The Top 10 Greatest Football Players Ever, and the Traits That Made Them So

A biased list of all-time standouts.

In my past, I have gotten into long arguments about who I think some of the greatest football players ever are. After putting my thoughts into words, I decided I’d share my apparently controversial opinions.

10. Julio Jones, Wide Receiver

Teams: Atlanta Falcons (2011-2020), Tennessee Titans (2021-2022), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2022)

Accomplishments: 7 time Pro Bowler, 2 time All Pro, Hall of Fame All-2010s Team

Career Statline: 903 receptions for 13,629 yards, 63 touchdowns

Julio Jones is one of two active players on this list, and is here because of the tremendous work he did from 2011-2020 in Atlanta. As a Falcons fan personally, I was able to have a front row seat in seeing what Julio Jones could do on a week-to-week basis, especially in his prime years. He was the top receiver in the league, nobody could touch him for a few season, especially in the 2016 season where his quarterback, Matt Ryan, won the league’s MVP. He was never the fastest receiver on any field he played on, but he was more times than not the most reliable during that stretch. While his stock has fallen off a bit in his recent stints with the Titans and Buccaneers, he still clocks as one of the greatest to ever do it.

All-Time Trait: Reliability

Photo Credit: AP Photo, John J. Gaps III

9. Bruce Smith, Defensive End

Teams: Buffalo Bills (1985-1999), Washington (2000-2003)

Accomplishments: 11 time Pro Bowler, 8 time All Pro, 2 time AP Defensive Player of the Year, Hall of Fame All-1980s Team, Hall of Fame All-1990s Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2009

Career Statline: 1,075 solo tackles, 200 sacks, 43 forced fumbles

As a football fan, I value defensive production and longevity much more than offensive production or single flashy seasons when it comes to valuing players. Bruce Smith is the all time leader in the NFL for sacks, with the next player on the list, Reggie White, only two sacks behind Smith (White played for 3 less years than Smith). Smith played in the NFL for 19 years, split across stints with the Bills and Washington, and was a defensive menace whenever he was on the field. I’m a younger fan, and Bruce Smith retired before I was born, but being able to go back and see games and seasons where he absolutely dominated only helped grow my appreciation for defensive football, and its importance, even in today’s more offense-centric game.

All-Time Trait: Dominance

8. Aaron Donald, Defensive Tackle

Team: St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams (2014-Present)

Accomplishments: 9 time Pro Bowl, 7 time All Pro, Super Bowl Champion (2022), 3 time AP Defensive Player of the Year, 2014 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year

Career Statline: 312 solo tackles, 103 sacks, 24 forced fumbles

Aaron Donald is the player that I watched and that got me into defensive football. Seeing what Donald could do, being an absolute wrecking ball against that interiors of offensive lines throughout his nine-year career so far is telling to the type of player that Donald is. The fact that he can put up six double-digit sack seasons in a span of seven seasons from the defensive tackle position, one that is less and less valued and capable of providing more than a reliable run-stuffer in today’s league, speaks to his talent and production. His success rivals that of many outside linebackers and defensive ends, so Donald’s talent surpasses many other players for that reason alone. The fact that many offensive playcallers and designers have to account for when playing against Donald is that if he isn’t at least double-covered, your quarterback is getting sacked. Being that much of an issue as early as his rookie year is what lands him here.

All-Time Trait: Inevitability

7. Antonio Gates, Tight End

Team: San Diego Chargers (2003-2018)

Accomplishments: 8 time Pro Bowler, 3 time All Pro, Hall of Fame All-2000s Team

Career Statline: 955 receptions, 11,841 yards, 116 touchdowns

The tight end position is one that continues to be undervalued if your name isn’t Travis Kelce, George Kittle, or Kyle Pitts. This is crazy to think of, when just 5 seasons ago, the career of the greatest tight end of all time came to an end. Antonio Gates is one of those players that was always precisely where his offense needed him at any given moment. Blocking? On it, outside linebacker is handled. Deep toss across the middle? Caught it with 10 yards on top of it. Red zone situation? It’s a touchdown, don’t even ask. Gates is the model of a tight end, one that excels in both blocking and receiving situations, and while the tight ends of today’s league are more focused on the receiving portion of that, Gates proved that one can be a fantastic blocker and still lead all tight ends in touchdown receptions for all time.

