Greatest Linebackers in NFL History
Chicago Bears linebacker and Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Singletary.Generations of linebackers have played in the NFL and defined the game. They often are the quarterbacks of the defense, and many of them possess physical talents few have ever seen on a football field.
While quarterbacks have their hands on every play on offense to lead their teams to victory, it's much tougher for players to control the game by sheer force of will. That's what linebackers do.
These are the greatest linebackers in NFL history.
60. Karlos Dansby
Karlos Dansby played 14 seasons in the NFL.Born: Nov. 3, 1981 (Birmingham, Alabama)
High school: Woodlawn High School (Birmingham, Alabama)
College: Auburn
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 250 pounds
Karlos Dansby Career
Karlos Dansby was a big hitter.NFL career: 14 seasons (2004-17)
Teams: Arizona Cardinals (2004-09, 2013, 2017), Miami Dolphins (2010-12), Cleveland Browns (2014-15), Cincinnati Bengals (2016)
Career highlights: NFL All-Pro (2013)
Bottom Line: Karlos Dansby
Karlos Dansby finished his career with the Cincinnati Bengals.Karlos Dansby was tall for an NFL inside linebacker at 6-foot-4, and he made plays all over the field. His best season was in 2008, when he had over 100 tackles and helped lead the Arizona Cardinals to an NFC championship and into the Super Bowl.
That would end up being an anomaly in Dansby's career. He only played on teams with winning records three times in his career and only made two playoff appearances.
His 1,077 career tackles put him in the NFL's top 10 career list.
59. James Farrior
James Farrior went to Matoaca High School in Chesterfield, Virginia.Born: Jan. 6, 1975 (Ettrick, Virginia)
High school: Matoaca High School (Chesterfield, Virginia)
College: Virginia
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 243 pounds
James Farrior Career
James Farrior won two Super Bowls with the Steelers.NFL career: 15 seasons (1997-2011)
Teams: New York Jets (1997-2001), Pittsburgh Steelers (2002-11)
Career highlights: Two-time Super Bowl champion (2005, 2008), two-time Pro Bowl (2004, 2008), two-time NFL All-Pro (2004, 2008)
Bottom Line: James Farrior
James Farrior was a two-time Pro Bowler.Here's a crazy thing about James Farrior. 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.
And Farrior, nicknamed "The Ultimate Farrior" by fans, was a huge part of that. He took his skills as a free agent to the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he won two Super Bowls.
58. Takeo Spikes
Takeo Spikes was a first-round draft pick in 1998.Born: Dec. 17, 1976 (Augusta, Georgia)
High school: Washington County High School (Sandersville, Georgia)
College: Auburn
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 242 pounds
Takeo Spikes Career
Takeo Spikes, left, played with a lot of emotion.NFL career: 15 seasons (1998-2012)
Teams: Cincinnati Bengals (1998-2002), Buffalo Bills (2003-06), Philadelphia Eagles (2007), San Francisco 49ers (2008-10), San Diego Chargers (2011-12)
Career highlights: Two-time Pro Bowl (2003, 2004), NFL All-Pro (2004)
Bottom Line: Takeo Spikes
Takeo Spikes ran a 4.58 forty.Other than having one of the coolest names in NFL history, Takeo Spikes was also one of the most durable linebackers of all time.
Spikes is one of just seven linebackers in NFL history to register over 200 career starts, and he never had less than 70 tackles in 15 NFL seasons. His 1,018 career tackles are No. 12 on the NFL's all-time list.
One thing Spikes never did? Play in a Super Bowl.
57. Lance Briggs
Lance Briggs was born in Los Angeles.Born: Nov. 12, 1980 (Los Angeles, California)
High school: Elk Grove High School (Elk Grove, California)
College: Arizona
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 244 pounds
Lance Briggs Career
Lance Briggs played his college ball at Arizona.NFL career: 12 seasons (2003-14)
Teams: Chicago Bears
Career highlights: Three-time NFL All-Pro (2005, 2006, 2009), seven-time Pro Bowl (2005-11)
Bottom Line: Lance Briggs
Lance Briggs was a seven-time Pro Bowler.Lance Briggs did one thing that's highly unusual for an NFL linebacker in the modern era — he played his entire career for the same team.
Briggs made seven consecutive Pro Bowls while playing for the Chicago Bears alongside another great linebacker, Brian Urlacher. The duo even led the team to the Super Bowl in 2006, where they lost to the Indianapolis Colts.
Briggs ended up making approximately $52.2 million in career earnings. Not bad for a former third-round draft pick out of Arizona.
56. Chad Brown
Chad Brown went to Muir High School in Pasadena, California.Born: July 12, 1970 (Pasadena, California)
High school: John Muir High School (Pasadena, California)
College: Colorado
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 245 pounds
Chad Brown Career
Chad Brown played 15 seasons in the NFL.NFL career: 15 seasons (1993-2007)
Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers (1993-96, 2006), Seattle Seahawks (1997-2004), New England Patriots (2005, 2007)
Career highlights: Three-time Pro Bowl (1996, 1998, 1999), two-time NFL All-Pro (1996, 1998), Seattle Seahawks 35th Anniversary Team
Bottom Line: Chad Brown
Chad Brown was tough to block.Chad Brown was the type of player who could do almost anything on the defensive front.
The four-year starter for the University of Colorado became a star in the NFL as well, first for the Pittsburgh Steelers, then for the Seattle Seahawks.
Brown played on two teams that came up just short of winning a Super Bowl, with the Pittsburgh Steelers losing in the big game following the 1995 season and the New England Patriots following the 2007 season.
55. Keith Bulluck
Keith Bulluck played his college ball at Syracuse.Born: April 4, 1977 (Suffern, New York)
High school: Clarkstown High School North (New City, New York)
College: Syracuse
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 235 pounds
Keith Bulluck Career
Keith Bulluck played nine of his 10 NFL seasons with the Titans.NFL career: 10 seasons (2000-09)
Teams: Tennessee Titans (2000-09), New York Giants (2010)
Career highlights: Three-time NFL All-Pro (2002, 2003, 2007), Pro Bowl (2003)
Bottom Line: Keith Bulluck
Keith Bulluck was a three-time All-Pro.New York native and former Syracuse star Keith Bulluck helped define the early years of the Tennessee Titans as part of the team that came within one yard of winning a Super Bowl.
Bulluck played mainly on special teams his first two seasons with the Titans before a breakout season in 2002. That was the first of five consecutive seasons with at least 120 tackles.
54. Derrick Johnson
Derrick Johnson played 14 seasons in the NFL.Born: Nov. 22, 1982 (Waco, Texas)
High school: Waco High School (Waco, Texas)
College: Texas
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 242 pounds
Derrick Johnson Career
Derrick Johnson made a lot of tackles.NFL career: 14 seasons (2005-18)
Teams: Kansas City Chiefs (2005-17), Oakland Raiders (2018)
Career highlights: Two-time NFL All-Pro (2011, 2015), four-time Pro Bowl (2011-13, 2015)
Bottom Line: Derrick Johnson
Derrick JohnsonIf 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.
Johnson, at 6-foot-3 and 242 pounds, was a high school star in Central Texas at Waco High before becoming an All-American at the University of Texas and an NFL All-Pro.
53. Donnie Edwards
Donnie Edwards went to UCLA.Born: April 6, 1973 (San Diego, California)
High school: Chula Vista High School (Chula Vista, California)
College: UCLA
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 227 pounds
Donnie Edwards Career
Donnie Edwards played 13 seasons in the NFL.NFL career: 13 seasons (1996-2008)
Teams: Kansas City Chiefs (1996-2001, 2007-08), San Diego Chargers (2002-06)
Career highlights: Two-time NFL All-Pro (2002, 2004), Pro Bowl (2002)
Bottom Line: Donnie Edwards
Donnie Edwards was a two-time All-Pro.Donnie Edwards was an undersized linebacker who made plays all over the field during a 13-year career in the NFL, first for the Kansas City Chiefs, then for his hometown San Diego Chargers.
Edwards' name jumps off the page when you look at the NFL career leaders list for tackles, where he clocks in at No. 4 with 1,501, despite making just one Pro Bowl in his career.
