Best football players you've ever seen (32 minimum games watched)

[RashanGary]

I haven't watched a lot of afc games in my life or even non division teams, so my list is gonna look more like a nfc central/north list than a true best of the best.


1. Reggie White
2. Tom Brady
3. Aaron Rodgers
4. Barry Sanders
5. Randy Moss
6. Adrian Peterson
7. Brett Favre
8. Jerry Rice
9. Charles Woodson
10. Larry Allen


4 packers
2 vikings
1 Patriot
1 Lion
1 49er
1 cowboy


A lot of that is me not watching enough football, but off the top, those are the best players I've watched enough to make an informed opinion

[Bretsky]

OFFENSE

QB Brady/Rodgers
RB Barry Sanders
WR Jerry Rice
TE Tony Gonzalez
OG Larry Brown
OT Anthony Munoz
C Mike Webster


DEFENSE

DE- Reggie White/Bruce Smith
DT- Mean Joe Greene/Alan Page
LB Lawrence Taylor/Ray Lewis
CB- Deon Sanders/Rod Woodson
S- Ronnie Lott/Ed Reed


SPECIAL TEAMS


P- Ray Guy
K- Morten Anderson

[Sparkey]

Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, Reggie White, Brian Urlacher, Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers, Sterling Sharpe, Chris Carter to name a few.

[RashanGary]

I think kittle is gonna make the list some day.

Ed Reed, Deion, Ray Lewis

[RashanGary]

AR really has been nice for Packer fans. No matter how I dice it, he’s on the list for me, even with so many great players.

[bobblehead]

Absolutely must go by Position (all players at their peak).

QB Marino- best release ever. Almost impossible to sack him due to that release.

RB Walter Payton- Catch a screen, get tough yards, pick up a blitz. No weakness in his game

WR Jerry Rice- All achievements are prequelled with "other than Jerry Rice"

TE Gronk- Crushing run blocker, top notch receiver. No one else did both as well.

G- Larry Allen, John Hannah-Just bullies. Both of them.

OT Tony Boselli, Jonathon Ogden, Anthony Munoz-Can't leave any of them off the list.

C Dwight Stephenson-I grew up watching him direct traffic. Brilliant player.


DEFENSE

DE- Reggie White, Bruce Smith-Both impossible to run on, both crushed the pocket.

DT- Randy White, John Randle- White was the first player I ever saw dominate from the middle. Randle had an engine that did not quit.

Edge- Lawrence Taylor- don't take my word for it, ask Joe Theisman

MLB- Mike Singletary- Leader of the most dominant D I ever saw.

CB- Deon Sanders, Darrell Green- Neither were great in run support, but Revis Island had nothing on these guys

S-Ronnie Lott, Nick Collins- Yes, I loved Collins. Him and Lott were similar. Fast, great centerfielders, but rock solid run support.

[texaspackerbacker]

damn. I typed for 15 minutes, hit back space, and lost it all.

Nitschke/Butkis co-#1 defense, also Reggie White, Deacon Jones, Lawrence Taylor, Ronnie Lott, Bob Lilly, and Joe Greene

Jim Brown, O.J., Gayle Sayers , Jim Taylor, Emmett Smith, and Barry Sanders (in that order) best RBs

Aaron Rodgers, Favre, Marino, Unitas, Tarkenton, Starr (in that order) best QBs

Randy Moss, Rice WR

John Mackey TE

[Upnorth]

If i stick to 20 games minimum
Qb Rodgers (by a mile at peak. By a bit at career)
Rb Sanders (with faulk and as backup but i dont think i have seen 20 of his games)
Wr1 Sharp (sooooo underrated. Stupid knee joints)
Wr2 Calvin Johnson (thank god he retired early)
Wr3 Moss (thank god he was a putz)
Te gonzalez (i think i have seen 20 of his games. If not sharpe)
Ol. To hard to seperate with the 20 game distinction. I would have all packers unless i spent more time yhan i have for this.

Dt White (pure dominance like rodgers at his peak). Sapp (who lived down to his name)
De White (yes he desereves two imo) peppers (underrated imo)
Ilb lewis urlacher
Olb cameron wake (im including his cfl time. It was dominant.) Cm3 (biased)
Cb woodson. Hayward (underrated)
S collins. Butler. Both belong in hof.

