The GOATs of the Gridiron: Ranking the Top 20 NFL Players of All-Time at Every Position

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The NFL has been around for over 100 years and nearly 400 players have entered the Hall of Fame. Today, we are going to look at every position — from Quarterback to Return Specialist — and determine the Top 20 players to ever step on the gridiron.

Fullback

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1. Jim Brown
2. Mike Alstott
3. Larry Csonka
4. Marion Motley
5. Bronko Nagurski
6. Kyle Juszczyk
7. Lorenzo Neal
8. Tony Richardson
9. Franco Harris
10. Jim Taylor
    

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11. Joe Perry
12. John Riggins
13. Daryl ‘Moose’ Johnston
14. John Henry Johnson
15. Howard Griffith
16. Larry Centers
17. Mack Strong
18. John Kuhn
19. Carlton Gilchrist
20. James Develin

Center

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1. Jim Otto
2. Mike Webster
3. Dwight Stephenson
4. Chuck Bednarik
5. Maurkice Pouncey
6. Mel Hein
7. Jim Ringo
8. Jim Langer
9. Dermontti Dawson
10. Frank Gatski
11. Jason Kelce
12. Alex Mack
13. Jeff Saturday
14. Matt Birk
15. Travis Frederick
16. Olin Kreutz
17. Kevin Mawae
18. Dan Dierdorf
19. Charley Brock
20. Bulldog Turner

Left Guard

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1. Larry Allen
2. John Hannah
3. Randall McDaniel
4. Bruce Matthews
5. Gene Upshaw
6. Quenton Nelson
7. Tom Mack
8. Mike Munchak
9. Alan Faneca
10. Steve Hutchinson
    

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11. Joel Bitonio
12. Russ Grimm
13. Brian Waters
14. Logan Mankins
15. Nate Newton
16. Bob Kuechenberg
17. Guy McIntyre
18. Steve Wisniewski
19. Ruben Brown
20. Ed Budde

Right Guard

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1. Will Shields
2. Joe DeLamielleure
3. Marshal Yanda
4. Stan Jones
5. Jerry Kramer
6. Zack Martin
7. Jahri Evans
8. Bruce Matthews
9. Brandon Scherff
10. Larry Little
    

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11. David DeCastro
12. Trai Turner
13. Ed White
14. Larry Warford
15. Randy Cross
16. Walt Sweeney
17. Brandon Brooks
18. Chris Lindstom
19. Kyle Long
20. Wyatt Teller

Right Tackle

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1. Forrest Gregg
2. Ron Yary
3. Jackie Slater
4. Rayfield White
5. Mike McCormack
6. Bob Brown
7. Roosevelt Brown
8. Ron Mix
9. Lane Johnson
10. Dan Dierdorf
11. Bruce Armstrong
    

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12. Tristan Wirfs
13. Cal Hubbard
14. Bob St. Clair
15. Erik Williams
16. Chris Hinton
17. Jack Conklin
18. Ryan Ramczyk
19. Harris Barton
20. Jon Runyan

Left Tackle

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1. Jonathan Ogden
2. Anthony Munoz
3. Jim Parker
4. Joe Thomas
5. Trent Williams
6. Walter Jones
7. Willie Roaf
8. Orlando Pace
9. Tyron Smith
10. Tony Boselli
    

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11. Jason Peters
12. Gary Zimmerman
13. Joe Staley
14. Chris Samuels
15. Lomas Brown
16. Flozell Adams
17. Art Shell
18. Duane Brown
19. David Bakhtiari
20. Bruce Armstrong

Tight End

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1. Tony Gonzalez
2. Rob Gronkowski
3. Travis Kelce
4. Kellen Winslow Sr.
5. Antonio Gates
6. John Mackey
7. Jason Witten
8. Mike Ditka
9. Shannon Sharpe
10. Ozzie Newsome
11. Dave Casper
    

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12. Charlie Sanders
13. Jimmy Graham
14. Jay Novacek
15. Mark Bavaro
16. Greg Olsen
17. Jackie Smith
18. Ben Coates
19. Jerry Smith
20. Dallas Clark

Quarterback

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1. Tom Brady
2. Joe Montana
3. Peyton Manning
4. John Elway
5. Aaron Rodgers
6. Patrick Mahomes
7. Johnny Unitas
8. Drew Brees 
9. Dan Marino
10. Otto Graham
    

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11. Roger Staubach
12. Troy Aikman
13. Brett Favre
14. Sammy Baugh
15. Bart Starr
16. Steve Young
17. Terry Bradshaw
18. Ben Roethlisberger
19. Kurt Warner
20. Warren Moon

