The Greatest Players in NFL History, Ranked

In the 100+ years of the NFL, tens of thousands of players have taken to the gridiron. However, only a select few can be considered among the greatest of all time. So how do you compare cannon-armed quarterbacks, speedy wide receivers, explosive running backs, and bone-crunching defenders? Luckily, our ranked list of Greatest Players NFL has done the hard part, so you don’t have to… Let the arguments commence!

Ben Roethlisberger has amassed more wins than any other in Steelers history (157-75-1). His 18 Steelers seasons saw him become one of the most efficient passers of the ball in history, holding basically every franchise passing record imaginable.

When he retired in 2022, he ranked fifth all-time in NFL career passing yards (64,088), eighth all-time in touchdowns (418), and fifth in completions (5,440). Big Ben led the Steelers to Super Bowl XL and XLIII victories, becoming the youngest starting QB to win a Super Bowl aged 23.

Between 1956 and 1970, Alvis Forrest Gregg was the backbone of Vince Lombardi’s legendary Green Bay Packers. Playing offensive tackle, he won five NFL championships and the first two Super Bowls. In his final season, he joined Roger Staubach at the Dallas Cowboys, where he won his third Super Bowl.

Legendary coach Lombardi is reputed to have said, “Forrest Gregg is the finest player I ever coached!” Gregg went on to coach the Packers, Browns, and Bengals… who he led to Super Bowl XVI.

Steve Young joined the Niners in 1985 as Joe Montana’s heir, but Joe Cool’s boots are some big boots to fill. That said, he became one of the modern game’s first great mobile QBs. A supremely gifted passer, he led the league in passer rating a record six times and holds the highest passer rating among NFL quarterbacks with over 1,500.

The three-time Super Bowl champion, one-time Super Bowl MVP, and 2005 Hall of Famer also ranks number two for career rushing touchdowns by a QB, with 43.

Known for his flamboyant touchdown celebrations, Terrell Owens played for the 49ers but also spent time with the Eagles, Cowboys, Bills, and Bengals. Between 1996 and 2010, he was one of the most excellent wide receivers of his generation. He ranks third in NFL history in career receiving touchdowns and receiving yards.

T.O. was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2018. Still, his career had its ups and downs, including mental health issues and substance abuse followed by a $35,000 fine for spitting.

Playing middle linebacker between 1958 and 1972, Ray Nitschke was another invaluable member of Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers teams. As the anchor of a disciplined and almost impenetrable defense, Nitschke led his team to five NFL championships.

As MVP of the 1962 NFL Championship Game, he won a Chevrolet Corvette! He also won the first two Super Bowls. In the first, he contributed six tackles and a sack. In the second, he led Green Bay’s defense with nine tackles.

The reason the ball stuck to Tony Gonzalez’s hands like glue was that he almost became a pro basketball player. Despite never making a Super Bowl appearance, his NFL stats prove what a great player he was.

In his 17-year career playing tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons, he made the all-time record for receptions (1,325) and career receiving yards (15,127). During that time, the 14-time Pro Bowler only missed two games and lost only two fumbles on 1,327 touches.

LaDanian Tomlinson opened his San Diego Chargers rookie season with the first of seven straight seasons with over 1,200 rushing yards, a streak only previously beaten by Eric Dickerson. L.T. ranks fifth in NFL career rushing yards (13,684), second in rushing touchdowns (145), third in total touchdowns (162), and fifth in yards from scrimmage (18,456).

Tomlinson also threw seven TD passes, behind only Walter Payton for non-quarterbacks. Finally, he was named to the NFL’s 2000s All-Decade Team as one of the top running backs.

Pittsburgh Steelers 70s quarterback hero, Terry Bradshaw, is remembered for his unbeatable postseasons. Only Joe Montana matches Bradshaw’s 4-0 record in Super Bowl starts while boasting an exemplary QB rating of 112.8 in those four finals. He also was twice named Super Bowl MVP.

Bradshaw won NFL MVP honors in 1978 and was a three-time Pro-Bowler before going to Hollywood. He appeared in The Cannonball Run (1981), Everybody Loves Raymond, Married… with Children, Malcolm in the Middle, and his own reality TV show, The Bradshaw Bunch!

Our most controversial entry, but if the glove fits… Before O.J.’s three-year stint with the San Francisco 49ers and his many troubles, the five-time Pro Bowl pick was unstoppable as the Bills’ RB.

