NFL Network's Top 100 players.

[BmoreBlackByrdz]

I think the #1 spot will be given to a QB.(like always) I mean, look at the season MVP awards(mostly all QB's), Super Bowl MVPs are also mostly all QB's. It's a QB driven league and everyone loves to love quarterbacks.

[boknows34]

Originally Posted by BmoreBlackByrdz

I think the #1 spot will be given to a QB.(like always) I mean, look at the season MVP awards(mostly all QB's), Super Bowl MVPs are also mostly all QB's. It's a QB driven league and everyone loves to love quarterbacks.

The Sporting News did a '100 Greatest Players Ever' book about 10 years ago and selected Jim Brown at #1 and Jerry Rice at #2. Montana was the first QB at #3. From memory it went:

1. Brown
2. Rice
3. Montana
4. L.Taylor
5. Unitas
6. Hutson
7. Graham
8. Payton
9. Butkus
10. Lilly
11. Baugh
12. B.Sanders

[Complex]

Kurt Warner is on the list
and
Steve Young is below Troy Aikman WTF

[wonderbredd24]

Originally Posted by Complex

Kurt Warner is on the list
and
Steve Young is below Troy Aikman WTF

I have absolutely no problem with Warner being on there... he's a Hall of Famer.

People just do not appreciate how good Warner was.

[Shiver]

I'm tired of people elevating these players from the 50s and 60s. In basketball and football. Unless you are 60-70 years old then you have no business talking about Jim Brown. Who did he play? How many teams were there? What was the talent level across the league? I have no clue, but if I had to guess he was probably the only real athlete in the whole league at the time. My hatred of old timers isn't limited though, I feel the same way about Wilt, Oscar Robertson and Babe Ruth. Basically all the so-called sacred cows don't mean anything to me. I don't adhere to the unquestioned law that one must rank so and so #1 with no critical thought.

I bet Steven Jackson would have put up 20,000 career yards in the 1960s NFL.

[Splat]

Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch ran like Forrest Gump.

[wonderbredd24]

Originally Posted by Shiver

I'm tired of people elevating these players from the 50s and 60s. In basketball and football. Unless you are 60-70 years old then you have no business talking about Jim Brown. Who did he play? How many teams were there? What was the talent level across the league? I have no clue, but if I had to guess he was probably the only real athlete in the whole league at the time. My hatred of old timers isn't limited though, I feel the same way about Wilt, Oscar Robertson and Babe Ruth. Basically all the so-called sacred cows don't mean anything to me. I don't adhere to the unquestioned law that one must rank so and so #1 with no critical thought.

I bet Steven Jackson would have put up 20,000 career yards in the 1960s NFL.

You admit you have no clue about anything relating to football in the 50's and 60's, yet are unafraid to make this statement.

Spectacular.

[K Train]

Originally Posted by Shiver

I'm tired of people elevating these players from the 50s and 60s. In basketball and football. Unless you are 60-70 years old then you have no business talking about Jim Brown. Who did he play? How many teams were there? What was the talent level across the league? I have no clue, but if I had to guess he was probably the only real athlete in the whole league at the time. My hatred of old timers isn't limited though, I feel the same way about Wilt, Oscar Robertson and Babe Ruth. Basically all the so-called sacred cows don't mean anything to me. I don't adhere to the unquestioned law that one must rank so and so #1 with no critical thought.

I bet Steven Jackson would have put up 20,000 career yards in the 1960s NFL.

oh my god....someone like me. rep

[yourfavestoner]

Originally Posted by wonderbredd24

You admit you have no clue about anything relating to football in the 50's and 60's, yet are unafraid to make this statement.

Spectacular.

Didn't you hear? Human beings have evolved at a faster rate than anything else in the history of the planet in the past 30 years. I can't believe they were even able to play sports in the 60s and 70s considering we had just learned to walk on two feet at that point.

You know what I'm tired of? People elevating guys whose job since 8 years old was to train for football/basketball/whatever. Jim Brown and OJ didn't touch weights for their entire lives; imagine what they would have been like if things like weightlifting hadn't been discouraged.

[LonghornsLegend]

Larry Allen was a ******* ox out there, it was ridiculous, I remember watching him bench at the pro bowl and throwing up 225 over 40 times. He's maxed out at 700lbs at least before and it was on film. Just think about that when he was on the inside paving holes wide open.

[yourfavestoner]

Best Larry Allen play ever.

[wonderbredd24]

There was some stupid ESPN skills challenge where they did the bench press... Larry Allen did 225 like 45 times and Jevon Kearse was unable to do 1.

[LonghornsLegend]

Originally Posted by yourfavestoner

Best Larry Allen play ever.

AHahahahahahah wooow. I don't remember that play, wtf?? Goes to show he was an all around amazing athlete, he was seriously hauling ass lol.

[prock]

I cannot get over that play.

[Shiver]

Originally Posted by wonderbredd24

You admit you have no clue about anything relating to football in the 50's and 60's, yet are unafraid to make this statement.

