History UsefulNotes / NFLDefensiveAndSpecialTeamsPlayers

* '''Dan Bailey''' is a placekicker most famous for his tenure with the Dallas Cowboys, who signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2011 out of Oklahoma State. His rookie season is most famous for some fans and analysts believing he was [NeverLiveItDown "iced" by his head coach on a potential game winning field goal]. He played with the Cowboys until 2017 when an injury brought about a decline in his accuracy, seeing Justin Tucker (see below) become the league's most accurate kicker. He signed with Minnesota in 2018 and played there until 2020, having two solid seasons before imploding and having the worst season of his career. He is currently a free agent.

* '''Nick Lowery''', nicknamed "Nick the Kick", was signed as an undrafted free agent out of New England in 1978 before landing with the Kansas City Chiefs two years later. Lowery became the Chiefs all-time leading scorer before he was cut after the 1993 season; he played three more seasons with the Jets before retiring as the league's all-time leading scorer (later passed by Gary Anderson), and was later inducted into the Chiefs' Hall of Fame.

* '''Joe Klecko''' was a [[JackOfAllTrades]] linemen who was drafted by the New York Jets in the 6th Round in 1977 out of Temple. His rookie season seen him get eight sacks and when the Jets drafted Gastineau and Lyons in 1979 to go along with him and Salaam , they helped the catalyst of the [[FanNickName New York Sack Exchange defensive line]] that dominated the early '80s. He played with the Jets until 1987 and played one more season in Indianapolis before chronic knee problems from him to prematurely retire. He was named to four Pro Bowls in his career and was the second player to go the Pro Bowl in three different positions after Frank Gifford. The Jets retired his #73 in 2004 and he was inducted into the Jets Ring of Honor in 2010 and has been nominated for the Hall of Fame several times.

* '''Jan Stenerud''' was a true trailblazer in the kicking world. If Pete Gogolak is the UrExample of soccer-style placekicking, Stenerud may be its TropeMaker and is certainly its TropeCodifier. The UsefulNotes/{{Norw|ay}}egian, who came to the U.S. on a ski jumping scholarship to Montana State, first played football as a junior and made an immediate impact, being named a small-college All-American as a senior. Stenerud joined the AFL's Kansas City Chiefs in 1967, where he played for the first 13 of his [[LongRUnner 19 pro seasons]] and demonstrated once and for all the effectiveness of soccer-style kicking, connecting on 70% of his field goals in his first three seasons in an era when average FG accuracy was just a little north of 50% and setting the record for career field goals (since broken). A three-time All-AFL performer and seven-time All-Pro after the merger, his #3 was retired by the Chiefs, and he became the first "pure" kicking specialist to enter the Hall of Fame in 1991.

* '''Jan Stenerud''' was a true trailblazer in the kicking world. If Pete Gogolak is the UrExample of soccer-style placekicking, Stenerud may be its TropeMaker and is certainly its TropeCodifier. The UsefulNotes/{{Norw|ay}}egian, who came to the U.S. on a ski jumping scholarship to Montana State, first played football as a junior and made an immediate impact, being named a small-college All-American as a senior. Stenerud joined the AFL's Kansas City Chiefs in 1967, where he played for the first 13 of his 19 pro seasons and demonstrated once and for all the effectiveness of soccer-style kicking, connecting on 70% of his field goals in his first three seasons in an era when average FG accuracy was just a little north of 50%. A three-time All-AFL performer and seven-time All-Pro after the merger, his #3 was retired by the Chiefs, and he became the first "pure" kicking specialist to enter the Hall of Fame in 1991.

* '''Jim Turner''' was a former college QB at Utah State who signed by the New York Jets as a free agent in 1964.[[note]]He was drafted in the 19th round by Washington the year prior but didn't make the team.[[/note]] "Tank" Turner became known as one of the most productive kickers in the league in his time with the Jets (1964-70) and Denver Broncos (1971-9) and retired as the holder of the league's field goal record (since passed); he is enshrined in the Broncos Ring of Honor.

