Top NFL Players of All Time

The NFL was founded in 1920. Over the last 100 years, there have been many outstanding players – players that make all of the difference in games, that are most beloved by fans, and who teams just aren’t the same without. 

Every season there are stand-out players and those whose injuries have significant effects on NFL Predictions Online. These players are often highly sought-after, decorated with honors, and the first on the team sheet before every game. They are the picks that fantasy football players want in their drafts and the names that kids want to be written on the back of their shirts. 

With 100 years of football to look back on, it can be hard to select a list of the best players of all time. But we’ve given it a go, looking at the stats, style of play, and reputation. Here’s a closer look at some of the top NFL players of all time in no particular order. 

Jerry Rice 

Teams: Seattle Seahawks, Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers

Years Playing: 1985-2004

Position: Wide receiver

Notable Achievements: Jerry Rice was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010. He won the Super Bowl three times, as well as 13 Pro Bowls, and was crowned the Super Bowl MVP and the NFL MVP. He currently leads the NFL in all-purpose touchdowns with 208, receiving yards with 22895, and is the only player in the history of the NFL with more than 20000 receiving yards. Overall, Jerry Rice holds 36 NFL records.

Tom Brady

Teams: New England Patriots

Years Playing: 2000 – present

Position: Quarterback

Notable Achievements: Tom Brady has won the Super Bowl six times. He has been named Super Bowl MVP four times, and NFL MVP three times. He’s made the first team all-pro three times in 2007, 2010, and 2017 and has been named NFL offensive player of the year twice, in 2007 and 2010. Tim Brady holds them for most passing yards; most TD passes, most passing attempts, most consecutive competitions, and most games won by a Quarterback with 207. He’s also the oldest quarterback ever to win a super bowl, winning at 41 years and six months. 

Jim Brown

Teams: Cleveland Browns

Years Playing: 1957-1965

Position: Running Back

Notable Achievements: Jim Brown was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of fame in 1971. Four times, he was NFL MVP and he made the first-team All-Pro eight times, in 1957-1961, and 1963-1965. He won Rookie of the year in 1957 and was the first player to win 100 running touchdowns. In other firsts, Jim Brown was the first player to rush for 10000 yards, and still holds the 10th most touchdowns with 126.

Joe Montana

Teams: San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs

Years Playing: 1979-1994

Position: Quarterback

Notable Achievements: Joe Montana was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000. He won the Super Bowl four times and was named Super Bowl MVP three times. He’s also a two times NFL MVP and has eight Pro Bowl invites. He holds the passer rating record with 127.8.

The truth is, we’ve all got our favorites. Did your star player make this list?