Spectacular.

Why should I be? It isn't a stretch. This is a completely different game than they played back then. It's like saying that Randy Johnson wasn't as good as Cy Young cause he didn't win as many games. That Oscar Robertson was just as good as LeBron James cause his average was better. That Johnny Unitas could have dominated like Peyton Manning has.

Seriously, the game was in its genesis and the play was archaic. I know Jerry Rice was great. I knew he could dominate in the SUPER BOWL. (which didn't exist in those days, they had barely instituted the forward pass) Let's put Otto Graham at the top of the QB rankings too, Sam Huff at LB, Raymond Berry at WR. Who cares that competition was nil and no one talking ever saw them play. They are on the NFL films highlight reels with Sam Spence's music in the background! They must have been the greatest....

My main point is simple: these "all-time" lists are stupid. To compare a player like Jim Brown, who few have actually seen, to Jerry Rice who we have all seen is stupid. We understand Jerry Rice's game, who he faced off against, what his peers were doing, what the prevalent style of play was. We don't have any kind of appreciation of Jim Brown other than a shallow understanding that he supposedly was the best because old people tell me so.

[phlysac]

Originally Posted by MasterShake

Steve Young being lower than Troy Aikman causes me to lose faith in this Greatest 100 players...

Perhaps Aikman won't make the Top-100

[niel89]

Wow I'm a little surprised to see Ed Reed on there. I absolutely agree with him being included but its surprising to see a current player from a newer franchise on there.

[draftguru151]

3 out of the bottom 20 are Canes I'll take it.

Marino is the only Dolphin on the list. :(

[Complex]

Originally Posted by Shiver

I'm tired of people elevating these players from the 50s and 60s. In basketball and football. Unless you are 60-70 years old then you have no business talking about Jim Brown. Who did he play? How many teams were there? What was the talent level across the league? I have no clue, but if I had to guess he was probably the only real athlete in the whole league at the time. My hatred of old timers isn't limited though, I feel the same way about Wilt, Oscar Robertson and Babe Ruth. Basically all the so-called sacred cows don't mean anything to me. I don't adhere to the unquestioned law that one must rank so and so #1 with no critical thought.

I bet Steven Jackson would have put up 20,000 career yards in the 1960s NFL.

I agree

Babe Ruth had to be doing something because ESPN said he had season where he hit more HRs than every other team.

They should make the list top 100 players from 1967 to now not when they ran around with leather helmets and ut was black & white

[Paranoidmoonduck]

Originally Posted by Shiver

Why should I be? It isn't a stretch. This is a completely different game than they played back then. It's like saying that Randy Johnson wasn't as good as Cy Young cause he didn't win as many games. That Oscar Robertson was just as good as LeBron James cause his average was better. That Johnny Unitas could have dominated like Peyton Manning has.

Seriously, the game was in its genesis and the play was archaic. I know Jerry Rice was great. I knew he could dominate in the SUPER BOWL. (which didn't exist in those days, they had barely instituted the forward pass) Let's put Otto Graham at the top of the QB rankings too, Sam Huff at LB, Raymond Berry at WR. Who cares that competition was nil and no one talking ever saw them play. They are on the NFL films highlight reels with Sam Spence's music in the background! They must have been the greatest....

My main point is simple: these "all-time" lists are stupid. To compare a player like Jim Brown, who few have actually seen, to Jerry Rice who we have all seen is stupid. We understand Jerry Rice's game, who he faced off against, what his peers were doing, what the prevalent style of play was. We don't have any kind of appreciation of Jim Brown other than a shallow understanding that he supposedly was the best because old people tell me so.

I'm trying to grasp what your point may be, but I truly cannot. Are you saying that historical respect is ******** and that the list of the greatest 100 players in NFL history should be a grab bag of All-Pro players from the last decade or two and just leave it at that?

Or are you maybe failing to grasp that the idea of "greatness" has basically nothing to do some strange idea of comparing skills if all the players were in their prime today and everything to do with paying homage and celebrating the truly large figures in the history of a game? Are you getting bent out of shape over a list that both educates those of us who never got to see these guys (with input from those who either have watched the tapes or were alive to see them live) and immerses us in a rich tradition?

The game of football was archaic in the 40's, 50's, and 60's. So was the athletic standard and the basic understanding of athletic training. Certain guys were able to dominate in that environment, just as certain guys are able to now. That doesn't make the professional football 50-70 years ago any less professional football, it just makes it not our contemporary professional football? Why does such a simple and understandable observation raise such ire from you?

[Complex]

Originally Posted by wonderbredd24

I have absolutely no problem with Warner being on there... he's a Hall of Famer.

People just do not appreciate how good Warner was.

Joe Montana, Brett Favre,Steve Young, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Dan Marino, Johnny Unitas, Jim Kelly(most likely be on list), Bart Starr,Troy Aikman(most likely), Roger Stabaugh,Warren Moon and 3-4 Qbs from black and white days will be on the list plus the QBs that I missed.