‘The Juice’ became the first-ever player to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season, winning the NFL’s MVP award in 1973. O.J. came in at No. 40 in The Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players. He may have deservedly lost his hero status, but on his day, he was scintillating.

Jim Thorpe, or Wa-Tho-Huk, “Bright Path” in the Sac and Fox language, was born in Indian Territory — modern-day Oklahoma — in 1887. He wasn’t only an American footballing icon; he was also a great Native American icon.

He played as a running back for the Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Indians, Oorang Indians, Rock Island Independents, New York Giants, and Chicago Cardinals in the 1920s. Oh, and he also played pro basketball and baseball. And he won two Olympic gold medals in the pentathlon and decathlon in the 1912 Olympics.

‘Captain America’ won the 1963 Heisman Trophy at the U.S. Naval Academy and toured Vietnam. When he returned, he became the talismanic leader of the first great Dallas Cowboys dynasty. Between 1970 and 1979, they won 105 regular season games, more than any other NFL team that decade.

Leading his team to five Super Bowl appearances, winning VI and XII, ‘Roger the Dodger’ or ‘Captain Comeback’ is — without doubt — one of the league’s finest QBs. He would have won more trophies if he wasn’t serving his country.

With his iconic Jheri curls and goggles, Eric Dickerson looked like a short-sighted Eazy-E playing running back. In his rookie year with the Los Angeles Rams, he almost broke the 2,000 rushing-yard benchmark, despite only playing 14 games. In 1984, he became the second-only member of the 2,000 Club.

In his 10-year tenure between 1983 and 1993, Dickerson amassed 13,259 career rushing yards. He still holds the landmark of achieving the most rushing yards in a single season (2,105,) averaging 131.6 per game.

The son of Italian immigrants, Gino Marchetti, served during WWII. He said without this “life-altering” experience, he’d have worked in a factory all his life. His skills as an elite run-stopper and relentless pass rusher saw him revolutionize the defensive end position.

As the enforcer behind QB Johnny Unitas of the Baltimore Colts, he won the NFL championship in 1958 and 1959. Voted the NFL’s all-time greatest DE in 1972, Marchetti was one of the first great D-linemen. He passed, aged 93, in 2019.

Between 1946 and 1955, Otto Graham played for the Browns as the first genuinely great quarterback. He took Cleveland to the playoffs every year between 1946 and 1955 — making 10 championship appearances and winning seven. But aside from die-hard Cleveland fans, he’s relatively forgotten, considering he was the most prolific passer of that golden age.

The three-time NFL MVP, seven-time All-Pro, and five-time Pro-Bowler’s record for highest career QB passer rating (86.6) stood until Joe Montana retired! He still holds the NFL record for passing yards per attempt (9.0).

In Aaron Rodgers’ first three seasons, he was Brett Favre’s understudy. Nevertheless, in his 13 seasons as a starter, he won Super Bowl XLV as MVP, was a three-time NFL overall MVP (2011, 2014, 2020), nine-time Pro-Bowler, and four-time All-Pro. Rodgers has one of the highest career QB ratings in NFL history (103.9).

He appears in the top-10 all-time QB rushing yards and led the NFL five times in TD-INT ratio. Aged 39, he signed a three-year, $150 million contract that runs through the 2024 season.

Dick ‘Night Train’ Lane’s story is incredible. While working at an aircraft plant in 1952, he’d pass the Los Angeles Rams stadium on his bus ride. Walking into the office, he presented a scrapbook of clippings and asked for a tryout.

As Rams’ rookie cornerback, he had 14 interceptions, which remains an NFL record 70 years later. His 68 career interceptions rank second in NFL history. But, the seven-time Pro Bowler is most famous for being one of the NFL’s most ferocious tacklers of all time.

Alan Page was one of the Purple People Eaters’ most feared members. That’s the name given to the Minnesota Vikings’ impenetrable defensive line from the late 1960s to the late 1970s. By some physics-defying miracle, Page enjoyed a 14-year career as a rushing defensive tackle with the Vikes and the Bears, becoming the 1969 NFL champ.

Think of him as an early Aaron Donald. This awesome nine-time Pro Bowler played in over 200 consecutive NFL games, and only he and Lawrence Taylor are the only defensive players to ever win a league MVP.

