Who's the Greatest NFL Linebacker to Ever Play the Game ?

[2PLAYSMAX]

Mike Singletary deserves mention.

Great team motivator to say the least.

 

[HacheMan]

Thanks for all of the info Jake....

 

[Hookandcrook+]

Derrick Brooks probably has better numbers than Taylor or Lewis and more of a complete player all-round.

Just sayin & it has nothing to do with me being a Tampa Bay fan.....@)

I second that.:toast: but I'm a Tampa fan too.

 

[JakeT.]

Patrick Willis.

 

[JakeT.]

Mike Singletary deserves mention.

Great team motivator to say the least.

<table class="sortable stats_table small_text" id="defense"><tbody><tr style="" onmouseover="hl(this);" onmouseout="uhl(this);" class=""></tr></tbody><thead><tr style="" onmouseover="hl(this);" onmouseout="uhl(this);" class=""> <th>
</th> <th colspan="5" class="over_header" align="center">Def Interceptions</th> <th colspan="5" class="over_header" align="center">Fumbles</th> <th colspan="2" class="over_header" align="center">Tackles</th> <th>
</th> <th colspan="2" class="over_header" align="center">Approx Val</th> </tr> <tr style="" onmouseover="hl(this);" onmouseout="uhl(this);" class=""> <th class="sort_default_asc" align="left">Year</th> <th class="sort_default_asc" onmouseover="Tip('Player\'s age on December 31st of that year')" align="center">Age</th> <th class="sort_default_asc show_partial_when_sorting" align="left">Tm</th> <th class="sort_default_asc" onmouseover="Tip('Position
In player and team season stats,
Capitals indicates primary starter.
Lower-case means part-time starter.')" align="left">Pos</th> <th class="sort_default_asc" onmouseover="Tip('Uniform number')" align="center">No.</th> <th class="" onmouseover="Tip('Games played')" align="center">G</th> <th class="" onmouseover="Tip('Games started as an offensive or defensive player')" align="center">GS</th> <th class="" onmouseover="Tip('Sacks')" align="center">Sk</th> <th class="" onmouseover="Tip('Passes intercepted on defense')" align="center">Int</th> <th class="" onmouseover="Tip('Yards interceptions were returned')" align="center">Yds</th> <th class="" onmouseover="Tip('Interceptions returned for touchdowns')" align="center">TD</th> <th class="" onmouseover="Tip('longest interception return')" align="center">Lng</th> <th class="" onmouseover="Tip('Passes defended by a defensive player')" align="center">PD</th> <th class="" onmouseover="Tip('Number of times forced a fumble by the opposition recovered by either team')" align="center">FF</th> <th class="" onmouseover="Tip('Number of times fumbled both lost and recovered by own team')" align="center">Fmb</th> <th class="" onmouseover="Tip('Fumbles recovered by a Player or Team
Original fumble by either team')" align="center">FR</th> <th class="" onmouseover="Tip('Yards recovered fumbles were returned')" align="center">Yds</th> <th class="" onmouseover="Tip('Fumbles recovered resulting in a touchdown for the recoverer')" align="center">TD</th> <th class="" onmouseover="Tip('Tackles
Before 1994: unofficial and inconsistently recorded from team to team. For amusement only.
1994--2001: unofficial but consistently recorded.
2001--now: official.')" align="center">Tkl</th> <th class="" onmouseover="Tip('Assists on tackles
Before 1994: combined with solo tackles
1994--2001: unofficial, but consistently recorded
2001--now: official')" align="center">Ast</th> <th class="" onmouseover="Tip('Safeties scored by player/team')" align="center">Sfty</th> <th class="" onmouseover="Tip('Approximate Value: our attempt to attach a single number to every player-season since 1950.
See the glossary for more.')" align="center">AV</th> <th class="show_partial_when_sorting" onmouseover="Tip('Career Approximate Value.
See the glossary for details on how we compute Approximate Value.
The career AV is computed by summing
100 percent of the AV of his best season,
95 percent of the AV of his next-best season,
90 percent of the AV of his third-best season,
and so on')" align="center">CarAV</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr style="" onmouseover="hl(this);" onmouseout="uhl(this);" class="full_table"> <td align="left">1981</td> <td align="right">23</td> <td align="left">CHI</td> <td align="left">MLB</td> <td align="right">50</td> <td align="right">16</td> <td align="right">9</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">1</td> <td align="right">-3</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">-3</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">5</td> <td align="right">
</td> </tr> <tr style="" onmouseover="hl(this);" onmouseout="uhl(this);" class="full_table"> <td align="left">1982</td> <td align="right">24</td> <td align="left">CHI</td> <td align="left">MLB</td> <td align="right">50</td> <td align="right">9</td> <td align="right">9</td> <td align="right">1.0</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">1</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">8</td> <td align="right">
