The 10 Greatest Running Back Seasons in NFL History

by Bryn Swartz… Did you ever realize that the quarterback is considered to be the most important position in all of sports, but it’s a successful running game that is considered to be arguably just as important or even more important than a good passing attack? It’s no coincidence that teams with dominant running games and average quarterbacks can win championships. Usual reigning players win championships even at pokerstars. It’s the commanding athlete who knows how to use his full potential that wins games.

Look at the Miami Dolphins of the 1970s. Was Bob Griese a great quarterback? Absolutely not. But when your team rushes for close to 3000 yards in the regular season, it’s easy to blend in and become what is now known as a game manager. Griese threw seven passes in one Super Bowl–and the Dolphins won 24-7!

Throughout history, the position of running back has changed significantly. Seasonal rushing totals have increased, partly due to a stronger emphasis on powerful offensive lines. There was a time when, even factoring in the increases in games played during the season, a 1000-yard rusher was considered impressive.

Nowadays, the majority of teams produce a 1000-yard rusher, and within the next 10 to 15 years, I predict that a half dozen or more teams yield two 1000-yard rushers.

The single season touchdown record has been broken five times in my lifetime, and will probably be broken again in the near future. However, rushing touchdowns are slightly overrated–maybe even more than slightly overrated.

Three of the five seasons–Emmitt Smith in 1995, Priest Holmes in 2003, and Shaun Alexander in 2005–failed to make my list. Only Marshall Faulk’s 2000 campaign and LT’s recordbreaking season of 2006 found their way onto my list.

Take Barry Sanders as an example. The Lions’ legendary running back averaged 5.0 yards per carry throughout his Hall of Fame career, but scored ‘only’ 99 touchdowns in 10 seasons. In 1998, Sanders carried 343 times for 1494 yards, but scored just four touchdowns.

Why? Because the Lions’ had a 234-pound fullback named Tommy Vardell who carries the ball just 18 times but scored six touchdowns! Should Barry Sanders be penalized for his lack of touchdowns? No, because he consistently put his team in position to score.

So what should a running back be rated on?

Well, my two favorite statistics for running backs are yards per carry and fumbles.

Yards per carry is the real deal. There’s no messing around. It’s plain and simple. The best running backs average in the National Football League over five yards per carry. Good running backs average about four and a half yards per carry, and average running backs average around four yards per carry.

The best thing about yards per carry is that averages have been relatively unchanged over time. Unlike passer ratings, where the league average practically doubled between the 1940’s and now, yards per attempt has always been relatively consistent–between 3.9 and 4.2 yards per attempt.

Fumbles are the worst thing a running back can do. It’s the easiest way for a rookie to get cut from a team. And it’s the quickest way for the National Football League’s single-season rushing holder to fail to qualify for this list.

In 1984, Eric Dickerson rushed 379 times for a still-standing record of 2105 yards. He averaged 5.6 yards per carry and scored 14 touchdowns. He also fumbled the football 14 times. That’s flat-out unacceptable. A team needs to be able to trust its running back to hold onto the football at all costs.

Dickerson fumbled the football one out of every 27 carries in 1984. Imagine needing your running back to carry the ball seven times on a fourth-quarter drive to seal a victory. There would be over a 25 percent chance that Dickerson would fumble the football during the drive. No coach wants to gamble with odds like that.

The following list includes the best of the best, the greatest of the greatest, the most elite of the elite–the 10 greatest seasons by a running back in NFL history, with one season earning honorable mention. Five of these playershave already been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, with two players having multiple seasons on this list. Two other players are future first-ballot Hall of Famers.

*Honorable Mention*

11) Beattie Feathers, Chicago Bears, 1934:

119 carries, 1004 yards, 8 TD, 8.4 avg; 6 rec, 174 yards, 1 TD; 0 fum? 10 GAMES

1934? Are you kidding me?

Yup. 1934.

Feathers played for arguably the greatest team in NFL history–a team better than the 1972 Miami Dolphins. Better than the 1985 Chicago Bears. Even better than the 2007 New England Patriots.

And just like the 2007 New England Patriots, the Bears ran the table in the regular season–13 games, 13 wins–before losing to (who else?) the New York Giants in the NFL championship. Diehard football fans know of the 1934 NFL championship as the “Sneaker Game,” in which the Giants, who were losing 10-3 at halftime, switched from cleats to sneakers to account for the mud on the field. It worked, as the Giants scored an incredible 27 points in the fourth quarter to win, 30-13.

Feathers helped the Bears score an NFL-record 286 points, which was more than the five worst NFL teams combined. The Bears scored over 20 points in each of their first nine games, a feat that, when adjusted to today’s standards, is equivalent to a team scoring 45 points per game.

Feathers rushed for 1004 yards on 119 carries. He was the NFL’s first 1000-yard rusher, and the only player until Steve Van Buren rushed for 1008 yards in 1947. Feathers’ 1004 rushing yards topped three other NFL teams that season.

He averaged an unheard-of 8.4 yards per attempt. No running back in the 75 years since has come within two yards per carry of approaching Feathers’ record.

10) Jim Taylor, Green Bay Packers, 1962:

272 carries, 1474 yards, 19 TD, 5.4 avg; 22 rec, 106 yards, 0 TD; 5 fum 14 GAMES

In 1962, Jim Taylor did something that no other running back has ever done. He stole a rushing title from the great Jim Brown.

Taylor won the rushing Triple Crown in 1962. He led the league in carries (272), yards (1474), and touchdowns (19). He finished second in yards per carry (5.4).

Taylor helped perfect the legendary Packer Sweep, which helped the Packers win five NFL championships, including two Super Bowls, during the 1960’s.

Taylor’s 1962 MVP season is arguably the greatest in the history of a franchise filled with Hall of Fame football players.

9) Gale Sayers, Chicago Bears, 1965:

166 carries, 867 yards, 14 TD, 5.2 avg; 29 rec, 507 yards, 6 TD; 9 fum

16 punt returns, 238 yards, 1 TD, 14.9 avg; 21 kick returns, 660 yards, 1 TD, 31.4 avg

14 GAMES

Sayers’ 1965 season is probably the most famous rookie season in NFL history. Ironically, Sayers wasn’t even the best rookie on the 1965 Bears. That honor belongs to middle linebacker Dick Butkus.

Sayers did it all in 1965–literally. He carried the football, caught the football, and returned the football. He scored touchdowns four different ways–running, receiving, returning punts, and returning kicks.

Sayers touched the ball 232 times in 1965, for an average of 16 touches per game. He averaged one touchdown every 10 touches, significantly more than one touchdown per game, and his 9.8 yards per touch ranked first in the NFL by two full yards.

He finished second in the NFL in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, yards per punt return, and yards per kick return. He finished third in yards per carry and rushing yards per game. His 22 touchdowns broke the single-season record of 20 set by Lenny Moore in 1964.

In a December game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sayers scored an electrifying six touchdowns to tie a single-game NFL record. His final touchdown came on an 85-yard punt return and was voted by NFL Films as the seventh greatest touchdown in NFL history.

No player in NFL history has done more (22 touchdowns) with less (232 touches) than Sayers in 1965.

Terrell Davis, Denver Broncos, 1998:

392 carries, 2008 yards, 21 TD, 5.1 avg; 25 rec, 217 yards, 2 TD; 2 fum

Davis is the only running back on this list to play for a Super Bowl champion.

In 1998, Davis became just the fourth running back in NFL history to rush for over 2000 yards in a season. He became the first running back to also rush for 20 touchdowns in the same season.

Davis’s 2008 rushing yards rank fourth on the single-season charts. His 21 rushing touchdowns are more than all but five players in the history of the NFL. His 392 carries are the seventh highest single-season total in NFL history. His 23 total touchdowns rank eighth on the single-season lists, and his 125.5 rushing yards per game are tenth all time.

In all, Davis eclipsed the top ten single-season list in five different categories that season.

TD earned league MVP honors. He won his third consecutive rushing title. He was named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. And he was the hero in a second straight Super Bowl win, rushing for 102 yards (152 total yards) in a 34-19 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

7) Barry Sanders, Detroit Lions, 1997:

335 carries, 2053 yards, 11 TD, 6.1 avg; 33 rec, 305 yards, 3 TD; 3 fum

In 1997, Barry Sanders averaged more yards per carry than any running back since Jim Brown in 1963. Sanders’ 6.1 yards per carry was more than one and a half times better than the rest of the league.

His 2053 yards are the third highest single-season total in NFL history. He ended the season by rushing for more than 100 yards in 14 consecutive games, an NFL record.

Sanders scored ‘only’ 11 touchdowns on the ground, mainly because the Lions used fullback Tommy Vardell in goal-line situations. His 14 total touchdowns were still good for third in the NFL.

Sanders also set a new NFL record with 2358 total yards from scrimmage, which has been surpassed three times.

His season stands as the greatest by an NFC running back from the Super Bowl era to the turn of the millennium.

6) OJ Simpson, Buffalo Bills, 1973:

332 carries, 2003 yards, 12 TD, 6.0 avg; 6 rec, 70 yards, 0 TD; 7 fum 14 GAMES

“No matter what happens to me, I was the first man to rush for 2000 yards in a season. They can never take that away from me.” –OJ Simpson

While his 2000-yard rushing season is no longer the first thing people think of when they hear the name, Simpson still deserves to be remembered for his accomplishments on the football field.

