The NFL Network, which Cablevision does not allow me to see, recently rated the top 100 players in NFL history. I’m not going to repeat the entire list–you can click here if you wish to see it–but here are my observations on the selections:
I would not have listed Jerry Rice as Number One. He’s a great player, very easily a top 10 player, but I don’t think I would put any receiver in the top spot. Jim Brown (Number 2), who was one of the architects of the league during its turning point era, or Lawrence Taylor (Number 3), a sport-changing player, or the great Johnny Unitas (No. 6), the Father of Modern Quarterbacking, would have been my choice.
Walter Payton (Number 5) was a great player, but he played on a lot of bad teams.
Jack Lambert at 29? Okay, but why so far behind Dick Butkus (Number 10, and no championships or Super Bowls) and Ray Lewis (Number 18, and one)?
Delighted to see Jim Parker (32), Raymond Berry (36), Gino Marchetti (39), John Mackey (42) and Lenny Moore (94) on the list, although it seems a disservice to rank the elegant Moore that low. I like him better than Tony Dorsett, but then Dorsett isn’t ranked much higher. And where the heck is Art Donovan?
I’m happy to see Brett Favre at 20. I still find him enormously entertaining.
Dan Marino (25) can play quarterback on my team anytime, but with only one Super Bowl appearance (a convincing loss), does he deserve to stand so far ahead of Roger Staubach (46), Terry Bradshaw (50), and Bart Starr (51).