Two participants in the first Super Bowl grace today's installment, including the third member of the '60s Packers in the last four days:
5. Gary Collins, WR/P 1962-1971 (Cleveland); Two Pro Bowls; NFL All-1960s Team; 70 career receiving touchdowns
(Marvin M. Greene/Cleveland Plain Dealer)
In the run-heavy NFL during the 1960s, few flankers were as productive as Cleveland's Gary Collins. The Maryland alum, who chose the Browns over the AFL's Patriots after being a first-round selection in both league's 1962 drafts, caught at least 10 scores four different times in his career. Collins' finest season as a pass-catcher was in 1966, when he caught 56 balls for 946 yards and 12 touchdowns in his second straight Pro Bowl effort. The two-position player also was the primary punter during his time in Cleveland; he led the NFL in yards per punt the following year with 46.7 on a career-high 65 kicks. Collins is, to date, the last Browns player to win a championship MVP award, catching three touchdown passes in a 27-0 rout of the Colts in 1964.
4. Boyd Dowler, WR 1959-1971 (Green Bay, Washington); Two Pro Bowls; NFL All-1960s Team; 7,270 career receiving yards
Five-time NFL champion Boyd Dowler caught just 45 touchdowns in an 11-year career for a team known for running the ball with the Packer sweep. Two of those scores came in Green Bay's 21-17 victory in the Ice Bowl against Dallas. While Bart Starr's game-winning sneak has been the indelible moment of the 1967 NFL Championship, just as important to Green Bay's third straight championship win was the contribution of the Packers Hall of Fame member. The Wyoming native was Starr's primary target throughout his Packer career, gaining a career-high 901 yards in 1963. Like Collins, Dowler also spent time as a punter. Dowler's punting career lasted just three seasons, however; after 1962 he was used as a punter just once in the final nine years of his career.
3. Stanley Morgan, WR 1977-1990 (New England, Indianapolis); Four Pro Bowls; 10,716 career receiving yards
(Otto Gruele Jr./Getty)
For the first 10 years of his career, former Tennessee Volunteer Stanley Morgan averaged 20 yards per reception as New England's most prolific pass-catcher. From 1979-1981 no one in the NFL gained more yards per catch than Morgan; he was rewarded with two Pro Bowl appearances during that stretch. Morgan was Super Bowl XX's leading receiver in terms of passes caught; his 51 yards led the severely over-matched Patriots in that game. Following a losing effort to the Bears, Morgan finished his next two seasons in the Pro Bowl. His 1,491 receiving yards in 1986 were a career high for the veteran wideout. After completing his Patriots career in 1989, Morgan spent one year with the Colts before calling it quits for good. Morgan remains New England's all-time leading receiver and was inducted into the team's Hall of Fame in 2007.
2. Hines Ward, WR 1998-2011 (Pittsburgh); Four Pro Bowls; Super Bowl XL MVP; 12,083 career receiving yards
Former Georgia Bulldog Hines Ward helped transform the Steelers from a run-first offense into one that relies on the passing game. Pittsburgh's all-time leading receiver was one of the league's best pass catchers in the first half of the '00s, earning all four of his Pro Bowl invitations consecutively from 2001-2004. The following year Ward gained 123 yards and scored the game-clinching touchdown in Super Bowl XL en route to becoming just the fifth wide receiver to earn the game's MVP honor. By the end of his 14-year career Ward had played in more games for the Steelers than any player not named Mike Webster. After his 2011 retirement, the versatile Ward won the 12th season of ABC's "Dancing With The Stars."
1. Buck Buchanan, DT 1963-1975 (Kansas City); Eight Pro Bowls; Four First-Team All-Pro; Pro Football HOF class of 1990
(James Flores/NFL Photos)
Buck Buchanan was the most dominating defensive lineman on the American Football League's most dominating team. The 1963 AFL draft's first selection never missed a game in his 13-year Chiefs career and was named all-AFL in each of the final four years before the merger. He unofficially recorded one sack in each of the Chiefs' two Super Bowl appearances, including a Super Bowl IV performance in which his defense allowed the Vikings to score just seven points. Buchanan was still one of the best defensive tackles in football after Kansas City joined the NFL; he earned his last two Pro Bowl honors in 1970 and 1971. Buchanan is the only member of today's list to have his number retired, as well as the only 86 in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
One of my favorite jersey numbers (thanks Kevin Dyson) highlights today's list:
5. Joe Horn, WR 2000-2007 (New Orleans, Atlanta); Four Pro Bowls; 7,865 career receiving yards
At the turn of the century, few wideouts were as productive as the Saints' Joe Horn. Perhaps overshadowed by the T.O.'s and Ochocincos of the world, Horn spent all but one year of 2000-2004 among the top eight players in the league in receiving yards. His final Pro Bowl season was his finest; the former fifth-round draft pick finished second in the NFL with 1,399 yards and found the end zone 11 times. After the Saints released him following the 2006 season, Horn had his lowest statistical output wearing number 87 in 2007, recording just 243 yards on 27 catches with the Falcons. Three years later, he signed a ceremonial contract to retire with the Saints, who inducted Horn into their Hall of Fame.
4. Muhsin Muhammad, WR 1996-2009 (Carolina, Chicago); Two Pro Bowls; One First-Team All-Pro; 11,438 career receiving yards
(Streeter Lecka/Getty)
Longevity was the key asset to Muhsin Muhammad's NFL career. Averaging just over 800 yards receiving per season in his 14 years as a pro player, the Michigan State product was a reliable target for two of the worst quarterbacks to ever lose Super Bowls (Jake Delhomme in Carolina and "Sexy Rexy" Grossman in Chicago). Muhammad's finest season was 2004, in which he led the league in both yards (1,405) and touchdowns (16) by a receiver. Muhammad was one of Super Bowl XXXVIII's most dynamic players, catching four balls for 140 yards and a score in a loss. Three years later in Super Bowl XLI, he scored another touchdown in another losing effort. Muhammad finished his career back in Carolina, retiring in 2009 as the team's second all-time leading receiver. 3. Claude Humphrey, DE 1968-1981 (Atlanta, Philadelphia); Six Pro Bowls; Two First-Team All-Pro; 1968 Defensive Rookie of the Year; Pro Football HOF class of 2014
In their third year of existence, the Atlanta Falcons drafted Tennessee State defensive lineman Claude Humphrey. While it took Atlanta until 1978 to finally reach its first postseason, Humphrey was easily the brightest star of the Falcons' early years and one of the league's most underrated defensive ends of the 1970s. Humphrey spent the twilight of his career wearing a different set of wings; he was instrumental in helping the Eagles reach Super Bowl XV. A five-time Hall of Fame finalist, Humphrey finally earned his Canton bust as a senior candidate in 2014. 2. Willie Davis, DE 1960-1969 (Green Bay); Five Pro Bowls; Five First-Team All-Pro; NFL All-1960s Team; Pro Football HOF class of 1981; 22 career fumble recoveries
(Neil Leifer/Sports Illustrated)
While Bart Starr was the Packers' offensive cornerstone, Green Bay's leader on defense was Louisiana native Willie Davis. Originally drafted by Cleveland in 1958, Davis switched from number 77 to 87 when he arrived in Green Bay in 1960. He led the Packers to five NFL championships in his decade with the team, earning all-pro honors in each of Green Bay's last four championship seasons. Davis was at his best in the first two Super Bowls. His 4.5 career Super Bowl sacks and three sacks in Super Bowl II would both be tied for game records were sacks counted officially in 1967 and 1968. In 1981 he and Jim Ringo became the eighth and ninth members of the 1960s Packers inducted into the Hall of Fame. 1. Reggie Wayne, WR 2001-2014 (Indianapolis); Six Pro Bowls; One First-Team All-Pro; 14,345 career receiving yards (10th all-time)
(Charlie Riedel/Associated Press)
If Reggie Wayne ever enters the Hall of Fame, it will be years from now; nonetheless I would argue that other than Peyton Manning, he is the most important player in the history of the Indianapolis Colts. Playing in his prime alongside Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison, Wayne spent the latter years of his 14-season career as the primary pass-catcher of young phenom Andrew Luck. With the help of the former Miami Hurricane, Luck reached the playoffs as a rookie and the AFC Championship game two years later. Wayne finished his career eighth all-time in receiving yards, right behind his longtime teammate Harrison, and the Colts have not reached the postseason since he left Indianapolis. Wayne remains his team's leader in total games played, and is second only to Manning in games started for the Colts.