He won the rushing Triple Crown in 1973, leading the NFL in carries (332), yards (2003–a new record), and touchdowns (12). His 143.1 rushing yards per game is the highest total in NFL history, by a full ten yards. OJ also ranked second in yards per carry (6.0), a total that has been surpassed by just one running back in the last 35 seasons.

Simpson topped 200 yards rushing three times in 1973. After 12 games, OJ had rushed for 1584 yards. He rushed for 219 yards in the 13th game of the season, and capped off a brilliant campaign with exactly 200 yards, breaking the 2000-yard barrier.

Simpson earned a million different awards in 1973, including NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors, the NFL MVP, the Bert Bell Player of the Year award, and the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year award. OJ would be the last NFL player to capture AP Male Athlete of the Year honors until Joe Montana did it in consecutive seasons (’89-’90).

5) OJ Simpson, Buffalo Bills, 1975:

329 carries, 1817 yards, 16 TD, 5.5 avg; 28 rec, 427 yards, 7 TD; 7 fum 14 GAMES

1973 will always be OJ’s most famous season. But 1975 was just a little bit better.

Simpson set the NFL single-season record by scoring 23 touchdowns. He broke Sayers’ 10-year NFL record.

He led the NFL with 1817 rushing yards, then the third highest single season total in NFL history. His 129.8 yards per game have been surpassed by just two running backs since, and stand as the fifth highest total in NFL history.

Simpson led the NFL in carries (329) and touches (357). He led in yards per carry (5.5) and yards from scrimmage (2244). He even had the longest run in the NFL (88 yards). Simpson led the NFL in every single statistic that a running back could lead the league in.

He accomplished all of this despite playing in just 14 games. Had Simpson had the luxury of a 16-game season, he would have easily rushed for over 2000 yards and scored over 25 touchdowns. In fact, Eric Dickerson’s single-season record of 2105 yards might belong to OJ Simpson.

4) LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers, 2006

348 carries, 1815 yards, 28 TD, 5.2 avg; 56 rec, 508 yards, 3 TD; 2 fum; 2-3, 19 yards, 2 T

31 touchdowns.

That’s all that needs to be said.

LaDainian Tomlinson broke Shaun Alexander’s one-year old NFL-record of 28 touchdowns by more than 10 percent. That’s the equivalent of a quarterback throwing for 55 touchdowns in a season. That’s the equivalent of a wide receiver catching 160 passes in a season. That’s the equivalent of a defensive end accumulating 25 sacks in a season.

His 186 points scored set a new NFL record, breaking Paul Hornung’s 46-year-old record of 176 points. This doesn’t even account for Tomlinson’s two passing touchdowns that season, meaning he was directly involved in 33 touchdowns during the season.

LT also led the NFL with 1815 rushing yards. His 5.2 yards per carry finished second among players with at least 200 carries. He also finished second in total yards from scrimmage (2323).

Tomlinson earned every award in existence after the 2006 season, including the NFL Most Valuable Player award, Offensive Player of the Year honors, the Bert Bell Player of the Year award, and the Walter Payton Man of the Year award.

Tomlinson’s magical season helped the Chargers win 14 games and capture home-field advantage in the playoffs.

3) Jim Brown, Cleveland Browns, 1963:

291 carries, 1863 yards, 12 TD, 6.4 avg; 24 rec, 268 yards, 3 TD; 7 fum 14 GAMES

Brown turned in the highest yards per carry in NFL history by a running back with 200 or more carries. His 6.4 yards per carry has not been seriously threatened since. Only Barry Sanders and OJ Simpson have averaged six yards per carry.

Brown also set NFL records in rushing yards (1863) and rushing yards per game (133.1). He also set a new NFL record in total yards from scrimmage (2131).

Brown also led the NFL in touches (315) and total touchdowns (15). He earned Bert Bell Player of the Year honors, and was named the UPI NFL Most Valuable Player.

Had Brown played in a 16-game season, he would probably still hold the single-season record for rushing yards (projected total: 2119).

What about his high total of fumbles?

Brown’s seven fumbles may seem like a lot in today’s standards. But take in mind that the average team fumbled 29 times per season in 1963. That’s over two fumbles per game! Brown’s seven fumbles in 1963 equates to just four fumbles in today’s game.

2) Marshall Faulk, St. Louis Rams, 2000:

253 carries, 1359 yards, 18 TD, 5.4 avg; 81 rec, 830 yards, 8 TD; 0 fum

Take a look at Faulk’s numbers in 2000. You know the first thing I see?

Not 26, as in total touchdowns scored.

How bout 0? As in, zero fumbles over the entire season, despite touching the football 334 times, an average of 24 per game (Faulk missed two games due to injury).

His 26 touchdowns broke Emmitt Smith’s five-year NFL record and would stand as the record for three seasons. Had Faulk played in all 16 games, he would have likely scored 30 touchdowns and accumulated 2501 total yards from scrimmage, which would have broken his own single-season NFL record (2429 yards in 1999).

Despite finishing ‘only’ eighth in the NFL in rushing yards, Faulk led the league in rushing touchdowns (18) and yards per carry (5.4). He scored eight more touchdowns than any other player in the league and scored 160 points, which was one fewer point than the entire Cincinnati Bengals team scored that season.

Faulk helped the Rams set a franchise-record with 540 points, the fourth highest total in NFL history. The Rams accumulated 7335 yards of total offense (458 per game), shattering the previous NFL record.

Faulk earned National Football League Most Valuable Player honors, the second of three straight seasons that the MVP award would go to a member of the St. Louis Rams’ Greatest Show on Turf (Faulk finished second to teammate Kurt Warner in the 1999 and 2001 MVP voting).

Faulk’s season came in the midst of arguably the greatest three-year stretch of any running back in NFL history–better than Emmitt Smith (’93-’95), better than Earl Campbell (’78-’80), better than Barry Sanders (’95-’97), even better than Jim Brown (pick your three seasons).

1) Jim Brown, Cleveland Browns, 1958:

257 carries, 1527 yards, 17 TD, 5.9 avg; 16 rec, 138 yards, 1 TD; 5 fum 12 GAMES

The greatest season by a running back came in only 12 games?

Absolutely.

In just his second season in the NFL, the 22-year-old Brown established himself as the greatest running back in the NFL.

Brown won the rushing Triple Crown in 1958, leading in carries (257), yards (1527), and touchdowns (17). He also topped the NFL in touches (273), yards from scrimmage (1665), total touchdowns (18), and rushing yards per game (127.3).

Five of these marks set single-season NFL records: rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns, yards from scrimmage, and rushing yards per game. Brown’s 257 carries were the second most in the 35-year history of the NFL.

His season was so dominant that just one running back (Alan Ameche) rushed for half as many yards as Brown. Only one running back (Tommy Wilson) scored half as many touchdowns as Brown. Only one running back (Alan Ameche) averaged half as many yards per game as Brown.

Brown was the first true workhorse in the NFL. No other running back carried the ball more than 15 times per game in 1958. Brown averaged 21 carries per game.

Had Brown played a 16-game season, his numbers would have looked like this:

343 carries, 2036 yards, 23 TD, 5.9 avg; 21 rec, 184 yards, 1 TD; 7 fum

By the conclusion of the 1958 season, Brown’s numbers looked like this:

2 seasons, 2 Most Valuable Player awards.

It’s only appropriate that the greatest season by a running back came by the greatest running back in NFL history.

The Time Is Now: The Official 2009 Philadelphia Eagles Preview

By Bryn Swartz… They lost six games (and failed to win a seventh) during the 2008 season.

Their franchise quarterback temporarily lost his starting job in the season’s most crucial game.

They needed a Sunday of miracles to even qualify for the postseason.

They entered the postseason as the sixth best team in the NFC and left it as the second best.

And now? What about now?

The Philadelphia Eagles are poised to enter the 2009 season as the top team in the National Football Conference.

The offseason for the Eagles’ has been one of the more interesting in the franchise’s history.

Despite the continuous calls for a big-name wide receiver such as Chad Johnson or Anquan Boldin, head coach Andy Reid refused to provide quarterback Donovan McNabb with a proven receiving threat.

He also allowed Brian Dawkins, arguably the most popular player in the history of the franchise, to leave the team and join the Denver Broncos. And he failed to resign two of the more accomplished offensive tackles in the history of the franchise.

However, Reid made what is now being realized as a tremendous splash in both free agency and the NFL draft.

Reid drafted Jeremy Maclin with the first pick in the 2009 NFL draft. The speedy wide receiver from Missouri just turned 21-years-old and is poised to be a legitimate receiving threat for Donovan McNabb. He will also compete with second-year wide receiver DeSean Jackson for the position of punt returner.

Fullback Leonard Weaver, a 2008 Pro Bowl alternate as a member of the Seattle Seahawks, replaces converted defensive tackle Dan Klecko, giving the Eagles much-needed depth at an extremely neglected position over the years.

In 2008, the Eagles lost two conference games after failing to convert on a fourth-and-one late in the game.

Weaver will be blocking for 20-year-old LeSean McCoy, who has been described by ESPN as “lightning in a bottle every time he touches the ball.” In May of 2004, McCoy ran a 4.25 40-yard dash at the State College Nike Training Camp. McCoy was 15-years-old. \

By comparison, Michael Vick and Randy Moss, two of the fastest players in the history of the National Football League, never ran a 4.25 in the 40.

Two-time Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters was signed from the Buffalo Bills to replace aging three-time Pro Bowler Tra Thomas. Peters suffered through a disappointing 2008 season, but is expected to power the Eagles’ rushing attack next year. Andy Reid has even gone as far as to call Peters the “best left tackle in football.”

