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Every ranking update ever (Last football update: 2/27/26 Next football update: March ’27)

The making of the list.

The Rules

If you disagree with the placement of an athlete whose prime occurred before 1975, please read The ChatGPT Cautionary Tale before commenting.

Historically undervalued: 🔵

Rank	Player			Position	Years
1	Tom Brady		Why?	QB	2000-2023
2	Jerry Rice			WR	1985-2004
3	Peyton Manning			QB	1998-2015
4	Lawrence Taylor			LB	1981-1993
5	Ray Lewis	🔵		LB	1996-2012
6	Emmitt Smith	🔵		RB	1990-2004
7	Aaron Rodgers			QB	2005-active
8	Reggie White			DE	1985-2000
9	Bruce Smith			DE	1985-2003
10	Aaron Donald			DT	2014-2024
11	Joe Montana			QB	1979-1994
12	Patrick Mahomes			QB	2017-active
13	Drew Brees			QB	2001-2021
14	Deion Sanders			CB	1989-2005
15	Anthony Munoz			OT	1980-1992
16	Brett Favre			QB	1991-2010
17	Barry Sanders			RB	1989-1998
18	Rod Woodson			CB	1987-2003
19	Bruce Matthews			G	1983-2001
20	JJ Watt			DE	2011-2022
21	Joe Greene			DT	1969-1981
22	Alan Page			DT	1967-1981
23	Derrick Brooks			LB	1995-2008
24	Walter Payton			RB	1975-1987
25	Jim Brown			RB	1957-1965
26	Ronnie Lott			S	1981-1994
27	Ed Reed			S	2002-2013
28	Marshall Faulk			RB	1994-2005
29	LaDainian Tomlinson			RB	2001-2011
30	Randy Moss			WR	1998-2012
31	Terrell Owens			WR	1996-2010
32	Steve Young			QB	1985-1999
33	Travis Kelce			TE	2013-active
34	Mike Singletary			LB	1981-1992
35	Randy White			DT	1975-1988
36	Charles Woodson			CB	1998-2015
37	Rob Gronkowski			TE	2010-2022
38	Derrick Henry			RB	2016-active
39	Myles Garrett			DE	2017-active
40	TJ Watt			LB	2017-active
41	Champ Bailey			CB	1999-2013
42	Jonathan Ogden			OT	1996-2007
43	John Elway			QB	1983-1998
44	Junior Seau			LB	1990-2009
45	Randall McDaniel			G	1988-2001
46	Jack Lambert			LB	1974-1984
47	Adrian Peterson			RB	2007-2021
48	Eric Dickerson			RB	1983-1993
49	John Hannah			G	1973-1985
50	Larry Allen			G	1994-2007
51	Willie Roaf			OT	1993-2005
52	Ken Houston			S	1967-1980
53	Walter Jones			OT	1997-2008
54	Michael Strahan			DE	1993-2007
55	Jack Ham			LB	1971-1982
56	Warren Sapp			DT	1995-2007
57	Zack Martin			G	2014-2024
58	Von Miller	🔵		LB	2011-active
59	John Randle			DT	1990-2003
60	Marvin Harrison			WR	1996-2008
61	Josh Allen			QB	2018-active
62	Lamar Jackson			QB	2018-active
63	Dan Marino			QB	1983-1999
64	Mike Webster			C	1974-1990
65	Will Shields			G	1993-2006
66	Darrelle Revis			CB	2007-2017
67	DeMarcus Ware			LB	2005-2016
68	Alan Faneca			G	1998-2010
69	Gino Marchetti			DE	1952-1966
70	Bobby Wagner	🔵		LB	2012-active
71	Bob Lilly			DT	1961-1974
72	Johnny Unitas			QB	1956-1973
73	Deacon Jones			DE	1961-1974
74	Merlin Olsen			DT	1962-1976
75	Matthew Stafford			QB	2009-active
76	Mel Blount			CB	1970-1983
77	Joe Thomas			OT	2007-2017
78	Brian Dawkins			S	1996-2011
79	Brian Urlacher			LB	2000-2012
80	Ted Hendricks			LB	1969-1983
81	Forrest Gregg			OT	1956-1971
82	Jim Parker			OT	1957-1967
83	Larry Fitzgerald			WR	2004-2020
84	OJ Simpson			RB	1969-1979
85	Earl Campbell			RB	1978-1985
86	Otto Graham			QB	1946-1955
87	Tony Gonzalez			TE	1997-2013
88	Julius Peppers			DE	2002-2018
89	Trent Williams			OT	2010-active
90	Mike Haynes			CB	1976-1989
91	Jason Taylor			DE	1997-2011
92	Troy Polamalu			S	2003-2014
93	Tyreek Hill			WR	2016-active
94	Davante Adams			WR	2014-active
95	Jack Youngblood	🔵		DE	1971-1984
96	Kevin Greene			LB	1985-1999
97	Luke Kuechly			LB	2012-2019
98	Khalil Mack			LB	2014-active
99	Dick “Night Train” Lane			CB	1952-1965
100	Dick Butkus			LB	1965-1973

The rest of the best football players of all time.