Bear Bryant called him one of the best players he ever coached at Alabama, where Jordan won a national title in 1961. Owen Pappoe, Auburn. Hall of Fame, Class of 2011 Super Bowl XX champion 5-time Pro Bowler Urlcaher was the leader of the Bears defense from 2000 to 2012 while winning the 2000 Defensive Rookie of the Year award and the 2005 Defensive Player of the Year award. Posted 8 Days Ago 1. Related:NFL Teams With Most Hall of Famers. And Farrior, nicknamed "The Ultimate Farrior" by fans, was a huge part of that. 1972 NFL Man of the Year The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Ken Norton Jr., Dallas Cowboys (1988-93), San Francisco 49ers (1994-2000) "Dr. Doom" terrorized opposing offenses for 10 NFL seasons and was a six-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowl selection. He played with an amazing amount of fire and determination without bringing much attention to himself. Two players of the four players with more tackles, Ray Lewis and Junior Seau, are in the Hall of Fame. 6-time Pro Bowler21. Karlos Dansby was tall for an NFL inside linebacker at 6-foot-4, and he made plays all over the field. For the Tar Heels, Hanburger played both ways and earned most of his accolades at center, not on defense. That didn't matter. In a 16-season career, he recorded an incredible 1,586 tackles. The two-time Super Bowl champ is one of the greatest overall defenders in NFL history. He was a two-time Super Bowl winner with the New York Giants, who he played for during each of his 13 NFL seasons. An important part of the Buffalo defense, the LB position includes middle or inside linebackers and outside (strong side or weakside) linebackers. Johnson, at 6-foot-3 and 242 pounds, was a high school star in Central Texas at Waco High before becoming an All-American at the University of Texas and an NFL All-Pro. Before becoming a pop culture reference in Brians Song and an actor in The Longest Yard and Head, Nitschke was one of the most feared men in football. Super Bowl I champion "I'm Samurai Mike, I stop 'em cold," was the start of his "Super Bowl Shuffle" verse. Brian Urlacher, Chicago Bears (2000-12)2005 Defensive Player of the Year If Willis can keep it going and avoid. George is credited by many as being the first-ever true middle linebacker, creating a legacy that future Bears like Dick Butkus, Mike Singletary and Brian Urlacher would cement in history.7. Born: Feb. 4, 1959 (Williamsburg, Virginia), High school: Lafayette High School (Williamsburg, Virginia), Career highlights: Two-time Super Bowl Champion (1986, 1990), NFL Most Valuable Player (1986), 10-time Pro Bowl (1981-90), 10-time All-Pro (1981-90), three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1981, 1982, 1986), NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (1981), NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1999). Les Richter, Los Angeles Rams (1954-62) High school: East Coweta High School (Sharpsburg, Georgia), Teams: Atlanta Falcons (1998-2008), Dallas Cowboys (2009-11), Denver Broncos (2012), Career highlights: Five-time Pro Bowl (2001-05), two-time All-Pro (2002, 2004). Poll : Are these the 3 Greatest Middle Linebackers of All-Time? Briggs ended up making approximately $52.2 million in career earnings. He also finished his career with 25 interceptions and 24 sacks. If you could build a middle linebacker from scratch, you'd probably come up with a player that looked a lot like Derrick Brooks. It was the second title in franchise history for the Bucs, and the three-time NFL All-Pro doesn't seem to be slowing down even in his 10th season. Fletcher carved out a 16-year NFL career, including a Super Bowl win with the Rams in his second season. For an optimal experience please rotate your device to portrait mode, After being considered by most teams too small, the Boston Patriots selected Nick Buoniconti with the teams 13. round selection. Lewis recorded 2,059 career tackles, 41.5 sacks, 31 interceptions and forced 17 fumbles. In 1986, he had one of the most dominant NFL seasons ever. Lanier was one of two Hall of Famers in the Kansas City linebacker corps during his era, alongside Bobby Bell, but it was Lanier who led the defense from his middle linebacker spot. Hall of Fame, Class of 1973 Chicago Bears linebacker Dick Butkus is one of those. Kendricks has graded at 91.7 over the last two years according to PFF. Born: May 3, 1941 (Mount Holly, New Jersey), High school: Moorestown High School (Moorestown, New Jersey), Teams: Green Bay Packers (1963-72), Washington Redskins (1973-74), Career highlights: Three-time NFL champion (1965-67), two-time Super Bowl champion (1966, 1967), three-time Pro Bowl (1966, 1967, 1969), three-time All-Pro (1967-69), NFL 1960s All-Decade Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (2013). 