Useful Notes / NFL Offensive Players

There have been many, many great, terrible, inspiring, despicable, and interesting players, coaches, and staff in the century-long history of the National Football League. There are 378 people enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame alone, and those are only the ones who have broken records or changed how the game of football is played. This page collects some of the most notable Sportspeople to professionally play offensive roles in American Football history. All of these players were well-known stars in their day; many spun that stardom off into roles in other works, and even those that were more camera-shy are still likely to be referenced in works released during and after their playing careers, so it's worth knowing why they were famous to begin with.

For those on the other side of the ball, see NFL Defensive and Special Teams Players. For coaches, commissioners, broadcasters, owners, and other key figures whose greatest contributions to the NFL came while not wearing pads, see National Football League Non-Player Figures. 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 National Football League Notorious Figures. 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 Collegiate American Football Names To Know page.

Individuals in folders are listed alphabetically, by last name.

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Quarterbacks

See National Football League Quarterbacks.

Running Backs

See NFL Running Backs

Wide Receivers

A-G

• Davante Adams was a second round draft pick by the Green Bay Packers out of Fresno State in 2014. After a relatively slow start, Adams broke out in 2016 en route to establishing himself as one of the best receivers in the league, becoming Aaron Rodgers' primary target in the late '10s/early '20s, leading the league in receiving TDs in 2020, and earning six straight Pro Bowl nods. His success is all the more impressive when accounting for the lack of a true WR2 threat on the Packers in his peak years, meaning his strong performances usually come while being doubled up by opposing defenses. Ahead of the 2022 season, Adams negotiated a trade to the Raiders, stating that it had always been his ultimate dream to play for his childhood team and to reunite with his college QB and best friend Derek Carr- however, despite Adams again leading the NFL in receiving TDs, becoming the leader in the category among active players, the team as a whole struggled, and Carr was cut after just one year with Adams.
• Keenan Allen was drafted in the third round out of Cal in 2013 by the then-San Diego Chargers. After a solid start to his career, Allen tore his ACL in the opening game of the 2016 season, missing almost all of the franchise's last year before its move to Los Angeles. Allen bounced back in magnificent fashion, being named Comeback Player of the Year in 2017 with the best season of his career and earning his first of six Pro Bowl nods. Allen stands as the Chargers' all-time receiving yards leader among WRs (he still sits well behind TE Antonio Gates). He was traded to the Bears in 2024 for cap reasons.
• Lance Alworth was drafted at #8 overall out of Arkansas by the 49ers in 1962, but he instead chose to sign with the San Diego Chargers, who picked up his rights from the Raiders after they drafted him at #9. Alworth became one of the biggest stars of the nascent (and more pass-friendly) AFL and was a real Game-Breaker with San Diego, passing early receiving yard milestones at a speed that has yet to be surpassed by another NFL player, putting up five games with over 200 receiving yards (a record only tied by Calvin Johnson), and leading the league in receiving yards, receptions, and touchdowns thrice. His graceful running style won him the nickname... "Bambi". He won a Super Bowl with the Dallas Cowboys at the end of his career, retired in 1972, had his #19 retired by the Chargers, and became the first AFL player inducted into the Hall of Fame.
• Willie Lee "Flipper" Anderson was a second-round pick out of UCLA by the L.A. Rams in 1988 whose So Okay, It's Average career probably wouldn't stand out in the annals of NFL history were it not for a single game in his second year in which he put up 336 receiving yards. This has stood as the single-game record for over three decades, with only all-time elite receivers like Calvin Johnson and Julio Jones putting up 300+ yard games since. This game was a nearly complete aberration; Anderson was not the top receiver for the Rams and put up over a third of his catches for the entire season in just this single showing.^note He was also helped by the game going to overtime, where he got the last 40 yards; Megatron, who fell just seven yards short of breaking the record in 2013, holds the record for most yards in the standard four quarters. Anderson was off the team after '94 and spent the next three years bouncing around the league as a reserve player, eventually receiving a Super Bowl ring for sitting on the Broncos' bench in '97 before retiring from football.
• Morris "Red" Badgro was a two-way end in the late '20s and '30s. A multi-sport star at USC, Badgro signed with the NFL's New York Yankees in 1927 but left football after the Yankees folded a year later, instead playing two seasons with the MLB's St. Louis Browns. After he finished the 1930 season with the Browns, Badgro decided to return to football with the New York Giants that same month, quickly earning a starting role and becoming one of the top ends in football. In addition to being a strong blocker and tackler, he was also one of the league's better receivers, leading the NFL in receptions in 1934^note With 16 catches, showing just how much how the passing game has evolved over the years and catching the first TD pass in NFL Championship history. The four time All-Pro retired in 1935, was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1981, and died in 1998.
• Alyn Beals led the AAFC in receiving TDs in each of the league's four seasons while playing for the San Francisco 49ers. Beals was drafted out of Santa Clara in 1943 but not signed by the NFL; he landed a spot on the Niners thanks to their first HC, Buck Shaw, being his coach in college. His performance helped ensure the Niners would make the move to the NFL, though he didn't perform well there once they made the move and was cut two years later. He died in 1993.
