The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players

For the 100th anniversary team, see National Football League 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.

The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players was a ten-part television series that set out to determine the top 100 greatest NFL players of all time. It was presented by the NFL Network in 2010. The series was based on a list of the top 100 National Football League players of all time, as compiled by a "blue-ribbon" panel assembled by the NFL Network. The members of the panel were current and former NFL coaches, players, executives, and members of the media. Each episode, broadcast each Thursday from September 3 to November 4, 2010, introduced a group of 10 players from the list, with each nominee player presented and advocated for by a separate noteworthy individual in the world of sports and entertainment. It started with the players ranked 100 through 91, and moving up the list each week.[1]

The final episode, premiering on November 4, 2010, introduced the top 10 players of all time according to the panel.[2] Jerry Rice was chosen as the top player of all time, with Jim Brown as the second choice.[3]

The list

Rank Player Position(s) Team(s)† Year inducted to Pro Football Hall of Fame
1 Jerry Rice WR San Francisco 49ers 2010
2 Jim Brown FB Cleveland Browns 1971
3 Lawrence Taylor LB New York Giants 1999
4 Joe Montana QB San Francisco 49ers 2000
5 Walter Payton RB Chicago Bears 1993
6 Johnny Unitas QB Baltimore Colts 1979
7 Reggie White DE Philadelphia Eagles,
Green Bay Packers 		2006
8 Peyton Manning QB Indianapolis Colts 2021
9 Don Hutson E Green Bay Packers 1963
10 Dick Butkus LB Chicago Bears 1979
11 Ronnie Lott S, CB San Francisco 49ers 2000
12 Anthony Muñoz OT Cincinnati Bengals 1998
13 Joe Greene DT Pittsburgh Steelers 1987
14 Sammy Baugh QB, S, P Washington Redskins 1963
15 Deacon Jones DE Los Angeles Rams 1980
16 Otto Graham QB Cleveland Browns 1965
17 Barry Sanders RB Detroit Lions 2004
18 Ray Lewis LB Baltimore Ravens 2018
19 Bronko Nagurski FB, OT Chicago Bears 1963
20 Brett Favre QB Green Bay Packers 2016
21 Tom Brady New England Patriots *
22 Gale Sayers HB, RS Chicago Bears 1977
23 John Elway QB Denver Broncos 2004
24 John Hannah G New England Patriots 1991
25 Dan Marino QB Miami Dolphins 2005
26 Bob Lilly DT Dallas Cowboys 1980
27 Merlin Olsen Los Angeles Rams 1982
28 Emmitt Smith RB Dallas Cowboys 2010
29 Jack Lambert LB Pittsburgh Steelers 1990
30 Night Train Lane CB Los Angeles Rams,
Chicago Cardinals,
Detroit Lions 		1974
31 Bruce Smith DE Buffalo Bills 2009
32 Jim Parker OT Baltimore Colts 1973
33 Sid Luckman QB Chicago Bears 1965
34 Deion Sanders CB, RS Atlanta Falcons,
Dallas Cowboys,
San Francisco 49ers 		2011
35 Chuck Bednarik C, LB Philadelphia Eagles 1967
36 Raymond Berry SE Baltimore Colts 1973
37 Jim Thorpe HB Canton Bulldogs 1963
38 Lance Alworth WR San Diego Chargers 1978
39 Gino Marchetti DE Baltimore Colts 1972
40 O. J. Simpson RB Buffalo Bills 1985
41 Rod Woodson CB, S Pittsburgh Steelers 2009
42 John Mackey TE Baltimore Colts 1992
43 Alan Page DT Minnesota Vikings 1988
44 Mel Blount CB Pittsburgh Steelers 1989
45 Tony Gonzalez TE Kansas City Chiefs 2019
46 Roger Staubach QB Dallas Cowboys 1985
47 Ray Nitschke LB Green Bay Packers 1978
48 Red Grange HB Chicago Bears 1963
49 Mike Haynes CB Oakland Raiders,
New England Patriots 		1997
50 Terry Bradshaw QB Pittsburgh Steelers 1989
51 Bart Starr Green Bay Packers 1977
52 Eric Dickerson RB Los Angeles Rams 1999
53 Willie Lanier LB Kansas City Chiefs 1986
54 Forrest Gregg OT Green Bay Packers 1977
55 Earl Campbell HB Houston Oilers 1991
56 Gene Upshaw G Oakland Raiders 1987
57 Mike Singletary LB Chicago Bears 1998
58 Steve Van Buren HB Philadelphia Eagles 1965
59 Mike Ditka TE Chicago Bears 1988
60 Jack Ham LB Pittsburgh Steelers 1988
61 LaDainian Tomlinson RB San Diego Chargers 2017
62 Randy White DT Dallas Cowboys 1994
63 Jim Otto C Oakland Raiders 1980
64 Herb Adderley CB Green Bay Packers 1980
65 Randy Moss WR Minnesota Vikings 2018
66 Willie Brown CB Oakland Raiders 1984
67 Kellen Winslow TE San Diego Chargers 1995
68 Mike Webster C Pittsburgh Steelers 1997
69 Bobby Bell LB Kansas City Chiefs 1983
70 Marshall Faulk RB St. Louis Rams 2011
71 Paul Warfield WR Cleveland Browns,
Miami Dolphins 		1983
72 Jonathan Ogden OT Baltimore Ravens 2013
73 Ozzie Newsome TE Cleveland Browns 1999
74 Marion Motley HB, LB 1968
75 Darrell Green CB Washington Redskins 2008
76 Art Shell OT Oakland / Los Angeles Raiders 1989
77 Tony Dorsett RB Dallas Cowboys 1994
78 Bruce Matthews OL,
LS 		Houston Oilers / Tennessee Oilers / Titans 2007
79 Emlen Tunnell S New York Giants 1967
80 Troy Aikman QB Dallas Cowboys 2006
81 Steve Young San Francisco 49ers 2005
82 Ted Hendricks LB Oakland Raiders 1990
83 Norm Van Brocklin QB Los Angeles Rams 1971
84 Joe Schmidt LB Detroit Lions 1973
85 Marcus Allen RB Oakland Raiders 2003
86 Willie Davis DE Green Bay Packers 1981
87 Elroy Hirsch E, FL Los Angeles Rams 1968
88 Ed Reed S Baltimore Ravens 2019
89 Ernie Nevers FB Chicago Cardinals 1963
90 Kurt Warner QB St. Louis Rams 2017
91 Fran Tarkenton Minnesota Vikings 1986
92 Michael Irvin WR Dallas Cowboys 2007
93 Sam Huff LB New York Giants 1982
94 Lenny Moore HB Baltimore Colts 1975
95 Larry Allen G Dallas Cowboys 2013
96 Mel Hein C New York Giants 1963
97 Derrick Brooks LB Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2014
98 Lee Roy Selmon DE 1995
99 Michael Strahan New York Giants 2014
100 Joe Namath QB New York Jets 1985