7-time first-team All-Pro These are the greatest linebackers in NFL history. He doesn't have overwhelming traits, but he has filled in capably as a . Bednarik is most famous for his 1960 tackle of Giants running back Frank Gifford, who was knocked unconscious on the play and out of football for almost two years. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. On the football field Chuck Bednarik was one of the toughest players to play the game and possibly the best tackler to set forth on a football field. Willie Lanier, Kansas City Chiefs (1967-77) Play in a Super Bowl. Urlachers legacy was secure after leading Chicago to the NFC title in 200611. 4 with 1,501, despite making just one Pro Bowl in his career. With that said, here is our list of the Top 10 Tight Ends All-Time. 2-time first-team All-Pro One other cool thing about Robinson was what he said about Green Bay Packers coach Dan Devine when he left the team after the 1972 season to play for Washington: "Lombardi was the best coach I ever had. It's actually confounding why more of a Hall of Fame case hasn't been made for Thomas. Kuechly made seven Pro Bowls, seven All-Pro teams, and in 2012, he was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Brugler had both Wisconsin's Nick Herbig and Alabama's Henry To'oTo'o ranked ahead of Williams. This list explores these reasons by looking at the three greatest middle linebackers of all time. He registered a league-leading 20.5 sacks en route to winning Defensive Player of the Year, NFL MVP, and Super Bowl XXI. Jack Ham was one of the smartest players to ever take a snap in the NFL, on offense or defense, and had a reputation for never being out of position, never being fooled by offensive trickery and making huge plays. Dont forget Rays dance.2. Nitschke died of a massive heart attack in Florida in 1998, when he was 61 years old. Robertson's size, speed and athleticism often made the difference in games for the Rams. He led the league in combined tackles in 2016 and 2019, and in solo tackles in 2017. #NBCSports #NFL #ProFootballTalk Subscribe to NBC Sports: https://www.youtube.c. Who are the 3 Greatest Middle Linebackers of All Time? Super Bowl XIII champion Born: March 28, 1930 (Mingo Junction, Ohio), Died: Nov. 6, 2017 (age 87, Natchez, Mississippi), High school: Mingo High School (Mingo, Ohio), Career highlights: NFL champion (1963), six-time All-Pro (1958, 1963-66), five-time Pro Bowl (1958, 1962-65), NFL 1950s All-Decade Team, PFR 1960s All-Decade Team. 8-time first-team All-Pro Be the first one to comment on this story. Chuck Bednarik Chuck Bednarik wasn't just one of the best Eagles linebackers he was THE BEST linebacker and one of the best players of all time. The Ravens have always been known as a defensive minded team. The Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams middle linebacker, Bill George is the one single man that is known for creating the middle linebacker position. He's also the greatest defensive player of all time. Few defensive players in New Orleans Saints history are as beloved as Jonathan Vilma, who led the team to its only Super Bowl win following the 2009 season. If you're ever asked what the perfect size, speed and level of skill you would create for an NFL linebacker, Derrick Johnson should come to mind. During his AFL career, Buoniconti earned six AFL All-Star honors and five First Team All-AFL. The six-year, $141 million extension he signed with the Bears in 2018 was the largest contract for a defensive player in NFL history. Over his career Willis racked up 865 tackles to go with 20.5 sacks, 16 forced fumbles and eight interceptions. Fans of the Dallas Cowboys feel the same way about him after he helped lead them to their first Super Bowl win in 1971, the same year he set a team record with 21 tackles. Those are both more than Mecklenburg's career totals, and Gradishar played two fewer seasons. Alongside Hall of Famer Rickey Jackson, Sam Mills and Vaughan Johnson, Swilling wreaked havoc on opposing offenses. He only played six games in his final season before retiring because of a nagging toe injury. His production continued in the NFL where he was a two time Pro Bowler and two time Super Bowl Champion with the Miami Dolphins while earning the Dolphins team MVP award in three different seasons. Bobby Bell could do it all. Over the last few years, the