Top 10 Safeties of All Time | NFL Films

the number-10 safety of all time Brian Dawkins is coming out on the field and getting crazy it worked [Applause] it's funny because as a teammate we would all make sure we got in position so that we could see and what he was gonna do that with you is see Doc a couple hours before a game and you'd be like how is he gonna make it to game time without just losing his mind it was a little scary to play the way he played that position he kind of had to turn himself into someone completely different become Weapon X Weapon X Weapon X with a nickname like Weapon X it seems like Brian Dawkins is a perfect fit for number 10 on our greatest safety list and for all of his pregame style he had plenty of in-game substance being the only player in NFL history to record over 25 interceptions forced fumbles and SEC's the Weapon X sort of mantra came from his ability to play anywhere and be used as a weapon Jim Johnson was able to revolutionize the safety position what Jim Johnson looked at in Brian Dawkins says we have this unique talent but we can place all over the field you can go after the quarterback offenses never knew where he was going to come from that was something hit by playa Dawkins Oh he was a multi-dimensional safety because he could play deep [Applause] white bike docket the Wolverine he could play in the box and defend the run he was a monster I mean who wanted to face Brian Dawkins Brian Dawkins really was the heart and soul of a great defense he was also an inspiration for that defense got so much fire and desire to him so it's contagious Brian being an amazing athlete was able to make that work I think Dawkins took way too long to get in the Hall of Fame I think it makes sense to Brian Dawkins regardless listen I would put them higher than number 10 Brian Dawkins was one of the most fun players ever but number nine safety of all time Donnie shell number 9 on our list is Donnie shell kaboom I don't think I've ever seen anybody hit any harder than Donna shell I just moved on these shovels a popper you caught the ball and you came across the middle pop Donnie shale was right there to just lay a hit on you every time Donny Sheldon number 9 the people are so disrespectful Dottie shale was the nastiest little sob safety in the history of the NFL I mean how many championships did they win you went for in six years everyone needs to shut up Donny shale was part of a 1974 Steelers rookie class that included for future Hall of Famers and even though our number nine safety never heard his name called in that 17 round draft he was voted to five Pro Bowls during his 14-year career Donny shale wasn't a starter immediately but from the late 70s to the mid 80s he was a great player and he kind of outlasted a lot of those guys his prime was after the Steelers had won four Super Bowls shells big hits earned him the nickname the human torpedo on a Monday night in 1978 he delivered his biggest boom against a future hall-of-famer it's Birds Hammad Earl Campbell into submission and the NFL Rookie of the Year spent most of his afternoon on the oiler sidelines nursing sore ribs that was the statement it was just a perfect tackle Earl Campbell had he stayed in the game that we probably wouldn't have won that game when Donny sale hits you you knew you've been hit [Music] [Applause] here's the first one [Applause] in 2017 shell was inducted into the Steelers Hall of Honor enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame has proven more difficult blunt green Lambert Pam you almost forget that there's somebody else out there she'll play forever he's probably gets a little shortchange because of his surrounding cast but his longevity is right there and he taught me a part of that defense over a lump at a time it means something Donnie shale said should be in the Hall of Fame no ifs ands or buts one of the all-time underrated underappreciated players Donny shale and Ronnie Lott that's it all others suck kenny easy kenny easily came in to UCLA he was a big safety he was a prototype physical athletic safety [Music] standing at 6-3 the number 8 safety on our top 10 list is one of the most imposing middle defenders of his era aptly named the enforcer the five-time Pro Bowler punished ball carriers for nearly a decade well I'm vicious no doubt about it I play the game in a vicious in a vicious manner I'm not out there to hurt anyone but my game is an aggressive type of game play hard and hit people hard kitty easily to me was the greatest safety in history he had range you don't even have to look at the numbers Nessie receiver get hit the way he got hit it was number 45 kitty easily the amazing thing about Kenny easily highlights is that when he got an interception he could move so gracefully and he used positional awareness so well ciphers back to pass [Applause] the interceptions looked like they were intended for him he would judge the ball midair with absolute perfection [Music] you look at those interceptions in their life where's the receiver he look like a lynn swann when i hit a ball in his hands i mean he did have that graceful movement he had this fluidity to him he could run he could knock down passes Kenny easily sign Pacific Northwest this ain't no joke Seattle son he's a reason there's a 12th man with Kenny easily you were so used to the consistency he's gonna be there every down he's gonna make plays and then unfortunately the illness robbed him of that ability to be that same guy he tried his best to push through it but ended up ultimately having to retire [Music] kidney failure ended Easley's career at age 28 his 7 seasons are the fewest of any safety on our list but it was his grit and grace that earned him our number eight spot as well as a place in Canton kitti easily hall-of-famer number 306 is indeed grateful he left some years on the field that we didn't get to share with him as fans easily could do it all he I think you should probably be higher on this list you know had he continued to play I think you'd be