52. Jonathan Vilma
Jonathan Vilma was a beast on the field.Born: April 16, 1982 (Coral Gables, Florida)
High school: Coral Gables Senior High School (Coral Gables, Florida)
College: Miami
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 230 pounds
Jonathan Vilma Career
Jonathan Vilma played for the Saints after starting his career with the Jets.NFL career: 10 seasons (2004-13)
Teams: New York Jets (2004-07), New Orleans Saints (2008-13)
Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (2009), three-time Pro Bowl (2005, 2009, 2010), NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (2004)
Bottom Line: Jonathan Vilma
Jonathan Vima helped the Saints win a Super Bowl in 2010.Few defensive players in New Orleans Saints history are as beloved as Jonathan Vilma, who led the team to its only Super Bowl win following the 2009 season.
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."
He won and was allowed to play.
51. Lavonte David
Lavonte David has been a star at every level.Born: Jan. 23, 1990 (Miami, Florida)
High school: Miami Northwestern High School (Miami, Florida)
College: Nebraska
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 233 pounds
Lavonte David Career
Lavonte David (No. 54) was a second-round draft pick in 2012.NFL career: 10 seasons (2012-present)
Teams: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (2021), three-time NFL All-Pro (2013, 2016, 2020), Pro Bowl (2015), NFL All-Rookie Team (2012)
Bottom Line: Lavonte David
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Lavonte David's football career took him across the United States after growing up in Miami, Florida.
First, he went to junior college in Fort Scott, Kansas. Then, he starred at the University of Nebraska, before returning to Florida, where he's been one of the best linebackers in the NFL for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the last decade.
David cashed in with a Super Bowl victory following the 2020 season. 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.
50. Keith Brooking
Keith Brooking was selected to the Pro Bowl five times.Born: Oct. 30, 1975 (Senoia, Georgia)
High school: East Coweta High School (Sharpsburg, Georgia)
College: Georgia Tech
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 240 pounds
Keith Brooking Career
Keith Brooking finished his career with the Denver Broncos.NFL career: 15 seasons (1998-2012)
Teams: Atlanta Falcons (1998-2008), Dallas Cowboys (2009-11), Denver Broncos (2012)
Career highlights: Five-time Pro Bowl (2001-05), two-time All-Pro (2002, 2004)
Bottom Line: Keith Brooking
Keith Brooking spent three seasons playing for the Dallas Cowboys.Keith Brooking was an understated, dominant player for two teams, the Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys. He played with an amazing amount of fire and determination without bringing much attention to himself.
Brooking was incredibly consistent throughout his career. He posted nine straight seasons with at least 100 tackles and played in all 16 regular-season games for the last 12 seasons of his career.
He's not someone who is up for Hall of Fame consideration but his contribution to the game kept defenses afloat on playoff teams for an extended period of time.
49. Seth Joyner
Seth Joyner, No. 59, was a three-time All-Pro in seven seasons with the Eagles.Born: Nov. 18, 1964 (Spring Valley, New York)
High school: Spring Valley High School (Spring Valley, New York)
College: University of Texas-El Paso
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 241 pounds
Seth Joyner Career
Seth Joyner had 52 career sacks.NFL career: 13 seasons (1986-98)
Teams: Philadelphia Eagles (1986-93), Arizona Cardinals (1994-96), Green Bay Packers (1997), Denver Broncos (1998)
Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1998), three-time Pro Bowl (1991, 1993, 1994), three-time All-Pro (1991-93)
Bottom Line: Seth Joyner
Seth Joyner played in two Super Bowls in his final two seasons.Seth Joyner's career was a story in resilience. An eighth-round pick by the Eagles in 1986 out of UTEP, he was actually cut during his first training camp before being resigned during the season.
Joyner was unbelievably productive in different aspects of the game, with over 1,000 career tackles and 52 career sacks, and he was a standout on the great Philly defenses of the late 1980s and early 1990s alongside Reggie White under head coach Buddy Ryan.
Joyner capped his career off by winning a Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos in his final season.
48. Bill Bergey
Bill Bergey, No. 66, spent his first five seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals.Born: Feb. 9, 1945 (South Dayton, New York)
High school: South Dayton High School (South Dayton, New York)
College: Arkansas State University
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 243 pounds
Bill Bergey Career
Bill Bergey was a five-time Pro Bowler.NFL career: 12 seasons (1969-80)
Teams: Cincinnati Bengals (1969-73), Philadelphia Eagles (1974-80)
Career highlights: Five-time Pro Bowl (1969, 1974, 1976-78), five-time All-Pro (1974-78)
Bottom Line: Bill Bergey
Bill Bergey, right, made five consecutive All-Pro teams with the Philadelphia Eagles.Bill Bergey went from being a star at Arkansas State to a star with the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFL until owner Paul Brown leveraged him for a pair of first-round draft picks and a second-round pick from the Philadelphia Eagles.
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.
Bergey retired with 27 interceptions.
47. George Connor
George Connor invented what we now know as the outside linebacker position.Born: Jan. 21, 1925 (Chicago, Illinois)
Died: March 31, 2005 (age 78, Chicago)
High school: De La Salle High School (Chicago)
College: Notre Dame
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 240 pounds
George Connor Career
George Connor is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.NFL career: 8 seasons (1948-55)
Team: Chicago Bears
Career highlights: Five-time All-Pro (1950-53, 1955), four-time Pro Bowl (1950-53), NFL 1940s All-Decade Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1975)
Bottom Line: George Connor
George Connor was picked for the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 1940s.If you want to know where the modern concept of an outside linebacker came from, start with George Connor.
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.
It worked, and Connor never put his hand in the dirt again during a Hall of Fame career.
46. Lee Roy Jordan
Lee Roy Jordan, No. 55, was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1973.Born: April 27, 1941 (Excel, Alabama)
High school: Excel High School (Excel, Alabama)
College: University of Alabama
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 221 pounds
Lee Roy Jordan Career
Lee Roy Jordan played his college ball at Alabama.NFL career: 14 seasons (1963-76)
Team: Dallas Cowboys
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)
Bottom Line: Lee Roy Jordan
Lee Roy Jordan, center, signs his first professional contract with Dallas Cowboys head coach Tom Landry, left, and scouting director Gil Brandt.Lee Roy Jordan was undersized, at 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, but made up for it in talent and drive. Bear Bryant called him one of the best players he ever coached at Alabama, where Jordan won a national title in 1961.
Fans of the Dallas Cowboys feel the same way about him after he helped lead them to their first Super Bowl win in 1971, the same year he set a team record with 21 tackles.
Jordan had one of the signature moments in Cowboys history when he picked off Cincinnati quarterback Ken Anderson three times in one quarter, all within five minutes, and returned one of those 31 yards for a touchdown.
45. Ken Norton Jr.
Ken Norton Jr. is the son of former heavyweight boxing champion Ken Norton.Born: Sept. 29, 1966 (Jacksonville, Illinois)
High school: Westchester High School (Los Angeles)
College: UCLA
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 254 pounds
Ken Norton Jr. Career
Ken Norton Jr. made a lot of tackles in his career.NFL career: 13 seasons (1988-2000)
Teams: Dallas Cowboys (1988-93) San Francisco 49ers (1994-2000)
Career highlights: Three-time Super Bowl champion (1992-94), three-time Pro Bowl (1993, 1995, 1997), two-time All-Pro (1993, 1995)
Bottom Line: Ken Norton Jr.
Ken Norton Jr., left, won three straight Super Bowls in the mid-1990s with the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers.Being the son of a former heavyweight boxing champion might be a burden for some, but Ken Norton Jr. embraced it.
His NFL career was punctuated by big hits and big wins, including three consecutive Super Bowl wins with the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers in the early 1990s.
Norton's famous nod to his famous father was hitting the goal post pads like a punching bag, similar to how he treated opponents as the star linebacker for two of the best franchises in football for over a decade.
