Rams all-time team headlined by “Greatest Show on Turf” and “Fearsome Foursome”
Rams all-time team headlined by “Greatest Show on Turf” and “Fearsome Foursome”
Despite relocating three times, the Rams have found success at each stop. The team won its first NFL Championship in Cleveland in 1945, the final season before moving to the West Coast. The Rams went to four championship games in a seven-year stretch, winning the title in 1951. From 1974-89, the club reached the NFC Championship Game seven times and played in Super Bowl XIV against the Steelers.
After moving to St. Louis, the Rams won Super Bowl XXXIV against the Titans and lost two years later to the Patriots. The club moved back to Los Angeles in 2016 and fell to New England last season.
The Rams all-time team features the “Greatest Show on Turf” offense that won the Super Bowl and the “Fearsome Foursome” defense that dominated during the 1960s.
Head Coach: Chuck Knox led the Rams to a 69-48-1 record and five straight division titles in the 1970s, including a run to the NFC Championship Game in 1976. John Robinson is the team’s all-time leader in wins, amassing a 75-68 mark in nine seasons. Los Angeles made the playoffs six times and went to the NFC title game twice. Under Mike Martz (53-32), the Rams went 14-2 in 2001 and lost Super Bowl XXXVI to the Patriots. George Allen had a 49-17-4 record, but the team lost both playoff games in the late 1960s. Dick Vermeil only coached three seasons but led the “Greatest Show on Turf” Rams to their only Super Bowl title. Ray Malavasi took the team to Super Bowl XIV and an NFC Championship Game appearance the year before. Under Joe Stydahar, the Rams went to three straight title games, including a win in 1951. Adam Walsh was the coach for the team’s only Cleveland championship in 1945. Current coach Sean McVay has a 24-8 record and led the Rams to Super Bowl LIII last season.
Quarterback: Hall of Famer Kurt Warner was the NFL’s MVP in 1999 and again two years later after setting a franchise record with 4,830 yards. He also was a three-time Pro Bowler, a two-time All-Pro and the MVP of the Super Bowl XXXIV win over the Titans. Another Hall of Famer, Norm Van Brocklin, was a six-time Pro Bowler. He led the team to four NFL Championship Games (with a title in 1951) and topped the league with 2,637 yards in 1954. Roman Gabriel is the team’s all-time leader with 154 touchdowns, including a league-high 24 in his MVP and All-Pro season in 1969. He also was selected to three Pro Bowls. Jim Everett tops the team list with 23,758 yards, including five seasons with 3,000 or more and 4,310 in 1989. The 1990 Pro Bowler also ranks second with 142 scoring passes. Marc Bulger was a two-time Pro Bowler who led the team to Super Bowl XXXVI and threw for 4,301 yards in 2006. Hall of Famer Bob Waterfield was a two-time champion, a three-time All-Pro and a two-time Pro Bowler.
Running Back: Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk was a dual-threat back who holds the team record with 58 touchdowns and ranks third with 6,959 rushing yards. He ran for 1,300 or more yards and earned Offensive Player of the Year honors three straight years, including 2000, when he was named league MVP after amassing 1,359 yards and an NFL-high 18 scores. Faulk was a two-time Super Bowl participant, who also ranks fourth with 470 receptions. Another Canton enshrinee, Eric Dickerson, ranks second with 7,245 yards and 56 touchdowns. He led the league in yards three times, running for 1,800 or more in each season, including a league-record 2,105 in 1984. Dickerson was a four-time All-Pro, a four-time Pro Bowler and the Offensive Player of the Year in 1986. Steven Jackson is the team’s all-time leader with 10,138 yards and is tied for second with 56 scores. The three-time Pro Bowler recorded eight seasons of 1,000 or more yards. Lawrence McCutcheon is a five-time Pro Bowl selection who ranks fourth with 6,186 yards, including 1,000 or more yards four times. Current star Todd Gurley is a three-time Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro who led the league in rushing touchdowns twice. He was the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2015 and the Offensive Player of the Year in 2017.
Fullback: Dan Towler and Paul “Tank” Younger were two members of the “Bull Elephant Backfield” in the early 1950s. Towler was a four-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in 1952. He twice led the league in scores. Younger also was selected to four Pro Bowls and was an All-Pro the year before Towler. Dick Bass was a three-time Pro Bowler who ran for 5,417 yards throughout the 1960s. Original Ram Johnny Drake was a three-time Pro Bowler, an All-Pro in 1940, and he led the league in touchdowns twice.
