The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players

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]

For the 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, see National Football League 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.

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
Rank Player Year inducted to Pro Football Hall of Fame
1 Jerry Rice 2010
2 Jim Brown 1971
3 Lawrence Taylor 1999
4 Joe Montana 2000
5 Walter Payton 1993
6 Johnny Unitas 1979
7 Reggie White 2006
8 Peyton Manning N/A (eligible, not yet inducted)
9 Don Hutson 1963
10 Dick Butkus 1979
11 Ronnie Lott 2000
12 Anthony Muñoz 1998
13 Joe Greene 1987
14 Sammy Baugh 1963
15 Deacon Jones 1980
16 Otto Graham 1965
17 Barry Sanders 2004
18 Ray Lewis 2018
19 Bronko Nagurski 1963
20 Brett Favre 2016
21 Tom Brady N/A (active)
22 Gale Sayers 1977
23 John Elway 2004
24 John Hannah 1991
25 Dan Marino 2005
26 Bob Lilly 1980
27 Merlin Olsen 1982
28 Emmitt Smith 2010
29 Jack Lambert 1990
30 Night Train Lane 1974
31 Bruce Smith 2009
32 Jim Parker 1973
33 Sid Luckman 1965
34 Deion Sanders 2011
35 Chuck Bednarik 1967
36 Raymond Berry 1973
37 Jim Thorpe 1963
38 Lance Alworth 1978
39 Gino Marchetti 1972
40 O. J. Simpson 1985
41 Rod Woodson 2009
42 John Mackey 1992
43 Alan Page 1988
44 Mel Blount 1989
45 Tony Gonzalez 2019
46 Roger Staubach 1985
47 Ray Nitschke 1978
48 Red Grange 1963
49 Mike Haynes 1997
50 Terry Bradshaw 1989
51 Bart Starr 1977
52 Eric Dickerson 1999
53 Willie Lanier 1986
54 Forrest Gregg 1977
55 Earl Campbell 1991
56 Gene Upshaw 1987
57 Mike Singletary 1998
58 Steve Van Buren 1965
59 Mike Ditka 1988
60 Jack Ham 1988
61 LaDainian Tomlinson 2017
62 Randy White 1994
63 Jim Otto 1980
64 Herb Adderley 1980
65 Randy Moss 2018
66 Willie Brown 1984
67 Kellen Winslow 1995
68 Mike Webster 1997
69 Bobby Bell 1983
70 Marshall Faulk 2011
71 Paul Warfield 1983
72 Jonathan Ogden 2013
73 Ozzie Newsome 1999
74 Marion Motley 1968
75 Darrell Green 2008
76 Art Shell 1989
77 Tony Dorsett 1994
78 Bruce Matthews 2007
79 Emlen Tunnell 1967
80 Troy Aikman 2006
81 Steve Young 2005
82 Ted Hendricks 1990
83 Norm Van Brocklin 1971
84 Joe Schmidt 1973
85 Marcus Allen 2003
86 Willie Davis 1981
87 Elroy Hirsch 1968
88 Ed Reed 2019
89 Ernie Nevers 1963
90 Kurt Warner 2017
91 Fran Tarkenton 1986
92 Michael Irvin 2007
93 Sam Huff 1982
94 Lenny Moore 1975
95 Larry Allen 2013
96 Mel Hein 1963
97 Derrick Brooks 2014
98 Lee Roy Selmon 1995
99 Michael Strahan 2014
100 Joe Namath 1985

References
  1. The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players to Debut Friday, Sept. 3 at 10 p.m. ET on NFL Network
  2. Nate Davis, "Who is NFL's greatest player ever? NFL Network reveals No. 1 Thursday night", USA Today, November 4, 2010.
  3. Andy Barall, "Jim Brown Should Be No. 1, but What About Most Underrated?", New York Times, November 5, 2010.

See also
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