Warmest regards, friends of the program. Today marks the 19th installment of the Grand List, in which I rank the top one thousand professional football players in history (whose careers preceded or included a good chunk of time in the NFL). In this section, we’ll look at players 299-250. It’s a portion of the list that includes a few players you may expect to see rank much higher, as well as a few players who may have you wondering why they were included in the top 1000 at all. Opinions are all my own and are derived from far too much time studying a meaningless game over a period of about thirty years. If you disagree, that’s great. If all lists looked the same, what a boring life that would be.

Previous articles in the series

The Grand List, part 1: Includes honorable/special mentions and players 1000-990.
The Grand List, part 2: Includes players 989-965.
The Grand List, part 3: Includes players 964-940.
The Grand List, part 4: Includes players 939-901.
The Grand List, part 5: Includes players 900-876.
The Grand List, part 6: Includes players 875-851.
The Grand List, part 7: Includes players 850-810.
The Grand List, part 8: Includes players 809-780.
The Grand List, part 9: Includes players 779-750.
The Grand List, part 10: Includes players 749-700.
The Grand List, part 11: Includes players 699-650.
The Grand List, part 12: Includes players 649-600.
The Grand List, part 13: Includes players 599-550.
The Grand List, part 14: Includes players 549-500.
The Grand List, part 15: Includes players 499-450.
The Grand List, part 16: Includes players 449-400.
The Grand List, part 17: Includes players 399-350.
The Grand List, part 18: Includes players 349-300.

Let’s go, babies.

The Grand List, continued

299. Dick Stanfel (1952-1958)
Offensive Guard
Detroit Lions, Washington

Stanfel had a short but exemplary career. Playing in just seven seasons as a pro, he earned all pro honors six times. He was an interesting player to watch because it seemed like each play was a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it scene from an action movie. At the snap, he fired off the line, made a move, and then sort of stood there waiting for the next play. It was as if he was only allowed to move for 2.5 seconds after the snap and had to execute all of his assignments within that time. Despite what may be considered a lack of effort or follow through, in addition to a relatively weak lower body, Stanfel won his matchups at a high rate. A two time NFL champion who helped Bobby Layne maintain his excellent sack rate, Stanfel earned the Hog Award for best guard in both 1953 and 1958.

298. Duke Slater (1922-1931)
Offensive Tackle (pre-modern)
Chicago Cardinals, Rock Island Independents, Milwaukee Badgers

Slater was a standout on both offense and defense. He was a perennial all pro who knocked around other grown men on weekends while going through law school during the week. Because I have been unable to see film on Slater, I must rely on the words of his contemporaries, as well as the word of Chris Willis, head of the Research Library at NFL Films (who actually has studied Slater on film). Opposing players and coaches referred to Slater as a physical marvel who was stronger and faster than everyone else, with George Halas going as far as to say his Bears gave up running toward Slater’s side altogether. The recent Hall of Fame inductee blocked for Ernie Nevers in the famed 40 point game, and reports at the time indicated that most of the key runs came behind Slater blocks. According to Willis, Slater played with heavy hands and knocked opponents around like Larry Holmes. On defense, once his massive hands seized a ball carrier, the play was as good as over.

297. Bob St. Clair (1953-1963)
Offensive Tackle
San Francisco 49ers

Standing 6’9″ and weighing in at 265 pounds in the fifties, St. Clair was the most physically imposing player of his generation. Despite his height, he rarely let a defender get under him. This comes down to his discipline and attention to maintaining proper form while playing fast and hard. Blessed with immense power—perhaps from all the raw meat he ate—St. Clair had the ability to do one of the things he loved most: dominate opponents into submission. Think of him as the anti-Stanfel in that regard. When the not so gentle giant blocked you, his intention was to block you into the earth. With his long (albeit bent) arms, he was able to ward off pass rushers more effectively than most, and he was adept at keeping Tittle and Brodie clean. St. Clair also used his towering frame and long arms to block at least ten kicks in his career. I named him the Guardian Award winner for best tackle in 1953, his rookie year. The nine time all pro had better years, but they happened to coincide with the prime of Rosey Brown, the best tackle in history up to that point.

296. Bobby Layne (1949-1962)
Quarterback
Detroit Lions, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Bulldogs, Chicago Bears

Layne was at once the position’s premier party animal and one of the game’s great leaders. He was a tough guy in an era when tough meant, perhaps, just a little bit more. With a good set of wheels and willingness to lower his shoulder for extra yards, he was the first quarterback to be a truly great scrambler. His first four years with Detroit were particularly solid rushing seasons, seeing Layne hit a pace of 431 yards per 16 games. Layne’s passing stats aren’t the most impressive, even during his own era. His numbers didn’t reach the marks of Graham, Van Brocklin, or Luckman. However, he didn’t have nearly the help on offense that they had. Aside from a few seasons with John Henry Johnson, Layne rarely had much help from skill players. Regardless, he had an innate ability to extract everything he could from his teammates, and he seemed to get better in higher pressure situations. Despite what people say about Unitas, it was Layne who was the father of the two minute drill. He held the record for career passing yards, and he earned first ballot entry into the Hall of Fame, ahead of contemporaries I have ranked ahead of him on this list. ^[1]Among quarterbacks with at least 1500 action plays, Layne ranks 50th in career Total Adjusted Yards over Average (2779) and 79th in TAYP+ (103.5).

295. Don Macek (1976-1989)
Offensive Center
San Diego Chargers

Playing at the same time as Mike Webster and Dwight Stephenson all but obliterated his chances at getting postseason honors, but Macek was the best of his era among centers who aren’t on the position’s Rushmore. ^[2]I did name him the Iron Award winner for best center in 1982. He was the fulcrum of one of the game’s great lines that helped keep Fouts upright and allow the Air Coryell deep striking offense to thrive. After beginning his career as an all rookie guard, he moved to the middle and played at a Hall of Fame level for half a decade and a Pro Bowl level for a few years after. However, he never actually made a Pro Bowl or all pro team in his 162 game career. Macek had quick feet and uncanny grace for a guy with his squat build, and those movement skills came in handy when cutting off and hooking defenders on outside running plays. He was adept at holding without drawing attention to it (he almost never got called for a penalty or allow a hit on the passer). Smart and crafty, he had a knack for picking up stunts, and his head fake often tricked tackles into guessing wrong. The stoic Macek shunned the spotlight and enjoyed not being a star, so being perhaps the most underrated player in history suits him.

294. Nick Buoniconti (1962-1976)
Linebacker
Miami Dolphins, Boston Patriots

Buoniconti was similar to Zach Thomas in that he was a short, relatively unathletic middle linebacker who overcame his physical limitations to become one of the all time greats at the position. He was a leader and a smart player who had a knack for figuring out what offenses were trying to do and getting his men in position to combat it. With 32 interceptions and over 20 sacks (the numbers are incomplete) he was among the top playmakers ever to man the middle. Buoniconti was more than just splash plays, though. He played top shelf zone coverage and was able to disrupt passing lanes regularly, despite his height disadvantage. While he didn’t disengage well from blockers who got their hands on him, at least relative to other greats like Butkus and Lanier, he was good at recognizing an oncoming blocker and avoiding the confrontation altogether, giving a lineman the matador treatment on his way to the ball. Down to down, he was a steady player who didn’t mix his big plays with mental lapses, as is sometimes the case. Buoniconti earned the Enforcer Award for best middle linebacker in the AFL each season from 1964-1967.