listening him a lot higher actually another number seven safety of all time Steve Atwater play hard play smart and knock the ass I will change you give them [Applause] devout waters the first safety I remember that really patrolled very well and and no one wanted to get in his range I mean you say Steve out water and like I end up crunching but I'm like Steve Atwater brought the lumber literally let's just get down to it I've always called it paying day for a reason somebody gonna get lit up somebody jacked up and people love it pain day everyone lives to see somebody get cracked and your boy brought some serious I mean absolutely Radel type s what plays in particular kind of stand out to you well everyone remembers a Christian Okoye a hit on Monday Night Football I remember the hit like it was just yesterday Chrismukkah way big dude and you talk about hitting the you know brick wall I mean Christian Okoye ran straight up for a reason cuz he could listen nobody nobody hits Christian McCoy up top [Applause] prisoner Chloe is 700 pounds and come run a four six nobody hits Christian Okoye at time unless you're a Steve Atwater elo [Applause] Steve Atwater took it to a man I mean he got hit he prisoner quite a sold farm like a solo tackle in the hole like nobody was on his legs if Steve that water hit me as hard as he hit Cristiano clay I wouldn't even be friends with people named Steve like legit like just in life in general I just would just like what's up man what's your name my name's Steve your but I gotta call you something else Chris McCoy so the heat is great but it kind of oversimplifies at waters career I mean not only an eight-time Pro Bowler and a two-time Super Bowl champ this is a guy whose name almost feels synonymous with the safety position add water was a great cover safety and his ability to survey and anticipate diagnose recognize and react before the offenses first step and he was one of the best at doing that is he the seventh best safety probably so at water would be fifth you know who list Yvette water is number one Oh Christian Okoye haze but number six safety of all time Emlyn to Nell come on now you're just making up names are you just making stuff up Amal tunnel you know what I'm gonna do I'm gonna use that name from now on when I check into hotels let me guess he has eighty interceptions he's just behind Paul Krause you are close our number six safety retired in 1961 with a then NFL records seventy nine career interceptions he might actually deserve to be higher than sex as stats will bear out how dominant he was when you consider when he was playing this wasn't a pass happy league he fires a long pass a danger pass [Applause] Janell makes the catch for neon so he's got a couple of titles that's great he's a four-time first-team all-pro he's recognized by his peers in that era as being outstanding but the volume of pics that he had 79 career interceptions he was ahead of his time a great player right now like a Richard Sherman might get 40 to 50 interceptions for his career emmalin to now had 79 in an era in which they played 12 games and threw the ball 15 to 20 times that's playing center field watch him to now play it like Willie Mays I don't know what number is never since well he was the first real great one he should be number one go ahead [Music] Emlyn Tinnell was an undrafted World War two hero who made an immediate impact as a rookie in 1948 Tom Landry was the defensive coach and Landry was trying to build what he called the umbrella defense and he needed a real specific kind of player to cover a lot of ground to make the whole thing kind of work when he saw him once an L he said I found my guy his nickname was offense on defense there was one year I believe it was 52 where he had more yards returning kicks returning interceptions returning punts then the Giants running backs did the New York side of the scoreboard in addition to being a great player he's really a pioneer he was the first purely defensive player to be voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame he was the first African American voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame he was the first african-american assistant coach in the modern era pro football and he was the first African player to play for the New York Giants he accomplished everything he could have possibly accomplished at a time when very few african-americans were even playing in the NFL [Music] and now the number five safety of all time can Houston I remember that was he on the Chiefs in Houston play back today some older guys yeah it's time to jump time to young for that once again history class is in session here's a lesson on the safety voted to more Pro Bowls than any other on this countdown very fair fork in Houston be rated number five ball hawk but also was a people hot when kid used to get to you remembered it Kenny used to is a greatest strong safety in history Kenny could run it was physical there may have never been a better tackler in the secondary than Kenny Houston came from a small college Prairie View where he played linebacker because he had the size and the strength to play linebacker he was perfect at safety position at a time when you needed safeties to play to run the all-pro in the Oilers secondary was Ken Houston number twenty-nine a lean mean blade cutting down a ball carrier [Applause] they've said that I was a dirty player because I was a hitter you know I was always a little guy in among big mints I had to strike first and I took that attitude to the second era George Allen was coaching in Washington to complete my defense I need Kenny Houston and so he traded five players and said it was a bargain one of the worst trades in NFL history was when the Houston Oilers traded him to the Redskins for a bunch of tomato Kings when number 27 Cam Newton takes off his glasses he does not become Superman the 11-year veteran becomes super safety one of the finest defensive back to the NFL has ever known for most Hall of Fame players they have what