Ten Greatest NFL Players of All-Time

[Trotsky]

I don't know if there are any football-historian types here, but a popular criticism of the NFL, especially by old timers, is that it has very little regard for its history, whether through promotion or maintaining any sort of statistical and regulatory consistency throughout the decades. So I'm always interested in seeing football GOAT lists.

I would say:

1. Don Hutson (WR, Packers)
2. Lawrence Taylor (OLB, Giants)
3. Reggie White (DE, Eagles/Packers)
4. Johnny Unitas (QB, Colts)
5. Jerry Rice (WR, 49ers/Raiders)
6. Jim Brown (RB, Browns)
7. Dick Butkus (LB, Bears)
8. Otto Graham (QB, Browns)
9. Deacon Jones (DE, Rams)
10. Barry Sanders (RB, Lions)

 

[Adamant]

Joe Montana
Tom Brady

 

[TheRuthlessOne]

Don huntson would get shit canned in today's nfl

 

[Trotsky]

Don huntson would get shit canned in today's nfl

Yep, so would just about any great pre-1980.

But when he retired, he had 3x more yards and touchdowns than any other receiver in the league's history. He had multiple seasons where he had more yards and touchdowns then the next 4-5 guys combined. His production relative to other players in the league is untouchable.

 

[Drake]

Don Hutson is the most underrated/unknown player of all time while Unitas might be the most overrated.

 

[ProBoxingInsidr]

dont think i have ever heard anyone pick hutson as the number 1 player of all time. great yes, but not sure about THE BEST. If the Patriots win this super bowl, i think it is impossible to keep him off the list any more. and might be biased, but i would probably have ronnie lott somewhere in the latter half of the top 10. at least you didnt have emmitt smith in there

 

[Liquid Smoke]

 

[ThinkGreen]

1. Jim Brown

 

[iwhoopedbatman]

I recognize that Hutson was ahead of his time and completely dominant, but the sport was barely legitimate and his most dominant years are during the war. I'm sure he was absolutely great, but I have a problem putting him #1 all-time just because he dominated the stats of a very limited league.

 

[MoparOrNoCar]

Jerry Rice is #1. No questions asked.

 

[platypus44]

Sammy Baugh

 

[RR]

This is tough

1. Jawalrus Russell
2. Ryan Leaf
3. Brian Bozworth
4. Ray Roberts
5. Brock Osweiler
6. Quincy Carter
7. Najeh Davenport
8. JJ Stokes
9. Rae Carruth
10. Tim Biakabutuka

 

['Rocky']

1) Lawrence Taylor
2) John Elway
3) the rest

Gotta go straight to youtube to watch it, but it's the greatest highlight video I've ever seen.

 

['Rocky']

lol@ people mentioning Don Hutson and Sammy Baugh. You motherfuckers better be at least 90 years old if you're gonna have an opinion on that. Go by what you see, and the era it happened in, not what the stat sheet tells you.

All you fair-weather youngsters and dinguses counting rings might even be more laughable. You evaluate talent of the individual player, not the team accomplishments. All that tells everyone is you're not educated enough to evaluate an individual's talent.

 

[the ambush]

1. Barry Sanders
2. Joe Montana
3. Tom Brady
4. Peyton Manning
5. Walter Payton
6. Lawrence Taylor
7. Dan Marino
8. Jerry Rice
9. Reggie White
10. Dick Butkus

 

[therealdope]

This is tough

10. Tim Biakabutuka

Hey!! Leave CANadians out of this!!

 

[therealdope]

1. Barry Sanders
2. Joe Montana
3. Tom Brady
4. Peyton Manning
5. Walter Payton
7. Dan Marino
8. Jerry Rice
9. Derrick Thomas
10. Derrick Thomas

Johnny Unitas and Barry Sanders should be on that list.

 

[PolishHeadlock]

1. Brian Dawkins
2. Randal Cunningham
3. Reggie White
4. Chuck Bednarik
5. Brian Westbrook
6. Koy Detmer
7. William Thomas
8.Fletcher Cox
9. Wilber Montgomery
10. Harold Carmichael

 

[PolishHeadlock]

I recognize that Hutson was ahead of his time and completely dominant, but the sport was barely legitimate and his most dominant years are during the war. I'm sure he was absolutely great, but I have a problem putting him #1 all-time just because he dominated the stats of a very limited league.

Exactly.

I think you can compare certain eras but you can't compare eras when guys weren't even compensated enough to live without getting a side job.

 

[faustian]

Jeff George
Pele
Eli Manning
Fuad Reveiz
Richie Incognito
Hope Solo
Brian Bosworth
Michael Vick
Alexi Lalas
Dez Bryant