History UsefulNotes / NFLDefensiveAndSpecialTeamsPlayers

* '''Myles Garrett''' is a DE for the Cleveland Browns and the #1 overall pick in the 2017 Draft coming out of Texas A&M. Injuries kept Garrett sidelined for much of his rookie season, in which the Browns went winless, but he came back strong in his second year and broke out as one of the league's best defensive players, though he was suspended in the middle of the 2019 season when he got into an altercation with Steelers QB Mason Rudolph at the end of the game, ripping off Rudolph's helmet and [[ImprovisedWeapon bashing his unprotected head with it]] in a display of aggression that flew in the face of his persona as one of football's more introverted and thoughtful stars.[[note]]Garrett later claimed in his appeal of the suspension that Rudolph had called him a racial slur, but no evidence was ever found of this despite modern NFL fields being among the most heavily recorded sites on Earth.[[/note]] Garrett was reinstated only during the subsequent offseason, making his suspension the second-longest in NFL history for an on-field incident and the longest to be issued without any priors. He has mostly rebounded from this incident, returning to his prior defensive dominance, becoming the franchise's (official) career sack leader, and even being put forward as the team nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award for his humanitarian work.

* '''Jessie Tuggle''' was middle LB for the '90s-era Atlanta Falcons. The Georgia native went undrafted out of D-II Valdosta State in 1987 but managed to land a spot on his home-state team, where his reputation as a stellar tackler earned him the nickname "The Hammer" (not to mention five Pro Bowl selections). The EnsembleDarkhorse retired after 2000 and was inducted into the Falcons Ring of Honor. His son '''Grady Jarrett''' was later drafted in the fifth round in 2015 out of Clemson (the day after his house burnt down during a draft party) and has himself broken out as a Pro Bowl DE.

* '''Shane Lechler''' is considered by many [[TheAce the modern era's answer to Ray Guy]]. Lechler was a member of two teams in his [[LongRunner 18 seasons]] in the NFL, the Oakland Raiders (which drafted him in the fifth round in 2000 out of Texas A&M) and the Houston Texans (which signed him in 2013). In that time, he made more punts than any player save Jeff Feagles (1,444), broke the overall career record for punting average (47.6 yards), and came very close to beating Sammy Baugh's single-season record in 2009 (51.1).

* '''Claude Humphrey''' was a DE drafted #3 overall by the Atlanta Falcons out of HBCU Tennessee State in 1968 and played for them through 1978, most famously serving as the star of their "Grits Blitz" '77 defense that set several standing statistical records. He was selected for the Pro Bowl six times, going consecutively from 1970-74 and again in 1977. He finished out his career with the Philadelphia Eagles from 1979-81, and played in Super Bowl XV, where he infamously lost his temper and [[NeverLiveItDown picked up and threw back a penalty flag at the referee after being called for roughing the passer]]. Because he played [[MissingEpisode before sacks were recorded]] as an official stat, he unofficially had 130 sacks and helped pave the way for pass rushing linemen like Bruce Smith, Michael Strahan, and Reggie White. He was officially inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014 on the senior ballot and passed away in 2021.

* '''Allen Rossum''' was a return specialist in the '00s who ranks behind only Brian Mitchell in career kickoff returns and yards. A third rounder out of Notre Dame in 1998 who played for six teams[[note]]Eagles, Packers, Falcons, Steelers, 49ers, Cowboys[[/note]], Rossum is also the only player to score a kickoff return touchdown for five different teams.

* '''Cam Jordan''' is a DE who has played for the New Orleans Saints since they drafted him #24 overall in 2011 out of Cal. The son of [[UsefulNotes/NFLOffensivePlayers Vikings' great TE Steve Jordan]], Cam quickly asserted himself as one of the greatest defensive players of his era, earning seven Pro Bowl selections and a spot on the 2010s All-Decade Team while becoming the Saints all-time sack leader. He is equally well known for being one of the NFL's [[LargeHam biggest hams]], [[IShallTauntYou delivering scathing trash talk]], and sometimes boasting an [[ManlyFacialHair impressive mustache]].

* '''Rickey Jackson''' was drafted in the second round in 1981 out of Pittsburgh by the New Orleans Saints, where he captained the "Dome Patrol" linebacker corps that finally took the long-struggling team to its first winning records, including playing the 1989 season [[{{Determinator}} with a broken jaw]] that required him to wear a special helmet. Jackson spent his last two seasons with the 49ers, picking up a Super Bowl ring in the process, before retiring after 1995 after [[LongRunner 15 seasons]] in the pros; he became the first long-term member of the Saints to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

* '''Michael Lewis''' had one of the most unique paths to the NFL in the modern era. A New Orleans area native, Lewis quite playing football in his freshman year of high school in order to work to support his family and child. He did not go to college, instead working as a Budweiser truck driver out of high school. However, he returned to football as a hobby in his early 20s, first playing rec-league flag football before eventually getting opportunities in semi-pro and arena leagues. "The Beer Man's" breakout performances eventually earned him NFL attention, and he eventually landed a spot on the roster for his hometown New Orleans Saints, becoming an NFL rookie in 2000 at 30 years old. Lewis quickly became an EnsembleDarkhorse and proved he was more than just a fun story when he led the NFL in kickoff and punt return yards in '02, earning All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors. He retired after spending '07 with the Niners and took a position as the Saints' team ambassador, a role he still holds; he was given an honorary ring after the team's Super Bowl victory.

