NFL Top 100 Players Positional Breakdown

[everlong]

Sure, it's dumb that Tomlinson and Peterson didn't make the list of the top 100 players of all time, but I'm just glad Bettis didn't get named to the running back list, because you know there was some not insignificant number of voters who wanted it to happen. I still can't believe he's in the Hall of Fame.

I could not agree more. He's would make my top ten of players not deserving who got the nod. Russ Grimm, Curtis Martin and Harry Carson all come quickly to mind but #1 is Joe Namath unless you want to go coaches and then it's Dungy who I hate to say it they're putting on the coaches list. I'm not prejudice at all but you also don't put somebody in just because they were the first black coach to win a SB. If he belongs in so do Shanahan, Reid, Holmgrin, Jimmy Johnson (who should be in IMO, peak vs longevity) and a host of others. It just cheapens it.

Thomlinson was the biggest snub so far IMO and I'm really not a fan of because of his whining but there was no denying the talent. Can you imagine if he played in the backfield with Brady? That 07 team would have beat everybody by 40 including the Giants.

 

[everlong]

» Tackles: 7 (Munoz, Gregg, Brown, Roaf, Ogden, Pace, Thomas)

I think Walter Jones makes the team and one of Roaf, Ogden or Pace are out. It's a really tough choice there and I can't argue with your list just my opinion.

1. »

   Defensive Ends: 7 (White, Jones, Marchetti, Smith, Watt, Strahan, Atkins)

Strahan probably will make it but honestly Julius Peppers, Jason Taylor.....there's a host of guys who were as good if not better. He'll get it because he's a current celebrity.

» Defensive Tackles: 7 (Greene, Lilly, Olsen, White, Sapp, Donald, Randle)
» Linebackers: 12 (6 MLB/ILB; 6 OLB) (Lewis, Butkus, Lanier, Nitschke, Hendricks, Ham, Lambert, Taylor, Nitschke, Miller, Willis, Ware).

I detest Sapp making it. Miller....... Great player but Ricky Jackson, Chris Doleman and Derrick Thomas are probably as deserving if not more so. The one thing he has is that SB MVP which probably does push him over the top.

 

[primetime]

I think Walter Jones makes the team and one of Roaf, Ogden or Pace are out. It's a really tough choice there and I can't argue with your list just my opinion.

Strahan probably will make it but honestly Julius Peppers, Jason Taylor.....there's a host of guys who were as good if not better. He'll get it because he's a current celebrity.

I detest Sapp making it. Miller....... Great player but Ricky Jackson, Chris Doleman and Derrick Thomas are probably as deserving if not more so. The one thing he has is that SB MVP which probably does push him over the top.

You're right, I forgot Walter Jones. I think Pace was probably the worst (lol this is relative) of the big four late 90s to early 2000s guys, so I would replace him with Jones.

I would personally pick Peppers or Taylor over Strahan but I think that's correct about his celebrity. But also the fact he still holds the single season sack record and has for nearly two decades is going to be a big factor, even though sacks are overvalued.

Donald and Watt are a couple I'm not sure about. Donald's a little like Gronk was a few years ago, one of those guys you can quite honestly say is one of the best all-time but probably needs a little more "longevity" for that honor.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I'm not sure about the entire list, but your top 3, in that order, are ironclad locks. I think it's a bit of a drop-off after those 3.

Yea its tough. I put a premium on winning and Super Bowls.

People ***** about Bradshaw and I don't care.

 

[primetime]

Yea its tough. I put a premium on winning and Super Bowls.

People ***** about Bradshaw and I don't care.

Is Eli in your top 10 then

 

[1960Pats]

IMO Marino should be in the top 10...he was better then Manning and Farve. However I would put him at the top of the list for his all-time proficiency at being a world class a-hole for a QB.

I kept track of four of the top ten lists of clutch QB's from a few years ago and Marino was on all 4 lists (7th, 10th, 10th and 5th) and Manning (7th) was on one of them, along with Aikman (9th), Bradshaw (10th) & Namath (6th). Favre & Rodgers weren't on anyone's list.

Besides Marino all four lists included Montana, Elway, Brady, Unitas & Starr. Three of the lists included Graham, Staubach, Stabler & Young.

