Greatest NFL Linebackers Of All Time

[Ian]

Came across this, and Nick Buoniconti got the call for the Patriots:

The greatest all-time linebacker in for every NFL franchise

Yardbarker's best-of NFL positional series continues with linebackers. This does not cover pure pass-rushing threats -- we will get to them -- but rather true off-ball defenders who thrived as traditional inside and outside 'backers.

www.yardbarker.com

"All due respect to Bill Belichick pieces Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel and Dont'a Hightower, Buoniconti is in the Hall of Fame after doing his best work as a Patriot. Perhaps better remembered for his stay on Don Shula's legendary Dolphins teams and for his "Inside the NFL" contributions, Buoniconti started his career with the Patriots and earned four of his five first-team All-Pro honors with the franchise. Known then as the Boston Patriots, the AFL club received superb Buoniconti work; 24 of his 32 career INTs came as a Patriot. The middle 'backer is also retroactively credited with 18 sacks with the franchise. The Pats traded him to the Dolphins in 1969."

 

[aluminum seats]

Andre Tippett.

 

[Gumby]

Andre Tippett.

He was absolutely the best Pat that I watched. I can’t say too much about Buoniconti, I was just starting to watch when he retired.

 

[BennyBledsoe]

.....I can't think of anybody who would think, "Oh yeah, Buoniconti, the Patriot!" More likely, "Oh right, he started out with the Pats!"

But come on, it has to be Andre Tippett. Dude's a Patriot lifer and NFL Hall of Famer.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Way before my time. The 90's is when I started watching so I can only comment on who I've seen . All the LB's have had their strengths and limitations, but I can't pick that one stand alone player that is above the rest:

90's-2000's:

Ted Johnson: Excellent run stuffer and the most vicious hitter I've seen on the Pats. Got exposed in space though which Johnson has admitted on his radio show. Injuries started to take a toll by 1998.

Teddy Brucshi: The most Boston name along with Sam Adams. Do you guys remember when he was a situational hand in the dirt DE during his early years? He's the LB that is remembered the most and had his best years when the Dynasty started. He was a very smart LB who made timely plays.

Late 2000's - 2010's:

Adalius Thomas: He was known as a pass rusher, but BB decided to use his athletic ability as a MLB where the passing game were a major weakness. He fixed it in 2007. He was a terror in SB42 that goes unnoticed to this day and I would've given him the MVP vote had he found a way to sack Manning before the Helmet Catch. After Thomas' injury in 2008 was when the problems started.

Jerod Mayo: Never really liked him and didn't come close to living up to the 8th pick in the draft status. He was a stat collector and never seemed to have wow or game altering plays. He was awful in space despite his measurables.

Brandon Spikes: Played in the wrong era. He would've been an excellent replacement in the 3-4 defense to Ted Johnson in 2005. Absolute thumper in the run game and like Junior Seau blew up running plays blitzing the A/B gaps. Vicious hitter! He had his limitations in the passing game.

Donta Hightower: Underrated pass rusher who I had hoped stayed on the outside and rushed the passer on 3rd down. The LB's were so bad that he had to switch inside. His early career mirrored Chris Slade.

Jamie Collins: Had about 2 years of elite play before trending downward in 2016. Had a knack for INT's and was an excellent blitzing LB up the gaps. Underrated on special teams where he was blocking a few FG's in 2015. NFL changed the rules because of him.

2020-:

Ja'Whaun Bentley: Like Mayo, was a stat collector but did nothing that jumped out at you and was extremely limited playing against competant offenses.

Robert Spillane: He's a very good LB in this current era. He makes plays and was clearly missed when he was out with an injury in 2025. He's by far the best of the 2020's.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Andre Tippett.

He was absolutely the best Pat that I watched. I can’t say too much about Buoniconti, I was just starting to watch when he retired.

.....I can't think of anybody who would think, "Oh yeah, Buoniconti, the Patriot!" More likely, "Oh right, he started out with the Pats!"

But come on, it has to be Andre Tippett. Dude's a Patriot lifer and NFL Hall of Famer.

Article said it was about "off ball LB's" and not based on pass rushing.

 

[BennyBledsoe]

Yeah, I'd still vote for Tippett.