• Odell Beckham Jr. made his name with the New York Giants, who drafted him #12 overall out of LSU in 2014. He exploded onto the scene as a rookie during a Sunday Night Football game against the division rival Cowboys when he made what is widely considered one of, if not the, greatest catches of all time, diving backwards with a full extension of his right hand using only three fingers while being interfered with by a defender; the pose was replicated on the next year's Madden NFL cover. Over his first three seasons, Beckham broke a number of records, including being the fastest player to reach 250 receptions and 4,000 receiving yards. While he is an overall very effective receiver, his main claim to fame (to the point of his detractors saying it's the only reason he's famous) remain his highlight reel-type catches.^note When he was measured with other draft prospects at the 2014 Combine, he boasted some of the largest hands in his class, despite being smaller than the average NFL wideout. Early in his career, "OBJ" was known for sporting classic "over-the-top diva" personality often associated with his position and for complaining openly to the media about team issues. In his second contract, he wanted to be paid "QB money" in the range of about $10 million more per season than the highest paid WRs make; he became the highest paid WR at the time in his second contract but still settled for far less than QB money. He is also known for his distinctive hair, which features bleached platinum blond curls up top, and for being extremely emotional on the field. His fans see this as him being "passionate", while his detractors tend to see "spoiled".^note This is best summed up by the time he took his anger out on a kicking net... and lost. The Giants dealt him to the Browns in 2019, where injuries and a decline in output led to him being cut during the 2021 season. He subsequently signed with the Rams, where he won a ring as a key part of their Super Bowl run (though tore an ACL in the game itself). After a year out of the NFL recovering, he signed with the Ravens.
• Jim Benton was a second round pick by the Cleveland Rams in 1938 out of Arkansas, establishing himself as one of their first stars and a top flight receiver. He spent all but one year of his career with the Rams, briefly joining the Bears in 1943 and winning a championship while the Rams temporarily suspended operations. He rejoined the Rams after their return and paired with Bob Waterfield to form a high powered offense that won the 1945 Championship, becoming just the second player after Don Hutson to pass the 1,000 yards receiving mark. He was named All-Pro in '45 and '46, leading the NFL in receiving yards both years. His best performance came on Thanksgiving in 1945, when he hauled in 303 yards against the Lions, which stood as the single game record for over four decades. He retired in 1947 and passed away in 2001; he still awaits a call to Canton.
• Raymond Berry has one of the great Cinderella stories of NFL history. A split end drafted in the twentieth round in 1954 by the Baltimore Colts, Berry was considered a long shot to even make the team; he had caught only 33 passes while playing for the run-heavy SMU. Worse, he had numerous health issues that directly affected his ability to run (he had bruised nerves in his lower back that caused one leg to be shorter than the other), catch (he had terrible eyesight), and take hits (he was very skinny). Berry overcame all of those obstacles (with the help of a back brace and new contact lenses) to become the only Hall of Famer from his draft class, teaming up with QB Johnny Unitas to regularly lead the league in reception stats and take the Colts to two championships over 13 seasons. When he retired, he held the then-career records for receptions and receiving yards. After his playing career, he coached wide receivers for numerous teams before being hired as the head coach for the New England Patriots from 1984-89 and leading the team to its first ever Super Bowl appearance. His #82 is retired by the Colts.
• Fred Biletnikoff was one of the top possession receivers of his day. Selected #11 overall in the 1965 AFL Draft out of Florida State by the Oakland Raiders, he played for the team for 14 seasons, was selected to four Pro Bowls, and set numerous receiving records (all since broken, as he played in an era where the run was used far more than the pass). He also became notorious for his very liberal use of the adhesive Stickum (to the point the NFL banned its use soon after he retired). Biletnikoff won MVP for Super Bowl XI off of just four catches for 79 yards, one indicator of just how much the position has evolved. He was released after 1978, played one year in the CFL, and spent the next 26 years as an assistant coach. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988 and is also the namesake for the most prestigious award for wide receivers in college football.
• Anquan Boldin was one of the most physical receivers of the 21st century, excelling as a catch-and-run tackle breaker while playing 14 seasons with four teams. He converted from QB to WR in college at Florida State and had a dominant final season but ran a poor time at the Combine, resulting in a 2nd round drafting in 2003 by the Arizona Cardinals. Boldin broke out right away, setting a rookie record with 217 receiving yards in his very first NFL game and another for receptions in a season with 101^note since surpassed by Jaylen Waddle. The team drafted Larry Fitzgerald (see below) the following year, and the two paired up to be one of the most dominant WR tandems in NFL history, leading the Cardinals to their first ever Super Bowl appearance following 2008. In 2010, seeking a higher paying contract than Arizona was willing to give after extending Fitzgerald, Boldin was traded to the Baltimore Ravens, where he was the leading receiver of their Super Bowl XLVII-winning team. He spent three more productive seasons with the 49ers, then had a final less-stellar year with the Lions before retiring. Boldin made three Pro Bowls and finished in the top 10 all-time for receptions (the most of any eligible player not yet enshrined in Canton) and the top 15 all-time for receiving yards.
• Cliff Branch played his entire 14-year NFL career with the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders, who drafted him in the fourth round out of Colorado in 1972. A 100-meter sprinter as well as football player in college, Branch was a member of all three of the franchise's Super Bowl-winning teams, was selected to four Pro Bowls, and held the career postseason receptions and receiving yards records for close to a decade after his retirement before being surpassed by Jerry Rice (he still sits in the top ten in both). Long considered an Award Snub for the Hall of Fame prior to his death in 2019, Branch was finally selected for Canton in 2022.
• A.J. Brown was drafted in the second round in 2019 out of Ole Miss by the Tennessee Titans. Brown performed very well in Nashville, immediately becoming the Titans' best passing option over his first three seasons. However, after Brown asked to become one of the highest paid players at his position as the end of his rookie deal neared, the Titans traded him in 2022 to the Philadelphia Eagles for a first rounder, which they used to draft his replacement. This move almost immediately became a candidate for one of the worst trades ever made, as Brown blossomed into a true star in Philly, helping take them to a Super Bowl appearance in his first year and setting an NFL record streak for games with 125+ receiving yards in his second; meanwhile, the Titans backslid and the GM who made the trade was fired within the year.