[The Shadow]

The 2 best players I ever watched were:
Jim Brown & Dick Butkus

[Patler]

The 2 best players I ever watched were:
Jim Brown & Dick Butkus

Funny, as I read down the posts in this thread, the thought that came to me was that two players stood out head and shoulders above all the others I have seen: #1-Jim Brown and #2-Dick Butkus.
Brown was clearly #1 over Butkus, but Butkus stands out over all the others I have seen, too.

Having watched 60 years of football, it has changed tremendously, but the basics stay the same. You can not directly compare players today to players 50 or 60 years ago because they are asked to do so many things differently than before. But you can compare players today to their contemporaries, and players of yesteryear to their contemporaries; then ask yourself who separated themselves the most in their comparisons. Brown and Butkus were so much better than the players of their times, that they clearly rise to the pinnacle of the best I have ever seen.

John Mackey has always been the best TE I have seen.
Lawrence Taylor was unbelievable, uncontrollable at times
Mike Webster the best center, Jim Ringo not far behind.
Deion Sanders the best coverage CB, not sure about the best for overall CB play.

I can't give Reggie White the nod, because I rarely saw him play before he came to GB, so he doesn't fit the criteria. By that time, he was not as good as earlier in his career, not withstanding his SB performance and some of his ragdoll throws of blockers while he was in GB. Players I saw a lot of who stand out in my mind are Alan Page (unblockable), Merlin Olson and , I hate to say.... Warren Sapp as DTs and Deacon Jones, Howie Long and JJ Watt at DE.

[bobblehead]

You're old patler. Most of us never saw Butkus or Brown play. The oldest guy on my list is John Hannah and probably Randy White. Those were my very young years watching football. My other problem is that todays players are very one dimensional and specialists. It limits them in the rankings. And a lot of current players I probably have only seen 10 games or so if they aren't in our division, or NFC at a minimum. As such my list is from 1978 to 2000 roughly.

[texaspackerbacker]

Maybe a little bit of bias, but not much - Nitschke was just as good as Butkis, and nobody but nobody has ever been better on D than either of them.

Jim Brown, yes, nobody ever better, but Gale Sayers and O.J. were right there with him, probably the two scariest with the ball in their hands ever - way better than Barry Sanders or anybody else since.

Reading above, I forgot Calvin Johnson - I shoulda included him, and I had J.J. Watt in my post that got erased but forgot him in my redo.

Also, maybe a little bit of bias, but I've never seen a better Corner than Herb Adderly. Who was that Packer #1 pick in the 80s who messed up his neck? He just might have been that good too if he'd lasted longer.

[Patler]

Maybe a little bit of bias, but not much - Nitschke was just as good as Butkis, and nobody but nobody has ever been better on D than either of them.

Jim Brown, yes, nobody ever better, but Gale Sayers and O.J. were right there with him, probably the two scariest with the ball in their hands ever - way better than Barry Sanders or anybody else since.

Reading above, I forgot Calvin Johnson - I shoulda included him, and I had J.J. Watt in my post that got erased but forgot him in my redo.

Also, maybe a little bit of bias, but I've never seen a better Corner than Herb Adderly. Who was that Packer #1 pick in the 80s who messed up his neck? He just might have been that good too if he'd lasted longer.

Tim Lewis is the CB you are thinking of, and yes, he looked like he could have been a special player.

Another CB who might have been even better, but for injuries, was Willie Buchanon. Started out immediately as a unique talent, then broke his ankle 2 of the first four years and never seemed quite the same after that. Still had a very good career, a few pro bowls and All-Pro recognition, but had started out like he would be exceptional.

As much as I liked Nitschke, Butkus was better, in my opinion.

[Patler]

You're old patler.

Now that's stating the obvious!



Most of us never saw Butkus or Brown play. The oldest guy on my list is John Hannah and probably Randy White. Those were my very young years watching football.

That's why I decided to throw in my two cents worth. Bring in a couple more decades worth of players. Within the context of the game as it was played then, Brown and Butkus really stood out as players very different than even the best of the rest.




My other problem is that todays players are very one dimensional and specialists. It limits them in the rankings. And a lot of current players I probably have only seen 10 games or so if they aren't in our division, or NFC at a minimum. As such my list is from 1978 to 2000 roughly.

I agree. That's why I explained how I reached my conclusions, and why I couldn't name White as one. Never saw him much in his prime.

[George Cumby]

Tim Lewis is the CB you are thinking of, and yes, he looked like he could have been a special player.