Wide Receiver: Isaac Bruce is the team’s all-time leader with 942 receptions, 14,109 yards, and 84 touchdowns, and he held single-season records with 119 catches and 1,781 yards in 1995. “The Reverend” was a four-time Pro Bowler and a two-time Super Bowl participant who had eight seasons with 1,000 or more yards. Torry Holt ranks second in receptions (869), yards (12,660) and scores (74). “Big Game” was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection, had eight seasons with at least 1,000 yards and led the NFL in yards twice. Henry Ellard was a three-time Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro. His 593 catches and 9,861 are both third on the team list, and 48 touchdowns rank fourth. Hall of Famer Elroy “Crazy Legs” Hirsch played in four championship games, was a three-time Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro. He ranks third with 53 touchdowns, fourth with 6,299 yards, and he led the NFL in all three receiving categories in the team’s 1951 title season. Jack Snow was a 1967 Pro Bowler who amassed 6,012 yards and 45 scores in 11 years.
Tight End: Hall of Famer Tom Fears had 400 catches, 5,397 yards, and 38 touchdowns while splitting time between wide receiver and tight end. He was a member of four title game teams and led the league in receptions three times. James “Red” Phillips was a three-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in 1961, when he led the NFL with 78 receptions and set a career-high with 1,092 yards. Billy Truax had 2,177 yards and 16 touchdowns in the late 1960s. Lance Kendricks amassed 2,132 yards and 17 scores in six seasons.
Tackle: Jackie Slater was a Hall of Famer and seven-time Pro Bowler who played in a record 259 games over 20 seasons with the team. Another Hall of Famer, Orlando Pace, was a seven-time Pro Bowler and a three-time All-Pro. Charlie Cowan ranks third with 206 games and was a three-time Pro Bowler in 15 years. Hall of Famer Bob Brown played only two seasons in Los Angeles, but he was a Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in both. Doug France was a two-time Pro Bowler and a 1975 All-Rookie Team member.
Guard: Hall of Famer Tom Mack was selected to 11 Pro Bowls and was an All-Pro in 1969. Dennis Harrah was a six-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in 1986. Joe Scibelli played 202 games in 15 seasons and made the Pro Bowl in 1968. Kent Hill was a five-time Pro Bowler in the 1980s. Riley Matheson was a five-time All-Pro. Duane Putnam was a five-time Pro Bowler, a three-time All-Pro and a two-time championship game participant. Tom Newberry was a two-time Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro.
Center: Doug Smith was a six-time Pro Bowler, a nine-time playoff participant, and played in Super Bowl XIV. Rich Saul was selected to six Pro Bowls, started in Super Bowl XIV and appeared in eight playoff seasons. Ken Iman played in 140 games over 10 years. Andy McCollum played in 128 games and two Super Bowls. Leon McLaughlin played in three NFL Championship Games and was a Pro Bowler in 1954.
Defensive End: David “Deacon” Jones and Jack Youngblood were both Hall of Famers, seven-time Pro Bowlers, and five-time All-Pros. Jones was a member of the “Fearsome Foursome” front line of the 1960s and is on the shortlist for the greatest player at the position. Youngblood played in 202 games and had 24 sacks, including 10½ in 1983. Leonard Little is the team’s all-time leader with 87½ sacks, with 12½ in his Pro Bowl and All-Pro 2003 season. The two-time Super Bowl participant also ranks first in franchise history with 31 forced fumbles. Robert Quinn and Kevin Carter are tied for third on the team list with 62½ sacks. Quinn was a two-time Pro Bowler who had 19 sacks in his 2013 All-Pro season. Carter was a Pro Bowler who had a league-leading 17 sacks in 1999, when he was an All-Pro and a Pro Bowler and the team reached Super Bowl XXXIV. Lamar Lundy played 152 games opposite Jones and was a Pro Bowler in 1959. Chris Long ranks sixth with 54½ sacks, including 13 in 2011.