</td> </tr> <tr style="" onmouseover="hl(this);" onmouseout="uhl(this);" class="full_table"> <td align="left">1983*</td> <td align="right">25</td> <td align="left">CHI</td> <td align="left">MLB</td> <td align="right">50</td> <td align="right">16</td> <td align="right">16</td> <td align="right">3.5</td> <td align="right">1</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">4</td> <td align="right">15</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">13</td> <td align="right">
</td> </tr> <tr style="" onmouseover="hl(this);" onmouseout="uhl(this);" class="full_table"> <td align="left">1984*+</td> <td align="right">26</td> <td align="left">CHI</td> <td align="left">MLB</td> <td align="right">50</td> <td align="right">16</td> <td align="right">16</td> <td align="right">3.5</td> <td align="right">1</td> <td align="right">4</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">4</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">1</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">17</td> <td align="right">
</td> </tr> <tr style="" onmouseover="hl(this);" onmouseout="uhl(this);" class="full_table"> <td align="left">1985*+</td> <td align="right">27</td> <td align="left">CHI</td> <td align="left">MLB</td> <td align="right">50</td> <td align="right">16</td> <td align="right">16</td> <td align="right">3.0</td> <td align="right">1</td> <td align="right">23</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">23</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">3</td> <td align="right">11</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">17</td> <td align="right">
</td> </tr> <tr style="" onmouseover="hl(this);" onmouseout="uhl(this);" class="full_table"> <td align="left">1986*+</td> <td align="right">28</td> <td align="left">CHI</td> <td align="left">MLB</td> <td align="right">50</td> <td align="right">14</td> <td align="right">14</td> <td align="right">2.0</td> <td align="right">1</td> <td align="right">3</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">3</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">18</td> <td align="right">
</td> </tr> <tr style="" onmouseover="hl(this);" onmouseout="uhl(this);" class="full_table"> <td align="left">1987*+</td> <td align="right">29</td> <td align="left">CHI</td> <td align="left">MLB</td> <td align="right">50</td> <td align="right">12</td> <td align="right">12</td> <td align="right">2.0</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">1</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">14</td> <td align="right">
</td> </tr> <tr style="" onmouseover="hl(this);" onmouseout="uhl(this);" class="full_table"> <td align="left">1988*+</td> <td align="right">30</td> <td align="left">CHI</td> <td align="left">MLB</td> <td align="right">50</td> <td align="right">16</td> <td align="right">16</td> <td align="right">1.0</td> <td align="right">1</td> <td align="right">13</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">13</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">1</td> <td align="right">4</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">18</td> <td align="right">
</td> </tr> <tr style="" onmouseover="hl(this);" onmouseout="uhl(this);" class="full_table"> <td align="left">1989*+</td> <td align="right">31</td> <td align="left">CHI</td> <td align="left">MLB</td> <td align="right">50</td> <td align="right">16</td> <td align="right">16</td> <td align="right">1.0</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">13</td> <td align="right">
</td> </tr> <tr style="" onmouseover="hl(this);" onmouseout="uhl(this);" class="full_table"> <td align="left">1990*</td> <td align="right">32</td> <td align="left">CHI</td> <td align="left">MLB</td> <td align="right">50</td> <td align="right">16</td> <td align="right">16</td> <td align="right">1.0</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">1</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">14</td> <td align="right">
</td> </tr> <tr style="" onmouseover="hl(this);" onmouseout="uhl(this);" class="full_table"> <td align="left">1991*+</td> <td align="right">33</td> <td align="left">CHI</td> <td align="left">MLB</td> <td align="right">50</td> <td align="right">16</td> <td align="right">16</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">15</td> <td align="right">
</td> </tr> <tr style="" onmouseover="hl(this);" onmouseout="uhl(this);" class="full_table"> <td align="left">1992*</td> <td align="right">34</td> <td align="left">CHI</td> <td align="left">MLB</td> <td align="right">50</td> <td align="right">16</td> <td align="right">16</td> <td align="right">1.0</td> <td align="right">1</td> <td align="right">4</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">4</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">9</td> <td align="right">
</td> </tr> </tbody> <tfoot> <tr style="" onmouseover="hl(this);" onmouseout="uhl(this);" class="stat_total"> <td align="left">Career</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="left">
</td> <td align="left">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">179</td> <td align="right">172</td> <td align="right">19.0</td> <td align="right">7</td> <td align="right">44</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">23</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">12</td> <td align="right">30</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">
</td> <td align="right">161</td> <td align="right">125</td></tr></tfoot></table>