* '''Merlin Olsen''' was a Hall of Fame defensive tackle who played his [[LongRunner entire 15-year career]] with the Los Angeles Rams. Olsen made an immediate impact after being drafted #3 overall from Utah State in 1962, making the Pro Bowl as a rookie. The next season, he became part of the Rams' original "Fearsome Foursome". Olsen made eight All-Pro teams and 14 consecutive Pro Bowls (the latter a league record). Also like Jones, he made the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team, had his number (#74) retired by the Rams, and made the league's All-Decade Teams for both the '60s and '70s. Following his retirement after the 1976 season, he became a successful NFL broadcaster, serving as NBC's lead NFL color commentator through the late '80s and covering five Super Bowls. The large-bearded broadcaster soon became perhaps better known as a warm and intelligent GentleGiant. He also enjoyed notable success as an actor, playing a major supporting role in ''Series/LittleHouseOnThePrairie'' and the lead in ''Father Murphy'', and also spent many years as the commercial spokesman for FTD Flowers. Olsen died of cancer in 2010.

For those on the other side of the ball, see UsefulNotes/NFLOffensivePlayers. For coaches, commissioners, broadcasters, owners, and other key figures whose greatest contributions to the NFL came while not wearing pads, see UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNonPlayerFigures. For players better known for controversy or for on-field disappointment, as well as coaches and executives better known for the same in their respective roles, see UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNotoriousFigures. The names of players and coaches who were part of the NFL but are better known for their college accomplishments can be found on the UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootball page.

* '''Harvey Martin''' was a defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys, which drafted him in the third round in 1973 out of the small East Texas State[[note]]now Texas A&M University-Commerce[[/note]]. "Too Mean" Martin soon broke out as one of the stars of Dallas' "Doomsday II" defense, being named to four Pro Bowls. In 1977, he had one of the greatest seasons of any defensive player in NFL history: he won Defensive Player of the Year after posting 23 sacks, which would still be the single-season record (in a 14-game season, no less) if the NFL [[CanonDiscontinuity recognized the stat before 1982]], and was named co-MVP in Super Bowl XII. Unfortunately, Martin's performance began to decline in his last few years due in part to his cocaine abuse, which led to conflicts with team management and a somewhat early retirement in 1983. He faced numerous legal troubles in retirement, including jail time in the '90s for drug abuse and domestic violence. Martin died in 2001 from pancreatic cancer.

* '''Merlin Olsen''' was a Hall of Fame defensive tackle who played his [[LongRunner entire 15-year career]] with the Los Angeles Rams. Olsen made an immediate impact after being drafted #3 overall from Utah State in 1962, making the Pro Bowl as a rookie. The next season, he became part of the Rams' original "Fearsome Foursome". Olsen made eight All-Pro teams and 14 consecutive Pro Bowls (the latter a league record). Also like Jones, he made the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team, had his number (#74) retired by the Rams, and made the league's All-Decade Teams for both the '60s and '70s. Following his retirement after the 1976 season, he became a successful NFL broadcaster, serving as NBC's lead NFL color commentator through the late '80s and covering five Super Bowls. The large bearded broadcaster soon became perhaps better known as a warm and intelligent GentleGiant. He also enjoyed notable success as an actor, playing a major supporting role in ''Series/LittleHouseOnThePrairie'' and the lead in ''Father Murphy'', and also spent many years as the commercial spokesman for FTD Flowers. Olsen died of cancer in 2010.

* '''James Harrison''' is a hard-hitting outside linebacker who made his name during a long career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. An undrafted prospect out of Kent State in 2002, he worked his way up to become one of the most dominating defenders in the league, even winning the 2008 Defensive Player of the Year. He spent most of his career playing for the Steelers, with whom he won two Super Bowls. He once held the record for the longest play in Super Bowl history--during Super Bowl XLIII, he picked off a pass from Kurt Warner on his own goal line and ran it back ''100 yards'' to score a touchdown. After signing with division rival the Bengals in 2013[[note]]FanonDiscontinuity applies to this season among most Pittsburgh fans[[/note]], he was released and [[TenMinuteRetirement retired]], but he [[HesBack came back to the Steelers]] after one of their linebackers was lost for the season to injury. His continued high level of play since then in a position known for high wear and tear, has earned him the nickname "The Ageless One". However, he's probably best known for his frequent instances of "Foot-In-Mouth Disease"; among other things, he's called out Ben Roethlisberger over the Super Bowl [=XLV=] loss and called league commissioner Roger Goodell a homophobic slur in response to getting fined for hits that were against new NFL safety rules against helmet-to-helmet contact. Shortly before the end of the 2017 season, the Steelers released him again, with the Pats picking him up for their postseason run four days later, after which Harrison retired again, apparently for good.

