2) Barry Sanders
In ten NFL seasons Sanders rung up 15,269 yards and then rather mysteriously retired. He wasn’t in physical decline. In his final two seasons he ran for 2,053 and 1,491 yards, respectively. Many speculate that Sanders didn’t want to break Walter Payton’s then all-time rushing record out of respect. Whatever the reason, if Sanders had produced for just two more years near the level of his last two, he would likely would have surpassed, or at least come very near Emmitt Smith’s career record of 18,355 yards in three fewer seasons. Had Sanders played as many seasons as Smith, and say he ran for 1,000 yards per year in those seasons—a considerable drop from his career average—he would have gone over 20,000 career rushing yards and absolutely crushed Smith’s mark.
Consider also that Smith played behind a historically great offensive line with plenty of other weapons to distract the defense like Troy Aikman, Jay Novaceck, Alvin Harper, and Michael Irvin. Sanders was mostly a one man band on the field. His main quarterback was Scott Mitchell, and the best offensive player Sanders ever played alongside was the very good but never great Herman Moore. Smith averaged 1,224 yards per season, an amazing feat, but Sanders ran for 1,527. Sanders also gained an astonishing 5 yards per carry for his career; Smith averaged 4.2.
In addition, Sanders was a one-time MVP, three-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year, made ten Pro Bowls (every year of his career), and was a six-time First Team All-Pro. He led the league in rushing four times, finished second three times, and was in the top-5 every year of his career.
Statistics aside, I probably rank him this high because Sanders was the most dazzling, entertaining, take-your-breath-away player I have ever watched. I remember Sanders once dancing in and out of tacklers, evading, slipping, sliding, and breaking tackles, and he only gained three yards on the play. The announcer said, “That has to be the most entertaining three-yard run I’ve ever seen.” It was perfectly stated; Sanders was the most artistic player of his generation.
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| #2 Barry Sanders |
1) Jerry Rice
Putting together an NFL Top-10 list is probably the most challenging of all the sports because of the difference in positions, between the various roles players have and how many players are on the field at a time. In basketball, baseball, hockey, and tennis, it’s easier to lean on individual statistics, championships, awards, etc. to make your judgments. But in football, with all the moving parts of a team and the importance of eleven men working precisely in unison, it’s harder to single out great performers.
Oddly though, placing Jerry Rice as the #1 all-time football player was the easiest “Best Ever” to select of any sport I will cover in the Top-10 series. For example, I at least debated placing a few players over Michael Jordan. I will struggle mightily figuring out the best ever when it comes to my tennis series. But in writing this piece, the first thing I did was type the number “1” and put Jerry Rice’s name next to it. No thought. No conflict. No doubt about it. Now let’s get to why making Rice my GOAT (Greatest of All-Time) was such an easy decision.
Argue with your friends about whom the greatest player ever at any position in the NFL was, and you will get a smattering of answers.
Greatest quarterback: Tom Brady, Brett Favre, John Elway, Peyton Manning, Dan Marino, Joe Montana, Johnny Unitas
Greatest running back: Jim Brown, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, Gale Sayers, Emmitt Smith
Greatest linebacker: Dick Butkus, Ray Lewis, Ray Nitschke, Mike Singletary, Lawrence Taylor… you get the idea.
But bring up the wide receiver position, and anyone that doesn’t say Jerry Rice was either born after 1999 or his girlfriend makes him watch the Oxygen channel every night. There is simply no debate, and here is why.
Rice is the all-time leader in receiving yards with 22,895; his next closest competition is Terrell Owens who is 7,000 yards behind. The league’s all-time leader in total touchdowns with 208, next in line is the retired Emmitt Smith, 43 touchdowns behind Rice. Regarding only receiving touchdowns, Rice again sits atop the mountain with 197, 44 more than his closest competitors Randy Moss and Owens.
If you couldn’t have surmised, of course Rice holds the career record with 1,549 receptions. In second is Marvin Harrison, 447 behind. Total yards from scrimmage, guess who tops that list? Rice again, with 23,540 yards. For perspective on how incredible that is, the next nine players on the yards from scrimmage leader board are running backs.
Rice also holds the single season record for receiving yards in a season with 1,848, which came when he was 33 years old. Rice also ranks twenty-seventh on the all-time scoring list; the other top-42 players on that list are kickers.
He won three Super Bowl Championships in his tenure with the 49ers and claimed Super Bowl MVP honors in 1989. His stat lines in the three Super Bowl victories were, in order: 11 receptions for 215 yards and a touchdown, 7 receptions for 148 yards and 3 touchdowns, and 10 receptions for 149 yards and 3 touchdowns. Thus, Rice’s average Super Bowl performance was 9 catches for 171 yards and 2 touchdowns. Ho-hum.
The two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year made thirteen Pro Bowls, ten First Team All-Pro teams, led the league in receiving yards six times and was in the top-4 in five others. Receiving touchdowns were no different; he led the league in that category six times and was in the top-5 four times. Six times he also led the league in receiving yards per game.
Rice played in 303 regular season games (one ahead of Favre, Yes!) the most by any non-kicker, and 29 playoff games, the most of any player ever.
Rice was more than simply “great;” he was number one in every single major statistical category at his position. He was a winner, he produced huge in big games, he outworked everyone, and he’s on the top of every all-time record list you look at.
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| #1 Jerry Rice |
--from @AdamHocking
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