100 Greatest Players in NFL History (2 x Bills so far)

[JMF2006]

11 hours ago, BigDingus said:

I'm not sure how many people have been following this, but they've been slowly unveiling the list since the beginning of the month, and now we're down to 20 names left.

Only two Bills have made the list, OJ Simpson at #40 and Bruce Smith at #28 (unless you count Terrell Owens at #52). Not much, but at least better than the Dolphins currently sitting at 0 players.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl-100/2019/10/01/nfl-100-best-players-all-time/3785514002/

 

 

100. Troy Aikman 

99. Franco Harris

98. Willie Brown

97. Mike Haynes

96. Darrell Green

95. Adam Vinatieri

94. Herb Adderley

93. Marion Motley

92. Fran Tarkenton

91. Lee Roy Selmon

90. Tony Dorsett

89. Rob Gronkowski

88. Aaron Donald

87. Troy Polamalu

86. Derrick Thomas

85. Marvin Harrison

84. Jonathan Ogden

83. Michael Irvin

82. Willie Lanier

81. Walter Jones

80. Adrian Peterson

79. Kellen Winslow Sr.

78. Michael Strahan

77. Jim Otto

76. Sid Luckman

75. Terry Bradshaw

74. Larry Allen

73. Bruce Matthews

72. Randy White

71. Ted Hendricks

70. Art Shell

69. Orlando Pace

68. Joe Namath

67. Jack Ham

66. Mike Webster

65. Larry Fitzgerald

64. J.J. Watt

63. Bart Starr

62. Lance Alworth

61. Charles Woodson

60. Junior Seau

59. Earl Campbell

58. Raymond Berry

57. Marshall Faulk

56. Steve Young

55. Gene Upshaw

54. LaDainian Tomlinson

53. Merlin Olsen

52. Terrell Owens

51. John Mackey

50. Bronko Nagurski

49. Jim Parker

48. Roger Staubach

47. Red Grange

46. Mike Singletary

45. Jim Thorpe

44. Chuck Bednarik

43. Forrest Gregg

42. Ray Nitschke

41. Aaron Rodgers

40. O.J. Simpson

39. Mel Blount

38. Eric Dickerson

37. Rod Woodson

36. Tony Gonzalez

35. Gino Marchetti

34. Drew Brees

33. Dick 'Night Train' Lane

32. Ed Reed

31. Bob Lilly

30. John Hannah

29. Jack Lambert

28. Bruce Smith

27. Alan Page

26. Brett Favre

25. Don Hutson

24. Randy Moss

23. Ray Lewis

22. Sammy Baugh

21. Gale Sayers

 

 

For the record, this is how they determined the list (using "19 current and former reporters across the USA TODAY Sports Network"):

"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."

 

Looks like Marino makes the top 20 

[row_33]

7 hours ago, njbuff said:

What’s laughable is that Thurman was better than more than half of these players. FACT

 None of the Bills Kelly Era stars on O were elite, they were very good and meshed well and beat the crap out of a horrible AFC

 

Jim and Andre and Thurman weren’t all that individually

 

 

[thurst44]

4 minutes ago, row_33 said:

 None of the Bills Kelly Era stars on O were elite, they were very good and meshed well and beat the crap out of a horrible AFC

 

Jim and Andre and Thurman weren’t all that individually

 

 

Rick Reilly, is that you?

 

Seriously, though, you're getting a bit ridiculous with the contrarianism here. Breaking a Jim Brown record for all-purpose yardage for four years is pretty elite, I would say. To dismiss three Hall of Famers as products of a system who took advantage of a weak AFC is just silly.

[BearNorth]

6 hours ago, KayAdams said:

 

I don't know if it's laughable. When you only have 100 spots and are including every football position over 100 seasons, there are going to be some all-time greats left out.

 

I see 8 post-WW 2 RB's (Motley, Dorsett, Peterson, Campbell, Faulk, Tomlinson, OJ, Dickerson) already. There will be 4 more (Smith, Payton, Sanders, Brown). Was Thurman a top-10 all-time RB? No. More like mid-teens. Playing at the same time as Sanders and Smith didn't help his cause.

Also Note - No Marcus Allen. Allen has the distinction of being the only player to have won the Heisman Trophy, an NCAA national championship, the Super Bowl, and be named NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP. 