* '''Clay Matthews III''', also known as "The Predator", "The Claymaker", and [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor "Thor"]], is a linebacker who made his name with the Green Bay Packers, who picked him #26 overall in 2009 out of USC. Matthews established himself as one of the most dominating defenders in the NFL after just two years in the league. He was named for several rookie accolades and finished a narrow second in the voting for Defensive Player of the Year in 2010. Clay is perhaps best known for his performance in Super Bowl XLV, where he forced a game-changing fumble at the start of the fourth quarter in what is often called the best play of the game. After 10 seasons in Green Bay, he signed with the Rams for the 2019 season and is currently a free agent. He, along with his brother and cousins, are third-generation NFL players and part of a [[BadassFamily vast football family]] that has included his grandfather Clay Sr. (linebacker, 49ers), his father Clay Jr. (linebacker, Browns and Falcons) and his uncle Bruce (Hall of Fame offensive lineman, Oilers and Titans). His younger brother Casey was a linebacker for the Eagles. His cousins Kevin and Jake are lineman: Kevin for the Titans (where his father was the offensive line coach) and Panthers, and Jake for the Falcons, where he was drafted #6 overall in 2014 (Clay and Jake played a thrilling Monday Night Game against each other that year).

* Jamael '''"Ronde" Barber''' was a defensive back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for [[LongRunner 16 seasons]]. The [[AlwaysIdenticalTwins identical twin brother]] to the running back Tiki Barber (see above), and like his twin a UVA product, Ronde was much more [[RedOniBlueOni calm and collected]] than his outspoken sibling and never dominated the headlines the way Tiki could with [[SpotlightStealingSquad the New York Giants]] in America's largest media market. However, Ronde arguably had more on-field success--unlike Tiki, Ronde won a Super Bowl with the Bucs, was selected to two more Pro Bowls and the 2000s All-Decade Team, and played for many more years, even setting the record for [[MadeOfIron most consecutive starts]] by a defensive back before he retired in 2012. A flexible back, Ronde is the only player to record a combined 25+ sacks and 45+ interceptions in his career and holds many of the Buccaneers' defensive back franchise records.

* '''Nick Collins''' was a three-time Pro Bowl safety and a massive case of WhatCouldHaveBeen. The Green Bay Packers surprised analysts when they drafted him in the second round in 2005 out of the BCS Bethune-Cookman, but Collins quickly proved himself worthy of the trust the Packers had placed in him, putting up great numbers in his rookie season. His most famous play came in Super Bowl XLV when he intercepted a pass from Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and ran it back for a touchdown. Sadly, Collins' career was abruptly cut short in Week 2 of the 2011 season after he [[GameBreakingInjury sustained a herniated disc in his neck]] when a routine play went horribly wrong; he underwent surgery and had no long-term impairments but was unable to play again due to the risk of compounding the damage if he were to be injured again. It's believed that, had he not been injured, he could have proved to be one of the best safeties of his era.[[note]]As it stands, he was a Hall of Fame nominee in 2020 just for the career that he ''did'' have.[[/note]]

* '''Cornell Green''' was a defensive back for the "America's Team" era Dallas Cowboys and is notable as one of the most successful players in NFL history who did not play college football. A basketball star at Utah State, his biggest claim to fame at the time was being the younger brother of Pumpsie Green, [[JackieRobinsonStory the first black player]] in Boston Red Sox[[note]]the last MLB team integrate[[/note]] history. Selected in the 5th round of the 1962 NBA Draft, the Cowboys offered Green $1,000 to sign based on his size (6'3", 208 lbs) and athleticism. Green accepted what he saw as "bonus" money, assuming he would be cut in time for the NBA season. Not only did he stick with the Cowboys, he ended up starting three games a rookie and became a full-time starting corner by his second year. He made five Pro Bowls, was named All-Pro four times, won Super Bowl VI with the team after switching to safety, and ultimately [[MadeOfIron started the final 173 games]] of his career[[note]]the longest streak by a defensive back at the time, since surpassed by Ronde Barber (see above)[[/note]]. He retired in 1974 and entered a 35-year scouting career for the Cowboys and Broncos.