Cowboys coach Tom Landy transformed Robert Lewis Lilly from DE to DT in Dallas’ famed ‘Doomsday Defense.’ There, he became one of the most speedy, strong, and intelligent defensive tackle greats to have ever played the game.

During his 14 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys between 1961 and 1974 ‘Mr. Cowboy’ missed just one game. He won Super Bowl VI in 1972, was named an All-Pro seven times, and was an eleven-time Pro Bowler. He was enshrined in the NFL Hall of Fame in 1980.

Gale is an apt name for someone from Kansas. In a tornado of a rookie NFL season, he scored 22 touchdowns, including six in one game! Sadly, his whirlwind Chicago Bears career only lasted seven seasons between 1965 and 1971 due to constant knee injuries.

A few more seasons and this smaller scat back could have been remembered as one of the GOATs. ‘The Kansas Comet’ possessed lightning speed and a knack for navigating clusters of defenders. In his own words, he only needed “18 inches of daylight.”

Bruce Smith was among the most dominant players in NFL history across any position. The Buffalo Bills star is the NFL’s all-time sack leader with a mind-blowing 200 sacks. He’s also the NFL leader in quarterback sacks and holds the NFL record for going 13 seasons with double-digit sacks.

In notching his 52nd sack in 1989, he became the Bills’ all-time sack leader. Then, he broke his own record 119 times! ‘The Sack Man’ made it to four consecutive Buffalo Super Bowls… but tragically lost them all.

Lott was a trusty member of the iconic 1980s San Francisco 49ers team. He’s also considered the most outstanding cornerback/safety of his generation. In his rookie 1981 season as a cornerback, his ferocity as a hitter on the perimeter led his team to win Super Bowl XVI.

He switched to the safety position in 1985 when he lost his pinkie finger! Thanks to this 10-time Pro Bowler’s leadership qualities, this Niners team won the Vince Lombardi Trophy four times between 1982 and 1990.

Brett Favre led Green Bay to back-to-back Super Bowls (XXXIand XXXII). But whether you love the three-time NFL MVP or hate him as a pantomime villain, he ranks in the top five in almost every passing category and holds many passing records.

He also recorded 186 career regular-season wins, tying in second place with Peyton Manning. The Iron Man started in 297 consecutive regular-season games, the longest by any player, in any position, in NFL history. It’s a record that will probably never be broken.

Famous as a journeyman, Deion Luwynn Sanders Sr. played for the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, and Baltimore Ravens. During his 14 NFL seasons, the cornerback — who could also play kick returner, punt returner, and wide receiver — won two Super Bowls.

But more impressive, he played nine seasons of Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, and San Francisco Giants. Nicknamed ‘Prime Time,’ Deion is the only man to appear in the Super Bowl and World Series. And for that… he deserves respect.

Brees holds records for all-time completion percentage (67.7), passing yards per game (280), and most consecutive games with a touchdown pass (54). He’s also the fastest QB to reach 60,000 and 70,000 passing yards. He was twice voted offensive player of the year and was the first to pass for over 4,000 yards in 12 seasons.

But forget his stats — Brees revived New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. He took the Saints from also-rans to Super Bowl Champions in three seasons. We reckon this Saint should be canonized.

In his first Vikings season, wide receiver Randy Moss caught 17 touchdown passes and was named NFL Rookie of the Year. Then, when he teamed up with Daunte Culpepper, the dynamic duo marauded into defensive territories like hot knives through butter.

In 2007, Moss was traded to the Patriots, where he set the single-season record for TD receptions and helped lead them to a record-breaking 16–0 regular season. While Randy was trouble with a capital T, we think he’s the second-greatest WR in the game’s history.

Deacon Jones was such a legendary DE that he coined the term “sacking the quarterback.” Playing for the Rams between 1964 and 1968, he averaged over 20 sacks per season. Unofficially, “The Secretary of Defense” notched up 173.5 career sacks. His explosive play made him one of the best-ever defenders.

The Los Angeles Times called him the “most valuable Ram of all time.” Jones was famous for his incredible speed but would also stun opposing offensive linemen with his trademark head slap… until the NFL outlawed it.

Back when pig’s bladders made adequate helmets, Slingin’ Sammy Baugh played quarterback, defensive back, and punter. When the Washington Redskins drafted him, the Texan showed up in D.C. wearing a cowboy hat and boots. Light years ahead of his time, his passing prowess changed football forever by revolutionizing the QB position.

