Top 10 Linebacking Corps

you looking for great linebacking some of the hardest men in show business okay you can't get no meaning in them guy you worthless yellow [Music] first round selection [Music] in the NFL offense may sell tickets but defense wins championships and at the heart of a defense is its linebacking core a linebacker is a type of a kid who loves the hit a person who probably you take his heart out from here you put it in his spelling good they're the destroyers the demolishers the offense build something up and then the linebackers just destroy our criteria for the greatest linebacking core of all time includes Pro Bowls Super Bowls the effect of surrounding talent and the unit not as individuals but as a whole well yeah I think it's a difficult thing to judge because you can't do it really quantitatively because every deepness is structured differently you got to strip away the front floor in front you got to get really good athletes that are smart and all complimenting linebacking core of all time the 2000 Raymond 98 deplane the San Diego Chargers and Eric Metcalf catches a pass over the middle but Erickson force drive so it's a 60 yard race to the end zone and there's no one else in the picture but an arrogant way to get to the 30-yard line and write hits the extra here just takes him down after this one and that's when I knew that group was gonna be special Ray Lewis was Baltimore's seminal defender but Jamie sharper and a former Seminole help the Ravens take flight in 2000 Peter was the consummate pass rushing for a few years Peter Boulware was probably as big a nightmare for any offensive town or tietennis league as anybody everybody on that defense got overshadowed by mine and then Peter was the sack specialist Jamie made big plays but no one knew about Jamie came and he became like the caddy but when the chips were down when we needed a play to be made in that championship game against Oakland Jamie made that play we can't sing now but it was Ray Lewis who most often left off his singing the blues it was Ray felt like he should make every tackle every we're a hit he destroyed that we were playing against them one time I believe was a Sunday night game and bam Morris caught a screen passed out on the flat and just laid him out just laid him out and it just gave a renewed sense of confidence at defense and that's what great linebackers bring in 2000 Lewis burn the NFL's defensive MVP the season for the ages our logo be an inside linebacker to have her have a year like Ray Lewis had not here he was just a Hoover vacuum cleaner that crane was the total package just a menacing force and he was the best football player in the National Football League in 2000 in 2000 now number 10 line backing core helped Baltimore set the record for fewest points allowed in a 16-game season on their way to winning Super Bowl 35 but loose and the backers had plenty of help from the defensive line they had two huge tackles inside and Sam Adams and Tony Siragusa who very often took four offensive linemen to block those two players they had one job and they let me Peter and Jamie run all day long and all of those guys could run different big they were athletic if you take all three of those guys you put them together that's a very special unit should be in the top five well if it's any consolation Lewis certainly has the top spot for pregame introductions locked up [Applause] coming up which band of renegades broke into our list they were always in expect your face and start a fight you needed to match their intensity a line backing core legacy is often born or broken on pro football's biggest biggest show and sports Buffaloes Cornelius Bennett Shane Conlan and Darryl Talley combined for 10 Pro Bowls but couldn't pay the bill at the Big Dance Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs played in back-to-back Pro Bowls but stumbled in Super Bowl 41 Kaka vs. does not get it down Andre Tippett and New England's linebacking core help get the Patriots to Super Bowl 20 in New Orleans but failed to finish what they started as did our next group in Super Bowls 12 [Music] ix linebacking core of all time the orange cried the Orange Crush defense really was about the linebackers the Broncos of the late 70s featured Tom Jackson Bob Swenson Randy Gradishar and Joe Rizzo and a three-four defense ahead of its time at that point we were the only team in the NFL running that defense offenses did not know how to attack us after you played Denver you wouldn't be sore physically do you be sore mental among the linebackers it was the quietest Bronco who made the loudest impact Randy Gradishar was your classic off the front of the Wheaties box all-american comes from a town called champion kohai and was very smart when clothes that means ago usually passed he was kind of our hero guy he was tough tenure linebacker never missed again we get our angles that our team tackles they're here [Applause] wherever the ball was I'll guarantee that's where Randy was wasn't it Butkus Kennedy it's not about one-on-one I'm gonna knock your block off that's my goal my goal is to get to the ball it's me there's just the epitome of a great linebacker I think it is an absolute tragedy that he is not in front of me a former Louisville Cardinal did all the chirping on on number nine core Jackson was the emotional vocal leader he