* '''John Lynch''' was a Hall of Fame safety who most famously played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Lynch played both baseball and football while in college at Stanford and was drafted by MLBM's Florida Marlins in their inaugural season (actually throwing the first pitch in the organization's history). When legendary head coach Bill Walsh took over as head coach at Stanford, he called Lynch and convinced him to return to football. Lynch struggled initially after being drafted in the third round by Tampa in 1993, relegated to mostly backup and special teams roles. However, when Tony Dungy took over as coach, Lynch made for a perfect fit in the "Tampa 2" defense and quickly became a star, being selected to nine Pro Bowls. Lynch went into broadcasting after his playing career ended in 2008 following a stint in Denver. Surprisingly, he was hired as the General Manager of the San Francisco 49ers in 2017 despite having no front office experience; perhaps even more surprisingly, unlike many similar "flashy" hires, Lynch helped to quickly turn the franchise back into Super Bowl contenders.

* '''Scott Norwood''' is [[NeverLiveItDown infamously known]] among the general public for missing a 47-yard field goal that sailed wide right in the closing seconds of Super Bowl XXV, giving the Bills the first of their four Super Bowl losses; had the kick made it, the team would have won. However, at the time, only half of 40+ yard field goals on grass were successfully made, and Norwood, a turf kicker, just wasn't good at kicking them (he was one for five throughout his career); in fact, the kick in question would have been a personal record had he made it. Despite this, Norwood surpassed O.J. Simpson as the Bills' all-time leading scorer[[note]]though he has since been surpassed by his successor, Steve Christie[[/note]]. Norwood played with the Bills for one more season before his release. He was the basis for the character Scott Wood in the 1998 film ''Film/{{Buffalo 66}}''.

* '''Garo Yepremian''' was the highest-scoring player of the 1970s, though he was better known both then and now as the NFL's resident FunnyForeigner. Yepremian had one of the most unique paths to the NFL ever. Born in UsefulNotes/{{Cyprus}} to [[UsefulNotes/{{Armenia}} Armenian]] parents, he lived in London in his youth before moving to the U.S. with his brother Krikor, who earned a soccer scholarship at Indiana. Unlike his brother, Garo was ineligible for the NCAA due to having briefly played in a soccer league in England, but he was interested in American football after catching a game and got a successful tryout with the Detroit Lions with Krikor acting as his agent. Yepremian's lack of cultural context led to numerous funny misunderstandings[[note]]After being told the team "lost the coin toss", he once [[LiteralMinded took to the field to find the coin]].[[/note]] and {{Malaproper}} speech[[note]]Creator/JohnnyCarson got a lot of laughs at his expense after Yepremian celebrated a meaningless PAT by yelling "I keek a touchdown!"[[/note]] which, paired with his physical appearance as a short (5'7") and PrematurelyBald man, made him a media favorite. After two seasons in Detroit, Yepremian served a year in UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar; when he returned, he was not resigned by the Lions and played in the Continental Football League for a year before being picked up by the Miami Dolphins. He was a key player in the Dolphins' early '70s run of dominance, including their perfect '72 season (though his flubbed response to a blocked field goal attempt in the final minutes of Super Bowl VII, known as "Garo's Gaffe", nearly cost them that record). Yepremian kicked for the Dolphins through most of the decade before spending his last few seasons in New Orleans and Tampa Bay. He retired after the 1981 season with the longest career of any NFL player who did not play football in college (a distinction now held by Antonio Gates, in the "Tight Ends" folder)[[note]]While Yepremian's and Gates' careers both spanned the same length of time, Gates played in more NFL seasons.[[/note]] and passed away in 2015.

* '''Adam Vinatieri''' is known as one of, if not ''the'', [[TheAce best kickers in league history]], holding the record for most points scored (2,673), most postseason points scored (238), and most field goals made (599). Undrafted in 1996 out of FCS South Dakota State, he played for the New England Patriots (1996-2005) during their first three Super Bowl wins and the Indianapolis Colts (2006-2019) during their one Super Bowl win. During the 2015 season, Vinatieri became the first player ever to score 1,000 points with two different teams. While he is not the ''most'' accurate placekicker, he is well known for having it when it counts--not only does he hold the record for overtime field goals (12), he helped the Patriots win their first two Super Bowls with game-winning [[DownToTheLastPlay do-or-die]] field goals, provided a game-winning field goal (though not at the last second) in a third, and won a fourth Super Bowl ring with the Indianapolis Colts. Vinatieri is currently a free agent, having sat out the 2020 season after being cut by the Colts--if he does not secure a position on a third team, he will be [[EndOfAnEra the last '90s-era player to retire]]. If he ''does'' land another spot, he is well within kicking distance of surpassing Morten Andersen's record for [[LongRunner most games played by a football player]].