you would call a signature play and Kenny Houston had one of those plays on a Monday night game Redskins Cowboys it was a low-scoring close game cowboy fullback Walt Garrison's about to score and Kenny stops him at like the one-inch line with a tackle that was so perfect and it kind of was the story of his career wolf garrison was literally a cowboy I mean he was a cowboy in the offseason and he wrestled steers in that particular situation he was the steer and Kenny used in one battle did plain Washington when they went to the Super Bowl in 1972 but Ken Houston largely plays for some bad Oilers teams so he's oftentimes forgotten but a great safety should be on any list a top-10 at any football player no weaknesses strong tall big smart great the number for safety of all time Troy Polamalu a lot of wood makes choices here the hair gives them like a Samson look it's very luxurious I'm mr. Feeny this is Troy Polamalu from the Pittsburgh steelier yes I am the guy with big hair anyway I'm calling to tell you that head and shoulders and ask for shampoos just for men right heaven cut my hair for ten years I mean how is that ad not still on I think is this better than mine are you kidding this is better way shinier it's a follically challenged man i great respect for anybody who's got that no player's hair has ever matched their style of play better than Troy Polamalu wild all over the place yeah it was a thing of beauty what a dangerous individual speaking of play making and death-defying picks on his fingertips like hallucinogenic type picks stuff you haven't seen before ever there's something about putting that helmet on he just became the Tasmanian devil and he's out here destroying people [Applause] he pursued offensive players the way he pursued a life with Jesus brown bunny was remember how fast his closing speed was better than anybody else in the other he was so fast the one play that stands out to me was the 2005 season and we were playing the Broncos an AFC championship game and it was a plays with a running back and all of a sudden he comes up and makes a play and everybody said wow he just made that play he was just a guy that was everywhere he was always there at a critical time Flacco is gonna be he could sniff a play he anticipated play it was almost I he knew the scenario called for this play and he was ready for the play he sensed it will say he's sort of future throws it over the middle of the field the passive Chuck [Applause] he was a Jedi he was one with the football sure Troy's hair was unique but what separates the number four safety was the fact that he had the freedom to do whatever he wanted 2nd and 4th of the 17th [Music] so we're doing what toy gasps toy had the most freedom of any player I've ever coached in our defense I don't want to take any chance jumping the gun talked about having a quarterback snap count down I don't know how that happens by the way that the code says hey Troy you can just go out there and do it ever you want what other player do they let do that I think he took chances that a lot of safeties couldn't take you know we have the freedom switch positions do different things if we feel different things and his range and his ability to just sacrifice his body to mimic plays whether it was a tackle you know in the run game or what he did in coverage just a guy who is physical every snap of every game Troy I had taught me that sometimes it's definitely great to be athletic and also have long curly locks beautiful yeah I would have him lower on the list really I think that's fair Troy's fourth huh who made this list no way the number three safety of all time [Music] they read is no doubt about it the best safety to ever play football hey never seen this name there was something like this not let me do it right by putting it ahead of Troy yeah I think so I'd put Ed Reid number one I think this might be a little overrated Freddie Reed [Applause] you know what the more I think about this list this this whole list is for health I think I'd read should be ten through one when we talk about guys who maximize being around the football and making a bigger play that was head read Vicki really changed the way the position was played he's athletic he can guard to tidy and he can guard on the back of the back too he can help over the top he can help and learn defense he is the prototypical safety he did that for so long you know of course I'm mad at him because he picked off a couple passes of mine [Applause] yes ball back head the interceptions the hands that he had I wish I could have had his hands I think I dropped more pigs in a head he devastated lives making huge plays constantly harassing people things of this nature hits after catch hits just a vicious just horrible terrible just perfect human being that I appreciate like no other I've never been a fan of the Ravens but I respect and Reid for his brilliance as a football player there was no defender more dangerous than and Reid our number three safety holds the record for most interception return yardage in NFL history his return ability is the one that sets him apart he was a weapon teams were legitimately afraid to throw the ball in his area at times I look at him was more of being the saving grace when the ball is in his hands he just wasn't hey I got an interception it was about going to go get six he's such a dynamic athlete and has that same feel that transitions to being a ball carrier to being a receiver that he changes the complexion of a game I'm gonna take this one back to the crib ed Murray was the best offense that the Ravens had in a couple of those years we had none to play to play beside me when Bill Belichick worries about you you're a pretty dang good player and reads that read no he's not for a lot of stuff everything he does he doesn't it Edison at an exceptional level to be as wanted over the course of his career by Bill Belichick you're the best free safety that's ever played this game a dog's name by Tom Brady when you have two guys who are at