was our top listener plus he was able to play pass defense very well because he was the fastest of four linebackers when I saw Tom and his younger days he reminded me of a camp he was so quick I've never seen anybody as quick as Tom and he made a lot of big plays [Music] to undrafted free agents rounded out our number nine line backing core Joe Rizzo and Bob Swenson Swenson was real tall real lanky great agility great mobility great quickness probably the quickest of the four linebackers Joe Rizzo was just kind of a mean ornery type of guy kind of guy that you'd want to go into a bar with and if anything happened you'd want him protecting your backside that was Rizzo in 1977 the Broncos emerged in preseason obscurity to reduce the AFC's best record at 12:00 and 2:00 and Bronco mania took hold of Mile High when you in my life it was almost like College the Broncos had never had a winning season but the Broncos would need to beat some of the best teams in NFL history to reach Super Bowl 12 I just don't think that the media really felt they were for real only one of them could get to the Super Bowl out of the AFC it's like watching six 18-wheelers coming down the highway to a one-lane bridge but our number nine core made Denver's drew a reality throws under pressure [Applause] that was a monumental moment in Bronco history Denver didn't get the ring but they did get our number nine spot I think it's a very underrated roopa linebackers because they never did win a Super Bowl that's a special group in the National Football League history the Raiders of the early eighties the defense to me was huge for the Raiders and all you need to do is look at the Super Bowl win over the Washington Redskins in 1983 Matt Millen Ted Hendricks and Ron Morton helped the Raiders claim their second Super Bowl title in four years by shutting down the highest-scoring offense in NFL history Raiders linebackers in that era might have been overlooked because we tended to think of the Raiders as an offensive team but their defense was huge just when the Raiders have long relished their role as NFL bad boys you know they were always gonna spit your face and start a fight they're very physical a very physical team particularly against a run and in 1980 our number eight linebacking corps added a hungry Nittany Lion Matt Millen was a physical leader inside we'd watched him alone he'd roll off a pile and hit a guy with the elbow and we thought he was hilarious and man on every tag goes and I could beat you up longer I'd say this simple simple game you find the ball and you drill while millon plugged the middle Rod Martin pounced from the edges Martin reminded me a lot of Jack ham in terms of the great speed he he was actually no one on the team is having this incredible vice-like grip got his hands on it was traditional but there was nothing traditional about Ted Hendricks his first day at practice he rode a horse out to the middle of the field on the horse he had on his Oakland Raider practice uniform and he was wearing a German helmet with number 83 on the side of it we all just kind of looked at each other and said fits right in Ted Hendricks is kind of sweet because Ted Hendricks is about six seven or six eight he could really do a little bit of everything including blocking kicks which he did 25 times in unofficial NFL record but the mad stork was best known for his uncanny ability to rush the passer he understood attacking protections the adjustments personnel and he'd adjust on the fly he would extend his arms and he wouldn't put moves on you all of a sudden he was grabbing the quarterback [Music] it was a linebacker core that really worked well together because of a disparate set of of fiscal attributes and those attributes were never more evident than on the big stage big stage brilliance was enough to get the Raiders our number eight spot this was our finest hour this was the finest hour in the history of the old cleaner it is going up which lie back and crew had quarterbacks in the crosshairs many linebacking cores have lived and died by the Blitz Derrick Thomas tally 20 sacks in 1990 in 1996 Lamar Lathan and Kevin green rush Carolina to the NFC Championship game in 2005 two backers total 30 of Pittsburgh's 47 cents on their way to winning Super Bowl 40 but they are at the Vicksburg unit that's next on our list I think the second Pittsburgh set of linebackers all is probably better than the 70s version because you had me choukri Chanel C cream with you all that pressure and all that key well in this case the heat was coming from Lloyd and Greene from the outside in the mid 90s great Lloyd Kevin clean Chad brown then LaVon turn turn Pittsburgh into blitzberg well you think my fresh that's exactly what they did you to rush the quarterback understand rush the quarterback not let that water back out of there they had an attitude that fit Pittsburgh attitude that Lambert ham and Russell set back in the 70s there were just a 90s version student digit nobody on our number seven linebacking core brought more attitudes and Greg Lloyd well yes I can get embarrassed Greg Lloyd was not a particularly big man but I think great Lloyd's one hardest hitters I've ever seen I feel sorry for you line up and play football Greg boy just like hurt people that got close from me yes and raise his level place okay I think Greg Lloyd may be one