Who is the best player in NFL history?

Although any “greatest of all time” list is subjective, you will find that most top 10 greatest players in NFL history lists include the following players in various orders. A list like this can’t omit Lawrence Taylor, Jim Brown, Jerry Rice, or other gridiron legends, all of whom are, of course, enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Let’s explore with kingsoccertips to see who is the best player in NFL history through the following article!

Who is the best player in NFL history?

1. Jerry Rice / San Francisco 49ers / Oakland Raiders / Seattle Seahawks (1985-2005)

It is hard to think of any player who has dominated a position in any sport more than Jerry Rice has dominated the wide receiver position. We could easily place many players in the top spot. But only Rice has shown Secretariat-like leadership compared to his contemporaries. The gap between Rice and his peers indicates he had no equal.

Rice boasts an impressive 22,285 receiving yards, a milestone unmatched by any player who has not reached the 20,000-yard mark. Additionally, he holds the record for the most touchdowns, with a total of 208 throughout his career.  Furthermore, he leads all-time with an astounding 1,549 receptions. He leads all-time in all-purpose yards, with 23,546, and has played 274 consecutive games with at least one reception. And in a league and sporting environment where records fall like autumn leaves, Jerry Rice holds an immortal 36 NFL records, 16 years after he retired.

This raises the question: Who is the best player in NFL history? Many argue that Jerry Rice’s records and longevity solidify his position as one of the greatest. However, another key player often discussed in this debate is Tom Brady.

2. Tom Brady / New England Patriots / Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2000-present)

Brady left New England at age 43 and led the desperate Bucs franchise to a Super Bowl championship in just one season. He did so without OTAs, training camps, or preseason games. Put differently, he didn’t have the opportunity to train alongside his new teammates and develop the type of understanding and communication that a quarterback relies on with his team to secure consistent victories.

You might have to play, cover, or follow football intensely to realize that this is an unimaginable feat. It can be safely said that it will not happen again unless Brady does it next year. He has seven Super Bowl titles. Joe Montana, who holds the “Greatest of All Time” title, has four. So “Who is the best player in NFL history?” With Brady’s record-setting achievements, he is certainly a strong candidate. However, another legendary figure in the debate is Jim Brown.

3. Jim Brown / Cleveland Browns (1957-1965)

As an all-around athlete in multiple sports while at Syracuse, Brown is considered the greatest running back in history, from a time when rushing was the primary way the NFL moved the ball. In nine years, he was named to the All-Pro first team eight times. He is the only running back with an average rushing yardage of over 100 yards per game, at 104.3.

He led the league in yards per game in 8 of his 9 NFL seasons. He also led in total rushing yards in 8 seasons and rushing touchdowns in 5 seasons. Additionally, he led in touchdowns and yards from scrimmage in 6 seasons. To illustrate how dominant Jim Brown was, in his final NFL season (1965), he led the league in rushing attempts, yards, touchdowns, and yards from scrimmage.

4. Lawrence Taylor / New York Giants (1981-1993)

Evaluating defensive players is more challenging because their impact is not as easily measured by statistics. But if we are objective, Lawrence Taylor is the greatest defensive player in NFL history. Teams designed their offenses around Taylor to prevent him from single-handedly destroying their offensive plays. He was big enough not to be bruised by running backs and fast enough to sack quarterbacks at will. He innovated the downward chop technique, which modern players now employ to force fumbles. Considering the impact of Taylor’s defensive prowess, the question “Who is the best player in NFL history?” often includes his name in the discussion.

In 1986, Taylor established himself as an unparalleled linebacker by recording 20.5 sacks (the most ever for a linebacker), becoming a first-team All-Pro, leading the Giants to their first Super Bowl victory, and becoming the second defensive player in history to win the NFL MVP. Even Bill Belichick blushes when someone dares to compare a contemporary player to Taylor, the first and only player nicknamed LT.

5. Reggie White / Philadelphia Eagles / Green Bay Packers (1985-2000)

An All-American at Tennessee, White was chosen fourth overall by the Eagles in the NFL Draft and completely decimated offensive linemen. He was a 13-time Pro Bowler and an 8-time first-team All-Pro. White also won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year twice, in 1987 and 1998. He finished with 198 sacks, just two shy of the record. Despite being part of a great defense in Philadelphia and making the playoffs several times, he moved to Green Bay as a free agent, believing he had a better chance with the Packers.

He was right. With a young quarterback named Brett Favre, White won his only Super Bowl in 1995, defeating Bill Parcells and the Patriots. White was not only a legendary player strong enough to reach opposing quarterbacks with one arm, but he was also one of the nicest men in the game. A devout Bible reader, White was so passionate about the Good Book that he learned Hebrew to read it in the original text. For all his on-field brutality, White was famously polite, never used profanity, and was known for helping players he had just tackled seconds earlier. Sadly, White passed away in his sleep the day after Christmas in 2004.

When considering the greatest players in NFL history, many wonder, “Who is the best player in NFL history?” For some, White’s legacy is a testament to his greatness.