All-Time Trait: Versatility

6. Ed Reed, Defensive Back

Teams: Baltimore Ravens (2002-2012), Houston Texans (2013), New York Jets (2013)

Accomplishments: 9 time Pro Bowler, 5 time All Pro, Super Bowl Champion (2013), Hall of Fame All-2000s Team, AP Defensive Player of the Year (2004), Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2019

Career Statline: 534 solo tackles, 64 interceptions

There were two options for this slot, and I like to cover as many positions as possible when talking about this, just because of how many different, intricate positions football has to offer. Defensive back is a position that has become more valuable in the modern day, with the pass-happy league needing more and more skill in the defensive backfield to combat the great receivers and quarterbacks taking the league by storm. Ed Reed was a terror to backfields before it was cool. Reed is seventh on the all-time chart for most interceptions grabbed, but finds his way here because of the work he did on all sides of the ball. To this day, he is the only player in league history to score an interception return touchdown, fumble recovery return touchdown, kick return touchdown, and punt return touchdown. He was a terror for opposing offenses to deal with, because in any facet of his game, his talent could ruin a drive or even an entire game. He was all over the field when he was around, and that’s what got him his fame and fortune as a defensive back.

All-Time Trait: Prowling

Credit: Rich von Biberstein, Icon Sportswire, Getty Images

5. Tom Brady, Quarterback

Teams: New England Patriots (2000-2019), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2020-2023)

Accomplishments: 15 time Pro Bowler, 3 time All Pro, 7 time Super Bowl Champion (2021, 2019, 2017, 2015, 2005, 2004, 2002), 3 time AP Most Valuable Player (2007, 2010, 2017), 5 time Super Bowl Most Valuable Player (2021, 2017, 2015, 2004, 2002), Hall of Fame All-2000s Team, Hall of Fame All-2010s Team, 1 time AP Comeback Player of the Year, 2 time AP Offensive Player of the Year

Career Statline: 251-82 as a starter, 64.3% completion percentage, 89,214 passing yards, 649 touchdowns

Gasp! I know, just barely slipping into the top five is who many would put at the top spot. Another shocker is going to come when he’s not the top quarterback on this list, either. Do you see how big that accomplishments section is? It speaks for itself. Brady leads all quarterbacks in passing touchdowns and passing yards, and the ways he found throughout his career to continue his success despite the factors and pieces on his team being against him doing so lands him a spot as one of the all-time greatest.

All-Time Trait: Adaptability

4. LaDainian Tomlinson, Running Back

Teams: San Diego Chargers (2001-2009), New York Jets (2010-2011)

Accomplishments: 5 time Pro Bowler, 3 time All Pro, 2006 AP Most Valuable Player, Hall of Fame All-2000s Team, 2006 AP Offensive Player of the Year, 2006 Walter Payton Man of the Year, Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2017

Career Statline: 3174 rush attempts, 13,684 rushing yards, 145 rushing touchdowns, 624 receptions, 4,772 receiving yards, 17 receiving touchdowns

While LaDainian Tomlinson might not be the greatest running back to ever play in the statistics realm, he is probably one of the top two greatest offensive weapons of all time. In his peak, Tomlinson was a threat all over the field, breaking tackles and finding holes in defenses to rush for touchdowns or catching passes over the top to run in for more touchdowns. The guarantee with Tomlinson on the field is that the team who had him would score points, and a good few of them. That kind of high-floor promise of some kind of offense being put up in a game that was much more focused on scheming and a chess match between coaches, the offensive pieces they had, and the defense. In a league like today’s, there is no telling how productive Tomlinson could be, with high-flying offenses being the name of the game.