• Tim Brown was a Hall of Famer who played for the Raiders for 16 seasons, tied for third most games played by a wide receiver. After a Heisman-winning college career at Notre Dame, he was picked #6 overall by the L.A. Raiders in 1988 and put up nine Pro Bowl seasons before and after the team's return to Oakland. Despite being the Raiders' all-time leading receiver and the first of only two NFL players to post nine straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons, Brown had an acrimonious relationship with team owner Al Davis that became more public after he became the last L.A.-era player to leave the team in 2004. Though he played out his final season with the Buccaneers under former coach Jon Gruden, Brown remained very much beloved by the Raider Nation—when he scored his landmark 100th (and final) receiving touchdown at an away game in Oakland, he received a standing ovation from the home crowd. After that season, Brown signed a ceremonial contract to retire with the Raiders. He remains in the top ten in most career receiving numbers; he was also an adept punt returner (somewhat rare for a starting receiver, let alone one who played as much as he did) and ranks in the top ten in most return statistics as well.
• Troy Brown was drafted in the 8th round in 1993 by the New England Patriots out of Marshall. The first seven years of his career were generally unspectacular, mostly spent on special teams, but he was never cut and eventually became a full-time starter in 2000 as a slot receiver. He helped New England win three Super Bowls and made a single Pro Bowl in 2001. He became known as "Mr. Patriot" by fans for his willingness to play in any role to help the team; besides being a prolific special teamer (holding the franchise record in punt return yards), he also sometimes played defensive back, usually covering the slot receiver.^note In one preseason game, Bill Belichick put him in as quarterback for a single play "to build his legend". He retired in 2008 after a 15-year career and was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame by fan vote. He is currently the only player in NFL history to have at least 550 receptions, 250 punt returns, and an interception. He now serves as the receivers/returners coach for his former team.
• Isaac Bruce was a Hall of Famer who most famously played for the Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams. A second round pick by the Rams in 1994 out of Memphis State^*now known as Memphis, Bruce became the leading receiver in "The Greatest Show on Turf" after the Rams moved to St. Louis. He retired in 2009 after a brief stint with the 49ers, during which he became only the second player after Jerry Rice to surpass 15,000 receiving yards (he is now #5 all-time). Bruce remains in the top ten of most career receiving statistics, and his #80 was retired by the Rams.
• Dez Bryant was drafted #24 overall in 2010 out of Oklahoma State by the Dallas Cowboys and became the franchise's all-time leader in receiving TDs, leading the NFL in that category in 2014. For all of the many TD catches Byrant made in his career, he is likely most famous for one he didn't (allegedly) make in a 2014-15 playoff match against the Packers; officals called back what would have been a game-winning score arguing that he didn't maintain possession, a call that remains hotly contested. Bryant was released after 2017, and a subsequent Achilles tear in Saints training camp essentially ended his career, as he retired after a failed comeback in Baltimore in 2020.
• Ken Burrough was a star receiver for the Houston Oilers in the '70s. Originally drafted in 1970 by the Saints out of HBCU Texas Southern at #10 overall, an injury-riddled rookie year caused New Orleans to trade him to Houston, at which point he broke out as one of the league's biggest receiving threats before his retirement after 1981. However, Burrough is likely most notable as the last NFL player to wear #00 before the practiced was discontinued from 1973-2022.
• Harold Carmichael was drafted in the seventh round out of Southern by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1971. The HBCU grad stands out (quite literally) as the tallest WR in NFL history; few players of his stature (6'8") go in as a wideout rather than a tight end. Carmichael's height and dynamic playstyle made him the focal point of the '70s Eagles offense that reached Super Bowl XV; he led the league in receptions and receiving yards in 1973 and still holds most Eagles receiving records. He retired after spending 1984 with the Cowboys and was later hired to the Eagles office. After several decades of waiting, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame's Centennial Class in 2020.
• Cris Carter was an eight-time Pro Bowler who played in the NFL for 16 seasons. His career got off to a very rocky start. After setting school records at Ohio State, Carter lost his eligibility to play his senior season when he secretly signed with a sports agent. He narrowly avoided jail time for wire fraud and was forced to enter the 1987 Supplemental Draft, where he was selected in the fourth round by the Philadelphia Eagles. He put up solid performances during his three seasons in Philly, but his struggles with drug addiction led coach Buddy Ryan to trade him to the Minnesota Vikings as a wake-up call; Carter attributes this intervention to saving his football career and his life, as the Vikings organization had a robust rehab program. Carter got clean and became Minnesota's star receiver through the '90s, claiming all of the franchise receiving records and later helping to mentor future Vikings superstar Randy Moss, though Carter never secured a Super Bowl championship. After a single season in Miami in 2002, he retired behind only Jerry Rice in most career receiving records and still remains in the top ten for many categories. His #80 was retired by the Vikings. After retirement, Carter became an analyst infamous for his hot takes. Despite most expecting him to get a first-ballot induction into the Hall of Fame, Carter waited seven years into his eligibility to be inducted into Canton. His older brother Butch was a player and head coach in the NBA, and his son Duron has had a tumultuous journeyman career in the CFL.
• Wes Chandler was a key part of the San Diego Chargers' Air Coryell offense of the early '80s. Drafted #3 overall by the Saints out of Florida in 1978, Chandler was traded to the Chargers in 1981 and set the current record for receiving yards per game the following year (129); had that season not been cut short by strike, Chandler's year might be in consideration for the best ever seen at the position. He put up several more solid years in San Diego before being cut after 1987; he played four unimpressive games with the 49ers that season before deciding to retire, just missing out on a Super Bowl ring.