of the best football players I've ever seen [Music] in 1993 Pittsburgh found him a partner Kevin green and he just fed off each other you had pure emotion between Kevin Green and Greg Lloyd Kevin's is crazy like a fox if you are going into a troubled situation I think he wants a Kevin mom with it the edges and a monster in the middle the one that that surprises people is the fauna they cross the pond and he was rather robust Kirkland was like playing at the Mike linebacker you know I remember trying to chase that guy down and he was bigger than I was the backers carried Pittsburgh to three AFC title games in four years and only Neal O'Donnell's to keep them from a ring these guys who not only into their positions and into each other they were a formidable force they were tough to deal with the number-6 linebacking core of all time Lombardi's packer back in the 1960s everything that you did defensively was built on physicality and stopping the run toughness was at a premium and no core of linebackers was tougher than our number six through Leroy Kaffee Dave Robinson and Ray Nitschke Ray Nitschke was the most frightening person on game day that I've ever seen I mean his face he looked like you know Freddy Krueger when he walked on I feel he's done metamorphosize you see him changing his structure to this hitting machine this pasta you didn't take on right niche good enough contrary to his mythic figure mitts he made just one Pro Bowl the same number as Leroy Kaffee and two fewer than Dave Robinson I'm not sure Nicki was the greatest of ever played I don't know that he wasn't but for the Packers he set the standard I mean Nitschke was the figurehead he was the emotional leader on the field he was the guy they all looked up to and he was he was a frightening person because his passion and his intense the former third round pick embodied lombardi's ideal linebacker the suit is a man's responsibility the suit is dedication the suit is persistent it's getting to the ball carrier on the shortest course taking a proper angle and when you get there you get there in an angry mood [Music] today Robinson is maybe one of the most underappreciated linebackers that play the game I go on every ball game thing everybody up set out I'm not sure anybody's ever been better than Dave Roberts and I can't imagine why he's not in the Hall of Fame football dave was a great athlete big for that year but what made a Robinson a great linebacker was a combination of his instincts as a player [Music] he had a great feeling for what the offense was going to do at a given time and yet he was a gambler as evidenced by the his play in the 66 championship game if the Cowboys go in here we're going into overtime Meredith is rolling out its Dave Robinson that instinctively goes against all that Lombardi had instructed him to play back instead charges but that plate was symbolic of Robinson's instincts to do the right thing at the right time the game was different than Ray Nitschke did not have to play against three and four wide receiver sets but five World Championships and two Super Bowl wins qualifies Green Bay for our number six spot coming up which middle linebacker remade the position come on an aqua blue recapping our tops and linebacking forwards of all time number 10 Ray Lewis and the Raven mm a different breed of 340 fans flourishes in Denver number eight the silver and black takes gold two times in four years number seven for backers turns Pittsburgh into blitzberg battlefield slash point line up and play football number six snitch the unleashes terror on the frozen tundra linebacking core of all time the needy by bears I think 85 is best set linebackers I've ever seen and I'm talking about Wilber Marshall I'm talking about oldest Wilson Mike Singletary those three guys took no prisoners in Chicago's Blitz happy 46 defense our number five line back in course spent most of its time in opposing back fields Otis and Wilbur were basically blitz guys Otis Magan powerful mobile is very very expensive any one of them could change a bug and certainly Wilbur Marshall we'll go with the guy that I would call the assassin nasty the bad news he didn't like anybody and we play with that right mixture of intelligence and anger lysine will hit some quarterbacks that would get unmerciful I still see the hit he made on Joe Ferguson from Detroit I've never seen like it I thought he killed him you know they may not go into another century Otis's personality was to seek and destroy when he looked at the enemy oh this was gonna take him out Otis was so strong in terms of upper-body strength that you could almost put him down the three-point and don't still make a play they were so relentless it's just their attitude but the man in the middle was the Midway's biggest monster with that Turner shoppers on the inside guy you got to be on it Mike was a north-south kind of guy I like that kind of body it's a little bit easier to play middle line back your typical middle linebacker plays from tackle to tackle single Terry's Lane responsibilities were basically guard to guard since haircut there was a lot of Thunder quarterback laugh a lot and I get my club me William the Bears recorded in NFL record 72 sects in 1984 they set the record for fewest points allowed in 1986 but it's our number 5 line backing core 85 campaign let's edge in history to knock