* '''Tom Sestak''' played TE at [=McNeese=] State before the AFL's Bills drafted him in the 17th round in 1962.[[note]]The NFL's Lions took him in the 16th round[[/note]] Standing at a massive 6'5" and 270 lbs, Buffalo moved Sestak to DT where he became one of the most dominant lineman in the game, opening his career with four straight All-Pros, leading the AFL in sacks in '64, and anchoring a powerful defense that guided the Bills to consecutive AFL titles before knee injuries led to his early retirement in '68. He died in 1987, receiving a posthumous induction to the Bills Wall of Honor, but his brief career and playing entirely in the AFL has kept him out of consideration for Canton.

* '''John Matuszak''' was a DE who most famously played for the Raiders in the late '70s and early '80s. Matuszak was drafted #1 overall in 1973 by the Houston Oilers out of Tampa, his third college,[[labelnote:*]]He played his freshman season at an Iowa junior college before transferring to Missouri, where he played tight end as a sophomore before losing his scholarship after a head coaching change. He then moved to Tampa, which had enjoyed success in the NAIA, but made an ill-advised move to the NCAA University Division (the predecessor to Division I) in 1971, and dropped football in 1974 due to financial distress.[[/labelnote]] but was traded away after only one season when he attempted to ''also'' play for the WFL's Houston Texans. Matuszak bounced around a number of teams due to his [[{{Fratbro}} hard-partying ways]] making him an at-times unreliable player whose performance didn't reflect his draft position. He was on his way to becoming one of the greatest draft busts of all time until he landed with the Raiders, a team that fit his personality to a tee, and he contributed to two of the team's Super Bowl victories. Matuszak retired in 1982 after ten seasons and transitioned into a fairly prolific acting career, most famously playing Sloth in ''Film/TheGoonies''. Tragically, he died of a drug overdose in 1989.

* '''Jimmy Johnson''' (not to be confused with the Hall of Fame Cowboys coach) was a bright spot on the struggling San Francisco 49ers teams of the 1960s. A [[JackOfAllTrades two-way prospect]] drafted #6 overall in 1961 out of UCLA, Johnson actually ran his second season solely as a wide receiver and acquitted himself well, though his coaches put him back into the secondary for the rest of his [[LongRunner 16-year career]]. Johnson was one of the best man-to-man defenders of his era and likely deserved more than the five Pro Bowl nods he received in the back half of his career when the rest of his team began to match his skill. His #37 was retired by the team and he entered the Hall of Fame in 1994. His older brother, Rafer, was also an accomplished athlete as well, winning the Gold Medal for decathlon in the 1960 Olympics before embarkening on an acting career and Rafer was also involved in taking down Sirhan Sirhan, along with Rosey Grier (see above).

* '''Jimmy Johnson''' (not to be confused with the Hall of Fame Cowboys coach) was a bright spot on the struggling San Francisco 49ers teams of the 1960s. A [[JackOfAllTrades two-way prospect]] drafted #6 overall in 1961 out of UCLA, Johnson actually ran his second season solely as a wide receiver and acquitted himself well, though his coaches put him back into the secondary for the rest of his [[LongRunner 16-year career]]. Johnson was one of the best man-to-man defenders of his era and likely deserved more than the five Pro Bowl nods he received in the back half of his career when the rest of his team began to match his skill. His #37 was retired by the team and he entered the Hall of Fame in 1994.

* '''Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner''' is a CB for the New York Jets drafted at #4 in the 2022 Draft. Gardner had a stellar college career at Cincinnati where he did not let up ''a single touchdown reception'' in his career and allowed the lowest QB rating when targeted in the NCAA in his final season. Despite concerns about the quality of the opponents he faced in college, as Cincinnati was not part of a Power Five conference, Gardner adapted quickly to the NFL and made an immediate impact in his rookie season where he led the league in passes defended while winning Defensive Rookie of the Year and being named first team All-Pro, the first first rookie cornerback to achieve the honor since Ronnie Lott in 1981. Gardner's continued his elite play in his sophomore season, cementing himself as one of the league's top cornerbacks. Gardner's nickname, which was originally [[OverlyLongName A1 Sauce Sweet Feet Gardner]], was bestowed upon him by one of his youth football coaches and has stuck with him at all levels.