Four members of the Hall of Fame and one future Canton enshrinee grace today's list:
5. Lynn Swann, WR 1974-1982 (Pittsburgh); Three Pro Bowls; One First-Team All-Pro; Super Bowl X MVP; NFL All-1970s Team; Pro Football HOF class of 2001; 5,462 career receiving yards
Four-time NFL champion Lynn Swann may be best remembered for his outstanding 161-yard performance in Super Bowl X, a record that has only been bested by three players in the 40 years since. Part of the highly-regarded 1974 Steelers draft class, Swann played in all four Pittsburgh Super Bowls in the '70s. In addition to the score that gave the Steelers a two-score lead in their second title game, Swann caught a third-quarter touchdown pass in Pittsburgh's Super Bowl XIV win against the Rams. The USC alum likely would be a footnote in NFL history - he never had a 1,000-yard receiving season and averaged just six touchdown catches a year - if not for the fact that he played for arguably the best team in the Super Bowl Era. Thus, Swann eventually joined seven of his Steeler teammates in Canton 19 years after his retirement.
4. Michael Irvin, WR 1988-1999 (Dallas); Five Pro Bowls; One First-Team All-Pro; Pro Football HOF class of 2007; 11,904 career receiving yards
(Greg Trott/Associated Press)
Number 88 has long been worn by the Dallas Cowboys' top wide receiver, but none wore it better than three-time Super Bowl champion Michael Irvin. The former Miami Hurricane is one of just 14 players to have caught multiple touchdown passes in a Super Bowl game; his two-score performance in Super Bowl XXVII helped Dallas rout the Bills 52-17. Irvin's finest NFL season came in 1995, the year the Cowboys won their third championship in a four-year span. In his fifth straight Pro Bowl season, the dynamic receiver set new career highs in catches (111), yards (1,603) and touchdowns (10). Irvin was a crucial part of the playoff run that cemented the Cowboys' dynasty status. He scored two touchdowns in that year's NFC Championship, a 38-27 win over the Packers. His 76-yard contribution helped Dallas beat Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XXX. Irvin is one of six members of the 1990's Cowboys currently enshrined in Canton.
3. Marvin Harrison, WR 1996-2008 (Indianapolis); Eight Pro Bowls; Three First-Team All-Pro; NFL All-2000s Team; Pro Football HOF class of 2016; 128 career receiving touchdowns (fifth all-time)
Marvin Harrison was on the receiving end of the most explosive quarterback-wide receiver tandem of all time. The Syracuse product hooked up with future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning for 114 of his 128 touchdown receptions, putting them well ahead of any other duo. Harrison also ranks in the top 10 of all players in NFL history with 14,580 career receiving yards. His dependability in the Colts' offense earned Harrison eight straight trips to the Pro Bowl; in all eight of those seasons he caught at least 10 touchdowns. After not being able to make Philadelphia's 53-man roster in 2009, Harrison officially retired from the NFL. Seven years later he donned his gold jacket; Harrison will get to welcome his long-time quarterback into Canton in four years. 2. Tony Gonzalez, TE 1997-2013 (Kansas City, Atlanta); 14 Pro Bowls; Six First-Team All-Pro; NFL All-2000s Team; 15,127 career receiving yards (fifth all-time)
Tony Gonzalez is, without a doubt, the greatest tight end in NFL history. The durable workhorse missed just two games in his 17-year professional football career; by the time all was said and done, he was the all-time NFL leader in yards and touchdowns caught by a tight end. A quick look will reveal Gonzalez to be the only tight end in the top 25 of the league's all-time receiving yards list; the Cowboys' Jason Witten, with 11,888 through the 2016 season, ranks just 27th. Gonzalez was at his best in 2004, when he caught a league-high 102 passes for a career-best 1,258 yards. The former Cal basketball standout introduced the world to a new breed of tight end, one that was just as reliable catching passing as he was blocking. The innovation he brought to the game, coupled with his stats which are unmatched by any to have played his position before him, will be more than enough to ensure Gonzalez enshrinement in the Hall of Fame two years from now.
1. Alan Page, DT 1967-1978 (Minnesota); Nine Pro Bowls; Six First-Team All-Pro; 1971 NFL MVP; Pro Football HOF class of 1988; 19 career fumble recoveries
(Neil Leifer/Sports Illustrated)
In the 60-year history of the NFL MVP award, only two defensive players have earned the honor. The first was Alan Page, a menacing member of the Vikings' Purple People Eaters. Page terrorized opposing offenses throughout his career, reaching the Pro Bowl in all but his first and last full seasons in Minnesota. The Notre Dame alumnus was a member of all four Vikings teams to reach the Super Bowl, recording a sack in each of his last three appearances. After finishing his career wearing the number 82 in Chicago, Page returned to his hometown of Canton when he joined the Hall of Fame. The extremely successful defensive lineman also spent more than three decades practicing law; in 2015 he retired after 22 years as an associate justice on the Minnesota Supreme Court.