the tops of their professions and head to game plan for this guy for years and years and they think he's one of the greatest of all time there's no way that Ed Murray doesn't deserve to be on this list I think you're right at number three he needs to be higher on this list it might be never eat is number two all-time he gets all ten slots and then he's allowed to bring three friends to the bar mitzva so I'll say ronnie Lott Troy Polamalu Donny Xiao mo the number-two safety of all time Paul Kraus that's the bomb right down walthaus is broken [Applause] [Music] [Applause] until someone beats Paul Krause's career interception record you have to put him at water - how long did he play 40 years that can't be right they didn't even have a forward pass when this guy was playing are you sure it's interception NFL record unbelievable the guy was unbelievable but no one knows who it is you might as well be talking about sauerkraut because no one remembers Paul cross to save their ass Paul Krause played on all of those Vikings teams that went to the Super Bowl in 70s and a lot of ways revolutionized the safety position because he created turnovers and he ends up retiring with the most interceptions ever our number two safety of all time is best remembered as a Viking but he actually started his Hall of Fame career in Washington this is Paul Krause the Redskins number two draft selection burned all-pro honors in his rookie year in 1964 Paul led the NFL with 12 interceptions Paul Kraus should be a good one for many more seasons I had great success I had 28 interceptions in four years so that's pretty good despite being voted all-pro his first two seasons Kraus wasn't viewed as a scheme fit in DC so he was traded to Minnesota and Sam Huff was so mad when I was traded that he could spit nails and he still talks about it what do you want to get rid of Paul cross-court I mean this guy is a football player just let him play center field that's what he does you know down Paul crossed at the all-time league record he's in the Hall of Fame and the Redskins had him let him go and it's funny when I got to know sort of Vikings but grand you said you played the way you're used to playing just don't get beat deep Krause was a perfect complement to Minnesota's ferocious defensive line the Purple People eaters as the Vikings captured four NFC championships used to call it in the centerfielder we knew that if a ball hung up in the air too long he wasn't very far away from some of the criticism was Sam's was he was a centerfielder he played back well that's what Bud Grant warning they had a great defensive line and he could hit people he just wasn't required to do it Paul Krause is one of those guys like Lawrence Taylor who revolutionized the position of safety I think he's probably number two on this because of numbers 81 career interceptions for fall Krause and an era where the ball wasn't in the air all that often that type of a number am I gonna quibble with him being it too no you know I always hate to say a records never gonna be broken but eighty one interceptions pretty damn hard to top and now the number one safety of all time Ronnie a lot best safety I ever saw play was probably Ronnie Lott he hit hard like a linebacker he was deep in coverage also you know I was like a corner [Applause] he's the Godfather of the safety position everyone who's played football since you know 1981 at the safety position wants to be Ronnie Lott he is a legend of the game Ronnie is heart and soul of the National Football League you know Ronnie Lott was a great safety but the first five years of his career he essentially played corner so how do you get around that Ronnie was the best corner in the league and the cornerback also stole their thunder as he earned Pro Bowl honors for the third time in his three-year career and then let's just move him to safety a little early way he'll be the best safety of all time Ronnie Lott defines the defense of the Niners that is always overlooked that defense was nasty every one of those Super Bowl years and Ronnie Lott was the heart and soul of those defenses his emotional and intellectual ability to grab people and lead that's a big reason why he would be number one on this list [Music] look at Ronnie lot liquor he always he never smiled he just had that face Ronnie lot hit dude so hard at Pat Summerall would pause from where he go Ron a lot back to throw it looks right throws left [Applause] that lifts this whole team Ronnie Lott sure intimidating you know because he was gonna come into a hundred fifty miles an hour [Applause] [Music] ickey woods in the Super Bowl Super Bowl 23 let's get ready to do the shuffle once again is [Applause] hi I'm running lot no more of that when you go play the game of football it's a violent game I wasn't gonna leave anything behind I was never going to allow myself to be defeated and of course this countdown was being complete without mention of the most famous missing digit in NFL history it happened at the last game of season we were playing the Cowboys I think was Timmy Newsome I was trying to topple him unfortunately his helmet kind of smashed my finger against my shoulder pad because there is blood involved in that thing I had to go see the doctor says we'll look one of your bones is missing in the finger I chose to get the finger amputated so I could play talk about gritty blood sweat and tears and the pinky I mean he gave it all boom back hand coach hey coach put me back it wasn't always a safety but I'm supposed to look a guy in the eye that said yeah just take it off above the knuckle I want to go into the third quarter and tell him he's not the greatest safety of all time now I'm gonna make him the greatest safety of all time Ronnie love is the only NFL safety to end his career with fewer fingers than he's starting with what about Polamalu what about John count two fingers how many fingers again you have ten fingers within uh not the greatest call me when they have nine point seven fingers believe it believe it

