Best Football Defenders of All Time

football

 | Jul 11th, 2010 | by Editor



The best football defenders of all time makes up a short list, and only includes those individuals who had a long and distinguished career. Names abound on the defensive side of the football, but probably the most feared players were the middle linebackers. These men typically ate running backs for lunch, and some of them were looked upon as somewhat crazy, but this is the type of attitude necessary to play this position.



At the top of the list is Dick Butkus. The Chicago Bears middle linebacker was an absolute terror, able to roam sideline to sideline, hitting everything in his path without regard to his own well being. Butkus was a perennial All-Pro selection, and made the Hall of Fame after he retired from the game.



Another player of the same era was Ray Nitschke. The Green Bay Packers were one of football's finest defenses during this time and Nitschke epitomized the spirit of their great coach -- Vince Lombardi. He drove these men to become even greater than their ability indicated and probably was responsible for getting many of his players into the Hall of Fame.



A defender who played a few years earlier than these two was Chuck Bednarik. He was the last of the two way players, performing as an offensive center and defensive middle linebacker for the 1960 NFL champion Philadelphia Eagles. A terrific tackler and leader, he also made the Hall of Fame.



Some modern day players of note were current San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Singletary who toiled for the Chicago Bears and Lee Roy Jordan, a member of the Dallas Cowboys "Doomsday Defense", who still holds the record for tackles in a season for the club.



While there are many great defenders, these men played the hardest defensive position of all.


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