Today we move into the numbers currently reserved for pass-catchers, but two Hall of Fame defenders grace the list as well:
5. Dave Robinson, LB 1963-1974 (Green Bay, Washington); Three Pro Bowls; One First-Team All-Pro; NFL All-60s Team; Pro Football HOF class of 2013; 27 career interceptions
(Vernon Biever/Getty)
Selected 14th overall by the two-time defending league champions in 1963, Dave Robinson was expected to help Green Bay pull off the first three-peat in NFL history. While it didn't happen in his rookie season, the Penn State product was a key part of all three Packers championship teams later that decade. Robinson's lone all-pro season came in 1967, the year of Green Bay's third straight title and second Super Bowl victory. The linebacker recorded multiple picks in nine of his 12 NFL seasons; his lone return touchdown came in a 1973 Washington victory over the Giants. Robinson waited almost four decades after his retirement to enter the Hall of Fame; along with Curley Culp he was one of the two senior inductees for the 2013 class.
4. Otis Taylor, WR 1965-1975 (Kansas City); Three Pro Bowls; Two First-Team All-Pro; 7,306 career receiving yards
Otis Taylor was a second-year pro when his Chiefs met Robinson's Packers in the first AFL-NFL World Championship game. In the first Super Bowl Taylor caught four passes but failed to reach the end zone as the Chiefs lost the 35-10 contest. Three years later, Taylor recorded Super Bowl IV's only touchdown reception, a 46-yarder from MVP Len Dawson to secure a 23-7 upset victory over the Vikings. One of the best wideouts of his era, Taylor twice recorded over 1,000 receiving yards in a season. His best season was the 1966 campaign that ended in Super Bowl I defeat; Taylor accounted for 1,297 yards and eight touchdowns, adding a postseason score in the AFL championship game against Buffalo. The Prairie View A&M alum led the league with 1,110 receiving yards in his second all-pro season of 1971. Taylor earned a spot in the Chiefs Hall of Fame after his retirement.
3. Nat Moore, WR 1974-1986 (Miami); One Pro Bowl; One First-Team All-Pro; 74 career receiving touchdowns
Like Robinson, Nat Moore also spent his rookie season as a member of a two-time defending league champ. Also like Robinson's Packers, Moore's Dolphins failed to earn a third-straight title in 1974. Bridging the decade-long gap in Miami between Super Bowl VIII victory and the start of the Dan Marino era, Moore was the Dolphins' leading pass catcher from 1974-1979. 1977 was Moore's lone all-pro season; the Tallahassee native led the league with 12 touchdown receptions and added another score on the ground. His production, which had dropped from 840 yards in 1979 to eight total catches in 1982, saw a resurgence after the Dolphins drafted Marino in 1983. In their first three years together, Marino and Moore connected for an average of 611 yards and six scores per season. The 1984 Man of the Year scored a touchdown in that year's AFC Championship game, which helped the Dolphins reach their second Super Bowl in three seasons. Moore joined the Miami Dolphins Honor Roll in 1999.
2. Steve Smith, WR 2001-2016 (Carolina, Baltimore); Five Pro Bowls; Two First-Team All-Pro; 2005 Comeback Player of the Year; 14,731 career receiving yards
(Bob Leverone/Associated Press)
When Steve Smith retired at the end of last season, he did so with more receiving yards than all but six players to have ever caught an NFL football. Early on, however, Smith's place in football history was in jeopardy. He reached the Pro Bowl in his rookie season as a kick returner for the 1-15 Panthers, his only postseason accolade before he broke his leg in the 2004 season opener. Any doubt as to whether Smith could still be an elite receiver was shattered in 2005. The fifth-year Panther had the best year of his career in his Comeback Player of the Year season, leading the league with 103 receptions, 1,563 receiving yards and 13 total touchdowns. In that year's NFC championship game, Smith returned a punt for a touchdown during a 34-14 loss to Seattle. The Utah alum spent the last four seasons of his 16-year NFL career in Baltimore; his final of eight 1,000-yard seasons came with the Ravens in 2014.
1. Gino Marchetti, DE 1956-1966 (Colts); Nine Pro Bowls; Seven First-Team All-Pro; NFL All-50s Team; Pro Football HOF class of 1972
(Hy Peskin/Sports Illustrated)
To beat Baltimore in the 1950s, offenses across the league had to find a way to contain explosive defensive end Gino Marchetti. An inaugural member of the current Colts franchise in 1953, Marchetti spent his first four NFL seasons - including his first two Pro Bowls - donning the number 75. After making the switch to 89, the San Francisco product went nine seasons without missing a game. He finished each of those nine seasons as a member of the Pro Bowl team. Marchetti was an all-pro in both of Baltimore's back-to-back championship seasons; he recorded a sack in the team's 1958 overtime championship win over the Giants. A Hall of Fame inductee in his very first year of eligibility, the 90-year-old and World War II vet currently resides in Philadelphia. No member of the Colts franchise has worn the number 89 in the past 50 years, in honor of Gino's still-remembered career.
Today we explore five of the best players to ever wear the number 90. None have entered the Hall of Fame...yet:
5. Phil Hansen, DE 1991-2001 (Buffalo); 61.5 career sacks; 496 career tackles
(Kevin Higley/Associated Press)
Two other 90s - Ndamukong Suh and Jevon Kearse - would have made this list above Phil Hansen had they played their entire careers wearing the same jersey number. Both, however, spent time with 93 on their chests as well. Still the greatest player ever drafted out of North Dakota State, Hansen put together a decade-long career with one of the AFC's best teams in the 1990s. The North Dakota native played primarily on the left side of Buffalo's defensive line and started in both of the Bills' Super Bowl losses to Dallas. Although he never earned a spot in the Pro Bowl, Hansen nevertheless became an inductee to the Bills' Wall of Fame 10 years after his retirement.
4. Darnell Dockett, DT 2004-2013 (Arizona); Three Pro Bowls; 349 career tackles
(David Drapkin/Associated Press)
Darnell Dockett was part of the defense that led the Cardinals to their first home playoff game since 1947, and first-ever Super Bowl appearance, after the 2008 season. After bursting onto the scene with a nine-sack season in 2007, Dockett played in his first Pro Bowl. In Super Bowl XLIII, the former Florida State Seminole tied a championship game record by sacking Ben Roethlisberger three times. Injuries cut Dockett's career short; while he didn't play a down in 2014 or 2015, he did not officially retire until the summer of 2016. 3. Larry Brooks, DT 1972-1982 (LA Rams); Five Pro Bowls; One First-Team All-Pro
The Rams were one of the NFC's most potent teams in the latter half of the 70s, and one of their most potent players was 14th-round draft pick Larry Brooks. Los Angeles made it to the NFC title game three times in Brooks' five Pro Bowl seasons, and lost to the Steelers in one of the most underrated Super Bowls ever played the same year he earned his only first-team all-pro recognition. After his retirement, Brooks spent more than two decades coaching defensive lines in the NFL; he finally earned a Super Bowl ring as a coach on the 1996 Packers.