Sammy led the NFL in passing six times, a record that still stands today. He won two NFL championships and was twice named NFL Player of the Year. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1963.

Anthony Muñoz was one of the best offensive linemen for 13 seasons between 1980 and 1992 with the Cincinnati Bengals. While those in the know consider him to be one of the greatest in NFL history, he remains someone who slipped under the radar and who deserves more plaudits.

Without him, Cincy would never have won two of their three AFC titles in 1981 and 1988. The Bengals lost both Super Bowls XVI and XXIIIto the San Francisco 49ers. When Muñoz left, they entered a long and dark abyss.

If you don’t know Don Hutson of the Green Bay Packers, he was the first modern wide receiver. Between 1935 and 1945, Hutson caught more touchdown passes than many teams. He led the league in touchdown receptions in nine of his eleven seasons and finished second in his two other seasons.

He also led the NFL in interceptions in 1940. Hutson was an eight-time All-Pro pick, a four-time All-Star, and was named the NFL’s MVP twice. Sportswriter Zipp Newman called him “The Ty Cobb of the Gridiron.”

‘The Monster of the Midway’ defined the middle linebacker position but only played nine seasons for the Chicago Bears due to knee injuries. He made the Pro Bowl and All-Pro eight times in that time, recording 1020 tackles, 22 interceptions, and 27 fumble recoveries.

Deacon Jones said Butkus “was a well-conditioned animal, and every time he hit you, he tried to put you in the cemetery, not the hospital.” Dick Butkus was the most intimidating player ever. He was so barbaric that Rocky Balboa named his Bull Mastiff after him!

Barry Sanders was one of the finest running backs and the greatest player to never compete in a Super Bowl. One of the game’s most elusive runners, he used his speed, dazzling footwork, and slaloming style to ghost past defenders. ‘Big Bad Barry’ ran for more than 1,400 yards in seven consecutive campaigns.

He was an All-Pro selection in all 10 of his Detroit Lions seasons. Sanders was the first NFL player to log 10 straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons. In short, the 5’8″ RB could not be tackled.

Across 16 glorious seasons in Denver, John Elway led the Broncos to five Super Bowls. The dual-threat QB with a rocket for an arm won Super Bowl XXXII and XXXIII before unexpectedly retiring. His supernatural vision meant he excelled as both a passer and a runner.

His 3,407 rushing yards rank ninth among QBs, and he was one of the top passers in NFL history. Elway took home NFL MVP honors in 1987, was selected for nine Pro Bowls, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.

Ray Lewis spent his entire 17-year career with the Baltimore Ravens, becoming a fan favorite and one of the best in the game. In 2000, Ray was found guilty of obstruction of justice. But the following season, the hardest-hitting linebacker since Butkus was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

He led Baltimore’s record-setting defense, establishing a 16-game single-season record for the fewest points allowed (165) and fewest rushing yards allowed (970). He also won the Ravens Super Bowl XXXV.

Marino’s cannon arm and lightning-fast release made him one of the most prolific passers ever. But despite a glorious 17-year Dolphins career, he never won a Super Bowl, as he always lost to Joe Montana’s 49ers. No QB has completed more passes in a career (4,967.)

He held over 40 total NFL records, second highest in yards gained (61,361), and third in TD passes (420). ‘Dan the Man’ was the first QB to pass the 50,000 and 60,000 passing yard threshold and the 400 TD pass mark.

Joe Greene was another backbone in Pittsburgh’s famous Steel Curtain defense. Between 1969 and 1981, he was one of the most feared and formidable men in football, totaling 78.5 sacks. Playing defensive tackle and wearing number 75, Joe was effective against both the run and the pass.

He was most famous for his leadership, fearsome competitiveness, and intimidating style… for which he earned his nickname. ‘Mean Joe Greene’ led the Pittsburgh Steelers to four Super Bowl victories in six years and was a 10-time Pro-Bowler.

His name may sound like wabbit-chasing Looney Tunes character Elmer Fudd, but Emmitt Smith was the most essential member of Dallas’ Triplets group. He, Troy Aikman, and Michael Irvin helped the Cowboys to Super Bowls XXVII, XXVIII and XXX in the 1990s.

Smith may be the most brilliant running back of all time, and the statistics back it up. He is the league’s all-time leading rusher with 18,355 yards, breaking Walter Payton’s record. He still holds the record with 164 career rushing touchdowns.