* '''Devin''' and '''Jason [=McCourty=]''' are identical twin [=DBs=] who played together at Rutgers. Jason came out a year early, drafted in the 6th round by the Titans in 2009, while Devin was the #27 overall pick in 2010 to the New England Patiots. Devin started his career at corner and quickly became the defensive leader of the Patriots before moving to free safety in 2013. He made a Pro Bowl at each position while being named All-Pro three times, won three Super Bowls with the team, and set the record for most post-season starts by a defensive player with 24. Jason was a solid-if-unspectacular starting corner throughout his career, never making a Pro Bowl as he moved between the Titans and Browns before joining Devin on the Patriots in 2018. That year, they became the first pair of twins to start and win a Super Bowl (LIII) together. Jason played two more seasons with the Patriots before a final season in Miami as a free safety, then retired and became a host on ''Good Morning Football'' in 2022; Devin retired the following year and likewise went into media as an analyst for NBC.

** '''Clay Matthews III''', also known as "The Predator", "The Claymaker", and [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor "Thor"]], made his name with the Green Bay Packers, who picked him #26 overall in 2009 out of his father's alma mater. Matthews quickly established himself as one of the most dominating defenders in the NFL, earning six Pro Bowl nods and the (official) franchise career ssack record. He 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. After 10 years in Green Bay, he signed with the Rams for 2019, failed to land on another roster, and retired.

* '''Tommy Nobis''' was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons #1 overall in 1966 out of Texas.[[note]]He was also taken #5 overall by the Houston Oilers in the AFL Draft.[[/note]] As the first draft pick in the team's history, he was nicknamed "Mr. Falcon" and was one of the few standout players in their early years; he earned five Pro Bowls, was named to the 1960s All-Decade Team, and unofficially recorded an NFL season record 294 tackles in his rookie year. Nobis retired in 1976 and was later inducted to the Falcons Ring of Honor but has yet to be inducted to the Hall of Fame, which many have attributed to the Falcons being among the worst teams in the league throughout his career. Nobis passed away in 2017.

* '''John Offerdahl''' was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in 1986's second round following a dominant turn at Western Michigan. He immediately broke out as a star in Miami, earning Defensive Player of the Year and Pro Bowl nods in his first five seasons. His career was cut short by injuries, and he retired after 1993. However, he remained a cult hero in Miami, helped by his franchising of a successful chain of bagel restaurants, and he is enshrined in the Dolphins Honor Roll.
* '''Jason Pierre-Paul''' is an outside LB drafted #15 overall by the New York Giants in 2010 out of South Florida. JPP immediately produced, helping the Giants win Super Bowl XLVI and earning two Pro Bowl selections, but is likely most famous for sustaining a horrible injury to his right hand during a July 4th fireworks incident that cost him a finger. Despite the injury, [[HandicappedBadass he continued to produce]] and experienced a career rebound after being traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2018, earning a third Pro Bowl selection in 2020 on the way to another Super Bowl victory; he is currently signed with the Ravens.

* '''Joe Schmidt''' was a Hall of Famer for the '50s Detroit Lions. A seventh round pick out of Pitt in 1953, Schmidt was a key part of the Lions' final two Championship wins, was selected to ten consecutive Pro Bowls, and won Defensive Player of the Year in 1960 and 1963. After retiring from the game in 1965, Schmidt immediately became an assistant coach and was promoted to head coach the following year; his 1970 season as coach was the last double-digit winning season the Lions would have for the next two decades. He resigned in 1972 after having served the Lions organization for [[LongRunner twenty years]]; his #56 is retired by the Lions.
* Tiaina '''"Junior" Seau''' was a twelve-time Pro Bowler who played in the league for [[LongRunner twenty years]]. Drafted #5 overall out of USC by his hometown team, the San Diego Chargers, in 1990, Seau became one of the most respected players in the league, being selected to twelve Pro Bowls through his long career and winning league's Man of the Year award in 1994. He played twelve years in San Diego, then played three injury-riddled seasons with the Dolphins before emotionally announcing his retirement... then signed with the New England Patriots [[TenMinuteRetirement four days later]]. Seau experienced a CareerResurrection with the team and was an important part of their 16-0 2007 season. He retired in 2010 with several successful business ventures, numerous TV deals, and a seemingly guaranteed first ballot Hall of Fame spot. It thus came as a complete shock to the football world when Seau died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest just two years after his retirement from the game. Seau had suffered from intense insomnia for many years, and the unusual nature of his suicide led many, including his family, to believe that he wanted his brain to be inspected for signs of trauma. His brain tissue was inspected by numerous neuropathologists who each determined that he showed clear signs of CTE. Seau's death helped motivate many of the calls for improved player safety and protection through the rest of the decade. His #55 was retired by the Chargers, and he was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, becoming the first player of Samoan descent to receive that honor.
* '''Ryan Shazier''' played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who drafted him #15 overall out of Ohio State in 2014. Highly athletic for a LB, Shazier was a two-time Pro Bowl selection but is unfortunately most notable for the career-ending injury he suffered during his fourth season in the league. While making a head-on tackle, Shazier's back crumpled awkwardly and was unable to move his legs after the hit. He was rushed to a hospital and underwent spinal stabilization surgery, and while he regained his ability to walk and initially planned to work his way back into the NFL, the severity of the injury effectively ended his football career. He announced his retirement in 2020, nearly three years after suffering the injury, and moved into broadcasting.