44. Chris Hanburger
Washington Football Team (formerly Washington Redskins) linebacker Chris Hanburger, No. 55, was a nine-time Pro Bowler.Born: Aug. 13, 1941 (Fort Bragg, North Carolina)
High school: Hampton High School (Hampton, Virginia)
College: University of North Carolina
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 218 pounds
Chris Hanburger Career
Chris Hanburger was a six-time All-Pro.NFL career: 14 seasons (1965-78)
Team: Washington Football Team (formerly Washington Redskins)
Career highlights: Nine-time Pro Bowl (1966-69, 1972-76), six-time All-Pro (1969, 1972-76), Pro Football Hall of Fame (2011)
Bottom Line: Chris Hanburger
Chris Hanburger was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.Chris Hanburger's path to NFL stardom as an outside linebacker was as unusual as any ever taken.
He joined the military for two years out of high school before going to play football for the University of North Carolina. For the Tar Heels, Hanburger played both ways and earned most of his accolades at center, not on defense.
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.
43. Bill Forester
Green Bay Packers linebacker Bill Forester won two NFL titles in 11 seasons.Born: Aug. 9, 1932 (Dallas, Texas)
Died: April 27, 2007 (age 74, Dallas)
High School: Woodrow Wilson High School (Dallas, Texas)
College: Southern Methodist University
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 237 pounds
Bill Forester Career
Bill Forester won two NFL championships.NFL career: 11 seasons (1953-63)
Team: Green Bay Packers
Career highlights: Four-time Pro Bowl (1959-62), five-time All-Pro (1959-63), two-time NFL champion (1961, 1962)
Bottom Line: Bill Forester
Bill Forester's career took off when Vince Lombardi became coach of the Green Bay Packers.Bill Forester is one of the greatest examples of Vince Lombardi's genius as a coach. Forester was a nondescript linebacker for his first six seasons with the Packers, until Lombardi was hired in 1959 and the SMU product's career took off.
In Forester's final five seasons, he made all four of his Pro Bowls, all five of his All-Pro teams and helped lead Green Bay to its first two NFL titles under Lombardi. He also was a defensive captain in two of those seasons.
Forester died in 2007 after a long illness. He was 74 years old.
42. Dave Robinson
Dave Robinson, No. 89, won one NFL championship and two Super Bowls in 10 seasons with the Packers.Born: May 3, 1941 (Mount Holly, New Jersey)
High school: Moorestown High School (Moorestown, New Jersey)
College: Penn State
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 245 pounds
Dave Robinson Career
Dave Robinson was feared on the football field.NFL career: 12 seasons (1963-74)
Teams: Green Bay Packers (1963-72), Washington Redskins (1973-74)
Career highlights: Three-time NFL champion (1965-67), two-time Super Bowl champion (1966, 1967), three-time Pro Bowl (1966, 1967, 1969), three-time All-Pro (1967-69), NFL 1960s All-Decade Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (2013)
Bottom Line: Dave Robinson
Green Bay Packers linebacker Dave Robinson had an epic diss of head coach Dan Devine when he left the team.There's a lot of reasons to love the way Dave Robinson played football — mainly because he was a winner. Robinson won three consecutive state championships in high school, then repeated a version of that feat in the NFL, winning three consecutive championships with one NFL title and two Super Bowls with the Green Bay Packers.
Robinson's name has been somewhat lost to history because he played next to the great Ray Nitschke, on Nitschke's left side. 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. Devine was the worst."
True that.
41. Les Richter
Les Richter, No. 48, was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.Born: Oct. 26, 1930 (Fresno, California)
Died: June 12, 2010 (age 79, Riverside, California)
High school: Fresno High School (Fresno, California)
College: Cal
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 238 pounds
Les Richter Career
Les Richter, right, played his whole career with the Rams.NFL career: 9 seasons (1954-62)
Team: Los Angeles Rams
Career highlights: Eight-time Pro Bowl (1954-61), seven-time All-Pro (1955-60), Pro Football Hall of Fame (2011)
Bottom Line: Les Richter
Les Richter was known as "Dirty Les" for his style of play and made seven All-Pro teams in nine seasons.Les Richter was an amazing football player and had size and speed that could have landed him on NFL rosters in any era.
But it's worth pointing out that he was much more than a football player. Richter was the valedictorian of his class at Cal, then went and served two years in the Army and fought in the Korean War before starting his NFL career. Richter didn't miss a game in nine seasons with the Los Angeles Rams and made seven All-Pro teams.
Richter, who died of a brain aneurysm in 2010, had a lengthy career in motorsports after his football career was over and is a member of both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Motorsports Hall of Fame.
40. Robert Brazile
Robert Brazile was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.Born: Feb. 7, 1953 (Mobile, Alabama)
High school: Vigor High School (Pritchard, Alabama)
College: Jackson State University
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 241 pounds
Robert Brazile Career
Robert Brazile played 10 seasons in the NFL.NFL career: 10 seasons (1975-84)
Teams: Houston Oilers
Career highlights: Seven-time Pro Bowl (1976-82), six-time All-Pro (1976-81), NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (1981), NFL 1970s All-Decade Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (2018)
Bottom Line: Robert Brazile
Robert Brazile spent his entire career with the Houston Oilers.Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 240 pounds, Robert Brazile dominated on the field and had one of the greatest nicknames ever.
"Dr. Doom" terrorized opposing offenses for 10 NFL seasons and was a six-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowl selection.
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.
39. Isiah Robertson
Isiah Robertson, No. 58, finished his career with the Buffalo Bills.Born: Aug. 17, 1949 (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Died: Dec. 6, 2018 (age 69, Dallas, Texas)
High school: Covington High School (Covington, Louisiana)
College: Southern University
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 225 pounds
Isiah Robertson Career
Isiah Robertson was the NFL defensive rookie of the year in 1971.NFL career: 12 seasons (1971-82)
Teams: Los Angeles Rams (1971-78), Buffalo Bills (1979-82)
Career highlights: Six-time Pro Bowl (1971-77), six-time All-Pro (1971, 1973-77), NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (1971)
Bottom Line: Isiah Robertson
Isiah Robertson was a six-time All-Pro in seven seasons with the Los Angeles Rams.Isiah Robertson was one of the stars on the Los Angeles Rams' defenses that won six consecutive NFC West titles. In one of the greatest single rounds for any team in NFL draft history, the Rams used their two 1971 first-round picks on Robertson and NFL Hall of Fame defensive lineman Jack Youngblood.
Robertson's size, speed and athleticism often made the difference in games for the Rams. He was 6-foot-3, 225 pounds and ran a 4.6-second 40-yard dash.
He also finished his career with 25 interceptions and 24 sacks. Robertson died in a car accident in 2018, at 69 years old.
38. Darryl Talley
Darryl Talley played in four Super Bowls with the Buffalo Bills, losing all four times.Born: July 10, 1960 (Cleveland, Ohio)
High school: East Cleveland Shaw High School (Cleveland, Ohio)
College: West Virginia University
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 235 pounds
Darryl Talley Career
Darryl Talley was a defensive playmaker.NFL career: 14 seasons (1983-96)
Teams: Buffalo Bills (1983-94), Atlanta Falcons (1995), Minnesota Vikings (1996)
Career highlights: Four-time AFC champion (1990-93), two-time Pro Bowl (1990, 1991), two-time All-Pro (1990, 1993)
Bottom Line: Darryl Talley
Darryl Talley finished his career as the leading tackler in Buffalo Bills history.Darryl Talley was a physical and athletic marvel during his playing career, and his consistency was truly something to behold.
Talley was on all four of Buffalo’s AFC title teams that lost in the Super Bowl and finished his career with 1,252 tackles, 38.5 sacks and 29 takeaways. He also is the Bills' career leading tackler.
A little-known fact about Talley: He's the cousin of Baseball Hall of Famer and Miami Marlins owner Derek Jeter.
37. Willie Lanier
Willie Lanier helped lead the Chiefs to a Super Bowl win in 1969.Born: Aug. 21, 1945 (Clover, Virginia)
High school: Maggie L. Walker (Richmond, Virginia)
College: Morgan State University
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 245 pounds
Willie Lanier Career
Willie Lanier was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986.NFL career: 11 seasons (1967-77)
Team: Kansas City Chiefs
Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1969), six-time Pro Bowl (1970-75), eight-time All-Pro (1968-75), NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1986)
Bottom Line: Willie Lanier
Willie Lanier is smiling in this photo, but if you saw him on a football field, he would try to decapitate you.Willie Lanier played in an era of football best defined by his hitting style — which mainly consisted of him trying to put the crown of his helmet through your sternum.
