Saturday, July 24, 2021

NFL 100: 80-71

As a break from the countdown of the 100 Greatest Minnesota Vikings Players, this is a return to the other Top 100 countdown that’s taking place. The Athletic is counting down their 100 best players in the history of the National Football League. The NFL 100. Their most recent reveals are the players ranked 80-71.

  80. Willie Lanier
  79. Mike Haynes
  78. Roger Staubach
  77. Ted Hendricks
  76. Art Shell
  75. Paul Warfield
  74. Bobby Bell
  73. Marion Motley
  72. Adrian Peterson
  71. Mel Blount

There’s a nice run of Raiders players. Mike Haynes, Ted Hendricks, and Art Shell. I couldn’t believe it when the Raiders managed to get their hands on Haynes. They already had Lester Hayes. No team deserved such cornerback riches. 

#72 is far too low for Adrian Peterson. 

Pre-Super Bowl Era Tracker:

Steve Van Buren
Jim Otto
Mike Ditka
Fran Tarkenton
Elroy Hirsch
Lenny Moore
Willie Davis
Willie Brown
Bobby Layne
Buck Buchanan
Bulldog Turner
Mel Hein
Leo Nomellini
John Mackey
Paul Warfield
Bobby Bell
Marion Motley

The Athletic is doing a nice job including players that played much, if not all, of their career prior to the first Super Bowl. After seven “older” players in each of the first two reveals, there were only three “older” players among the players ranked 80-71. 

A recap of the previously revealed players:

100-81:

100. Derrick Brooks
  99. Dermontti Dawson
  98. Steve Van Buren
  97. Jim Otto 
  96. Mike Ditka
  95. Fran Tarkenton
  94. Elroy Hirsch
  93. Mike Singletary
  92. Lenny Moore
  91. Willie Davis
  90. Willie Brown
  89. Bobby Layne
  88. Darrell Green
  87. Champ Bailey
  86. Buck Buchanan
  85. Bulldog Turner
  84. Mel Hein
  83. Leo Nomellini
  82. Kellen Winslow
  81. John Mackey

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