your socks off just to watch the total decimate due to the AFC champion to England Patriot so why are the Bears only number 5 on our list Mike couldn't play coverage we didn't ask him a fake coverage he knew he couldn't play coverage Wilbur again he wasn't a great man the man covered believe me Miami proved that the bottom line and anything you do is can you execute these people gave us the ability to execute in that defense despite their shortcomings there's only four groups in NFL history higher on our list as a group man we was unbelieva at Bobby Bell Willie Lanier and Jim Lynch what made them great was the combined will to compete it was a defense that was stripped around the line back we enjoyed an awful lot of success it wasn't a cocky thing but I do feel that we felt at that time we were the best line backing board then played game and we were out to prove that but before they could take on the league our number Ford linebacking core had to take on each other well and I came in in the same year he and I competed for the middle linebacker chapter very early in that contest I I said to myself well they were gonna have a new middle linebacker and it's not gonna be me on the double zone how you want helmet offset double zone I was able to go to the outside and play that position probably better than I ever would have played the middle linebacker position Lynch was sort of like a jack hand smart and cerebral never out of position very dependable I don't think Jim got the credit he's Dukes mark while Lynch flourished outside Lanier was changing the game inside he was the first linebacker that I ever interviewed that talked about geometry and angles of pursuit he was a very cerebral very intelligent at alive but it was another use of his head for which the hall of famer was best known he used to wear that old Ohio State looking helmet had the big reach that ran down the middle of it and he would hit you I call it a quiet guy when you sneak up on me I mean I'll be sitting when he hit somewhere I'll be jumping too he was the best middle linebacker in the league Bobby Bell was probably the best outside linebacker nine-time Pro Bowler Bobby Bell carved out his own historic niche on our number four line backing core many people still believe to this day that Bobby Bell may be the best all around all around linebacker never played a game Bobby Bell had all the physical attributes necessary to play almost any position he was a quarterback in high school was probably the greatest long snapper in the history of the game Hank Stram put Bobby Bell on his hands team and more than once Bobby Bell ran it back for touchdown he was a complete linebacker in Super Bowl for our number four line backing core completely dismantled Minnesota [Applause] how many NFL line back in Coors have to hall-of-famers two guys who are arguably the top three four at their position in the history of the game that was as fine a set of linebackers as ever played the game coming up an army of one invades the NFL [Music] a single sensational player can sometimes carry a line backing core Dick Butkus was the original inside Intimidator reaching 8 Pro Bowls in 9 years despite just two winning seasons fellow tough guy Chuck Bednarik led the birds to an NFL title in 1960 that same year Detroit's Joe Schmidt was the NFL's co-mvp picked it up at the 14 he was the only linebacker to achieve that honor until the Apple of New York's I when you look at Elte you can almost stop there and to think that Harry Carson and Carl banks will be on the same defenses it's kind of frightening Taylor banks Carson and Gary reasons simply overwhelmed opposition in the mid 80s that was the toughest opponent I played against because they beat the living daylights a we had a run in 86 where no starting quarterback finished the game when you played the Giants you left that football game you were on your way to an ice tub I mean they've knocked out my front teeth the worst injury I've ever suffered besides my broken leg which was another one was a hip pointer than I thought all courtesy of the Giants no defender ever changed the game quite like the 1986 NFL MVP lars taylor is the greatest defensive football player I have ever seen it was a rider who said a while the fuss he only had 11 interceptions let me tell you something if you dropped into coverage you breathe a sigh of relief you have to give Bill Parcells and the Giants a ton of credit for understanding what he was and how he could dictate to an offense no bat could block Lauren's tail when you see the angle stance of the left tackle that was invented to Kosovars Dale [Applause] he came off that edge and he came off that edge with an attitude of an animal [Music] you try to take your head off when he got to you else he left offenses with nowhere to attack our number of three linebacking core we wanted to run at Lawrence it was better to go Adam been away from him because he'd run everything down but then you had to deal with Harry coming up the middle though it's the first thing in here we've got to stop the run we got to stop the run this week well to me Harry Carson was the best run stopping linebacker of his generation Carson was at his greatest on the goal line you say Riggins was great go line runner Marcus Allen great goal line runner Harry Carson was like that on defense he had the greatest goal line