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.
In 11 seasons, Bell earned postseason honors eight times and helped lead the Chiefs to a Super Bowl win in 1969.
36. Randy Gradishar
Denver Broncos Randy Gradishar is one of the most underrated linebackers in NFL history.Born: March 3, 1952 (Warren, Ohio)
High school: Champion High School (Champion Township, Ohio)
College: Ohio State University
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 233 pounds
Randy Gradishar Career
Randy Gradishar was a seven-time Pro Bowler.NFL career: 10 seasons (1974-83)
Team: Denver Broncos
Career highlights: Seven-time Pro Bowl (1975, 1977-79, 1981-83), six-time All-Pro (1977-81, 1983), seven-time All-AFC (1976-79, 1981-83), NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1978)
Bottom Line: Randy Gradishar
Randy Gradishar and the Broncos went to the Super Bowl in 1978.Much like Chicago Bears linebacker Joe Fortunato, Randy Gradishar doesn't have the legacy he should be because of the player he directly preceded. For Fortunato, it was Dick Butkus, and for Gradishar, it was Karl Mecklenburg.
On paper, Gradishar's resume was much better than Mecklenburg's career accolades. Both players led their team to a Super Bowl, and for Gradishar, he was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1978, the year the Broncos won an AFC title.
Gradishar also was a six-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler. Those are both more than Mecklenburg's career totals, and Gradishar played two fewer seasons.
35. Harry Carson
Harry Carson made nine Pro Bowls in 13 seasons.Born: Nov. 26, 1953 (Florence, South Carolina)
High school: Wilson High School (Florence, South Carolina)
College: South Carolina State
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 237 pounds
Harry Carson Career
Harry Carson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.NFL career: 13 seasons (1976-88)
Team: New York Giants
Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1986), nine-time Pro Bowl (1978, 1979, 1981-87), six-time All-Pro (1978, 1981, 1982, 1984-86), Pro Football Hall of Fame (2006)
Bottom Line: Harry Carson
Harry Carson helped lead the New York Giants to their first Super Bowl win in 1986.Harry Carson is perhaps the most respected defensive player and teammate in the history of the NFL.
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.
If Lawrence Taylor is the Michael Jordan of NFL linebackers, Carson was his Scottie Pippen.
34. Hardy Nickerson
Hardy Nickerson was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 1990s.Born: Sept. 1, 1965 (Compton, California)
High school: Verbum Dei High School (Los Angeles)
College: Cal
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 230 pounds
Hardy Nickerson Career
Hardy Nickerson grew up in Los Angeles.NFL career: 16 seasons (1987-2002)
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
Bottom Line: Hardy Nickerson
Hardy Nickerson played for four NFL teams in three different decades.Modern football fans might be seeing the name Hardy Nickerson for the first time, but the old heads know him as one of the more dominant linebackers of his era who had the misfortune of playing most of his career with mediocre teams.
Nickerson had his best years with the Steelers and with the Buccaneers right before those teams started to make deep, consistent playoff runs, but he was a feared player and at his best playing in a 4-3 scheme defense.
In a 16-season career, he recorded an incredible 1,586 tackles.
33. Joe Fortunato
Joe Fortunato, No. 31, closes in on a sack during a game in 1960.Born: March 28, 1930 (Mingo Junction, Ohio)
Died: Nov. 6, 2017 (age 87, Natchez, Mississippi)
High school: Mingo High School (Mingo, Ohio)
College: Mississippi State University
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 225 pounds
Joe Fortunato Career
Joe Fortunato was one of the greatest Chicago Bears of all time.NFL career: 12 seasons (1955-66)
Team: Chicago Bears
Career highlights: NFL champion (1963), six-time All-Pro (1958, 1963-66), five-time Pro Bowl (1958, 1962-65), NFL 1950s All-Decade Team, PFR 1960s All-Decade Team
Bottom Line: Joe Fortunato
Joe Fortunato helped lead the Chicago Bears to an NFL championship in 1963.Joe Fortunato's greatest teammate, fellow linebacker Dick Butkus, also became perhaps the greatest impediment to Fortunato's long-term legacy. The two Bears greats played together for Fortunato's final two seasons, which meant Butkus broke all of Fortunato's records just years after he set them.
Fortunato, who was named one of the Bears 100 Greatest Players, did accomplish one thing that Butkus never would. He won an NFL championship for Chicago in 1963.
Fortunato also is the only player on the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 1950s that was not inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
32. Chuck Howley
Chuck Howley, No. 54, is the only Super Bowl Most Valuable Player to play on the losing team.Born: June 28, 1936 (Wheeling, West Virginia)
High school: Warwood High School (Wheeling, West Virginia)
College: West Virginia University
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 228 pounds
Chuck Howley Career
Chuck Howley played his career with the Bears and Cowboys.NFL career: 15 seasons (1958-60, 1961-73)
Teams: Chicago Bears (1958-59), Dallas Cowboys (1961-73)
Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1971), Super Bowl Most Valuable Player (1970), six-time Pro Bowl (1965-69, 1971), six-time Pro Bowl (1966-71)
Bottom Line: Chuck Howley
Chuck Howley led the Cowboys to their first Super Bowl victory.Chuck Howley thought his career was over due to a devastating knee injury just three games into the 1959 season with the Chicago Bears.
owley missed the rest of 1959 and all of 1960 before attempting a comeback in 1961 with the Cowboys, where he became a six-time Pro Bowler and the only player to win Super Bowl Most Valuable Player honors while playing on the losing team.
Howley fixed that one minor blip in his resume when he helped lead the Cowboys to a Super Bowl victory in 1970.
31. Karl Mecklenburg
Karl Mecklenburg, No. 77, was a walking nightmare for Kansas City Chiefs fans — and quarterbacks.Born: Sept. 1, 1960 (Seattle, Washington)
High school: Edina West High School (Edina, Minnesota)
College: University of Minnesota
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 240 pounds
Karl Mecklenburg Career
Karl Mecklenburg went to high school in Edina, Minnesota.NFL career: 12 seasons (1983-94)
Team: Denver Broncos
Career highlights: Six-time Pro Bowl (1985-87, 1989, 1991, 1993), four-time All-Pro (1985-87, 1989)
Bottom Line: Karl Mecklenburg
Karl Mecklenburg led the Broncos to three AFC championships, losing in the Super Bowl all three times.Karl Mecklenburg was a throwaway pick by the Broncos in the 12th round of the 1983 NFL draft and ended up being one of the greatest defensive players in franchise history — and definitely the greatest pure inside linebacker.
Mecklenburg anchored Denver's defense with safety Steve Atwater and helped lead Denver to three AFC titles, but the Broncos lost all three of those Super Bowls.
Sadly, Mecklenburg's post-football life has been defined by his battle with brain injuries sustained playing football, and he's part of several concussion-related lawsuits against the NFL.
30. Pat Swilling
Pat Swilling was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1991.Born: Oct. 25, 1964 (Toccoa, Georgia)
High school: Stephens County High School (Toccoa, Georgia)
College: Georgia Tech
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 245 pounds
Pat Swilling Career
Pat Swilling was the epitome of a ballhawk.NFL career: 12 seasons (1986-96, 1998)
Teams: New Orleans Saints (1986-92), Detroit Lions (1993-94), Oakland Raiders (1995-96, 1998)
Career highlights: Five-time Pro Bowl (1989-93), four-time All-Pro (1989-92), NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1991)
Bottom Line: Pat Swilling
Pat Swilling was selected to five Pro Bowls in his first eight seasons.Pat Swilling was part of perhaps the finest assembly of linebackers in NFL history — the New Orleans Saints' famous "Dome Patrol" of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Alongside Hall of Famer Rickey Jackson, Sam Mills and Vaughan Johnson, Swilling wreaked havoc on opposing offenses.
