. Bulluck was one of the best pass coverage linebackers in NFL history. He had five INTs in a season twice in his career. Eddie Johnson. During his career Williams amassed 62.5 sacks, which is the second most in Bengals history. You might be thinking Top 10 already? But look at his numbers. No. He also took over Lloyds role in pass coverage as the only linebacker in the Steelers nickel defense. Any coach would be lucky to have a player like Karl Mecklenburg on their roster. Robertson is one of the most underrated players in NFL history. Hes also great against the run and is a turnover forcing monster. He was a dominating force in the NFL during that stretch of time. 40, Bryce Paup (Packers/Bills/Jaguars/Vikings) (1990-2000) *Four-time Pro Bowler *One-time 1st Team All-Pro. Randy Gradishar may be the single-most deserving player of a spot in Canton. Mike Kolen 1970-77. But we would be remiss to not acknowledge some of the top performers from that earlier era. Over his nine-year career, he had 2,049 tackles, although this number is solo and assisted because he played before solo tackles were an official stat. A tall order to say the least, and these 5 players did it better than anyone in the history of the NFL. . By 1995, he was recognized as one of the top inside linebackers in the league and had a stellar performance in Super Bowl XXX against the Dallas Cowboys at the end of the season. The offense, meanwhile, scored 29 points a game. Lewis wasnt as vocal as Cox, but his play was a little better, and lasted for a longer period of time. Next: A dangerous combination. No. It may be a bit early to put Jon Beason on this list, but I think his play warrants the selection. Dennis Onkotz was a two time first team All American on the great Penn State teams of 1968 and 1969. He did it once in 1985 and again in 1988. Lawrence Taylor of course, is regarded as the best 3-4 linebacker ever, . Top 10 Best Linebackers In Cleveland Browns History. To stoke the nostalgia, we talked to some of the key players from the team's winningest, most . LT finished his career with 142 sacks, averaging nearly 11 sacks per season. No. 19, Harry Carson (Giants) (1976-1988) *Nine-time Pro Bowler *Three-time 2nd Team All-Pro. Visit Our Patreon Page to Create Your Own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See Other Bonus Material . He is not only the greatest linebacker in NFL history, hes one of the games greatest players period. Featuring 2018-2019 Raiders and some of the greatest NFL linebackers of all time, the best Raiders LBs include Ted Hendricks, Khalil Mack, Rod Martin, Sam Wiliams, and Greg Biekert. Next were Defensive end Jack Youngblood and Joe Greene who each had 18 votes. 2. More Team Info. He was said to have the fastest 10 yard burst of any player on the team, and that included receivers John Stallworth and Lynn Swann, and runningback Franco Harris. Still, he was a very solid MLB for many years. His 32 career INTs lead the way for linebackers. No. The middle linebacker also recorded 52 tackles for loss, which is fourth all-time in Clemson history. 10 Tom Jackson. could hit like a freight train, but it was his finesse and high football IQ that helped him revolutionize the linebacker position. Taylor changed the way football is played today. 100th NFL Anniversary team. All Rights Reserved. 3 hours ago. Linebacker U Penn State Tradition Jack Ham as a Steeler. No. All while being tasked with avoiding blocks and keeping tabs on the opposing quarterback. Paup was a complete linebacker, who was especially great at rushing the passer. Dick Butkus: one of the fiercest and best linebackers the NFL has ever seen, Butkus was a Pro Bowler every year except his final season while also garnering five All-Pro selections for the Bears. 17 Reasons why Jordan is greater than Lebron, 16 Reasons why Lebron is greater than Jordan, The 18 greates Coaches in College Football History, The Top 21 Offensive Linemen in NFL History, The Top 10 Seattle Mariners of all Time, 19 undeniable Lies in Disney's Remember the Titans, If you enjoy hearing from the legends of pro sports, then be sure to tune into The Grueling Truth sports shows, Where the legends speak. Sam Huff. 12 sacks and three picks. In 2008, Suggs even had two INTs, both of which he returned for touchdowns. The 70s were a rough decade for the Browns, but the 1980s were getting off to a great start with the franchise returning to the playoffs, despite the tragedy of " Red Right 88 " in 1981. Visit Our Patreon Page to Create Your Own All-Time Fantasy Teams and See Other Bonus Material . No. Won Conference Championship 17-10 vs. San Francisco 49ers. The next year at the Pro Bowl, Thomas remembered him by name. The Chicago Bears have the most all-time great linebackers. But Mills did much more than that. LSU ENDS REGULAR SEASON 27-1LSU women's basketball ties program-best season . Seau was the definition of consistency. Those would be accomplishments by themselves, let alone all together. . No. So while there were outstanding linebackers in previous years, like Dick Butkus and Ray Nitschke, they will not be on this list. He took up blockers and threw his body around a lot. Outside linebacker Joey Porter came to Pittsburgh in 1999. Thats amazing consistency. James Harrison. He was also the fastest linebacker of the bunch and excelled in pass coverage. 2) Jeff Siemon: A key player as the middle linebacker on the team's top defenses in the mid-1970's, Siemon played in 156 games, starting 123, and was selected to four Pro Bowls during his eleven year career with the Vikings.

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