The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players was a ten-part television series that set out to determine the top 100 greatest NFL players of all time. It was presented by the NFL Network in 2010. The series was based on a list of the top 100 National Football League players of all time, as compiled by a "blue-ribbon" panel assembled by the NFL Network. The members of the panel were current and former NFL coaches, players, executives, and members of the media. Each episode, broadcast each Thursday from September 3 to November 4, 2010, introduced a group of 10 players from the list, with each nominee player presented and advocated for by a separate noteworthy individual in the world of sports and entertainment. It started with the players ranked 100 through 91, and moving up the list each week.[1]
The final episode, premiering on November 4, 2010, introduced the top 10 players of all time according to the panel.[2] Jerry Rice was chosen as the top player of all time, with Jim Brown as the second choice.[3]
The list [ ]
1
Jerry Rice
WR
49ers
2010
2
Jim Brown
FB
Browns
1971
3
Lawrence Taylor
LB
Giants
1999
4
Joe Montana
QB
49ers
2000
5
Walter Payton
RB
Bears
1993
6
Johnny Unitas
QB
Baltimore Colts
1979
7
Reggie White
DE
Eagles , Packers
2006
8
Peyton Manning
QB
Colts
2021
9
Don Hutson
E
Packers
1963
10
Dick Butkus
LB
Bears
1979
11
Ronnie Lott
S
49ers
2000
12
Anthony Muñoz
OT
Bengals
1998
13
Joe Greene
DT
Steelers
1987
14
Sammy Baugh
QB
Washington Redskins
1963
15
Deacon Jones
DE
Rams
1980
16
Otto Graham
QB
Browns
1965
17
Barry Sanders
RB
Lions
2004
18
Ray Lewis
LB
Ravens
2018
19
Bronko Nagurski
FB , LB , OT
Bears
1963
20
Brett Favre
QB
Packers
2016
21
Tom Brady
Patriots
N/A (active)
22
Gale Sayers
HB
Bears
1977
23
John Elway
QB
Broncos
2004
24
John Hannah
G
Patriots
1991
25
Dan Marino
QB
Dolphins
2005
26
Bob Lilly
DT
Cowboys
1980
27
Merlin Olsen
Rams
1982
28
Emmitt Smith
RB
Cowboys
2010
29
Jack Lambert
LB
Steelers
1990
30
Dick Lane
CB
Rams , Chicago Cardinals , Lions
1974
31
Bruce Smith
DE
Bills
2009
32
Jim Parker
OT , G
Baltimore Colts
1973
33
Sid Luckman
QB
Bears
1965
34
Deion Sanders
CB , RS
Falcons , Cowboys
2011
35
Chuck Bednarik
C , LB
Eagles
1967
36
Raymond Berry
SE
Baltimore Colts
1973
37
Jim Thorpe
HB
Canton Bulldogs [4]
1963
38
Lance Alworth
WR
San Diego Chargers
1978
39
Gino Marchetti
DE
Baltimore Colts
1972
40
O. J. Simpson
RB
Bills
1985
41
Rod Woodson
CB
Steelers
2009
42
John Mackey
TE
Baltimore Colts
1992
43
Alan Page
DT
Vikings
1988
44
Mel Blount
CB
Steelers
1989
45
Tony Gonzalez
TE
Chiefs
2019
46
Roger Staubach
QB
Cowboys
1985
47
Ray Nitschke
LB
Packers
1978
48
Red Grange
HB
Bears
1963
49
Mike Haynes
CB
Oakland Raiders , Patriots
1997
50
Terry Bradshaw
QB
Steelers
1989
51
Bart Starr
Packers
1977
52
Eric Dickerson
RB
Rams
1999
53
Willie Lanier
LB
Chiefs
1986
54
Forrest Gregg
OT
Packers
1977
55
Earl Campbell
HB
Oilers
1991
56
Gene Upshaw
G
Oakland Raiders
1987
57
Mike Singletary
LB
Bears
1998
58
Steve Van Buren
HB
Eagles
1965
59
Mike Ditka
E
Bears
1988
60
Jack Ham
LB
Steelers
1988
61
LaDainian Tomlinson
RB
San Diego Chargers
2017
62
Randy White
DT
Cowboys
1994
63
Jim Otto
C
Oakland Raiders
1980
64
Herb Adderley
CB
Packers
1980
65
Randy Moss
WR
Vikings
2018
66
Willie Brown
CB
Oakland Raiders
1984
67
Kellen Winslow
TE
San Diego Chargers
1995
68
Mike Webster
C
Steelers
1997
69
Bobby Bell
LB
Chiefs
1983
70
Marshall Faulk
RB
St. Louis Rams
2011
71
Paul Warfield
WR
Browns ,Dolphins
1983
72
Jonathan Ogden
OT
Ravens
2013
73
Ozzie Newsome
TE
Browns
1999
74
Marion Motley
HB , LB
1968
75
Darrell Green
CB
Washington Redskins
2008
76
Art Shell
OT
Oakland / Los Angeles Raiders
1989
77
Tony Dorsett
RB
Cowboys
1994
78
Bruce Matthews
OL ,LS
Oilers / Titans
2007
79
Emlen Tunnell
S
Giants
1967
80
Troy Aikman
QB
Cowboys
2006
81
Steve Young
49ers
2005
82
Ted Hendricks
DE
Oakland Raiders
1990
83
Norm Van Brocklin
QB
Rams
1971
84
Joe Schmidt
LB
Lions
1973
85
Marcus Allen
RB
Oakland Raiders
2003
86
Willie Davis
DE
Packers
1981
87
Elroy Hirsch
E , FL
Rams
1968
88
Ed Reed
S
Ravens
2019
89
Ernie Nevers
FB
Chicago Cardinals
1963
90
Kurt Warner
QB
Rams
2017
91
Fran Tarkenton
Vikings
1986
92
Michael Irvin
WR
Cowboys
2007
93
Sam Huff
LB
Giants
1982
94
Lenny Moore
HB
Baltimore Colts
1975
95
Larry Allen
G
Cowboys
2013
96
Mel Hein
C
Giants
1963
97
Derrick Brooks
LB
Buccaneers
2014
98
Lee Roy Selmon
DE
1995
99
Michael Strahan
Giants
2014
100
Joe Namath
QB
Jets
1985
† Only team(s) with major contribution.
See also [ ]
References [ ]
^ The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players to Debut Friday, Sept. 3 at 10 p.m. ET on NFL Network
^ Nate Davis, "Who is NFL's greatest player ever? NFL Network reveals No. 1 Thursday night" , USA Today , November 4, 2010.
^ Andy Barall, "Jim Brown Should Be No. 1, but What About Most Underrated?" , New York Times , November 5, 2010.
^ It was a NFL team
External links [ ]