The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players

The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players was a 10-part series presented by the NFL Network in 2010, with each one-hour show revealing 10 players in a countdown of the top 100 of all time as determined by a blue-ribbon panel. Each player was presented by a noteworthy individual in the world of sports and entertainment explaining what made that player one of the greats.

Top 100

The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players • Presented by the NFL Network •

NFL Fans No. Player Pos Team Career Status Presenter 001  1 001  1 80  Jerry Rice 04  WR sf  San Francisco 49ers 1985  1985–2005 aaa  Jon Gruden 002  2 009  9 32  Jim Brown 03  FB cle  Cleveland Browns 1957  1957–1965 aaa  Burt Reynolds 003  3 012  12 56  Lawrence Taylor 26  OLB nyg  New York Giants 1981  1981–1993 aaa  Bill Parcells 004  4 002  2 16  Joe Montana 01  QB sf  San Francisco 49ers 1979  1979–1994 aaa  Jerry Rice 005  5 003  3 34  Walter Payton 02  RB chi  Chicago Bears 1975  1975–1987 aaa  Jim Brown 006  6 014  14 19  Johnny Unitas 01  QB ind  Baltimore Colts 1955  1955–1973 aaa  Frank Deford 007  7 011  11 92  Reggie White 21  DE gb  Green Bay Packers 1985  1985-1998, 2000 aaa  Mike Holmgren 008  8 005  5 18  Peyton Manning 01  QB ind  Indianapolis Colts 1998  1998–2015 Ray Lewis 009  9 999  -- 14  Don Hutson 04  WR gb  Green Bay Packers 1935  1935–1945 aaa  Peter King 010  10 018  18 51  Dick Butkus 25  MLB chi  Chicago Bears 1965  1965–1973 aaa  Howard Mudd 011  11 017  17 42  Ronnie Lott 29  S sf  San Francisco 49ers 1981  1981–1995 aaa  Marcus Allen 012  12 080  80 78  Anthony Munoz 09  OT cin  Cincinnati Bengals 1980  1980–1992 aaa  Bob Trumpy 013  13 029  29 75  Joe Greene 22  DT pit  Pittsburgh Steelers 1969  1969–1981 aaa  Dennis Miller 014  14 999  -- 33  Sammy Baugh 01  QB was  Washington Redskins 1937  1937–1952 aaa  Bill Belichick 015  15 043  43 75  David "Deacon" Jones 21  DE lar  Los Angeles Rams 1961  1961–1974 aaa  Jennifer Allen 016  16 074  74 14  Otto Graham 01  QB cle  Cleveland Browns 1946  1946–1955 aaa  Don Shula 017  17 004  4 20  Barry Sanders 02  RB det  Detroit Lions 1989  1989–1998 aaa  Wynton Marsalis 018  18 016  16 52  Ray Lewis 25  MLB bal  Baltimore Ravens 1996  1996–2012 aaa  Marvin Lewis 019  19 999  -- 03  Bronko Nagurski 03  FB chi  Chicago Bears 1930  1930-1937, 1943 aaa  Jim Dent 020  20 006  6 04  Brett Favre 01  QB gb  Green Bay Packers 1991  1991–2010 aaa  Steve Mariucci 021  21 020  20 12  Tom Brady 01  QB nee  New England Patriots 2000  2000–Active tb  Derek Jeter 022  22 026  26 40  Gale Sayers 02  RB chi  Chicago Bears 1965  1965–1971 aaa  Billy Dee Williams 023  23 008  8 07  John Elway 01  QB den  Denver Broncos 1983  1983–1999 aaa  Marty Schottenheimer 024  24 999  -- 73  John Hannah 08  G nee  New England Patriots 1973  1973–1985 aaa  Joe Klecko 025  25 007  7 13  Dan Marino 01  QB mia  Miami Dolphins 1983  1983–1999 aaa  Alex Rodriguez 026  26 999  -- 74  Bob Lilly 22  DT dal  Dallas Cowboys 1961  1961–1974 aaa  Dan Reeves 027  27 999  -- 74  Merlin Olsen 21  DT stl  Los Angeles Rams 1956  1956–1969 aaa  Jerry Kramer 028  28 010  10 22  Emmitt Smith 02  RB dal  Dallas Cowboys 1990  1990–2004 aaa  Daryl Johnston 029  29 041  41 58  Jack Lambert 25  MLB pit  Pittsburgh Steelers 1974  1974–1984 aaa  Chuck Klosterman 030  30 999  -- 81  Dick "Night Train" Lane 