2. Neil Smith, DE 1988-1999 (Kansas City, Denver); Six Pro Bowls; One First-Team All-Pro; 104.5 career sacks
(Stephen Dunn/Getty)
One of the key members of the Kansas City defense during the Marty Schottenheimer era, Neil Smith was selected to the Pro Bowl in five straight Chiefs playoff seasons from 1991-1995. The 1993 campaign was Smith's finest, as he recorded a league-best 15 sacks, forced four fumbles and intercepted a pass en route to KC's only conference championship game appearance since the AFL-NFL merger. After nine seasons wearing an arrowhead on his helmet, the second overall pick in the 1988 draft left Kansas City for the division rival Broncos. Smith was a member of both Denver championship teams in 1997 and 1998; he notched two sacks against his former team in a 1997 divisional round win that helped lead the Broncos to their first ever Super Bowl victory. Smith retired after a 2000 season in which he played sparingly for the Chargers wearing jersey number 91. He became a member of the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2006.
1. Julius Peppers, DE 2002-2013, 2017 (Carolina, Chicago); Nine Pro Bowls; Three First-Team All-Pro; 2002 Defensive Rookie of the Year; 118.5 career sacks
Like Smith, Julius Peppers was the second-overall pick in his respective draft class. Taken by the Panthers, who had only won one game in 2001, Peppers led Carolina to a three-point loss in Super Bowl XXXVIII in just his second season. The following year, the North Carolina native had his first of three all-pro seasons. Among Peppers' 2004 more impressive stats, he returned both an interception and a fumble recovery for touchdowns. Equally as commendable is the fact that Peppers has only missed two games from the start of his second year in the league. After eight years in Carolina and a second-team all-decade accolade from the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Peppers spent four seasons dominating the NFC North as a member of the Chicago Bears. His final all-pro honor to date came after the 2010 season, his third multiple-interception year. Peppers donned the number 56 and switched his position to linebacker for three years in Green Bay before returning home this offseason. The all-time Panthers great will wear the number 90 again for what will likely be his final season playing football in 2017, his ticket to Canton all but guaranteed.
Yesterday marked three months exactly to the start of the NFL season; today we look at the best 91s in NFL history:
5. Aaron Smith, DE 1999-2011 (Pittsburgh); One Pro Bowl; 326 career tackles
(Keith Srakocic/Associated Press)
Aaron Smith was never flashy in his 13 years with the Steelers, but he was one of their most dependable players on defense throughout the 2000s. A fourth-round selection out of Northern Colorado, Smith became a starting defensive end for Pittsburgh in his second season. 2004 was his lone Pro Bowl season; Smith forced three fumbles, recovered two and provided eight sacks for the top-ranked Pittsburgh defense. After being a key contributor to both Super Bowl-winning Steelers teams last decade, Smith was plagued by injuries for the last three seasons of his career. 4. Cameron Wake, DE/LB 2009-Present (Miami); Five Pro Bowls; One First-Team All-Pro; 81.5 career sacks
(Bill Ingram/The Palm Beach Post)
Cam Wake is among the more underrated edge rushers in today's NFL, which is saying something because five of his eight NFL seasons have ended at the Pro Bowl. Undrafted out of Penn State, Wake spent part of the 2005 offseason with the Giants before playing two seasons with the Canadian League's BC Lions. After both of his CFL seasons ended with Wake being named the league's best defensive player, the Dolphins came calling. The 27-year-old first year NFL player earned five and a half sacks in 2009, mostly playing as a backup. Wake has been a full-time starter in Miami since 2010 and has continued to have a knack for getting to the quarterback. His finest season to date was 2013, in which the All-Pro recorded 15 sacks and three forced fumbles. Wake's fifth Pro Bowl season last year led him to sign a two-year extension with the Phins; he'll be wearing aqua and orange at least through 2018.
3. Tamba Hali, DE/LB 2006-Present (Kansas City); Five Pro Bowls; 89.5 career sacks
(Peter G. Aiken/Getty)
Wake's teammate at Penn State, Tamba Hali made an immediate impact in his pro career. Hali, the Chiefs' first-round draft pick in 2006, started every game but one at defensive end for his first three seasons. After switching to a 3-4 outside linebacker in 2009, the Liberian native reached his first Pro Bowl in 2011 as a sixth-year pro. He made the all-star game in each of the next four years; his streak of consecutive Pro Bowls ended after last season. In addition to being statistically productive, Hali is reliable; in 11 years he has only missed four games. Like his former college teammate, Hali is under contract with his current team through 2018.
2. Leslie O'Neal, DE/LB 1986-1999 (Chargers, Rams, Kansas City); Six Pro Bowls; 1986 Defensive Rookie of the Year; 132.5 career sacks
Leslie O'Neal burst onto the scene in 1986. The Defensive Rookie of the Year showed signs of what was to come later on when he produced 12.5 sacks, forced three fumbles and even returned an interception for a touchdown. In one game alone against Dallas, O'Neal churned out a Chargers record five sacks. A knee injury suffered near the end of his phenomenal debut season kept O'Neal from returning to his 1986 form for two full seasons; he missed the entirety of 1987 and only started once in nine total game appearances throughout 1988. The former Oklahoma State Cowboy made his first of six Pro Bowl games after making a career-high 96 tackles in the 1989 season, and avoided any more major injuries for the rest of his career. O'Neal left San Diego prior to the 1996 season; after two seasons in St. Louis and two with the Chiefs, he retired among the top 10 in sacks in league history.
1. Kevin Greene, LB 1985-1999 (Four teams, notably LA Rams); Five Pro Bowls; Two First-Team All-Pro; NFL All-1990s Team; Pro Football HOF class of 2016; 160 career sacks (third all-time)
(Doug Sheridan/Associated Press)
Auburn alum Kevin Greene was for the better part of a decade one of the most underrated defensive players in the NFL. He made one Pro Bowl in his eight-year Rams career despite averaging a dozen sacks a year once he became a starter in 1988. Greene joined the star-studded cast of the first-ever NFL free agency frenzy in 1993 and wound up as a member of the vaunted Pittsburgh defense. The switch back to a 3-4 defensive scheme suited Greene, who earned his first all-pro nod as a 10th-year pro in 1994. Playing left outside linebacker, Greene led the Steelers to a conference title in 1995. A Super Bowl XXX loss was the closest the sack master got to a championship ring, however. In 1996 he helped the Panthers reach the NFC Championship game in the team's second year of existence. After one final playoff run as a member of the 49ers stalled in 1997, Greene returned to Carolina to finish out the last two years of his career. It took 12 years for the Hall of Fame to recognize his contributions; Greene and his wavy blond hair were finally inducted into Canton last August.
Arguably the two greatest defensive ends in football history both wore 92, they feature prominently in today's list:
5. Shaun Ellis, DE 2000-2010 (NY Jets); Two Pro Bowls; 72.5 career sacks
Shaun Ellis was the first player the New York Jets selected in the 2000 NFL draft. For 11 years, the dependable defensive end led the Jets for better (back-to-back AFC championship game appearances in 2009 and 2010) or worse (4-12 finishes in 2005 and 2007). Ellis was most dominant in 2003, when he earned his first Pro Bowl berth with a 12-sack performance. His second all-star invitation came after the 2009 campaign, in which he led New York to its first of two straight AFC championship games. No Jets defender during the Tom Brady era is likely to ever make the Hall of Fame, but Ellis at least deserves consideration to be inducted into the Jets Ring of Honor.