Also, for Bruschi, it's just one 'd' Tedy. And not for nothing, I love pointing out his original number was 45 in training camp/preseason. I absolutely loved that 1996 team.

 

[mgteich]

If we're talking about the top NFL QB's of all time, I think that Tippett is the only patriot in the discussion.

 

[Pape]

Wow... That list is chock full of old school linebackers... kinda surprising to see so many tbh...

I've only seen old clips of Nick Buoniconti... If he is 1, Tip has to be 1A... both are Hall of Famers for a reason



But still, I'd be inclined to put Tedy at or near the top... more so than anyone he embodied what it meant to be a Patriot

 

[UGAPatsfan]

Spikes 20 years earlier would have been a HOF’er. Wrong era

 

[BennyBledsoe]

Spikes 20 years earlier would have been a HOF’er. Wrong era

I believe the same about Bledsoe. If he was part of that class of '83, he'd have been near first ballot.

 

[BennyBledsoe]

I believe the same about Bledsoe. If he was part of that class of '83, he'd have been near first ballot.

I looked it up...but yeah, since Fryar got to the Patriots as a result of the Buccaneers being awful (and Cincy trading that pick to the Pats), it's likely that trade still gets made with Bledsoe there and they still pick first and probably still pick Fryar for their rocket-armed QB.

Imagine Bledsoe bombing it to Morgan and Fryar? Protected by a really good offensive line and a running game? *whistles*

 

[Betterthanmost]

Dont’a Hightower for me. His game to game tape may not show all the flashy highlights reels the best have but when game was on the line Dont’a has made some of the most consequential plays. The Lynch tackle near goal line, the strip sack of Matt Ryan. What impresses me is the fact that if you watch the site and sounds of game, he talks about making such plays before the play. His motivational speeches and at times flat out warnings to his teams on bench not to mess up prior to making such plays are fantastic.

 

[Wozzy]

Vincent Brown’s career ended abruptly but he was as good a MLB as there was in the late 80’s early 90’s. He was unlucky to be on the league doormat so that hurt his all star chances.

Hightower was unique because he could play the run as well as any SAM LB’er but then on passing downs could slide to the end of the line and play DE at a high level.

Collins was the most athletic ILB of the last couple decades. If he didn’t chase the money and the Pats were in better financial shape when he was up for a contract we might have seen his best.

Bruschi is the arguement for best ILB we’ve had, he was strong for a weakside LB’er and had the versatility to play anywhere. He’s second on the career forced fumble list.

But yeah, Buoniconti for the best ILB and Tippett for the best OLB the franchise has ever seen. The stats bear that out.

 

[FortressX]

Steve Nelson.

Clayton Weishuhn(RIP) for another "could have been" to go along with Vincent Brown.

 

[State]

He was absolutely the best Pat that I watched. I can’t say too much about Buoniconti, I was just starting to watch when he retired.

Clayton Weihsuhn. A year and a half of greatness. Instincts, football IQ, and quickness that were truly elite. Otherworldly, really.

Him paired with Steve Nelson in the middle was masturbatory material.

The cherry on the sundae was Gil Brandt of the Cowboys openly castigating himself for not drafting the undersized West Texan.

Knee injury cut off the magic. And it was magical.

A truck accident cut off Clayton's life. RIP.

If I had another son, I just yesterday said to myself I'd name him Clayton.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Jamie Collins: Had about 2 years of elite play before trending downward in 2016. Had a knack for INT's and was an excellent blitzing LB up the gaps. Underrated on special teams where he was blocking a few FG's in 2015. NFL changed the rules because of him.

Because of the Patriots, at any rate. IIRC, the last guy to jump the line was Shea McClellin.

 

[reflexblue]

I believe the same about Bledsoe. If he was part of that class of '83, he'd have been near first ballot.

Bledsoe was born ten years late. Ive thought that for twenty years.

 

[reflexblue]

He was absolutely the best Pat that I watched. I can’t say too much about Buoniconti, I was just starting to watch when he retired.

Tippit could single handedly take over a game at the peak of his career in the mid to late eighties

 

[State]

Andre never got a sniff at the Bengals QB. Anthony Munoz stoned him cold.

Nobody stopped Clayton except him own knees.

Just sayin.