Greatest NFL Players – Jersey #’s: 76-99

Ok. Here it is. The final edition of the 100 Greatest NFL Jersey’s Numbers. This is my picks for numbers 76-100. There are bound to be a few controversial selections, so let’s get to it. By the way…out of this group, I am selecting number 80, Jerry Rice, as the best. I’m open to arguments against, but you’re going to find that number hard to argue against. I look forward to your comments. By the way, I have updated the 50-76 post. After we’ve hammered this out, I plan to post an overall 00-99 list.

76 Lou Groza – K – 60’s Cleveland
77 Red Grange – RB – 30’s Bears
78 Bruce Smith – DE – 90’s Bills
79 Roosevelt Brown – OT – 50’s Giants
80 Jerry Rice – WR – 80’s 49ers
81 Dick “Night Train” Lane – CB – 60’s Lions
82 Raymond Berry – WR – 60’s Colts
83 Ted Hendricks – OLB – 70’s Raiders
84 Shannon Sharpe – TE – 90’s Broncos
85 Nick Buoniconti – MLB – 70’s Steelers
86 Hines Ward – WR – 00’s Steelers
87 Willie Davis – DE – 60’s Packers
88 Alan Page – DT – 70’s Vikings (Thanks to Jimbo Booth) Replaces John Mackey
89 Mike Ditka – TE – 60’s Bears
90 Neil Smith – DE – 90’s Chiefs
91 Kevin Greene – DE – 90’s Steelers
92 Reggie White – DE – 90’s Packers
93 Dwight Freenly – DE – 00’s Colts
94 Charles Haley – DE – 90’s Cowboys
95 Richard Dent – DE – 80’s Bears
96 Cortez Kennedy – DT – 90’s Seahawks
97 Simeon Rice – DE – 00’s Buccaneers
98 Tony Siragusa – DT – 90’s Ravens
99 Warren Sapp – DT – 00’s Raiders

Greatest NFL Players – Jersey #’s: 51-75

We’ve had some great interaction on our Great NFL Jersey Numbers series. I’ve made corrections to the 1-50 posts. However, there is still much controversy surrounding the pick for Jersey #12. Should it be Tom Brady or Roger Staubach. Brady has the numbers, but Staubach missed four years because of obligations to the Navy. In fact, some are so passionate about Staubach being the pic that they have made the arguement that he should be the pick because he was a deeply religious man and that God would pick him on his team to play quarterback. Now, in my estimation that seems to be going a little far…everyone knows that God would pick Martin Luther to play quarterback.

So, continuing the series on the greatest NFL Players according to number, I am posting numbers 51-75. I think after we’ve finished this we should contact the Hall of Fame and let them know that we’ve worked this out for them. Remember that I’m posting a picture of the jersey that I feel is the best player out of the group – in this case, Lawrence Taylor. We should argue that as well – especially in this group of players.

(Corrections from comments in Red)

50 Mike Singletary – LB – 80’s Bears
51 Dick Butkus – LB – 60’s Bears
52 Ray Lewis – LB – 00’s Ravens
53 Harry Carson – LB – 80’s Giants
54 Randy White – DT – 70’s Cowboys
55 Derrick Brooks – OLB – 00’s Buccaneers
56 Lawrence Taylor – OLB – 80’s Giants
57 Dwight Stephenson – C – 80’s Dolphins (Thanks to Jimbo Booth) Replaces Tom Jackson
58 Jack Lambert – LB – 70’s Steelers
59 Jack Ham – OLB – 70’s Steelers
60 Chuck Bednarik – LB – 50’s Eagles
61 Curly Culp – DT – 70’s Chiefs
62 Jim Langer – C – 70’s Dolphins
63 Gene Upshaw – OG – 70’s Raiders
64 Jerry Kramer – OG – 60’s Packers
65 Elvin Bethea – DE – 70’s Oilers
66 Ray Nitchke – LB – 60’s Packers
67 Bob Kuechenberg – OT – 70’s Dolphins
68 Russ Grimm – OG – 80’s Redskins
69 Mark Schlereth – OG – 90’s Broncos
70 Sam Huff – LB – 60’s Giants
71 Alex Karras – DE – 70’s Lions
72 Dan Dierdorf – OG – 70’s Cardinals
73 John Hannah – OG – 70’s Patriots
74 Bob Lilly – DT – 60’s Cowboys
75 Mean Joe Greene – DT – 70’s Steelers (Thanks to Ron Milz and Jimbo Booth) Replaces Howie Long

Greatest NFL Players – Jersey #’s: 26-50

Continuing the series on the greatest NFL Players according to number, I am rolling numbers 26-50. Thank you for all your comments on 1-25. It helped a great deal. I made corrections on that post and, if you can make a good argument, I’ll make corrections to this one as well.