Johnny Unitas was the quintessential quarterback of his era, and some say the best QB ever. He spent most of his 18 seasons with the Baltimore Colts, where he won Super Bowl V and three NFL championships. “Golden Arm” held records for decades.

He was an NFL MVP in 1959, 1964, and 1967 and was named to 10 Pro Bowls, a record he held until Brett Favre broke it. Johnny’s record of 47 straight games with a touchdown pass went unbroken until Drew Brees broke it in 2012.

Reggie White is the best defensive lineman ever. No other player could rip through an offensive line utilizing so many techniques. From his Swim Move to the Bull Rush and his Forearm Shiver, he battled through constant double-teams to become an unstoppable pass rusher.

He sacked opposing QBs 198 times, the second-highest in NFL history, and amassed a staggering 1,112 tackles. Sadly, the ‘Minister of Defense’ passed in 2004, aged 43. Reggie was a 13-time All-Pro and Pro Bowler and posthumously made the Hall of Fame in 2006.

Peyton Manning changed the way quarterbacks played. Whereas most great QBs were maverick gunslingers, Peyton used nerd-level preparation and neurotic tinkering to exploit weaknesses in defenses. In 17 seasons with the Colts and Broncos, the 14-time Pro Bowler won a record five NFL MVP trophies.

He’s second all-time in career wins (200-92) and played in four Super Bowls, winning twice (XLI and 50). The $249 million career earner holds too many records to list, but they include 55 touchdown passes and 5,477 passing yards in a single season.

Joe Montana had a legendary 14-year career with the San Francisco 49ers, and his stats and honors are almost unequaled. He has a perfect 4-0 Super Bowl record, the highest collective all-time QB rating in the Super Bowl (127.8), and the most passes thrown without an interception (122 across four games).

Oh, plus three Super Bowl MVP picks. ‘Joe Cool’ earned NFL MVP honors twice, eight Pro Bowl selections, and five All-Pro selections. He was known as ‘The Comeback Kid’ for his cool head overcoming the most adverse scorelines.

Jim Brown is the NFL’s most incredible power back. He was invited to the Pro Bowl in all nine of his Cleveland Browns seasons. He was so good, they even named the franchise after him (not really!).

By the time he retired to act in The Dirty Dozen in 1965, he’d broken almost every record for a running back. These include the most carries (2,359), most touchdowns (106), and most rushing yards (12,312). He’s the only NFL player to average over 100 rushing yards per game.

Lawrence Taylor was one of the most formidable linebackers of all time. He was a vital member of the famed “Big Blue Wrecking Crew” defense that led the New York Giants to victory in Super Bowls XXI and XXV.

He was named MVP in ’86 and named to the Pro Bowl a jaw-dropping 10 times. Despite admitting to using cocaine from his sophomore NFL year onwards, Lawrence Taylor comes in at number three in The Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players. But — for us — L.T. is the O.G.

The late, great Walter “Sweetness” Payton was a true great and gentleman. In his 190 games (170 consecutive!), the 9-time Pro Bowler rushed for 16,726 yards with an average of 88.0 yards per game. Across his 13-year Chicago Bears career, he made 16,726 rushing yards, 4,538 receiving yards, and 125 touchdowns. He also helped them win Super Bowl XX.

Tragically, Walter passed from liver disease at 45 years old, in 1999. The Walter and Connie Payton Foundation has helped thousands by raising awareness for organ donations.

Nicknamed ‘World’ because of his world-class catching ability, WR Jerry Rice was the NFL’s greatest wide receiver. In his almost 20-year career between 1985 and 2004, he helped the San Francisco 49ers to greatness by winning Super Bowls XXIII, XXIV, XXIX.

Personally, he won share his of honors, often by considerable margins… including all-time leader in touchdowns (208), receiving TDs (197), and receptions (1,549). He was even the leader for total yards and touchdowns in a single season! Excluding kickers, he scored more points than any other NFL player (1,256).

Tom Brady is the GOAT. He led the New England Patriots to nine Super Bowls and 17 division titles. He has three NFL MVP Awards, five All-Pro, and 14 Pro Bowl invitations. He has more Super Bowl starts (10) and wins (7), and more TD passes (581) than any player in history.

In his first season with Tampa Bay, he led the Buccaneers Super Bowl LV, earning him Super Bowl MVP honors for a record fifth time, aged 43. He’s won Super Bowls in three decades, and he’s still going strong.