 

[JaCrispy]

11 hours ago, Freddie's Dead said:

This list sucks.  Badly.  They've got Alan Page at 27, and Bruce (THE *****IN' GOAT!) at 28?!? That means the racist homophobic preacher is in the top 20.  Disgusting.

Oh please, I bet you don’t even know what those words mean. ?

[nedboy7]

Have we seen a list of any kind that this board approves of?  Now pick two players you don't agree with and expose this nonsense!!! 

[Bronxbomber21]

Where is Thurman Thomas on this list???

[Brianmoorman4jesus]

7 hours ago, whatdrought said:

 

 Not sure how longevity should factor in- if Sayers plays even as little as 8 years, he’s the greatest player in NFL history, no doubt. 

 

He and Bo Jackson are the two great “what if”s of NFL lore.

The greatest player in nfl history no doubt? Are you serious? The guy had 1,000 yards rushing two times. And I get that it’s 14 games but OJ had 2,000 in 14 games. You think Gale Sayers 3 more years he’d be the greatest player in NFL history no doubt? Based on what? That’s ludicrous. He’s not even the best player in Bears history. He wasn’t even the best player on his own team.  

[whatdrought]

3 minutes ago, Brianmoorman4jesus said:

The greatest player in nfl history no doubt? Are you serious? The guy had 1,000 yards rushing two times. And I get that it’s 14 games but OJ had 2,000 in 14 games. You think Gale Sayers 3 more years he’d be the greatest player in NFL history no doubt? Based on what? That’s ludicrous. He’s not even the best player in Bears history. He wasn’t even the best player on his own team.  

 

Best player talent- maybe not production wise, but talent wise. Hence he’s in the hall of fame. He had such a skill set, such an ability, that what he did in a short time was so crazy that it showed him to be one of the best to ever play.

 

He scored a touchdown for 82% of games he played in. (Meaning touchdowns divided by games played) That’s higher than Peyton, higher then Emmit Smith, higher than Barry Sanders. The only ones I found that were higher were LT (95% which is insane) and Jim Brown (upper 90’s as well) 

 

I’m saying that playing the what if game, if sayers had never dealt with injuries, he would be remembered as the greatest. That’s my opinion, you can disagree, but I think you’re ignoring just how great he was in the little time he played. 

[billsbackto81]

5 hours ago, Over 29 years of fanhood said:

These lists are always annoying.... and the icing on the cake is who we all know will be #1

Jim Brown?

[Mr. WEO]

11 hours ago, Doc Brown said:

Aikman ahead of Kelly?  Yikes.  A nutless monkey could've won three Superbowls with that team.

 

Those Bills you mean?

[Charles Romes]

John Hannah at 30?  Two away from Bruce. I cringe when the so called experts go way overboard in propping up a supposedly overlooked player that only they, the experts, understand the greatness of.  It’s embarrassing.  I’m bracing myself to see Aeneas Williams come in at #11. 

[Ethan in Cleveland]

These top 100 are always controversial. Thurman deserves to be on this list. He is every bit as good as Dorsett and Peterson and far better than Franco Harris. 

I think they did a good job of including many linemen and defensive players.

I would not have Namath in my top 100 based on skill but if it is based on impact on the game he belongs.

I would not have Aikman, Franco Harris, Bradshaw, Peterson, JJ Watt, Mike Webster, or Marvin Harrison in the top 100. Maybe Tarkenton too, always thought he was overrated 

As far as rankings, Larry Allen and Steve Young are too low. And Sayers is top 100 but should be listed as 100 with an asterisk due to injury shortened career.

[Brianmoorman4jesus]

23 minutes ago, whatdrought said:

 

Best player talent- maybe not production wise, but talent wise. Hence he’s in the hall of fame. He had such a skill set, such an ability, that what he did in a short time was so crazy that it showed him to be one of the best to ever play.

 

He scored a touchdown for 82% of games he played in. (Meaning touchdowns divided by games played) That’s higher than Peyton, higher then Emmit Smith, higher than Barry Sanders. The only ones I found that were higher were LT (95% which is insane) and Jim Brown (upper 90’s as well) 

 

I’m saying that playing the what if game, if sayers had never dealt with injuries, he would be remembered as the greatest. That’s my opinion, you can disagree, but I think you’re ignoring just how great he was in the little time he played. 

