Greatest NFL Teams of All Time

The strongest survived with talent, coaching and even a little serendipity.

Greatest NFL Teams of All Time

The 1984 San Francisco 49ers lost one game on their way to winning Super Bowl XIX over the Miami Dolphins.

Baseball’s modern era began with Babe Ruth. Pro football’s modern era began with the Super Bowl at the end of the 1966 season when the champions of the two professional leagues played each other. You can compare, but not equate, football teams from the pre-Super Bowl era.

The 1940 Chicago Bears "Monsters of the Midway" were the best team of their time, but they would stand no chance against even a mediocre college team of the 21st century. Changes in rules over the decades changed game plans and the size and skills of players. For example, those Bears of the 1940s and even Paul Brown’s great Cleveland Browns teams of the 1950s with Otto Graham at quarterback wouldn’t be big enough or fast enough in the game that has taken shape in the past few decades.

Expanding rosters made the strategy more sophisticated: a second tight end near the goal line, a third and even fourth wide receiver on third-and-long, or a fifth or maybe sixth defensive back in the same situations.

The day where a single player, say Paul Hornung, was called on to run, block, pass, catch and place kick is long past. A player such as Chuck Bednarik, star of the 1960 Philadelphia Eagles championship team, who could play well at center on offense and middle linebacker on defense, became a relic. Pro football turned into a game of passing and pass defense, a game of specialists.

That’s why the modern era of pro football featured the best NFL teams ever.

25. 1977 Dallas Cowboys

Roger Staubach and 1977 Dallas Cowboys — Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach led his 1977 team to a Super Bowl win over the Denver Broncos.

Coach: Tom Landry

Key players: QB Roger Staubach, RB Tony Dorsett, FS Cliff Harris

Regular season: 12-2 (.857)

Postseason: 3-0

How they finished: Won Super Bowl XII over Denver Broncos, 27-10

Bottom line: Even though Roger Staubach was 35 years old, he was close to peak. He led the NFL with a 2.5 interception percentage and a 6.03 adjusted yards per pass average (which penalizes the quarterback for sack yardage lost).

The Cowboys only got stronger on their way to the Super Bowl, outscoring their three playoff opponents 87-23.

24. 1999 Tennessee Titans

Coach: Jeff Fisher

Key players: QB Steve McNair, TE Frank Wycheck, RB Eddie George

Regular season: 13-3 (.8125)

Postseason: 3-1

How they finished: Lost Super Bowl XXXIV to St. Louis Rams, 23-16

Bottom line: The best don't always finish on top.

The 1999 season was the first year for the team to be called the Titans after the Houston Oilers relocated to Nashville and put a new name on an old franchise.

A lot of observers openly expressed their doubts about the team, but led by "Air McNair," they made it to the Super Bowl and lost to a powerhouse Rams team by only a touchdown.

23. 1984 Miami Dolphins

Coach: Don Shula

Key players: QB Dan Marino, RB Tony Nathan, WR Mark Clayton, WR Mark Duper

Regular season: 14-2 (.875)

Postseason: 2-1

How they finished: Lost Super Bowl XIX to San Francisco 49ers, 38-16

Bottom line: One of the main reasons why the 1984 San Francisco 49ers are regarded as one of the best teams ever is that they beat this Dolphins team so convincingly.

Miami was 14-2, losing in overtime to the San Diego Chargers and falling 45-34 to the Los Angeles Raiders in their only bad performance.

In the playoffs, the Dolphins beat Seattle 31-10 and the Pittsburgh Steelers 45-28 in the AFC title game. If they had played almost anyone besides that '84 Niners team in the big game, we'd remember this Fish team in a different way.

22. 1986 Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears fullback Matt Suhey charges through the line in a 1986 win over the Cleveland Browns.

