Robbins Nest
By Lenn Robbins
Antonio Brown is having issues with his feet and helmet. Tom Brady is selling his Massachusetts house. Dak Prescott reportedly wants $40 million a year. Daniel Jones, booed just a few months ago, is headed to the Hall of Fame. So is Jarrett Stidham. And Kyler Murray has wrapped up the MVP.
Lord is it great to have the NFL back!
With Week 2 of the preseason upon us and Fantasy Football Owners cutting off all communication with loved ones, we offer you the best NFL players of all-time, position by position.
Feel free to vent!
OFFENSE
QB – Tom Brady: Pats – Yes, Dan Marino had a stronger arm. And you can make an argument for Joe Montana with the ball, down six, with 90 seconds left. But Brady has set a new standard.
RB – Jim Brown: Browns – The greatest offensive player of all time.
RB – Walter Payton: Bears – Made the stiff arm and the dead leg the envy of all backs.
TE – John Mackey: Colts, Chargers – Tony Gonzalez as better numbers Kellen Winslow was a better deep threat. But for receiving, blocking and toughness, Mackey gets the nod.
WR – Jerry Rice: 49ers – The master technician had DB’s beat at the line of scrimmage.
WR – Randy Moss: Vikings, Raiders, Pats, Titans, 49ers – At 6-4, 210, he redfined the WR position. Imagine if he played his entire career with Brady?
OT – Anthony Munoz: Bengals – Simply physically and mentally dominant, missing just three games in his first 12 seasons.
OG – John Hannah: Pats – If a cornerback had a choice of meeting a train or a pulling Hannah, well, it’s not a no-brainer.
C – Jim Otto: Raiders – Arguably the toughest player of all time, he underwent some 40 surgeries during and after his career.
OG – Bruce Matthews: Oilers, Titans – Mr. Versatile; started at all five OL positions – and dominated.
OT – Jonathan Ogden: Ravens – 6-9, 345 pounds of strength and athleticism.
PK – Justin Tucker: Ravens – He’s missed one PAT. One out of 242. And has nailed 90-percent of his field goal attempts.
KOR – Gale Sayers: Bears – In an injury-shortened career, the Kansas Comet averaged 30.6 yards per return and was the most breathtaking open-field runner ever.
PR – Devin Hester: Bears, Falcons, Ravens, Seahawks – The epitome of a cocky, electric Miami athlete; you sat up whenever he received a punt and headed upfield.
DEFENSE
DE – Reggie White: Eagles – No lineman was better against the run and pass. Or classier.
DL – Mean Joe Greene: Steelers – He wasn’t the meanest. But he was the ultimate disrupter for the Steel Curtain.
DL – Bob Lily: Cowboys: Headliner of the Dallas Doomsday Defense.
DE – Deacon Jones: Rams, Chargers, Redskins – Quarterbacks saw him in their nightmares. And in their waking hours.
LB – Lawrence Taylor: Giants – The greatest defensive player of all time.
MLB – Dick Butkus: Bears – Sorry Joe, Butkus was the meanest player of all time.
LB – Ted Hendricks: Colts, Packers, Raiders – Until LT came along, The Mad Stork was the standard for an OLB. Exemplary nickname.
CB – Deion Sanders: Falcons, 49ers, Cowboys, Redskins, Ravens – Arguably the greatest athlete to play the game in Prime Time, or any other time.
CB – Mike Haynes: Raiders – The most physical corner to play the game. NFL has become a passing league because of the style with which he played.
SS – Ronnie Lott: 49ers – Warning: Go over the middle at your own peril.
FS – Emlen Tunnell: Giants – Turned the safety position into an offensive threat with 1,282 yards in interception returns.
P – Ray Guy: Raiders – Didn’t just flip the field, he flipped the game.
Special Teams – Steve Tasker: Oilers, Bills – The 5-9, 183-pound, 9th-round draft pick made ‘Gunner’ a cool position with his hustle and hitting.
MANAGEMENT
Coach – Bill Belichick: Browns, Pats – 1. Sixteen AFC East titles. 2. Six Super Bowl championships. 3. Notice how many players leave N.E. for more money but never play as well? Notice how many players come to N.E. and have their best years?
GM – Tex Schramm – Not only did he draft some of the greatest players of all time (Lily, Tony Dorsett, Herschel Walker) but he was one of the first to scout small schools. And we wouldn’t have the combine if not for Schramm.