• Ja'Marr Chase was drafted #5 overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021 and immediately produced one of the greatest rookie receiving seasons in NFL history. Reunited with his LSU teammate, QB Joe Burrow, Chase quickly set about breaking multiple franchise receiving records. While he ultimately couldn't surpass the regular season rookie receiving yards record, he shattered the standing postseason rookie records as a key component in the Bengals' unexpected Super Bowl run and won Offensive Rookie of the Year. He has since remained a regular Pro Bowler.
• Wayne Chrebet was one of the more notable undrafted players in modern NFL history and a massive Ensemble Dark Horse for local fans of the New York Jets. A New Jersey native who attended FCS Hofstra in Long Island, Chrebet was seen as too small to be drafted but was allowed a walk-on tryout for the Jets in 1995 mainly because they held their training camp at Hofstra. Chrebet not only made the team but became one of the best receivers to ever play for the Jets; while most of his numbers don't exactly leap off the page, he was incredibly clutch (more than half of his receptions were for third down conversions) and part of many memorable victories for the team. The hometown hero retired in 2005 after being knocked unconscious during a game (he still caught the ball) and was placed in the Jets Ring of Honor; he sits behind only Hall of Famer Don Maynard in career catches with the Jets.
• Dwight Clark was drafted in the tenth round in 1979 out of Clemson by the San Francisco 49ers. The low drafted pick had several standout seasons early in his career, including leading the league in receptions in the strike-shortened 1982 season. However, he is most well known for being the recipient of "The Catch", one of the most famous plays in football history in which he caught the game-winning touchdown from Joe Montana in the 1981 NFC Championship with a high-flying leap in the back of the end zone. This moment is widely celebrated as the turning point in Niners history that led to their '80s dynasty, and while his numbers declined as SF assembled more talented receivers, the team still retired his #87 after he retired in 1987. Clark continued to work in the 49ers front office for many years, eventually becoming their GM in 1998 before going to serve in the same role for the revived Cleveland Browns from 1999-2001 (a decision he later heavily regretted). In 2017, Clark was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and died a year later at 61 years old; the 49ers built a statue of his iconic Catch outside their stadium to honor him.
• Mark Clayton and Mark Duper, better known collectively as the Marks Brothers, were a dominant receiving duo for the '80s Miami Dolphins. Dan Marino's two favorite targets put up gaudy numbers for their time. Thanks to the rocket launcher arm of their passer, Clayton went from an obscure eighth round pick out of Louisville in 1983 to posting a then-record 18 receiving TDs in '84 (still third best ever); "Super" Duper was likewise a little known name in 1982 when he was drafted in the second round out of now-FCS Northwestern State. Clayton again led the NFL in receiving TDs in '88 and still holds the franchise career records for receptions and TDs; Duper holds the franchise record for receiving yards. Clayton retired after spending '93 with the Packers; Duper retired in '92 but briefly attempted a comeback with Miami's arena team. Both are enshrined in the Dolphins' Honor Roll.
• Gary Collins was drafted by the Cleveland Browns #4 overall in 1962 and remains the franchise's all-time leader in receiving TDs. The Maryland product never surpassed 1,000 yards in a season but had a knack for finding the end zone, co-leading the NFL in the category in '63, winning a championship in '64, and earning three Pro Bowl nods while also serving as the team's punter. He retired after 1971 and has mostly been overlooked for Hall of Fame consideration.
• Marques Colston is the New Orleans Saints' all-time leader in receptions, yards, and receiving touchdowns. Drafted in the seventh round out of FCS Hofstra (which no longer plays football) in 2006, Colston quickly asserted himself as one of Drew Brees' primary targets throughout his ten-year career. However, despite his success earning him a spot in the Saints Hall of Fame, Colston never received a Pro Bowl or All-Pro nod.
• Victor Cruz had one of the greatest arrivals into the NFL in the league's history. An undrafted player out of UMass, he barely saw the field and wasn't even targeted with the football in his technical "rookie" season in 2010 due to dealing with a hamstring injury. When he was given a shot in his second year, Cruz became an instant legend for the New York Giants, coming out of nowhere to accumulate over 1,500 yards^note which would be the rookie record if he had been a "real" rookie and play a key role in the Giants' campaign to the Super Bowl. While not technically a One-Hit Wonder, as he had two more solid years in New York, he never quite lived up to that initial promise and his performance soon trailed off due to continued injury issues, leading to him being out of the NFL after 2016. Still, his legacy with the Giants lives on, in no small part due to his salsa-dancing TD celebration.
• Isaac Curtis started his career as a RB and track star at Cal in the early '70s, becoming renowned for his world-class speed, but transferred to San Diego State as a senior, where offensive guru Don Coryell moved him to WR to take advantage of his quickness and spread opposing defenses. Despite playing just one season at WR, his trailblazing speed was enough to entice the Cincinnati Bengals into drafting him #15 overall in 1973. He began his career with four straight Pro Bowls, as his insane speed made covering him a nightmare for opposing defenders, who often resorted to the bump-and-run to limit his effectiveness downfield. This prompted the NFL to adopt the "Isaac Curtis Rule", limiting contact between receivers and DBs, which would later be expanded into the "Mel Blount Rule" that same decade. He retired in 1984 holding all of the team's receiving records and was inducted to their Ring of Honor in 2022.
• Stefon Diggs started out with the Minnesota Vikings as a fifth round pick from Maryland in 2015 and, despite his low draft position, broke out in his rookie season as a major talent. In the 2017 playoffs, Diggs was the recipient of the 61-yard "Minneapolis Miracle" touchdown, the sole game-winning TD in NFL playoff history scored as time expired. Diggs successfully pushed for a trade to the Buffalo Bills in 2020 and became even more productive there, leading the league in receptions and receiving yards in his first season. He was traded to the Texans in 2024. His younger brother Trevon has become an NFL star on the opposite side of the ball as a Pro Bowl corner for the Dallas Cowboys.^note The Diggs brothers have yet to face off in the regular season but did go head-to-head in the 2021 Pro Bowl.
