NFL
5 Greatest NFL Linebackers Ever + Fan Rankings
Create your own all-time rankings of the top 5 greatest Linebackers in NFL history from Ray Lewis to Jack Lambert to Mike Singletary
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Derrick Brooks famously led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to their first Super Bowl championship on January 26th, 2003, marking 21 years since this historic achievement. This milestone prompts a reflection on the top 5 greatest NFL Linebackers of all time, with Brooks prominently featured in this esteemed list.
The Linebacker position stands out as one of the most pivotal on any football team’s defense, recognized for its dual role in leadership and playmaking. Linebackers are central to defensive strategy, calling plays, deciphering offensive formations, and ensuring cohesion before each and every snap.
However, a Linebacker’s pre-snap job can often be overshadowed by their responsibilities during the play. where they must be capable of stopping the run and blitzing the backfield, all while covering elusive Running Backs and Tight Ends. LBs are expected to lead their teams in tackles, sprinting sideline-to-sideline to track down speedy ball carriers.
As linchpins of legendary defenses, elite Linebackers are crucial to any team’s championship aspirations. Many Super Bowl-winning teams attribute their success to a formidable Linebacking corps, highlighting its essential role in winning at the highest level.
This list celebrates Linebackers who have not only achieved individual accolades but also elevated their teams to greatness through sheer determination and tactical brilliance. Each player brings a unique style to the game, united by their intensity, toughness, passion, and football IQ, all qualities that have consistently stifled opposing offenses for generations. Honorable mentions include: Jack Ham, Dick Butkus, Chuck Bednarik, Bobby Wagner
Here are the top 5 greatest NFL Linebackers of all time. Create your own rankings below!
– 13x Pro Bowl (Most by LB) | 10x All-Pro (T-most by LB)
– 2x Super Bowl Champ, 2001 SB MVP | 2x NFL DPOY
– Most career COMB (2,059) & SOLO (1,568) TKL ever
Ray Lewis‘ other-worldly toughness, leadership, and instincts combined with his elite talent produced one of the greatest linebackers in NFL history. Lewis forged an incredible career leading Baltimore’s fearsome defense on their way to two Super Bowl Championships.
Ray Lewis’ HOF resume:
– 13x Pro Bowl (Most by LB)
– 10x All-Pro (T-most by LB)
– 2x Super Bowl Champ, 2001 SB MVP
– 2x NFL DPOY
– 3x NFL TKL leader
– 2000s NFL All-Decade
– NFL career COMB & SOLO TKL leader
– Only player with 40+ SK & 30+ INTpic.twitter.com/EEoVFETIN9— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) September 16, 2022
– 9x Pro Bowl | 6x All-Pro 1st Team, 2x 2nd Team
– 1976 NFL DPOY & FR (8) leader | 1974 NFL DROY
– 100th Anniversary Team | 1970s & 80s NFL All-Decade
As the original superstar Linebacker of the NFL, Jack Lambert‘s physical intensity personified the “Steel Curtain” defenses that helped Pittsburgh win four Super Bowls during the 1970s with him manning the middle.
Jack Lambert's #Steelers records:
– Season FR (8)
– FR (3) in 1 Postseason
– Consecutive Pro Bowls (9) by DEF player
– Seasons (2) of 6+ INT by a LB
– T-most All-Pro 1st Teams (6)pic.twitter.com/XjCRbu1Xvh— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) July 22, 2022
– 7x All-Pro 1st Team, 1990 2nd Team | 2x NFL DPOY
– 10x Pro Bowl (Bears record) | 1980s NFL All-Decade
– 1986 Super Bowl Champ | 1981 PFWA All-Rookie Team
Mike Singletary anchored the legendary Chicago Bears defenses of the 1980s that struck fear in opposing offenses, perhaps more than any other defensive unit in NFL history. His hard-nosed approach to football was representative of the city of Chicago, endearing him to Bears fans forever.
Mike Singletary's HOF resume:
– 10x Pro Bowl (#Bears record)
– 7x All-Pro 1st Team, 1990 2nd Team
– 2x NFL DPOY
– 1986 Super Bowl Champ
– 1988 top-4 NFL MVP
– 1981 PFWA All-Rookie
– 1980s NFL All-Decadepic.twitter.com/c8ypBWAInO— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) August 29, 2022
– 5x All-Pro 1st Team, 4x 2nd Team | #55 retired by Bucs
– 2000s All-Decade | NFL 100 All-Time Team | 11x Pro Bowl
– 3x NFL SOLO TKL Leader | 2002 DEF-TD (4) Leader
Derrick Brooks established himself as a Hall of Fame Linebacker by calling the shots for a Buccaneers defense that rivals the 2000s Ravens as one of the scariest in the 21st century, thanks to his all-around dominance.
Brooks’ elite ability to stop the run, make plays in the backfield, and disrupt passing lanes helped Tampa torment opposing offenses for over a decade. Compiling 100+ tackles a whopping five times just shows how often Brooks helped the Bucs make stops when they needed to, and his HOF resume speaks for itself.
Derrick Brooks' HOF resume:
– 11x Pro Bowl
– 5x All-Pro 1st Team, 4x 2nd Team
– 2002 DPOY
– 2002 Super Bowl Champion
– 3x NFL SOLO TKL Leader
– 2002 DEF-TD (4) Leader
– 2000s NFL All-Decade
– NFL 100 All-Time Team
– #55 retired by #Buccaneerspic.twitter.com/kqt4NO8Duz— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) September 24, 2022
– 12x Pro Bowl | 6x All-Pro 1st Team, 3x 2nd Team
– 1994 NFL SOLO TKL (124) leader | 1990s NFL All-Decade
– Chargers Career COMB (1,480) & SOLO TKL (842) leader
Junior Seau is one of the Chargers’ greatest players in franchise history after leading their defense for 13 years. His rare athletic abilities and instincts were a lethal combo that allowed him to dominate offenses for over a decade.
Junior Seau's HOF resume:
– 12x Pro Bowl
– 6x All-Pro 1st Team, 3x 2nd Team
– 1994 NFL SOLO TKL (124) leader
– 1995 FR TD (1) leader
– 1990s NFL All-Decade
– Chargers career TKL (1,480) leader
– #55 retired by #Chargerspic.twitter.com/995AyFPn0E— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) September 24, 2022
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