Bears have featured names like Lance Briggs and Khalil Mack. Playing defensive tackle/end for the first two seasons of his NFL career, Connor became a linebacker when Bears head coach George Halas wanted to try and find a way to neutralize Philadelphia running back Steve Van Buren, so he had Connor stand up outside of the tight end to check Van Buren. ", High school: Miami Northwestern High School (Miami, Florida), Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (2021), three-time NFL All-Pro (2013, 2016, 2020), Pro Bowl (2015), NFL All-Rookie Team (2012). Jordan had one of the signature moments in Cowboys history when he picked off Cincinnati quarterback Ken Anderson three times in one quarter, all within five minutes, and returned one of those 31 yards for a touchdown. Born: Dec. 27, 1959 (Birmingham, Alabama), High school: Barringer High School (Newark, New Jersey), NFL career: 11 seasons (1982-88, 1990-93), Career highlights: NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1985), four-time All-Pro (1985-88), five-time Pro Bowl (1984-88), NFL 1980s All-Decade Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (2008). Willie Lanier played in an era of football best defined by his hitting style which mainly consisted of him trying to put the crown of his helmet through your sternum. Arizona had until May 2 to make a final . In 11 dominant NFL seasons, Dave Wilcox only missed one game due to injury and confounded opposing offenses with his ability to elude blocks at the most basic level. The Pittsburgh Steelers follow the script: The Steelers take Joey Porter Jr. to open up Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft. Born: Jan. 19, 1932 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), High school: Brentwood High School (Brentwood, Pennsylvania), Career highlights: Two-time NFL champion (1953, 1957), 10-time All-Pro (1954-63), 10-time Pro Bowl (1954-63), NFL Defensive Most Valuable Player (1960, 1963), NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1973). 2 overall pick in 1981 out of North Carolina led the Giants to two Super Bowl wins, was a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and the NFL Most Valuable Player in 1986 the last defensive player to win that award. Bill Forester is one of the greatest examples of Vince Lombardi's genius as a coach. The No. While some of the linebackers on this list probably wouldn't even get a second look in today's NFL because of their size, Wilcox (who's the father of Cal head coach Justin Wilcox) is actually the opposite. Lambert, who the Pittsburgh Steelers selected with the 46th pick during the 1974 NFL draft, showcased his abilities during his rookie season in route to helping solidify the Steelers defense and winning Defensive Rookie of the Year award. We'll find out in 2024, when he'll be on the ballot for the first time. On the football field Chuck Bednarik was one of the toughest players to play the game and possibly the best tackler to set forth on a football field. A notorious freelancer, Seau notched 56.5 sacks, 18 INTs returned for 238 yards, 11 forced fumbles, 18 fumble recoveries and one TD while winning two AFC titles with the 1994 Chargers and 2007 Patriots.8. Tiania Baul "Junior" Seau was a football unicorn a linebacker who played 20 seasons in the NFL and dominated almost every step of the way. High school: Vale High School (Vale, Oregon), Career highlights: Four-time All-Pro (1967, 1971-73), seven-time Pro Bowl (1966, 1968-73), Pro Football Hall of Fame (2000). I had the pleasure of meeting him when I was younger before he passed. Born: Sept. 29, 1966 (Jacksonville, Illinois), High school: Westchester High School (Los Angeles), Teams: Dallas Cowboys (1988-93) San Francisco 49ers (1994-2000), Career highlights: Three-time Super Bowl champion (1992-94), three-time Pro Bowl (1993, 1995, 1997), two-time All-Pro (1993, 1995). He was so well regarded by those around him that when the Giants faced the Broncos in the Super Bowl, Carson walked out to face nine Broncos captains thinking he was one of three, but head coach Bill Parcells and his teammates decided to send Carson out by himself as a show of respect. Today, all four men are enshrined in the Pro. Mack, who holds the NCAA records for forced fumbles and tackles for loss, became the first player in NFL history to make All-Pro at two different positions in 2015 when he was a first-team defensive end and outside linebacker. Staff writer. Here is my ranking of the top 10 Giants linebackers, along with some honorable mentions. 2-time Pro Bowler Lambert hauled in 28 INTs and scooped up 17 fumble recoveries. Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens (1996-2012)2000 Defensive Player of the Year 5-time first-team All-Pro The on-field brains behind Mike Ditka and Buddy Ryans famed 1985 Bears defense, Singletary is undeniably one of the greatest to ever play the position.5. Super Bowl X champion Super Bowl VII champion Over his career, Bednarick helped guide the Eagles to two NFL Championships while being named to eight Pro Bowl teams and selected eight times as a First Team All-Pro.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'fanrankings_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_7',127,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fanrankings_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); When considering great middle linebackers it is hard to look past another Chicago Bear All-Pro who racked up a pretty solid NFL career. Born: Oct. 27, 1929 (Waynesburg, Pennsylvania), Died: Sept. 30, 1982 (Rockford, Illinois), High School: Central High School (Waynesburg, Pennsylvania), Teams: Chicago Bears (1952-65), Los Angeles Rams (1966), Career highlights: NFL champion (1963), eight-time All-Pro (1955-61, 1963), NFL 1950s All-Decade Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1974). Nobis played in relative anonymity for his entire NFL career but still put up monster numbers on some really bad teams. Wilber Marshall was one of the greatest pass coverage linebackers of the modern era. Brown played on two teams that came up just short of winning a Super Bowl, with the Pittsburgh Steelers losing in the big game following the 1995 season and the New England Patriots following the 2007 season. 2020 Stats: 69 Solo, 0 Sacks, 0 FF, 3 INT. Master Your Draft Strategy With Our Free and Easy-to-Use Mock Draft Simulator. Eight of those he made the All-Pro team and the Pro Bowl, with back-to-back NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards in 1969 and 1970. It worked, and Connor never put his hand in the dirt again during a Hall of Fame career. Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. was the top pick for Commanders General Manager Martin Mayhew, left, and . Urclacher recorded at least 100 tackles nine times over his career including a career high 153 during the 2002 NFL season. Bell was as much of a winner as anyone who ever played the sport. He helped lead Florida State to its first national title in 1993 and a decade later put together his greatest NFL seasons, winning NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors and leading the Buccaneers to their only Super Bowl win in 2002. He led the NFL in tackles three times (1997, 1999, 2001) during his 17 years in Baltimore. Karl Mecklenburg, Denver Broncos (1983-94) He had five INT's in a season twice in his career. Behind Lawrence Taylor, Andre Tippett was the most dominant NFL linebacker in the 1980s. High school: Farmington High School (Farmington, West Virginia), Teams: New York Giants (1956-63), Washington Football Team (1964-67, 1969), Career highlights: NFL champion (1956), six-time All-Pro (1957-61, 1963), five-time Pro Bowl (1958-61, 1964), NFL 1950s All-Decade Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1982). With the third-most sacks in NFL history, there's no question Kevin Greene belongs among the best linebackers of all-time. The latest in an historic line of Hall of Fame caliber Bears middle linebackers, Urlacher has produced 41.5 sacks, 22 INTs returned for 324 yards and two TDs, 11 forced fumbles and 15 fumble recoveries returned for 177 yards and one TD during his career. A little-known fact about Talley: He's the cousin of Baseball Hall of Famer and Miami Marlins owner Derek Jeter. High school: Maggie L. Walker (Richmond, Virginia), Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1969), six-time Pro Bowl (1970-75), eight-time All-Pro (1968-75), NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1986). Randy Gradishar, Denver Broncos (1974-83) Fortunato, who was named one of the Bears 100 Greatest Players, did accomplish one thing that Butkus never would. 2-time first-team All-Pro Robinson won three consecutive state championships in high school, then repeated a version of that feat in the NFL, winning three consecutive championships with one NFL title and two Super Bowls with the Green Bay Packers. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. It didn't slow Mills' production, and he made three Pro Bowls and five Pro Bowls despite spending his first five seasons elsewhere. Almost 50 years after he retired, Bell's nine defensive touchdowns are still tied for the most in NFL history for a linebacker alongside fellow Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks. High school: Washington County High School (Sandersville, Georgia), Teams: Cincinnati Bengals (1998-2002), Buffalo Bills (2003-06), Philadelphia Eagles (2007), San Francisco 49ers (2008-10), San Diego Chargers (2011-12), Career highlights: Two-time Pro Bowl (2003, 2004), NFL All-Pro (2004). He's fifth on the NFL career list with 1,734 tackles to go with 17 interceptions and 17 fumble recoveries. Super Bowl IX champion Lanier collected three All-Pro mentions and eight spots in a Pro Bowl,. Wagner, who first turned heads by running a 4.4-second 40-yard dash at the Utah State pro day, helped lead the Seahawks to a Super Bowl win in 2013, won another NFC title two years later and was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 2010s. Born: June 3, 1959 (Neptune City, New Jersey), Died: April 18, 2005 (age 45, Charlotte, North Carolina), High school: Long Branch High School (Long Branch, New Jersey), Teams: New Orleans Saints (1986-94), Carolina Panthers (1995-97), Career highlights: Five-time Pro Bowl (1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1996), three-time All-Pro (1991, 1992, 1996). Featuring some of the greatest NFL linebackers of all time, the best Bills LBs include Sam Rogers, Keith Ellison, Shane Conlan, and John Holecek. 8-time Pro Bowler14. Middle linebackers are the quarterbacks of the defense, the nerve center of a stop-unit. 15) are the only Lombardi players whose numbers were retired.6. Richter, who died of a brain aneurysm in 2010, had a lengthy career in motorsports after his football career was over and is a member of both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Motorsports Hall of Fame. George died in a car accident in 1982, at 53 years old. Tippett had his most dominant season in 1985, when he led the Patriots to their first AFC title and was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He started all 26 games at middle linebacker the last two seasons. High school: Clarkstown High School North (New City, New York), Teams: Tennessee Titans (2000-09), New York Giants (2010), Career highlights:Three-time NFL All-Pro (2002, 2003, 2007), Pro Bowl (2003). They play fast from sideline to sideline. Take a look at some of the best photos of Aaron Rodgers from throughout the years! He finished his career with 458 tackles, 65.0 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, nine . Sadly, Mecklenburg's post-football life has been defined by his battle with brain injuries sustained playing football, and he's part of several concussion-related lawsuits against the NFL. Then, he starred at the University of Nebraska, before returning to Florida, where he's been one of the best linebackers in the NFL for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the last decade. Al Messerschmidt Archive/Associated Press. It was a good fit. 2005 Comeback Player of the Year Over his career, Urlacher was an eight time Pro Bowler and four time First Team All-Pro while racking up 1,086 tackles, 41.5 sacks and 22 interceptions. By the time Tommy Nobis left the University of Texas, he was as famous as any player in the NFL, having already appeared on the cover of Life, Sports Illustrated and Time magazines for his accomplishments. Chuck Howley thought his career was over due to a devastating knee injury just three games into the 1959 season with the Chicago Bears. Your login session has expired. High school: Woodlawn High School (Birmingham, Alabama), Teams: Arizona Cardinals (2004-09, 2013, 2017), Miami Dolphins (2010-12), Cleveland Browns (2014-15), Cincinnati Bengals (2016). High school: Stephens County High School (Toccoa, Georgia), Teams: New Orleans Saints (1986-92), Detroit Lions (1993-94), Oakland Raiders (1995-96, 1998), Career highlights: Five-time Pro Bowl (1989-93), four-time All-Pro (1989-92), NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1991). Renowned for his elite combination of size and speed, Tippett was scary coming off the edge and racked up 100 career sacks, which is still the Patriots' franchise record. Super Bowl XXVIII champion However, we're here to give this the good old college try, so let's dive in! Briggs made seven consecutive Pro Bowls while playing for the Chicago Bears alongside another great linebacker, Brian Urlacher. Chuck Bednarik, Philadelphia Eagles (1949-62)Hall of Fame, Class of 1967 The former North Carolina Tar Heel is both a member of the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team