One of the most feared pass rushers in NFL history, Swilling finished his career with 107.5 sacks but no playoff wins. His 0-6 record in the postseason is an NFL record for most playoff games without a win.
29. Zach Thomas
Zach Thomas won the starting middle linebacker job with the Miami Dolphins as a rookie.Born: Sept. 1, 1973 (Pampa, Texas)
High school: White Deer High School (Pampa, Texas)
College: Texas Tech
Height/weight: 5-foot-11, 228 pounds
Zach Thomas Career
Zach Thomas was one of the toughest players in NFL history.NFL career: 13 seasons (1996-2008)
Teams: Miami Dolphins (1996-2007), Dallas Cowboys (2008)
Career highlights: Seven-time All-Pro (1998-99, 2001-03, 2005, 2006), seven-time Pro Bowl (1999-2003, 2005, 2006), AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year (1996), NFL 2000s All-Decade Team
Bottom Line: Zach Thomas
Zach Thomas finished his career with 1,720 tackles.Zach Thomas brought a certain attitude to defenses as a middle linebacker, both in college at Texas Tech and in the NFL, that was evident from the moment he stepped on the field. Quite simply, if you saw No. 54 out there, you knew the team at least had a chance to win because of him.
It's actually confounding why more of a Hall of Fame case hasn't been made for Thomas. He's fifth on the NFL career list with 1,734 tackles to go with 17 interceptions and 17 fumble recoveries.
Two players of the four players with more tackles, Ray Lewis and Junior Seau, are in the Hall of Fame.
28. London Fletcher
London Fletcher helped lead the St. Louis Rams to a Super Bowl win in 1999.Born: May 19, 1975 (Cleveland, Ohio)
High school: Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School (Cleveland, Ohio)
College: John Carroll University
Height/weight: 5-foot-10, 242 pounds
London Fletcher Career
London Fletcher had 23 career interceptions.NFL career: 16 seasons (1998-2013)
Teams: St. Louis Rams (1998-2001), Buffalo Bills (2002-06), Washington Football Team (2007-13)
Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1999), four-time Pro Bowl (2009-12), two-time All-Pro (2011, 2012)
Bottom Line: London Fletcher
London Fletcher made it to the NFL from an NCAA Division III school.London Fletcher represents one of the great underdog stories in NFL history.
Fletcher, 5-foot-11 and 242 pounds, ran a blazing 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine coming out of NCAA Division III John Carroll University, but he still went undrafted. That didn't matter. Fletcher carved out a 16-year NFL career, including a Super Bowl win with the Rams in his second season.
He finished his career with over 2,000 tackles (2,039), which is second on the NFL's all-time list, and set the NFL record for linebackers with 215 consecutive starts.
27. Cornelius Bennett
Cornelius Bennett, No. 55, helped lead the Buffalo Bills to four AFC championships.Born: Aug. 25, 1965 (Birmingham, Alabama)
High school: Ensley High School (Birmingham, Alabama)
College: University of Alabama
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 237 pounds
Cornelius Bennett Career
Cornelius Bennett played 14 seasons in the NFL with three teams.NFL career: 14 seasons (1997-2000)
Teams: Buffalo Bills (1987-95), Atlanta Falcons (1996-98), Indianapolis Colts (1999-2000)
Career highlights: Two-time AFC Defensive Player of the Year (1988, 1991), five-time Pro Bowl (1988, 1990-93), three-time All-Pro (1988, 1991, 1992), AFC Defensive Team of the Decade (2000s)
Bottom Line: Cornelius Bennett
Cornelius Bennett won AFC Defensive Player of the Year twice.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.
In all, he was a two-time AFC Defensive Player of the Year and played in five Super Bowls, losing every time to set an NFL record.
Bennett was convicted of rape in 1997 and sentenced to 60 days in jail, but still allowed to play in the NFL for four more seasons.
26. Bobby Wagner
Bobby Wagner is one of the fastest linebackers in NFL history.Born: June 27, 1990 (Los Angeles)
High school: Colony High School (Ontario, California)
College: Utah State
Height/weight: 6-foot, 242 pounds
Bobby Wagner Career
Bobby Wagner helped the Seahawks win a Super Bowl.NFL career: 9 seasons (2012-present)
Team: Seattle Seahawks
Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (2013), six-time Pro Bowl (2014-19), six-time All-Pro (2014-19), NFL 2010s All-Decade Team
Bottom Line: Bobby Wagner
Bobby Wagner was named to six All-Pro teams in his first nine seasons.If Bobby Wagner continues a few more years having the career he's had through his first nine seasons, you can start to make some very concrete arguments for him one day being a Hall of Famer.
Wagner, who first turned heads by running a 4.4-second 40-yard dash at the Utah State pro day, helped lead the Seahawks to a Super Bowl win in 2013, won another NFC title two years later and was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 2010s.
He's also already made six All-Pro teams, six Pro Bowls and banked almost $100 million in career earnings.
25. Nick Buoniconti
Nick Buoniconti had a weird number for a linebacker.Born: Dec. 15, 1940 (Springfield, Massachusetts)
Died: July 30, 2019 (age 78, Bridgehampton, New York)
High school: Cathedral High School (Springfield, Massachusetts)
College: Notre Dame
Height/weight: 5-foot-11, 220 pounds
Nick Buoniconti Career
Nick Buoniconti was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001.NFL career: 14 seasons (1962-74, 1976)
Teams: Boston Patriots (1962-68), Miami Dolphins (19690-74, 1976)
Career highlights: Two-time Super Bowl champion (1972, 1973), two-time Pro Bowl (1972, 1973), two-time All-Pro (1972, 1973), Pro Football Hall of Fame (2001)
Bottom Line: Nick Buoniconti
Nick Buoniconti helped lead the Miami Dolphins to an undefeated season in 1972.If Dolphins fans felt like they were having flashbacks when Zach Thomas came along to play middle linebacker in the mid-1990s, it's because it wasn't the first time they'd seen an undersized, dominant player leading their defense.
Nick Buoniconti was just 5-foot-11 and 220 pounds but destroyed opponents with sheer will and ferocity, helping lead the Dolphins to two Super Bowl wins and the only undefeated season in NFL history in 1972.
Buoniconti, who was also a practicing attorney, died in 2019 at 78 years old.
24. Patrick Willis
Patrick Willis made six All-Pro teams in his first seven seasons.Born: Jan. 25, 1985 (Bruceton, Tennessee)
High school: Central High School (Bruceton, Tennessee)
College: University of Mississippi
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 242 pounds
Patrick Willis Career
Patrick Willis was an intimidating presence.NFL career: 8 seasons (2007-14)
Team: San Francisco 49ers
Career highlights: Seven-time Pro Bowl (2007-13), six-time All-Pro (2007-12), NFL 2010s All-Decade team, NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (2007)
Bottom Line: Patrick Willis
Patrick Willis' career was cut short by a toe injury.Few stories rival that of former NFL star Patrick Willis. Born into abject poverty in rural Tennessee, he was working full-time in the cotton fields by the time he was 10 years old and had to flee his home with his sisters at 17 to get away from his violent, alcoholic father.
Willis played just eight seasons in the NFL, but that's kind of misleading. He only played six games in his final season before retiring because of a nagging toe injury.
In his short time in the league, Willis made seven Pro Bowls, six All-Pro teams and banked over $50 million in career earnings.
23. Sam Huff
Sam Huff almost left football in the middle of his first training camp.Born: Oct. 4, 1934 (Edna, West Virginia)
High school: Farmington High School (Farmington, West Virginia)
College: West Virginia University
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 230 pounds
Sam Huff Career
Sam Huff is an NFL legend.NFL career: 13 seasons (1956-67, 1969)
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)
Bottom Line: Sam Huff
Sam Huff won an NFL championship in his first season.Sam Huff almost left his rookie training camp with the New York Giants when coaches couldn't find a position for him.
But assistant coach Vince Lombardi tracked him down at the airport and convinced him to come back, and defensive coordinator Tom Landry made the decision to move him to middle linebacker. It was a good fit.
Huff became the first rookie middle linebacker to start an NFL championship game, leading the Giants to the title in 1956 and led them to four more NFL championship games, losing each time.