• LaVern Dilweg was a two-way end most famous for his tenure with the Green Bay Packers. While studying law at Marquette, he played football for the Milwaukee Badgers in 1926. After graduating in 1927, he set up his law practice in Green Bay, playing football in the morning and practicing law in the afternoon. He retired in 1934 and was considered by many to be the best all-around end outside of his successor Don Hutson (see below). During his career, he won three championships from 1929-31 and was named consensus All-Pro five consecutive years from 1927-31, with three being unanimous. After his retirement, he continued practicing law and dabbled in politics, serving one term in the US House of Representatives from 1943-45. He died in 1968 after a lengthy illness, just two days after the Ice Bowl Game.
• Donald Driver is the Green Bay Packers' all-time leader in receiving yards, ascending from a seventh round pick out of HBCU Alcorn State in 1999 to become a five-time Pro Bowler and winning a ring. After retiring with the team in 2012, he won Season 14 of Dancing with the Stars.
• Julian Edelman was drafted in the seventh round in 2009 by the New England Patriots out of Kent State, where he was an option quarterback. The 5'10" player was on the shorter side for a modern NFL wide receiver, and his regular season stats don't exactly leap off the page compared to others at the position, never even making a Pro Bowl or All-Pro team. However, as the sidekick to Tom Brady for the majority of his career, Edelman naturally saw a great deal of play time in the playoffs, where he developed a reputation as a particularly scrappy Pint-Sized Powerhouse who made critical catches at the most important moments. He comes in behind only Jerry Rice and Travis Kelce for postseason receiving yards and receptions and was even named the MVP for Super Bowl LIII. After being sidelined from injuries for most of 2020, Edelman retired with the Patriots.
• Henry Ellard was a highly productive Long Runner receiver in the '80s and '90s. Drafted in 1983's second round out of Fresno State by the Los Angeles Rams, he put up 11 strong years for that franchise (leading the league in receiving yards in 1988) and continued to put up great numbers as a veteran for his last five season in Washington. He retired behind only Jerry Rice and James Lofton in career receiving yards, but he has fallen sharply down those rankings in subsequent years as the passing game has evolved and has never even been named a finalist for the Hall of Fame.
• Mike Evans was drafted #7 overall in 2014 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers out of Texas A&M^note where he was the primary target of Johnny Manziel during his Heisman campaign and immediately broke out as one of the league's most talented and consistent receivers. Evans is the only WR in NFL history to post 1,000+ receiving yards in each of his first ten seasons, breaking the six-season mark previously held only by Randy Moss and sitting behind only Jerry Rice for most such seasons total. Evans holds practically every franchise receiving record by a considerable margin but largely remained out of the spotlight due said franchise's consistent underperformance... until Tom Brady came to town in 2020, at which point he became a key part of their Super Bowl run. Even after Brady's retirement, the vet has remained one of the league's top receivers, co-leading the NFL in receiving TDs in '23.
• Tom Fears was a split end who played his entire career with the Los Angeles Rams, who drafted him in the 11th round in 1945 out of UCLA, becoming the first Mexican-born player to be drafted. He led the league in receptions each of his first three seasons, including breaking the then-records for receptions in 1949-50 and being named first team All-Pro for the latter. He led the Rams to a championship in 1951, retired in 1956, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1970. He later became the first HC in franchise history for the New Orleans Saints, which also made him the first Latino coach in the NFL. He died from Alzheimer's complications in 2000.
• Larry Fitzgerald played for the Arizona Cardinals his entire career, holding the franchise record for games played, and is generally considered one of the best receivers of all time. After being drafted #3 overall out of Pittsburgh in 2004, Fitzgerald was selected to eleven Pro Bowls, led the league in receiving touchdowns in two consecutive seasons (2008-09) and in receptions in two seasons over a decade apart from each other ('05, '16), and posted the most receiving yards ever in a single postseason (546) in 2008, taking the franchise to their sole Super Bowl appearance and winning him a spot on the next season's Madden NFL cover. He would probably be the biggest threat to Jerry Rice's records if not for several seasons stuck with horrendous quarterback play in Arizona hurting his statistics and his willingness to block for his teammates rather than go for every catch. He has still reached #2 in receptions, receiving yards, and games played for a wide receiver and cracked the top 10 in receiving TDs. He was so ridiculously consistent and available for the team that he holds the unique stat of having more career defensive tackles than dropped passes.^note Many wide receivers have the reputation for giving up on plays if their QB misses them for an interception or they fumble the ball themselves; not so with Fitz. His loyalty to the long-suffering Cardinals franchise and his exceptionally generous and soft-spoken nature made him practically a saint in Arizona. Fitz retired after 2020 and has begun a TV career.
• Irving Fryar was drafted at #1 overall in 1984, going to the New England Patriots out of Nebraska.^note The unusually high spot for a pick at his position was widely attributed to the USFL scooping up much of the competition for the #1 spot that year. Fryar played in the NFL for 17 seasons, tied for the third-most games played at his position, but doesn't rank high on many career stat sheets due to being a late bloomer; four of his five Pro Bowl seasons came after he turned 30 while playing for teams other than the one that spent such high draft capital on him. Fryar experienced numerous off-field legal issues during and after his time in football and saw jail time for fraud after his retirement.
• Joey Galloway had one of the more unique career trajectories of any NFL receiver. Drafted #8 overall by the Seattle Seahawks out of Ohio State in 1995, the speedster set rookie franchise records and was highly productive for a largely mediocre franchise. He was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in 2000 for picks (one of which would be used for Shaun Alexander), but injuries and the Cowboys' own struggles likewise hurt his production. He was again traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2004 and had a late career resurgence, but once again the team failed to produce much with his talents. He retired after 2010 following shorter stints with three other teams and went into television. Despite his talent and Long Runner consistency placing him fairly high on many career stat sheets, the journeyman's lack of a dependable team/QB through most of that long career ensured that he was never even selected to a Pro Bowl, making him one of the most successful players ever with such a distinction.