 

[barman]

This would be a more defining poll if it were split into two Threads - Outside linebackers and Inside/Middle Linebackers.

Two very different jobs and a different statistical focus.

And hate to play an old saw, but any comparisons of pre 1980 with post 1980 are somewhat specious given the different "models" of players.


---
But, in the spirit of the thread as posted, LT is above and beyond with Mike Singletary right there with him

 

[cocktailsnlongshots+]

teams tailored their offense each week(no pun intended)around LT....think that speaks volumes...i'm not old enuff to have seen butkus so my vote is irrelevant...

 

[lefty357]

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Nobody was better than Butkus.

 

[JakeT.]

The answer will be easy in 5-10 years.

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[chick'sfridge]

Respect them all! Butkus was an animal with passion and intelligence. Towards the end, I saw him on one leg dominate the LA Rams at the Coliseum.

 

[steaktartar]

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Nobody was better than Butkus.

:toast:

 

[VIEJODINOSAUR]

Chuck Bednarik....

Some of you guys forgot Tommy Nobis, Ray Nitchke. and Mike Curtis...

 

[steaktartar]

Chuck Bednarik....

Some of you guys forgot Tommy Nobis, Ray Nitchke. and Mike Curtis...

agree there are numerous but his choices were good......i would've voted roy winston but he wasnt a choice:toast:


also willie lanier

 

[kermit16]

Ray Nitchke ! Why is it that nobody thinks the old Guys were any good ?

 

[JakeT.]

Ray Nitchke ! Why is it that nobody thinks the old Guys were any good ?

1-time pro bowler... What's up with that?

 

[Leverage]

Butkus by far. He would spit on the ball all game to fuk with Conrad Dobler, the meanest center ever.

 

[kermit16]

1-time pro bowler... What's up with that?

I'm not sure because He was named 1 st team All Pro 3 straight years I believe and 2nd. team All Pro 4 times between 1962 to 1969 ! How can you only be named to the Pro Bowl 1 year ? something doesn't jell !

 

[JakeT.]

I'm not sure because He was named 1 st team All Pro 3 straight years I believe and 2nd. team All Pro 4 times between 1962 to 1969 ! How can you only be named to the Pro Bowl 1 year ? something doesn't jell !

Pro Bowl and All-Pro are 2 different things I believe. For instance, Chuck Bednarik was a "8-time Pro Bowler & 5-time first-team All-Pro"

 

[kermit16]

Pro Bowl and All-Pro are 2 different things I believe. For instance, Chuck Bednarik was a "8-time Pro Bowler & 5-time first-team All-Pro"

You must be correct but they must have selected players to the Pro bowl differently back then because Nitchke was the best Middle Linebacker in his day and He was so voted such by his peers. The guy was awesome force on the field but a gentle giant off the field. Those Packer teams back then were great !

 

[JakeT.]

You must be correct but they must have selected players to the Pro bowl differently back then because Nitchke was the best Middle Linebacker in his day and He was so voted such by his peers. The guy was awesome force on the field but a gentle giant off the field. Those Packer teams back then were great !

Bednarik played at roughly the same time and seemed to garner most of the awards. They might have only given it to one guy at each position or something.