NFL: Who are your top 10 players of all time?

[Elvis P]

Who are your top 10 players of all time?

1. Tom Brady
2. Jim Brown
3. Jerry Rice
4. Lawrence Taylor
5. Reggie White
6. Joe Montana
7. Peyton Manning
8. Walter Payton
9. Johnny Unitas
10. Dick Butkus

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[waitin425]

I don't know much about the history of football. But, during my lifetime some order of the following;

Tom Brady
Barry Sanders
Joe Montana
Jerry Rice
LT
Peyton Manning
Reggie White
Megatron
Ray Lewis
Ronnie Lott

Born at end of 70's, can't remember early 80's

I give Calvin love, purely because he was unstoppable whenever he wanted to be. Wish he didn't retire so young. Loved having him on my fantasy team.

Honorable mention to Bo Jackson. Obviously didn't play nearly enough, but my god if he would have been blessed with some health and longevity he would have been one of the greatest, possibly the greatest.

One only has to play Tecmo Bowl to realize he was a human cheat code

 

[DaaaaB's]

I don't know much about the history of football. But, during my lifetime some order of the following;

Tom Brady
Barry Sanders
Joe Montana
Jerry Rice
LT
Peyton Manning
Reggie White
Megatron
Ray Lewis
Ronnie Lott

Born at end of 70's, can't remember early 80's

I give Calvin love, purely because he was unstoppable whenever he wanted to be. Wish he didn't retire so young. Loved having him on my fantasy team.

Honorable mention to Bo Jackson. Obviously didn't play nearly enough, but my god if he would have been blessed with some health and longevity he would have been one of the greatest, possibly the greatest.

One only has to play Tecmo Bowl to realize he was a human cheat code

As someone who became a Lions and Raiders fan because of Sanders and Jackson, I approve of this post. I was born a few years after you so I only vaguely remember watching Bo play but I was a huge fan of his at a young age. Sanders was just simply amazing to watch as well. Not taking such a liking to those two would've saved me a lot of misery though.

As for my list, I'd take your 10 and replace LT/Lott with probably Moss and Donald. I only remember the later part of LT and Lott's careers so has to leave them off. I remember watching Montana more than those two but still missed most of his best years. If I took him off I'd probably add Aaron Rodgers.

Edit - I'd add Mahomes instead of Rodgers. Still early in his career but he's the most talented QB I've ever seen.

 

[Hockeyholic]

Rice, B. Sanders, D. Sanders, LT, Lott, and Kelce. Six best at their position imo.

QB's: Brady, Montana, and Mahomes

HM: Baugh, Payton, Peyton M and Reggie White.

 

[DaaaaB's]

Rice, B. Sanders, D. Sanders, LT, Lott, and Kelce. Six best at their position imo.

QB's: Brady, Montana, and Mahomes

HM: Baugh, Payton, Peyton M and Reggie White.

Kelce being the best ever at TE is highly debatable and there's no way he should be above Reggie White who was the best ever at a more important position.

I might the biggest Barry Sanders fan ever but I still think Jim Brown and Walter Payton should be ranked higher than him.

 

[Hockeyholic]

Kelce being the best ever at TE is highly debatable and there's no way he should be above Reggie White who was the best ever at a more important position.

I might the biggest Barry Sanders fan ever but I still think Jim Brown and Walter Payton should be ranked higher than him.

I'm just going by position.

LT>White
Kelce>Gonzalez

I put Sanders because he did so much with less. But there is no wrong answer between the three. I do know Smith isn't the greatest RB despite having the rushing record.

 

[Unholy Diver]

Brady
Manning
Montana
Payton
Brown
Rice
LT
Reggie White
Joe Greene
Aaron Donald

 

[Elvis P]

Brady
Manning
Montana
Payton
Brown
Rice
LT
Reggie White ...

Our top 8 are identical.

 

[TheAngryHank]

Kelce might not be KCs all time best TE.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Kelce might not be KCs all time best TE.

If you're talking about best all-around at the position, neither Kelce nor Gonzalez are the best ever tbh.

 

[Babe Ruth]

Who are your top 10 players of all time?