293. Henry Jordan (1957-1969)
Defensive Tackle
Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns

Jordan was a superb interior pass rusher who used his quickness to generate consistent pressure. At first, Lombardi didn’t like the way he ran around the block, but after seeing the results, the coach had to make an exception for someone with Jordan’s quickstrike ability. With a penetrator like him at the right defensive tackle spot and a monster like Willie Davis at left defensive end, lines couldn’t shift protection to one without sacrificing against the other. No matter which they picked, it always seemed they chose wrong. In a 1967 game, he beat the great Tom Mack for four sacks. Jordan was a seven time all pro and won the Mean Award for best defensive tackle in both 1960 and 1963. In addition to his quick first step, he never seemed to get tired, and he could dominate offensive linemen late in games when they were huffing and puffing from a long day of trying to contain the spry defender. Jordan was a vital member of the defensive juggernaut Packers team that won five titles and lost another from 1960-1967. Y.A. Tittle once opined that he was the key to making the whole 4-3 scheme work, labeling him the greatest defensive tackle in history up to that point.

292. Terrell Davis (1995-2001)
Running Back
Denver Broncos

The case for Davis’s greatness is far too long to make in this space. It touches on debates about longevity vs. peak (Davis only topped 800 yards four times, but only six RBs since the merger earned more first-team AP All Pro awards and he’s one of just eight players— at any position— to win Offensive Player of the Year honors in multiple seasons). On philosophical questions about whether it’s more “forgivable” if the decline is due to injury (Davis was one of the last waves of players to tear his ACL while that injury was still a career-ender). On the importance of postseason performance (Davis’ lead over 2nd place in postseason rushing yards per game is 32, in postseason yards per carry is 0.55, and he essentially rushed for the equivalent of a 2280 yards, 24-touchdown season against a slate of teams that were collectively 59 games above .500). On disentangling production from scheme (the litany of 1,000-yard rushers who followed Davis is well known). I could quote stats and awards all day (my favorite: including the postseason, 1997 Terrell Davis had the 2nd-most rushing yards in history, trailing only… 1998 Terrell Davis), but ironically, all the focus on his gaudy numbers obscures just how damn good he was as a runner. He was equally beloved by tape grinders (who gushed about his ability to diagnose an opening with alacrity and then hit it with malice) and advanced stats (which raved about the consistency with which he gained positive yardage; Davis’ 1997 and 1998 seasons are the top two seasons since 1983 in Football Outsiders’ defense-adjusted yards above replacement metric). He wasn’t an asset in the passing game, but even the biggest running back haters on the block have to acknowledge that few were as good at keeping their offenses ahead of schedule when handed the football. ^[3]Thanks to my pal Adam Harstad for the love letter to Davis. Bryan’s note: I gave Davis the Supersonic Award for best running back in 1998, and I gave him the Sweetness Award for OPOY in both … Continue reading

291. Jim Taylor (1958-1967)
Running Back
Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints

Taylor was a big, bulldozing runner from an era when people still cared about that sort of thing. Aside from all the championships and Hall of Fame acknowledgement, perhaps his biggest claim to fame is the fact that he is the only man ever to win the rushing title from Jim Brown during Brown’s playing career. That came in 1962, when he scored 19 touchdowns and averaged 105.3 yards per game on his way to an MVP award. ^[4]He also took the Supersonic Award for best running back that year. He did this despite facing, in generally, much tougher run defenses in the NFL West than Brown faced in the NFL East. In fact, Jason Lisk once noted that Brown averaged over 20 more yards per game for his career but only averaged 7.6 more yards against NFL East teams and 7.5 fewer yards against the West. During his peak, which was roughly 1960-1964, Taylor averaged 1646 yards and 17 touchdowns per 16 games, which are numbers that stack up well against anyone. In addition to his tough running, he could also block and catch effectively. The season following his MVP campaign, he earned the Motley Award for best fullback, based largely on his blocking prowess.

290. Russ Grimm (1981-1991)
Offensive Guard
Washington

While his name is a homophone for his prospects as an athlete, Grimm carried with him an attitude that enabled him to overcome his physical limitations. While he wasn’t fast or quick, he was strong, with a thick lower body that generated immense power. He combined that with a natural understanding of blocking angles, the discipline to maintain form and technique, and the tenacity to fight for every inch of ground. A smart player, Grimm seemed to have a good idea of what defenses were trying to do and how to fight those schemes. All these traits made him one of the best run blocking guards in history, helping revive the career of an aging Riggo, as well as making other backs look good. It was his prowess in the ground game that earned him Hog Awards for best guard in 1984 and 1985. While he wasn’t an elite pass blocker, he was better than his athletic talent suggested he should have been, and he did in in a 1980s NFC East that featured some pretty scary pass rushers.

289. Bob Kuechenberg (1970-1983)
Offensive Guard
Miami Dolphins, Chicago Owls

Kuechenberg was a quick, mobile type of lineman who operated well in space and excelled against linebackers at the second level. He reportedly had good study habits, and it was evident on film, as he played mistake-free football and always seemed to have every teammate and opponent accounted for on every play (similar to how you’d describe a high-IQ quarterback like Brady or Manning). He wasn’t a powerhouse, but he was strong enough, and he played low so that he could get leverage on larger defensive linemen. With Kuechenberg, the name of the game was technique. He was a brilliant technician, who always seemed like he was doing the right thing with his hands, his feet, and his positioning. With no weaknesses from a finesse standpoint, he was a master of his craft, reminiscent of watching Perlman wield a bow or Jiro transform fish into art.

288. Ronde Barber (1997-2012)
Cornerback
Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Barber tends to get the standard zone cornerback knock for his career, which may come from people not understanding neither how hard it is to play zone effectively, nor the fact that teams usually play quite a bit more zone than man anyway. Yes, locking down a top wideout is a special skill, but that doesn’t make zone coverage easy. Trying to keep up with an NFL wide receiver in any capacity is going to be a chore—they tend to be more athletic, and they have the advantage of acting rather than reacting. And Barber wasn’t just a zone corner; he is considered by many to be the top zone corner of all time, and he was a perfect fit for the Dungy/Kiffin version of the old Steel Curtain defense. During Barber’s peak years, Dr. Z commented that cornerback was interesting in that he played zone so well that he forced passes to the other side of the field like a shutdown corner. It was during this time (2001, to be precise) I named him the Prime Time Award winner for best cornerback. He was also a good tackler in the open field, often happy to let a receiver catch a short pass and then tackle him short of the sticks. However, his form did seem to slip after 30, and he went from tackling like an extra linebacker to tackling like a stereotypical cornerback.

287. Charles Tillman (2003-2015)
Cornerback
Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers

Like Barber, Tillman gets the zone corner insult because he played primarily in Lovie Smith’s version of the Tampa 2. However, when you turn on the tape, you see him playing plenty of man coverage, and doing so at a high level. Playing in the NFC North, he typically had to see Calvin Johnson and defend against an offense led by Brett Favre or Aaron Rodgers twice per year. Whether facing the Hall of Fame receiver who was a physical marvel even by NFL standards, the gunslinging Favre, or the methodical Rodgers, Tillman always held his own. He was an aggressive player who would attack a receiver off the line and fight him through the top of the route, like a classic AFL corner. That in your face style earned him a place on Dr. Z’s all pro team as a rookie. Tillman was a solid tackler and was excellent at creating turnovers, particularly with his patented Peanut Punch that separated the ball from its carrier 44 times. His highlight year came in 2012, when he led the league in pick sixes (3) and forced fumbles (10). With his blend of consistent coverage and big play ability, Tillman was arguably the most valuable defenders on some of the best defenses of the 21st century. ^[5]I am referring, specifically, to 2005, 2006, and 2012.