and the 100th Anniversary Team. Bednarik, who the Philadelphia Eagles selected with the first overall pick in the 1949 NFL Draft, helped build the Eagles into a defensive power house. Born: Nov. 18, 1964 (Spring Valley, New York), High school: Spring Valley High School (Spring Valley, New York), Teams: Philadelphia Eagles (1986-93), Arizona Cardinals (1994-96), Green Bay Packers (1997), Denver Broncos (1998), Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1998), three-time Pro Bowl (1991, 1993, 1994), three-time All-Pro (1991-93). Putting outside, inside, and middle linebackers in one group gets tricky, and the position (like all positions in the game) has changed considerably over the years. Over his career, Lambert recorded 1,479 career tackles with 28 interceptions and 23.5 career sacks. That includes Super Bowl wins in 2000 and 2012, with the latter coming in Lewis' final game. The race for the best linebacker in NFL history can be narrowed down to five people: the aforementioned Butkus, Lewis, and Singletary, along with Jack Lambert and Willie Lanier. Buoniconti would go on to register 32 interceptions over his career between the AFL and NFL. 8-time Pro Bowler The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. 2-time first-team All-Pro Something else inside of Lambert, best defined by the toothless, screaming pictures of him during games when he took out his dentures, made him the toughest. But what sets the great ones apart from the rest of the pack? Analysis: Nothing against this group of . Super Bowl XXI champion16. That year was the first of two NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards for Singletary, who won again in 1988. It's hard to claim that anyone other than the great Lawrence Taylor is the best linebacker ever. That would end up being an anomaly in Dansby's career. The 13-time Pro-Bowler holds the record for most career solo tackles (1,568) and the record for most tackles in a season (156). Super Bowl XXXV MVP During that time Kendricks has broken up 40 passes as a linebacker which is tops in the NFL. 1973 Defensive Player of the Year The quarterback position is long known to be the field general on the offensive side of the ball and the one position that handles the play calling duties. He finished his career with over 2,000 tackles (2,039), which is second on the NFL's all-time list, and set the NFL record for linebackers with 215 consecutive starts. Super Bowl XXXIX champion, The foreman of the Steel Curtain defense, Butkus punished ball carriers and crushed spirits. Born: July 12, 1970 (Pasadena, California), High school: John Muir High School (Pasadena, California), Teams:Pittsburgh Steelers (1993-96, 2006), Seattle Seahawks (1997-2004), New England Patriots (2005, 2007), Career highlights: Three-time Pro Bowl (1996, 1998, 1999), two-time NFL All-Pro (1996, 1998), Seattle Seahawks 35th Anniversary Team. Richter didn't miss a game in nine seasons with the Los Angeles Rams and made seven All-Pro teams. Over his career, George was an eight time Pro Bowler and eight time First Team All-Pro. In addition, Willis was the 2007 Defensive Rookie of the Year, led the NFL in tackles in two different seasons, was a seven time Pro Bowler and a five time First Team All-Pro. Seth Joyner's career was a story in resilience. He was an 8-time All-Pro and 9-time Pro-Bowler. George was known for his ability to play the defensive line as well as dropping back disrupting the passing lanes of opposing quarterbacks. Drew Sanders, Arkansas. But assistant coach Vince Lombardi tracked him down at the airport and convinced him to come back, and defensive coordinator Tom Landry made the decision to move him to middle linebacker. Joyner capped his career off by winning a Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos in his final season. Mecklenburg anchored Denver's defense with safety Steve Atwater and helped lead Denver to three AFC titles, but the Broncos lost all three of those Super Bowls. The Bears have fielded four of the best middle linebackers in NFL history: Dick Butkus, Bill George, Mike Singletary and Brian Urlacher. Mar 23. 66) and Bart Starr (No. He beat a double-murder charge before the 2000 season following the stabbing deaths of two men in a fight after a Super Bowl party in Atlanta. After being selected during the 1967 NFL draft by the Kansas City Chiefs out of Morgan State, Willie Lanier helped solidify the Kansas City Chiefs defense in route to becoming one of the best middle linebackers to play the position.

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