* '''Derrick Thomas''' was a star edge rusher for the Kansas City Chiefs. Drafted #4 overall in 1989 out of Alabama, Thomas found immediate success, winning Defensive Rookie of the Year after registering ten sacks. In his second season, he led the league with 20 sacks, including setting the single-game record by sacking Seattle's Dave Krieg ''seven times'' in one game.[[note]]Thomas is also tied for #2 on that list, later having a six-sack game as well. Unlike the seven-sack game, the Chiefs actually won that one.[[/note]] Thomas made the Pro Bowl nine times in his 11-year career, which was tragically cut short when he was paralyzed in a car accident while driving recklessly in a snowstorm. Less than a month later, Thomas died from a pulmonary embolism related to his injuries from the crash. He was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame, had his #58 retired by the Chiefs, and still holds the franchise's career records for sacks, forced fumbles, and fumble recoveries.
* '''Zach Thomas''' was a Hall of Fame middle LB drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the 5th round in 1996 out of Texas Tech. He was thought by scouts to be too small at 5'11" and 242 lbs, not athletic enough to play in the NFL, and his stock dropping after a lousy Combine performance. He was originally going to be used as a special teams player but quickly worked up the ranks to take the starting job. He made the Pro Bowl seven times in his career and remained the starting middle in Miami until 2007, which was cut short by injuries. He played two seasons in Dallas, and an offseason stint in Kansas City, before signing a ceremonial contract with Miami in 2010 to retire as a Dolphin; he still holds the franchise record for tackles.

* '''Eric Allen''' was a six-time Pro Bowl CB who began his career with the Philadelphia Eagles, who drafted him in the second round in 1988 out of Arizona State, who made an immediate impact as a ballhawk on the "Gang Green" defense before leaving for New Orleans in 1995. After three unimpressive seasons in the Big Easy, he signed with the Raiders in 1998, where he experienced a CareerResurrection before retiring in 2001. He also currently remains the only player to return three or more interceptions for a TD in two separate seasons, accomplishing the feat in 1993 and 2000. He is currently tied with Bill Bradley and Brian Dawkins (see below) for the most interceptions as an Eagle with 34.
* '''Jaire Alexander''' is a two-time Pro Bowl CB for the Green Bay Packers, who drafted him #18 overall out of the Louisville in 2018. Alexander quickly began making his case as one of the best corners in the league. In the Packers' 2020 Divisional Round game against the Rams, Alexander became the first DB since at least 2006[[note]]the statistic was noted by Pro Football Focus, which only has records going back to 2006[[/note]] to finish a playoff game with ''negative'' yards allowed (-3); the following week, he recorded two interceptions against ''Creator/TomBrady'' in the Packers' close NFC Championship loss to Tampa Bay. Despite him losing most of his 2021 season to a shoulder injury, the Packers signed Alexander to a massive extension ahead of 2022, and Alexander went on to have a solid bounce-back season in 2022.

* Jamael '''"Ronde" Barber''' was a Hall of Fame DB for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for [[LongRunner 16 seasons]], holding the franchise record for games played. The [[AlwaysIdenticalTwins identical twin brother]] to the running back Tiki Barber (see the "Offensive Players" page), and like his twin a Virginia 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 five 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' DB franchise records.

* '''Bobby Boyd''' was drafted by the Baltimore Colts in the tenth round in 1960. He had also played QB at Oklahoma, but with that spot securely taken by Johnny Unitas, Boyd was positioned at corner and quickly established himself as the very best in franchise history; he remains their all-time leader in interceptions, and if he hadn't elected to move to coaching for a pay raise following the team's loss in Super Bowl III after his ninth season, he would almost assuredly be in Canton. Boyd died in 2017.
* '''Bill Bradley''' (not to be confused with [[UsefulNotes/NotablePlayersOfTheNBA the Hall of Fame basketball player/senator]]) was a safety most famous for his tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles, who drafted him in the third round in 1969 out of Texas. He was a bright spot for the moribund franchise, as he led the league in interceptions twice and went to three Pro Bowls from 1971-73. In 1977, he was traded to the Vikings but chose to retire after being displaced on the depth chart [[TenMinuteRetirement (though he came back for four games with the Cardinals later that season)]]. He went on to a successful assistant coaching career in the CFL (winning two Grey Cups as a DC) and NFL. He currently holds the Eagles franchise records in interceptions in a career (tied with Eric Allen and Brian Dawkins) and season as well as being an inductee in the Eagles Hall of Fame. He was portrayed by Donny Boaz in the movie ''My All American''.