Right tackle Stacy Andrews was acquired from the Cincinnati Bengals and will replace Pro Bowl tackle Jon Runyan. Andrews, who can play guard or tackle, will play alongside of his brother on the offensive line. The massive Andrews’ brothers (combined weight: 675 pounds) give the Eagles one of the largest and most successful offensive lines in the NFL.

Sean Jones was signed from the Cleveland Browns in the hopes of replacing the legendary Brian Dawkins at free safety. Jones possesses playmaking ability, as he ranks third among safeties in interceptions since 2006. Jones’s consistency makes him one of just four players in the NFL to intercept four or more passes in each of the past four seasons.

The Eagles’ new acquisitions may provide the much-needed depth to get the Eagles’ over the hump in the NFC.

Although quarterback Donovan McNabb still lacks a legitimate No. 1 receiving threat, his receiving core is significantly above average. It can be argued that no team in history has possessed as much speed as the Eagles. The third fastest wide receiver on the Eagles is Kevin Curtis, who will join DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin as big-play threats.

Brian Westbrook turns 30-years-old this season and is coming off a disappointing injury-plagued season, in which he still managed to set a career-high with 14 touchdowns. Westbrook’s injuries last year have left concern for his future, and McCoy was specifically drafted to complement Westbrook in the backfield.

Following a second consecutive disappointing season, the Eagles parted ways with tight end LJ Smith. Likely starting next season will be 24-year-old Brent Celek, who showed his potential late last season with 19 catches and three touchdowns in the postseason, including two scores in the NFC championship game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Backing up Celek will be rookie Cornelius Ingram, who has been described as one of the steals in the draft. A former quarterback, Ingram switched to tight end, where he will provide the Eagles with a solid receiving target in the red zone.

Joining Jason Peters and the Andrews’ boys on the offensive line will be left guard Todd Herremans and center Jamaal Jackson. Herremans has provided the Eagles with solid depth as a starter over the past three seasons.

Jackson has started 56 consecutive games for the Eagles, the third longest streak among active NFL centers. In 2008, the Eagles’ powerful offensive line set a franchise record by allowing just one sack for every 27.3 pass attempts.

On the defensive line, the Eagles will incorporate a steady dose of the following eight players: ends Trent Cole, Juqua Parker, Darren Howard, Victor Abiamiri, and Chris Clemons; and tackles Mike Patterson, Brodrick Bunkley, and Trevor Laws.

Cole was voted by his teammates’ as the team’s Defensive Most Valuable Player following the 2007 season, and is the most experienced member of the defensive line.

Bunkley and Patterson anchor the middle of the defensive line, where they have helped the Eagles rank sixth in the league in fewest rushing yards allowed per game over the past two seasons. Darren Howard led the Eagles with ten sacks in 2008, ranking first in the NFL in sacks among players who didn’t start a game.

Ironically, four of the Eagles’ defensive linemen have scored touchdowns in their career, with Parker and Clemons scoring last season. Parker’s 55-yard interception return sealed a victory against the San Francisco 49ers and is one of the more underrated moments of a roller-coaster 2008 season.

Clemons’ 73-yard fumble return helped the Eagles dominate the Cowboys and clinch a playoff spot in the final game of the season.

Anchoring the Eagles’ linebacking corps will be 25-year-old middle linebacker Stewart Bradley. Bradley possesses an impressive combination of size and speed, with a nose for the football. Last year, he was selected to the Sports Illustrated All-Pro team following his first season as a starter.

Despite losing two Pro Bowl players—Brian Dawkins and Lito Sheppard—the Eagles’ secondary might be the strongest group of players on the team.

Cornerback Asante Samuel is one of the more accomplished defensive players in recent NFL history. Samuel’s 20 interceptions since 2006 rank second among all NFL players and he is the all-time postseason leader in interception touchdowns. Samuel was selected to his second Pro Bowl following the 2008 season.

Strong safety Quintin Mikell earned All-Pro honors in his first full season as starter, while Sheldon Brown didn’t allow a single touchdown pass in the regular season. Mikell has the potential to step up as the Eagles’ defensive leader during the 2009 season.

Brown, who is currently in the middle of a contract dispute, will likely play next season. Newly acquired Sean Jones will likely beat out Quintin Demps for the starting job.

With Akers and Rocca returning, and the return duties being handled by two of the following four players—Demps, Jackson, Ellis Hobbs, and Maclin—the Eagles’ special teams will continue to be among the best in the league.

In the 2008 season, the Eagles underachieved. There’s no denying the obvious. Teams that outscore their opponents by 127 points should not need a miraculous season finale to earn a playoff spot. The Eagles could very easily have won 15 games, with the blowout to Baltimore being the only loss by more than a single score.

The Eagles’ biggest weakness in 2008 was probably their inability to convert short plays on third and fourth down. Signing Leonard Weaver will prove to be one of the more underrated transactions of the offseason.

The 2009 team has more speed than possibly any team in the NFL. They have strength and size. The best thing about this team is that they have depth at virtually every position, with either a Pro Bowler or a solid starter at each of the 22 positions.

No one player is worth more than the entire team, and while injuries are never a positive factor, the Eagles could stand to suffer an injury or two and still remain extremely competitive next season.

Heading into the 2009 season, the Eagles are considered to be one of the top teams in the NFC. With quarterback Donovan McNabb turning 33-years=old in the middle of next season, the Eagles—specifically their quarterback—are running out of time in their quest for a Super Bowl title.

The time is now.

Do You Believe In Miracles? The Story Of The 1960 Philadelphia Eagles

By Bryn Swartz… They are my favorite team in NFL history and I never even saw them play.

The Eagles entered into their third season under head coach Buck Shaw. The 1958 season had marked disaster, as the club won just 2 of 12 games. The 1959 campaign produced five more wins than the previous campaign, and sparked excitement for the 1960 season.

Quarterback Norm Van Brocklin had already announced that the 1960 season would be his last. Aging center and linebacker Chuck Bednarik, the last of the NFL’s two-way players, had reached the age of 35. The Eagles were under immense pressure to contend for the league crown. However, many experts viewed the Eagles as nothing more than a slightly above average football team.

The season began with a disappointing blowout loss against Jim Brown and the Cleveland Browns.

The Eagles then turned in a team-record nine game winning streak.

They squeaked out two-point road wins against the Dallas Cowboys and the Cleveland Browns. The Browns’ game ended with an improbable walk-off field goal by kicker Bobby Walston, and is described by Hall of Fame analyst Ray Didinger as the game that launched the Eagles toward their championship crown.

They won back-to-back games against the New York Giants, both times coming from behind in the fourth quarter.

The first of the two Giants’ victories is remembered for the massive hit that Bednarik laid on running back Frank Gifford, now called one of the most incredible hits in NFL history. Bednarik described the hit as a “Volkswagon going down a one-street, with a Mack truck coming the opposite way.” The Mack truck won.

The image of Chuck Bednarik, right fist clenched, standing over Gifford’s unconscious body, is arguably the most memorable image in the history of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Giants’ kicker Pat Summerall remembers the incident: “They carried Frank off the field on a stretcher, and unknown to us, some fan that day had had a heart attack in the stands. The man had unfortunately died in our locker room. They were taking him out with a sheet over his face, just as we started to walk in, and we all thought that Bednarik had killed Gifford.”

In all, the never-say-die Eagles turned six potential losses into six fourth quarter victories.

“We would bite, scratch, kick, gouge, anything we could do to win a game. It just seemed like we had a guardian angel over us or something.,” said wide receiver Tommy McDonald.

The team’s Most Valuable Player–in fact, the league’s MVP–was Norm Van Brocklin. “If ever a single player lifted a team that was average into winning a championship, it was him, and he did it by the sheer force of his personality, his will, and his skill,” said Philadelphia sports columnist Larry Merchant.

Despite ranking 10th out of 12 teams in defense, Bednarik’s men forced an incredible 45 turnovers in 12 games, including six each versus the St. Louis Cardinals, Detroit Lions, and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Buck Shaw’s powerful Eagles’ squad won 10 of 12 games on the season and captured the NFL East championship.

They earned the right to host the Green Bay Packers in the NFL championship. The Packers featured an absolutely awesome lineup, including ten future Hall of Famers. They were coached by Vince Lombardi, who many consider to be the greatest coach in the history of the National Football League.

The Eagles were underdogs for the championship game, despite winning two more games in the regular season than the Packers, and playing at home.

The Packers outplayed the Eagles for virtually the entire game, until Ted Dean’s five-yard touchdown run gave the Eagles a 17-13 lead with five minutes to play.

With eight seconds left, the Packers had the ball on the 25-yard line. Running back Jim Taylor caught a short pass and quickly broke two tackles. He was promptly leveled by Bednarik, who held Taylor down on the ground as the last few seconds ticked off the clock. When the clock reached zero, Bednarik stood over Taylor and exclaimed, “You can get up! This f—— game is over!”

The Philadelphia Eagles were the champions of the National Football League.

The 1960 Eagles have been called “a team with nothing but a title.”

“The 1960 football season was like a genie that came out of a bottle in City Hall courtyard, and for one year, it granted Philadelphia’s football fans their every wish,” said Didinger.

“It was just a strange, unique group of guys that suddenly decided that the most important thing in the world to them was to win a championship,” says tight end Pete Retzlaff.