is thinks that I've ever seen the guy that gets left out in that Giants group is Carl banks he was the quintessential strong side linebacker if you wanted to run strong side against Carl banks forget about uses good outside linebacker against the run I think his ladies ever seen against Denver in Super Bowl 21 New York's big three linebackers made three successive big plays to turn the game great players make plays tailor-made one Carson was in on one banks made another and then they missed the field goal I told about to have my say you know we got a good chance to beat the Bronco New York dumped Denver and drowned the big tuna here comes Harry Carson now starting a celebration that's still in used to do [Music] you had mobility yet speed he had size they were big they were tough you know Harry could handle the middle Carl handle the strong side back inside the launch wins the most dominant single force they were the best coming up the curtain comes down on one surprising contender afraid are you nothing submits greatness for a linebacking corps quite like winning a championship but despite a perfect season in 1972 Nick Buoniconti is the only linebacker we can name from the no-name defense the Cowboys chunk Holly and Leroy Jordan could bind 411 Pro Bowls and a championship ring the Patriots claimed three rings in four years behind a strong line backing core but no team dominated a decade quite like our number two the Pittsburgh Steelers had the greatest defense over a period of time I've ever seen starting in 1974 the Steel Curtain defense led Pittsburgh to four Super Bowl wins and six seasons I think almost every starter but one or two on that team was appalled but I think the most important part of that defense was no linebacker corner I think they were the heart and soul of it our number-two linebacking core of jack ham Jack Lambert and Andy Russell was together for the first time super gays Russell was a seven-time Pro Bowler had been with the team over a decade before Lambert even arrived Andy was this wily all-pro always seemed to make place and made very few mistakes I mean you talk about a guy that can think on his feet that guy there you've probably doing stock calculations in between place Russell's approach differ dramatically from the fiery Kent State product who would come to symbolize the Steel City Jack Lambert was the single most intimidating force in football and maybe the single most intimidating force in the history of football he epitomized the intensity of the fans problem you know with the no front teeth and just his Clint Eastwood ways what you've seen of Jack Lambert what you've heard about his reputation is all true but the ferocity that made Lambert both feared and fabled wasn't a complete picture his image is being this Rock'em Sock'em kind of guy had little to do with why he was so successful the guy was just a very smart very technically proficient player who could anticipate what was gonna happen he was simply so gifted at shoring up the middle the guy that seems to get the most publicity Jack Lambert I thought he was a fine football player but Jack Ham and Andy Russell and I think Jack ham was the best outside line doctor that I ever played against the sixties in the seventies Jack ham was the best linebacker I ever saw Bar None middle or outside jackhammers [Music] a lot of people say LT was better than him I disagree LT was just the pass rush Jack ham played the game of football he tackled he intercepted he was great in coverage he was great on the pass rush there was nothing he couldn't do in Pittsburgh's defense the linebackers didn't target the passer they covered the passers targets its strengths we had that was assisting the defensive backs in the in the passing game we didn't come off the field you know when it was third down or obvious passing situations we were out there playing Jack ham and Andy Russell and myself all played in the 220 range and we had to be able to run we could play defenses that other teams just couldn't even think about fighting on Pittsburgh's backers combined for 25 Pro Bowls and played their best in the biggest games I played him in a Super Bowl and in neurons and the week before they had played the Oakland Raiders before that and I think the Oakland Raiders had gained 21 yards rushing us out day one that will rush the 121 yards get Steelers you know in the yards we rushed for in Super Bowl 17:17 yards against the Steelers defense there's never been a better threesome there's never been guys who interlock together whose talents complemented each other I don't think any line back in court history even compare it to those guys but success can be a double-edged sword the Steelers fielded nine Hall of Famers and sent an annual parade of defensive players to the Pro Bowler there were protected well by Joe green and Dwight away LC Greenwood that that's a pretty good defensive line for those linebackers to be silent it's all about super balls they won lost two columns and when you went a lot of Super Bowl if you get a lot of notoriety coming up why we picked a team that never won a Super Bowl as our number one all-time line back in Core State they're any good the Ravens in their tell-tale heart mm dan bird delivers an Orange Crush that's a special group in the National Football League district number eight the silver and black leave