* '''Willie Brown''' was a first-ballot Hall of Fame CB who most famously played for the Oakland Raiders. After initially going undrafted coming out of the HBCU Grambling State, Brown managed to get signed to the Denver Broncos, where he worked his way into a starting position in his 1963 rookie season. Brown played for the Broncos for four seasons and the Raiders for twelve. He is most famous for his [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjKwZOFoG5M iconic interception and touchdown]] in Super Bowl XI, which was the longest return for a TD in the Big Game's history for nearly three decades. Scored at the twilight of his career, NFL Films captured the perfect heroic angle of "Old Man Willie" sprinting towards the camera--that piece of film likely inspired more kids of the '70s and '80s to play football than any other single shot. Brown passed away in 2019.
* '''Jack Butler''' was a CB for the Pittsburgh Steelers during the ‘50s. His career got off to a very unusual start, since Butler didn't play football until he went to college at St. Bonaventure, where he wandered on to their football team out of curiosity, playing as a receiver and not starting any games until his senior year. After going undrafted in 1951, he landed a tryout with the Steelers on the recommendation of one of the school's pastors, who happened to be Steelers owner Art Rooney's brother. He initially made the roster as a backup receiver, but an injury to a starting cornerback early in the season led to him being moved to that position. Butler held on to the spot for the rest of his career, recording 52 interceptions while earning 4 Pro Bowls and 3 All-Pros before a freak knee injury ended his career midway through the 1959 season. After his playing career ended, Butler served as a scouting director for the BLESTO[[note]]Bears Lions Eagles Steelers Talent Organization[[/note]] scouting combine [[LongRunner from 1963 up until his retirement in 2007]], helping shape the Combine process that's still used today. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012, a year before his death.
* '''[=LeRoy=] Butler''' faced a long struggle simply to reach the NFL, let alone become one of its greatest defensive backs. Raised in inner-city Jacksonville, he didn’t walk until age five, struggled to read as a boy and was classified as special-needs in school - only to later star on the gridiron, in college at Florida State, and then with the Green Bay Packers, who drafted him in the second round in 1990. In his 12 years with the Pack, he became a threat in pass coverage and rushing the quarterback (with 38 interceptions and 20.5 sacks, he was the first to record at least 20 of each for a career), keyed Green Bay’s Super Bowl-winning 1996 season (for the franchise’s first championship in 29 years), and even invented the Lambeau Leap into the arms of front-row Packer fans after a touchdown. A member of the 1990s All-Decade Team and the franchise leader in tackles, he nonetheless had to wait 16 years for his Hall of Fame selection in 2022.

* '''Kam Chancellor''' was a hulking strong safety for the Seattle Seahawks, who drafted him in the fifth round in 2010 out of Virginia Tech. Listed at 6'3", 231 lbs, Chancellor was the largest safety in the league and a perfect fit in Seattle's vaunted "Legion of Boom" secondary (along with Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas, see below) as a hard-hitting enforcer on the back end. He made four Pro Bowls, was named All-Pro twice, and was part of Seattle's Super Bowl XLVIII-winning team. Unfortunately, like his fellow "Legion" members, injuries ended his time with Seattle and he retired in 2018.
* '''Jack Christiansen''' played safety for the Detroit Lions during the height of the franchise's success in the '50s. A sixth round pick out of Colorado A&M (now Colorado State) in 1951, Christiansen led the league in interceptions for several seasons and was also one of the league's greatest return specialists; he set many league records in both during his and remains a top five all-time punt returner despite playing only a relatively short eight years. He spent the next 25 years as a college and pro coach, including a brief stint as the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, before passing away from cancer in 1986.

* '''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 FCS HBCU 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 Steelers QB 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 [[CareerEndingInjury 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 forced to retire 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]]

* '''Hanford Dixon''' and '''Frank Minnifield''' were Pro Bowl [=DBs=] for the Cleveland Browns during the 1980s, drafted #22 overall out of Southern Miss in '81 and undrafted out of Louisville in '83, respectively. Besides locking down the Browns' secondary, they were responsible for the creation of the Dawg Pound in Cleveland Stadium, a section of fans that became known for being raucous and their tendency to throw objects at players and officials.

* '''Cornell Green''' was a DB 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 to 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.
* '''Darrell Green''' was a CB who spent his entire [[LongRunner twenty year career]] with Washington, who drafted him in the first round in 1983 out of D-II Texas A&I (now Texas A&M–Kingsville). A self-proclaimed "itty-bitty guy", Green was positively tiny for an NFL player at 5'9'' but made up for it with blistering speed (he once ran a 4.09 40 in 1986, and a 4.43 at the age of ''50''), which he jokingly attributed to the Tootsie Roll candy bar that he kept in his sock. Nicknamed "the Ageless Wonder" in the '90s for putting up great seasons year after year, Green set countless records, including the most games played by a defensive player in NFL history, 19 consecutive seasons with one interception (except his final year), the most games and interceptions by any player in Washington franchise history, and... well, basically every "oldest ever" DB record imaginable. He was also a beloved figure for the fanbase and the DC area, winning Walter Payton Man of the Year in 1996. He was selected to seven Pro Bowls, helped his team win two Super Bowls, and was voted into the Hall of Fame in his first eligible year.