No Eagles team in history has ever taken its fans on such a thrill ride as the 1960 team.

Not the 1991 squad playing without a quarterback. Not the 1980 team that reached the franchise’s first Super Bowl. Not even the 2004 team that dismantled all but one of its opponents before resting its starters and reaching a second Super Bowl.

In Philadelphia, winning is everything. It’s not optional. It’s not a bonus.

It’s a necessity.

Before 2008, people would ask me my favorite Phillies team and I would tell them that I didn’t have one. Sometimes I would choose the ‘80 team. Now I have seen a world championship from our baseball team.

I have never seen a winner from our football team.

I’ve seen a team that I will argue was the best team in the NFL (2004). I’ve seen a true-life Rocky team (2006). I’ve seen extreme roller-coaster rides (2008). I’ve seen overachievers (2003) and underachievers (2007). I’ve seen one-man teams (2000).

But I have never, in my 19 years, seen a champion. I can’t even remember 1960. My dad doesn’t even remember 1960.

I would give anything to have lived through the times of Van Brocklin and Bednarik.

The 1960 season produced the most memorable, wild, roller coaster ride in the history of the Philadelphia Eagles, culminating in dramatic fashion, with the arrival of the team’s third NFL championship.

And their last, to date.

Where Have You Gone, Lawrence Taylor?

By Bryn Swartz… I love football history. I love reading about it, writing about it, and learning about it. I have a whole slew of players from the Eagles that I would have loved to see play—Reggie White, Jerome Brown, Eric Allen, Randall Cunningham, and Seth Joyner.

But if there was one player throughout NFL history that I could watch, it would be an outside linebacker for the New York Giants.

Lawrence Taylor.

The legend of Lawrence Taylor began in the 1970s, when the 15-year-old catcher switched from baseball to football. Taylor is one of four future NFL players to attend Lafayette High School in Virginia. He attended the University of North Carolina on a football scholarship.

At UNC, Lawrence Taylor, who had been recruited as a defensive end, switched to linebacker. He became one of the most dominant players in the country.

His assistant coach, Bobby Cale, recalls, “As a freshman playing on special teams, he’d jump a good six or seven feet in the air to block a punt, then land on the back of his neck. He was reckless, just reckless.”

LT tallied 16 sacks in his final season, earning Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year honors. His jersey number has since been retired by UNC, and he is widely considered to be one of the greatest players in college football history.

A poll was taken before the draft and 26 of the 28 general managers in the NFL announced that they would draft LT if they had the first overall pick. However, the New Orleans Saints, who had the first pick, were one of the two teams not interested in Taylor.

Instead they selected running back George Rogers, and LT was drafted with the second pick by the New York Giants.

Although he had a clean slate entering the NFL draft, Taylor caused some controversy from the day he was drafted.

Before the draft, LT had made it clear that he was asking for a salary of $250,000 per year, an absolutely insurmountable figure for a rookie. Taylor’s teammates were furious and several threatened to leave the team if Taylor received his money.

Almost immediately after training camp began, Taylor had developed a reputation. His teammates began calling him Superman and teams around the league began hearing about the “rookie from UNC.”

He was so feared that his own quarterback, Phil Simms, could hardly wait for the regular season to begin so Taylor would stop hitting him in practice.

Taylor’s rookie season was one of the most memorable by a defensive player in NFL history. He earned Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, as well as Defensive Player of the Year honors. The Giants won six more games than the previous season, including an upset win in the playoffs.

Taylor’s second season was even better than his first. He again captured Defensive Player of the Year honors, giving him one of the most prestigious honors for the second consecutive season.

For the next eight seasons, Taylor became the most dominating defensive player in the history of the National Football League.

Seven times, Taylor posted double-digit sack totals, including a career high of 20.5 in 1986.

He earned a Pro Bowl selection every single season, giving him 10 in a row after the 1990 season.

Taylor was named First-Team All-Pro from 1983-1986, and 1988-1989, as well as his first two seasons. His eight First-Team All-Pro selections are an NFL record for a linebacker.

His 1986 season will go down as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, seasons ever by a defensive player. Taylor posted 20.5 sacks, an all-time single season record for a linebacker, and the fifth highest single season total in NFL history.

Taylor not only won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award for the third time in his career, he was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player. He became just the second defensive player to capture the award, and the first to do so unanimously.

In the playoffs, the Giants steamrolled the San Francisco 49ers 49-3 and the Washington Redskins 17-0. They continued their dominance in the Super Bowl, crushing the Denver Broncos, 39-20.

Taylor missed four games in the 1987 season due to the player’s strike, but still led the team with 12 sacks, in just 12 games.

Taylor’s first brush with controversy came during the 1988 season. He was suspended for 30 days for violating the league’s substance abuse policy for the second time.

Taylor missed the first four games of the season, instead undergoing rehab for his cocaine addiction. He returned in typical dominating fashion, posting 15.5 sacks in the season’s final 12 games.

One of Taylor’s most memorable games came near the season’s end, when he recorded seven tackles, three sacks, and two forced fumbles in a game with playoff implications.

Even more incredibly, Taylor played through a torn pectoral muscle so serious that he was forced to wear a shoulder harness for the remainder of the season. Giants’ head coach Bill Parcells called the game “the greatest game I ever saw.”

Taylor continued playing through pain during the 1989 season. He played the final five games of the season with a fractured tibia. He still managed to post 15 sacks and lead the Giants to a 12-win season. He was also named defensive co-captain, an honor he shared with teammate Carl Banks.

Taylor said that “playing in pain was simply a matter of tricking yourself into believing that you aren’t hurt.”

Taylor’s controversy continued into the 1990 season. He held out of training camp until three days before the start of the season, arguing for a larger contract. He still turned in a great season, posting 10.5 sacks and leading the Giants to a 13-3 record, including a 10-0 start.

In the postseason, the Giants annihilated the Bears, 31-3, and squeaked by the 49ers, 15-13, to face the Buffalo Bills in the Super Bowl. The Giants came away with a 20-19 victory, thanks to a missed 47-yard field goal by Scott Norwood on the final play of the game.

The 1991 season was the most disappointing of Taylor’s career, to date. He ended his record-setting streak of 10 consecutive Pro Bowl appearances. He missed two games due to injury, for only the second time in his career. And he had to adjust to a new head coach, as the two-time Super Bowl champion Bill Parcells was replaced with Ray Handley.

Taylor suffered through two more disappointing seasons, as he ruptured his Achilles tendon in early November of 1992, costing him the final seven games of the season. The Giants were 5-4 when Taylor played, and 1-6 without him. Taylor considered retiring after the 1992 season, but expressed his desire to play for new head coach, Dan Reeves.

Taylor was determined to end his final season without an injury, and he managed to play in all 16 games during the 1993 campaign. He posted only six sacks and was no longer the same player he had been through the entire decade of the 1980’s. The Giants did, however, lead the entire NFL in total defense.

In the postseason, the Giants defeated the Vikings, 17-10, before the defending Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers throttled the Giants, 44-3.

Taylor retired after the game, saying, “I think it’s time for me to retire. I’ve done everything I can do. I’ve been to Super Bowls. I’ve been to the playoffs. I’ve done things that other people haven’t been able to do in this game before. After 13 years, it’s time for me to go.”

Throughout his career, Taylor’s on-field success was almost overshadowed by his off-field antics. Only after his career was over did Taylor admit that he had been using drugs as early as 1982, his second season in the National Football League.

Taylor had originally failed a drug test for cocaine in 1987, but the NFL didn’t reveal this information, as was policy, until he failed his second test the following year.

Taylor gave up drugs in 1988, because a third failed drug test would have ended his career.

However, he began using drugs again immediately after his retirement. He was arrested twice over the next five years for trying to buy cocaine from undercover police officers. Taylor admitted that “things had gotten so bad that my house was almost like a crack house.”

Taylor’s story has a happy ending though. He has lived a clean lifestyle since 1998 and is currently pursuing a career as an actor.

His impact on the game is what Taylor should be remembered for. It could be argued that no player, certainly no defensive player, has ever changed the game as much as LT.

Taylor is credited with changing the position of outside linebacker from “read and react” to an attacking, aggressive position.

As he recalls, “A linebacker was just a linebacker. He would cover a little, stop the run, stop the pass. I would make so many mistakes in the pass coverage. I would supposed to be covering here, and I wouldn’t. My answer to everything was just to rush the quarterback. See what happens.”

Taylor also is credited with being the first to chop the ball out of the quarterback’s hands upon impact. His theory was simple: “If you’re going to take down the quarterback, why not take the ball also?” Taylor forced 34 fumbles over his career, the majority of them taken from quarterbacks.

Taylor was so dominant as a linebacker that future Hall of Fame head coach Joe Gibbs of the Washington Redskins literally invented new offensive formations to contain LT.

Gibbs invented the two-tight end offense and the position of h-back to account for Taylor’s blitzing. Instead of having a running back try to block the blitzing Taylor, Gibbs utilized offensive linemen, usually the left tackle, to contain Taylor.

Taylor was fearless, reckless, and intimidating. He was probably the most intense player to ever play in the National Football League.

“What makes LT so great, what makes him so aggressive, is his total disregard for his body,” says Bill Belichick, the Giants’ defensive coordinator during Taylor’s tenure.

From sending prostitutes to the hotel rooms of his opponents’ the night before a game in an attempt to tire them out, to submitting his teammates’ urine to pass drug tests, to playing through unbelievable injuries to help the Giants win football games, Lawrence Taylor is truly one of a kind.

