NFL 100 All-Time Team
NFL 100 All-Time Team
In honor of the NFL's All-Time team, I've decided to put together a roster for myself. I realize that some of you will not like it, most of you will disagree but none of you will be able to beat me with this team. Let's begin!
OFFENSE:
QB-Joe Montana
Here we go. Here comes the What? How can you not take Tom Brady? I've said it before and I'll say it again. No matter how many rings he wins, touchdowns he throws, records he breaks, Brady will never pass Montana as the GOAT. Anyone who wants to debate on this is more than welcome. In fact, I encourage you to.
RB-Walter Payton
While I have given a great deal of thought about this position, I feel that no one else at that position gives an offense more options than Sweetness did. It's not that he could do everything, it's that he could do everything brilliantly.
FB-Jim Brown
Brown at fullback would be a nightmare, even for today's NFL. They wouldn't be able to stop him and Brown might even get fined today's soft-NFL for throwing a stiff arm that was “too hard”.
WRs-Randy Moss, Jerry Rice, Marvin Harrison, Don Hutson
Do I need to explain myself here? Most people argue that Harrison doesn't belong but he does. People can say, well, look who was throwing him the ball. My response is, do you say the same about Jerry?
TE-Rob Gronkowski
Enough said.
Gs-John Hannah, Gene Upshaw
Everywhere I looked, everything I read and everyone I talked to kept throwing these two names at me. I never did see them play but then again, I've never seen a guard that mustered as much acclaim as either Hannah or Upshaw did. Hannah made ten straight First-Team All-Pro rosters and Upshaw...well, all I have to say is “Highway 63, baby”
Ts-Anthony Munoz, Jonathan Ogden
There's no way I'm leaving these two off of my roster. Munoz remains the best player in Bengals history (though I don't know if that says more about him or the team.) and Ogden? Michael Strahan referred to him as “too good” and also claimed how Ogden would laugh when the ball was snapped...scary stuff.
C-Mike Webster
Greatest Center to ever play the game says everyone I've ever talked to. Nowadays, he's better known for his demise and death, not to mention CTE but when Mean Joe admits he couldn't move you, you're special.
DEFENSE:
DEs-Reggie White, Deacon Jones
As a Bills fan, I wanted so badly to put Bruce Smith on here but I couldn't give it to him ahead of either Deacon or the Minister. Over 400 career sacks between those two, even if Sacks weren't recorded until the 80s. Deacon, despite not having a single sack to his name, was named the best pass-rusher of all time by the NFL Network, so...
DTs- JJ Watt, Mean Joe Greene (Watt in 3-4 Defense)
Between the two, and I know a lot of old-timers will disagree with me, but I'd have to give the nod to JJ Watt. While Green won four rings and was a great player, Watt's the most dominant force I've ever seen on the line and despite all of the injuries he's endured, he still remains the best defensive player in the game. Watch out though, Aaron Donald might be nipping at their heels real soon!
OLBs- Lawrence Taylor, Derrick Thomas
I'm not taking LT out of this line-up under any circumstance but I might with Thomas. I was giving serious consideration to Bobby Bell and Jack Ham but Thomas won out if only because of his first three seasons in the league. 43.5 sacks, including seven in a single game!
ILB- Jack Lambert, Ray Lewis (Lambert is 4-3 Defense)
I know, I know. Where's Mike Singletary or Brian Urlacher or Dick Butkus? Shut Up Bears fans, I didn't put a lot of people here because none of them were as passionate as Ray Lewis or as scary as Jack Lambert. Next, to LT, I'd say Jack Lambert is the scariest player of all time. If I put those two in a room, I'm not quite sure who would win. As for Lewis...2000 season alone put him on this list and I still think he should've been MVP that season.
CBs-Darrelle Revis, Deion Sanders
What's better than having the nickname “Primetime”, you ask? How about having the nickname “Revis Island”. In the late 00s and early 10s, no CB was more dominant than Revis. I've never seen QB's and Receivers more afraid to go up against the Jet Cornerback. Randy Moss is on this team as well and if you haven't seen his one-handed snag well...and Deion? He may not have been the best tackler in the league but as far as coverage? No one had him until Revis came along.
SS & FS-Ronnie Lott, Ed Reed
No one, and I mean no one, can or should argue with me on this. These are the two greatest safeties of all time and had Lott stayed at CB, I'd be putting him on this list as well. Between the two, I'd give it slightly to Lott if only because he anchored that 49er defense, he made the switch from Cornerback to Safety and was dominant at both positions. Also, the dude cut his finger off to stay in a game but Ed Reed...Ed Reed, god love you because I sure do. Two best safeties, no questions asked.
P-Ray Guy
Enough said here too. Hall of Fame owes him an apology.
K-Adam Vinatieri
It's not up for debate. From the clutch kicks to the points, to be the oldest kicker in the league and the oldest to make an All-Pro team, AV is the best kicker of all time and if he doesn't get into the Hall on the first ballot, that place has no hope.
KR/PR-Devin Hester
With the Bears, Hester wasn't a return man as much as he was a nightmare for Special Teams Coordinators. Nothing they did worked. He had 11 return touchdowns in his first two seasons and would've scored a lot more had Chicago not tried to make him their number one target. I'm not sure if he's going into the Hall but if he does one day, I will not protest.
Go on, try to debate me!
-By: Thomas P. Braun Jr.