286. Antoine Winfield (1999-2012)
Cornerback
Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills

Winfield made it to just three Pro Bowls in his career. He never got a first team all pro nod, but he did secure three second team selections. How does a guy with this resume make it this high on the list? The answer is simple. When he was on the field, he played at a Hall of Fame level. Better, in fact, than some already immortalized in bronze. Dubbed a “tough tackling teeth gritter” by Dr. Z, he is the best run defender of any corner since Aeneas Williams, but he isn’t on the list for simply being a good tackler. As an outside corner early on and a slot defender in the later stages of his career, Winfield was superb in coverage. His closing speed meant he was always in position to make a play on the ball. He didn’t rack up big interception totals, but he did force passers to their second reads, and he deflected myriad passes from quarterbacks who wanted to test their luck. His ability to transition into primarily a slot corner later in his career is remarkable, given the fact that the role often sees different routes that can break in any direction, and most old corners have lost one step too many to be that useful in the role. I have long said that my ideal defense in the modern game would be a dime with Winfield and Charles Woodson playing a slot/OLB hybrid role, because they were both good enough against the run and pass to make it work.

285. Chris Harris Jr. (2011-present)
Cornerback
Denver Broncos

Remember, since this list will not cover 2020, only Harris’s time as a Bronco counts for this exercise. It’s just as well, because his best seems to be behind him. That best was about as good as it gets. He is, in my estimation, the best slot corner of all time. Blessed with incredible spatial awareness and an elite ability to read passers, Harris is able to get himself in the best position to prevent completions, play after play, year after year. With lightning quick reactions, he has been suffocating in man coverage, and he has excelled against the quick and shifty guys, the big possession guys, and the speed burners. Harris has also worked himself into a great outside corner, and that rare versatility has made him perhaps the most valuable player at his position during his playing career. He has allowed fewer yards per play in coverage than any corner aside from Richard Sherman, and he has done it with a much wider range of assignments. I named him the winner of the Prime Time Award in both 2014 and 2016.

284. Albert Lewis (1983-1998)
Cornerback
Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders

Playing in an era when passing offenses were opening up and rules were making it tougher to play in the secondary, Lewis was a throwback type who would assault receivers while playing sticky man coverage. He had a unique style of press coverage in which he would let receivers make a move before getting his hands on them, making it harder than normal for receivers to get off the line. This was increasingly valuable with the proliferation of short passing concepts. With blazing top speed and the ability to reach it in about two steps, no one was ever really open when he was the one in coverage. With his 6’2″ frame, his height and length meant that, even if he did get beat (a rare occurrence), he could break up passes (think Sherman, but with elite track speed). Jerry Rice called him the hardest matchup he ever had, and given Rice’s proficiency at slants, it makes sense that Lewis would be his toughest challenge. ^[6]He earned the Prime Time Award for 1989. If that weren’t enough, Lewis is also the best punt blocker in history, with eleven blocks and a few plays on the punters themselves.

283. Matt Blair (1974-1985)
Linebacker
Minnesota Vikings

Blair is a player who could have made it into the Hall of Fame if he could have managed to squeeze a few more productive seasons into his career. The seasons they did have were on par with what we’ve seen from all but the most inner circle of players at his position. He is one of the best strongside linebackers ever, demonstrating no weaknesses in his game. Simply put, Blair could do it all. He was consistent on a down to down basis, whether it be setting the edge, filling gaps, blitzing, or covering tight ends. Attacking or reacting, it didn’t matter—he did it well. Blair had the speed to run down plays to the far side of the field, the quickness to play in space and make open field tackles, the ferocity to meet the blocker in the hole to blow up running plays, and the size to disrupt passing lanes with relative ease. He was also a playmaker, with 24 sacks, 16 interceptions, 20 forced fumbles, 19 recoveries, and an insane 20 kick blocks. ^[7]Boasting an otherworldly vertical leap, he’d float right over the center and jump directly in front of kicker to make a play on the ball.

282. Adam Vinatieri (1996-present)
Kicker
Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots

Vinatieri is probably the most legendary kicker of all time, known for his clutch postseason kicks in frigid temperatures. But his overall body of work comes down to much more than just the magic moments. Sure, the Patriots owe him a debt of gratitude for being the deciding factor in several big games, but he likewise owes them for being put in that position to begin with. Had he ended up in Detroit and the similarly talented Hanson ended up in Foxboro, Vinatieri could have been just as good but never had the opportunity to cement his legend. However, he didn’t just have a career of average play and make his name in a few critical games—he was great for most of his very long career. And when stacked up against players with similar careers, those clutch kicks are a tiebreaker in his favor. Vinatieri was decent at kickoffs in New England. He had good ball placement and put in effort on coverage, once famously getting the angle on an aging Herschel Walker. He succeeded in the harsh conditions of wintry Foxboro before moving to a dome and dramatically improving his unadjusted totals. He led the league in field goal percentage thrice, and he led the league in Football Outsiders’s field goals over expectation twice (2002 and 2004, and both years he won the Toe Award for best kicker).

281. Del Shofner (1957-1967)
Wide Receiver
New York Giants, Los Angeles Rams

As a receiver, Shofner was a bit of a one trick pony—but it was a hell of a trick. He was a dangerous speedster who could break open a game in one play. His big play ability scared defenses so much that they actually began changing the way they played, consistently rolling coverage to his side when he was the solo receiver. These are tactics that were used occasionally against Harlon Hill and are often credited to Bob Hayes but really began, in earnest, in response to Shofner. He wasn’t just a fast guy who caught deep balls and disappeared for most of the game. Instead, he was a good after the catch runner who caught a lot of balls and had highly productive seasons. In fact, he had more 1000+ yard seasons than Raymond Berry, and he did it without Berry’s quarterback. His best season may have been 1958, when he led the league in receiving yards and boasted a 21.5 receiving average. ^[8]I gave him the Bambi Award for best receiver that year. Shofner came from the Jim Brown school of blocking. That’s the school where everyone skips every class. He could have been useful had he tried, but he showed little concern toward blocking, and he also didn’t play at full speed when the ball wasn’t coming his way. However, he’d certainly not the only deep threat burner who took it easy when he was meant to be a decoy. If you watch the tape from the single platoon era, you’ll notice everyone took plays off in order to conserve energy. Shofner punted and filled in on defense, in addition to running deep routes, so I give the guy a break taking a breather now and then. ^[9]Shofner ranks 120th in career True Receiving Yards (9259). His top TRY seasons: 1687, 1665, 1592, 1550, 1443.