“I live my life on the fast lane. I always have and I always will,” says Taylor.

The comparisons to Lawrence Taylor still exist. Nearly every great defensive player in college football is compared to the Giants’ legend.

Ray Lewis. Brian Urlacher. Julius Peppers.

In reality, we will probably never again see one like No. 56.

Lawrence Taylor.

The greatest defensive player in NFL history.

The Greatest Athlete You’ve Never Heard Of

By Bryn Swartz… Everybody knows who the greatest athletes in the world are. Guys like LeBron James. Alexander Ovechkin. Albert Pujols. Michael Phelps. And many more.

These are the athletes who dominate their respective sports to the point of absurdity. They win Most Valuable Player trophies, championships, and gold medals. They set records and make millions of dollars.

So I found it somewhat shocking when I heard about a man doing some of the most unbelievable acts of physical fitness in the history of mankind, and I didn’t even know his name.

Meet Dean Karnazes, the world’s greatest running machine since…well…ever.

That’s right. A runner. It’s what Dean does, every day, for several hours. He doesn’t run 5K’s or 10 K’s. He doesn’t just run marathons either.

“I seek extremes. Why run 10 miles when you can run 100? Moderation bores me. For me, a marathon is just a warm up. I run 50-mile races, 100-mile races. I’ll run 24 hours and more without sleep, barely pausing for food and water, or even to use the bathroom.

“I’ll run up and down mountains; through Death Valley in the dead of summer; at the South Pole. I push my body, mind, and spirit well past what most humans would consider the limits of pain and exertion.”

Dean Karnazes was born on Aug. 23, 1962 in Los Angeles. One of his earliest memories came in kindergarten when, to save his mother the trouble of picking him up from school, he ran home–every single day.

Karnazes enjoyed the running so much that he began creating new routes to take home from school. He increased the length of these routes to an unnecessary extent, simply running for fun.

As he recalls, “Running gave me a sense of freedom and exploration that school never did.”

Karnazes began competing in more running events over the next few years, many of which he organized himself. He became more passionate about physical exercise, specifically pushing his body to extremities.

By age 11, he had biked across the Grand Canyon. He also climbed Mt. Whitney, the highest mountain in the contiguous United States.

As a middle schooler, Karnazes was introduced to long distance running. His track coach, Jack McTavish, lived by the simple philosophy: “If it comes easy, if it doesn’t require extraordinary effort, you’re not pushing hard enough: It’s supposed to hurt like hell.”

Karnazes states that this advice helped him win the one-mile California State Long Distance Championships.

Karnazes’ freshman track coach, Benner Cummings, believed that a runner should “run with their heart.” Karnazes lived by this motto, and was awarded “Most Inspirational” member. He also ran his first marathon that year.

However, Karnazes had a falling out with his track coach. He reacted by hanging up his running shoes for 15 years.

When he turned 30, he had a sudden panic attack, which he now considers his midlife crisis.

Karnazes went on a spontaneous 30-mile run, in which he transferred from a “drunken yuppie fool into a reborn athlete.”

And on that day, a legend was born.

In the last 17 years, Karnazes has become one of the world’s greatest athletes. He has accomplished more as a runner than many would have thought was humanly possible.

Eleven times, Karnazes completed the Western States Endurance Run, a 100-mile race through mountain trails in California.

He ran 148 miles on a treadmill in a 24-hour span in 2004.

He completed the 199-mile Providian Saturn Relay six times.

He won the 2004 Badwater Ultramarathon in 120-degree weather. The Badwater Ultramarathon is described as “a 135-mile trek across Death Valley to Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous United States….widely considered the ultimate test of endurance and human resolve…or just plain insanity.”

He joined a team of runners to become the first men to complete a marathon at the South Pole, finishing in second place, with a time of nine hours and 18 minutes.

He completed the North Face Endurance 50, which is 50 marathons…in 50 states….in 50 days. The day after Karnazes completed his final marathon, he decided to run home: from New York to San Francisco.

But Karnazes’s single most impressive accomplishment came in 2005, when the 42-year-old businessman ran for 350 consecutive miles without stopping. Yes, 350 miles. As in, the equivalent of 13 and a half marathons in a row.

So why? Why does Karnazes run for such great distances?

“Running great distances was a release, and, on some level, my boundless energy needed an outlet. Running great distances is my way of finding peace. It’s a sense of adventure that keeps me running.

“I love nothing more than to put a credit card in my pocket, tuck the kids in for the night, and head out the door for an all-night run. If I want a latte, I stop by Starbucks and grab one. If I see something interesting, I stop and check it out. It’s never tedious when I’m immersed in the adventure.”

Karnazes isn’t satisfied with running for 350 miles either.

His goal? To run for 500 consecutive miles without stopping.

The biggest challenge? Not the actual running.

“The biggest challenge for running 500 miles is the sleep deprivation. I’ve fallen asleep while running before on several occasions. I didn’t fall over or anything–just kept “sleep running” for a fair distance.

Initially I thought this was a bad thing, but I realized that when I awoke I was actually refreshed. So now I’m going to try to train myself to sleep-run as a way to overcome sleep deprivation.”

Some things about Karanzes’s running may surprise you.

Not only does Karnazes need to eat during his runs to, well, stay alive, but he literally eats whatever he wants.

He’ll order enormous pizzas with everything on them, topped off with chocolate eclairs or a gigantic cherry cheesecake. He doesn’t gain weight from it either. He’ll burn 9000 calories during a 24-hour run.

Karnazes has, as you may have imagined, developed some pretty intense sores from running. He has lost dozens of toenails, and will often take off his shoes after a run to find his feet covred by giant, foot-devouring blisters. Want to know Karnazes’s chosen methods of treatment?

Krazy Glue and duct tape.

That’s right. Karnazes’s blisters are popped open, filled with Krazy Glue, and sealed with duct tape. As he says, “I feel like a raft having a leak repaired.”

Whether or not Karanzes ever runs his 500 miles, there is no doubt that he is one of the most dominant athletes in history. But Karnazes doesn’t have the heart of a champion because of how fast he can wrong. Running great distances isn’t about speed.

“Being a champion means not quitting, no matter how tough the situation becomes, and no matter how badly the odds are stacked against you. If you have the courage, stamina, and perseverance to cross the finish line, you are a champion. And if you can’t run, then walk. And if you can’t walk, then crawl. Do whatever you have to do. Just keep moving forward and never, ever give up.

Karnazes’s final piece of advice for future runners?

“Dreams can come true…especially if you train hard enough. Sometimes you’ve got to go through hell to get to heaven.”

Why Jerry Rice Is NOT the Greatest Wide Receiver in NFL History

Heart of a Champion: The 40 Toughest Players in NFL History

by Bryn Swartz… Steve Sabol, President of NFL Films, once stated, “There are so many definitions of toughness. There’s the toughness of getting the snot knocked out of you, and the can’t-be-intimidated, never-quit kind of tough. And then there’s the injured tough, which is no-regard-for-your-body-and-play-with-broken-bones tough. Then there’s mental toughness, when you’re tough under pressure and not losing your poise. Then there’s the toughness a person has, an aura, that he can intimidate other people by his play or his toughness.”

And then there’s the players below who contain all of these qualities. It’s incredibly debatable, but here is my attempt to rank them in order for toughness.

40. Sam Huff, Linebacker, New York Giants & Washington Redskins (1956-1969)

“A pro football linebacker is just naturally tough. You don’t mess with him. If we were fighting a war, the linebackers would be the first guys to get killed. Why? We invariably would attack a bunker from where the enemy is shooting machine guns. We’d attack the bunker, and the quarterbacks would be sitting in a tank with the general saying, ‘Well, what kind of attack are you planning?’ “

39. Hines Ward, Wide Receiver, Pittsburgh Steelers (1998-present)

Hines Ward played wide receiver, tailback, quarterback, and punt returner in college. He is famous for his crack-back blocks, and broke the jaw of Cincinnati rookie Keith Rivers in a 2008 contest. The Baltimore Ravens placed a bounty on Ward, to which the former Super Bowl MVP responded, “Bring it on.” He was voted the smartest offensive player in the NFL (non-quarterbacks) and is considered the best blocking receiver in the NFL.

38. Don Meredith, Quarterback, Dallas Cowboys (1960-1968)

“Meredith was really tough. He got beat up so bad in his early years. His last game, up in Cleveland, he came out of the hospital to play with a broken rib, a punctured lung, and pneumonia. I saw Meredith’s nose broken so bad that it spread all over his face. Looked like a raccoon.” —Bob Lilly

37. Ernie Stautner, Defensive Tackle, Pittsburgh Steelers (1950-1963)

“Ernie Stautner comes in the huddle, and his thumb is broken back against his wrist. There’s a tear near the break, and his bone is sticking out. He has a compound fracture of the thumb. He takes his thumb in his hand and wrenches it down into his fist. Doesn’t show it to anybody. Doesn’t say anything.

