Favorite Teammates

NFL.com currently has an interesting article listing the "Favorite Teammates" of some former players that now work for NFL Network.

From NFL.com:

Analysts and fans put tons of effort into evaluating the careers of professional football players, making lists and writing thinkpieces and comparing achievements -- but no outside observer can ever hope to match the intimate knowledge shared by those who actually spent time on an NFL field together.

In this series, former players who work for NFL Network will name the five best players they each individually played with in their careers. Note that these lists are completely subjective, based on factors that only contemporary colleagues could fairly evaluate, like locker-room influence and impact as a teammate, in addition to skill sets and in-game production. Which means they will be packed with surprises -- and they'll be more interesting than a simple recitation of the most obviously accomplished past teammates. (Note also that the personal nature of this exercise means the absence of a high-profile ex-teammate or two SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AS A SNUB.)

The three former players, current NFL Network employees that have taken part, so far, are Steve Smith Sr., DeAngelo Hall, and Joe Thomas.

Steve Smith Sr.:
5. Julius Peppers, DE
4. Mushin Muhammad/Ricky Proehl, WRs
3. Terrell Suggs
2. Greg Olsen, TE
1. Jordan Gross, OT

The teammate that stands out on Smith's list is Jordan Gross. Even though I knew that both went to Utah it never occurred to me that they were teammates there.

DeAngelo Hall:
5. Jordan Reed, TE
4. DeSean Jackson, WR
3. Jason Taylor, DE
2. London Fletcher, LB
1. Michael Vick, QB

Hall was a teammate of Jason Taylor for only half of a season. That's a short time to make such an impact. And it was toward the end of Taylor's career. I've been critical of Taylor's first-ballot Hall of Fame induction. He's a HOFer. But on the first ballot? This statement on Taylor as a teammate might be the strongest I've heard in support of it. And London Fletcher. My goodness, it was fun to watch him play football.

Joe Thomas:
5. Phil Dawson, K
4. Josh Cribbs, WR/ST
3. Mitchell Schwartz, OT
2. Myles Garrett, DE
1. Alex Mack, C

It's Thomas' list that drew me to this post on NFL.com. He lists two Cal players among his five favorite teammates. Mitchell Schwartz and Alex Mack. They are two of my favorite Cal players of the past couple decades. They are also two of the best Cal players of the past couple decades. The Browns had an offensive line that included Thomas, Mack, and Schwartz. Joel Bitonio is a strong fourth member of that line. I've never understood why the front office in Cleveland broke up that offensive line. I never understood it but I was never surprised. Doing stupid things has been the Browns way.