Top 100: NFL players all-time list – [2024 Updated]
We are starting to prepare for an NFL 2024 season with expectations of records and legends. Who is the best NFL player of all time?
In this article, Scott Fujita will summarize for you the list of NFL top 100 players of all time. They are players who have made great contributions to NFL history.
Let’s read on to discover!
Top 100 NFL greatest players of all-time.
Contents
Who are The Top 100 NFL Players of All Time?
Below is a summary of the top 100 best NFL players of all time:
1. Jerry Rice
Position: Wide Receiver
Teams: San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks and Oakland Raiders.
Highlight achievement:
2010 Pro Football Hall of Fame, 3-time Super Bowl champion, 13-time Pro Bowl, over 20,000 receiving yards in NFL history.
View more about Jerry Rice
2. Tom Brady
Position: QB.
Team: New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Highlight achievement:
6-time Super Bowl champion, 4-time Super Bowl MVP, 3-time First-team All-Pro, 2-time Second-team All-Pro, 2009 Player of the Year.
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3. Lawrence Taylor
Position: LB.
Team: New York Giants.
Highlight achievement:
2-time Super Bowl champion, 9-time First-Team All-Pro, 3-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
4. Jim Brown
Position: Running Back.
Team: Cleveland Browns.
Highlight achievement:
8-time First-Team All-Pro, Pro Football Hall of Fame, 1962 Second-Team All-Pro, 9-time Pro Bowl.
Related about Jim Brown
5. Walter Payton
Position: Running Back.
Team: Chicago Bears.
Highlight achievement:
1 Super Bowl champion, Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993, Second-team All-Pro in 1986, Second leading rusher in NFL history.
6. Joe Montana
Position: QB.
Teams: San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs.
Highlight achievement:
Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000, 4-time Super Bowl champion, 3-time Super Bowl MVP, 3-time first-team All-Pro, 2-time second-team All-Pro.
7. Reggie White
Position: DE.
Teams: Philadelphia Eagles, Carolina Panthers, and Green Bay Packers.
Highlight achievement:
Super Bowl champion in 1996, Hall of Fame, AP Defensive Player of the Year, 8-time first-team All-Pro.
8. Peyton Manning
Position: QB.
Teams: Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos.
Highlight achievement:
2-time Super Bowl champion, 14-time Pro Bowl, 3-time second-team All-Pro.
2-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year, 2nd most passing yards in NFL history.
9. Johnny Unitas
Position: QB.
Teams: Baltimore Colts and San Diego Chargers.
Highlight achievement: a Super Bowl, Pro Football Hall of Fame (1979).
10. Barry Sanders
Position: Running Back.
Team: Detroit Lions.
Achievements: Pro Football HOF 2004, 10-time pro bowl.
11. Joe Greene
Position: Defensive Tackle.
Team: Pittsburgh Steelers.
Highlight achievement:
Pro Football HOF (1987), 4-time Super Bowl champion, 5-time First-team All-Pro, 3-time Second-team All-Pro, and 10-time Pro Bowl.
12. Dick Butkus
Position: LB.
Team: Chicago Bears.
Highlight achievement:
1979 Pro Football Hall of Fame, 6-time first-team All-Pro.
2-time second-team All-Pro, 8-time Pro Bowl, 2-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
13. Ronnie Lott
Position: DB.
Teams: Los Angeles Raiders, New York Jets, and San Francisco 49ers.
Achievements:
2000 Hall of Fame, 4-time Super Bowl Champion, First-team All-Pro, 10-time Pro Bowl.
14. Anthony Munoz
Position: LT.
Team: Cincinnati Bengals.
Achievements: Hall of Fame in 1998, First-team All-Pro, 11-time Pro Bowl.
15. Deacon Jones
Position: DE.
Teams: Los Angeles Rams, Washington Redskins, and San Diego Chargers.
Achievements:
1980 Pro Football Hall of Fame, 3-time second-team All-Pro, 2-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, 5-time First-Team All-Pro.
16. Deion Sanders
Position: DB.
Teams: San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, and Washington Redskins.