280. Don Maynard (1958-1974)
Wide Receiver
New York Titans/Jets, New York Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Houston Texans/Shreveport Steamer

One of the best split ends ever, Maynard is probably the second best receiver from the AFL (based on full careers). His ability to beat press coverage quickly and gain separation downfield was perfect for Namath’s deathstrike approach to quarterbacking. He was the rare deep threat who also commanded a large target share. I named him the Bambi Award winner for a 1967 campaign that saw him maintain a 20.2 yard receiving average over 71 receptions, which is nuts. He had four seasons with over 20 yards per catch, and he only had one season below 16.8, which shows remarkable consistency. With his big gains coming at a high frequency, he put up a lot of yardage. In fact, he set the record with fifty 100+ yard games and didn’t lose it until a guy named Rice came along. If you include AFL stats, as the NFL does, Maynard held the career receptions and receiving yards records, taking both from Berry and relinquishing them to Charley Taylor and Harold Jackson, respectively. ^[10]Maynard ranks 19th in career TRY (15294). His top TRY seasons: 1849, 1689, 1646, 1497, 1274, 1255, 1116, 1031, 974.

279. Tom Mack (1966-1978)
Offensive Guard
Los Angeles Rams

Early on in his career, Mack was a dynamo, simply dominating opponents in the run game and in protection. That peak didn’t last very long, but his athleticism and technique were so good that he was able to maintain a high level of play for a long time, and well after his physical prime was in the rearview. He was fast and great in space, which made him one of the top pullers of all time. With a focus on the details, his run blocking remained strong, even though he became more of a “win quietly” type rather than a mauler. Instead of driving a defender into the dirt, he would simply get an angle on him and win the play. Think of a better Evan Mathis. Mack was good enough to make 11 Pro Bowls, which is kind of a big deal. Even at a position that is prone to reputation selections, that is an awful high number. The obsession with Associated Press honors shows a guy who made all those Pro Bowls but only one all pro team, but the reality is that he was named to an all pro team (first or second team) by a major publication in eight different seasons.

278. Lester Hayes (1977-1986)
Cornerback
Oakland Raiders

In today’s game, Hayes would be illegal. A throwback, bump and run type who had no issue harassing a receiver up and down the field all day, he regularly disrupted route and frustrated opponents. After the Mel Blount Rule opened up the passing game in 1978, Hayes decided the skies would remain closed in Oakland. He intercepted seven passes in 1979, returning two for scores. The following year, he snagged 13 passes and returned them for 273 yards and a score. ^[11]He threw in another five picks in the playoffs, which makes one wonder why people kept throwing it his way. His efforts earned him defensive player of the year honors from several publications, as well as my Prime Time and Godzilla Awards. Those two seasons represent over half of his career interceptions, as quarterbacks just didn’t throw at him very much after that. When Haynes got there in 1983, passers rarely had the luxury of an open receiver on the outside. Hayes’s aggressive style and ability to turn defense into offense made him a delight to watch and a nightmare to play against.

277. Emmitt Thomas (1966-1978)
Cornerback
Kansas City Chiefs

Thomas was tall and fast, with great length and fluid movement skills. His ability to move gracefully allowed him to keep up with the quickest receivers, and his straight line speed allowed him to gamble and close on the ball when he felt like taking a calculated risk. He’d make you pay for throwing it his way, as he showed in every postseason contest during Kansas City’s first Super Bowl run. Thomas loved to trail the other team’s top receiver, seeing the one on one type of battle as the ultimate test of his skills. And he usually came out on top of that battle. Dedicated film study gave him an edge, and his physical prowess allowed him to put his preparation into action. The AFL and 1970s NFL were known for their love of deep ball receivers. Thomas was the perfect match for them, as he could disrupt them at the line, match them step for step, and use his long arms to break up deep strikes. In the rare instance he missed at the line, he had the recovery speed to erase his mistake. He earned the Prim Time Award for 1974, when he intercepted 12 passes and returned them for 214 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

276. Jack Butler (1951-1959)
Cornerback, Safety
Pittsburgh Steelers

Butler was a great corner and safety, though he was probably a bit better at the latter. Unheralded entering the league, he quickly showed what a mistake that was, ending his career as one of the all time great undrafted free agents. He had pretty good speed, but it was his instincts that allowed him to excel in coverage. Having a good idea of what the offense was doing meant he could play a little faster, and it also enabled him to become a turnover machine. With 52 interceptions in 104 games, he had a pick in exactly half of his games. This includes a four interception game against Washington that puts him in a 19-way tie for the single game record. In an era when it was more important for a corner to provide run support, Butler did it well. He was a solid open field tackler who used good form rather than putting the fear of God into receivers, a la Lane. When he moved back to safety late in his career, he was able to show off his stellar range, snagging 19 passes in his first 24 games playing deep. He earned the Tunnell Vision Award for best safety in 1957 when he had ten picks and a fumble recovery. On top of his copious career interceptions, Butler recovered ten fumbles and scored five defensive touchdowns. He wasn’t a great offensive player, but he could fill in when needed and even had a few key plays, including a game winning touchdown catch. ^[12]Just four weeks later, he had a game winning pick six.

275. Lou Creekmur (1950-1959)
Offensive Tackle
Detroit Lions

Creekmur started out as a great guard before kicking outside to become an even better tackle. With an athletic build for a lineman of his era, he was quick on his feet, whether moving backward to keep Layne clean, trapping an unsuspecting defender, position blocking on a run, or getting out in front of the play to clear space downfield. He had good balance that helped him translate his athletic ability to functional power, which was helpful in creating holes for a collection of largely anonymous ball carriers. Creekmur’s hallmark, however, was his attitude. He was vicious and nasty on the field, playing like the rabid wolverine that once roamed those same grounds in the cold Michigan winter. This style of play earned him the name Spirit from his beloved quarterback. Creekmur was highly celebrated during his playing days, earning all pro nods in the first eight seasons of his career. Film study confirms his dominance, and he earned the Guardian Award for best offensive tackle in both 1952 and 1954.

274. Alan Faneca (1998-2010)
Offensive Guard
Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals

Early in his career with the Steelers, Faneca was a throwback, mauler type who relished crushing his opponents in the running game. It was during this period in his career that he earned two Hog Awards (2001 and 2002). Later on in Pittsburgh, and in his trips to New York and Arizona, he became more of a steady type who won more on veteran savvy than on raw power. Whether he was exerting his physical will on a defender or just getting by on technique, he was able to play cleanly to an absurd degree. In his entire career, he was called for just eight holding penalties—four of which were accepted. Sure, he held, like any lineman does, but he never did so egregiously, and his Houdini hands almost never got him into trouble. Faneca was about as good as it gets as an inside blocker, excelling on getting his man off the spot quickly in order to set up the gut punching rushes associated with the black and yellow power game. He was also an artist in the trap game, often getting so low that he seemed to disappear completely, only to reappear the moment before impact on an overzealous defender. Pass pro was his weakness. That isn’t to say he was bad at it. Faneca was above average in that area, but when trying to separate players near the top of the list, little differences are a big deal.

273. Todd Christensen (1978-1988)
Tight End
Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys

When you think of a traditional tight end, you may think of a guy who could provide decent help with inline blocking while catching a few balls over the middle as a safety net when the defense had the top receivers covered. Christensen wasn’t that guy. Although he could block pretty well for a wide receiver, he didn’t have the blocking chops of a classic tight end, and no one was mistaking him for Casper in that area. However, he was among the best ever at getting open and pulling in the ball. As a converted running back, he had tremendous after the catch ability to go with his soft hands and sense of finding holes in coverage. He may have been at his best on third and long. We don’t have official numbers from his playing days, but the tape shows a receiver who seemed to have a sixth sense for bailing out his offense from a surefire punting situation. At his peak, Christensen put up numbers comparable to the legendary Kellen Winslow. From 1982-1987, he averaged 82 catches for 1048 yards and seven scores per 16 games. I gave him the Gonzo Award for best tight end every year from 1983 to 1986. His legacy takes a hit from having his peak begin and end with strikes years, which deflate his career totals, but his prime as a receiving tight end compares favorably to anyone’s. ^[13]Christensen’s top TRY seasons: 1591, 1256, 1182, 1160, 1160, 748.

