The 100 Greatest Players in Professional Football History: 40-31

The previous ten, which includes the full list to that point, is here.

I'm counting down my top 100 players in NFL history, releasing it ten at a time in advance of the same release of its list by the NFL Network.  Its next ten comes tonight, I get the jump here - and I'll edit in their list for comparison after the show. 

40.Eric Dickerson RB 83-93 Rams/Colts
-96 TDs plus one passing, 4.4 y/c rushing, 7.6 y/c receiving, in ’84 he averaged over 130 yards rushing/game. Only played 4 full seasons with the Rams, and I would have lost the bet that said he started more games outside of an LA uniform than wearing one. As a Niner fan, the very best player I ever saw line up against us on offense was early career Eric Dickerson. Also, note that Roger Craig is his top comp. (NFL Net picked the Juice, my first ever hero.  He already appeared on the list.)

39.Ted Hendricks LB 69-83 Colts/Raiders
-The Stork was born in Guatemala. (Gino Marchetti - not on my list, but in the next 50.)

38.Jackie Slater OL 76-95 Rams
-The big linemen are about to go back-to-back here in the upper 30s. (Lance Alworth - already appeared on my list.)

37.Randall McDaniel OL 88-01 Vikings
-7 time first team all pro – the stud tackles of recent vintage – Ogden/Roaf/Pace/Jones – would all be in the top 150 and have good cases to crack this list. (Jim Thorpe - not on my list.)

36.Randy White DL 75-88 Cowboys
-Consider Lilly/White, covering the interior of the Cowboy defensive line for nearly 3 decades. (Ray Berry - not on my list.)

35.Bob Lilly DL 61-74 Cowboys
-7 time first team All-Pro. (Chuck Bednarik - not on my list.)

34.Merlin Olsen DL 62-76 Rams
-Just died a few months ago. (Deion Sanders - still to come.)

33.Mike Singletary LB 81-92 Bears
-7 time first team All-Pro, only member of the greatest defense ever to play, that ’85 Bear team, to make the list. (Sid Luckman - not on the list.)

32.Willie Brown DB 63-78 Raiders
-54 picks, 5 time All Pro (Jim Parker - not on the list)

31.Steve Largent WR 76-89 Seahawks
-Third greatest WR of all time; a hundred TD and 16 yds/catch. (Bruce Smith - still to come.)


I'll be back next Thursday.

30 to go.  I'll be back next Thursday morning with the next ten on the list.