So he stayed there for the rest of the series, and then we came off, and I’m watching him because I’m the only guy who saw that he had a compound fracture. I saw the bone. So I’m figuring now he’s going to ask for the doctor, and he may have to go to the hospital because this thing could get infected, and he says, “Give me some tape.” So they throw him some tape and he just starts taping this huge ball. He makes this big fist. Then we go back in. He plays the entire game. Never misses a down. I’m just astounded, and he’s using this hand that is broken as a club. He’s beating people with it. After the game, we go into the locker room and he says, “Hey Doc, I think I got a problem.” —Andy Russell, linebacker

36. Jon Runyan, Tackle, Houston/Tennessee Oilers & Titans, Philadelphia Eagles (1996-present)

Runyan has started 180 consecutive games at right tackle, and has played in the postseason on seven occasions. He is regarded as the second dirtiest player in the NFL and a 2008 poll revealed that one of the scariest things in the NFL is being blocked by Runyan on a screen pass. He has played through numerous injuries, including a broken bone in his back.

35. Jack Youngblood, Defensive End, Los Angeles Rams (1971-1984)

Youngblood played the final three games of the 1979 NFL playoffs, including the Super Bowl against the Pittsburgh Steelers, with a heavily-taped broken leg. He was called the “John Wayne of Football” by John Madden.

34. Mark Bavaro, Tight End, New York Giants & Cleveland Browns & Philadelphia Eagles (1985-1990, 1992-1994)

Nicknamed “Rambo” for his tough play and physical resemblance to Sylvester Stallone, Bavaro broke seven tackles on one catch across the middle against the 49ers in a 1986 game. He dragged Ronnie Lott twenty yards. Bavaro’s play inspired the Giants, who went on to win the game, and the Super Bowl.

33. Bill Romanowski, Linebacker, San Francisco 49ers & Philadelphia Eagles & Denver Broncos & Oakland Raiders (1988-2003)

NFL tough guy was fined for: kicking fullback Larry Centers in the head (1995); breaking Kerry Collins’ jaw on a preseason helmet-to-helmet hit (1997); throwing a football at linebacker Bryan Cox and hitting him in the groin (1999); punching tight end Tony Gonzalez (1999); and breaking the eye socket of teammate Marcus Williams in a scrimmage, forcing him to retire (2003). He also received fines for three illegal hits in the 1999 season. In 1997, he spit in the face of wide receiver JJ Stokes. Romanowski played in 243 consecutive games, a record for a linebacker, and played for four Super Bowl champions.

32. Larry Wilson, Safety, St. Louis Cardinals (1960-1972)

Larry Wilson is best known for inventing the safety blitz. Wilson intercepted 52 passes in his career, but the one that stands out is the 91-yard interception touchdown from 1965—a pass he intercepted despite casts on both of his broken hands. Hall of Fame quarterback Bobby Layne has called Wilson “pound for pound the toughest player in the NFL.”

31. Conrad Dobler, Guard, St. Louis Cardinals & New Orleans Saints & Buffalo Bills (1972-1981)

Dobler, in an ESPN poll, was named the dirtiest professional athlete of all time. He spent the week prior to a game building up his hatred over the opponent. Among Dobler’s principal offenses were biting, gouging, punching, kicking, and grabbing the face mask. In 1974, he used a cast on his broken left hand as a weapon. Dobler punched Pittsburgh’s Mean Joe Greene in the solar plexus and kicked the Rams’ Merlin Olsen in the head. He spit in the face of Eagles’ safety Bill Bradley as he lay injured on the ground. When Giants defensive tackle Jim Pietrzak wished him good luck in the playoffs, he punched him. He bit one tackle so many times that the player requested a rabies shot. Dobler swore that he would never intentionally blind someone, only blur their vision.

30. Deacon Jones, Defensive End, Los Angeles Rams & San Diego Chargers & Washington Redskins (1961-1974)

The NFL’s unofficial record-holder with 26 sacks in the 1967 season, Deacon coined the term “sack.” Jones said that toughness is defined not by playing through pain, but by avoiding pain in the first place. Deacon perfected the “head slap,” a move that would be eventually banned by the NFL because it was “too effective.”

29. Walt Garrison, Running Back, Dallas Cowboys (1966-1974)

In a playoff game in 1970, Garrison broke three ribs in the first quarter and continued playing after he was carried off the field. He rushed for over 100 yards, caught several passes, and helped the Cowboys continue their path to the Super Bowl. Garrison has also played through a separated shoulder, a severely broken nose and a broken collarbone. Teammate Charlie Waters recalls the time that Garrison accidentally cut his thumb with a knife so that it was dangling from his hand. Garrison wrapped his thumb in tape and played the next day, rushing for over 100 yards.

28. Walter Payton, Running Back, Chicago Bears (1975-1987)

Gary Fencik: “I had the displeasure of tackling, by accident, Walter only once in my 12-year career. And boy, the rest of the day was hell for me.” The ironic part? Fencik, a Bears safety, speaks about a hit that occurred in practice.

27. Jerry Kramer, Guard & Kicker, Green Bay Packers (1958-1968)

Kramer endured 23 operations and required over 500 stitches in his NFL career, including a colostomy, which he described as “a horror movie that hasn’t been made yet.”

26. Jim Marshall, Defensive End, Minnesota Vikings (1960-1979)

Could someone please explain to me why Jim Marshall is not in the Hall of Fame? As a 248-pound defensive end, he played in 282 consecutive games. Every game. For 19 straight seasons. He maintained his streak despite pneumonia, an ulcer, and a shotgun wound to the side. Marshall earned his fame as a member of the Purple People Eaters of the early 1970s.

25. Mike Curtis, Linebacker, Baltimore Colts & Seattle Seahawks & Washington Redskins (1965-1978)

Curtis was nicknamed “The Animal” and was one of the angriest men to ever play in the NFL. He was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Year in 1970 and once knocked unconscious a fan who entered onto the playing field during a game. He chewed through the bars of his face mask and reportedly ate the window panes of the team bus. He proudly stated that he played football because it was the only way he could hit someone and get away with it.

24. George Trafton, Center, Chicago Bears (1920-1921, 1923-1932)

Red Grange called George Trafton the “toughest, meanest, most ornery critter alive.” The 235-pound center had his college days cut short after he was expelled from Notre Dame and was considered the dirtiest player of his time. Trafton played before the NFL enforced late-hit, roughing, or unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. As a rookie in 1920, he angered the Rock Island Independents so bad that they sent four players into the game on a mission to destroy Trafton. Within 12 plays, Trafton had knocked each player out of the game, sending one of them to the hospital with a broken hand and an 11-inch cut across the forehead. Nicknamed “The Brute,” Trafton broke the leg and ended the career of halfback Fred Chicken by throwing him into a fence. The Rock Island fans were so angered that a rock-throwing mob chased him from the field.

23. Ronnie Lott, Cornerback & Safety, San Francisco 49ers & Los Angeles Raiders & New York Jets & Kansas City Chiefs (1981-1995)

Ronnie Lott was a cornerback who hit like a linebacker. His claim to fame occurred in 1985 when his left pinkie was caught between the shoulder pads and helmet of Cowboys running back Timmy Newsome, shattering the bone. When Lott’s finger didn’t heal properly, he told the doctors to cut it off, and they amputated his pinkie at the third knuckle. Over his 14-year career, which included Pro Bowl selections at safety, cornerback, and linebacker, Lott endured many injuries, including a broken leg and torn knee cartilage.

22. Bucko Kilroy, Guard, Philadelphia Eagles (1943-1955)

Giants lineman Al DeRogatis once accused Kilroy of biting him on the nose. Kilroy denied the charge. “I didn’t bite his nose,” he said. “I bit his ear.” Kilroy, who played back in the days when offensive linemen weren’t allowed to extend their arms to block, was considered the dirtiest player in the NFL, and he helped Philadelphia win back-to-back NFL championships.

21. Jim Brown, Running Back, Cleveland Browns (1957-1965)

Arguably the greatest combination of power and speed the game has ever seen, Brown missed one game in his nine-year career. He won eight rushing titles before abruptly retiring at the age of 30. He gave the following advice to future Hall of Fame tight end John Mackey: “Make sure when anyone tackles you he remembers how much it hurts.”

20. Emmitt Smith, Running Back, Dallas Cowboys & Arizona Cardinals (1990-2004)

Emmitt Smith transformed the epitome of toughness on national television in the last game of the season in 1993. With the Cowboys and Giants fighting for the NFC East and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, Emmitt played the entire game with a sprained and separated right shoulder. He ran 32 times for 168 yards and caught 10 balls for 61 yards. The Cowboys won the game, earned home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, and captured the Super Bowl title. When asked why he played through the pain, instead of watching from the sidelines, Smith calmly responded, “This is why they pay me.”

19. Steve McNair, Quarterback, Houston/Tennessee Oilers & Titans & Baltimore Ravens (1995-2007)

Steve McNair is the definition of playing through pain. The former Titans star quarterback has injured nearly every part of his body at one time or another. He has played through numerous injuries such as a separated right clavicle, an infected right shoulder, a dislocated ring finger on his right hand, torn cartilage in his right knee, a strained calf, a hip pointer, a ruptured disk, back spasms, strained rib cartilage, severely bruised ribs, a left knee sprain, an MCL sprain, a left ankle sprain, severe turf toe, a cracked bone spur in his left ankle, a bone spur in his toe, and a severely bruised sternum. The 2003 NFL MVP, McNair has never missed a playoff start and led the Titans to the Super Bowl in 1999.

18. Dick Plasman, Wide Receiver, Chicago Bears & Chicago Cardinals (1937-1947)

Plasman refused to wear a helmet. Flat-out refused—that is, until the league made him. Teammate Hugh Gallarneau claims that, “He had a piece of cement for a head.” He once dove into a brick wall attempting to catch a pass, busted open his head, and was carried off semiconscious. His first words: “Did we score?” Believe it or not, Plasman suffered from blindness and post-concussion syndrome until his death at age 67 in 1981.