22. Wilber Marshall
Wilber Marshall was part of the greatest defense in NFL history on the 1985 Chicago Bears.Born: April 18, 1962 (Titusville, Florida)
High school: Astronaut High School (Titusville, Florida)
College: University of Florida
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 231 pounds
Wilber Marshall Career
Wilber Marshall chased down a lot of opposing players.NFL career: 12 seasons (1984-95)
Teams: Chicago Bears (1984-87), Washington Football Team (1988-92), Houston Oilers (1993), Arizona Cardinals (1994), New York Jets (1995)
Career highlights: Two-time Super Bowl champion (1986, 1991), three-time Pro Bowl (1986, 1987, 1992), three-time All-Pro (1986, 1991, 1992), NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1992)
Bottom Line: Wilber Marshall
Wilber Marshall won a Super Bowl with the Chicago Bears, then another with the Washington Football Team.There were a lot of strong defensive players that played next to Mike Singletary with the Bears. They paled in comparison but were great players in their own right — most notably Wilber Marshall.
After leaving Chicago, Marshall proved he was elite by winning a Super Bowl and NFL Defensive Player of the Year with the Washington Football Team (then known as the Redskins).
But he'll always be best known for his role on the Bears' Super Bowl-winning team of 1985 that featured arguably the best defense in NFL history.
21. Tommy Nobis
Tommy Nobis, right, prepares to tackle Gale Sayers.Born: Sept. 20, 1943 (San Antonio, Texas)
Died: Dec. 13, 2017 (age 74, Marietta, Georgia)
High school: Thomas Jefferson High School (San Antonio, Texas)
College: University of Texas
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 240 pounds
Tommy Nobis Career
Tommy Nobis was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1966 NFL draft.NFL career: 11 seasons (1966-76)
Team: Atlanta Falcons
Career highlights: NFL Rookie of the Year (1966), five-time Pro Bowl (1966-68, 1970, 1972), two-time All-Pro (1967, 1968), NFL 1960s All-Decade Team
Bottom Line: Tommy Nobis
Tommy Nobis played his career in relative anonymity with the Atlanta Falcons.By the time Tommy Nobis left the University of Texas, he was as famous as any player in the NFL, having already appeared on the cover of Life, Sports Illustrated and Time magazines for his accomplishments.
Nobis was the first overall pick in the 1966 NFL draft and the first player picked by the expansion Atlanta Falcons. Nobis played in relative anonymity for his entire NFL career but still put up monster numbers on some really bad teams.
Those bad teams likely cost him any shot at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
20. Sam Mills
Sam Mills was part of arguably the greatest linebacker corps of all time with the New Orleans Saints.Born: June 3, 1959 (Neptune City, New Jersey)
Died: April 18, 2005 (age 45, Charlotte, North Carolina)
High school: Long Branch High School (Long Branch, New Jersey)
College: Montclair State University
Height/weight: 5-foot-9, 229 pounds
Sam Mills Career
Sam Mills played 12 seasons in the NFL.NFL career: 12 seasons (1986-97)
Teams: New Orleans Saints (1986-94), Carolina Panthers (1995-97)
Career highlights: Five-time Pro Bowl (1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1996), three-time All-Pro (1991, 1992, 1996)
Bottom Line: Sam Mills
Sam Mills is one of the most beloved players in NFL history.If the Professional Football Hall of Fame and its esteemed members and voters would like to actually live up to its name, then those parties should think of a way to add Sam Mills to their brethren.
Mills, just 5-foot-9, played in the Canadian Football League and then was one of the USFL's greatest players before making the leap to the NFL. It didn't slow Mills' production, and he made three Pro Bowls and five Pro Bowls despite spending his first five seasons elsewhere.
Mills, who died of cancer in 2005, is one of the most beloved players in the history of both the Saints and the Panthers.
19. Bill George
Bill George, No. 61, played for legendary NFL coach George Halas.Born: Oct. 27, 1929 (Waynesburg, Pennsylvania)
Died: Sept. 30, 1982 (Rockford, Illinois)
High School: Central High School (Waynesburg, Pennsylvania)
College: Wake Forest
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 237 pounds
Bill George Career
Bill George was an eight-time All-Pro.NFL career: 15 seasons (1952-66)
Teams: Chicago Bears (1952-65), Los Angeles Rams (1966)
Career highlights: NFL champion (1963), eight-time All-Pro (1955-61, 1963), NFL 1950s All-Decade Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1974)
Bottom Line: Bill George
Bill George helped created the modern middle linebacker position.Before Bill George came along, the way the linebacker position was taught kept football in the stone ages — every snap, they hit the center or guard right away. No questions asked.
George realized this allowed the quarterback to easily drop passes right over his head, so he began to try and read the play and react, dropping into coverage at times when he realized it was a pass play. This stroke of genius created not only the middle linebacker position, but the 4-3 defense.
George died in a car accident in 1982, at 53 years old.
18. Jack Ham
Jack Ham won four Super Bowls playing with the Pittsburgh Steelers.Born: Dec. 23, 1948 (Johnstown, Pennsylvania)
High school: Bishop McCourt High School (Johnstown, Pennsylvania)
College: Penn State
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 225 pounds
Jack Ham Career
Jack Ham is one of the greatest athletes in Pennsylvania history.NFL career: 11 seasons (1971-82)
Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
Career highlights: Four-time Super Bowl champion (1974, 1975, 1978, 1979), eight-time Pro Bowl (1973-80), eight-time All-Pro (1973-80), NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1975), NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1988)
Bottom Line: Jack Ham
Jack Ham won NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1975 and had an awesome beard.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.
Ham, with the size of a free safety, was as quick as any running back or wide receiver in the 10 yards from the line of scrimmage and recorded a gaudy 32 interceptions and 53 takeaways in his career while helping the Steelers win four Super Bowl.
His 53 takeaways are still the most in NFL history by a non-defensive back.
17. Dave Wilcox
Dave Wilcox came from tiny Vale, Oregon, to become one of the greatest linebackers in NFL history.Born: Sept. 29, 1942 (Ontario, Oregon)
High school: Vale High School (Vale, Oregon)
College: University of Oregon
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 241 pounds
Dave Wilcox Career
Dave Wilcox made opponents pay for coming over the middle.NFL career: 11 seasons (1964-74)
Team: San Francisco 49ers
Career highlights: Four-time All-Pro (1967, 1971-73), seven-time Pro Bowl (1966, 1968-73), Pro Football Hall of Fame (2000)
Bottom Line: Dave Wilcox
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dave Wilcox, right, celebrates a win with quarterback John Brodie.In 11 dominant NFL seasons, Dave Wilcox only missed one game due to injury and confounded opposing offenses with his ability to elude blocks at the most basic level.
While some of the linebackers on this list probably wouldn't even get a second look in today's NFL because of their size, Wilcox (who's the father of Cal head coach Justin Wilcox) is actually the opposite.
At 6-foot-3 and 241 pounds, his combination of speed and athleticism would make the Hall of Famer even more valuable in today's league than he was in his era.
16. Luke Kuechly
Luke Kuechly made seven All-Pro teams and seven Pro Bowls in eight seasons.Born: April 20, 1991 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
High school: St. Xavier High School (Cincinnati, Ohio)
College: Boston College
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 238 pounds
Luke Kuechly Career
Luke Kuechly went to Boston College.NFL career: 8 seasons (2012-19)
Team: Carolina Panthers
Career highlights: NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2013), seven-time Pro Bowl (2013-19), seven-time All-Pro (2013-19), NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (2012), NFL 2010s All-Decade Team
Bottom Line: Luke Kuechly
Luke Kuechly was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2013.Injuries cut Luke Kuechly's career short, like they did with quite a few great linebackers. But in his eight seasons, Kuechly accomplished almost everything an NFL linebacker could, including being perhaps the best coverage linebacker in the history of the game.
Kuechly made seven Pro Bowls, seven All-Pro teams, and in 2012, he was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Knowing what we know now about concussions, which forced Kuechly's retirement, should players who accomplish what he did and have their careers shortened be in the Hall of Fame?
We'll find out in 2024, when he'll be on the ballot for the first time.