I'm just saying those Kurt Warner really need to be on this list the 20th best QB ....


I know Joe Nameth is on this list too which he shouldn't

[draftguru151]

That post was made a thousand times better because T-Rex is screaming "Back to the friggin' future!" at me in your sig.

[MichaelJordanEberle (sabf)]

Originally Posted by LonghornsLegend

AHahahahahahah wooow. I don't remember that play, wtf?? Goes to show he was an all around amazing athlete, he was seriously hauling ass lol.

Too bad even he in his prime wouldn't be able to block a cornerback from 30 years in the future. Even a punter is a stretch at this point.

[Brown Leader]

Originally Posted by Shiver

I'm tired of people elevating these players from the 50s and 60s. In basketball and football. Unless you are 60-70 years old then you have no business talking about Jim Brown. Who did he play? How many teams were there? What was the talent level across the league? I have no clue, but if I had to guess he was probably the only real athlete in the whole league at the time. My hatred of old timers isn't limited though, I feel the same way about Wilt, Oscar Robertson and Babe Ruth. Basically all the so-called sacred cows don't mean anything to me. I don't adhere to the unquestioned law that one must rank so and so #1 with no critical thought.

I bet Steven Jackson would have put up 20,000 career yards in the 1960s NFL.

So in other words, if you, personally can't prove it, it isn't right? Your assuming there's been no critical thought in evaluating the greatest sports figures? There have been game analysts critiquing the games and it's players from the start. The next generation on down to you have watched and read what's been said and put in an evaluation and still these guys remain at the top for a reason. I'm all for critical thought but your point is nil unless your going to prove why generations of sports analysts are mistaken.

[boknows34]

Originally Posted by Complex

Joe Montana, Brett Favre,Steve Young, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Dan Marino, Johnny Unitas, Jim Kelly(most likely be on list), Bart Starr,Troy Aikman(most likely), Roger Stabaugh,Warren Moon and 3-4 Qbs from black and white days will be on the list plus the QBs that I missed.

I'm just saying those Kurt Warner really need to be on this list the 20th best QB ....


I know Joe Nameth is on this list too which he shouldn't

Here is the The Sporting News Top 100 from a decade ago. Baugh, Luckman, Layne were the old school pre 1960s QBs. I'm not sure Kelly, Aikman and Moon are going to make the Top 100. Young was 32 places above Aikman on this list. Kelly and Moon were not listed but Dan Fouts was. Obviously Brett Favre will be much higher and Brady/Peyton are certainties.

1. Jim Brown
2. Jerry Rice
3. Joe Montana
4. Lawrence Taylor
5. Johnny Unitas
6. Don Hutson
7. Otto Graham
8. Walter Payton
9. Dick Butkus
10. Bob Lilly


11. Sammy Baugh
12. Barry Sanders
13. Deacon Jones
14. Joe Greene
15. Gino Marchetti
16. John Elway
17. Anthony Munoz
18. Ray Nitschke
19. Night Train Lane
20. John Hannah


21. Gale Sayers
22. Reggie White
23. Ronnie Lott
24. Jim Parker
25. Merlin Olsen
26. O.J. Simpson
27. Dan Marino
28. Forrest Gregg
29. Roger Staubach
30. Jack Lambert


31. Lance Alworth
32. Marion Motley
33. Earl Campbell
34. Alan Page
35. Bronko Nagurski
36. Mel Blount
37. Deion Sanders
38. Eric Dickerson
39. Sid Luckman
40. Raymond Berry


41. Bart Starr
42. Willie Lanier
43. Larry Wilson
44. Terry Bradshaw
45. Herb Adderley
46. Steve Largent
47. Jack Ham
48. John Mackey
49. Bill George
50. Willie Brown


51. Randy White
52. Bobby Layne
53. Tony Dorsett
54. Chuck Bednarik
55. Art Shell
56. Mike Singletary
57. Roosevelt Brown
58. Bruce Smith
59. Fran Tarkenton
60. Paul Warfield


61. Ken Houston
62. Gene Upshaw
63. Steve Young
64. Ted Hendricks
65. Joe Schmidt
66. Bobby Bell
67. Buck Buchanan
68. Emmitt Smith
69. Willie Davis
70. Emlen Tunnell


71. Lenny Moore
72. Marcus Allen
73. Kellen Winslow
74. Mel Hein
75. Mike Webster
76. Sam Huff
77. Steve Van Buren
78. Jim Otto
79. Larry Little
80. Red Grange


81. Darrell Green
82. Brett Favre
83. Franco Harris
84. Dwight Stephenson
85. Charley Taylor
86. Jack Christiansen
87. Rod Woodson
88. Jim Thorpe
89. Elroy Hirsch
90. Mike Ditka


91. Art Monk
92. Dan Fouts
93. Mike Haynes
94. Fred Biletnikoff
95. Troy Aikman
96. Joe Namath
97. Lem Barney
98. George Blanda
99. Lou Groza
100. Charlie Joiner