17. Larry Csonka, Fullback, Miami Dolphins & New York Giants (1968-1974, 1976-1979)

Csonka was a bull in a china shop. He was one of the best 4th-and-1 runners in NFL history. Csonka also broke his nose 10 times in his career, causing it to be permanently deformed, and would remain in the game despite blood pouring out of it. In 1972, he thought he broke his back on a hit by a Minnesota Vikings linebacker, so he crawled off the field. Minutes later, he set up the winning touchdown with a fake handoff. Csonka is also the only player in the history of the NFL to be penalized while carrying the ball—a forearm shot/right cross that knocked a safety unconscious.

16. Rocky Bleier, Running Back, Pittsburgh Steelers (1968, 1971-1980)

Bleier’s story is one of the greatest in the history of sports. He was drafted into the U.S. Army after his rookie season and endured shrapnel wounds to his right leg. Told by doctors that he would never play football again, Bleier, recipient of the Purple Heart and Bronze Star, spent two full years attempting to return to the NFL. He finally returned after a three-year absence. Bleier eventually played on four Super Bowl championships and earned a reputation as both a fearsome blocker and a powerful runner. Today, he tours the country giving motivational speeches.

15. Jack Tatum, Safety, Oakland Raiders & Houston Oilers (1971-1980)

He was nicknamed “The Assassin.” He knocked out future Hall of Fame tight end John Mackey in the first game of his career. He knocked the helmet off Minnesota receiver Sammy White in the Super Bowl—probably the hardest hit I have ever seen. He paralyzed wide receiver Darryl Stingley in a preseason game in 1978 on a clean hit. He liked to think that his best hits border on “felonious assault.”

14. Mel Hein, Center, New York Giants (1931-1945)

Hein played fifteen seasons with the Giants and never missed a play. He only called timeout one time and that was to reset his broken nose. Hein remains the only offensive linemen to ever win the MVP award (1938).

13. Bob Lilly, Defensive Tackle, Dallas Cowboys (1961-1974)

In his 14 seasons, Lilly never missed a game. Not one. He endured torn-up knees, broken hands, broken ribs, and an acutely-painful hamstring tear but never missed a game. He played in 11 Pro Bowls and is considered one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history.

12. Tommy McDonald, Wide Receiver, Philadelphia Eagles & Dallas Cowboys & Los Angeles Rams & Atlanta Falcons & Cleveland Browns (1957-1968)

McDonald was the last NFL player to not wear a facemask. In one game, he was knocked unconscious by a 49er defender. With a broken jaw wired shut, McDonald could only drink milkshakes and watched his weight plummet from 175 to 143. In the Eagles’ next game, against the Giants, McDonald caught three touchdowns and returned a punt 81 yards for a touchdown. McDonald suffered exactly zero broken noses and knocked out teeth in his career.

11. Earl Campbell, Running Back, Houston Oilers & New Orleans Saints (1978-1985)

“I can’t think of anyone who even comes in a close second, when you say, “Running backs—who really hurts? It’s Earl Campbell.” –Gary Fencik, safety

10. Chuck Bednarik, Center & Linebacker, Philadelphia Eagles (1949-1962)

“The greatest collision of all time was Bednarik hitting Gifford. It was a good, clean hit. Nothing dirty about it. I thought he killed Frank. I walked by Frank, and he was laid out. He missed the whole next year of football. You couldn’t be upset about the hit; it was clean and legal.” –Sam Huff

Bednarik was the last NFL player to play offense and defense. He led the Eagles to championships in 1949 and 1960. He had a game-winning tackle of future Hall of Fame running back Jim Taylor in the closing seconds of the Eagles 17-13 win in 1960. Bednarik was nicknamed “Concrete Charlie” and to me, will always be known for the phrase I heard him say at training camp one year: “Today’s football players are underplayed and overpaid.”

9. Hardy Brown, Linebacker, Brooklyn Dodgers & Chicago Hornets & Baltimore Colts & Washington Redskins & San Francisco 49ers & Chicago Cardinals & Denver Broncos (1948-1956, 1960)

190-pound linebacker Hardy Brown was the hardest-hitting player who ever lived. Hall of Fame linebacker Sam Huff said, “Hardy Brown was a designated hitter. He was not a great linebacker. Is he in the Hall of Fame? No. But I’ll tell you what—he had more knockouts than any of us.” Brown fractured the face of an Eagles running back, broke another player’s vertebrae, and knocked a Steelers’ running back’s eye out of its socket. In 1951 alone, he knocked out 21 players. In one game, he knocked out the entire Washington Redskins backfield one by one. His famed right shoulder was responsible for dozens of broken noses and jaws. The origin of the since-outlawed helmet-to-helmet hit is sometimes traced to Brown.

8. Ray Lewis, Linebacker, Baltimore Ravens (1996-present)

The desire of Ray Lewis to be the greatest linebacker in NFL history is fueled by an inner toughness that manifests itself on the football field. Lewis is one of the greatest playmakers and natural team leaders the game has ever seen. Lewis’s toughness peaked when he dislocated his elbow so seriously that a teammate was forced to help him put on his jewelry. Lewis missed two games, returned wearing a heavy brace, and registered 11 tackles against Pittsburgh. Ray Lewis has won a Super Bowl MVP, two Defensive Player of the Year awards, and has earned nine Pro Bowl invitations.

7. Bronko Nagurski, Running Back, Chicago Bears (1930-1937, 1943)

As Giants linebacker Johnny Dell Isola said during their playing days years ago, “I had heard a lot about him, but I thought most of it was exaggerated. We were at the Polo Grounds when I first ran up against him. It was 1st and 10, and they gave the ball to Nagurski up the middle. Well, a huge hole opened, and I saw him coming. I put my head down and charged into the hole. We met at the line of scrimmage, and you could hear the thud all over the Polo Grounds. I had my arms around his legs, and my shoulder dug into him. It was the hardest tackle I ever made, but I made it, and I said to myself, “Well, I guess that will show you, Nagurski!” Then as I was getting up, I heard the referee shout, “Second down and 2!”

George Halas: “Nagurski blasted through two would-be tacklers as though they were a pair of old saloon doors and kept on going right into the endzone. His head still down, Nagurski ran full speed into the brick outfield wall there at Wrigley Field. He went down, then got up and trotted off the field. As he approached me on the sideline, he shook his head and said, “That last guy really gave me a good lick, coach.’ “

Nagurski once knocked unconscious four would-be tacklers on a kickoff return touchdown in his rookie season. Nagurski became a professional wrestler after his NFL career and was a two-time world heavyweight champion. In 1995, Nagurski was honored when the Football Writers Association of America voted to have his name attached to college football’s Defensive Player of the Year trophy.

6. Lawrence Taylor, Linebacker, New York Giants (1981-1993)

LT was easily the most disruptive defensive force in NFL history. He was double-teamed, every play, for his entire career. He played a game against the Saints with a dislocated shoulder. He recorded three sacks and forced two fumbles with a severely torn pectoral muscle. He played three games with a fractured tibia. He ended the career of MVP quarterback Joe Theismann with a compound leg fracture in a Monday Night game in 1985. Hall of Fame running back Tony Dorsett calls LT “an old-school player. He played with pain and didn’t come out. He played the game like it was supposed to be played, with pain and passion.”

5. Johnny Unitas, Quarterback, Pittsburgh Steelers & Baltimore Colts & San Diego Chargers (1956-1974)

Unitas could intimidate without being one of the physical players. He played in an era when quarterbacks did not receive much protection, specifically on late hits. Throughout his Hall of Fame career, this three-time NFL MVP played with a number of injuries, including a badly broken nose, broken fingers, ripped arm tendons, and torn knee cartilage. In 1958, with three broken ribs and a punctured lung, he led the Colts to the NFL title while wearing a protective harness. Two years later Unitas played the entire season with a broken vertebrae. Unitas missed most of the 1968 season due to injury but returned in the Super Bowl to lead Baltimore on its only touchdown drive in a 16-7 loss to the Jets.

4. Joe Greene, Defensive Tackle, Pittsburgh Steelers (1969-1981)

Nicknamed “Mean,” Joe Greene was one of only a handful of defensive players in NFL history who could singlehandedly change the outcome of a game. He helped the Steelers win four Super Bowl titles in a six-year span in the 1970’s and is probably the most important player in team history. As a rookie, he was notorious for threatening veterans and starting fights in training camp. In a playoff game in 1972, Greene recorded five sacks, forced a fumble, recovered a fumble, and blocked a field goal in a 9-3 win vs. Houston. Greene was notorious for kicking a player when he was down and had to be ejected from a game in 1975 for repeatedly kicking a Cleveland Browns player in the groin. He defined toughness as, more of a mental aspect than a physical power, saying, “Toughness doesn’t necessarily mean physical prowess; it’s more mental.”

3. Jim Otto, Center, Oakland Raiders (1960-1974)

Otto played fifteen seasons and never missed a game, despite 10 broken noses and over 40 back, knee, and shoulder operations, including 28 to his knees alone. Otto now suffers from arthritis, and severe neck problems. He has fought off three life-threatening bouts of infections to his arthritic joints, and almost died on the handicapped table once. He had his right leg amputated in 2007. He said, “Football is tough. You want to spell football: T-U-F-F. It’s not for weak-hearted guys. It’s a tough sport. If you want to get into something else, play with the girls.”