everyone black and blue Pittsburgh turns into whisper number six Mitch features Green Bay in the title town to this hitting machine the monsters of the Midway are reborn those three guys took no prisoners number four the cheat see the table with mr. contact we were unbelievable number three an army of one lands in the Big Apple number two the Steel Curtain dominates a decade I don't think any line back in court history even compares to those guys that I like the most I happen to play against was in New Orleans Saints ordinarily when you have my back we have one two maybe if you're really lucky at three that we're as dominant as they were but they had for New Orleans don't be featured Ricky Jackson Sam Mills Vaughan Johnson and Pat's willing each reached at least four Pro Bowls and in 1992 our number one line backing core was the only Corps to ever sent for backers in the same year well I that never happened before but if you watch that defense play and you watch those guys play I mean every one of them deserved when teams had to prepare to go into that dome they were scared to death that linebacker core I hate it plan against the Saints their defense is very violent I mean I mean the Giants had great line baggage but the Saints linebackers I thought was by far the best linebacker group in the NFL the outside linebackers are your pass rusher so you get Ricky Jackson who had incredible strength and yet Pat's willing you at incredible speed and quickness coming off the edge they were a great group Ricky Jackson was a 14-year veteran had the team's of regional tough young if I was ever in a situation where I needed to defend myself and I could pick one guy that I've ever coached would be Ricky Jackson no no iPads just the raw football player Ricky was very underrated in 1987 the Saints provided Jackson with a complimentary Yellow Jacket expats Willie Pat's willing was your classic up the field pass rushing outside line back and the ball was snapped I mean he was so explosive coming off that edge you put him on that artificial turf swilling was around guys and on the quarterback a lot of kids before the tackle ever moved inside linebacker Sam Mills stood just five nine but played like a giant Sam elves look like tattoos and I kept looking around for mr. Roark thought I was on Fantasy Island he was short but he was not small he would get up under guys and get rock Sam Mills was an absolute genius student of the game he ran the show I remember game Sam Hall every single play we were running same Nils was the best football player I ever coached because he was everything that you wanted in a play work ethic leadership preparation he achieved as close to his potential as any player that I've ever been around a coach like Mills on Johnson with the USFL cast off two NFL all-pro if you lined up those four guys and you'd say which guy most looks like an NFL linebacker it would be bond Johnson he was just a maniac I mean this guy was a physical physical football player that was a guy that came out of the USFL that no one knew about that it took about three plays Roger Craig is arguably the best all-around running back in the NFL at this time and but the third play of the game he with man I don't know who that dude is I don't want you to let him hit me anymore today he says that guy hurts I can't believe all people we have New Orleans crew I mean kameena just another bunch of curtain jerkers to compare them to the Steeler linebacker is ridiculous refresh my memory did they ever played a playoff game actually they did three times and lost all of them good the fact that they never won a playoff game had nothing to do with this they didn't have the Chiefs defensive line Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lines they really had a big place and people got on a pretty quick the Saints are the only team on our list not to appear in a Super Bowl so why all the love for the Saints first 20 years in New Orleans the sky was always falling but after 20 years without a winning season the Saints never had a losing season in the six years our number one linebacking core was together they combine for 13 trips to the Pro Bowl but only once in those six years did another Saint defender accompany them it's it's not about size and it's not about speed it's about how you execute how you fit in how those puzzle pieces fit into a hole and they did I think that they executed about as good as any lime Knight and crew that I've ever seen or played against I'd certainly vote for him to be the number one linebacking core of all time I mean I know this team never won a playoff game but when they were good enough for us to win a Super Bowl they're gonna be a real factor this year in the playoffs they could be the Super Bowl team if they had an offense they would have won two or three Super Bowls in the eighties though Pittsburgh Kansas City New York and Chicago all have strong cases for number one they also have much stronger supporting casts and we think it's time for the Saints to finally win something [Applause] possible they may not have gotten their Superbowl but they do now have a time the Saints are our number one linebacking core of all time [Applause]

Channel: Isaac Green

Views: 317,420

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Id: ctDqF6BdT7U

Length: 44min 33sec (2673 seconds)

Published: Sat May 02 2020