15. Bobby Bell
Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Bobby Bell, No. 78, was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1969.Born: June 17, 1940 (Shelby, North Carolina)
High school: Cleveland High School (Shelby, North Carolina)
College: University of Minnesota
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 228 pounds
Bobby Bell Career
Bobby Bell is on the NFL's 100th Anniversary Team.NFL career: 12 seasons (1963-74)
Team: Kansas City Chiefs
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)
Bottom Line: Bobby Bell
Almost 50 years after his retirement, Bobby Bell still holds the NFL career record for touchdowns by a linebacker.Bobby Bell could do it all. 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.
Bell was as much of a winner as anyone who ever played the sport. He led the University of Minnesota to a national title in 1960, then won two AFL championships and a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Almost 50 years after he retired, Bell's nine defensive touchdowns are still tied for the most in NFL history for a linebacker alongside fellow Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks.
14. Joe Schmidt
Joe Schmidt led the Detroit Lions to two NFL championships.Born: Jan. 19, 1932 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
High school: Brentwood High School (Brentwood, Pennsylvania)
College: University of Pittsburgh
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 220 pounds
Joe Schmidt Career
Joe Schmidt played his whole career with the Lions.NFL career: 13 seasons (1953-65)
Team: Detroit Lions
Career highlights: Two-time NFL champion (1953, 1957), 10-time All-Pro (1954-63), 10-time Pro Bowl (1954-63), NFL Defensive Most Valuable Player (1960, 1963), NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1973)
Bottom Line: Joe Schmidt
Joe Schmidt was a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year.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.
He was a two-time NFL Defensive Most Valuable Player, led the Detroit Lions to two NFL championships and made both the Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams every year for 10 consecutive years from 1954 to 1963.
Not bad for a seventh-round draft pick that the Lions weren't even sure would be able to make their roster.
13. Brian Urlacher
Brian Urlacher was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.Born: May 25, 1978 (Pasco, Washington)
High school: Lovington High School (Lovington, New Mexico)
College: University of New Mexico
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 258 pounds
Brian Urlacher Career
Brian Urlacher had 15 fumble recoveries in his career.NFL career: 13 seasons (2000-12)
Team: Chicago Bears
Career highlights: NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2005), five-time All-Pro (2001, 2002. 2005, 2006, 2010), eight-time Pro Bowl (2000-03, 2005, 2006, 2010, 20110, NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (2000), NFL 2000s All-Decade Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (2018)
Bottom Line: Brian Urlacher
Brian Urlacher is the Chicago Bears' career leader in tackles.It's fitting that Khalil Mack now plays for the Chicago Bears. His style of play is strikingly similar to Chicago Bears Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher, who preceded him by a generation in the Windy City.
Not many linebackers can boast the athleticism of Urlacher, who set the single-season Bears record with 153 tackles in 2002 and owns the team's career tackles record with 1,361.
No NFL team has the linebacker tradition of the Bears, who boast Hall of Famers Dick Butkus, Mike Singletary, Urlacher and Mack, a future Hall of Famer, among their all-time greats.
12. Andre Tippett
Andre Tippett was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1985.Born: Dec. 27, 1959 (Birmingham, Alabama)
High school: Barringer High School (Newark, New Jersey)
College: University of Iowa
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 240 pounds
Andre Tippett Career
Andre Tippett did not like to come out of games.NFL career: 11 seasons (1982-88, 1990-93)
Team: New England Patriots
Career highlights: NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1985), four-time All-Pro (1985-88), five-time Pro Bowl (1984-88), NFL 1980s All-Decade Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (2008)
Bottom Line: Andre Tippett
Andre Tippett's body slam of New York Jets quarterback Ken O'Brien would not be legal in today's NFL.Behind Lawrence Taylor, Andre Tippett was the most dominant NFL linebacker in the 1980s. 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.
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. In a testament to the influence that karate had in the U.S. in the 1980s — and what a freak of nature Tippett is — he's also a sixth-degree black belt.
Fear does not exist in this dojo, does it? No, Sensei Tippett!
11. Chuck Bednarik
Chuck Bednarik's hit on Frank Gifford sidelined the New York Giants running back for almost two full seasons.Born: May 1, 1925 (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Died: March 21, 2015 (age 89, Richland, Pennsylvania)
High school: Liberty High School (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania)
College: University of Pennsylvania
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 233 pounds
Chuck Bednarik Career
Chuck Bednarik, No. 60, was a 10-time All-Pro.NFL career: 14 seasons (1949-62)
Team: Philadelphia Eagles
Career highlights: Two-time NFL champion (1949, 1960), eight-time Pro Bowl (1950-54, 1956, 1957, 1960), 10-time All-Pro (1950-57, 1960, 1961), NFL 100th Anniversary Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1967)
Bottom Line: Chuck Bednarik
Chuck Bednarik was the last full-time two-way player in NFL history.The last 60-minute man in NFL history, Chuck Bednarik dominated on both sides of the ball for the Philadelphia Eagles. On offense, he played center, and on defense, he was a linebacker, where he earned a reputation as one of the most devastating tacklers of all time.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 1949 NFL draft, Bednarik led the Eagles to a championship in 1949 and in 1960, where he made the game-saving tackle as time ran out.
Bednarik is most famous for his 1960 tackle of Giants running back Frank Gifford, who was knocked unconscious on the play and out of football for almost two years.
10. Khalil Mack
Khalil Mack became the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history in 2018 when he signed a $141 million contract.Born: Feb. 22, 1991 (Fort Pierce, Florida)
High school: Westwood High School (Fort Pierce, Florida)
College: University of Buffalo
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 269 pounds
Khalil Mack Career
Khalil Mack recorded 70.5 sacks in his first seven seasons.NFL career: 7 seasons (2014-present)
Teams: Oakland Raiders (2014-17), Chicago Bears (2018-present)
Career highlights: NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2016), three-time All-Pro (2015, 2016, 2018), five-time Pro Bowl (2014-19), NFL 2010s All-Decade Team
Bottom Line: Khalil Mack
Khalil Mack was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 2010s despite playing only half the decade.Perhaps the most dominant defensive player of his generation, like so many other great linebackers on this list, Khalil Mack has had the misfortune of playing on some truly horrendous teams throughout the early portion of his career with the Raiders and the Bears.
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.
His talent has already made him a rich, rich man. The six-year, $141 million extension he signed with the Bears in 2018 was the largest contract for a defensive player in NFL history.
9. Rickey Jackson
Rickey Jackson, No. 57, was at the heart of the famed "Dome Patrol" defense for the New Orleans Saints.Born: March 20, 1958 (Pahokee, Florida)
High school: Pahokee High School (Pahokee, Florida)
College: University of Pittsburgh
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 243 pounds
Rickey Jackson Career
Rickey Jackson brought the pain.NFL career: 15 seasons (1981-95)
Teams: New Orleans Saints (1981-93), San Francisco 49ers (1994-95)
Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1994), six-time Pro Bowl (1983-86, 1992, 1993), five-time All-Pro (1984-86, 1992, 1993), Pro Football Hall of Fame (2010)
Bottom Line: Rickey Jackson
Rickey Jackson was the first player to go into the Pro Football Hall of Fame with his primary team as the New Orleans Saints.The first Hall of Famer to go in as a player primarily for the Saints, Rickey Jackson was the leader of the famed "Doom Patrol" linebacker corps in New Orleans and is one of the toughest players in NFL history.
How tough was the "City Champ"? Jackson only missed two games in his 13 seasons with the Saints — in 1989 because of a car accident.
He returned to play the rest of the season with a specially made helmet because his jaw was wired shut. Jackson retired in the top three in NFL history for sacks (128) and fumble recoveries (28).
8. Mike Singletary
Mike Singletary was at the heart of the greatest defense in NFL history on the 1985 Chicago Bears.Born: Oct. 9, 1958 (Houston)
High school: Worthing High School (Houston)
College: Baylor University
Height/weight: 6-foot, 230 pounds
Mike Singletary Career
Mike Singletary went to Baylor.NFL career: 12 seasons (1981-92)
Team: Chicago Bears
Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1985), 10-time Pro Bowl (1983-82), nine-time All-Pro (1983-91), two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1985, 1988), three-time NFC Player of the Year (1984, 1985, 1988), NFL 1980s All-Decade Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1998)
Bottom Line: Mike Singletary
Mike Singletary made nine All-Pro teams in 12 seasons.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.