• Roy Green was a DB at D-II Henderson State who was drafted in the fourth round in 1979 by the St. Louis Cardinals. Initially planning to try the speedster as a returner, the Cardinals shifted him to receiver in his third season. The move turned out marvelously, as Green became the greatest receiver in franchise history prior to the arrival of Larry Fitzgerald, leading the NFL in receiving TDs in '83 and yards in '84. He retired in 1992 after two years with the Eagles and is enshrined in the Cardinals Ring of Honor.
• Bill Groman held the rookie receiving yards record (1,473 yards) for the combined NFL-AFL for 63 years after his 1960 debut, a truly remarkable feat considering that he played a 14-game season, came out of total obscurity, and was likewise largely forgotten to fans save for whenever his record came close to being challenged. Groman played football for the tiny Heidelberg College and was totally overlooked by NFL scouts after graduating in 1958. He taught middle school science for a few years before a fellow teacher noticed his talent during a game of catch and recommended him to his former college teammate and head coach of the new AFL's Houston Oilers, Lou Rymkus. Groman became QB George Blanda's favorite target, led the AFL in receiving yards in his remarkable rookie campaign and in receiving touchdowns the following year, and was a key component to the Oilers winning the first two AFL Championships. However, his remarkable career was tragically cut short when, during the second title game, he received a Career-Ending Injury to his knee that robbed him of his former explosiveness; he hopped around the benches of the Broncos and Bills (earning two more AFL titles with the latter despite rarely seeing the field) and retired after 1965. Groman passed away in 2020.

H-L

• Marvin Harrison spent most of his career as Peyton Manning's go-to guy with the Indianapolis Colts, who drafted him #19 overall in 1996 out of Syracuse. His production blossomed with Manning, and his pairing with fellow perennial Pro Bowler Reggie Wayne (below) formed the most dominant WR duo of the 2000s. Harrison earned eight Pro Bowl nods, led the NFL in receiving TDs once and in yards and receptions twice (including setting a then-record for single-season receptions in '02), and was tracking to compete for some of Jerry Rice's career records before his career was derailed by injuries. After setting most franchise receiving records over his 13 years with the Colts, he retired in 2008 following a shooting incident outside a Philadelphia business which he owned that resulted in the death of a man. The controversy surrounding this incident may have contributed to his initial exclusion from the Hall of Fame (as the body of work over his career should have made his case immediately), but he was finally inducted in 2016, his third year of eligibility. His son Marvin Jr. currently plays WR at Ohio State and appears on track to be drafted even higher than his dad.
• Bob Hayes is the only person in history to win an Olympic gold medal and a Super Bowl ring. Hayes first rose to fame as a track star in the early '60s, setting world records and winning gold medals in the 100m and 4 × 100m relay at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games while playing football at the HBCU Florida A&M (President Lyndon Johnson had to personally call his football coach to let him rest for the Olympics). The Dallas Cowboys drafted him in the seventh round that same year, hoping that the Fastest Man Alive would still be willing to play football once he was done with school. When he joined the team in 1965, "Bullet Bob" became a key part of the offense, helping to raise the young and struggling expansion team to championship caliber while leading the league in touchdown catches in his first two seasons. The league first began adopting zone defenses in part to cover Hayes and the other speedy receivers who followed in his fleet footsteps. His production declined in his later years, though not before the Cowboys won Super Bowl VI. Hayes was traded to the 49ers in 1975 and subsequently released. His relatively short high-production window and legal problems, including a prison sentence for drugs after his playing career, kept Hayes out of the Hall of Fame until 2009, seven years after his death from cancer.^note His induction was infamously overshadowed by his sister delivering an emotional speech she claimed he had written prior to his death... only for his entire family to deny she was a blood relative and for the letter to be revealed as a likely forgery.
• Charley Hennigan was one of the first players for the Houston Oilers, going undrafted in 1960 after playing at Northwestern State.^note He originally ran track at LSU before transferring to Northwestern State to play football instead. He immediately took advantage of the AFL's more open passing game, earning five All-Star appearances while winning two championships with the Oilers. He led the AFL in receiving yards twice, with his 1,764 yards in 1961 standing as the single-season record for 34 years, and led the league in receptions in 1964 with 101, becoming the second player to surpass the 100 reception milestone. Hennigan retired in 1966 and still holds many of the Oilers/Titans records, but his career's brevity has largely kept him from Hall of Fame consideration. He passed away in 2017.
• Harlon Hill had one of the NFL's most electrifying debuts. A 15th-round draft pick by the Chicago Bears in 1954 out of the obscure North Alabama, he led the entire league in touchdowns in his first two seasons and even won the first Jim Thorpe Award (an MVP-precursor that was voted on by players) in his second year, when he led the Bears to a championship appearance. Unfortunately, injuries began to slow his performance, and while he became the first pro athlete to recover from a surgical repair of an Achilles tear, he retired after spending 1962 with the Steelers and Lions. Hill still holds multiple Bears franchise receiving records and is the namesake of the trophy awarded to the best player in D-II college football. He passed away in 2013.