Coach: Mike Ditka

Key Players: RB Walter Payton, RLB Wilber Marshall

Regular season: 14-2 (.875)

Postseason: 0-1

How the finished: Lost divisional round to Washington Redskins, 27-13

Bottom line: Everybody remembers the 1985 Bears and their powerhouse defense, finishing first in fewest points allowed at 198. But did you know that the 1986 Bears actually gave up fewer points, 187, but they didn’t make it out of the first round of the playoffs.

The difference was that quarterback Jim McMahon was injured for most of the season, though a perfect 6-0 before he got hurt, and the Bears scored 104 fewer points.

Also, defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan, who masterminded the 1985 defense, had moved on to be head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. It was a shame, as they lost to Washington in the first round of the playoffs.

21. 2001 St. Louis Rams

Coach: Mike Martz

Key players: QB Kurt Warner, RB Marshall Faulk

Regular season: 14-2 (.875)

Postseason: 2-1

How they finished: Lost Super Bowl XXXVI to New England Patriots, 20-17

Bottom line: This was the best Rams team ever, regardless of what city they call home. They went 14-2 during the season and had two playoff wins in which they scored 74 points.

Kurt Warner was awesome with 36 touchdowns and an 8.8 yards per throw average. Versatile and explosive running back Marshall Faulk ran for 12 touchdowns and caught nine more. The defense finished a respectable seventh in points allowed.

They lost a Super Bowl thriller to the Patriots (of course), and some Rams suspect to this day that the Pats gained an illegal advantage by videotaping their practices.

20. 2006 San Diego Chargers

Coach: Marty Schottenheimer

Key players: QB Philip Rivers, RB LaDainian Tomlinson

Regular season: 14-2 (.875)

Postseason: 0-1

How they finished: Lost divisional round to New England Patriots, 24-21

Bottom line: To paraphrase Charles DeGaulle on Brazil, the San Diego Chargers are the team of the future — and always will be. But in 2006, the Chargers came oh-so-close to being the team of the present.

They were quarterbacked by 25-year-old Philip Rivers and paced on the ground by NFL MVP LaDainian Tomlinson, who set a still-standing NFL record with an amazing 28 rushing touchdowns (and he caught three more). They were first in offense in the league and had nine players voted to the Pro Bowl.

But in the first round of the playoffs, they lost a 24-21 heartbreaker to Tom Brady and the Patriots (of course), giving up 11 points in the last 4:36 of the game, and missing a 54-yard field goal on the final play that would have tied it.

19. 1983 Washington Redskins

Coach: Joe Gibbs

Key players: QB Joe Theisman, RB John Riggins, WR Art Monk

Regular season: 14-2 (.875)

Postseason: 2-1

How they finished: Lost Super Bowl XVIII to Los Angeles Raiders, 38-9

Bottom line: The 1983 Washingtons won 16 of 18 games, led the NFL in points scored, and had Joe Theisman, John Riggins and Art Monk playing behind the protection of Joe Jacoby and the rest of the Hogs on the offensive line.

But they flopped in the big game against the Raiders.

Not only had Washington beaten the Raiders during the regular season, but they were the defending champions and thus earned the dubious distinction of the worst repeat performance by a Super Bowl champ.

18. 1990 Buffalo Bills

Coach: Marv Levy

Key players: QB Jim Kelly, RB Thurman Thomas

Regular season: 13-3 (.8125)

Postseason: 2-1

How they finished: Lost Super Bowl XXV to New York Giants, 20-19

Bottom line: The Bills lost four Super Bowls, but the last three wouldn’t have hurt so much had they won the 1991 game against Giants.

Led by All-Pros Jim Kelly at quarterback and Thurmond Thomas at running back, the Bills scored 95 points in their first two playoff games. We all know how the Super Bowl ended, with Scott Norwood missing a 47-yard field goal try that would have won the game.

It ought to be remembered, though, that Norwood hadn’t kicked a field goal that long during the regular season. That doesn’t make it hurt any less.

