The NFL Elite: Best Linebackers In League History

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NFL linebackers, in their purest form, are a brutal combination of instinct and intelligence. Which ones make the list?

In the heart of every NFL defense, linebackers patrol the void between the pass rush and coverage. Great linebackers, regardless of the era are rare. Many can claim good or even very good. However, the elite will never be a daily occurrence. As a result, making this list means that these players stand out for their on-field endeavors. Pass-rushing linebackers did not make this list as they fit into their own positional group.

5. Jack Ham (Steelers)

Years Played: 1971-1982

If not for Jack Ham, the Pittsburgh Steelers dynasty of the 1970s would not exist. Ham arrived in the Steel City, playing with the perennial awful Steelers. Unconcerned with the past, Ham immediately started making an impact. In his third year, the Steelers raised their first Lombardi. Ham played linebacker like he was going to get cut if he missed a tackle or did not hustle. Every down, all out. What separates Ham from many of his contemporaries was the lightning-quick first step and ability to cover. The Penn State product amassed four Super Bowls, six NFL All-Pro trophies and eight Pro Bowl trips during his twelve-year career in Pittsburgh. Along with a gold jacket from Canton, Ham earned the undying respect of his team, rivals, and fans.

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4. Dick Butkus (Bears)

Years Played:1965-1973

No one on this list exemplifies the NFL team and city they played for more than Richard Marvin Butkus. A Chicago native, Butkus set the league ablaze during his rookie year. In grabbing five interceptions and tackling every ballcarrier in sight, Butkus set the tone. Not only could he cover underneath, but he would also make absolutely sure the opponent felt his presence on each and every play. Butkus gave the Bears defense needed teeth and aggression during his nine-year tenure. Now, Butkus admires his mantle, filled with a Hall of Fame ring, eight Pro Bowl, and five All-Pro nods. The quintessential Chicagoan.

3. Derrick Brooks (Buccaneers)

Years Played: 1995-2008

To play in the Tampa 2, the middle linebacker needed to possess speed and agility. More importantly, to succeed in the Tampa 2, you need to be smart. Derrick Brooks set the standard for not only that defense but the ability to inspire a moribund franchise with his play. With the front four specifically tasked with getting home, Brooks patrolled the middle and sideline to sideline. Brooks, despite being only slightly larger than a modern safety, Brooks never tallied fewer than seventy tackles in fourteen seasons. Moreover, those twelve consecutive triple-digit tackle years jump off the stat sheet. The film shows one of the smartest, most instinctive linebackers to pad up on Sundays. One gold jacket, one Super Bowl ring, eleven Pro Bowls, and five All-Pro acknowledgments. Critics say Brooks was undersized. Meanwhile, those who know, say Derrick Brooks played like a giant. Add in six returns for touchdowns, and you have a legend.

2. Ray Nitschke (Packers)

Years Played: 1958-1972

Football is not for the weak of the soul. Ray Nitschke, from the time he rolled out the crib in Illinois, sought to snatch the soul of every player he encountered. Vince Lombardi trusted Nitschke to lead his defense through multiple championship seasons. Nitschke played with a controlled violence that decimated opponents at the line of scrimmage and backfield. He chased down ballcarriers with a bubbling hatred for opponents. When the switch flipped, Nitschke was a three-down linebacker, capable of coverage. Nitschke pulled down twenty-five interceptions by being alert, possessing a sixth sense for the ball and timing. Seven championships, a gold jacket, NFL Pro Bowl, and All-Pro kudos.

1. Ray Lewis (Ravens)

Years Played: 1996-2012

When history is recorded, standout players at every spot would be named. However, only a handful would present the type of overall dominance and effect of Ray Lewis. Blessed with the leverage to defeat blockers via his amateur wrestling background, Lewis insinuated himself into every play on the field. From sideline to sideline to the middle of the field to the backfield, Lewis mattered more. If you parse the skillset, start with the otherwordly football IQ, reading formations, and predicting play flow before the snap. Then, focus on the vision to look around blockers at the ball carrier. Lastly, the timing to meet the back in the hole and stop him. 2059 tackles. No player in the hundred-year-plus history of the NFL enjoyed more success in tackling opponents. Lewis brought an intellectual vengeance to linebacker. Never a false step, he sifted through the trash to make just about every play. Furthermore, the leadership of gathering two different championship defenses in two separate eras is pure sorcery. Twelve Pro Bowls, seven All-Pro Awards, and a gold jacket. Ray Lewis isn’t just the linebacker, he is THE linebacker.