27  CB det  Detroit Lions 1952  1952–1965 aaa  Jerry Glanville 031  31 033  33 78  Bruce Smith 21  DE buf  Buffalo Bills 1985  1985–2003 aaa  Luke Russert 032  32 999  -- 77  Jim Parker 09  OT ind  Baltimore Colts 1957  1957–1967 aaa  Raymond Berry 033  33 999  -- 42  Sid Luckman 01  QB chi  Chicago Bears 1939  1939–1950 aaa  Marv Levy 034  34 019  19 21  Deion Sanders 27  CB atl  Atlanta Falcons 1989  1989–2000, 2004-2005 aaa  Michael Irvin 035  35 999  -- 60  Chuck Bednarik 25  C/LB phi  Philadelphia Eagles 1949  1949–1962 aaa  Ray Didinger 036  36 999  -- 82  Raymond Berry 04  WR ind  Baltimore Colts 1955  1955–1967 aaa  Frank Deford 037  37 076  76 01  Jim Thorpe 02  RB ari  Chicago Cardinals 1915  1915–1928 aaa  Sally Fields 038  38 999  -- 19  Lance Alworth 04  WR sad  San Diego Chargers 1962  1962–1972 aaa  Jerry Jones 039  39 999  -- 89  Gino Marchetti 21  DE ind  Baltimore Colts 1952  1952–1966 aaa  Ernie Accorsi 040  40 044  44 32  O.J. Simpson 02  RB buf  Buffalo Bills 1969  1969–1979 aaa  Chuck Klosterman 041  41 023  23 26  Rod Woodson 27  DB pit  Pittsburgh Steelers 1987  1987–2003 aaa  Boomer Esiason 042  42 -- 88  John Mackey 03  TE bal  Baltimore Colts 1963  1963–1972 aaa  Ernie Accorsi 043  43 091  91 88  Alan Page 22  DT min  Minnesota Vikings 1967  1967–1981 aaa  Steve Rushin 044  44 065  65 47  Mel Blount 27  CB pit  Pittsburgh Steelers 1970  1970–1983 aaa  Bob Trumpy 045  45 045  45 88  Tony Gonzalez 03  TE kan  Kansas City Chiefs 1997  1997–2013 aaa  Trent Green 046  46 030  30 12  Roger Staubach 01  QB dal  Dallas Cowboys 1969  1969–1979 aaa  Chuck Klosterman 047  47 067  67 66  Ray Nitschke 25  MLB gb  Green Bay Packers 1958  1958–1972 aaa  Jerry Kramer 048  48 -- 77  Red Grange 02  RB chi  Chicago Bears 1925  1925–1927, 1929-1934 aaa  Steve Hirdt 049  49 -- 40  Mike Haynes 27  CB nee  New England Patriots 1976  1976–1989 aaa  Matt Millen 050  50 022  22 12  Terry Bradshaw 01  QB pit  Pittsburgh Steelers 1970  1970–1983 aaa  Dennis Miller 051  51 036  36 15  Bart Starr 01  QB gb  Green Bay Packers 1956  1956–1971 aaa  Bill Curry 052  52 028  28 29  Eric Dickerson 02  RB lar  Los Angeles Rams 1983  1983–1993 aaa  Marcus Allen 053  53 -- 63  Willie Lanier 25  MLB kan  Kansas City Chiefs 1967  1967–1977 aaa  Floyd Little 054  54 75  Forrest Gregg 09  OT gb  Green Bay Packers 1956  1956–1971 aaa  David "Deacon" Jones 055  55 035  35 34  Earl Campbell 02  RB hou  Houston Oilers 1978  1978–1985 aaa  Jerome Bettis 056  56 077  77 63  Gene Upshaw 08  G oak  Oakland Raiders 1967  1967–1981 aaa  Phil Villapiano 057  57 015  15 50  Mike Singletary 25  MLB chi  Chicago Bears 1981  1981–1992 aaa  Joe Theismann 058  58 15  Steve Van Buren 02  RB phi  Philadelphia Eagles 1944  1944–1951 aaa  Ray Didinger 059  59 055  55 89  Mike Ditka 03  TE chi  Chicago Bears 1961  1961–1972 aaa  Roger Staubach 060  60 070  70 59  Jack Ham 26  OLB pit  Pittsburgh Steelers 1971  1971–1982 aaa  Dennis Miller 061  61 031  31 21  LaDainian Tomlinson 02  RB sd  San Diego Chargers 2001  2001–2011 aaa  Reggie Bush 062  62 072  72 54  Randy White 21  DT dal  Dallas Cowboys 1975  1975–1988 aaa  Mark May 063  63 -- 00  Jim Otto 26  C oak  Oakland Raiders 1960  1960–1974 aaa  Bill Bergey 064  64 -- 26  Herb Adderley 27  CB gb  Green Bay Packers 1961  1961–1972 aaa  Mel Renfro 065  65 024  24 84  Randy Moss 04  WR min  Minnesota Vikings 1998  1998–2010, 2012 aaa  Brian Billick 066  66 -- 24  