Another CB who might have been even better, but for injuries, was Willie Buchanon. Started out immediately as a unique talent, then broke his ankle 2 of the first four years and never seemed quite the same after that. Still had a very good career, a few pro bowls and All-Pro recognition, but had started out like he would be exceptional.

As much as I liked Nitschke, Butkus was better, in my opinion.

I don't remember the context, but even Nietschke stated that Butkus was better, or at least hit harder.

[Patler]

I don't remember the context, but even Nietschke stated that Butkus was better, or at least hit harder.

A player or coach comment I recall, don't remember who it was from, was that you could never stop Butkus from making a play, you could only hope to delay him in making it.

[Patler]

Butkus played the game differently than anyone I have ever seen. There have been a lot of physical tacklers, guys like Jack Tatum, Chuck Cecil and others who could blow up ball carriers regularly. At times, you see someone run over a blocker to make a tackle, but mostly you see them play off blockers to make the play, and some are exceptional at it. Butkus simply took a straight line to where he wanted to go, lowered his shoulder and ran over anyone in his way, even his own teammates at times. He hit blockers as hard as I have seen anyone hit ball carriers, and he did it play after play after play. He caused more violent collisions in every game he played than anyone I have seen, usually several on any running play. He abused opponents, in an almost sadistic fashion. I hated watching him play the Packers for concern about who he might injure.

For his time, he was huge, fast and quick. He had a knack for stepping over players on the ground, and on the rare occasions when he did get tripped up, he could pop up running like a much smaller man. Looked like a man playing against boys, kind of like the game when the Vikings had the idea of using a TE to block Reggie White on a couple passing plays, and White through him away like a sack of dirty laundry. The difference was that Butkus would lower his shoulder and knock O-linemen on their asses on his way to the ball carrier. Didn't matter who the blockers was.

[texaspackerbacker]

Butkis may have made an art of it more than any of those others, but back in the days, those who could did when it came to really lowering the boom on opponents. Nitschke absolutely was like that too and Jimmy Taylor on offense - fuck running around a DB, he'd take aim and plant the guy. Ronnie Lott was right there with the best (which is to say dirtiest by today's standards) too. Ask Stingley about that.

There's a quote from Butkis in the Wikipedia about him: "I never tried to actually hurt anybody - unless it was like a regular season game or something". Those were the days ......

[George Cumby]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nluXKFKxBuo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-AJNnXVqiU

[Patler]

Butkis may have made an art of it more than any of those others, but back in the days, those who could did when it came to really lowering the boom on opponents. Nitschke absolutely was like that too and Jimmy Taylor on offense - fuck running around a DB, he'd take aim and plant the guy. Ronnie Lott was right there with the best (which is to say dirtiest by today's standards) too. Ask Stingley about that.

There's a quote from Butkis in the Wikipedia about him: "I never tried to actually hurt anybody - unless it was like a regular season game or something". Those were the days ......

I think you are confusing Ronnie Lott and Jack Tatum. Tatum is the one who crippled Stingley......in a preseason game.

[texaspackerbacker]

I stand corrected ...... but Lott was touch and dirty too.

[Patler]

Interesting, because I don't recall Lott being a dirty player at all, just very, very good anywhere in the d-backfield. Never felt that way about him. Always kind of liked him as a player.

I always thought of Lott as a physical player, but not in a dirty way, not at all like Tatum, who epitomized the brutality of the game in the '70s, when you could still layout receivers who failed to make a catch. Tatum did at every opportunity. I think the game had already begun changing by the time Lott came around in the '80s.

Wasn't Lott the player most of the scouting staff wanted when Starr ignored his staff and drafted Rich Campbell?

[KYPack]

Interesting, because I don't recall Lott being a dirty player at all, just very, very good anywhere in the d-backfield. Never felt that way about him. Always kind of liked him as a player.

I always thought of Lott as a physical player, but not in a dirty way, not at all like Tatum, who epitomized the brutality of the game in the '70s, when you could still layout receivers who failed to make a catch. Tatum did at every opportunity. I think the game had already begun changing by the time Lott came around in the '80s.

Wasn't Lott the player most of the scouting staff wanted when Starr ignored his staff and drafted Rich Campbell?