I can’t pretend to be old enough to have seen him play in person but im an nfl junkie and always have been. I feel like he was an excellent player but as often happens in music and other art forms...the “what if” from his short career clouds judgement a little and pushes him into the slightly overrated category. I’m not saying he couldn’t be on the list all together but he’s way to high IMO. You got to do things for longer to be considered one of the best players of all time IMO.

[timekills17]

37 minutes ago, Ethan in Portland said:

These top 100 are always controversial. Thurman deserves to be on this list. He is every bit as good as Dorsett and Peterson and far better than Franco Harris. 

I think they did a good job of including many linemen and defensive players.

I would not have Namath in my top 100 based on skill but if it is based on impact on the game he belongs.

I would not have Aikman, Franco Harris, Bradshaw, Peterson, JJ Watt, Mike Webster, or Marvin Harrison in the top 100. Maybe Tarkenton too, always thought he was overrated 

As far as rankings, Larry Allen and Steve Young are too low. And Sayers is top 100 but should be listed as 100 with an asterisk due to injury shortened career.

 

I would have posted almost the exact same comments - thank you.

 

The only part I'll add is a question. So there's no doubt AD makes the Hall of Fame now, right? I mean, one of the top 100 all time.

If the vote were held tomorrow, how many here think he is  100%, no-brainer, first ballot entrant?

[whatdrought]

45 minutes ago, Brianmoorman4jesus said:

I can’t pretend to be old enough to have seen him play in person but im an nfl junkie and always have been. I feel like he was an excellent player but as often happens in music and other art forms...the “what if” from his short career clouds judgement a little and pushes him into the slightly overrated category. I’m not saying he couldn’t be on the list all together but he’s way to high IMO. You got to do things for longer to be considered one of the best players of all time IMO.

 

I agree that the what if could be pushing my feelings. I think he does deserve to be on the list and where he is because when you do a list that crosses eras like this, you have to rely on individual talent. He was one of the most talented football players of all time.

[Mr. WEO]

45 minutes ago, Ethan in Portland said:

These top 100 are always controversial. Thurman deserves to be on this list. He is every bit as good as Dorsett and Peterson and far better than Franco Harris. 

I think they did a good job of including many linemen and defensive players.

I would not have Namath in my top 100 based on skill but if it is based on impact on the game he belongs.

I would not have Aikman, Franco Harris, Bradshaw, Peterson, JJ Watt, Mike Webster, or Marvin Harrison in the top 100. Maybe Tarkenton too, always thought he was overrated 

As far as rankings, Larry Allen and Steve Young are too low. And Sayers is top 100 but should be listed as 100 with an asterisk due to injury shortened career.

 

Bradshaw with 4 SB twice back to back), 107-51 record,  wins doesn't make the top 100??

 

 

Aikman (3 All Pro, 6 Pro Bowl, SB MVP, 3 rings on a stacked team) doesn't belong?  Staubach (great player, 2 rings, stacked team) is ahead of him:  when he retired, Landry was able to continue racking up 12 wins seasons 3 of the next 4 years (3 consecutive NFCC game appearances)...with Danny White.

 

Tarkenton (6 All Pro, 9 Pro Bowl, NFL MVP, 18 years as starter in the league 342 TDs, 4 SB losses) is overrated??

[Formerly Allan in MD]

7 hours ago, Over 29 years of fanhood said:

These lists are always annoying.... and the icing on the cake is who we all know will be #1

Jim Brown!

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

2 minutes ago, Formerly Allan in MD said:

Jim Brown!

 

1 hour ago, billsbackto81 said:

Jim Brown?

I sure hope so

Edited October 20, 2019 by Over 29 years of fanhood

[Bob in STL]

14 hours ago, Boatdrinks said:

I’d imagine the list is based on football, and that being the case Reggie White and Bruce Smith should be separated by a no more than 3 or 4 names either way. Not sure what either of their opinions on homosexuals has to do with it. 

 

Correct.  Just another sensitive ‘offended person”  spouting off while being insensitive.  

Edited October 20, 2019 by Bob in STL