Channel: NFL Films

Views: 2,986,460

Keywords: NFL, Football, NFL Films, American Football, top 10, top 10 documentary, nfl top 10, top 10 safeties, top safeties, top safeties of all time, top safeties ever, best safeties, best safeties of all times, best safeties ever, greatest safeties

Id: OlGGB_-Wf8U

Length: 34min 41sec (2081 seconds)

Published: Tue Nov 13 2018

Reddit Comments

[u/skullyD]

Will never understand how Atwater isn’t in the HoF yet

[u/duckfat69]

1. Ronnie Lott

2. Paul Krause

3. Ed Reed

4. Troy Polamalu

5. Ken Houston

6. Emlen Tunnell

7. Steve Atwater

8. Kenny Easley

9. Donnie Shell

10. Dawkins

[u/DennisNedrysGhost]

No worky but I bet Ed Reed takes up three slots.

[u/_Gingam_]

This video made me realize how much I miss Troy Polamalu

[u/Donkey_Hodie]

Weapon X needs to be way higher.

Happy to see Atwater, Ed Reed, Polamalu

But Ronnie Lott giving up his pinkie finger to play. Good stuff.

[u/_Vaudeville_]

Reed played less years than Krause and had more Pro-Bowls and All-Pro selections, plus he did it in the modern era and had stiffer competition at his position.

I guess we're splitting hairs but I think Lott and Reed are 1a and 1b. Ed was the most dangerous defensive player in NFL history with the ball in his hands.

[u/long2sniper]

I miss Ravens Ed Reed what an awesome player. Texans Ed Reed tho not so much.

[u/failingtolurk]

Where’s Darren Sharper?

[u/SimpleGifts7]

A lot of people would say Reggie White or Bruce Smith or LT is the greatest defensive player of all time. I give Ronnie Lott that honor.