Gino Marchetti after being hurt in the 1958 NFL Championship Game
The Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month has a name synonymous with the grit, toughness, and excellence of professional football. His career, spanning over a decade in the National Football League (NFL), is a testament to his skill, determination, and enduring impact on the sport. From his early days growing up in Pennsylvania to becoming one of the most feared defensive ends in NFL history, Gino Marchetti’s story is one of remarkable achievement and lasting legacy.
There have been many great players in the 100 year history
of the NFL, but who are the greatest of the great? As part of our celebration
of the NFL at 100, we have been sharing our picks for the top 100 players in
NFL history.
We are breaking the selections into four groups of 25. You can read our players 100-76 and 75-51 in previous articles. This article is looking at players 50-26. We will be posting our top 25 picks in a subsequent post.
Below is a look at our picks 50-26 (the team listed is the
one they were most associated with during their career).
Willie Lanier
50. Willie Lanier – Kansas
City Chiefs – 8 Pro Bowls; 3 time 1st Team All-Pro: Much like was the case
on offense with the quarterback position, for many years there was a perception
that African American players couldn’t handle the defensive equivalent
leadership position of middle linebacker. That inaccuracy was crushed in the
1960s when the Kansas City Chiefs drafted Willie Lanier from Morgan State.
After playing outside linebacker as a rookie in 1967, Lanier became the
starting middle linebacker during his second season and immediately earned
first team All-Pro honors. In 1969 the Chiefs were number one in the AFL in
rushing defense, passing defense and scoring defense and reached Super Bowl IV.
Lanier had an interception in the game as Kansas City held the Minnesota
Vikings to only seven points in a 23-7 victory. Dominant against both the run
and pass, Lanier completed his 11 year career with 27 pass interceptions and 18
fumble recoveries.
49. Emlen Tunnell –
New York Giants – 9 Pro Bowls; 4 time 1st Team All-Pro: Though
not drafted out of college, Tunnell made an immediate impact at defensive back
for the New York Giants. He intercepted seven passes as a rookie and 10 during
his second season. A key component of the dominant Giants’ defense of the
1950s, Tunnell intercepted at least six passes in each of his first 10 seasons.
He helped the Giants win the NFL Championship in 1956 and then after moving to
Green Bay in 1959, helped the Packers win the Championship in 1961. Tunnell finished his career with 79
interceptions for 1,282 yards and four interceptions. At the time of his
retirement, Tunnell was the NFL’s career leader in interceptions and still
ranks second all-time. He was the first African American member of the New York
Giants and first African American inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
48. Dutch Clark –
Detroit Lions – 0 Pro Bowls; 6 time 1st Team All-Pro: A member
of the inaugural class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Dutch Clark was a
six-time NFL All-Pro and a three-time NFL scoring champion. He rushed for 2,772
yards and passed for 1,501 yards during his career. He also served as a kicker
and finished with 369 career points. He scored on a 40-yard touchdown run to
help the Detroit Lions win the NFL Championship in 1935.
47. Junior Seau – San
Diego Chargers – 12 Pro Bowls; 6 time 1st Team All-Pro: One of
the dominant defenders of his era, Junior Seau played 20 years in the NFL and
was a 12-time Pro Bowl selection. He recorded more than 1,800 career tackles,
56.5 sacks, 18 interceptions and 18 fumble recoveries. Seau helped the Chargers
reach Super Bowl XXIX and was also a member of the New England Patriots team
that was 16-0 in 2017 before losing to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII.
46. Roger Staubach –
Dallas Cowboys – 6 Pro Bowls; 0 time 1st Team All-Pro: Known as
“Captain America” during his decade as quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, Roger
Staubach led the Cowboys to four Super Bowl appearances (won two) and six NFC
Championship Games during his career. Famous for his late-game comebacks,
Staubach had a career record of 96-35 (74%) as a starter. An elusive runner, he
gained 2,264 yards with 20 rushing touchdowns during his career. At the time of
his retirement, Staubach was the NFL’s career leader in passer rating.
The Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month is one of the most underappreciated wide receivers in NFL history, despite boasting a career that spanned 16 seasons and saw him excel as one of the league’s premier deep threats. Known for his speed, route-running, and ability to make plays downfield, Harold Jackson left an indelible mark on the game during an era that was not yet pass-heavy. Standing at 5’10” and weighing 175 pounds, he defied expectations of size to become a dominant force on the field. Over the course of his illustrious career (1968–1983), Jackson totaled 10,372 receiving yards and 76 touchdowns, placing him among the top receivers of his time.