* '''Damar Hamlin''' was drafted in the sixth round by the Buffalo Bills out of Pittsburgh in 2021. The safety was emerging as a solid role player in his second season when he suddenly gained national fame for a much more tragic reason. During a nationally televised Monday night game in Cincinnati late in the season, Hamlin went into cardiac arrest on the field shortly after getting up from a routine tackle and remained in a medically induced coma for several days. While Hamlin would subsequently begin to recover at an astonishing pace -- with the quick intervention of medical personnel and the proximity of the local hospital likely being major factors in saving his life and neural functions -- his highly visible brush with death deeply shook the football community and led to the Bills-Bengals game being the first NFL game since the last player strike in the 1980s to be fully cancelled and the only one ''ever'' to be cancelled after starting play.

* '''Paul Krause''' was a safety who [[TheAce holds the record for most career interceptions]] (81). Krause was drafted out of Iowa in the second round in 1964 by Washington and led the league in picks in his rookie year, but he was traded away to the Minnesota Vikings after just four seasons. Krause played in Minnesota the next 12 years, eventually breaking Emlen Tunnell's interception record shortly before retiring in 1979. Due to the evolution of passing offenses and increased restrictions on defensive pass interference since then, Krause's record is generally considered safely out of reach, with only one player in the 21st century (Rod Woodson) even collecting 70 picks. Krause was selected to eight Pro Bowls during his career and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998.

* '''Dick "Night Train" Lane''' was a legendary CB who played through the '50s and '60s for the Los Angeles Rams (1952-53), Chicago Cardinals (1954-59), and Detroit Lions (1960-65). Lane had one of the more remarkable player entries into the NFL. He had played football at his junior college and in the army but was not scouted or recruited by the league. While working at an airplane factory near the Rams' front office, he simply walked in with a scrapbook of his honors from playing on his army team and asked for a tryout. Despite his obscure origins, he immediately broke out as a star, setting one of the NFL's longest standing records by amassing ''14'' interceptions during his rookie season; despite the addition of five more games to the regular season since then, no other DB has even tied that mark. Lane picked up the nickname "Night Train" from the then-chart-topping blues song, and while he admitted that there were racial implications to the name that he was initially uncomfortable with, he eventually embraced it because it was simply [[RuleOfCool too cool a nickname to pass on]]. The locomotive comparison definitely suited him, as he became one of the league's most hard-hitting and feared tacklers. His SignatureMove, a grab targeted at the neck and face mask called "the Night Train Necktie", proved so effective--not to mention dangerous--that it was eventually banned by the league. His skills as a ball-hawk were also renowned; he led the league in [=INTs=] a second time during in his first year in Chicago and remains #4 all-time in career picks. Lane's final years in the NFL were clouded by tragedy; he was the seventh husband of blues legend Dinah Washington and discovered her body after she died of an overdose in their sixth month of marriage. When he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1974, he publically chastised members of the NFL's elite about their treatment of African-Americans as "stepchildren" who remained barred from positions as coaches, managers, and quarterbacks. Lane died from a heart attack in 2002.

* '''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 MLB'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. His success earned him a promotion to President of Football Operations in 2023.

* '''Devin''' and '''Jason [=McCourty=]''' are identical twin [=DBs=] who played together at Rutgers. Jason came out a year early, drafted in the 6th round by the Titans in 2009, while Devin was the #27 overall pick in 2010 to the New England Patiots. Devin started his career at corner and quickly became the defensive leader of the Patriots before moving to free safety in 2013. He has made a Pro Bowl at each position while being named All-Pro three times, won three Super Bowls with the team, and set the record for most post-season starts by a defensive player with 24. Jason was a solid-if-unspectacular starting corner throughout his career, never making a Pro Bowl as he moved between the Titans and Browns before joining Devin on the Patriots in 2018. That year, they became the first pair of twins to start and win a Super Bowl (LIII) together. Jason played two more seasons with the Patriots before a final season in Miami as a free safety, then retired and became a host on ''Good Morning Football'' in 2022; Devin retired the following year and likewise went into media as an analyst for NBC.