17. 1987 San Francisco 49ers

Coach: Bill Walsh

Key players: QB Joe Montana, QB Steve Young, RB Roger Craig, WR Jerry Rice, FS Ronnie Lott

Regular season: 13-2 (.867)

Postseason: 0-1

How they finished: Lost divisional round to Minnesota Vikings, 36-24

Bottom line: The scoundrels who compile NFL records don’t distinguish the real 1987 teams from the scab teams that played three weeks during the players strike. But no matter what stats you look at, the 1987 49ers looked like a team that was going all the way.

They led the league in points scored and were third in fewest point allowed.

But this Bill Walsh team didn’t grab a ring.

16. 1968 Baltimore Colts

Baltimore Colts quarterback Earl Morrall looks down field for a receiver in Super Bowl III against the New York Jets in 1969.

Coach: Don Shula

Key players: QB Earl Morrall, LB Mike Curtis, DE Bubba Smith

Regular season: 13-1 (.929)

Postseason: 2-1

How they finished: Lost Super Bowl III to New York Jets, 16-7

Bottom line: The 1968 Colts will always be among pro football’s immortals, second in the league in points scored and first in fewest points allowed.

Their roster was littered with All-Pros. Quarterback Earl Morrall averaged an outstanding 9.2 yards per throw. But they won’t be remembered for any of those achievements.

Their claim to infamy is to losing to the Jets in Super Bowl III, though Baltimore was heavily favored, after Joe Namath bragged the Colts would go down.

15. 1968 New York Jets

Coach: Weeb Ewbank

Key players: QB Joe Namath (Super Bowl MVP), FB Matt Snell, HB Emerson Boozer

Regular season: 11-3 (.786)

Postseason: 2-0

How they finished: Upset Baltimore Colts 16-7 in Super Bowl III

Bottom line: Old-time sportswriters like Jerry Izenberg still call Super Bowl III the most historic NFL game ever as the 17-point underdog Jets upset Don Shula’s Baltimore Colts.

Joe Namath first made history in 1965, signing with the Jets for a record $400,000 salary, and his boisterous personality kept him in the news. He ruffled a lot of feathers by loudly "guaranteeing" that the Jets would win. They did, snagging four Colts interceptions.

And that '68 squad is still the most successful in franchise history.

14. 2014 Seattle Seahawks

Coach: Pete Carroll

Key players: QB Russell Wilson, LCB Richard Sherman, RB Marshawn Lynch

Regular season: 12-4 (.750)

Postseason: 2-1

How they finished: Lost Super Bowl XLIX to New England Patriots, 28-24

Bottom line: The Seahawks should have and could have been the champs that year if not for Pete Carroll’s indefensibly idiotic decision with the game on the line.

Down 28-24 to the Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX with about 30 seconds on the clock, Carroll called for a pass over the middle from the 1-yard line instead of having the best run-pass-option rollout quarterback in football, Russell Wilson, throw the ball to the rushing touchdown leader of that year, Marshawn Lynch.

A brain freeze like this by a coach has to count for something, and I’m still sorry that the whole team and their fans had to suffer for it.

13. 1969 Kansas City Chiefs (American Football League)

1969 Kansas City Chieffs — Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Len Dawson prepares to hand the ball off to running back Mike Garrett against the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV.

Coach: Hank Stram

Key players: QB Len Dawson (SB MVP), HB Mike Garrett, FL Otis Taylor, RCB Emmitt Thomas

Regular Season: 11-3 (.786)

Postseason: 3-0

How they finished: Won Super Bowl IV to Minnesota Vikings, 23-7

Bottom line: The '69 Chiefs shook up the old order as they thoroughly whipped the powerful and heavily favored Minnesota Vikings with their "Purple People Eaters" defense in Super Bowl IV.

Hank Stram’s multi-formation offense was guided by quarterback Len Dawson, an NFL castoff, running back Mike Garrett (1965 Heisman Trophy winner) and Hall of Fame flanker Otis Taylor (back then, some wide receivers were called "flanker backs").

They evened up the Super Bowl for the AFL — two wins and two losses — and it would stay that way forever as the NFL and AFL merged later in 1970.