Starr was far in over his head when it came to draft selection and personnel evaluation. Starr's scouts wanted the Pack to draft Ronnie Lott with their number one pick. Most prominently Dick Corrick (the personnel head guy) had Lott flown into GB for a dinner prior to the draft. Lott knocked the interview out of the park bc he was Ronnie Lott. The morning of the draft, Starr told his scouts and coaches he had made the decision to go with Rich Campbell. Evidently, Hawg Hanner convinced Starr to go with Campbell instead of HOFER Lott. I have also heard other stories about this, but they all fall in line with Bart going with his gut and taking the advice of the last person he talked to instead of his personnel dudes.

I loved Bart but he was a so so coach and a horrible GM.

[George Cumby]

If Bart has picked Lott, it raises some fun ‘what if’ questions. Iirc those early 80’s defenses had some good players.

[Bretsky]

Starr was far in over his head when it came to draft selection and personnel evaluation. Starr's scouts wanted the Pack to draft Ronnie Lott with their number one pick. Most prominently Dick Corrick (the personnel head guy) had Lott flown into GB for a dinner prior to the draft. Lott knocked the interview out of the park bc he was Ronnie Lott. The morning of the draft, Starr told his scouts and coaches he had made the decision to go with Rich Campbell. Evidently, Hawg Hanner convinced Starr to go with Campbell instead of HOFER Lott. I have also heard other stories about this, but they all fall in line with Bart going with his gut and taking the advice of the last person he talked to instead of his personnel dudes.

I loved Bart but he was a so so coach and a horrible GM.


EXACTLY what I heard over the years as well. Starr wanted Cambell and all his scouts wanted Lott. And our scouts wanted Joe Montana too; we also ignored that one and I think we took at DL instead....Charles Johnson ? Unsure of the name but it would not surprise me if that is it

[HarveyWallbangers]

My Top 20

Joe Montana, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Walter Payton, LaDainian Tomlinson, Marshall Faulk, Jerry Rice, Sterling Sharpe, Rob Gronkowski, Anthony Munoz, Reggie White, Randy White, Bruce Smith, Lawrence Taylor, Jack Lambert, Mike Singletary, Deion Sanders, Rod Woodson, Charles Woodson, Ronnie Lott

[oldbutnotdeadyet]

My Top 20

Joe Montana, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Walter Payton, LaDainian Tomlinson, Marshall Faulk, Jerry Rice, Sterling Sharpe, Rob Gronkowski, Anthony Munoz, Reggie White, Randy White, Bruce Smith, Lawrence Taylor, Jack Lambert, Mike Singletary, Deion Sanders, Rod Woodson, Charles Woodson, Ronnie Lott

I guess it depends what attributes you value. Me, I would put Favre over Rodgers in terms of excitement, an attribute often overlooked yet very important to the game of football.

[RashanGary]

My Top 20

Joe Montana, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Walter Payton, LaDainian Tomlinson, Marshall Faulk, Jerry Rice, Sterling Sharpe, Rob Gronkowski, Anthony Munoz, Reggie White, Randy White, Bruce Smith, Lawrence Taylor, Jack Lambert, Mike Singletary, Deion Sanders, Rod Woodson, Charles Woodson, Ronnie Lott

Faulk over Barry sanders.... Hmmm. And I'm a football guy but too young to see randy white. Shocked I never heard of him.

[RashanGary]

Cool to hear about the players from the 70s and 80s. Butkis is a guy I wish I could seen play. Definitely changes the list when some of you guys have seen Walter Payton, Jim Brown, Butkis, and others.

[RashanGary]

I shoulda put Montana on my list, but I was so young. I just remember the 49ers winning. I remember Lott and Montana being their most hyped players. For whatever reason rice just quietly broke every record and wasn't as big of a name as lott and Joe cool

[RashanGary]

Just watched some randy White. Kind of a cross between Z with those efficient hand/foot moves to quickly beat a block and closing prowess like a young Clay. More stout taking on blocks too. Kampman sort of stoutness. I can see him making the list.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Faulk over Barry sanders.... Hmmm. And I'm a football guy but too young to see randy white. Shocked I never heard of him.

Sanders and Moss should probably be on the list, but they were more boom or bust to me. I think the RBs and WRs I have were more complete football players. I’m a huge Faulk fan. Christian McCaffrey with better inside running skills. I think he made those Rams teams go more than anybody else. He was also good in Indy, pre-Manning.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Just watched some randy White. Kind of a cross between Z with those efficient hand/foot moves to quickly beat a block and closing prowess like a young Clay. More stout taking on blocks too. Kampman sort of stoutness. I can see him making the list.