• Tyreek Hill, nicknamed "Cheetah" for his blistering speed, became a star with the Kansas City Chiefs. Hill's selection in the fifth round of the 2016 Draft made him a subject of controversy before his career even started—Hill had been dismissed from the Oklahoma State program after a domestic violence arrest and spent the last year of his college career at the obscure D-II University of West Alabama.^note He was later accused of child abuse, though no charges were issued and the NFL did not issue a suspension following its own investigation. Originally used mainly as a return specialist, Hill was shifted to a full-time receiver role after a breakout rookie season. The 5'10" player has made the Pro Bowl every season since and made the 2010s All-Decade Team as a punt returner. In 2022, he was traded to the Dolphins for a sizable haul of picks, becoming the highest-paid WR in the league and leading it in receiving yards and TDs in '23.
• Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch was an end for the Los Angeles Rams in the 1950s. The #5 overall pick in the 1945 Draft during his military service, Hirsch was meant to go to the Cleveland Rams but announced that he planned to go back to college^*He started his college career at Wisconsin but enlisted in the Marines after his sophomore year and was transferred to Michigan for officer training. He planned to return to Wisconsin, but fate intervened. after being discharged, thereby missing out on the Rams' Championship-winning season; instead, he led the College All-Star team to an upset victory over that same team in that year's College All-Star Game. Although the war ended in 1945, Hirsch wasn't discharged from the Marines until almost a year later; he changed his plans and signed with the AAFC's Chicago Rockets, only to leave in 1949 amidst a pay dispute and follow the Rams to L.A., where he'd play for the next nine years. He went to three Pro Bowls and put up great performances, especially in a 1951 season where he helped lead the Rams to another Championship while setting single-season receiving records that stood until the regular season was lengthened decades later. However, he was best known for doing all that while having a bizarre running style for someone whose literal job was to run. His legs twisted his feet outward as he ran in a manner contemporary press described as resembling a "whirlwind" or "demented duck". Hirsch never tried to "fix" the gait that gave him his nickname, partially because it made his routes difficult for defenses to read but mostly because "Anything's better than 'Elroy'." Playing in the Hollywood market proved beneficial for the handsome football player with a marketable name—Hirsch starred As Himself in a Crazylegs biopic about his college years and spun that into a movie career.^note His other two prominent roles were as a sympathetic prisoner in Unchained—the film for which "Unchained Melody" was written—and as the captain of a troubled airline jet in Zero Hour! (1957)—the film Airplane! parodied. While Hirsch played the character that Peter Graves played in Airplane!, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar playing the co-pilot is a meta-gag about Hirsch's appearance in the earlier film. After retiring from play, Hirsch served as GM for the Rams for a few years and was inducted into the Hall of Fame. He passed away in 2004.
• Torry Holt was best known for his tenure with the St. Louis Rams from 1999-2008. Drafted #6 overall in 1999 out of NC State, he quickly inserted himself in the lineup and helped lead the Rams to their first Super Bowl win in his rookie season as part of the "Greatest Show on Turf". He put up 1,300+ receiving yards every season from 2000-05 (still the only player with such a streak), led the league in the category in '00 and '03, and became the fastest receiver to reach 10,000 career yards (since passed by Julio Jones). He was released by the Rams in 2009, having made seven Pro Bowls during his tenure. He played a subpar season with the Jaguars, struggled with injuries, and officially retired with the Rams in 2012.
• DeAndre Hopkins, aka "Nuk", is among the premier receivers of the '10s. Hopkins became a star for the Houston Texans after they drafted him #27 overall in 2013 out of Clemson; he was selected to four Pro Bowls and led the league in receiving touchdowns in 2017. Despite being one of the league's best players, Hopkins was traded to the Arizona Cardinals in 2020 for a few middling draft picks and a running back, a widely-panned move that contributed to the Texans firing coach/GM Bill O'Brien early the next season when Hopkins remained extremely productive with the Cardinals and the Texans cratered. With the Cardinals, Hopkins negotiated a contract extension that briefly made him the highest-paid non-QB in league history and continued his Pro Bowl-caliber performance. In 2022, he was suspended for 6 games for PED use, was released in '23, and signed with the Titans; he currently leads all active players in career receptions.
• Joe Horn had one of the more unique Cinderella stories in NFL history. After not playing a down of football for two years out of high school, Horn played at the tiny Itawamba Community College in Mississippi before sending tapes of himself working out to various teams. He lucked out and was signed to the short-lived Memphis Mad Dogs of the CFL's failed American expansion in 1995. While his performance there got him a fifth round draft selection by the Chiefs, he mainly played special teams in Kansas City before signing with the New Orleans Saints in 2000. Horn had an unexpected breakout season, earning his first of four Pro Bowl selections in a year that coincided with the Saints' first-ever playoff victory. After a forgettable 2007 with the Falcons, he signed a ceremonial contract to retire with the Saints and was inducted into their franchise Hall of Fame. Despite his accomplishments, he may be best known for his 2003 TD celebration in which he pulled a cell phone from the padding around the goal post. It was one of several such celebrations in the league at the time which led to stricter rules and the NFL developing a reputation as the "No Fun League". Horn's son Jaycee Horn, a defensive back out of South Carolina, was a 2021 first-round pick of the Carolina Panthers.
• Billy Howton was, in terms of catches and yardage, the best receiver of the 1950s, but remains mostly anonymous due to playing almost his entire career for terrible teams that became dominant forces soon after he left. Drafted in the second round (#15 overall) by the Green Bay Packers in 1952 out of Rice, Howton led the NFL in receiving yards in his first year and set a rookie receiving TD record that has only been surpassed by one player (Randy Moss, 1998); he would also lead the league in both categories in '56. However, the Packers were generally terrible throughout this period, with Howton's stellar but often inconsequential play as a catcher their sole strong suit in an era where defenses had fewer limitations and ends were also required to block. After the Packers posted the franchise's only one-win season in 1958, new coach Vince Lombardi traded Howton to Cleveland in one of the first steps of his rebuild. Howton saw his sole winning season with the Browns, but it was a down year by their standards. He considered retirement (which would have also meant stepping down as the second president of the NFLPA) but was drawn back to football by the chance to play in his home state with the new Dallas Cowboys, where he was once again one of the few bright spots on a bad team. Howton retired in 1963 after breaking Don Hutson's career records for receptions and receiving yards that had stood for two decades; he has never even been named a semifinalist for the Hall of Fame.
