The National Football League has been around since 1920, which is a long time. Some of the best athletes have shown how fierce football can be on the gridiron. Throughout history, there have been many different types of plays that span both time and genre. Defense and running the ball have always been crucial to NFL success, but the passing game has become more critical over the past few years. The game has seen everything: gunslingers, precise passers, sneaky and strong rushers, tall wideouts, quick slotbacks, and more. It's hard to say who the best player is because there are so many different positions, skills, play styles, levels of athleticism, talent, coaching, and so on. There is a strong case that Tom Brady, Barry Sanders, Lawrence Taylor, and Jerry Rice belong at the "best" level. To determine who was the best player in NFL history, we need to look at each player's strengths and weaknesses and overall stats and awards.
Bet on NFL with 1xBetTom Brady
Tom Brady was the NFL's starting quarterback for the American football team for 22 years. When he first showed up at the combine, people laughed at how bad he was at sports. The New England Patriots picked a fat, white, and sad-looking quarterback from Michigan in the sixth round, 199th overall. Most people who know about football agree that Brady is the best quarterback ever. In his second year with the Patriots, he became the team's primary quarterback and led them to their first Super Bowl win in Super Bowl XXXVI. During his 20 years in the NFL, Brady set several records and led the Patriots to more Super Bowl wins than any other team. No, he's not better than any other player, and he's not better than any other team, either. Tom Brady is one of the most fierce competitors in the game. He had twenty years in the NFL, ten trips to the Super Bowl, and seven wins. At first glance, it seems like Brady has done everything, there is to do in his career. Not only does he hold the record for most NFL wins, but he also once held the record for most passing touchdowns in a season, led the biggest comeback in NFL history, threw for the most yards in Super Bowl history, was named comeback player of the year after breaking his leg, led his team to a perfect regular season record, and won the Super Bowl with a team he joined at the age of 43 and after playing for 19 years in a different system. Even though Brady has been criticized a lot throughout his career, his reputation as one of the best athletes has slowly grown. He has won more games with these great teams than anyone else. Without a doubt, Tom Brady is the best football player ever.
Bet on NFL with 1xBetJerry Rice
Rice got noticed by the NFL after he set a record at Mississippi Valley State in 1984, but his time of 4.7 seconds for 40 yards turned off many teams. Jerry Rice is number two on our top 2 best NFL players list. Jerry Rice is a wide receiver who played in the NFL for nearly 21 years before he left. Rice won three Super Bowls with the 49ers but only made it to one as a Raider. He is one of the best athletes of all time and the best wide receiver in NFL history.
Jerry was in the Pro Bowl thirteen times and won three Super Bowls. He was also on the first team of the All-Pro ten times. He scored 1,256 points, more than any NFL player who wasn't a kicker. One of Rice's other legacies is that he is known for changing the game in the clutch in a good way. Rice had broken over 100 NFL records as of the 2017 season, making him the all-time leader in this category. He has set career records for receptions, receiving yards, total yards, and touchdowns, among other things. No other receiver in history has ever done as well as Jerry Rice did over and over again.
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It's conceivable that Jim Brown, widely regarded as the most excellent running back of all time, would still be successful in today's NFL. Brown currently ranks ninth on the NFL's all-time list for rushing yards. Even more remarkable is that it was accomplished in just four 12-game seasons and five 14-game seasons. People seem to forget that Brown left the game even earlier, at an even more excellent point in his career, and yet they continue to assume that Barry Sanders is better; however, he didn't surpass Brown since he left the game early. After nine seasons in the NFL, Jim Brown called it quits at age 29. Brown opted to abandon football and seek a career in film after he had a falling out with team owner Art Modell. After his retirement, he held every major rushing title, and he still holds several of them today, more than 50 years later.
The early football seasons Brown participated in featured only 12–14 games. Regardless, Brown has the only career averages in the NFL of over 100 yards per game and over 5 yards per rush. Brown led the NFL in the running eight times throughout his nine-year career, leading the league in five touchdowns. After nine seasons in the league, he was named to the Pro Bowl every year and to the First Team of the All-Pro in 8 of those years. During his stint in the NFL, he had no equals. One of his greatest statistical seasons was when he carried 1,544 yards and 17 touchdowns before unexpectedly retiring. Jim's remarkable resilience made him even more remarkable. Brown never missed a game while playing in a run-heavy league. He topped the league in touches six times in his career, but he was never sidelined by injury. Throughout his nine seasons in the NFL, Jim Brown established himself as an unrivaled superstar, never to be surpassed. Although his career was shorter than others on this list, he will always be remembered as a sports legend.
Bet on NFL with 1xBetBarry Sanders
Barry Sanders played for the Detroit Lions for ten years in the National Football League (NFL). Sanders stopped playing football before he turned 30. He had just finished a season in which he ran almost 1,500 yards. Sanders's decision shocked the sports world because he was close to breaking the record for rushing yards. He was the first player to rush for 1,000 yards in his first ten seasons before he retired. Sanders is also the first player in NFL history to rush for at least 1,500 yards in his first four seasons. Sanders' achievements stand out even more because the Detroit Lions didn't have many good players while he was there. Sanders was talented, but he rarely helped a team win a championship. Sanders was strong even when the other team's defense knew he was their biggest problem. He had the right amount of strength, speed, skill, and poise. Because he could change direction and stay low, it was almost impossible for defenders to take him down when they were alone with him.
Bet on NFL with 1xBetLawrence Taylor
American football great Lawrence Taylor played his whole career (1981–1993) as a linebacker for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). In a single stroke, Lawrence Taylor altered the nature of many key positions and offensive playbooks. At 6'3" and 255 pounds, Taylor was a little taller and heavier than the typical NFL lineman of his era. The NFL's offensive shifted to become more pass-oriented, with fewer rushing plays and running backs who could also catch passes.
Taylor's arrival in the league at this pivotal time caused a sensation. His massive frame and lightning-quick feet wreaked havoc on opposing offenses. In the past, running backs were allowed to block outside linebackers, but Taylor proved he could easily outmuscle whatever back the opposing team put in his path. Taylor's persistence was quite remarkable. He has the power to easily knock over linemen and the speed to get around them quickly. Taylor's ability to get behind the line and run the play down from behind forced opponents to come up with new running plays. There is a consensus that he ranks among the NFL's all-time greats. He's been selected to play in 10 Pro Bowls and has two Super Bowl rings. Taylor won the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year title as a rookie, becoming the only player in NFL history to do so. He was named the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1986 and won three AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year titles.
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