12. 1994 San Francisco 49ers

Coach: George Seifert

Key players: QB Steve Young (SB MVP), WR Jerry Rice, RB Rickey Watters, RCB Deion Sanders

Regular season: 13-3 (.812)

Postseason: 3-0

How they finished: Won Super Bowl XXIX over San Diego Chargers, 49-26

Bottom line: One of the greatest offensive juggernauts ever, George Seifert’s squad quarterbacked by Steve Young, stormed through the postseason scoring 131 points in three games, finally squashing the Chargers to win the title.

Steve Young (35 TDs, 10 INTs, 8.6 YPA) completed passes like a socialist. All of his primary receivers — wideouts Jerry Rice (112 receptions, 13 TDs) and John Taylor (41, 5), tight end Brent Jones (49, 9) and running back Ricky Watters (66, 5) — were so much in the mix that opposing defenses didn’t know who to key on.

11. 1972 Miami Dolphins

Miami Dolphins tight end Jim Mandich catches a Bob Griese pass against the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII.

Coach: Don Shula

Key players: FB Larry Csonka, RB Mercury Morris, RB Jim Kiick

Regular season: 14-0 (1.000)

Postseason: 3-0

How they finished: Won Super Bowl over Washington Redskins, 14-7

Bottom line: The much-maligned Earl Morrall was the mainstay for the Dolphins, starting nine games with 11 touchdown passes, seven interceptions and a 9.1 YPA.

Largely on the basis of a Sports Illustrated cover, it is commonly thought that Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick (521 yards) — dubbed "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" — were the leading running backs. Actually, Csonka (1,117 yards, 6 touchdowns) and Mercury Morris (1,000 yards, 12 touchdowns) were the Dolphins’ most prolific ball carriers.

It’ hard to know where to rank the '72 Dolphins. They didn’t dominate. They won three games by a total of just seven points and won the three postseason games by just 17 points. If they had lost one of those close games, no one would think of placing them in an all-time top list.

On the plus side, they led the NFL in both points scored and fewest points allowed, and they still are the only unbeaten NFL team in both the regular and postseason. So they deserve to make this list, but not at the top.

10. 2000 Baltimore Ravens

Coach: Brian Billick

Key players: MLB Ray Lewis (SB MVP), FS Rod Woodson, RB Jamal Lewis, TE Shannon Sharpe

Regular season: 12-4 (.750%)

Postseason: 4-0

How they finished: Won Super Bowl XXXV over New York Giants, 34-7

Bottom line: If the 1985 Chicago Bears didn’t have the best defense in pro football history, then the 2000 Ravens did. They were just 14th in points scored but number one in defense.

The defense carried them through four playoff games, giving up only 23 points, and they smothered the Giants to go all the way.

The Baltimore defense had four Pro Bowlers, including linebacker Ray Lewis, the most acclaimed defensive player of his time.

9. 1991 Washington Redskins

Coach: Joe Gibbs

Key players: QB Mark Rypien (SB MVP), WR Art Monk, RCB Darrell Green, DE Charles Mann

Regular season: 14-2 (.875)

Postseason: 3-0

How they finished: Won Super Bowl XXVI over Buffalo Bills, 37-24

Bottom line: Joe Gibbs won three Super Bowls with three different quarterbacks: Joe Theisman, Doug Williams and Mark Rypien, who is the least known.

Rypien had only one great season as a pro, but it was really great with 28 touchdowns and an 8.5 YPA. Gary Clark (70 catches, 19.1 average, 10 touchdowns) and future HOFer Art Monk (71, 14.8, 8) headed a superb corps of receivers.

Washington also led the NFL in points and was second in fewest points allowed on defense.