Achievements:
2011 Hall of Fame, AP Defensive Player of the Year 1994, 2-time Super Bowl Champion, First-team All-Pro.
17. Otto Graham
Position: QB.
Team: Cleveland Browns.
Achievements: Hall of Fame in 1965, 3-time NFL Champion, 4-time AAFC champion, First-team All-Pro.
18. John Elway
Position: QB.
Team: Denver Broncos.
Achievements: Hall of Fame in 2004, two-time Super Bowl champion, 1998 Super Bowl MVP.
19. Emmitt Smith
Position: Running Back.
Teams: Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals.
Achievements: Pro Football HOF 2010, three-time Super Bowl champion, Super Bowl MVP.
20. Dan Marino
Position: QB.
Teams: Miami Dolphins.
Achievements:
3-time First-team All-Pro, 4-time second-team All-Pro, NFL Comeback Player of the Year (1994), 9-time Pro Bowl.
21. Gale Sayers
Position: Running Back.
Team: Chicago Bears.
Achievements: Hall of Fame in 1977, First-team All-Pro, 4-time Pro Bowl.
22. Sammy Baugh
Position: QB
Team: Washington Redskins.
Achievements: 2-time NFL champion, 4-time First-team All-Pro.
23. Ray Lewis
Position: LB.
Team: Baltimore Ravens.
Achievements: 2-time Super Bowl champion, AP Defensive Player of the Year 2003, Super Bowl MVP, First-team All-Pro.
24. Randy Moss
Position: Wide Receiver.
Teams: Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers, and Tennessee Titans.
Achievements: 4-time First-team All-Pro, Pro Bowl MVP.
25. Don Hutson (Green Bay Packers)
Position: E.
Team: Green Bay Packers.
Achievements: Hall of Fame, 3-time NFL champion, First-team All-Pro.
26. Brett Favre
Position: QB.
Teams: Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota Vikings, and New York Jets.
Achievements:
2016 Pro Football Hall of Fame, 3-time first-team All-Pro, 3-time second-team All-Pro, Super Bowl champion.
27. Alan Page
Position: DT.
Teams: Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears.
Achievements: Pro Football HOF, NFL defensive player of the year.
28. Bruce Smith
Position: DE.
Teams: Buffalo Bills, Washington Redskins.
Achievements:
8-time First-team All-Pro, 2-time Second-team All-Pro, 2-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
29. Jack Lambert
Position: LB.
Team: Pittsburgh Steelers.
Achievements:
4-time Super Bowl champion, 6-time First-team All-Pro, 2-time Second-team All-Pro, 2-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
30. John Hannah
Position: G.
Team: New England Patriots.
Achievements: First-team All-Pro.
31. Bob Lilly
Position: DT.
Team: Dallas Cowboys.
Achievements: Hall of Fame in 1980, Super Bowl Champion (1972), First-team All-Pro.
32. Ed Reed
Position: S.
Team: Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans, and New York Jets.
Achievements:
Super Bowl Champion, 5-time First-team All-Pro, 3-time Second-team All-Pro.
NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2004), Longest Interception Return in NFL History.
33. Dick ‘Night Train’ Lane
Position: CB.
Teams: Los Angeles Rams, Detroit Lions, Chicago Cardinals.
Achievements:
1974 Pro Football Hall of Fame, 7-time Pro Bowl, 7-time first-team All-Pro, most interceptions in a season in NFL history (14).
34. Drew Brees
Position: QB.
Teams: San Diego Chargers, New Orleans Saints.
Achievements: Super Bowl champion, 2-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year, First-team All-pro.
35. Gino Marchetti
Position: Defensive End.
Teams: Dallas Texans, Baltimore Colts.
Achievements: Hall of Fame in 1972, seven-time First-Team All-Pro.
36. Tony Gonzalez
Position: Tight End.
Teams: Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Falcons.
Achievements: 6-time First-team All-Pro, 4-time Second-team All-Pro.
37. Rod Woodson
Position: DB.
Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders.
Achievements:
1993 AP Defensive Player of the Year, 2009 Hall of Fame, 2001 Super Bowl champion, First-team All-Pro.
38. Eric Dickerson
Position: Running Back.
