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Greatest Player in Franchise History


The Gipper

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Who was the Greatest Player in the History of each NFL franchise?   Candidates:

Cardinals (AZ/St.L/Chicago)    Larry Fitzgerald  or  Charley Trippi?

Atlanta Falcons:   I think you have to look at Matt Ryan,   or Claude Humphrey

Baltimore Ravens.    Its gotta be Ray Lewis,    with Jonathan Ogden and Ed Reed coming in behind

Buffalo Bills.    A hard one:  QB Jim Kelly?   DE Bruce Smith.....and no matter what you have to include  OJ Simpson as a candidate.

Carolina Panthers:    I think you have to pick Cam Newton......though WR  Steve Smith  comes in a close second

Chicago Bears.   One of the hardest to choose.   Sid Luckman who QBd them to  4 championships?  Walter Payton?  But this is a franchise known for defense, especially  middle Linebacks:  Bill George/Butkus/Singletary/Urlacher.    Who?

Cincinnati Bengals.   Anthony Munoz

Cleveland Browns    Jim Brown is the obvious choice........but should he take preference over  7 time champion QB Otto Graham?

Dallas Cowboys.  Another tough one.   All Time rushing leader  Emmit Smith?  Or a defensive stalwart like Bob Lilly?    I go for Roger Staubach

Denver Broncos.   Easy:   Elway

Detroit Lions.    Gotta go with Barry Sanders

Green Bay Packers.  Tough choice.   You have HOF QBs   Starr/Favre/Rodgers eventually.  There is also Forrest Gregg and Ray Nitschke...and others

Houston Texans.  Two top candidates:   Andre Johnson/JJ Watt.     If Watson were to stay, he could be it eventually,  but not today, and maybe never if he leaves.

Indianapolis/Baltimore Colts:   Two horse race really:    Manning/Unitas.......Unitas/Manning?   My tendency to think old school says Unitas....but that is not in stone.

Jacksonville Jaguars.  Hard because they have not had a true outstanding guy.   Would it be  Boselli? Jimmy Smith?  Fred Taylor.  Supposedly, eventually it will be Trevor

Kansas City Chiefs.   Hard to think that Mahomes won't take this.....eventually....but not now perhaps?   You have Len Dawson,  Tony Gonzales, Derrick Thomas

Las Vegas Raiders.  As much glamor as they may come in for from offensive skill and defensive players.....their best may be a trio of road graders:   Gene Upshaw/Art Shell/Jim Otto

LA Chargers.    A couple of QB  I think compete here:   Fouts vs. Rivers?    Or neither, and go with Junior Seau?    

LA Rams.   Defensive Linemen are this team's forte:   Is it  Merlin Olsen?  Deacon Jones?  Or does Aaron Donald take the cake?

Miami Dolphins.  Another easy peasy:   Dan Marino

Minnesota Vikings.   Another toughie:   the QB?  Tarkenton.....or one of the DL:   Alan Page or Carl Eller?

New England Patriots.   Tom Brady.     obviously a no brainer

New Orleans Saints:   Drew Brees.      ditto

New York Giants:   gotta be Lawrence Taylor

New York Jets:   Joe Namath.

Philadelphia Eagles.    despite playing some years for other teams.....Reggie White  IMO tops this team's list

Pittsburgh Steelers?   Who would Steeler fans say?  BR over Bradshaw?  Or Mean Joe Greene or Jack Lambert....or Mike Webster?

San Francisco 49ers.     I want to say  Joe Montana.......but would Jerry Rice be the better answer?

Seattle Seahawks.   Russell Wilson   I think can be considered a no brainer here.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  Brady may be the popular choice after a single year.....but this team has been a defensive team:  So either  Derrick Brooks/Warren Sapp/Leroy Selmon are the choices.

Tennessee Titans/Houston Oilers.   Best player has been  Bruce Matthews.  

Washington  R-words:   I think its a DB:  Darrell Green

Who would you choose for some of these? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Who was the Greatest Player in the History of each NFL franchise?   Candidates:

Cardinals (AZ/St.L/Chicago)    Larry Fitzgerald  or  Charley Trippi?

HB Terry Metcalf or QB Jim Hart

Atlanta Falcons:   I think you have to look at Matt Ryan,   or Claude Humphrey

For me it's Billy 'White Shoes' Johnson

Baltimore Ravens.    Its gotta be Ray Lewis,    with Jonathan Ogden and Ed Reed coming in behind

Buffalo Bills.    A hard one:  QB Jim Kelly?   DE Bruce Smith.....and no matter what you have to include  OJ Simpson as a candidate.