Those lists were from NFLN, SI, NFL Films and Bleacher Report from about 5 years ago.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Is Eli in your top 10 then

No he didn't win enough. Multiple < .500 seasons.

Great QBs win games for their teams

 

[Doctor DDS]

I think to be a top All-time QB you need a combination of the following: (I have them in my personal order of importance)
Wins - Post Season (totals and win percentage)
Wins - Regular Season (totals and win percentage)
Awards - MVPs, All Pros, Pro Bowls... should be regularly considered top 5 at position
Statistics - (era adjusted)
Clutch/Signature moments - Brady has 13 Game Winning Drives in Playoffs - Manning by comparison has 2

Brady obviously can check all of the boxes as can Montana.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

My thoughts off the cuff.
Jurgensen top 10 a major head scratcher.
I think you missed some guys aikman k Anderson and fouts come to mind
Your 90s on stat compilers seem to favor recency over guys like Brodie, stabler, griese, Jim hart, Dawson etc.
Elway should be higher imo.
Bledsoe and vinny don’t belong in a top 30 imo

You looked at that list & actually said ...
"Your 90s on stat compilers" . Honestly who talks like this? It just doesn't make sense. Certainly doesn't seem like you know what you're talking abt.

It's a subjective list so obviously you'll have differences.

Sonny was soooo far ahead of his time its not funny. Way too many INTs for my liking but we're talking abt one of the prettiest, best passers of all-time. Check out his whip in this clip for crying out loud. Look at the touch, accuracy & placement of these balls. Tough as hell too.


He passed for 2k-3k+ 7 times in the 60's. Also rushed for 15 TDs. Again too many INTS but the game, coaching, players etc weren't exactly up to speed w Sonny. In terms of that decade only Johnny U was a better QB imo but won't argue against Starr & YA I guess. Again its a subjective list but Sonny isn't far fetched if you studied the game & him.

 

[Ring 6]

You looked at that list & actually said ...
"Your 90s on stat compilers" . Honestly who talks like this? It just doesn't make sense. Certainly doesn't seem like you know what you're talking abt.

It's a subjective list so obviously you'll have differences.

Sonny was soooo far ahead of his time its not funny. Way too many INTs for my liking but we're talking abt one of the prettiest, best passers of all-time. Check out his whip in this clip for crying out loud. Look at the touch, accuracy & placement of these balls. Tough as hell too.


He passed for 2k-3k+ 7 times in the 60's. Also rushed for 15 TDs. Again too many INTS but the game, coaching, players etc weren't exactly up to speed w Sonny. In terms of that decade only Johnny U was a better QB imo but won't argue against Starr & YA I guess. Again its a subjective list but Sonny isn't far fetched if you studied the game & him.

Clearly “on” was a typo.
I am very familiar with jurgenson. I can see jurgenson pushing the top 30 but probably in the outside looking in, but there are too many better QBs in my book for him to be considered for top 10.
From his era I’d take tarkenton, Brodie, Dawson Tittle who aren’t top 10 over him as well as Starr and Unitas who are. But everyone has their opinion.
I think you left some very good QBs off to include the likes of Bledsoe and Vinny, the “stat compilers” I was referring to. Again everyone has an opinion, mine places winning , and your role in winning or not winning higher than cumulative stats.

 

[everlong]

First off you have to watch the show if for no other reason LT was fricking hysterical.

Some surprises last night in the defensive front 7. Not that all of these are surprises but Strahan, Derrick Thomas, Mike Singletary, Sam Huff, Ray Nitschke, Von Miller, JJ Watt, Howie Long, Cortez Kennedy or Warren Sapp.

The player I was most happy to see make it was Bobby Bell who sort of gets forgotten because Lanier and Buchanon were both on that team and because Lambert and Ham overlapped him but he was the best of all of them. As close to an all around LB as anybody can come to LT IMO.

Player I was most excited to see not make the list Warren Sapp because he's an A-Hole and because John Randle deserved it so much more. I'm also glad Strahan didn't make it. He was a great player but I thought he would get in on celebrity.

Player they gushed about the most about that surprised me was Lee Roy Selmon. I knew he was good but Joe Greene called him the best 3-4 DE ever and Bill actually raised his hand and said you don't have to convince me.

