1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

[USA TODAY] Top 25 NFL Players in the last 25 yrs.

Discussion in 'Football: NFL, College, High School' started by ryan17wagner, Jul 26, 2007.

Tags:
Page 1 of 3
  1. ryan17wagner

    ryan17wagner Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2006
    Messages:
    3,044
    Likes Received:
    72
    Rank Player Story

    1 Joe Montana Montana's Super success raised the bar

    2 Jerry Rice Rice ran away from the field with grace

    3 Walter Payton Payton did sweet work as rushing king

    4 Lawrence Taylor The original L.T. brought QBs to their knees

    5 Reggie White White administered rare level of play

    6 John Elway Elway left NFL as a winner

    7 Emmitt Smith Emmitt Smith surpassed all runners

    8 Ronnie Lott Lott made waves with hard-hitting style

    9 Tom Brady Brady climbed fast to Super heights

    10 Barry Sanders Sanders left them wanting more

    11 Dan Marino Marino re-wrote the NFL passing records

    12 Peyton Manning Peyton's place secure in NFL annals

    13 Anthony Munoz Munoz set standard on the O-line

    14 Brett Favre Favre made Green Bay important again

    15 Bruce Smith Smith sacked his way to the top

    16 Deion Sanders Deion played his way into 'Prime Time'

    17 Mike Singletary Singletary renowned for intimidating presence

    18 Ray Lewis The ultimate defender — Ray Lewis

    19 Marshall Faulk Faulk brought double threat to new level

    20 Troy Aikman Aikman rescued 'America's Team'

    21 LaDainian Tomlinson Tomlinson still climbing list of NFL greats

    22 Rod Woodson Woodson set new standard in backfield

    23 Terry Bradshaw Playoff success carried Bradshaw into Hall

    24 Steve Young After wait, Young made lasting run into NFL history

    25 Eric Dickerson Dickerson blazed early path to NFL immortality


    ***

    About this series: A panel of 10 NFL reporters and editors at USA TODAY cast votes in this project. Points were assigned (25 points for the player voted No. 1, 24 points for No. 2, etc.), and the cumulative points determined the rankings.

    • The list covers the past 25 seasons. Instructions to panelists stated that if a player competed in any one of those seasons, then the player's entire career could be considered for the rankings.

    http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2007-top-25-series.htm
     
    #1 ryan17wagner, Jul 26, 2007
  2. Nice Rollin

    Nice Rollin Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2006
    Messages:
    11,856
    Likes Received:
    321
    top 2 are 49ers!!!

    lets go niners!
     
    #2 Nice Rollin, Jul 26, 2007
  3. ima_drummer2k

    ima_drummer2k Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2002
    Messages:
    35,636
    Likes Received:
    7,605
    Um....hello? Earl Campbell???

    He played until 85 and made the Pro Bowl in 83. But I guess he's not as good as Deion Sanders or Steve Young. :rolleyes:
     
    #3 ima_drummer2k, Jul 26, 2007
  4. codell

    codell Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2002
    Messages:
    19,312
    Likes Received:
    710
    Not saying it is fair, but Young and Sanders have rings and longevity on their side.
     
    #4 codell, Jul 26, 2007
  5. Nice Rollin

    Nice Rollin Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2006
    Messages:
    11,856
    Likes Received:
    321
    steve young can stay...
     
    #5 Nice Rollin, Jul 26, 2007
  6. The Real Shady

    The Real Shady Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2000
    Messages:
    17,170
    Likes Received:
    3,966
    1. Vince Young returns to hometown and punks team that passed him up.
     
    #6 The Real Shady, Jul 26, 2007
  7. MadMax

    MadMax Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 1999
    Messages:
    73,551
    Likes Received:
    19,836
    1. John Elway
     
    #7 MadMax, Jul 26, 2007
  8. Nice Rollin

    Nice Rollin Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2006
    Messages:
    11,856
    Likes Received:
    321
    not to mention young is a superbowl mvp and all time leader is passer rating. also led the league in passing 7 years. im suprised he's not higher on the list. you can bring down rod woodson if u ask me
     
    #8 Nice Rollin, Jul 26, 2007
  9. Deckard

    Deckard Blade Runner
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2002
    Messages:
    56,812
    Likes Received:
    39,121
    So by their criteria Earl didn't qualify, because of the "25 year rule?"