* '''Lemar Parrish''' was a CB drafted in the 7th round in 1970 out of the small Missouri HBCU Lincoln[[labelnote:*]]not to be confused with the small Pennsylvania HBCU Lincoln[[/labelnote]] by the Cincinnati Bengals. He had a tremendous impact with the Bengals in his rookie season, picking off five passes on defense while scoring two [=TDs=] as a return specialist, averaging just over 30 yards on kickoff returns alone. He and Ken Riley (below) soon formed one of the top CB tandems in the league, with Parrish dominating on both defense and special teams, appearing in six Pro Bowls with the Bengals before a contract dispute led to him being traded to Washington in 1978. After the trade, Parrish strictly played as a DB, earning two more Pro Bowls and an All-Pro in Washington before finishing his career with the Bills in 1982. Despite all of his success and accolades, Parrish, much like Riley for decades before him, has been perpetually snubbed by the Hall of Fame due to spending most of his career in Cincinnati.

* '''Troy Polamalu''' was a hard-hitting safety who spent his entire career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who drafted him #16 overall out of USC in 2003. He won Defensive Player of the Year in 2010, was selected to eight Pro Bowls, was featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/MaddenNFL 10'', and was well-known as a game-changer--the seasons he missed due to injury were often ones where the Steelers stayed home during the postseason. He's also well-known for his very long hair (out of respect for his Samoan ancestry), which led to a very prolific endorsement deal with Head and Shoulders shampoo and got him in trouble with officials every once in a while.[[note]]Their official stance was that as long as the hair didn't cover the name on the back of his jersey, it's good.[[/note]] He's also well-liked among Orthodox Christians for being one of very few [[UsefulNotes/OrthodoxChristianity Eastern Orthodox]] high-profile figures to display and discuss his faith publicly; he made the Sign of the Cross up-down-right-left before plays, as opposed to the western style of up-down-left-right. Polamalu retired in 2014, was briefly the head of player relations for the short-lived Alliance of American Football, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
* '''Jalen Ramsey''' is a CB who was drafted #5 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2016 out of Florida State. Following his rookie season, he firmly placed himself among the elite corners in the NFL, being a crucial element of "Sacksonville" and their run to the AFC Championship in 2017. Two years later, amidst a sharp decline in the team's performance, Ramsey forced the Jags to trade him to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for two first-round picks (and a fourth rounder) and negotiated a record contract. He's lived up to that price tag, helping them win Super Bowl LVI before being traded again to the Dolphins in 2023.

* '''Darrelle Revis''' was a CB who was drafted #14 overall in 2007 out of Pitt by the New York Jets. Known as "Revis Island" because of his ability to singlehandedly lock down even the best wide receivers (a play on infamous New York prison Rikers Island), Revis was the crown jewel of Rex Ryan's Jets defense. During his peak years, teams often didn't bother throwing the ball towards his side of the field because they knew the receiver would be too well covered. In 2009, he managed to hold ''seven'' different Pro Bowl receivers[[note]]Andre Johnson, Terrell Owens, Randy Moss, Torry Holt, Reggie Wayne, Steve Smith, and Chad Johnson. He actually did it to Owens and Moss ''twice''.[[/note]] to under 35 receiving yards. He missed 2012 due to injuries; he was subsequently traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before signing with the New England Patriots the following year. He won Super Bowl XLIX with the Patriots, then signed back with the Jets in 2015 after New England chose not to pick up his option. Revis was released from the Jets in 2017 due to his declining play as a result of his injuries and age, retired in 2018 after signing a ceremonial contract with the Jets, and earned a first-ballot trip to Canton.
* '''Ken Riley''' had a very successful career as a quarterback at the HBCU Florida A&M, but wasn't selected until the sixth round of the 1969 Draft. Upon joining his new team, Riley was switched off of QB to CB, a still-common experience for black [=QBs=] at the time. He made the most of it by becoming dominant at the position, setting many franchise records over his [[LongRunner 15 seasons]] with the team before retiring fourth overall in all-time career interceptions. Bizarrely, despite ''still'' being tied for fifth most interceptions in NFL history, he was [[AwardSnub not selected]] to a ''single'' Pro Bowl during his career, nor inducted into the Hall of Fame for decades until three years after his death in 2020; he ''was'' an inaugural member of the Bengals Ring of Honor, but that also wasn't founded until after his death.

* '''Richard Sherman''' is a CB who originally made his name with the Seattle Seahawks, as part of their Super Bowl winning "Legion of Boom" secondary (along with Kam Chancellor, see above, and Earl Thomas, see below). A Stanford-educated GeniusBruiser, Sherman is known to be one of the most outspoken players in the league, especially in terms of vocally dissing rival players and media with [[IShallTauntYou serious trash talk]]. After the Seahawks defeated the San Francisco [=49ers=] in the 2013 NFC Championship Game thanks to Sherman tipping the ball into an interception in the end zone, his fiery postgame interview in which he dissed Niners wide receiver Michael Crabtree (the intended target of the aforementioned intercepted pass) and boasted of being "the best corner in the game!" gained him even more attention. His efforts landed him on the cover of ''[[VideoGame/MaddenNFL Madden 15]]'', the last defensive player to receive the honor. Due to a combination of injuries and declining play, he was let go by Seattle and signed with former hated rival San Francisco in 2017. Sherman made clear that his animosity toward the 49ers wasn't toward the actual organization but to its former head coach Jim Harbaugh, who had coached him in college at Stanford.[[note]]Harbaugh told Sherman that he "quit on the team" when he opted to have season ending surgery for an injury, then reduced his playing time the following season, which he blames for his slide to the 5th round on draft day in 2011.[[/note]] Sherman recovered from the injuries and briefly returned to Pro Bowl form during his stint with the 49ers before injuries and personal/legal issues left him unsigned at the end of his contract in 2021. He briefly signed with the Buccaneers before retiring and going into television, serving as an analyst on Creator/PrimeVideo and succeeding fellow trash-talker Shannon Sharpe on ''Undisputed'' with Skip Bayless.