4. James Harrison, LB 2004-Present (Pittsburgh, Cincinnati); Five Pro Bowls, Two First-Team All-Pro; 567 career tackles
(Justin K. Aller/Getty)
It wasn't until his second season that undrafted free agent James Harrison played any significant football for the Steelers. After switching numbers from 93 to 92 the Kent State alum played a contributing role on the 2004-06 Steelers squads, winning a Super Bowl XL ring as a backup. Harrison finally took over the starting right linebacker role for Pittsburgh in 2007, his fifth pro season. He spent the next five seasons as one of the most productive and concussive linebackers in football. In one notable 2010 game against Cleveland, Harrison knocked out two Browns receivers in the same quarter and was fined $75,000 for the second of the two tackles. In his finest moment as a Steeler, Harrison returned a Super Bowl XLIII interception 100 yards for a score. The controversial linebacker spent 2013 in Cincinnati before returning to Pittsburgh, where the 39-year-old is now preparing for his 15th year in the NFL.
3. Haloti Ngata, DT 2006-Present (Baltimore, Detroit); Five Pro Bowls; Two First-Team All-Pro; 308 career tackles
(Tom Hauck/Associated Press)
Unlike Harrison, his former AFC North rival Haloti Ngata was a first-round draft pick out of Oregon who has been a full-time starting NFL defensive tackle since his first game in Baltimore. The 335-pound behemoth has spent 11 seasons among the league's premiere run stuffers, including a five-year stretch from 2009-2013 in which the nose tackle earned five Pro Bowl invitations, two first-team all-pro honors and a Super Bowl ring for his efforts in helping the Ravens win their second Lombardi. While his production has decreased somewhat since signing with the Lions in 2015, Ngata is still a dependable part of Detroit's defensive line. In addition Ngata, who is of Tongan lineage, has one of my more favorite NFL names.
2. Michael Strahan, DE 1993-2007 (NY Giants); Seven Pro Bowls; Four First-Team All-Pro; 2001 Defensive POY; NFL All-2000s Team; Pro Football HOF class of 2014; NFL Single Season Sack Record (22.5 in 2001)
(Doug Mills/The New York Times)
Michael Strahan was a 30-year-old seasoned vet when Brett Favre became the final victim of his historic 22.5-sack season in 2001. By the time he was named the league's best defensive player that year Strahan had already earned his fourth Pro Bowl nod and third all-pro recognition, as well as having helped his Giants win the George S. Halas Trophy as 2000 NFC Champions. Another all-pro season came for the second-round draft pick from Texas Southern after Strahan led the league again in sacks in 2003, this time with 18.5 quarterback takedowns. The gap-toothed defensive end with a personality made for television finally earned his elusive championship ring in his 15th season, when the Giants completed one of the most improbable upsets ever over the 18-0 Patriots. Currently ranked sixth all-time in sacks, Strahan achieved football immortality in just his second year of Canton eligibility.
1. Reggie White, DL 1986-2000 (Philadelphia, Green Bay, Carolina); 13 Pro Bowls; Eight First-Team All Pro; Two-time Defensive POY; NFL All-1980s Team; NFL All-1990s Team; Pro Football HOF class of 2006; 198 career sacks (second all-time)
Tennessee defensive end Reggie White was a supplemental draft selection in 1984; by 1994 his spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame was already cemented. Playing primarily at left end, The Minister of Defense notched double-digit sack totals in all but three of his 15 NFL seasons. He was named to the Pro Bowl in all but his rookie and final seasons. White singlehandedly brought the Green Bay Packers back into relevance for the first time in two decades when he joined the team as a free agent in 1993. Four years later, he was hoisting the only Super Bowl trophy he ever won. This highlight reel of a description barely scratches the surface of Reggie's impact on the NFL landscape; for my money White was the best defensive lineman to ever play the game.
One of the biggest personalities in the history of the game grace's today's list along with two future Hall of Famers:
5. Wayne Martin, DL 1989-1999 (New Orleans); One Pro Bowl; 82.5 career sacks
Former Arkansas Razorback Wayne Martin only missed five games in his 11-year NFL career and was a starter on the Saints' defensive line in every game he played from 1990-1999. Martin helped lead New Orleans to a 12-4 regular season record in 1992 - the best 16-game record for the first 40 years of the franchise's existence - with career highs in forced fumbles (3), fumbles recovered (2) and sacks (15). It took two more years for the NFL to recognize Martin with his only Pro Bowl appearance in 1994, but the under-appreciated lineman tallied five double-digit sack seasons while playing left end and both left and right tackle. Martin was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame in 2003. 4. Calais Campbell, DL 2008-Present (Arizona, Jacksonville); Two Pro Bowls; 373 career tackles
(Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports)
When the Jaguars signed Calais Campbell to a four-year deal this offseason, they got one of the league's more dynamic defensive lineman of the last three years. Originally drafted in the second round, Campbell played in all 20 games of the Cardinals' 2008 season that ended in Super Bowl XLIII defeat. He earned a full-time starting role in his sophomore season, which he didn't relinquish until departing for Jacksonville in free agency after last season. In 2015 Campbell switched from end to tackle, the position he is listed as on the Jags' roster heading into 2017. Heading into this year, the former Miami Hurricane's goal will be to improve a Jacksonville defense that has finished among the league's 10 worst for the past five seasons. If he can manage it, he'll be remembered as one of the best 93s for years to come. 3. Richard Seymour, DL 2001-2008 (New England); Five Pro Bowls; Three First-Team All Pro; NFL All-2000s Team; 223 career tackles
(Tom DiPace/Associated Press)
Perhaps the only player more important than Tom Brady to the Patriots' dynasty in the early 2000s was Richard Seymour. The sixth overall pick in the 2001 NFL draft made an immediate impact in New England, notching three regular season sacks and a critical third-quarter sack in Super Bowl XXXVI. In the year the Patriots won their second championship, Seymour reached an entirely new level. The team's first-year defensive captain earned his second Pro Bowl nod and first all-pro selection with career highs in sacks (8) and pass deflections (10). Seymour was key in getting the Pats to the playoffs in 2004 as well, finishing with his second-straight all-pro season, and despite battling injuries in the postseason recorded a key sack in Super Bowl XXXIX. The future Hall of Famer reached two more Pro Bowls while wearing 92 in Oakland, which is why he doesn't rank higher on today's countdown.
