Who's the greatest football player to ever strap on his pads ?

[ABEHONEST]

Sorry "kid" !
I believe you are too young and just don't realize how dominating JB was ?

I suggest you read his stats...like winning every rushing title in 8 of the 9 years he played !
The one year he didn't win the rushing title was the year he was feuding with Coach Paul Brown[another legend].
Coach Brown evidently didn't use JB properly,so,JB saw it beneficial to the team by making sure he didn't coach Cleveland again !

[That statement JB made ...either Coach goes ,or I go, did the job !]

[twentyonekid]

Sorry "kid" !
I believe you are too young and just don't realize how dominating JB was ?

I suggest you read his stats...like winning every rushing title in 8 of the 9 years he played !
The one year he didn't win the rushing title was the year he was feuding with Coach Paul Brown[another legend].
Coach Brown evidently didn't use JB properly,so,JB saw it beneficial to the team by making sure he didn't coach Cleveland again !

[That statement JB made ...either Coach goes ,or I go, did the job !]

ABE,i am really not young as you say,my handle on here does not represent my age.i know what you are saying,i know all about JIM BROWN,im personal friends

with some of the old timers,worked with one,LOU(the shoe)MICHAELS from the baltimore colts,knew his best friend JOHNNY UNITAS god rest his soul,so i do know what you mean but im just saying its too hard to name the best to ever put the pads on,great chatting with you ,hope we can continue

[rezkoness69]

I think its wrong that I was the only one that gave it to Jerry. You guys know how many records he holds right? How many Bowls he won?

-3 Time super bowl winner
-13 time all-pro
-all-time TD leader with 208

The guy owns every major receiveing record and plenty others. After Rice I go...

2. Payton
3. Sanders

[aszzzbrokerman]

You guys are crazy. An "A" student is an "A" students. Until some player comes along and wins a championship every year he is in the league playing for different teams each year the rule of thumb is the team with the most "A" students wins.

The NFL is more about the organization than the players. Which ever organization is best at picking out the A's is going to win the most. The question should be which organization is the best. For my money the current class of the league is your pick of Colts/Steelers/Patriots(3rd/2nd/1st).

The best organization ever were the 80s 49ers.

[Italia_NYC]

lawrence taylor for sure!!

^This.

How many other players can take credit for single-handedly reinventing their position and how it is played today? And is still considered arguably the best player at said position???

[xxdjstriderxx]

oj simpson

[xxdjstriderxx]

curious to see what the sports authority had to say on this topic so i did a little research.
good job abe.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2152421

[rezkoness69]

espn gets no authority in my book...calling mark schlereth an NFL "expert" is almost worst then calling John Kruk a baseball expert.

[biggamerife21]

It's between myself,Ki Jana Carter,lawrence phillips, or Tim Biakabatuka

[lakerboy]

His name is.....JIM BROWN !

He averaged 5.2 yds. per carry on a 6'2" muscled bound 230 lb. frame !
BROWN had for his size ,great speed,along with awesome power !

BROWN "never" missed a game in 9 seasons in the NFL !

He led the league 8/9 of the years he played !

Paul Brown[ever heard of him],was his coach ,and the one season he didn't win the rushing title [there was a serious feud between Coach Brown and Jim Brown], and according to JIM BROWN , either I go or the Coach goes !

So guess what ?Paul Brown is fired, and the first year with the new coach,Collier,Cleveland win's the NFL CHAMPIONSHIP ,with Brown having a super season !
The next season,Brown's last at age 29, Cleveland made it all the way to the Championship game ,but lost .

Famed sports columnist and Pulitzer Prize winner Red Smith wrote ,"for mercerial speed ,airy nimbleness, and explosive violence in one package of undistilled evil , there is no other like Mr. Brown !"

of course not he played when the rest of the players were half his size

[ABEHONEST]

Lakerboy !
You are back again,however,what on EARTH are you trying to say when describing JIM BROWN'S size ?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm ?