* '''Sean Taylor''' was a safety for Washington known for his freakish athleticism and for being one of the most vicious tacklers in the league, frequently separating footballs and helmets from offensive players by way of sheer force. Drafted #5 overall in 2004 out of Miami, his early career, as is the case for a lot of players of his temperament, was fraught with personal foul penalties, a legal issue here and there, and several bits of [[CloudCuckooLander odd behavior]] (he notably used to run all the way to and from practice and received numerous fines for covering his face mask with decorative tape). By 2007, however, it seemed he had gotten his head on straight. Known as a [[GentleGiant soft-spoken family man off the field]] and an intimidating enforcer on it, he was on his way to an All-Pro performance when an injury cut his season short. After returning home to Miami to recover from his injury, he was the victim of an attempted burglary and shot in the leg while trying to protect his girlfriend and 18-month-old daughter. He later died from his injuries, aged 24, without having achieved the peak of his potential, becoming perhaps one of the greatest and [[TearJerker saddest]] examples of WhatCouldHaveBeen in NFL history. Taylor was voted posthumously to the Pro Bowl (the first player ever to receive that honor)--partly out of respect, but equally because the season he'd been having up until he was murdered was ''just that good.'' The NFC Team--which also featured three other Washington players who all wore the #21 jersey in his honor--lined up on their first defensive snap with 10 players, leaving his free safety spot empty. To this day, many [=DBs=] will wear #21 (or #26[=/=]#36, his collegiate and NFL rookie numbers) or wear tape on their face masks out of respect for Taylor. Washington officially retired the #21 jersey in 2021.

* '''Emmitt Thomas''' was a CB who played for the Kansas City Chiefs his entire career. Thomas was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Bishop College in 1966. He was named as an AFL All-Star in 1968 and in 1969, led the league in [=INTs=] as the Chiefs won the Super Bowl. After the merger, he made the Pro Bowl four times and again led the league in [=INTs=] in 1974 before retiring in 1978 as the Chiefs' all-time INT leader; the franchise retired his #18. After a two-year stint as HC of Central Missouri State, he embarked on a lengthy assistant coaching career, winning two more Super Bowls during his stint with Washington and serving as interim HC for the Falcons for three games in 2007 after [[UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNotoriousFigures Bobby Petrino's]] departure. He was inducted into the HOF as a player in 2008 and retired from coaching in 2018, one season before Kansas City won their second Super Bowl.
* '''Charles Tillman''', nicknamed "Peanut", was a CB who played nearly his entire 13-year career with the Chicago Bears after they selected him in the 2nd round of the 2003 Draft out of Louisiana[[labelnote:*]]as in Louisiana–Lafayette; at the time, the school had yet to drop its city from its athletic branding[[/labelnote]]. A two-time Pro Bowler and 2013 Walter Payton Man of the Year award winner, Tillman is best known as one of the greatest ever at forcing fumbles. Utilizing what has become known as the [[SignatureMove "Peanut Punch"]], he ranks 6th all time with 44 career forced fumbles and is the only non-pass rusher in the top 10 of that category. Following his NFL career, Tillman became an FBI agent, qualifying just one day before his 37th birthday, which is the FBI age cut-off for new agents.

* '''Roy Williams''' was a safety for the Dallas Cowboys from 2002-08. Drafted #8 overall in 2002 out of Oklahoma, he made an immediate impact, as he became known as a vicious hitter and violent tackler, making the Pro Bowl from 2003-08. Despite his successes, he has become better known for his excessive use of the [[SignatureMove "horse collar tackle"]] and is seen as the namesake for the rule banning the use of the tackle across football, becoming the first player suspended for breaking it in 2007. Other "player safety" rule changes, particularly those protecting defenseless receivers and banning defenders from leading with the crown of the helmet when tackling, effectively neutered Williams's playstyle soon after. Following his time with the Cowboys, he played two unimpressive seasons in Cincinnati. Unfortunately for Williams, he was one of the last "headhunter" safeties in football and, despite his six straight Pro Bowl seasons, is rarely talked about among his era's great players as that playstyle has been CondemnedByHistory.