(Corrections from comments in Red)

26 Herb Adderley – CB – 60’s Packers
27 Ken Houston – FS – 70’s Redskins
28 Darrel Green – CB – 80’S Redskins
29 Eric Dickerson – HB – 80’s Rams
30 Terrell Davis – HB – 90’s Broncos
31 Jim Taylor – FB – 60’s Packers
32 Jim Brown – FB – 60’s Browns
33 Sammy Baugh – QB – 40’s Redskins (Thanks Ron Milz)
34 Walter Payton – HB – 80’s Bears
35 Calvin Hill – HB – 70’s Cowboys
36 Jerome Bettis – FB – 00’s Steelers
37 Doak Walker – HB – 50’s Lions
38 Arnie Herber – QB – 30’s Packers
39 Larry Csonka – FB – 70’s Dolphins
40 Gale Sayers – HB – 60’s Bears
41 Tom Matte – FB – 60’s Colts
42 Ronnie Lott – FS – 80’s 49ers
43 Don Perkins – FB – 60’s Cowboys
44 John Riggins – FB – 80’s Redskins
45 Emlen Tunnell – FS – 50’s Giants
46 Chuck Muncie – FB – 80’s Chargers
47 Mel Blount – SS – 70’s Steelers
48 Moose Johnston – FB – 90’s Cowboys
49 Bobby Mitchell – HB – RB 60’s Redskins
50 Mike Singletary – MLB – 80’s Bears

Greatest NFL Players – Jersey #’s: 1-25

Here are what I consider to be the top 100 players in NFL History according to their particular jersey numbers. I’m going to do this in four different posts in groups of 25. I will have a picture of the jersey that I feel is the best player in each group. I know you are bound to take issue with these. That’s fine. Let me know what you think. Here are the first 25:

(Corrections from comments in Red).

.00 Jim Otto – C – 60’s Raiders- (Thanks to Rod Heneger)
-1 Jim Thorpe – HB – 20’s Bulldogs – (Thanks to James Booth)
-2 Charley Trippi – HB – 40’s Cardinals
-3 Bronco Nagurski – FB – 30’s Bears
-4 Brett Favre – QB – 90’s Packers
-5 Paul Hornung – HB – 60’s Packers
-6 Kevin Butler – K – 80’s Bears – (Thanks to Ron Milz)
-7 John Elway – QB – 90’s Broncos
-8 Larry Wilson – SS – 60’s Cardinals
-9 Sonny Jurgensen – QB – 60’s Redskins
10 Fran Tarkenton – QB – 70’s Vikings
11 Norm Van Brocklin – QB – 50’s Rams
12 Tom Brady – QB – 00’s Patriots – (Thanks to Jimbo Booth)
13 Dan Marino – QB – 80’s Dolphins
14 Otto Graham – QB – 50’s Browns – (Thanks to Ron Milz)
15 Bart Starr – QB – 60’s Packers
16 Joe Montana – QB – 80’s 49ers
17 Red Badgro – WR – 30’s Giants
18 Peyton Manning – QB – 00’s Colts
19 Johnny Unitas – QB – 60’s Colts
20 Barry Sanders – HB – 80’s Lions
21 Deion Sanders – CB – 90’s Falcons
22 Emmitt Smith – HB – 90’s Cowboys
23 Devin Hester – CB – 00’s Bears
24 Lenny Moore – HB – 60’s Colts
25 Fred Biletnikof – WR – 70’s Raiders

Out of this group I struggled between Johnny U and California Joe. In the end, I had to go with Montana. Not just a great quarterback. Montana was the consummate leader, teammate, and a real live football player.

1958 NFL Championship Game

As a follow up to my previous post, I’m including a video from another blog I discovered. I was unaware that a new book – “The Best Game Ever” – has recently been released that defends the idea that the 1958 Championship is the best game ever. Take a look at author Mark Bowden as he recounts the televised matchup and its effects on the nation. I’m so glad to hear that my choice has been validated.

Click Here to watch the video

Top 30 NFL Games of All Time – Modern Era

I am an insatiable NFL fan. When I was twenty-one years old and I first started sensing a call into Christian ministry, my greatest concern was that I might have to miss NFL games. I am so thankful that God called me to minister in a Presbyterian Church where there are no Sunday Evening Services. In the fall, after a wonderful morning of worship, there is no greater feeling for me than to buy a bucket of fried chicken, pop a couple of cold ones, and kick back in front of my big screen to watch the greatest sport on the face of the planet. Jonathan Edwards and Calvin, being pretty serious guys, would probably disapprove. But I don’t hold it against them.