Wide Receiver

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1. Jerry Rice
2. Randy Moss
3. Calvin Johnson
4. Larry Fitzgerald
5. Terrell Owens
6. Steve Largent
7. Don Hutson
8. Art Monk
9. Fred Biletnikoff
10. Cris Carter
    

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11. Isaac Bruce
12. Marvin Harrison
13. James Lofton
14. Charlie Joyner
15. Michael Irvin
16. Lance Alworth
17. Antonio Brown
18. Tim Brown
19. Hines Ward
20. Andre Johnson

Running Back

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1. Jim Brown
2. Walter Payton
3. Eric Dickerson
4. Barry Sanders
5. Bo Jackson
6. LaDainian Tomlinson
7. Gale Sayers
8. Earl Campbell
9. O.J. Simpson
10. Emmitt Smith
    

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11. Tony Dorsett
12. Adrian Peterson
13. Curtis Martin
14. Marshall Faulk
15. Derrick Henry
16. Jerome Bettis
17. Frank Gore
18. Marcus Allen
19. Thurman Thomas
20. Terrell Davis

Offensive Coordinator

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1. Paul Brown
2. Mike Martz
3. Vince Lombardi
4. Tom Moore
5. Bill Walsh
6. Brian Billick
7. Andy Reid
8. John Madden
9. Don Coryell
10. Sid Gillman
    

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11. Joe Gibbs
12. Kyle Shanahan
13. Cam Cameron
14. Ted Marchibroda
15. Norv Turner
16. Mike McCarthy
17. Todd Haley
18. Mike Holmgren
19. Mike Shanahan
20. Charlie Weis

Head Coach

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1. Vince Lombardi
2. Bill Belichick
3. Bill Walsh
4. Don Shula
5. Joe Gibbs
6. Paul Brown
7. Bill Parcells
8. Andy Reid
9. Chuck Noll
10. Jimmy Johnson
    

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11. George Seifert
12. Mike Shanahan
13. Marv Levy
14. Mike Holmgren
15. Pete Carroll
16. Dick Vermeil
17. Dan Reeves
18. Bill Cowher
19. Bud Grant
20. Mike Tomlin

Defensive Coordinator

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1. Dick LeBeau
2. Monte Kiffin
3. Buddy Ryan
4. Bill Belichick
5. Bud Carson
6. Bill Arnsparger
7. Tony Dungy
8. Wade Phillips
9. Chuck Noll
10. Fritz Shurmur
    

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11. Tom Landry
12. Jerry Williams
13. Dom Capers
14. Ray Rhodes
15. Leslie Frazier
16. Rex Ryan
17. Gregg Williams
18. Mike Zimmer
19. Vic Fangio
20. Ron Rivera

Left End

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1. Reggie White
2. Deacon Jones
3. Jack Youngblood
4. Michael Strahan
5. JJ Watt
6. Gino Marchetti
7. Carl Eller
8. Ed “Too Tall” Jones
9. Claude Humphrey
10. Howie Long
    

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11. Calais Campbell
12. Willie Davis
13. Myles Garrett
14. Nick Bosa
15. L.C. Greenwood
16. Cameron Jordan
17. Jevon Kearse
18. Michael Bennett
19. Demarcus Lawrence
20. Kevin Carter

Right End

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1. Bruce Smith
2. Doug Atkins
3. Lee Roy Selmon
4. Chris Doleman
5. Jason Taylor
6. Harvey Martin
7. Richard Dent
8. John Abraham
9. Khalil Mack
10. Dwight Freeney
    

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11. Len Ford
12. Jim Marshall
13. Leslie O’Neal
14. Richard Seymour
15. Charles Haley
16. Jared Allen
17. Al Baker
18. Coy Bacon
19. Simeon Rice
20. Frank Clark

Defensive Tackle

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1. Aaron Donald
2. Alan Page
3. “Mean” Joe Greene
4. Bob Lilly
5. Merlin Olsen
6. John Randle
7. Warren Sapp
8. Randy White
9. Cortez Kennedy
10. Buck Buchanan
    

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11. Leo Nomellini
12. Arnie Weinmeister
13. Casey Hampton
14. Ndamukong Suh
15. Kevin Williams
16. Ernie Stautner
17. Fletcher Cox
18. Geno Atkins
19. William “Refrigerator” Perry
20. Gerald McCoy

Right Outside Linebacker

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1. Lawrence Taylor
2. Derrick Thomas
3. Derrick Brooks
4. Von Miller
5. Chuck Bednarik
6. Demarcus Ware
7. Robert Brazile
8. James Harrison
9. Chris Hanburger
10. Hugh Green
    