* '''Fred Cox''' was a kicker drafted in the eighth round out of Pitt by the Browns in 1961, though he never played for the team. He eventually wound up with the Minnesota Vikings in 1963, where he played [[LongRunner 15 seasons]] and became the franchise's all-time leading scorer, earning his sole Pro Bowl nod in 1969 when he led the league in scoring and helped take the Vikings to their first Super Bowl appearance. In 1972, Cox became a licensed chiropractor (which paid better than kicking) and invented a soft football that he sold to Parker Brothers (which became the Nerf football and made him more money than either profession). When he retired in 1977, Cox held the field goal record and was second to only George Blanda in points scored. He passed away in 2019.

* '''David Akers''' was a placekicker most famous for his tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles (where he played 12 seasons, becoming the team's all-time leading scorer). He went undrafted out of Louisville in 1997, played a single game for Washington in 1998. He joined the Eagles in 1999, went to five Pro Bowls, and set the NFL record for points in a decade with 1,169. He signed with the San Francisco 49ers in 2011 and set NFL records for most points scored without a touchdown (166), most field goals made (44), and most field goal attempts (52), and was named to his sixth and final Pro Bowl. His 2012 season in San Francisco wasn't as impressive, as he only hit 69% of his field goals, but he did a 63-yard field goal off the crossbar against Green Bay to tie the then-NFL record for longest field goal. Following one more season in Detroit, he retired after [[LongRunner 16 years]] in the NFL. He played in two Super Bowls during his career and [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut lost both,]] XXXIX to the Patriots and XLVII to the Ravens.

* '''David Akers''' was a placekicker most famous for his tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles (where he played 12 seasons). He went undrafted out of Louisville in 1997, played a single game for Washington in 1998, and was cut in 1999. He played with the Eagles from 2000-2010, going to five Pro Bowls and set the NFL record for points in a decade with 1,169. He signed with the San Francisco 49ers in 2011 and set NFL records for most points scored without a touchdown (166), most field goals made (44), and most field goal attempts (52), and was named to his sixth and final Pro Bowl. His 2012 season in San Francisco wasn't as impressive, as he only hit 69% of his field goals, but he did a 63 yard field goal off the crossbar against Green Bay to tie the then-NFL record for longest field goal. He retired after spending 2013 with Detroit. He played in two Super Bowls during his career and [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut lost both,]] XXXIX to the Patriots and XLVII to the Ravens.

* '''David Akers''' was a placekicker most famous for his tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles (where he played 12 seasons). He went undrafted out of Louisville in 1997, spending the offseason with the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers. He played a single game for Washington in 1998 and was cut in 1999. He played with the Eagles from 2000-2010, going to five Pro Bowlsand set the NFL record for points in a decade with 1,169. He signed with the San Francisco 49ers in 2011 and set NFL records for most points scored without a touchdown (166), most field goals made (44), most field goal attempts (52) and was named to his sixth and final Pro Bowl. His 2012 season in San Francisco wasn't as impressive, as he only hit 69% of his field goals, but he did a 63 yard field goal off the crossbar against Green Bay to tie the then-NFL record for longest field goal. He retired after spending the 2013 season with Detroit. He played in two Super Bowls during his career and [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut lost both,]] XXXIX to the Patriots and XLVII to the Ravens.

* '''Gino Cappelletti''' was a former quarterback at Minnesota who went undrafted in 1955 and was scooped up by the new AFL's Boston Patriots in 1960 after several years in amateur leagues in Canada to have him play kicker ([[JackOfAllTrades as well as defensive back, flanker, returner, trick play passer, and anything else the team needed him to play]]). Cappelletti proceeded to have the most productive decade of any player in NFL/AFL history in terms of pure points, as he led both leagues in field goals and overall scoring five times, became the AFL's all-time leading scorer, and even won the league's MVP in 1964. His incredible versatility earned him the nickname "Mr. Patriot"; following his retirement after the 1970 merger season, the Patriots retired his #20 and placed him in their Hall of Fame, though he has never been considered for induction into Canton.

* '''David Akers''' was a placekicker most famous for his tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles (where he played 12 seasons). He went undrafted out of Louisville in 1997, spending the offseason with the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers. He played a single game for Washington in 1998 and was cut in 1999. He played with the Eagles from 2000-2010, going to five Pro Bowls and set the NFL record for points in a decade with 1,169. He signed with the San Francisco 49ers in 2011 and set NFL records for most points scored without a touchdown (166), most field goals made (44), most field goal attempts (52) and was named to his sixth and final Pro Bowl. His 2012 season in San Francisco wasn't as impressive, as he only hit 69% of his field goals, but he did a 63 yard field goal off the crossbar against Green Bay to tie the then-NFL record for longest field goal. He retired after spending the 2013 season with Detroit.