I think Big Z is a pretty good comparison. Not super athletic, but versatile and tenacious with good hand skills. You could rush him at DT, DE, and as a blitz ILB.

[bobblehead]

Faulk over Barry sanders.... Hmmm. And I'm a football guy but too young to see randy white. Shocked I never heard of him.

Randy was intimidating in the middle. I can't explain it. He wasn't bigger, badder or faster. He just had a presence. He dominated the middle in an era where it was just not noticed or cared about. The fact that you noticed him was impressive.

[bobblehead]

I shoulda put Montana on my list, but I was so young. I just remember the 49ers winning. I remember Lott and Montana being their most hyped players. For whatever reason rice just quietly broke every record and wasn't as big of a name as lott and Joe cool

I went back and forth on Montana, Rodgers, Marino at QB. Montana and Rodgers are similar in demeaner. Joe Cool. R-E-L-A-X. But Dan was the mad bomber. Could take the top off a D at any moment. A release any MLB shortstop would have loved. Accurate. Strong arm. Best arm talent I ever saw (Jeff George a close second). Give Marino some of the D's that damn near anyone else who won Owls had and he might have won 10 of them.

[HarveyWallbangers]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=L7P_fy7kEuI

Faulk

[RashanGary]

I think Big Z is a pretty good comparison. Not super athletic, but versatile and tenacious with good hand skills. You could rush him at DT, DE, and as a blitz ILB.

More stout in the run. Similar pass rush style

[RashanGary]

Ahman Green still tied for 9th all time single season with 1883 yards. Mike Sherman coached some good run blocking lines. That year was Clifton, Wahle, Flannegan, Rivera and Tausch. Big willy at FB and Bubba at TE. Having Favre didn't hurt with tempo and pass threat.

Green doesn't make the list, but he was pretty good for a minute there.

[StPaulPackFan]

Walter Payton and Barry Sanders are the two best running backs I've ever seen. But Earl Campbell was the most devastating. His running style really shortened his career, but man was he fun to watch in college and his first few years in the league.

[RashanGary]

Earl Campbell is one I wish I coulda been around for. One of a kind highlights that’s for sure.

[texaspackerbacker]

Earl Campbell ...... I forgot about him. He didn't last very long, but for a time, he did what he did better than anybody else ever did - except maybe Jim Brown.

[RashanGary]

Earl Campbell ...... I forgot about him. He didn't last very long, but for a time, he did what he did better than anybody else ever did - except maybe Jim Brown.

Texted my son college tape of Dillon and pro tape of Campbell. My kid was like, yeah, but that’s college. How dare he dad correct me :lol:

But anyway, this thread got me thinking I wish I saw Campbell play cuz I haven’t seen anyone like him. Maybe Dillon will be my chance!

[Rastak]

This is a super hard question.

Gayle Sayers I only caught at the end. OJ Simpson perhaps, Carl Eller was amazing. Dick Butkus , Barry Sanders? Damn, I'd have to think long and hard.

[Rastak]

Earl Campbell ...... I forgot about him. He didn't last very long, but for a time, he did what he did better than anybody else ever did - except maybe Jim Brown.


To me Jim Brown and Gayle Sayers would be at the top but I started watching football in 1969 or so for the purposes of this question I can't count them.

[texaspackerbacker]

No disagreement about Brown, Simpson, and Sayers (in that order) being at the top as RBs, but Earl Campbell was pretty damn good as a pro too for a brief time - a down right brutal runner.

[The Shadow]

To me Jim Brown and Gayle Sayers would be at the top but I started watching football in 1969 or so for the purposes of this question I can't count them.

I agree. Brown was best. Sayers was 2nd. If not for the knee injury that ended his career, he would receive more recognition.

[Rastak]

No disagreement about Brown, Simpson, and Sayers (in that order) being at the top as RBs, but Earl Campbell was pretty damn good as a pro too for a brief time - a down right brutal runner.


Earl was a total stud playing for the Oilers. I well recall watching him plow through people.

[mraynrand]

Texted my son college tape of Dillon and pro tape of Campbell. My kid was like, yeah, but that’s college. How dare he dad correct me :lol:

But anyway, this thread got me thinking I wish I saw Campbell play cuz I haven’t seen anyone like him. Maybe Dillon will be my chance!

This might be a good comparison

[smuggler]

I have to be honest, strictly at his own position, Gronkowski might be the best football player I've ever watched. Tight Ends aren't particularly valuable, and yet somehow Gronk was worth two Super Bowls.