† Only team(s) with major contribution.

* Not eligible for induction until 2028

Appearances by team

No. Team
9 Dallas Cowboys
8 Chicago Bears
Green Bay Packers
Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams
7 Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts
Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
Pittsburgh Steelers
5 Cleveland Browns
New York Giants
San Francisco 49ers
3 Baltimore Ravens
Detroit Lions
Kansas City Chiefs
Minnesota Vikings
New England Patriots
Philadelphia Eagles
San Diego Chargers
2 Buffalo Bills
Chicago Cardinals
Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans
Miami Dolphins
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Washington Redskins
1 Atlanta Falcons
Canton Bulldogs
Cincinnati Bengals
Denver Broncos
New York Jets

See also

References

  1. ^ "The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players to Debut Friday, Sept. 3 at 10 p.m. ET on NFL Network". NFL.com. Archived from the original on 2010-11-08. Retrieved 2010-11-02.
  2. ^ Nate Davis, "Who is NFL's greatest player ever? NFL Network reveals No. 1 Thursday night" Archived 2010-11-13 at the Wayback Machine, USA Today, November 4, 2010.
  3. ^ Andy Barall, "Jim Brown Should Be No. 1, but What About Most Underrated?" Archived 2019-09-30 at the Wayback Machine, New York Times, November 5, 2010.