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11. Maxie Baughan
12. Chuck Howley
13. Isiah Robertson
14. Bill Forester
15. Wilber Marshall
16. Greg Lloyd
17. Keith Bullock
18. Joey Porter
19. Clay Matthews
20. Pat Swilling

Left Outside Linebacker

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1. Bobby Bell
2. Ted Hendricks
3. Jack Ham
4. Dave Wilcox
5. Kevin Greene
6. Rickey Jackson
7. Terrell Suggs
8. T.J. Watt
9. Cornelius Bennett
10. Junior Seau
    

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11. Andre Tippett
12. Carl Banks
13. George Connor
14. Dave Robinson
15. Khalil Mack
16. Matt Blair
17. Chandler Jones
18. Chris Spielman
19. Micah Parsons
20. Justin Houston

Middle Linebacker

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1. Ray Lewis
2. Dick Butkus
3. Jack Lambert
4. Luke Kuechly
5. Bill George
6. Bobby Wagner
7. Brian Urlacher
8. Patrick Willis
9. Mike Singletary
10. Ray Nitschke
    

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11. Zach Thomas
12. Harry Carson
13. Nick Buoniconti
14. Karl Mecklenburg
15. Les Richter
16. Randy Gradishar
17. Ken Norton Jr.
18. Demario Davis
19. London Fletcher
20. Fred Warner

Strong Safety

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1. Ronnie Lott
2. Emlen Tunnell
3. Troy Polamalu
4. Marion Motley
5. LeRoy Butler
6. Ken Houston
7. Kam Chancellor
8. John Lynch
9. Darren Woodson
10. Charlie Watters
    

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11. Ed Meador
12. Rodney Harrison
13. Tim McDonald
14. Dennis Smith
15. Joey Browner
16. Eric Berry
17. Bobby Dillon
18. Adrian Wilson
19. Dick Anderson
20. Lawyer Milloy

Free Safety

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1. Ed Reed
2. Willie Wood
3. Brian Dawkins
4. Paul Krause
5. Larry Wilson
6. Jack Christiansen
7. Yale Larry
8. Sean Taylor
9. Earl Thomas
10. Cliff Harris
    

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11. Eugene Robinson
12. Steve Atwater
13. Kenny Easley
14. Nolan Cromwell
15. Jake Scott
16. Tyrann Mathieu
17. Darren Sharper
18. Harrison Smith
19. Deron Cherry
20. Jack Tatum

Cornerback

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1. Deion Sanders
2. Rod Woodson
3. Charles Woodson
4. Champ Bailey
5. Darrelle Revis
6. Dick “Night Train” Lane
7. Mel Blount
8. Mike Haynes
9. Herb Adderley
10. Jalen Ramsey
    

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11. Willie Brown
12. Lem Barney
13. Mel Renfro
14. Ty Law
15. Darrell Green
16. Dick Lebeau
17. Richard Sherman
18. Jimmy Johnson
19. Jack Butler
20. Emmitt Thomas

Punter

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1. Ray Guy
2. Shane Lechler
3. Yale Lary
4. Johnny Hekker
5. Sean Landeta
6. Sammy Baugh
7. Reggie Roby
8. Jeff Feagles
9. Jerrel Wilson
10. Brett Kern
    

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11. Brad Maynard
12. Pat McAfee
13. Thomas Morstead
14. Sam Koch
15. Donnie Jones
16. Kevin Huber
17. Michael Dickson
18. Dustin Colquitt
19. Todd Sauerbrun
20. Brian Moorman

Kicker

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1. Justin Tucker
2. Adam Vinatieri
3. Lou Groza
4. Morten Andersen
5. George Blanda
6. Gary Anderson
7. Jan Stenerud
8. Stephen Gostkowski
9. Jason Hanson
10. Jason Elam
    

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11. Matt Stover
12. Phil Dawson
13. Robbie Gould
14. Mark Moseley
15. Graham Gano
16. Matt Prater
17. Matt Bryant
18. David Akers
19. Toi Fritsch
20. Mike Vanderjagt

Return Specialist

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1. Devin Hester
2. Brian Mitchell
3. Dante Hall
4. Joshua Cribbs
5. Deion Sanders
6. Dave Meggett
7. Cordarelle Patterson
8. Desmond Howard
9. Gale Sayers
10. Darren Sproles
    

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11. Mel Gray
12. DeSean Jackson
13. Eric Metcalf
14. Billy “White Shoes” Johnson
15. Vai Sikahema
16. Leon Washington
17. Ted Ginn Jr.
18. Patrick Peterson
19. Allen Rossum
20. Jacoby Jones