All-Time Trait: Elusiveness

3. Jerry Rice, Wide Receiver

Teams: San Francisco 49ers (1985-2000), Oakland Raiders (2001-2004), Seattle Seahawks (2004)

Accomplishments: 13 time Pro Bowl, 10 time All Pro, 3 time Super Bowl Champion (1989, 1990, 1995), Super Bowl MVP (1989), Hall of Fame All-1980s Team, Hall of Fame All-1990s Team, 2 time AP Offensive Player of the Year, Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2010

Career Statline: 1,549 receptions for 22,895 yards, 197 touchdowns

Jerry Rice is the greatest offensive weapon to ever play football. Rice holds the records for receptions, receiving yards, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. These statistics are high enough to where the next highest number is not even close to Rice’s record. He’s not a controversial pick to be this high, and seeing how his success continued on multiple teams with many different people throwing him the ball, his true talent shines through, and is cemented as the greatest wide receiver to play football. No player in today’s league has a chance to come close to Rice’s legacy, in my opinion. His numbers are just too big, in a long career with sustained production.

All-Time Trait: Production

2. Peyton Manning, Quarterback

Teams: Indianapolis Colts (1998-2010), Denver Broncos (2012-2015)

Accomplishments: 14 time Pro Bowler, 7 time All Pro, 2 time Super Bowl Champion (2007, 2016), Super Bowl MVP (2007), 5 time AP Most Valuable Player, Hall of Fame All-2000s Team, 2012 AP Comeback Player of the Year, 2 time AP Offensive Player of the Year, 2005 Walter Payton Man of the Year, Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2021

Career Statline: 186-79 as a starter, 65.3% completion percentage, 71,940 passing yards, 539 touchdowns

Yeah. I take Manning over Brady any day of the week, for two very specific reasons. Peyton Manning, for most of his career, had a major flaw in all of his teams; whether it be their receiving corps, their offensive line, their defenses not being able to do anything for him, and yet he still had the success that he did. To be able to have success like that, there has to be a true talent to a player, and a leadership quality to still take a team with some kind of flaw like that to the promised land and beyond. Peyton did it for two separate teams, his second after overcoming a massive neck injury that kept him out for an entire year. Peyton Manning also is one of the smartest players to ever play the game. He read coverages and defenses for his 16 seasons like they were children’s books, always finding the weak link and the right receivers to get yardage and points on the board. His leadership and intelligence are what put him the step above most of the other players in my book.

All-Time Trait: Intelligence

1. Ray Lewis, Linebacker

Team: Baltimore Ravens (1996-2012)

Accomplishments: 12 time Pro Bowler, 7 time All Pro, 2 time Super Bowl Champion (2001, 2012), Super Bowl MVP (2001), Hall of Fame All-2000s Team, 2 time AP Defensive Player of the Year, Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2018

Career Statline: 1,568 solo tackles, 41.5 sacks, 19 forced fumbles

I never really recognized myself as a Falcons fan until after Ray Lewis retired. This was the player that I grew up watching, the one that I looked up to and the one that made me love football, and value defense and good tackling in this game over everything else. Ray Lewis is a leader, not just the greatest signal caller any defense has ever seen, but to an entire team. His motivation skill was through the roof when he played, and he still shines as an inspiration to this day. I had to go back and watch his Hall of Fame enshrinement speech from 2018 again, a video that never fails to inspire me in my life. Lewis leads all players in NFL history in solo tackles, a stat that matters most to linebackers, and one that he showed up and proved that for a spell during his career, Ray Lewis was the best player on any field he went on. Throughout his entire career, he proved more and more every week that he isn’t just the best football player to ever do it, but one of the best leaders to ever do it. And at the end of the day, what matters in football more than leading a team?

All-Time Trait: Leadership

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