6. Joe Montana / San Francisco 49ers / Kansas City Chiefs (1979-1994)

The name Joe Montana itself has a magical quality. It resonates with all the kids who worshipped him, from fans like you to Tom Brady. It brings sorrow to all the teams he beat in the final seconds, in the four Super Bowls he won, and about the 11 touchdowns he threw in the NFL’s biggest game without a single interception. Montana has the most Super Bowl passes without an interception, at 127. Montana was named to 8 Pro Bowls and won the NFL MVP twice.

It all began in the 1981 season, with a single play known as “The Catch,” when Joe rolled right at Candlestick Park with 58 seconds left and the ball at the Cowboys’ six-yard line. He faked out three Dallas Cowboys, including Ed ‘Too Tall’ Jones, and threw the ball about 15 yards, just over their fingertips. The pass went to the back of the end zone, where Dwight Clark sprinted and leaped, catching the ball at its highest point and landing with the pigskin cradled in his hands. Thus began the legend of Joe Montana, nicknamed ‘Joe Cool.’ This name journeyed from the rolling hills of Western Pennsylvania, across the flatlands of South Bend, Indiana, and Notre Dame, and through the cornfields to California, where he and the Niners, along with the young genius Bill Walsh, established a dynasty.

7. Walter Payton / Chicago Bears (1975-1987)

It’s hard to think that such an incredibly tough man could be called “Sweetness,” but it fits Walter Payton. As a bruising running back, Payton could break through defenses, amassing 275 yards, just as he did in a notable game against the Vikings. He could stand guard next to the QB on a passing play and act as the key blocker. He perfectly embodied the role of a Chicago Bear, a team known as The Monsters of the Midway, yet he had an unusually gentle voice and a dignified demeanor.

A true throwback, Payton was one of the few players to have played his entire career for one team. He was selected to the Pro Bowl nine times and named a first-team All-Pro five times. He retired as the all-time leading rusher, having amassed 16,726 yards on the ground. Tragically, Payton passed away at a young age on November 1, 1999, from an extremely rare and incurable disease. He was only 45 years old. His career statistics and impact on the game make him a frequent contender in such discussions about “Who is the best player in NFL history?”

8. Peyton Manning / Indianapolis Colts / Denver Broncos (1998-2015)

Despite winning two Super Bowls, Manning isn’t higher on this list because he didn’t win as many as his contemporary, Tom Brady, who won seven. It wasn’t a matter of talent or production. Manning was often considered the best regular-season player in history.

Indeed, Manning was a living record book, playing in 14 Pro Bowls. He was a seven-time first-team All-Pro. No one can match Manning’s five NFL MVP awards. He retired with the most career passing TDs (539), the most passing yards in a single season (5,477), the second-most passing yards in NFL history (71,940), and the third-most completions in league history (6,125).

9. Barry Sanders / Detroit Lions (1989-1998)

In most cases, it’s wonderful when a great player stays with one team. However, this is not always the case when that team is the Lions. Sanders—a quiet, dignified, and humble man despite his talent, fame, and fortune—rushed for 15,269 yards, ranking third all-time. He received the honor of being selected to ten Pro Bowls and was voted first-team All-Pro six times. He was the first running back to achieve 1,000 yards on the ground in each of his first ten seasons.

Sadly, the Lions lost 5 of the 6 playoff games they reached, and Sanders wasted his talent with them. In an era of polarizing personalities, Sanders was old-fashioned, handing the ball to the referee or gently dropping it after every touchdown. Never concerned with his salary, age, or fame, Sanders retired at his peak, content with being great rather than the greatest. When discussing “Who is the best player in NFL history?” Barry Sanders is often mentioned, but he might not be at the top due to his team’s lack of playoff success.

10. Joe Greene / Pittsburgh Steelers (1969-1981)

Greene was the first player Chuck Noll drafted when he took over the once-terrible Steelers. Not only was Greene a great defensive player, but he was also the cornerstone of the empire Noll built, starting with him. Greene was also the leader of the famous “Steel Curtain”—a term truly reserved for the defensive line.

Greene repaid the investment by helping the Steelers win four Super Bowls during their ’70s dynasty. He was a five-time first-team All-Pro, a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and a ten-time Pro Bowl selection. Perhaps he is just as well-known for being ‘Mean’ Joe Greene in the iconic Coca-Cola commercial, where he gives a star-struck kid his jersey in exchange for a cold Coke.

Conclusion

Determining who is the best player in NFL history is a subjective and complex task, given the remarkable talents and achievements of players across different positions and eras. From Jerry Rice’s unparalleled dominance as a wide receiver to Tom Brady’s unprecedented seven Super Bowl titles, each player has left an indelible mark on the game. Lawrence Taylor revolutionized defensive play, while Walter Payton exemplified versatility and endurance. Peyton Manning’s record-breaking career and Barry Sanders’ electrifying runs add to the rich tapestry of NFL legends. Ultimately, while each of these players could be argued to be the best in NFL history, the answer often depends on personal preference, specific criteria, and the impact each player had on their team and the sport as a whole.

See more: Who is the best defensive player in the NFL