Carolina Panthers:    I think you have to pick Cam Newton......though WR  Steve Smith  comes in a close second

Jake Delhomme

Chicago Bears.   One of the hardest to choose.   Sid Luckman who QBd them to  4 championships?  Walter Payton?  But this is a franchise known for defense, especially  middle Linebacks:  Bill George/Butkus/Singletary/Urlacher.    Who?

BUTKUS!

Cincinnati Bengals.   Anthony Munoz

Cleveland Browns    Jim Brown is the obvious choice........but should he take preference over  7 time champion QB Otto Graham?

Dallas Cowboys.  Another tough one.   All Time rushing leader  Emmit Smith?  Or a defensive stalwart like Bob Lilly?    I go for Roger Staubach

Denver Broncos.   Easy:   Elway

Detroit Lions.    Gotta go with Barry Sanders

Green Bay Packers.  Tough choice.   You have HOF QBs   Starr/Favre/Rodgers eventually.  There is also Forrest Gregg and Ray Nitschke...and others

Houston Texans.  Two top candidates:   Andre Johnson/JJ Watt.     If Watson were to stay, he could be it eventually,  but not today, and maybe never if he leaves.

Indianapolis/Baltimore Colts:   Two horse race really:    Manning/Unitas.......Unitas/Manning?   My tendency to think old school says Unitas....but that is not in stone.

Jacksonville Jaguars.  Hard because they have not had a true outstanding guy.   Would it be  Boselli? Jimmy Smith?  Fred Taylor.  Supposedly, eventually it will be Trevor

QB Mark Bunnell OL Tony Boselli

Kansas City Chiefs.   Hard to think that Mahomes won't take this.....eventually....but not now perhaps?   You have Len Dawson,  Tony Gonzales, Derrick Thomas

Las Vegas Raiders.  As much glamor as they may come in for from offensive skill and defensive players.....their best may be a trio of road graders:   Gene Upshaw/Art Shell/Jim Otto

LA Chargers.    A couple of QB  I think compete here:   Fouts vs. Rivers?    Or neither, and go with Junior Seau?    

LA Rams.   Defensive Linemen are this team's forte:   Is it  Merlin Olsen?  Deacon Jones?  Or does Aaron Donald take the cake?

Miami Dolphins.  Another easy peasy:   Dan Marino

Minnesota Vikings.   Another toughie:   the QB?  Tarkenton.....or one of the DL:   Alan Page or Carl Eller?

New England Patriots.   Tom Brady.     obviously a no brainer

New Orleans Saints:   Drew Brees.      ditto

New York Giants:   gotta be Lawrence Taylor

New York Jets:   Joe Namath.

Philadelphia Eagles.    despite playing some years for other teams.....Reggie White  IMO tops this team's list

Pittsburgh Steelers?   Who would Steeler fans say?  BR over Bradshaw?  Or Mean Joe Greene or Jack Lambert....or Mike Webster?

San Francisco 49ers.     I want to say  Joe Montana.......but would Jerry Rice be the better answer?

Seattle Seahawks.   Russell Wilson   I think can be considered a no brainer here.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  Brady may be the popular choice after a single year.....but this team has been a defensive team:  So either  Derrick Brooks/Warren Sapp/Leroy Selmon are the choices.

Tennessee Titans/Houston Oilers.   Best player has been  Bruce Matthews.  

Washington  R-words:   I think its a DB:  Darrell Green

Who would you choose for some of these? 

 

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The only other tweeks could be offensive and defensive GOAT or maybe by old school vs new with a pre/post 1970 line.  Something like that.

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27 minutes ago, ballpeen said:

Larry Wilson for Cards.

...not enough teeth.  ;)

Jimmy Brown is the reason I'm a Browns fan.  But you can only go as far as your QB can take you.  So, I guess I go with Otto.

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1 hour ago, Unsympathetic said:

Cardinals - Dierdorf over NightTrain Lane

Falcons - Can you really pick anyone other than Deion Sanders? Tuggle at LB perhaps.

I think you can easily, because  Deion played only a small portion of his career with  Atlanta.  He played as much with Dallas as with the Falcons. 

Panthers - LB Kuechly over WR Steve Smith

 

 

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2 hours ago, mjp28 said:

The only other tweeks could be offensive and defensive GOAT or maybe by old school vs new with a pre/post 1970 line.  Something like that.

YOU could if you want.  I will leave it up to YOU  to make those choices for each team. 

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For the LA teams I would take Fouts and Dickerson.

I can't look at the bolt without seeing the beard or look at the horns without seeing the glasses. 

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Good Topic..