    (insert roll-eyes somewhere)
     
    #9 Deckard, Jul 26, 2007
  10. macalu

    macalu Contributing Member

    Joined:
    May 19, 2002
    Messages:
    16,761
    Likes Received:
    635
    Ray Lewis? i know he was great, but top 25 great? i don't have his numbers. that just surprises me.
     
    #10 macalu, Jul 26, 2007
  11. ima_drummer2k

    ima_drummer2k Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2002
    Messages:
    35,636
    Likes Received:
    7,605
    You're probably right. I tend to fall into that trap of underrating Young because of Joe Montana. Woodson was good, but probably not top 25. And they put Deion Sanders ahead of Mike Singletary???

    I don't see how you can't put Earl in there. He carried those Oiler teams with almost no help at all. A lot of guys on that list had a lot more help than Earl ever did.

    The rules say that if the player played in any of the last 25 years, his whole career should be taken into consideration. That means from 1982 on. Earl played until 1985. He even made the Pro Bowl in 1983.
     
    #11 ima_drummer2k, Jul 26, 2007
    Last edited: Jul 26, 2007
  12. Rocketman95

    Rocketman95 Hangout Boy

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 1999
    Messages:
    48,946
    Likes Received:
    1,365
    What about Terry Bradshaw??
     
    #12 Rocketman95, Jul 26, 2007
  13. Nice Rollin

    Nice Rollin Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2006
    Messages:
    11,856
    Likes Received:
    321
    ya. i dont agree with deion so much. He was a shut down CB and a great return man. he won everywhere he went...but he's nowhere near the top 25 players of all time. maybe top 50...
     
    #13 Nice Rollin, Jul 26, 2007
  14. peleincubus

    peleincubus Member

    Joined:
    Oct 26, 2002
    Messages:
    25,420
    Likes Received:
    13,294
    1. vince young
     
    #14 peleincubus, Jul 26, 2007
  15. Agent94

    Agent94 Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2002
    Messages:
    2,701
    Likes Received:
    2,553
    Aikman and Bradshaw are the pretty questionable selections.
     
    #15 Agent94, Jul 26, 2007
  16. tulexan

    tulexan Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2007
    Messages:
    1,765
    Likes Received:
    5
    Clearly Terry Bradshaw qualified seeing that he played 1 game in 1983 in which he threw 8 passes. I'm surprised he didn't make the pro bowl that year.
     
    #16 tulexan, Jul 26, 2007
  17. DoitDickau

    DoitDickau Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2002
    Messages:
    1,706
    Likes Received:
    66
    they forgot al del greco. greatest player in league history
     
    #17 DoitDickau, Jul 26, 2007
  18. SwoLy-D

    SwoLy-D Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2001
    Messages:
    37,617
    Likes Received:
    1,448
    Can't believe MOON ain't in there. :mad:
     
    #18 SwoLy-D, Jul 26, 2007
  19. TBar

    TBar Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2001
    Messages:
    3,033
    Likes Received:
    1
    Solid list-remarkable the '49er's had two prolific- brilliant QB's
     
    #19 TBar, Jul 26, 2007
  20. ryan17wagner

    ryan17wagner Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2006
    Messages:
    3,044
    Likes Received:
    72
    He's arguably the GREATEST CB of all-time. Heck, teams just ignored him and didn't throw his way. Yeah, he's top 25 all the way. No one was more dangerous when the ball got in his hands.
     
    #20 ryan17wagner, Jul 26, 2007
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)
Page 1 of 3

Share This Page

Toggle Width
Style
ClutchFans Original

  • About ClutchFans

    Since 1996, ClutchFans has been loud and proud covering the Houston Rockets, helping set an industry standard for team fan sites. The forums have been a home for Houston sports fans as well as basketball fanatics around the globe.

  • Rockets Content

  • Support ClutchFans!

    If you find that ClutchFans is a valuable resource for you, please consider becoming a Supporting Member. Supporting Members can upload photos and attachments directly to their posts, customize their user title and more. Gold Supporters see zero ads!


    Upgrade Now