The NFL's Top 100 Greatest Players

[Jason]

The NFL has been doing a weekly countdown for months, now to determine the greatest NFL player of all time. Some spots I agree with, but for the most part, I'm in disagreement. They're going to countdown the final 10 next thursday niight.

Here's the list.
top100.nfl.com/

I've got the ten players pretty much figured out, and here they are in random order.

Joe Montana
Jerry Rice
Johnny Unitas
Peyton Manning
Dick Butkus
Lawrence Taylor
Don Hutson
Jack Tatum
Jim Brown
Reggie White

Here's how I believe they will be ranked according to The NFL Network...

10) Peyton Manning
9) Don Hutson
8) Jack Tatum
7) Reggie White
6) Johnny Unitas
5) Lawrence Taylor
4) Dick Butkus
3) Joe Montana
2) Jim Brown
1) Jerry Rice

But here's how I feel they SHOULD be ranked (even though a few don't even belong).

10) Joe Montana
9) Don Hutson
8) Johnny Unitas
7) Jack Tatum
6) Peyton Manning
5) Reggie White
4) Dick Butkus
3) Jim Brown
2) Jerry Rice
1) Lawrence Taylor

I believe Lawrence Taylor is very deserving of that #1 spot.

[Man in Black]

Jerry Rice is just the "In" pick right now... there is no way he should be #1.

Such a list is, of course, subjective to individual likes and opinions, much more so than a list of a specific position. But Jerry Rice being a better football player than Jim Brown, Walter Payton, Lawrence Taylor, John Elway... that's just ridiculous. Just off the top of my head my top 5 would be:

Rice didn't catch too many balls when Prime Time was in the area

5. Deion Sanders
4. Lawrence Taylor
3. Jim Brown
2. John Elway
1. Walter Payton

I'll try to explain my list a bit - My criteria for "greatest football player" varies drastically from any position list. The difference between Jerry Rice and Walter Payton for example is that Rice was arguably the best Wr of all-time. Payton was arguably the best Rb. Yes, that much is the same, but Rice was able to make an impact at his position only. Wide receivers pretty much do one thing on a football field... catch the ball. Rice wasn't even a factor as a return man.

Walter could line up anywhere and not only be serviceable, but he could make an all-pro type impact at several positions. Hold on, I have stats to back me up... Sweetness has more receptions (492) than most receivers as he easily lined up at Wr. He was effective as a punter and I personally remember watching him play almost an entire game at Qb... yep, he has 8 passing Tds and they didn't come from any "wildcat". He racked up over 21,000 all-purpose yards, and no offense to Emmitt Smith, but he needed several more years to reach Payton's rushing record and didn't have the wear on him that Walter suffered by being a punishing blocker every time he didn't have the ball, not to mention all the other bruising yards gained.

I pretty much have the same objections to the quarterbacks... If you say greatest "football" player as a Qb, there are two names that immediately come to mind. John Elway and Peyton Manning. Elway because he could have been an all-pro running back, not to mention his will to win and his clutch performances. Manning because the football world has never seen (and may never see again) a player that is the top guy at his position year in and year out... directs his team like some mutant queen bee as if they were all one collective mind... and seems to know exactly what every other team is going to do before they even know. Come on, Joe Montana was a great Qb, but he didn't do anything else anymore than Jerry Rice did.

I have my reasons for the others, but I think you get my point, whether anyone agrees or not. And I promise Jason, my ranking of Elway has nothing do with me meeting you... I've felt that way for a long, long time.

[Jason]

I've felt the same way about Marino for a long time, as well. I never thought once that your appreciation for Elway was because you met me. Elway's provided reason after reason to appreciate him far more than I've ever provided. ;D

directs his team like some mutant queen bee as if they were all one collective mind

That quote right there pretty much sums up what a great quarterback he is. Total control. And I couldn't agree more. I can only imagine how much you hated him for those years he was in your division He took Denver out of the playoffs three years in a row, I think.

[Man in Black]

I didn't really ever hate him except when he was playing Miami. For many years I was completely loyal to the AFC East. If any of the teams were not playing the Dolphins I was usually pulling for them. I was never a big fan of my team backing into the playoffs because somebody else lost.

I started hating the Pats when Bill came in and threw out my boy Bledsoe for Tom Terrific. Then the Jets just recently started getting on my nerves. I used to love that Buffalo team with Kelly and company.

[Jason]

Funny. I was the same way with San Diego and Kansas City (Never with the Raiders, though. ). I always liked them and would pull for them when they'd make the playoffs. Up until around the year 2000 maybe?

I'd always pull for Miami and Houston (Oilers), too.

[Man in Black]

I actually used to hate the Oilers, but then I became a huge Earl Campbell, Billy "White-Shoes" Johnson and Dave Casper fan! I can't even remember why I didn't like them now. I was pretty young then.

[Jason]

I always liked Warren Moon growing up.

[Man in Black]

I liked him a lot too, at least watching him play. He disappointed me when he beat up his wife though. He sure could throw the ball.

[Jason]

Randall was fun, too. I think Michael Vick has surpassed him in terms of scrambling, though.

[Man in Black]

Michael Vick is unsurpassed as a quarterback runner, but he is not nearly as tough as Randall. He did it for years without getting hurt often. And Cunningham could throw like an All-Pro too. That speed that Vick has is deadly.