St. Louis Rams... Faulk/Slater/Holt/Warner 🤔

Falcons it's Primetime but Tommy Nobis was worthy'''

Steve Smith/Luke Kuechly is a dead heat in Carolina... I favor Smitty

Top 5? ...Goes JB gumby73....... Lawrence Taylor.......Reggie White... Ray Lewis... Butkus....

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53 minutes ago, gumby73 said:

St. Louis Rams... Faulk/Slater/Holt/Warner 🤔

Merlin Olsen, Henry Ellard, Crazy Legs

Redskins - Sonny Jurgensen,  John Riggins, Charlie Taylor

Oilers/Titans -  Warren Moon, Earl Campbell

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2 hours ago, D Bone said:

For the LA teams I would take Fouts and Dickerson.

I can't look at the bolt without seeing the beard or look at the horns without seeing the glasses. 

I gotta disagree being out here in former Bolt land.

LT is king. 
 

Seau might be 1b
 

 

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Buffalo Bills.   OJ

Carolina Panthers:   Peppers

Chicago Bears.  Sweetness

Dallas Cowboys.  Emmitt

Green Bay Packers.  Reggie White... his short time in GB is irrelevant.

Houston Texans.  JJ

Indianapolis/Baltimore Colts:  Manning

Jacksonville Jaguars.  Fred Taylor...

Kansas City Chiefs.  Lanier... with a nod to Gonzalez

Las Vegas Raiders. Jim Otto

LA Chargers.  LT

LA Rams. Orlando Pace

New York Jets:  Curtis Martin

Philadelphia Eagles.  See GB...

Pittsburgh Steelers  AB... flat out uncoverable in his PTG days

San Francisco 49ers.  Rice... but have to mention Lott

Seattle Seahawks.  Largent... but have to mention Sherman

Tampa Bay Buccaneers. TB12 now... but pre-2020 Brooks.

Tennessee Titans/Houston Oilers. Can't believe I am the first (Edit: not named Orion) to mention Earl Campbell...

Washington  R-words: Green, but have to mention Kenny Houston

 

 

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On 5/27/2021 at 1:47 PM, The Gipper said:

Who was the Greatest Player in the History of each NFL franchise?   Candidates:

Cardinals (AZ/St.L/Chicago)     Larry Wilson

Atlanta Falcons:   I think you have to look at...Dion Sanders

Baltimore Ravens.    Its gotta be Ray Lewis,    

Buffalo Bills.    A hard one: OJ

Carolina Panthers:    I think you have to pick Cam Newton...Peppers

Chicago Bears.   One of the hardest to choose.   Butkus

Cincinnati Bengals.   Anthony Munoz

Cleveland Browns    Jim Brown

Dallas Cowboys.  Another tough one.   All Time rushing leader  Emmitt Smith

Denver Broncos.   Easy:   Elway

Detroit Lions.    Gotta go with Barry Sanders

Green Bay Packers.  Tough choice.  Starr

Houston Texans.  Two top candidates:   Watt

Indianapolis/Baltimore Colts:   Two horse race really:   Manning

Jacksonville Jaguars.  Fred Taylor

Kansas City Chiefs.   Willie Lanier

Las Vegas Raiders.  Marcus Allen

LA Chargers.    A couple of QB  I think compete here:  Rivers 

LA Rams.   Defensive Linemen are this team's forte:   Deacon Jones

Miami Dolphins.  Another easy peasy:   Dan Marino

Minnesota Vikings.   Another toughie:  Page

New England Patriots.   Tom Brady.     

New Orleans Saints:   Drew Brees.      

New York Giants:   Lawrence Taylor

New York Jets:   Joe Namath.

Philadelphia Eagles.    Reggie

Pittsburgh Steelers?  Joe greene

San Francisco 49ers.   Jerry Rice

Seattle Seahawks.  Steve Largent

Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  Leroy Selmon

Tennessee Titans/Houston Oilers.   Earl Campbell 

Washington  R-words:  Sammy Baugh

Who would you choose for some of these? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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On 5/27/2021 at 5:28 PM, Unsympathetic said:

Cardinals - Dierdorf over NightTrain Lane

Falcons - Can you really pick anyone other than Deion Sanders? Tuggle at LB perhaps.

Panthers - LB Kuechly over WR Steve Smith

 

Agreed... Steve Smith wasn't the most durable.. I recall him getting injured quite a bit

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On 5/27/2021 at 6:42 PM, The Gipper said:

Atlanta Falcons:   I think you have to look at Matt Ryan,   or Claude Humphrey

For me it's Billy 'White Shoes' Johnson

Except, he is best known for being on the Oilers. 

Yeah.. I remember him on both teams.. He was fun as fuck to watch though...

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