NFL
5 Greatest NFL Edge Rushers Ever + Fan Rankings
Create your own all-time rankings of the 5 greatest Edge Rushers in NFL history from Lawrence Taylor to Reggie White to Bruce Smith
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New York Giants’ EDGE Michael Strahan broke the single-season sack record (22.5) exactly 21 years ago on January 6, 2002, so it’s a great time to look at the top 5 greatest Edge Rushers of all time with him cracking the list.
As football has evolved over the years and defensive schemes have shifted, it’s more critical now than ever that teams apply pressure to the Quarterback and get to the backfield. This is where the Edge Rusher comes into play. While the term Edge Rusher is still relatively new and more of a defensive concept than a position, every great defense has had players that rush the pocket in hopes of generating sacks, tackles for loss, fumbles, pass deflections, and overall pressure to deter the offense with Edge Rushers typically lining up as Defensive End or Outside Linebacker, depending on the scheme.
Nowadays, Quarterbacks are quicker, shiftier, smarter, more athletic, and more agile than ever, creating a desire for great Edge Rushers that can shed their blockers efficiently and get to the QB within seconds of the snap. Although this list includes players from different eras of the game, each one shares the characteristics of a great Edge Rusher: technique, speed, footwork, agility, and power. Each player has left their own mark on the game that will be evident in years to come.
From Super Bowl champion to Defensive Player of the Year and All-Pro recognition, each of these Edge Rushers has combined accolades with personal dominance and success that either already has, or will secure them a spot with the sport’s all-time greats in Canton. Honorable mention includes: DeMarcus Ware, Deacon Jones, Julius Peppers, Derrick Thomas, and Jack Youngblood. T.J. Watt & Myles Garrett could one day join this list as well.
Here are the top 5 greatest NFL Edge Rushers of all time. Do you agree? Create your own rankings below!
– Only unanimous defensive MVP | 3x NFL DPOY
– 8x All-Pro 1st Team, 2x 2nd Team | 10x Pro Bowl
– 2x Super Bowl Champ | NFL 100 All-Time Team
Ever since he was drafted in the 1980s, all NFL franchises have been searching for the next Lawrence Taylor. As the last defensive player to win MVP, L.T.’s greatness not only makes him the greatest Edge Rusher ever, but he is also considered the greatest defensive player in NFL history by many.
Lawrence Taylor's NFL records:
– Only unanimous defensive MVP
– 1st with 3 DPOYs
– Rookie DPOY
– Last DPOY to win MVP (1986)
– 1st All-Pro at 2 positions in 1 season
– Season GP (4) of 3+ SK
– Consecutive seasons (5) of 12+ SKpic.twitter.com/ganxAhjNrm— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) October 23, 2022
– 2x NFL DPOY + 5x finished top-3 | 8x All-Pro
– 13x Pro Bowl | 2x NFL SK leader | #92 retired by Eagles
– Most consecutive seasons (9) of 10+ SK | SB 31 Champ
Not often is one so dominant that he receives the nickname with the caliber of, “The Minister of Defense”. Yet Reggie White is fully deserving of the title as the game has never seen a more physically dominant player at the line of scrimmage.
Reggie White's NFL records:
– Career SK/GP (0.85; min 100 GP)
– GP (50) of 2+ SK
– Season GP (8) of 2+ SK
– Consecutive seasons (9) of 10+ SK
– Fastest (96 GP) to 100 SK
– SK in 1st 50 GP (61.5) & 1st 5 seasons (81)
– SK (70) in 4-season spanpic.twitter.com/lBAU5q5mZ9— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) October 17, 2022
– 2x NFL DPOY | 4x AFC DPOY | 8x All-Pro | 11x Pro Bowl
– Most career SK (200) in NFL history | 2x FF leader
– 1980s & 1990s All-Decade Team | #78 retired by Bills
No one better represented the Bills Mafia blue-collared spirit than Bruce Smith, who dominated blockers to record levels of production. Smith anchored the Bills’ defense that went to four straight Super Bowls, cementing himself as an all-time great.
Bruce Smith's HOF resume:
– 11x Pro Bowl
– 8x All-Pro 1st Team, 2x 2nd Team
– 2x NFL DPOY
– 2x NFL FF leader
– 1980s & 1990s NFL All-Decade
– Most career SK (200) in NFL history
– #78 retired by #Billspic.twitter.com/KCAEPcm1tw— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) September 26, 2022
– 3x NFL DPOY (T-most ever) | 5x All-Pro | 5x Pro Bowl
– 2x SK & 3x TFL leader | NFL 2000s All-Decade Team
– Most career (313) and season (51) QBH in NFL history
J.J. Watt‘s extraordinary strength, speed, size, and quickness, combined with his high football IQ and motor make him a true unicorn at the Edge position. Watt’s dominance in the 2010s at the helm of the Texans’ defense makes him a no-brainer first-ballot Hall of Famer.
JJ Watt's NFL records:
– Career QBH (313)
– Top3 season TFL (39)
– Top4 season QBH (51)
– Seasons of 20+ TFL (4) or 40+ QBH (4)
– Top2 QBH (10) in 1 GP
– GP of 3/4/5/6+ TFL
– 100+ SK & 3+ Off. TD
– 2010s TFL (158) & QBH (265)
– T-most NFL DPOYs (3)pic.twitter.com/TK3PULbSvW— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) January 27, 2023
– 2001 NFL DPOY | 7x Pro Bowl | 4x All-Pro | 2x SK leader
– Super Bowl 42 Champ | NFL 2000’s All-Decade Team
– Set record for most SK (22.5) during 1 season in NFL history
Before he was a regular on Good Morning America and one of football’s top media personalities, Michael Strahan was a dominant force on the gridiron. Strahan all but cemented his legacy as one of the game’s great pass rushers when his Giants stunned previously unbeaten New England in Super Bowl 42.
Michael Strahan's HOF resume:
– 7x Pro Bowl
– 4x All-Pro 1st Team, 2x 2nd Team
– 2x NFL SK leader
– 2001 NFL DPOY
– 2008 Super Bowl Champion
– 2000s NFL All-Decade
– #92 retired by #Giants
– NFL season SK (22.5) leaderpic.twitter.com/ECtBwL6fBM— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) October 13, 2022
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