That year was the first of two NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards for Singletary, who won again in 1988. Singletary also was named NFC Player of the Year three times during his career.
"I'm Samurai Mike, I stop 'em cold," was the start of his "Super Bowl Shuffle" verse. And, yeah, he really did.
7. Derrick Brooks
Derrick Brooks played his entire career for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Born: April 18, 1973 (Pensacola, Florida)
High school: Booker T. Washington High School (Pensacola, Florida)
College: Florida State University
Height/weight: 6-foot, 230 pounds
Derrick Brooks Career
Derrick Brooks was an 11-time Pro Bowler.NFL career: 14 seasons (1995-2008)
Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (2002), nine-time All-Pro (1997-2005), 11-time Pro Bowl (1997-2006, 2008), NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2002), NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (2014)
Bottom Line: Derrick Brooks
Derrick Brooks was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year and won a Super Bowl in 2002.If you could build a middle linebacker from scratch, you'd probably come up with a player that looked a lot like Derrick Brooks.
He helped lead Florida State to its first national title in 1993 and a decade later put together his greatest NFL seasons, winning NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors and leading the Buccaneers to their only Super Bowl win in 2002.
Brooks, like so many players on this list, played his entire career with just one team.
6. Dick Butkus
Dick Butkus is commonly thought of as the meanest player in NFL history.Born: Dec. 9, 1942 (Chicago)
High school: Vocational High School (Chicago)
College: University of Illinois
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 245 pounds
Dick Butkus Career
You would not like Dick Butkus, No. 51, when he was angry.NFL career: 9 seasons (1965-73)
Team: Chicago Bears
Career highlights: Eight-time Pro Bowl (1965-72), eight-time All-Pro (1965-72), two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1969, 1970), NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1983)
Bottom Line: Dick Butkus
Dick Butkus played nine NFL seasons and won NFL Defensive Player of the Year twice.Only a handful of players can say they truly defined their positions in NFL history. Chicago Bears linebacker Dick Butkus is one of those.
Tales of Butkus' exploits would make you think he played several decades in the NFL, but his career was just nine seasons. Eight of those he made the All-Pro team and the Pro Bowl, with back-to-back NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards in 1969 and 1970.
He might have been the most intimidating human being to ever step on a football field.
5. Ray Nitschke
Ray Nitschke led the Green Bay Packers to three NFL championships and two Super Bowl wins.Born: Dec. 29, 1936 (Elmwood Park, Illinois)
Died: March 8, 1998 (age 61, Venice, Florida)
High school: Proviso East High School (Mayfield, Illinois)
College: University of Illinois
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 235 pounds
Ray Nitschke Career
Ray Nitschke was as intimidating as it gets.NFL career: 15 seasons (1958-72)
Team: Green Bay Packers
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)
Bottom Line: Ray Nitschke
Green Bay Packers linebacker Ray Nitschke co-starred in The Monkees' cult movie "Head" and the box-office smash "The Longest Yard" with Burt Reynolds.Few players in NFL history have captured the public's imagination like Green Bay Packers linebacker Ray Nitschke, who won three NFL championships and two Super Bowl trophies.
Nitscke's style of play was pure dominance in the middle of the field He was known for his ability to dole out hard hits, but his athleticism was always underestimated, and he ended his career with 25 interceptions.
How deep was Nitschke in pop culture during his career? He was in The Monkees' cult-favorite film "Head" and also in the original "The Longest Yard" starring Burt Reynolds.
Nitschke died of a massive heart attack in Florida in 1998, when he was 61 years old.
4. Junior Seau
Junior Seau played his first 13 seasons for his hometown team the San Diego Chargers.Born: Jan. 9, 1969 (Oceanside, California)
Died: May 2, 2012 (age 43, Oceanside, California)
High school: Oceanside High School (Oceanside, California)
College: USC
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 250 pounds
Junior Seau Career
Junior Seau played 20 seasons in the NFL for three teams.NFL career: 20 seasons (1990-2009)
Teams: San Diego Chargers (1990-2002), Miami Dolphins (2003-05), New England Patriots (2006-09)
Career highlights: 12-time Pro Bowl (1991-2002), 10-time All-Pro (1991-2000), NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1992), NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (2015)
Bottom Line: Junior Seau
Junior Seau is an NFL legend.Tiania Baul "Junior" Seau was a football unicorn — a linebacker who played 20 seasons in the NFL and dominated almost every step of the way.
He played 13 seasons for his hometown San Diego Chargers and became perhaps the greatest sports icon in the history of San Diego alongside Padres Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn.
Tragically, Seau took his own life in 2012, at 43 years old. A study of his brain revealed he had a severe case of CTE, which can cause rage, amnesia and severe depression.
3. Ray Lewis
Ray Lewis led the Baltimore Ravens to two Super Bowl wins.Born: May 15, 1975 (Bartow, Florida)
High school: Kathleen High School (Lakeland, Florida)
College: University of Miami
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 240 pounds
Ray Lewis Career
Ray Lewis had 41.5 career sacks.NFL career: 17 seasons (1996-2012)
Team: Baltimore Ravens
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)
Bottom Line: Ray Lewis
Ray Lewis won two NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards.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. That includes Super Bowl wins in 2000 and 2012, with the latter coming in Lewis' final game.
His 10 All-Pro selections are tied for the NFL career record alongside Lawrence Taylor.
Off the field, Lewis' career was almost over before it started. He beat a double-murder charge before the 2000 season following the stabbing deaths of two men in a fight after a Super Bowl party in Atlanta.
2. Jack Lambert
Jack Lambert led the Pittsburgh Steelers to four Super Bowl wins in the 1970s.Born: July 8, 1952 (Mantua, Ohio)
High school: Crestwood High School (Mantua, Ohio)
College: Kent State University
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 220 pounds
Jack Lambert Career
Jack Lambert was nicknamed "Jack Splat."NFL career: 11 seasons (1974-84)
Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
Career highlights: Four-time Super Bowl champion (1974, 1975, 1978, 1979), nine-time Pro Bowl (1975-83), eight-time All-Pro (1975, 1976, 1978-83), NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1976), NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (1974), NFL 100th Anniversary Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1990)
Bottom Line: Jack Lambert
Jack Lambert played his entire NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers.Jack Lambert played 11 seasons — all for the Steelers — and won four Super Bowls as the starting linebacker and heart of the "Steel Curtain" defense with fellow Hall of Famers Mean Joe Greene, Mel Blount, Jack Ham and Donnie Shell.
Lambert averaged 146 tackles through his first 10 seasons, but only played a handful of games in his 11th season because of a toe injury that led to his retirement.
Lambert's size and speed and ability to control a game from the middle linebacker position made him one of the greatest players of all time.
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.
1. Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Taylor was the last defensive player to win NFL Most Valuable Player.Born: Feb. 4, 1959 (Williamsburg, Virginia)
High school: Lafayette High School (Williamsburg, Virginia)
College: University of North Carolina
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 237 pounds
Lawrence Taylor Career
Lawrence Taylor changed the way football is played.NFL career: 13 seasons (1981-93)
Team: New York Giants
Career highlights: Two-time Super Bowl Champion (1986, 1990), NFL Most Valuable Player (1986), 10-time Pro Bowl (1981-90), 10-time All-Pro (1981-90), three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1981, 1982, 1986), NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (1981), NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1999)
Bottom Line: Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Taylor is the greatest linebacker and defensive player in NFL history.Lawrence Taylor isn't just the greatest linebacker of all time. He's also the greatest defensive player of all time.
The No. 2 overall pick in 1981 out of North Carolina led the Giants to two Super Bowl wins, was a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and the NFL Most Valuable Player in 1986 — the last defensive player to win that award.
Taylor's dominance changed the way football is played on every level, from how offensive lines block to the way teams teach how to rush the quarterback.
Related:NFL Teams With Most Hall of Famers