272. Mark Bavaro (1985-1994)
Tight End
New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Cleveland Browns

Bavaro didn’t put up the numbers of Christensen or Winslow, but he also didn’t play in an offense that featured the tight end very much in the passing game. Had he played in such an offense, his numbers would have more closely reflected his actual ability as a receiver. However, instead of playing the what if game, we can judge his career based on how it actually played out. Turning on any Giants in the late eighties would have led the viewer to a complete freak of a tight end—a physical mismatch for anyone who had to cover him on a route. He had big years as a receiver, most notably his sophomore campaign in which he eclipsed 1000 yards at a 15.2 receiving average. With the ball in his hands, he was frightening in the open field, and he seemed to look for a guy to run over rather than try to take the path of least resistance. As a blocker, he may be the second best tight end since Kramer, among those who were a real receiving threat (sorry Hoby Brenner). Bavaro blocked like a third tackle, a comment thrown around when discussing several tight ends but only ever truly describing a handful of them. Evidence shows that having your offense spread out is better than inviting defenders into the box with an inline tight end, but I am evaluating Bavaro’s individual talent apart from what may be considered the “correct” schematic choice. ^[14]Bavaro earned the Gonzo Award in 1987. His top TRY seasons: 1263, 1046, 723, 703, 671, 561.

271. Kevin Williams (2003-2015)
Defensive Tackle
Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints

At his peak, Williams was the best defensive tackle in all of football. Some came close, but few could match his down to down consistency in both passing and rushing situations. A sublime interior penetrator, he was able to get pressure on quarterbacks quickly. The addition of Pat Williams coincided with a decrease in his sack totals (22 in his first two years), but it enabled him to face more solo blocks and create pressure at a higher rate, even if he didn’t reach home as often. The Williams Wall, as they came to be known, was a force of nature, intimidating passers and shutting down the run in such a way that opponents began running in less obvious situations (causing the team’s run defense numbers to look merely average, when they were superb in reality). ^[15]If we had access to the advanced numbers with certain players on and off the field, like we do now, I imagine they would paint an illustrative picture of this paradox. In addition to his prowess as a pass rusher, Williams also played the run well enough to be an effective shade tackle as an older player. He was also skilled at batting down passes, and he that ability stood out until Watt came along and reset the standard. The six time all pro earned the Mean Award for best defensive tackle in 2004, and he was on the shortlist in a handful of other seasons.

270. Khalil Mack (2014-present)
Edge Rusher
Oakland Raiders, Chicago Bears

When judging the effectiveness of edge rushers, most people tend to focus solely on pass rush and ignore most of the other stuff. The word “rusher” is in the name of the role, after all. And it’s true that disrupting the passing game is the most important thing a defense can do, but run defense is still something defenders have to worry about on about half the plays they’re on the field. When it comes to run defense, Mack is one of the best outside run defenders of the last quarter century. With a relentless motor, he seems to get better as the game goes on. He can explode out of both a two and three point stance with equal quickness, and his quick first step and powerful arms give him filthy bull rush and club moves he uses to overwhelm blockers. Mack can also attack the quarterback, averaging 10 sacks per year without sacrificing his run responsibilities. His stretch from 2015 to 2016 was masterful, with 180 pressures, 26 sacks, seven forced fumbles, 150 tackles, and copious plays made by drawing attention and causing general chaos for rushing attacks. For his efforts, Mack earned the Deacon (best edge) and Godzilla (DPOY) Awards in 2016.

269. Sterling Sharpe (1988-1994)
Wide Receiver
Green Bay Packers

Sharpe is one of the biggest what ifs in NFL history. A freak injury forced him to retire just before Favre hit his stride. We can only speculate about the numbers and big plays he would have produced had he remained healthy and gotten to pair with the young gunslinger. But let us not speculate. Let us, instead, look at the career that was. At his peak, Sharpe was arguably the best wide receiver in a league that also included prime Rice and Irvin. He did it with a rare blend of natural talent and refined skill. Blessed with track speed, he had the brains to play even faster, never having to take the foot of the gas for a split second. There was no guessing, only acting, and at top speed. Sharpe could get open on any route, against any defender, but he was probably at his best turning short passes into long gains. This is due, largely, to his ability to get good separation at the catch point, turn up field and accelerate quickly, and use his balance to pick up a few extra yards after contact. He earned the Bambi Award for 1992, when he led the league in catches, yards, and touchdowns. Sharpe’s career was brief, but it was dripping with black ink. ^[16]Sharpe ranks 127th in career TRY (9099). His top TRY seasons: 1732, 1650, 1491, 1316, 1159, 1012.

268. Torry Holt (1999-2009)
Wide Receiver
St. Louis Rams, Jacksonville jaguars

Holt was fast and smooth, graceful and magnificent. At his peak, he was overshadowed by bigger personalities with more attractive physical profiles. He didn’t embarrass people with his vertical like Moss or overpower them like TO, but he produced year after year more consistently than they did. In fact, he led the 2000s decade in catches, yards, and first downs. From 2000-2007, he averaged 1388 yards and eight scores per season (and that’s after slowing down a little after 30). He went by Big Game Holt, and he lived up to it if you only count the first Super Bowl. Aside, he had two 100 yard games and four games with a touchdown in ten postseason tries. However, it was what Holt did year in and year out that made his career noteworthy. He led the league in receiving yards twice, with two seasons over 1600 yards. ^[17]Antonio Brown, Calvin Johnson, Julio Jones, and Marvin Harrison are the only other receivers to match that feat. From 2000-2005, he never had a season with less than 1300 yards. That is remarkable consistency of production that lasted after the Greatest Show on Turf fell apart and his legendary running mates faded away. ^[18]Holt ranks 26th in career TRY (14280). His top TRY seasons: 1756, 1620, 1618, 1613, 1356, 1253, 1220, 1203, 1116.

267. Andre Johnson (2003-2016)
Wide Receiver
Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans

If you had to build a wide receiver in a lab, the resulting player might look something like Johnson. Physically, he was big, fast, strong, and quick. Mentally, he was smart, tough, and aggressive. Were it not for the injuries that took their toll on his career, he’d be seen for what he was: one of the most destructive forces ever to line up wide. Johnson came into the league as an athletic mismatch for any poor corner tasked with covering him. He quickly hones his skills and became a more refined route runner, capable of dominating the entire route tree. His speed allowed him to blow by defenders, and his size, leaping ability, powerful hands, and aggression at the catch point meant that if a ball was thrown up for grabs, he was going to be the man grabbing it. On short passes, Johnson was a freight train after the catch, running through scores of defensive backs during his career. He played angry, taking the fight to defenders as a blocker just as much as he did with the ball in his hands. Unfortunately, Johnson often toiled in vain playing in a dire quarterback situation that suppressed his touchdown numbers. However, he still managed three seasons with 1500+ receiving yards and never quit on his teams, no matter how awful they were. From 2007-2013, he averaged 106 catches for 1498 yards and eight scores per 16 games. The knock is that span includes seasons with seven and nine games. Johnson earned the Bambi Award in 2009, when he led the league in yardage for the second year in a row and boasted a solid 15.5 yard average. ^[19]Johnson ranks 20th in career TRY (15228). His top TRY seasons: 1714, 1621, 1579, 1314, 1280, 1263, 1252, 1107, 992, 968.