Defensive Tackle: Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen had an amazing 14 Pro Bowl selections, was a five-time All-Pro, the 1974 Bert Bell Player of Year Award winner and played in 208 games, which ranks second in team history. Aaron Donald was a five-time Pro Bowler, a four-time All-Pro and a three-time Defensive Player of the Year. He ranks fifth with 59½ sacks, including a league-high 20½ in the 2018 Super Bowl season. D’Marco Farr, a Super Bowl XXXIV starter, had 36½ sacks, with 11½ in 1995. Larry Brooks was a five-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in the 1979 Super Bowl season. The final member of the “Fearsome Foursome,” Rosey Grier played four seasons with the club.
Outside Linebacker: Canton enshrinee Kevin Greene ranks second in team history with 72½ sacks, including 16½ each in 1988 and ’89. Jim Youngblood returned four of 14 interceptions for touchdowns. He was a Pro Bowler in the 1979 Super Bowl season. Jack Pardee was a Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in 1963 and he brought back four of 17 picks for scores. Isiah Robertson was a six-time Pro Bowler, a two-time All-Pro and the 1971 Defensive Rookie of the Year. Maxie Baughan was a four-time Pro Bowler and a 1969 All-Pro. Roman Phifer ranks second in team history with 696 tackles.
Middle Linebacker: Les Richter was an eight-time Pro Bowler and a 1956 All-Pro. He had 16 interceptions and played in the 1955 NFL Championship Game. James Laurinaitis played in 112 games, and he is the team’s all-time leader with 853 tackles and seven seasons of 100 or more. Jack Reynolds was a two-time Pro Bowler who played in 145 games in 11 seasons. Carl Ekern appeared in 166 games and made the Pro Bowl in 1986.
Cornerback: LeRoy Irvin ranks third with 34 interceptions and returned five for scores. He was a two-time Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro. Todd Lyght had 31 picks and 665 tackles, and he made the Pro Bowl in the 1999 Super Bowl season. Two-time Pro Bowler Rod Perry returned four of his 28 interceptions for scores. Jerry Gray was a four-time Pro Bowler who picked off 22 passes, with eight coming in 1986. Pat Thomas was a two-time Pro Bowler and a 1980 All-Pro who totaled 26 interceptions. Clancy Williams had 28 picks, with eight in 1966.
Safety: Eddie Meador is the team’s all-time leader with 46 picks and brought back five for touchdowns. The six-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro tied for the most fumbles recovered among defensive players with 23. Nolan Cromwell ranks second with 37 interceptions, with four returned for scores. The four-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro also recovered 19 fumbles. Johnnie Johnson had 22 fumble recoveries and returned four of 21 picks for scores. Will Sherman was a two-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in the 1955 title game season. He had 28 interceptions, including a league-leading 11 in 1954. Keith Lyle also picked off 28 passes and added 462 tackles. Dave Elmendorf had 27 interceptions over nine seasons. Don Burroughs totaled 21 picks in five years.
Kicker: Jeff Wilkins is the team’s all-time leading scorer with 1,223 points, including six seasons with 100 or more and a league-high 163 in his 2003 Pro Bowl season. He also appeared in two Super Bowls. Greg Zuerlein has totaled 753 points, with 100 or more four times and a league-leading 158 in 2017, when he was an All-Pro and a Pro Bowler. Mike Lansford had 100 or more points in four seasons and 789 overall.
Punter: Johnny Hekker is a four-time Pro Bowler and a four-time All-Pro. His 542 punts, 25,472 yards and 47.0 average all top the team lists, and he led the league in all three categories in 2015. Donnie Jones ranks second in punts (449), yards (20,924) and average (46.6), and he had four seasons with 4,000 or more yards. Dale Hatcher was a Pro Bowler, an All-Pro and an All-Rookie Team member in 1985.
Returners: Ron Brown is the all-time franchise leader with 3,918 kickoff return yards and four touchdowns, and he was a Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in 1985. Tony Horne, who appeared in Super Bowl XXXIV, had four scores and ranks second with 3,577 kick return yards. Drew Hill played in Super Bowl XIV and is third with 3,438 kickoff yards. Ellard (1,527) and Irvin (1,457) top the team’s punt return yards list and each had four scores.
Special Teams: Current long snapper Jake McQuaide has played 128 games and played in two Pro Bowls. Cory Littleton started 16 games and made 125 tackles as a linebacker in 2018, but he made the Pro Bowl on special teams. Marlin McKeever was a linebacker and tight end who was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1966.
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-By: Kevin Rakas