2. Brett Favre, Quarterback, Atlanta Falcons & Green Bay Packers & New York Jets (1991-2008)

Favre has started 287 consecutive games, including the postseason, an all-time record for a quarterback. Favre has played through unbelievable injuries, including a broken and sprained thumb on his right hand, a badly sprained left ankle, a sprained left foot, a sprained left knee, a torn ligament in his left knee, a severely bruised left hip, and a separated left shoulder. He suffered a cracked vertebra, a concussion, and crushed intestines during a car crash before his senior year of college. He underwent surgery to have 30 inches of his intestines removed, and returned for the second game of the season. Favre has earned three MVP awards and led the Packers to a championship in 1996.

1. Dick Butkus, Linebacker, Chicago Bears (1965-1973)

Dick Butkus was the angriest, most ferocious, menacing, and yes, toughest player to ever play the game of football. Butkus’s opponents claimed that Butkus was like an odor that you could feel or sense on the field. Anything loose—a knee pad, a shoe, a chin strap—would be ripped off by a Butkus tackle. Butkus has bitten officials, bitten opponents in the groin, scratched, punched, everything. Going across the middle against Dick Butkus was considered attempted suicide. Butkus was a turnover machine and earned eight Pro Bowl selections in his nine seasons. Steve Sabol had the following to say about Butkus: “His career stands as the most sustained work of devastation ever committed on any field of sport, anywhere, any time.”

The 32 Best Quarterbacks in the NFL

by Bryn Swartz…

What makes a quarterback great? There are so many things: Statistical accomplishments. Winning—in the regular season and the postseason. Leadership, both on and off the field. The strength of the receiving corps. Intelligence.

This is my attempt to rank the 32 best quarterbacks in the National Football League—right now. Not in 2005. Not for what they did over their career. This is about right now. The NFL, probably more than any other sport, is a “What have you done for me lately?” type of league.

Quarterbacks with a “+” next to their name are on the rise. Guys like Tyler Thigpen, who played much better than most people realized with a pretty pathetic offense around him, will have a “+.” There are also those guys with a “-.” These are the guys with something to prove to me. The 33-year-old quarterbacks coming off multiple injuries. Can they still bring the heat? Are they still in the NFL because of their successful past or because of their actual talent?

So, this list won’t include all 32 starting quarterbacks in the NFL. Buffalo doesn’t have a quarterback on this list. Neither does Detroit (shocking, isn’t it?). However, some teams have two quarterbacks. New England has two quarterbacks, as does Seattle.

Right from the very start to the very end, this list is debatable. Very debatable. But here you go.

32. JaMarcus Russell, Oakland Raiders

Is the former No. 1 draft pick a flop? No, not yet. Not even close. But Russell hasn’t been living up to the expectations people had of him. He threw for 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions during the 2008 season, ranking 26th in the NFL with a 77.1 passer rating. He also fumbled 12 times and failed to help the Raiders improve on a now-NFL record six straight seasons with 11 losses.

31. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens +

Diet Pepsi’s winner for NFL Rookie of the Year, Flacco can best be defined as a “caretaker” quarterback. He plays the game and usually makes the necessary big play or two for the defense to win the game. He led the Ravens into the postseason with an 11-5 record and became the first rookie quarterback to win two playoff games.

Flacco completed 60 percent of his passes and threw for almost 3,000 yards during the season. However, he also threw just 14 touchdown passes, fumbled 12 times, and ranked near the bottom of the league in passer rating. He also played extremely poorly in the postseason, completing 44 percent of his passes with a 50.8 quarterback rating.

30. Jake Delhomme, Carolina Panthers -

Delhomme had an up-and-down season in 2008. All things considered, he gets a passing grade for leading the Panthers to a 12-4 record and their first playoff appearance since 2005. He threw 15 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions and ranked 18th in the NFL in passer rating. He led the NFL with 13.4 yards per completion. However, he self-destructed in the postseason, throwing five interceptions and losing a fumble in a home loss to the eventual NFC-champion Arizona Cardinals.

29. Marc Bulger, St. Louis Rams -

Bulger’s last two seasons have been garbage. Total garbage. In 27 starts, he has exactly four wins. He has thrown for 22 touchdowns and 28 interceptions with a passer rating of 70.8. Bulger was a top eight or top-10 quarterback just a few seasons ago, but has done absolutely nothing since 2006.

28. Kerry Collins, Tennessee Titans

Kerry Collins made the Pro Bowl. I still think he’s a below-average quarterback. He led the Titans to a 13-3 record and home-field advantage in the postseason before—as many people expected of him—struggling against the mighty Baltimore Ravens in the divisional playoffs. Collins threw for only 12 touchdowns and averaged just 160 passing yards per game. He did rank fifth in the NFL in lowest interception percentage and he set a record with a 12-year gap between a player’s first and second Pro Bowl appearances.

27. Kyle Orton, Chicago Bears

Well, he’s better than Rex Grossman. Then again, so am I. Orton did almost lead the Bears into the playoffs, despite ranking 25th in the NFL with a 79.6 passer rating. He tossed 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 15 games of play. Orton is a decent quarterback, but could use a playmaker to expose his talent. What’s the difference between him and a guy like Joe Flacco or Kerry Collins? Nothing, really.

26. Shaun Hill, San Francisco 49ers +

Hill is a productive quarterback with a bright future. He won five of eight games in 2008—including the final two in the fourth quarter—and is the first 49ers quarterback since Steve Young with a winning record. Hill threw 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions, with an 87.2 passer rating. He has a bright future for the 49ers, although he will already be 29 years old next season.

25. Tarvaris Jackson, Minnesota Vikings +

Jackson played well in limited action, throwing for nine touchdowns and just two interceptions. He led the Vikings to the postseason before throwing an interception that was returned for a touchdown in a home loss to the Eagles. With a 95.4 passer rating, Jackson will be the Vikings’ starter next season.

24. David Garrard, Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars did nothing in 2008, but Garrard actually had a decent season. He ranked in the top 10 in the league in completions (335), attempts (535), and yards (3,620). A lot of his troubles came from an offensive line that allowed Garrard to be sacked for the most lost yards (288) of any quarterback in the NFL. Despite a career-high 13 interceptions, Garrard ranks as the second-least intercepted quarterback in NFL history (tied with Donovan McNabb) and looks to rebound from a disappointing season.

23. Derek Anderson, Cleveland Browns

Derek Anderson lost out to Charlie Frye for the starting job before the start of the 2007 season thanks to a coin toss—yes, a coin toss. After Frye was ineffective in the first quarter of Week 1, Anderson took over. He proceeded to throw for 29 touchdowns and 3,787 yards. He led the Browns to a 10-6 record, just missing the playoffs.

However, he was largely ineffective throughout the 2008 season, throwing for five touchdowns and eight interceptions in limited action. He will have to compete with Brady Quinn for the starting job in the 2009 season.

22. Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle Seahawks -

Just a few years ago, Hasselbeck was the best quarterback in the NFC. Maybe even in 2007. Now his future in football is in jeopardy. He was injured throughout most of the 2008 season, and threw for just five touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His passer rating (57.8) was worse than the NFL average for completion percentage.

However, he not only suffered from a bulging disk in his back that started during the preseason, but he also hurt his knee in the season opener, and even suffered minor brain damage after a helmet-to-helmet hit against the Arizona Cardinals. Hasselbeck may never play in the NFL again.

21. Matt Schaub, Houston Texans +

Schaub played much better than many people realized in the 2008 season. Despite playing in only 11 games, he tossed 15 touchdowns and threw for 3,043 yards. He ranked second in yards per passing attempt (8.0) and seventh in passer rating (92.7). He also completed 66 percent of his passes while helping the Houston Texans post back-to-back non-losing seasons for the first time in team history.

20. Tyler Thigpen, Kansas City Chiefs +

Everything considered, Thigpen played well for the Chiefs in 2008. Originally a third-string quarterback, Thigpen was unexpectedly thrust into action following injuries to Damon Huard and Brodie Croyle. Thigpen tossed 18 touchdowns against only 12 interceptions. He threw for over 2,600 yards, although his quarterback rating was only 76.0. Thigpen set a single-season franchise record for quarterbacks with 386 rushing yards (6.2 yards per carry, three touchdowns) and will be the starting quarterback for the Chiefs next season.

19. Jeff Garcia, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Garcia is one of the more underrated quarterbacks in the NFL. Despite being 38 years old, he completes his passes, doesn’t throw interceptions, and even makes plays with his feet. The Buccaneers almost made the postseason, until a late-season record-setting collapse. Garcia tossed 12 touchdowns and had only six interceptions, ranking fourth in the NFL in lowest-interception percentage. Garcia ranked ninth in passer rating (90.2) and completion percentage (64.2). He came within one win (or tie) of leading his third team to the postseason.

18. Jason Campbell, Washington Redskins +

I bet you didn’t know that Jason Campbell is the least intercepted quarterback in the history of the NFL. He doesn’t have enough attempts to officially qualify, but Campbell is intercepted just one out of every 50 pass attempts. His 1.2 percent interception percentage led the NFL in 2008 and is the fourth-lowest total of all time.

However, 13 touchdown passes in over 500 attempts is ridiculous, and is the reason his quarterback rating (84.8) ranked only 19th in the NFL. Campbell is a slightly above-average quarterback, and easily could have quarterbacked teams like the Ravens or the Titans into the postseason.

17. Seneca Wallace, Seattle Seahawks +