266. Jan Stenerud (1967-1985)
Kicker
Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings

Adjusting for era, Stenerud is one of the most accurate kickers in history. When Chase published his career kicker rankings in 2015, the Chiefs legend ranked third in history. When you account for the stadiums in which he played, his number are even more impressive, given the cold outdoor winters in Kansas City and Green Bay. Owing, perhaps, to his soccer style approach (nowadays the only approach), he was a much better deep kicker than his peers who, in general, relied on the straight ahead, toe kick that dominated the early days of the sport. Stenerud began his career as a new breed, and he trounced the competition. Late in his career, facing a new generation of kickers inspired by his own work, he ended his career on top as well. I gave him the Toe Award for best kicker in the AFL each season from 1967-1969, and once more in the NFL in 1981. He earned all pro nods in nine different seasons between 1967 and 1984. For his efforts, Stenerud became the first pure kicker inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

265. Andrew Whitworth (2006-present)
Offensive Tackle
Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Rams

Whitworth has made four Pro Bowls and all pro teams in his career, but his postseason honors don’t really come close to capturing his high level of play. He bounced between tackle and guard early in his career, and he excelled at both. When he finally landed at tackle, he entrenched himself as one of the best in the game for well over a decade. At 6’7″ and 330 pounds, he is a massive man, even by offensive line standards. When he came into the league, he moved like you’d expect from a man of his stature. However, he worked his way into a more limber player, eventually capable of moving fluidly and matching his power with grace. At his height, he is at a natural disadvantage in terms of leverage, but his ability to remain dedicated to keeping his pad level low has allowed him to avoid letting smaller, quicker defenders form getting the drop on him. Like I’ve harped on with other linemen in this section, Whitworth plays with sound technique and has a good understanding of angles, traits which have allowed him to continue playing at a high level well past his physical prime. In pass pro, he has surrendered pressure at a lower rate than any tackle during his career, and he has done so in different schemes and in front of different passers. ^[20]His pressure rate narrowly beats that of Joe Thomas, though it merits mention that Thomas generally had tougher assignments. That’s why Thomas is still to come on the list.

264. Willie Anderson (1996-2008)
Offensive Tackle
Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens

Maybe the best right tackle since Dierdorf, Big Willie was a huge mauler who utterly dominated his man at the point of attack, habitually clearing large lanes for his running backs. As a 340 pound tackle, one would expect him to be a savage run blocker. And one would be correct. But he was more than just the offensive version of the Fridge. He could move more quickly than you’d think by looking at him, and he was even able to mirror speed rushers using his uncanny agility and anticipation. Anderson was a disciplined player who rarely got flagged for a penalty. That means that, despite his massive frame, he never needed to false start to keep up with an edge rusher, nor did he need to hold because he couldn’t get into position quickly enough. While playing a penalty free game, he also rarely allowed sacks. Anderson made four all pro teams in his career, but he surely would have made more were it not for the fetishization of blind side tackles. Even in the end, he was a great player (Pro Football Focus gave him grades of 79.8, 76.7, and 90.2 in his last three seasons).

263. Joe Jacoby (1981-1993)
Offensive Tackle
Washington

Jacoby was one of the top run blockers ever and was a key cog in the Joe Gibbs offense that bent opponents to its will and ground them into a paste of pads and limbs. A powerful drive blocker with a serious nasty streak, he was not happy unless he was smothering his opponent in the cold and unforgiving earth. He loved trap blocks, when he would get to tee off on a defender, and he was good at them. That is to say he didn’t just go head hunting; he was accurate in his positioning and didn’t whiff even on the big hits. His ability to dominate the ground game helped the 1983 Washington squad set the scoring record, and it helped Riggo revitalize his career. I gave him the Guardian Award for his performance that season. Jacoby wasn’t just a bulldozer. He could also hold his own in pass protection, which wasn’t easy in a conference that featured LT and Reggie. Demonstrating his versatility, he played both left and right tackle at an elite level, though the late career move to the right side has likely (and wrongfully) cost him a spot in Canton.

262. Orlando Pace (1997-2009)
Offensive Tackle
St. Louis Rams, Chicago Bears

Pace was a physical freak who could look like the great player of all time when he was focused and hungry. Unfortunately, he seemed to lose focus too often to make it to what we sometimes call “inner circle” level. Regardless, even with the inconsistencies that dotted his career, his best was good enough to earn a high spot on this list. He could envelop defenders in both the pass and run games, and he is one of the few offensive linemen with a viable highlight reel of blocks. (It’s the non-highlight blocks that put him at 262 instead of the top 100.) Pace popularized the pancake block, and would seemingly put one on tape every game, using his superior athleticism to embarrass defensive linemen. He was good in pass pro, and he often had difficult blocking assignments in the Rams deep passing attack. Pace was on an island more than most tackles, and he had to win on deeper drops than the average tackle had to deal with. That fact explains much of his high false start penalty count, as well as his sack numbers.

261. Jackie Slater (1976-1995)
Offensive Tackle
Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams

The Associated Press never gave Slater a first team nod, so when online natives visit his Pro Football Reference page, they may see a long career with no all pro nods and dismiss him. ^[21]I say this based on copious Twitter conversations with fans under 35 who either didn’t watch him play or only caught the end of his career. When you put in the effort to see who earned all pro nominations from all major publications, you’ll see he made an all pro team in five seasons and all conference teams in two other years. That’s a major honor in seven out of his thirteen full seasons as a starter. And that’s ignoring the fact that these awards are sometimes pure applesauce. Consider that he may have been the best player in football at his position three years prior to getting his first all pro nod. This is a universal caveat, not specific to Slater. As a player, he was consistent in both pass and run blocking. He was aggressive at the line in pass pro, rather than giving the typical kick step and retreating immediately. Slater was technically sound and had good balance and a powerful base, which allowed him to hunker down against power rushers. His only real threats were the shifty little speed rushers.

260. Gene Upshaw (1967-1981)
Offensive Guard
Oakland Raiders

Upshaw is a highly celebrated guard, often put at or near the top of the list at his position. This may be an artifact of Autumn Wind is a Raider style hype, which immortalized the image of him rambling downfield in slow motion over an orchestral score. Or it could be the mystique of the 1970s Raiders, a quirky group of great players with big personalities. While he was, indeed, great, he may have been only the third best guard of his own era. Don’t read that as a knock, as he is ahead of many HOFers on this list and is easily deserving of the honor himself. Upshaw was a great puller who is among the best ever at getting to the second level and helping spring big runs through the secondary. His style of play would probably be even more valuable and effective today than when he played, given the emphasis on agility and playing in space. However, when he played, there was a greater focus on power running, which didn’t play to his strengths. Upshaw wasn’t great at run blocking up front, and he held a bit too much. Regardless, his best was good enough to earn him Hog Awards in 1969 and 1977, as well as a pretty high spot on this list. Some may view 260 and the 17th ranked modern guard as an insult, but I would encourage some perspective on what it means to be the 260th best player ever to play at any position in pro football.