Willie Brown 27  CB oak  Oakland Raiders 1963  1963–1978 aaa  Mercury Morris 067  67 069  69 80  Kellen Winslow 03  TE sd  San Diego Chargers 1979  1979–1987 aaa  Joe Gibbs 068  68 -- 52  Mike Webster 26  C pit  Pittsburgh Steelers 1974  1974–1990 aaa  Joe Greene 069  69 -- 78  Bobby Bell 26  OLB/DE kan  Kansas City Chiefs 1963  1963–1974 aaa  M. MacCambridge 070  70 021  21 28  Marshall Faulk 02  RB stl  St. Louis Rams 1994  1994–2005 aaa  Kurt Warner 071  71 -- 42  Paul Warfield 04  WR cle  Cleveland Browns 1964  1964–1974, 1976-1977 aaa  Mercury Morris 072  72 081  81 75  Jonathan Ogden 09  OT bal  Baltimore Ravens 1996  1996–2007 aaa  Michael Strahan 073  73 088  88 82  Ozzie Newsome 03  TE cle  Cleveland Browns 1978  1978–1990 aaa  Bob Trumpy 074  74 058  58 76  Marion Motley 03  FB cle  Cleveland Browns 1946  1946–1953, 1955 aaa  Mike Brown 075  75 058  58 28  Darrell Green 27  CB was  Washington Redskins 1983  1983–2002 aaa  Carl Lewis 076  76 090  90 78  Art Shell 09  OT oak  Oakland Raiders 1968  1968–1982 aaa  Ron Wolf 077  77 037  37 33  Tony Dorsett 02  RB dal  Dallas Cowboys 1977  1977–1988 aaa  Roger Staubach 078  78 079  79 74  Bruce Matthews 27  OL ten  Tennessee Titans 1983  1983–2001 aaa  Warren Moon 079  79 -- 45  Emlen Tunnell 27  DB nyg  New York Giants 1948  1948–1961 aaa  M. MacCambridge 080  80 025  25 08  Troy Aikman 01  QB dal  Dallas Cowboys 1989  1989–2000 aaa  Drew Brees 081  81 013  13 08  Steve Young 01  QB sf  San Francisco 49ers 1985  1985–1999 aaa  Mike Holmgren 082  82 032  32 32  Marcus Allen 02  RB oak  Los Angeles Raiders 1982  1982–1997 aaa  Matt Millen 083  83 999  -- 11  Norm Van Brocklin 01  QB stl  Los Angeles Rams 1949  1949–1960 aaa  Sonny Jurgensen 084  84 999  -- 56  Joe Schmidt 26  OLB det  Detroit Lions 1953  1953–1965 aaa  Jerry Glanville 085  85 999  -- 83  Ted Hendricks 26  OLB oak  Los Angeles Raiders 1969  1969–1983 aaa  Howie Long 086  86 999  -- 87  Willie Davis 20  DE gb  Green Bay Packers 1958  1958–1969 aaa  Bobby Mitchell 087  87 999  -- 40  Crazylegs Hirsch 04  WR stl  Los Angeles Rams 1946  1946–1957 aaa  M. MacCambridge 088  88 046  46 20  Ed Reed 29  S bal  Baltimore Ravens 2002  2002–2013 aaa  Hines Ward 089  89 999  -- 01  Ernie Nevers 03  FB ari  Chicago Cardinals 1915  1915–1928 aaa  Steve Hirdt 090  90 027  27 13  Kurt Warner 01  QB stl  St. Louis Rams 1998  1998–2009 aaa  Nick Bakay 091  91 050  50 10  Fran Tarkenton 01  QB min  Minnesota Vikings 1961  1961–1978 aaa  Amy Klobuchar 092  92 040  40 88  Michael Irvin 04  WR dal  Dallas Cowboys 1988  1988–1999 aaa  Troy Aikman 093  93 999  -- 70  Sam Huff 25  MLB nyg  New York Giants 1956  1956–1969 aaa  Sonny Jurgensen 094  94 -- 24  Lenny Moore 02  RB bal  Baltimore Colts 1956  1956–1967 aaa  Bobby Mitchell 095  95 089  89 73  Larry Allen 08  G dal  Dallas Cowboys 1994  1994–2007 aaa  John Randle 096  96 999  -- 07  Mel Hein 07  C/LB nyg  New York Giants 1931  1931–1945 aaa  Steve Hirdt 097  97 066  66 55  Derrick Brooks 26  OLB tb  Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1995  1995–2008 aaa  Jon Gruden 098  98 999  -- 63  Lee Roy Selmon 21  DE tb  Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1976  1976–1984 aaa  Ron Wolf 099  99 047  47 92  Michael Strahan 21  DE nyg  New York Giants 1993  1993–2007 aaa  Jon Runyan 100  100 042  42 12  Joe Namath 01  QB nyj  New York Jets 1965  1965–1977 aaa  Spike Lee

External links

• NFL Top 100 All-Time