I'm really glad the committee hasn't put a heavy emphasis on players still playing but Watt with 5 first team all pros and three defensive player of the year awards is a little surprising.

I'm more confident Aaron Rodgers isn't making the QB list and looking forward to the Cheese Heads imploding, quite messy that.

 

[everlong]

Also the players who did make it are below. Chuck Noll was added as a coach. Not surprising with 3 of his defenders making it last night that they chose that spot to announce him. Bill talked about how Chuck always treated him with respect and as a young coach how much that meant to him. Interesting as well Bill had a football card collection spanning from the mid 50's through 60's and still has them. He'll never sell them because he's obviously not hurting for cash but I'd love to know what that collection is worth. He could hand them down to his kids but I have a feeling those to go to the HOF at some point.

DEFENSIVE END (7): Doug Atkins, Bill Hewitt, Deacon Jones*, Gino Marchetti*, Lee Roy Selmon, Bruce Smith, Reggie White.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE (7): Buck Buchanan, Joe Greene, Bob Lilly*, Merlin Olsen, Alan Page*, John Randle, Randy White.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER (6): Chuck Bednarik, Bobby Bell, Derrick Brooks, Jack Ham, Ted Hendricks, Lawrence Taylor*.

MIDDLE LINEBACKER (6): **** Butkus*, Jack Lambert, Willie Lanier, Ray Lewis, Joe Schmidt, Junior Seau.

 

[primetime]

Watt probably got hurt by recent injury history, and Donald by not having played long enough. I don't really have a problem saying they're among the top 100 players in NFL history though. I would've picked Demarcus Ware over Derrick Brooks but whatever.

 

[primetime]

Also the players who did make it are below. Chuck Noll was added as a coach. Not surprising with 3 of his defenders making it last night that they chose that spot to announce him. Bill talked about how Chuck always treated him with respect and as a young coach how much that meant to him. Interesting as well Bill had a football card collection spanning from the mid 50's through 60's and still has them. He'll never sell them because he's obviously not hurting for cash but I'd love to know what that collection is worth. He could hand them down to his kids but I have a feeling those to go to the HOF at some point.

Most football card collections aren't worth much of anything, even with cards from the handcut days. Basically needs to be perfectly graded and cut and a card the few collectors left actually want. There's no real market for it.

 

[everlong]

Watt probably got hurt by recent injury history, and Donald by not having played long enough. I don't really have a problem saying they're among the top 100 players in NFL history though. I would've picked Demarcus Ware over Derrick Brooks but whatever.

I wouldn't have picked Ware over Brooks. Brooks was a far more complete player. Donald wasn't a finalist. His short tenure definitely hurt him. With Watt there have only been two players who have been 3 time DPOYs and that's him and LT. Hard to ignore that.

It does make me wonder if Gronk will get shafted. If Gayle Sayers made the list then Gronk should.

 

[everlong]

Most football card collections aren't worth much of anything, even with cards from the handcut days. Basically needs to be perfectly graded and cut and a card the few collectors left actually want. There's no real market for it.

Interesting. I figured with the lack of supply they would be worth something. He didn't indicate the quality.

 

[primetime]

I wouldn't have picked Ware over Brooks. Brooks was a far more complete player. Donald wasn't a finalist. His short tenure definitely hurt him. With Watt there have only been two players who have been 3 time DPOYs and that's him and LT. Hard to ignore that.

It does make me wonder if Gronk will get shafted. If Gayle Sayers made the list then Gronk should.

Gronk will definitely make the list, but like Watt probably wouldn't have if the list was done a couple years ago. Retired players are viewed more fondly for whatever reason.

 

[everlong]

Gronk will definitely make the list, but like Watt probably wouldn't have if the list was done a couple years ago. Retired players are viewed more fondly for whatever reason.

I hope you're correct. At his peak he's the Goat.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

They have Peterson lol > Law, Sherman & others. Also no Earl Thomas or R Harrison.

 

[primetime]

They have Peterson lol > Law, Sherman & others. Also no Earl Thomas or R Harrison.

That's a "finalist" group. Most of those won't make it.

Sherman is obviously the second best corner of the last 10-15 years or so besides Revis. Peterson is weird to have over him, but Peterson isn't going to make it. Gilmore's last two seasons have been better than any of Peterson's.