259. Will Shields (1993-2006)
Offensive Guard
Kansas City Chiefs

Shields was an incredibly powerful man who would have his way with a defender once he got his big mitts on him. He was an outstanding road grading type who made big paths for Holmes and Johnson, among others, and helped an offense with no good wideouts to stake its claim as the best offensive in football for a solid three year window (2002-2004). In fact, his offensive line is one of the best in history and marks one of the few instances most people would concur the line was the driving force of an elite offense. Shields was often among the best two or three guards in football, and he finally earned the Hog Award as the best of all in 2004. That wasn’t his best season, but he had the Brees problem, wherein the bulk of his best seasons happened to come in a year when someone else had a career year. Anecdotally, big dominating types seem to be associated with penalties, at least in the public consciousness. However, Shields rarely got caught holding and, frankly, rarely needed to tiptoe on the rules in order to move his man.

258. Eugene Robinson (1985-2000)
Safety
Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers

Sometimes (oftentimes?) there is an enormous gulf between a player’s reputation and his play on the field. As my enigmatic friend Raider Joe might say, the difference between his fame and his game. Robinson is one such player. A big hitter, sure tackler, ball hawk, and consistent cover man, he could do it all. And he did it all at a high level. He had great range against both the pass and the run. On tape, Robinson was a better and more complete safety than any of the more celebrated players at his position during the time he played. He could play the deep zone, come up and play man, erase the shallow stuff, take out a lead blocker to disrupt an outside run, fill a hole on an inside run. you name it. His 57 career interceptions are even more impressive after adjusting for his passing environment. Depending on how harshly you adjust, he moves up from T13th to eighth or ninth on the career list. ^[22]That’s between 62 and 67 picks.

257. Mel Renfro (1964-1977)
Cornerback, Safety
Dallas Cowboys

Like Butler, Renfro was great at two positions. A gifted athlete with poetic fluidity in his movement, he transitioned from safety to corner like it was the most natural thing in the world. He spent a little more time at corner, and he was great at it, but it’s really a coin flip to determine which he did best. At safety, he was a ball hawk type, playing deep and using his high football IQ to see plays develop ahead of time. In 1969, he had ten interceptions on his way to earning the Tunnell Vision Award. When he moved outside, he didn’t get the turnover numbers he had  as the last line of defense, but he did scare quarterbacks away from throwing at him, which is the highest form of praise at that position. Beloved in Dallas, when Prime Time came to Texas, many compared the brash star to Renfro, nothing that the old man was his match in coverage but also relished sticking his nose right in the middle of the run game. As a rookie, he led the league in kickoff and punt return yards and captured the Gray and White Award for best return man. That season marked the first of ten straight years in which Renfro earned a trip to the Pro Bowl.

256. Ed White (1969-1985)
Offensive Guard
Minnesota Vikings, San Diego Chargers

Over a career that spanned 17 seasons and 241 games, White made just four Pro Bowls and all pro squads (plus an all pro selection from Dr. Z in 1983). However, his play was worthy of the honor in most seasons he played. In Minnesota, he was in a tough situation as a pass blocker, trying to maintain his blocks for a quarterback who frequently went of script and scrambled around for what felt like forever. Then he moved to San Diego and blocked for a quick triggered passer who made life a little easier on his linemen. All the while, White earned rave reviews from peers and scouts for his reliable pass protection. But it was his run blocking that was most impressive. A thick, solid player for his era, he could get under a defender and drive him to the next area code. And he still did it as effectively at 36 as he did at 26. Proscout rated him as the league’s top guard twice, over a few Hall of Famers and perennial all pros.

255. Dave Szott (1990-2003)
Offensive Guard
Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets, Washington

Szott never made it to a Pro Bowl roster, though he did earned consensus all pro honors in 1997. However, his play was good enough to merit at least a Pro Bowl invite in several different seasons. He didn’t obliterate people like Larry Allen, so he didn’t stand out to fans or even all pro voters. However, when you take the time to study his game, you see him winning his matchups, by hook or by crooks, on play after play ad infinitum. While he didn’t have the power of Allen or the athleticism of McDaniel, he had something that doesn’t get discussed much in evaluations, especially for offensive linemen: Szott had elite focus and concentration. Regardless of who he faced, he simply never had a lapse in attention or technique, which led to him rarely getting beaten by his man. Thus, even if he wasn’t the type to drive a guy into the bleachers, he still kept the defender from making the play, which is the point of his job. While he wasn’t flashy, he had no weaknesses as a run or pass blocker.

254. Russ Francis (1975-1988)
Tight End
New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers

Earlier, I called Bavaro the second best blocker since Kramer—Francis is the reason he’s not number one. He could get downfield and destroy linebackers and defensive backs, and he could play inline and block down on ends or even handle one on one assignments against elite pass rushers. He was a freak athlete who could have been even better had he really cared about football, but I can’t fault a guy for having other interests and pursuing them. Even with his attention elsewhere, he showed that he could do almost whatever he desired on the field. Francis didn’t play in an offense that featured the tight end much, but he played at a Hall of Fame level either blocking or getting open and not getting targets. He had the speed to be a deep threat and could have put up Christensen’s numbers in a similar role. Instead, he played for a run heavy New England team and a San Francisco unit that liked to replace throws to the TE with throws to backs or underneath shots to crossing receivers. Stylistically, Francis was kind of like Gronk before Gronk, but faster and quicker. ^[23]Francis’s top TRY seasons: 890, 841, 822, 693, 664, 543, 540, 504.

253. Jim Tyrer (1961-1974)
Offensive Tackle
Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs, Washington

For every player in this list, I have limited my entries to a single paragraph, regardless of how illustrious the player’s career was. For Tyrer, I am taking a different approach. Behind the scenes, the voters for the GridFe Hall of Fame have pretty detailed discussions about potential inductees into our fairy tale hall of fame. A few years ago, Tyrer came up, and my friend Adam Harstad made an argument on his behalf that I found moving and important. I’m going to publish his words below and save my piece on Tyrer’s actual play for the footnote. ^[24]I prefer Mix, but many believe he was the AFL’s best tackle. He was a massive man with quick feet and good smarts, and he almost always won his one on one battles with the talented defensive … Continue reading And now, Adam:

In any list of the best players in NFL history, the most relevant consideration is how good they were. Jim Tyrer was very good.

Now that that’s dispensed with, let’s talk about the reason he’s not in the Hall of Fame. Tyrer retired after the 1974 season. In September 1980, he shot and murdered his wife and then killed himself, orphaning his four children, three of whom were home at the time.

One could hope for a Hall of Fame that had a strict “no murderers” policy, but it’s at least somewhat likely that the NFL’s would fall short. Hall of Famer O.J. Simpson quite possibly murdered two people. (He later was sentenced to 33 years in jail for armed robbery.) A witness identified Marvin Harrison in a shootout in Philadelphia (and a gun registered to Harrison was definitively involved), but Harrison was never tried because the witness was murdered outside of a bar he owned a year later. Ray Lewis was at a bare minimum convicted of obstruction of justice in a murder, and unanswered questions remain about his full involvement.

Obviously, things like this are never clear-cut. Tyrer likely ranks 4th out of the 4 players in quality of play, and definitely ranks 1st out of the 4 players in likelihood that he murdered someone. (He definitely, absolutely, positively did.) Additionally, Simpson’s alleged murders occurred nearly a decade after he was already enshrined (though Harrison and Lewis were elected after).