* '''Fred Cox''' was a kicker drafted in the eighth round out of Pitt by the Browns in 1961, though he never played for the team. He eventually wound up with the Minnesota Vikings in 1963, where he played [[LongRunner 15 seasons]] and became the franchise's all-time leading scorer, earning his sole Pro Bowl nod in 1969 when he led the league in scoring and helped take the Vikings to their first Super Bowl appearance. In 1972, Cox became a licensed chiropractor (which paid better than kicking) and invented a soft football that he sold to Parker Brothers (which became the Nerf football and made him more money than either profession). When he retired in 1977, Cox was second to only George Blanda in points scored. He passed away in 2019.

* '''Gino Cappelletti''' was a former quarterback at Minnesota who went undrafted in 1955 and was scooped up by the new AFL's Boston Patriots in 1960 after several years in amateur leagues in Canada to have him play kicker ([[JackOfAllTrades as well as defensive back, flanker, returner, trick play passer, and anything else the team needed him to play]]). Cappelletti proceeded to have the most productive decade of any player in NFL/AFL history in terms of pure points, leading the league in scoring five times, becoming the AFL's all-time leading scorer, and even winning the league's MVP in 1964. His incredible versatility earned him the nickname "Mr. Patriot"; following his retirement after the 1970 merger season, the Patriots retired his #20 and placed him in their Hall of Fame, though he has never been considered for induction into Canton.

* '''Gino Cappelletti''' was a former quarterback at Minnesota who went undrafted in 1955 and was scooped up by the new AFL's Boston Patriots in 1960 after several years in amateur leagues in Canada to have him play kicker ([[JackOfAllTrades as well as defensive back, flanker, returner, trick play passer, and anything else the team needed him to play]]). Cappelletti proceeded to have the most productive decade of any kicker in the NFL or AFL, leading the league in points five times, becoming the AFL's all-time leading scorer, and even winning the league's MVP in 1964. His incredible versatility earned him the nickname "Mr. Patriot"; following his retirement after the 1970 merger season, the Patriots retired his #20 and placed him in their Hall of Fame, though he has never been considered for induction into Canton.

* '''Gary Anderson''' was, in many ways, the reflection of Morten Andersen, even beyond their similar last names. Like Morten, the South African Gary came to the United States as a teenager. They both joined the league the same year, with Anderson signing with the Steelers out of Syracuse. They both played their first 13 seasons with their first teams, during which they became their respective franchises' all-time leading scorers, though by the late '90s, Gary led Morten in most stats. Anderson played brief stints for the Eagles and 49ers before landing with the Minnesota Vikings in 1998, where he recorded the league's first ever perfect regular season for a kicker, scoring on every field goal and PAT attempt[[note]]35 and 59 respectively, still the record for most total kicks in a perfect season[[/note]] and helping the Vikings to a 15-1 season, all at age 39. When the Vikings made the NFC Championship that year against Andersen's Falcons, they were the clear Super Bowl favorites and were leading by 7 when Anderson missed his only kick of the year: a 39-yard field goal in an domed stadium with no wind interference. Morten later landed a similar kick in overtime, bringing the Falcons to the Super Bowl and crushing the dreams of thousands of Minnesotans. Anderson still beat George Blanda's all-time scoring record in 2000, but the missed kick shook him and he was out of the league in 2004 after a brief stint with the Titans; Andersen endured and eventually beat his record a few years later. Anderson's missed kick remains one of the great WhatCouldHaveBeen moments in NFL history--had he made it, the team would have almost certainly made the Super Bowl and secured Gary the place in the Hall of Fame currently held by Morten.

* '''Carl Banks''' was an outside linebacker who is most famous for his time with the New York Giants, who drafted him #3 overall in 1984 out of Michigan State. During his time with the Giants, he helped lead the team to two Super Bowl titles (XXI and XXV), having a standout performance in Super Bowl XXI and earing a Pro Bowl in 1987. He left the Giants in 1993, playing a season with the Redskins and two seasons in Cleveland before retiring after the 1995 season. He was inducted into the Giants Ring of Honor and has seen success as a businessman, being the face of GIII's For Her and Sports clothing lines.

!Defensive Players