2. Dwight Freeney, DE/LB 2002-2014, 2016 (Indianapolis, Chargers, Atlanta); Seven Pro Bowls; Three First-Team All-Pro; NFL All-2000s Team; 114.5 career sacks
(Andy Lyons/Getty)
Yesterday, I discussed DeMarcus Ware being one of the best of the original hybrid edge-rushers. Undoubtedly Dwight Freeney is in that group as well. Freeney was the perennial all-star on a Colts defense that was often seen as Peyton Manning's only obstacle to winning a championship. When he and Manning finally did win the Lombardi, Freeney started all 20 games in the regular season and playoffs. In Super Bowl XLI, Freeney recovered a first-quarter fumble, which helped shift momentum to the still-trailing Colts. The three-time all-pro left Indy after 2012; after spending two underwhelming seasons in San Diego, he experienced a career rebirth in Arizona. His eight-sack 2015 season doesn't count toward his position on this list as he wore number 54 each time he brought down an opposing quarterback. Freeney reached Super Bowl LI last year as a member of the Falcons; despite tallying a fourth-quarter sack on eventual game MVP Tom Brady, his team lost in overtime. Currently a free agent, the Syracuse product will earn a spot in Canton five years after whenever he hangs up the cleats for good.
1. John Randle, DL 1990-2003 (Minnesota, Seattle); Seven Pro Bowls; Six First-Team All-Pro; NFL All-1990s Team; Pro Football HOF class of 2010; 137.5 career sacks
John Randle was perhaps the NFL's loudest player of the '90s, and he deserved to be. He was the most dominant defensive lineman in the league for an entire half-decade; from 1993-1998 he tallied 74 sacks, forced 15 fumbles, and was named first-team all-pro in all six of those seasons. After an 11-year stay in Minnesota in which he recorded eight or more sacks in all but his rookie season, Randle shipped off to the Pacific Northwest. 2001 marked his only Pro Bowl as a Seahawk and his final of nine double-digit sack seasons. Tied for fourth on the all-time NFL sack list when he retired, the Texas native joined the Hall of Fame in his second year of eligibility.
Today's list features the best hybrid edge rusher to ever play the game:
5. Aaron Schobel, DE 2001-2009 (Buffalo); Two Pro Bowls; 78 career sacks
(Don Heupel/Associated Press)
Aaron Schobel is one of the more underrated players of the 2000s. The former TCU Horned Frog only made two Pro Bowls despite putting up double-digit sack numbers four different times. Schobel played eight full seasons in his nine-year career, starting in all but five of his NFL appearances. Aaron was the most successful of three members of the Schobel family to be in the league simultaneously; his brother Matt spent seven years as a tight end with the Bengals and Eagles and his cousin Bo was a journeyman defensive lineman from 2004-2008.
4. Lawrence Timmons, LB 2007-Present (Pittsburgh, Miami); One Pro Bowl; 680 career tackles
(Keith Srakocic/Associated Press)
Although he's never been the flashiest member of the Steelers defense, Lawrence Timmons spent a decade as a reliable linebacker in Pittsburgh before signing with the Dolphins this offseason. Timmons was originally the 15th overall pick in the 2007 draft. The inside linebacker has only missed two games in his entire NFL career and started every game with the Steelers from their fifth game of 2010 through the end of last season. Timmons' sole Pro Bowl berth came after the 2014 campaign. He was the sole defensive all-star honoree on the 11-5 Steelers squad that won the AFC North title before losing in the Wild Card Round.
3. Jim Wilks, DL 1981-1993 (New Orleans); 45.5 career sacks*
The longest-tenured member of today's list made the top five for just that reason. Jim Wilks is one of only a few 94s to wear the number for 13 seasons; he did so for a Saints franchise that notably played its first four playoff games while he was on its defensive line. Wilks played the majority of his career as New Orleans' right end but moved inside for the 1989 season, spending most of his twilight years playing nose tackle. Considering he was a 12th round draft pick out of San Diego State, it's safe to say the Saints got an excellent return on their investment with Wilks.
2. Justin Smith, DL 2008-2014 (San Francisco); Five Pro Bowls; One First Team All-Pro; 43.5 career sacks
(Ben Margot/Associated Press)
Justin Smith was a highly productive defensive end for the first seven years of his career, in which he wore the number 90 for the Bengals. The latter half of his career took off after he moved to San Francisco, switched to tackle and changed his number to 94. Compare his stats from his seven years in Cincinnati to those from his seven seasons as a 49er and there isn't much difference; in fact, in several instances the numbers are exactly the same. The glaring difference is that all five of Smith's Pro Bowl invites came as a member of a 49ers team that made back-to-back NFC Championship appearances. Smith transformed his game when he switched to 94; as a result he went from a footnote in NFL history to a player that many will remember for a long time.
1. DeMarcus Ware, LB/DE 2005-2016 (Dallas, Denver); Nine Pro Bowls; Four First Team All-Pro; 138.5 career sacks
(Wesley Hitt/Getty)
Drafted 11th overall out of Troy in 2005, DeMarcus Ware revolutionized the defensive end-linebacker hybrid position and became the prototype "tweener." The future Hall of Famer was the driving force behind the defense for a Dallas team that chose him in 2005 specifically to be the driving force behind its defense. Ware was an immediate starter; he did not miss a game in his first eight NFL seasons and started in 127 of those 128 contests. Statistically, Ware's finest season as a Cowboy came in 2008. He recorded career highs in forced fumbles, tackles, and sacks (with 20, he is one of just 10 players in NFL history to have crossed that statistical threshold). After missing the Pro Bowl in 2013 for the first time since his rookie season, the aging Ware became a member of the Denver Broncos. His individual production waned in each of his three seasons at Denver, but he contributed two sacks in Super Bowl 50 en route to winning his only NFL championship. Ware retired after last season in eighth place on the league's all-time sack leaders list and should earn his gold jacket well before 2025.
Like yesterday, the 95 list features one Hall of Fame member and one active AFC East defensive lineman:
5. Tim Bowens, DT 1994-2004 (Miami); Two Pro Bowls; 1994 Defensive Rookie of the Year; 296 career tackles
(David Duprey/Associated Press)
When I was a student at Samford, our football team had an offensive assistant coach named Tim Bowens. Until somewhat recently I mostly assumed he and the former Miami defensive lineman who shares his name were the same person. I have since figured out that the Bowens I was acquainted with was earning all-academic honors as a receiver at the University of Alabama at the time the latter earned his first Pro Bowl berth as a member of the Dolphins. Tim Bowens the defensive tackle burst onto the scene in 1994 and spent a decade anchoring a defensive line that could never quite get Dan Marino back to the Super Bowl during the twilight of his career.
4. Michael Carter, DT 1984-1992 (San Francisco); Three Pro Bowls; One First-Team All-Pro; Three Super Bowl championships
(George Rose/Getty)
A rookie during the 49ers' second Super Bowl run, 1984 Olympic shot put silver medalist Michael Carter was in the prime of his career during San Francisco's back-to-back championship campaigns at the end of the 1980s. The nose tackle started all 16 games just once in his career; the 1988 season saw him start not just the entire regular season but all three of the 49ers playoff games. The Pro Bowler was a key contributor for the Super Bowl XXIII champions; when the Niners repeated in 1989, Carter played just roughly half the season. After Carter retired following the 1992 season, his 49ers were able to win just one more championship.