8. 2007 New England Patriots

Coach: Bill Belichick

Key players: QB Tom Brady, WR Randy Moss, LB Tedy Bruschi, LB Mike Vrabel

Regular season: 16-0 (1.000)

Postseason: 2-1

How they finished: Lost Super Bowl XLII over New York Giants, 17-14

Bottom line: The 2007 seasons may be the greatest irony of Bill Belichick’s and Tom Brady’s careers. For all their Super Bowl rings, that team was by far their best, and they lost the big game.

The Patriots had six Pro Bowlers and led the NFL with an astronomical 589 points. Yes, all the rules and tactics in that era were slanted toward offense, but Brady and Randy Moss were a spectacular pitch-and-catch combo, with Moss catching 23 of Brady’s 50 touchdown passes.

Everything culminated in a Super Bowl loss to a Giants team that had lost six games during the season, giving credence to the old football adage: "The only game that matters is the last one."

Trivia note: The 2007 team losing the Super Bowl by three points may not be so ironic. New England’s championship teams won all their Super Bowls by a total of just 29 points: three others by just three points and one by four.

7. 1971 Dallas Cowboys

Coach: Tom Landry

Key players: QB Roger Staubach (SB MVP), RB Calvin Hill, LCB Herb Adderley

Regular season: 11-3 (.786)

Postseason: 3-0

How they finished: Won Super Bowl VI over Miami Dolphins, 24-3

Bottom line: The 1971 Cowboys might be the best team in franchise history. They were 11-3 during the regular season, but that’s not the whole story.

They were 10-0 when Roger Staubach was taking snaps. Dallas had two powerhouse running backs, Calvin Hill and Duane Thomas, and on defense several Hall of Famers, including Lee Roy Jordan, Mel Renfro, Cornell Green and veteran Herb Adderley.

They finished first in the league in offense and suffocated opponents in the postseason, allowing just 18 points in three games and nearly shutting out Don Shula’s Dolphins in the Super Bowl.

6. 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw watches his pass against the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XIII.

Coach: Chuck Noll

Key players: QB Terry Bradshaw (SB MVP), WR Lynn Swann, RB Franco Harris

Regular season: 14-2 (.875)

Postseason: 3-0

How they finished: Won Super Bowl XIII over Dallas Cowboys, 35-31

Bottom line: This team was the best of Chuck Noll’s four Super Bowl winners with great talent on both sides of the ball.

Terry Bradshaw was at quarterback, John Stallworth and Lynn Swann at wideout, and Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier in the backfield backed up by the famous "Steel Curtain" defense with "Mean" Joe Greene on the defensive line, Jack Hamm at linebacker and the great defensive back Mel Blount.

In the big game, they won a thriller over a strong Dallas team featuring five Pro Bowlers — including Roger Staubach, Tony Dorsett and Charlie Waters. The season ended with two great teams and the Super Bowl living up to its bill.

5. 1966 Green Bay Packers

Coach: Vince Lombardi

Key players: QB Bart Starr (SB MVP), FB Jim Taylor, HB Paul Hornung

Regular season: 12-2 (.857)

Postseason: 2-0

How they finished: Won Super Bowl I over Kansas City Chiefs, 35-10

Bottom line: This wasn’t Vince Lombardi’s best team — his 1961 and 1962 Packers were a combined 26-4 and outscored the New York Giants 53-7 in consecutive championship games. But this was the first team to win the Super Bowl, even though it wasn’t officially the Super Bowl back then.

In 1966, many of the Packers' future HOFers, such as runners Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung, were past their peak, but the quarterbacks made up for that. Bart Starr, perhaps the best big game quarterback in pro football history, was masterful. Though he threw for only 14 touchdowns (Lombardi’s Packers didn’t pass that much), he averaged 9.0 yards a throw and was voted league MVP. His backup for two games, Zeke Bratkowski, averaged 8.9.

All in all, seven of this Packers corps went on to the Hall of Fame. And no statistic better reflects the precision of Lombardi’s championship team than this: The Packers had just five passes intercepted on offense while their league-leading defense picked off 28.