[diogee]

A little biased but I say Jerry Rice. Came out of Div 1AA and most said he was too slow to be a great wr. Was determined and took everything to the next level...excellent route runner and great hands. Had a couple of great qb's throwing the ball his way as well.

[brooks85]

jeff blake or akili smith

[zda777]

yall are gonna hate me for this michael vick

[koRnygoatweed]

Brett Favre! Granted, I'm a Wisconsin native so I am a bit biased, I could watch Favre playing into his 60's, no matter the team.

[BobHarvey]

Brett Favre! Granted, I'm a Wisconsin native so I am a bit biased, I could watch Favre playing into his 60's, no matter the team.

Favre. I hope he plays another 10 years.

John Elway. He was pretty good too.

[koRnygoatweed]

Favre. I hope he plays another 10 years.

John Elway. He was pretty good too.

Shit, I hope he plays on a different team each of those 10 years as well, so I can snatch them jerseys up!!!

[ABEHONEST]

You fellow members that did not accept JIM BROWN [I hope he doesn't find out !] for the GREATEST should be penalized for all of your points !
The MAN "never" missed a game in 9 seasons,and he dominated his position like no other ever will !
Eight out of nine seasons he out rushed all competitors !
Did JERRY RICE win with the most pass catching 8 of 9 years ...NO !
And ,he had the Greatest QB in History throwing the ball to him![little help there pal]

SORRY BUT...it's time to DANCE !

[koRnygoatweed]

You fellow members that did not accept JIM BROWN [I hope he doesn't find out !] for the GREATEST should be penalized for all of your points !
The MAN "never" missed a game in 9 seasons,and he dominated his position like no other ever will !
Eight out of nine seasons he out rushed all competitors !
Did JERRY RICE win with the most pass catching 8 of 9 years ...NO !
And ,he had the Greatest QB in History throwing the ball to him![little help there pal]

SORRY BUT...it's time to DANCE !

I'd have to rate Sterling Sharpe up there with Jim Brown, different positions but both had the WOW HOLY SHIT appeal.

Sharpe was All-Pro and voted to the Pro Bowl 5 times in his 6 year career. Broke the receptions record (with 107) in '92 AND won the Triple Crown at receiver; yds, TDs and receptions. Then in '93 he breaks his own record with 112 receptions and makes himself the first to have consecutive 100-catch seasons. God I wish his career would have ended better and far later than it had.

[spurginobili]

1. Garo Yepremian (name loosely translates to Premium Duche)
2. Nate Newton (for his enormous stash)
3. Walter Payton (because I couldn't think of anyone else)

[Willie Bee]

No right answers to 'greatest ever' in any sport. It's tough enough to pick the best from a single era much less trying to compare players separated by 30, 40, 50 years and more.

I will cast a nod to Sammy Baugh, however, if for no other reason than he revolutionized the game.

[gobucks]

1. Jerry Rice
2. Lawrence Taylor
3. Jim Brown
4. John Hannah

All four changed the way the game is played...currently I like Troy Polamalu as a revolutionary player.

[ABEHONEST]

No right answers to 'greatest ever' in any sport. It's tough enough to pick the best from a single era much less trying to compare players separated by 30, 40, 50 years and more.

I will cast a nod to Sammy Baugh, however, if for no other reason than he revolutionized the game.

Pray to GOD ...JIM BROWN never read's the "doubting " posters !
He is a proud man and would be more dangerous than OJ if you crossed him !

Better think it over guys...or I might just RAT you fellows out !

[ABEHONEST]

Can you imagine playing 9 YEARS and NEVER missing a game ?

The KICKER being...he played probably the[any doubts] roughest position in football [if they use you frequently] and they used JIM for 2/3 plays on each possession ?

Playing fullback means you get hit by the BADDEST ASSE'S on the field,over and over,pounded by 240/300 pound linebackers,or tackles .

The doubters have no stats or logic to back your claims,so here is the closer...

[fsugolf]

man I was hoping this was Ryan Leaf

[IcE]

Mean Joe Green