Top 10 Best American Football Players of All Time
This is an article compiled by FootballTerms about Top 10 best american football players of all time updated latest and most complete
The challenge was daunting, considering each person had to assess talent back in 1920. While there were no strict parameters, the process for making decisions focused on the field of play and considered elements such as induction to the Hall of Fame, statistics, awards, reputation, and the eye test.
Each voter was asked to rank 60 players. Those votes produced a list of 170 names. A points system was used for the rankings starting with 60 points for the top player on a list down to 1. Ties were broken by using the highest single vote a player received.
Feel free to agree, disagree, argue or simply enjoy a trip through the years. Let us know.
With that, here are the top 10 best American football players of all time:
***
1: Jerry Rice
Position: Wide receiver
Years: 1985-2004
Teams: San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders, Seattle Seahawks
Achievements: Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (2010); 3-time Super Bowl champ; Super Bowl MVP; NFL MVP; 13 Pro Bowls; Leads the NFL in all-purpose touchdowns (208); Leads the NFL in receiving yards (22,895);
Only player in NFL history with more than 20,000 receiving yards; Leads the NFL in total receptions (1,549); Leads the NFL in all-purpose yards (23,546); Leads the NFL in TD receptions (197); leads the NFL in consecutive games with at least one reception (274); holds 36 total NFL records
***
2: Tom Brady
Position: Quarterback
Years: 2000-Present
Team: New England Patriots
Achievements: 6-time Super Bowl champ; 4-time Super Bowl MVP; 3-time NFL MVP; 3-time First-team All-Pro (2007, 2010, 2017); 2-time Second-team All-Pro (2005, 2016); 2-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year (2007, 2010); NFL Comeback Player of the Year (2009); Holds NFL record for most Super Bowl wins as a player (6);
Holds multiple Super Bowl records including most TD passes (18), most passing yards (2,838), most completed passes (256), most passing attempts (392), and most consecutive competitions in a single SB (16); Holds NFL record for most games won by a QB (207); only QB to have 3 consecutive games w/ 300+ passing yards, 3+ TD passes, and 0 interceptions;
Tied for most Pro Bowl selections (14); Holds NFL record for most postseason games played (40); Holds NFL record for most postseason TD passes (73); Oldest QB to win a Super Bowl (41 years, 6 months)
***
3: Lawrence Taylor
Position: Left Back
Years: 1981-1993
Team: New York Giants
Achievements: Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1999); 2-time Super Bowl champ; 10-time Pro Bowl; 9-time first-team All-Pro (1981-1989); second-team All-Pro (1990); NFL MVP (1986); 3-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1981, 1982, 1986); NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (1981)
***
4: Jim Brown
Position: Running back
Years: 1957-1965
Team: Cleveland Browns
Achievements: Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1971); 1964 NFL Champ; 4-time NFL MVP (1957,1958, 1963, 1965); 8-time first-team All-Pro (1957-1961, 1963-1965); All-Pro 2nd-team (1962); 9 Pro Bowls appearances;
NFL Rookie of the Year (1957); 1st player to reach 100 rushing touchdowns; 1st NFL player to rush for over 10,000 yards; 10th most touchdowns in NFL history (126); 5th most rushing TDs in NFL history (106); Leads the NFL in average rushing yards per game in a career (104.3)
***
5: Walter Payton
Position: Running back
Years: 1975-1987
Team: Chicago Bears
Achievements: Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1993); Super Bowl champ; 7-time first-team All-Pro (1976-1980, 1984, 1985); second-team All-Pro (1986); NFL MVP (1977); NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1977); second-leading rusher in NFL history (16,726); 4th most rushing TDs in NFL history (110)
***
6: Joe Montana
Position: Quarterback
Years: 1979-1994
Teams: San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs
Achievements: Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (2000); 4-time Super Bowl champ; 3-time Super Bowl MVP; 2-time NFL MVP (1989, 1990); 8 Pro Bowl invites; 3-time first-team All-Pro (1987, 1989, 1990); 2-time second-team All-Pro (1981, 1984); holds a Super Bowl record passer rating of 127.8; holds Super Bowl records for most throws without an interception (122)
***
7: Reggie White
Position: Defensive end
Years: 1985-2000
Teams: Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, Carolina Panthers
Achievements: Inducted into Hall of Fame in 2006; Super Bowl champion (1996); AP Defensive Player of the Year (1987, ‘98); 1st-team All-Pro (1986, ‘87, ‘88, ‘89, ‘90, ‘91, ‘95, 98); 13-time Pro Bowler
***
8: Peyton Manning
Position: Quarterback
Years: 1998-2015
Teams: Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos
Achievements: 2-time Super Bowl champ; Super Bowl MVP; 14-time Pro Bowl; 7-time first-team All-Pro (2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013); 3-time second-team All-Pro (1999, 2000, 2006); 5-time NFL MVP (2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2013); 2-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year (2004, 2013); leads the NFL in career TD passes (539); holds the NFL record for most passing yards in a single season (5,477 in 2013); 2nd most passing yards in NFL history (71,940); 3rd most passes completed in NFL history (6,125)
***
9: Johnny Unitas
Position: Quarterback
Years: 1956-1971
Teams: Baltimore Colts, San Diego Chargers
Achievements: Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1979); Super Bowl champ; 3-time NFL Champ; 3rd longest TD streak in NFL history (47 games)
***
10: Barry Sanders
Position: Running back
Years: 1989-98
Team: Detroit Lions
Achievements: Inducted into Pro Football HOF 2004; 15,269 rushing yards, 3rd all-time; 10 pro bowls; 6-time All-Pro; the first player to rush for 1,000 yards in his first 10 seasons.