Teams: Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Raiders, Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons.
Achievements: 1999 Hall of Fame, AP Offensive Player of the Year, 5-time First-team All-Pro.
39. Mel Blount
Position: DB.
Team: Pittsburgh Steelers.
Achievements: 1989 Hall of Fame, 4-time Super Bowl champion, AP Defensive Player of Year, First-team All-Pro.
40. O.J. Simpson
Position: Running Back.
Teams: Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers.
Achievements: 1985 Hall of Fame, 5-time First-team All-Pro.
41. Aaron Rodgers
Position: QB.
Team: Green Bay Packers.
Achievements:
Super Bowl champion, Super Bowl MVP, 2-time First-team All-pro, Second-team All-pro (2012), Seven-time pro bowl.
42. Ray Nitschke
Position: LB.
Team: Green Bay Packers.
Achievements: 1978 Hall of Fame, 2-time Super Bowl champion, First-team All-Pro.
43. Forrest Gregg
Position: T.
Teams: Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys.
Achievements: Pro Football HOF (1977), 3-time Super Bowl Champion, 7-time First-team All-pro, nine pro bowls.
44. Chuck Bednarik
Position: C/LB.
Team: Philadelphia Eagles.
Achievements: Hall of Fame in 1967, 2-time NFL champion (1949, ‘60), First-team All-Pro, 8-time Pro Bowler
45. Jim Thorpe
Position: RB.
Teams: Cleveland Indians, Canton Bulldogs, Oorang Indians, New York Giants, Chicago Cardinals.
Achievements: First-team All-pro in 1923.
46. Mike Singletary
Position: LB.
Team: Chicago Bears.
Achievements: Super Bowl Champion, 7-time First-team All-pro, Second-team All-pro 1990.
47. Red Grange
Position: RB.
Teams: Chicago Bears, New York Yankees.
Achievements: Pro Football HOF, 2-time First-team All-pro.
48. Roger Staubach
Position: QB.
Team: Dallas Cowboys.
Achievements: Super Bowl MVP.
49. Jim Parker
Position: OG/OT.
Team: Baltimore Colts.
Achievements: 9-time First-team All-Pro, Second-team All-Pro.
50. Bronko Nagurski
Position: FB.
Team: Chicago Bears.
Achievements: 1963 Hall of Fame, 4-time First-team All-Pro.
***
Below are 50 great names that remain on the list of the greatest NFL players of all time.
NFL players with many achievements.
51. John Mackey
52. Terrell Owens
53. Merlin Olsen
54. LaDainian Tomlinson
55. Gene Upshaw
56. Steve Young
57. Marshall Faulk
58. Raymond Berry
59. Earl Campbell
60. Junior Seau
61. Charles Woodson
62. Lance Alworth
63. Bart Starr
64. J.J. Watt
65. Larry Fitzgerald
66. Mike Webster
67. Jack Ham
68. Joe Namath
69. Orlando Pace
70. Art Shell
71. Ted Hendricks
72. Randy White
73. Bruce Matthews
74. Larry Allen
75. Terry Bradshaw
76. Sid Luckman
77. Jim Otto
78. Michael Strahan
79. Kellen Winslow Sr
80. Adrian Peterson
81. Walter Jones
82. Willie Lanier
83. Michael Irvin
84. Jonathan Ogden
85. Marvin Harrison
86. Derrick Thomas
87. Troy Polamalu
88. Aaron Donald
89. Rob Gronkowski
90. Tony Dorsett
91. Lee Roy Selmon
92. Fran Tarkenton
93. Marion Motley
94. Herb Adderley
95. Adam Vinatieri
96. Darrell Green
98. Willie Brown
99. Franco Harris
100. Troy Aikman
All-time team most significant moment.
This video also compiled the most renowned names of the best football players of all time in the.
#100: Joe Namath | The Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players (2010) | #FlashbackFridays
Final Thought
Above are the NFL top 100 all time with outstanding achievements in NFL history. Scott Fujita will continue to refresh and update this list. If you are a football enthusiast, don’t forget to join us in this 2024 NFL season.