4. 1986 New York Giants

Coach: Bill Parcells

Key players: QB Phil Simms (SB MVP), TE Mark Bavaro,, ROLB Lawrence Taylor

Regular season: 14-2 (.875)

Postseason: 3-0

How they finished: Won Super Bowl XXI over Denver Broncos, 39-20

Bottom line: The 1986 Giants were Bill Parcells' best team, outscoring opponents by an awesome 105-23 in the postseason.

Phil Simms was a good-but-not-great passer, yet he had a great receiver in tight end Mark Bavaro, the Gronk of the 1980s, who gave the Giants' wide receiver numbers on short, safe pass routes (66 catches for a 15.2 average).

The strength of the team, of course, was the defense, and the strength of the defense was defensive coordinator Bill Belichick’s linebacking corps. Lawrence Taylor was the league’s MVP that year, and Harry Carson and Carl Banks were almost as good — maybe the best trio of linebackers of all time.

3. 1985 Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears tackle Dan Hampton leaps over a downed Minnesota Viking to corner quarterback Tommy Kramer in a 1985 game.

Coach: Mike Ditka

Key players: QB Jim McMahon, RB Walter Payton, RDE Richard Dent (SB MVP)

Regular season: 15-1 (.937)

Postseason: 3-0

How they finished: Won Super Bowl 20 over New England Patriots, 46-10

Bottom line: Under Buddy Ryan, the premiere defensive coordinator of his time, this team may have had the greatest defense in NFL history, ranking number one in defense and allowing only 198 points.

Coach Mike Ditka’s offense wasn’t bad either, clocking in second in the NFL, with running back Walter Payton (the MVP for the ’85 season) and whacko quarterback Jim McMahon in his best season.

The new Monsters of the Midway had five Pro Bowlers on defense, two of whom were inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: defensive end Richard Dent and linebacker "Samurai Mike" Singletary. They also had William "The Refrigerator" Perry (we’re still not sure what position he played, but he sure was hard to move out of the middle on third and short).

And they will always be remembered for the infamous "Super Bowl Shuffle."

2. 1984 San Francisco 49ers

Coach: Bill Walsh

Key players: QB Joe Montana (SB MVP), LCB Ronnie Lott, RB Wendell Tyler, FB Roger Craig

Regular season: 15-1 (.937)

Postseason: 3-0

How they finished: Won Super Bowl XIX over Miami Dolphins, 38-16

Bottom line: Why is this team better than the amazing 1985 Bears? Three reasons.

First and most important, Joe Montana was at near peak level.

Two, they were coached by Bill Walsh, probably the greatest and certainly the most innovative coach of the decade.

And three, one of their three Pro Bowlers on defense was defensive back Ronnie Lott, who vies, with the Giants' Lawrence Taylor, for the unofficial title of best all-around player of the 1980s.

There’s also a fourth reason: They had a superb running game, with Wendell Tyler and Roger Craig rushing for 1,911 yards and 14 touchdowns.

1. 1989 San Francisco 49ers

Coach: George Seifert

Key players: QB Joe Montana (SB MVP), QB Steve Young, WR Jerry Rice

Regular season: 14-2 (.875%)

Postseason: 3-0

How they finished: Won Super Bowl XXIV over Denver Broncos, 55-10

Bottom line: Why number one? The 1989 Niners, coached by former Bill Walsh assistant George Seifert, had perhaps the greatest quarterback of all time in Joe Montana (four Super Bowl rings without a loss) and maybe the best backup quarterback ever in Steve Young.

Montana had 26 touchdown passes. Young, who subbed for him in three games, had eight more. Together, they passed for a whopping 4,522 yards and averaged an amazing 9.5 yards per throw.

No team ever had a better tandem of wide receivers. Jerry Rice was unstoppable with 82 catches, averaging 18.1 yards a catch, and 17 touchdowns, while John Taylor had 60 receptions and 10 touchdowns.

San Francisco looked a bit sluggish at times during the regular season, but near the end, they were a freight train going downhill, outscoring playoff opponents by a staggering 126-26.