1. Tom Brady
2. Jim Brown
3. Jerry Rice
4. Lawrence Taylor
5. Reggie White
6. Joe Montana
7. Peyton Manning
8. Walter Payton
9. Johnny Unitas
10. Dick Butkus

Good list.. hard to argue against. I'd probably have Sammy Baugh in my top 10 tho. Best QB and punter thru the late 3os & 4os. Not many players consistently dominated two positions.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

I'm just going by position.

LT>White
Kelce>Gonzalez

I put Sanders because he did so much with less. But there is no wrong answer between the three. I do know Smith isn't the greatest RB despite having the rushing record.

and Gronk > both of them

More dominant and dangerous in the passing game and blocked better than an offensive lineman. The man is arguably the biggest mismatch in league history and allowed the Patriots offense to excel since putting him in didnt telegraph run/pass

On topic:

Jim Brown
LT
Brady
Montana
Barry Sanders
Rice
Moss
Reggie White
Deacon Jones
John Hannah

 

[TheGreenTBer]

and Gronk > both of them

More dominant and dangerous in the passing game and blocked better than an offensive lineman. The man is arguably the biggest mismatch in league history and allowed the Patriots offense to excel since putting him in didnt telegraph run/pass

On topic:

Jim Brown
LT
Brady
Montana
Barry Sanders
Rice
Moss
Reggie White
Deacon Jones
John Hannah

Gronk did absolutely everything at a generational level except stay healthy.

As an all-around talent he is clearly the best ever at that position to me. The total package and could have played in any era and any style.

 

[buffalowing88]

-Brady
-Rice
-Brown
-Montana
-LT
-B Sanders
-Unitas
-Moss
-Munoz
-Joe Green

I think Payton gets a bit overrated. His durability and team-first attitude (along with his athleticism, of course) were all great but I saw enough RBs dominate more than he did that I can't in good faith put him in there. If it was one game in that era I would want Campbell or OJ over him any day.

I don't even know that White is the best defensive lineman of his generation, let alone all-time. Him and Bruce Smith are neck-and-neck and I feel like Mean Joe had the Super Bowl success that the other two couldn't match.

 

[islandersbob]

QB: Graham, Brady, Mahomes
RB: Brown, Sanders
WR: Rice
DE: White
LB: Taylor, Lewis
DB: Woodson

rationale:
QBs: They won a lot and were their teams best player by a significant margin. HM: Montana
RB: Brown was the greatest RB ever and Barry Sanders was the most exciting player ever. HM: Smith (greatest workhorse of all time)
WR: Rice holds virtually all receiving records HM: Owens & Moss
DE: Reggie White was a 300 pounder who rushed the passer and stopped the run. One of a kind. Lost the architype of DE to Bruce Smith, but in his era White >>> Smith. HM: Donald
LB: Taylor changed what LBs do and made left tackle the important position that it is today. Ray Lewis was a great old school huge MLB then transformed his game to be the best modern MLB with a game based one speed.
DB: Woodson: the prototype of modern corners. Aggressive, fast as hell and great ball skills.

 

[Babe Ruth]

QB: Graham, Brady, Mahomes

QBs: They won a lot and were their teams best player by a significant margin. HM: Montana

I appreciate your mention of Otto Graham.. I notice both Graham and Sammy Baugh are often left out of the greats lists. Even tho both players were dominant QBs in their respective time(s). Graham won an incredible 81% of his starts, and 7 championships between the NFL & AAFC. And he's usually a ghost on the top 10 lists..

Mahomes is hard for me to see yet.. he still has fewer passing TDs than Hasselbeck and fewer passing yards than Jeff Garcia, and Mahomes enjoys a rules & play-calling advantage of a pass heavy league/era that guys like Graham didn't. Mahomes' stats (to me) don't tower over history, or even the modern era (yet).

To part of your reasoning, I don't think Mahomes' career will look like the 'significantly best' player from his team. I think Kelce will be remembered as an equally, or nearly equal, great positional player (but time will tell).
I think this dynamic has also diminished Bradshaw's stock, such a great supporting cast has made his own greatness less distinguished (fair or not?).