NFL 100: 50-41

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 50-41. 

  50. Dick “Night Train” Lane

  49. Steve Young

  48. Sid Luckman

  47. Randy White

  46. Tony Gonzalez

  45. Larry Allen

  44. Bruce Matthews

  43. Drew Brees

  42. Jim Parker

  41. O.J. Simpson

I expected Dick “Night Train” Lane and Jim Parker to be higher. Each is arguably the best to ever play their respective positions. I suppose that it’s the quality of the 40+ players ahead of them that puts them in the 40s. 

Three top throwers. Steve Young, Sid Luckman, and Drew Brees. 

Unfortunately, it’s now difficult to remember how great O.J. Simpson was on the football field. 

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

Joe Schmidt

Raymond Berry

Ray Nitschke

Bart Starr

Herb Adderley

Lance Alworth

Chuck Bednarik

Gale Sayers

Dick “Night Train” Lane

Sid Luckman

Jim Parker

The Athletic is doing a nice job of including the great players that played much, if not all, of their careers before the first Super Bowl. Most lists like this have such a recency bias that they’re meaningless. 

A recap of the previously revealed players:

100-51:

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

  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

  70. Marshall Faulk

  69. Terry Bradshaw

  68. Charles Woodson

  67. Gene Upshaw

  66. Earl Campbell

  65. Joe Schmidt

  64. Walter Jones

  63. Raymond Berry

  62. Ray Nitshke  

  61. Bart Starr

  60. Jonathan Ogden

  59. Junior Seau

  58. Herb Adderley

  57. Mike Webster

  56. Rob Gronkowski

  55. Lance Alworth

  54. Chuck Bednarik

  53. Gale Sayers

  52. Jack Ham

  51. LaDanian Tomlinson