Darren Sharper ranks 8th in career interceptions and tied for 1st in defensive touchdowns. He is also serving 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to drugging and raping a string of women across the country. He is unlikely to merit any Hall of Fame consideration. But if he was a better player, or his crimes less grotesque, he very well might.

It’s totally reasonable for a voter to look at Harrison and Tyrer and conclude that one belongs in and the other doesn’t. Maybe if Tyrer were a little better he’d belong in. Maybe if the case against Harrison were a little bit stronger he wouldn’t. I don’t envy anyone who finds him or herself in a position to consider how many interceptions a rape is worth, or how many receptions it takes to offset a potential murder, or how long a player must consistently sustain blocks to overcome shooting his wife and orphaning his children. These are not simple questions and they elide simple answers.

Even the simplest possible solutions are difficult. If you adopt a strict “no murderers or rapists in the Hall of Fame” policy, how do you deal with people who have merely been credibly accused of such crimes? On the other hand, if you decide to completely ignore any considerations that did not have an impact on football (as the NFL Hall of Fame purports to do but absolutely does not do), are you really comfortable glorifying murders, domestic abusers, despicable people, and people who have done despicable things? It’s complicated. But it’s okay for it to be complicated.

It’s also hard to think of Jim Tyrer without considering what we have learned about CTE in recent years. Our brains are our defining feature, the sum total of who and what we are. I’ve worked in the past with patients who have suffered traumatic brain injuries. I have seen firsthand what kind of impact those injuries can have.

I’ve seen sweet, gentle men turn into raging monsters who need to be constantly restrained lest they injure any stranger who wanders within arms’ reach. And I’ve seen those same raging monsters, after treatment and recovery, return to being the sweet, gentle people they were before.

I’ve seen brain injuries leave people unable to calculate risks, make them constantly paranoid, cause people to view the entire world as hostile, and leave people unable to understand the concept of consequences. I’ve also seen those symptoms resolve once the injury resolved.

There are even more extreme examples in the medical literature. A schoolteacher developed an egg-sized brain tumor that turned him into an uncontrollable pedophile. Once it was removed, he returned to normal. It’s very tempting in the face of horrific crimes to resort to essentialism: a man who murders his wife is a murderer, this single fact of his existence becomes the sum total of his existence. But at the same time, it seems wrong to say that this schoolteacher “was” a pedophile.

Philosophical diversions aren’t going to be a regular thing, but I think it’s unavoidable here. There’s a lot of discussion in philosophy over what constitutes an object’s identity. There’s the Ship of Theseus paradox that says: Theseus crosses a river on a ship. In the cargo hold of that ship are a number of boards. During the course of his crossing, Theseus removes boards from his ship one at a time and replaces them with a new board from the hold, casting the old board over the side. By the time he reaches the far shore, there is not a single original board left on his ship. Did Theseus arrive in the same ship he left in?

Some people believe in something called spatiotemporal continuity, which says that as long as an object is occupying the same space, it’s the same object. Those people say absolutely, Theseus arrived in the same ship he left in.

Spatiotemporal continuity is well and good for inanimate objects, but having given this a lot of thought and spent so much time around people with brain damage, I don’t really buy this with respect to people. When someone has a catastrophic brain injury that causes them to act like a completely different person, they are for all intents and purposes a completely different person. The teacher with the brain tumor was a pedophile… while he had his brain tumor. And he was not a pedophile while he didn’t. Judging his pre-tumor and post-tumor selves for his actions while he had the tumor does not seem just under any conceivable definition of justice.

If I ever suffer a brain injury that causes me to hurt my wife or children, I hope to be remembered as a good man who loved my family. I would hope to be viewed as a tragic figure and not a monster.

This is a lot of speculation with respect to Tyrer. I don’t know if he had CTE, or if CTE was the reason he eventually shot his wife and himself. Maybe he was perfectly fine medically and just a total bastard. Maybe he was a despicable person and not a broken person who did a despicable thing.

But I also can’t ignore the possibility that Jim Tyrer had a broken brain, and as loathe as I am to make excuses for those who murder their domestic partners and abandon their children, I’m also reluctant to penalize Tyrer the player too harshly for the actions of Tyrer the broken-brained murderer, especially if it was his playing career that might have broken his brain in the first place.

Again, I get that his inclusion or exclusion from the Hall of Fame is a very difficult question and reasonable people can have very reasonable disagreements. But all of this is very different than the question of how good he was at football. He was very good at football.

252. Doug Wilkerson (1970-1987)
Offensive Guard
San Diego Chargers, Houston Oilers, Graz Giants

Wilkerson is one of the most aesthetically pleasing guards to watch in all of history. He was smooth and liquid in his moti0n, as if everything was as easy as could be. One of the great pullers ever, he had the speed to stay in front of his runner and the habit of always picking the best angle to attack a defender downfield. He was also near perfect in pass protection, rarely giving up ground or ceding pressure. ^[25]He earned the Hog Award for his performance in the abbreviated 1982 season. John Turney once told me that Wilkerson was everything Upshaw should have been. Though I hadn’t thought of it in those terms, I realized he was spot on. Not only was he a better athlete, but he was also a much better drive blocker with a more powerful lower body. When he anchored, no one was getting a push. Wilkerson, Macek, and White formed one of the great interior lines ever, and they could have become legends if their team’s owner hadn’t considered it a crime to pay defensive players.

251.Ray Nitschke (1958-1972)
Linebacker
Green Bay Packers

It took a while for Nitschke to crack the starting lineup, but once he did, he became the leader of a defense full of stars. He played with a controlled sort of chaos, making sure he was always on assignment and rarely out of position, but attacking opponents with an alarming lack of ruth once he located the ball. It is a fair argument that he may have been shielded a bit by his standout defensive line, but watching the games makes it clear that he was great as an individual player, trying as best as we can to disentangle his play from that of his teammates. In fact, I named him the Enforcer Award winner three times for his tone-setting but disciplined play. He may have looked like a stepdad from a sitcom, but when he strode the icy turf in Green Bay, he was as monstrous on the field as he was gentlemanly off it. If that weren’t enough, Nitschke was also an elite special teamer who seemed to make a big tackle every other game.

250. Brian Urlacher (2000-2012)
Linebacker
Chicago Bears

The fact that Urlacher gets this lofty ranking is a testament to his premium skills in coverage. As a traditional linebacker, he didn’t really fit the mold. Sure, he had the size, but he didn’t have the mentality. His mindset was more like that of a safety, the position from whence he came. He refused to attack blockers, he was tentative even in short yardage, and he was pretty bad at shedding a block or squeezing a blocker to shut down a run lane. His run defense could charitably be described as abominable. However, he wasn’t asked to be great against the run, and examining his career with the assumption that he was does him a disservice. Urlacher was meant to play in space and stop the pass 9as well as blitz from time to time, which he did well). As a converted defensive back, his range is among the best ever. In Chicago’s scheme, he had to take deeper drops than did most middle linebackers, and he was still able to keep up in downfield coverage. He was consistent in coverage, and he was also a playmaker. With 22 interceptions, 41.5 sacks, and four touchdowns in his career, Urlacher could always be counted on for a game changing splash play. Perhaps he wouldn’t have been allowed on the field in the era of Butkus, but he didn’t play in the era of Butkus. He played in what was, up to that point, the most pass friendly period in history. Urlacher shut down the pass and made big plays, which is more important now (and maybe always has been). ^[26]I gave Urlacher the Enforcer Award in 2002, 2005, and 2006.