3. Kyle Williams, DT 2006-Present (Buffalo); Five Pro Bowls; 345 career tackles
(Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press)
The first three years of fifth-round draft pick Kyle Williams' career did not draw much attention to the LSU product, but he was productive enough to warrant a three-year contract extension with the Bills. From 2009 on, Williams has cemented his place as one of the NFL's best defensive linemen in the first half of this decade. While he has yet to play in a postseason game as a member of the woeful Buffalo Bills, Williams earned the recognition of his peers in 2014 and 2015 as one of the league's best 100 players. Coming off a fifth Pro Bowl season last year, Williams will celebrate his 34th birthday next week and is entering what are likely the final few years of his career.
2. Greg Lloyd, LB 1988-1998 (Pittsburgh, Carolina); Five Pro Bowls; Three First-Team All-Pro; 707 career tackles
Through the first half of the 1990s, only a few linebackers could claim to be as good or better than Greg Lloyd. The outside linebacker was a giant reason the Steelers reached Super Bowl XXX after the 1995 season, his final of three straight All-Pro and five straight Pro Bowl seasons. In the 1995 campaign Lloyd tied career highs for interceptions (3) and forced fumbles (6), also recording six and a half regular season sacks and an additional two sacks in Pittsburgh's postseason run. Lloyd's dominance ended after the Steelers' 27-17 loss to Dallas in the championship contest; his 1996 season barely existed as he only played one game thanks to a knee injury. His career ended with a solid 1998 campaign as a member of the Carolina Panthers. Lloyd's son, also a linebacker named Greg, played two games with the Bills in 2012 but could not live up to the father's football success.
1. Richard Dent, DE 1983-1995, 1997 (Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia); Four Pro Bowls; One First-Team All-Pro; Super Bowl XX MVP; Pro Football HOF class of 2011; 131 career sacks
(Paul Spinelli/Associated Press)
Nicknamed "The Colonel," former Tennessee State Tiger Richard Dent was arguably the best defensive player on the best defensive team in NFL history. In the historic 1985 Bears season, Dent sacked the quarterback 14 more times than Defensive Player of the Year Mike Singletary, forced more fumbles, and intercepted the ball twice compared to Singletary's one pick. Dent's dominance continued straight through the Super Bowl, in which he put up another sack and a half and forced two more fumbles en route to being named the game's MVP. After a decade in the Midway, Dent earned a second ring while playing sparingly in the 49ers' 1994 championship season. After a somewhat successful 1996 wearing 96 in Indy, Dent returned to 95 for one more season. In his final year, the 2011 Hall of Fame inductee contributed four and a half sacks in 15 games with the Eagles.
Today's list sees our first Hall of Famer in three days, as well as the third active player recognized in this project:
5. Alex Brown, DE 2002-2010 (Chicago, New Orleans); 337 career tackles
The list for 96, comparative to each other number to this point, had quite a small selection of players to chose from. Former Florida Gator Alex Brown spent eight seasons playing on the front line of a Bears defense that finished as one of the league's 10 best fewer times (2) than it ranked in the NFL's bottom half (3). The 2006 season was arguably Brown's best, as he recorded a career-high seven sacks for the NFC champion Bears. Alex Brown's most valuable contribution to NFL teams was his consistency; he started every game in seven of his nine seasons with Chicago and New Orleans.
4. Muhammad Wikerson, DL 2011-Present (NY Jets); One Pro Bowl; 41 career sacks
(Ron Antonelli/Getty)
One of the more unsung talents of today's NFL is Temple alum Muhammad Wilkerson, who has been a force on the Jets' defensive line since the very first game of his rookie season. Despite being named second-team All-Pro for four straight years (2012-15), Wilkerson's only Pro Bowl selection came at the end of a 2015 season in which he recorded 12 sacks. After an offseason nursing a leg injury and signing a five-year contract extension, the 2016 campaign was a disappointing follow-up for Wilkerson. His four and a half sacks and 33 solo tackles last year both ranked as second-worst season totals for the sixth-year pro.
3. Adalius Thomas, LB/DE 2000-2009 (Baltimore, New England); Two Pro Bowls; One First-Team All-Pro; 405 career tackles
(Paul Spinelli/Associated Press)
Throughout a decade in the league, Adalius Thomas played just six full seasons. However, when the sixth-round draft pick was on, he was on. He was a little-used role player on the 2000 Ravens squad that won Super Bowl XXXV, but by the time the 2006 season ended Thomas was a two-time Pro Bowler and one of the year's best linebackers. Adalius had exploded for five fumble recoveries - three for scores - and 20 sacks in 2005 and 2006, earning him a spot on the historic 2007 Patriots squad. Thomas recorded two sacks in the 2008 postseason en route to an eventual Super Bowl loss, but New England's 18-1 season would prove to be his last full NFL campaign. After two more years and a disappointing end to the 2009 season, Thomas retired.
2. Cortez Kennedy, DT 1990-1991; 1993-2000 (Seattle); Seven Pro Bowls; Two First-Team All Pro; NFL All-90s Team; Pro Football HOF class of 2012; 476 career tackles
Cortez Kennedy is the second of just four players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame to have spent his entire career with the Seattle Seahawks. The premiere defensive tackle in the NFL throughout the 1990s went to six straight Pro Bowls from 1991-1996, and eight all-star games in his 11-year career. Unfortunately for Kennedy's position on this list, during his 1992 Defensive Player of the Year campaign he wore the number 99. Still, it's his number 96 that is displayed on the Seahawks' ring of honor at CenturyLink Field. He played on just two Seahawks teams with winning records and lost the only playoff game he ever appeared in. Nevertheless his dominance anchoring the Seattle defensive line eventually earned Kennedy a coveted spot in the hallowed halls of Canton. Sadly, Kennedy passed away last month at the age of 48. 1. Clyde Simmons, DE 1986-2000 (Five teams, notably Philadelphia); Two Pro Bowls; Two First-Team All-Pro; 914 career tackles; 121.5 career sacks
(Stephen Dunn/Getty)
Western Carolina University's most prominent alumnus, Clyde Simmons was one of the most productive NFL defensive ends from 1988-1995. During that period, the Eagles and Cardinals star put up four seasons with double-digit sacks and three with over 100 tackles. Clyde's finest season came in 1992, when he actually out-preformed linemate and future Hall of Fame member Reggie White. Simmons recorded 19 sacks to White's 14 and 96 tackles against White's 81 to earn his second straight first team all-pro nod. The Eagles, after losing White to free agency in 1993, also parted ways with Simmons. After two years in Arizona - the latter being his final double-digit sack season - Simmons left for Jacksonville. Two seasons with the Jaguars, one in Cincinnati, and two Bears seasons later, Simmons retired in 10th place on the NFL all-time sack list. In the almost two decades that have since passed, his 121.5 career sacks have fallen to 20th overall in league history, but a 15-year career has cemented Simmons' place as one of the better defensive ends in football.
