I've had NFL "Mount Rushmore" players on my mind lately. Jim Reineking's excellent series of college Mount Rushmores of NFL players on NFL.com has put them on mind. So has the recent talk of LeBron James' place in NBA history after he brought a title to Cleveland. Actually, I don't really need much to trigger thoughts of the players and men that have played tremendous roles in the grand history of football.
If this "Mount Rushmore" thing is an unfamiliar thing it's the recent practice of tapping the four most significant players in the history of a team or league. Just like the four great American leaders whose likenesses are chiseled into a mountain in South Dakota.
In an effort to start slowly, here's a Flea Flicker look at a Minnesota Vikings Mount Rushmore.
Bud Grant
Alan Page
Cris Carter
Adrian Peterson
Bud Grant has to be included on any Vikings Mount Rushmore but if you want a "players only" Mount Rushmore here's one possibility.
Alan Page
Cris Carter
Adrian Peterson
Fran Tarkernton
It's real tough to leave out Jim Marshall, Randall McDaniel, John Randle...
Now, on to the brutal task of selecting an NFL Mount Rushmore. It's so brutal that I'm starting with a a pre- and post-merger Mount Rushmore. It's the best way to include the greatest number of deserving players.
Pre-AFL-NFL Merger (1920-70) Mount Rushmore.
Red Grange
Sammy Baugh
Mel Hein
Jim Brown
There's no denying Grange's importance in the NFL's history. His impact was felt more off the field than on. The league needed attention. He brought it. The league needed fans. He attracted them. Due mostly to injuries that robbed him of his incredible running ability, Grange didn't have the playing career of other players in line for Mount Rushmore recognition. Ernie Nevers is one of those players. One could even go so far as to say that Nevers would have done for the NFL what Grange did if Grange never did. For the purpose of this Mount Rushmore, Grange is on it.
Picking only four players leaves out so many. Dutch Clark, Wilbur Henry, Bronco Nagurski, Mike Michalske, Clarke Hinkle, Don Hutson, Bulldog Turner, Sid Luckman, Otto Graham, Marion Motley, Bobby Layne, Night Train, John Unitas, Gino Marchetti, Deacon Jones... There really are too many combinations of four to single out an ultimate one.
Post-AFL-NFL Merger (1971-present) Mount Rushmore
Walter Payton
Lawrence Taylor
Jerry Rice
Joe Montana
Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Reggie White, Jonathan Ogden, Ed Reed, Deion Sanders, Emmitt Smith... How do you whittle down the list? In my opinion, Lawrence Taylor and Jerry Rice are the players that have to be part of any combination of four.
All-Time Mount Rushmore
Jim Brown
Sammy Baugh
Lawrence Taylor
Jerry Rice
I have Sammy Baugh as the one quarterback simply because he pushed the passing game so far forward. There were some talented throwers that came before him. Benny Friedman and Arnie Herber in particular, but Baugh was the one that really set the passing game on the path to our present day, pass-happy NFL.
It's so tough to pick only four that there really is no right answer. It would probably be most just to to all of the game-changing players in NFL history to do a Mount Rushmore for each position. Maybe next week.
All-Time Mount Rushmore (coaches)
Paul Brown
Vince Lombardi
Bill Walsh
Bill Belichick
It doesn't feel right to not have Don Shula among the four. Or Tom Landry. Or George Halas.
All-Time Mount Rushmore (contributors)
George Halas
Joe Carr
Bert Bell
Pete Rozelle
George Halas has to be on one of these Mount Rushmores. The not even be an NFL for which to do a Mount Rushmore if not for his dedication and presence.
For all that he did for football rules and officiating, Hugh "Shorty" Ray should have a spot on this Mount Rushmore but there's so little room. Maybe one of the commissioners should be booted.
The important thing to remember about any football Mount Rushmore is that there's no right Mount Rushmore.
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