Four interior linemen highlight today's list; like yesterday, none of these 97s are in the Hall of Fame:
5. Kelly Gregg, DT 2002-2010 (Baltimore); 350 career tackles
(Doug Pensinger/Getty)
While wearing 97, Kelly Gregg played in 126 of a possible 128 games. Like Casey Hampton in Pittsburgh, Gregg was a run-plugging AFC North nose tackle throughout the 2000s. The six-foot, 310-pound Gregg had his best season in 2003, when he recorded three sacks and 63 tackles. Drafted in the sixth round by Cincinnati, the former Oklahoma Sooner had a slow start; spending his rookie year in Philadelphia wearing 94, 2000 out of football altogether, and 2001 as a backup defensive tackle wearing 73 for the Ravens. After his Ravens career ended, Gregg switched teams and numbers yet again, finishing his career as number 77 in Kansas City.
4. Geno Atkins, DT 2010-Present (Cincinnati); Five Pro Bowls; Two First-Team All-Pro; 52 career sacks
(Jared Wickerham/Getty)
Perhaps the premiere current defensive tackle in football, Geno Atkins has ended five of his past six seasons as a Pro Bowler. With the exception of an injury-shortened 2013 season, Atkins has started all but one game for the Bengals since 2011. 2012 was the best season to date for the Georgia alum; Atkins recorded 12.5 sacks and forced four fumbles en route to his first all-pro recognition. Atkins shows no signs of slowing down; his 2016 campaign ended with the third-best single-season sack total, nine, of his young career. Geno is in the last year of his current contract with the Bengals; a monster season may be in store for the 29-year-old lineman.
3. Simeon Rice, DE 1997-2007 (Arizona, Tampa Bay, Denver); Three Pro Bowls; One First-Team All-Pro; 108.5 career sacks
(Greg Trott/Associated Press)
1996 Defensive Rookie of the Year Simeon Rice changed his number from 79 to 97 prior to his sophomore campaign with the Cardinals. His best season with the Bird Gang came in 1999, when he earned his first Pro Bowl berth with a career-best 16.5 sacks. In 2001, he moved to Tampa Bay; Rice made an immediate impact with five straight double-digit sack seasons. In 2002, Rice helped the Bucs win their first (and to this time, only) Super Bowl, recording 15.5 sacks and earning his lone first-team all-pro selection. After starting 2007 in Denver, Rice finished his career wearing 78 in Indianapolis.
2. Bryant Young, DT 1994-2007 (San Francisco); Four Pro Bowls; One First-Team All-Pro; 89.5 career sacks
Bryant Young was a rookie on the last of the five 49ers championship teams; his career in San Francisco spanned 14 seasons. Throughout that time Young missed an average of about one game per season, playing in 208 out of a possible 224 regular season contests. The Notre Dame product's best season came in 1996, when Young made 61 tackles, 11.5 sacks and scored a league-high two safeties. Young retired as the 49ers' sack leader in 2007, a title that he still holds a decade later.
1. La'Roi Glover, DT 1996-2008 (New Orleans, Dallas, Rams); Six Pro Bowls; One First-Team All-Pro; 83.5 career sacks
(Dilip Vishwanat/Getty)
One of the most dependable interior defensive linemen of the '00s, La'Roi Glover went 11 straight seasons without missing a game. Glover played significant portions of his career with both the Saints and Cowboys, making multiple Pro Bowl appearances as a member of each team. Glover's production was highest in New Orleans; 50 of his 83.5 sacks and 219 of his 430 tackles wearing 97 came in his six years with the Saints. Glover finished his career with a three-year stint in St. Louis, cementing his position as the best player ever to wear 97.
Today's list lacks the star power of the 99s; unlike yesterday's 3 Hall of Famers, none of these players has earned a gold jacket:
5. John Henderson, DT
2002-2009 (Jacksonville); Two Pro Bowls; 329 career tackles
(Rick Stewart/Getty)
Hailed as the best defensive line prospect to come out of the University of Tennessee since Reggie White, John Henderson struggled to live up to his potential as a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars. While he only missed four games in his eight-year career wearing 98, Henderson made just two Pro Bowls. He recorded a career-high 62 tackles the first time he earned an all-star invitation in 2004 and was a second team all-pro when he made his second Pro Bowl in 2006. Henderson retired from football after two seasons with the Raiders, during which he wore the number 79.
4. Greg Ellis, DE/LB
1998-2008 (Dallas); One Pro Bowl; 77 career sacks
(Ronald Martinez/Getty)
Like Henderson, Ellis was a top-ten draft pick who failed fully to live up to expectations. The former North Carolina Tar Heel did spend a decade wearing a star on his helmet and 98 on his chest, but never recorded more than 50 tackles than a season and hit double-digit sacks just once. 2007 was Ellis' lone Pro Bowl season; after converting to linebacker in 2006 he reached the all star game thanks to his 12.5 sacks, which he made in just 13 games. Also like Henderson, Ellis spent the last year of his career wearing a different number - this time 99 - in Oakland.
3. Robert Mathis, DE/LB
2003-2016 (Indianapolis); Five Pro Bowls; One First-Team All Pro; 123 career sacks
Robert Mathis spent much of his career opposite of - and often overshadowed by - future Hall of Famer Dwight Freeney. Mathis started all 16 games in only three of his 14 seasons with the Colts, and missed the entire 2014 season with a torn Achilles tendon. Despite frequent injury struggles, however, Mathis put together a respectable career in Indy. His first Pro Bowl season didn't come until his sixth year in the league, but he made the Pro Bowl five out of six seasons from 2008-2013. Mathis' best season came in 2013, when he was named first team All-Pro with a career-high 19.5 sacks. Mathis retired at the end of last season as one of just two players still on the Colts roster to have been a member of the Super Bowl XLI championship team.
2. Casey Hampton, DT
2001-2012 (Pittsburgh); Five Pro Bowls; 208 career tackles
(Greg Bartram/US PRESSWIRE)
Casey Hampton will never make a list of the most dominant Pittsburgh defensive linemen of all time, and barely cracks the list of most important members of the 2000s Steelers. However, Hampton was absolutely one of the best pure nose tackles to have played the game to this point in the 21st century. He anchored a Pittsburgh defense that was among the tops in the league throughout his time in black and yellow and was a key member of both the 2005 and 2008 Super Bowl championship teams. Hampton spent the entirety of his 12-year career with the Steelers.
1. Jessie Armstead, LB
1993-2003 (NY Giants, Washington); Five Pro Bowls; One First-Team All Pro; 747 career tackles
Jessie Armstead did not make many highlight reels for explosive quarterback sacks, but he was one of the most dependable tacklers of the 1990s. Armstead recorded 75 tackles or more in six of his 11 NFL seasons, including a 101-tackle 1997 campaign in which he was honored as a member of the All-Pro team. The dependable outside linebacker never missed a game in 176 possible contests, and from the time he took on a full-time starting role with the Giants in 1996 until his final season Armstead only missed one start.