• Chuck Hughes was a relatively obscure receiver for the Eagles and Lions in the late '60s and early '70s but is notable as the only player in NFL history to die during a game. Drafted in the 4th round by the Eagles in 1967 out of Texas Western (now UTEP) where he still holds a number of school records, he played primarily special teams before his trade to the Lions in 1970. In a 1971 game against Chicago, Hughes was running back to the huddle after a play with 1:02 remaining in the game when he suddenly dropped to the ground clutching his chest. Medical staffs from both teams assisted him until an ambulance arrived to take him to the hospital where was pronounced dead from coronary thrombosis. (The teams finished the game and only got news of his death after.)^note An autopsy found that Hughes had advanced arteriosclerosis, with one of his coronary arteries 75% blocked. It was also revealed that both of his parents had died at relatively young ages from heart disease.
• Don Hutson was the Trope Maker for wide receivers, being credited with inventing the very concept as well as the fundamentals of the position (such as running pre-planned routes, most of which are still used today). He played for the Green Bay Packers from 1935-45 (leading them to three championships) and was decades ahead of his time, playing in an era where teams relied primarily on running backs and passes were usually only thrown out of desperation; the term "wide receiver" didn't even exist yet (he was called a "split end"). As such, the man was essentially a human cheat code, and it cannot be overstated how unprepared the league was for him. Initially thought too scrawny to play at the NFL level, he silenced all critics on the first play of his first game, in which he caught an 83-yard touchdown pass. He set dominant single-season and career records in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns, some of which stood for nearly fifty years and might still stand had the league not lengthened the regular season.^note Upon retiring, his career yardage was well over double that of his runner up, and his TDs nearly triple. His 17 TDs in 1942, the same year he became the first player to surpass 1,000 receiving yards in a season, stood as the record for over forty years. His era also had "single-platoon" teams (before players were assigned to offense, defense, or special teams), so he also played as a defensive end (intercepting 23 passes in his final four seasons) and placekicker (where he scored 193 points over his career); his record of scoring 29 points in a single quarter (four touchdowns, five extra-point kicks) might never be broken. Hutson's most unbreakable records, however, are his meta-season ones: most seasons leading the league in receiving touchdowns, catches, receiving yards, and points scored^note 9, 8, 7, and 5, respectively and most consecutive seasons leading the league in those categories^note five in each; even more amazingly, he is also the runner-up for the touchdown record with another four-season streak, further showing just how baffled opponents were when trying to cover him.. These are all considered virtually unbreakable due to there being too much parity among modern wide receivers to lead the league more than a season or two (kicker Stephen Gostkowski later tied his record of five seasons leading the league in scoring, but his were non-consecutive). The "Alabama Antelope" remains the only receiver to officially be named MVP, winning it in back-to-back seasons in 1941-42. His #14 is retired by the Packers, and he was a charter member of the Hall of Fame. Hutson passed away in 1997 amd still holds the Packers franchise record for touchdowns.^note One last cool fact: In college at Alabama, Hutson wasn't the only starting end who went on to a storied post-college career. The man who called himself "the other end" was Bear Bryant, who became a legendary college coach, most notably at Alabama.
• Michael Irvin was one of "The Triplets" of the '90s Dallas Cowboy dynasty with Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith. The #11 overall draft pick out of Miami in 1988, "The Playmaker" was arguably the game's best wide receiver from 1991-96, putting up huge numbers with the run-heavy Cowboys. Irvin didn't have as great a reputation off-field. Besides his massive ego (which he could at least back up on the field), he struggled with a cocaine addiction that led to a five-game suspension in 1996, and he infamously once stabbed offensive lineman Everett McIver in the neck with a pair of scissors while fighting over a barber's chair at training camp. His career ended due to a horrific neck injury in Philadelphia in 1999 where, in a remarkable act of poor sportsmanship, Eagles fans booed as he was carted off the field. Despite his off-field issues, Irvin was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007. He currently serves as an analyst for NFL Network and co-host of Undisputed with Skip Bayless.
• DeSean Jackson was one of the NFL's most prominent deep threats. Drafted in the second round by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2008 out of Cal, he experienced some troubles on and off the field,^note He infamously fumbled away what would have been his first NFL TD with a premature celebration and faced accusations of anti-Semitism for remarks on social media in 2020. but his blazing speed made him dangerous both as a receiver (where he set the NFL career record for receiving TDs over 60 yards) and a returner (where he helped the Eagles achieve the "Miracle at the New Meadowlands" comeback in 2010 with a game-winning punt return TD). He made three Pro Bowls in Philly before departing in 2014, playing for six different teams (including a second stint with the Eagles) before officially retiring in 2023.
• Harold Jackson was one of the best receivers of the 1970s. Drafted in the twelfth round in 1968 out of HBCU Jackson State by the Los Angeles Rams, he played only two games in his rookie season before being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. In his first full playing season, Jackson led the NFL in receiving yards, but his individual production rarely translated to wins for the struggling franchise. After he again claimed the league title in catches and receiving yards in '72, Jackson was shipped back to L.A. in a blockbuster trade for QB Roman Gabriel, a mutually beneficial move that boosted both teams' win records; in his first year back with his original team, Jackson led the NFL in receiving TDs. Jackson played another decade, remaining highly productive even after being traded to the Patriots in 1978. When Jackson retired in 1983 after short stints in Minnesota and Seattle, he ranked behind only Don Maynard in career receiving yards and ranked first in all major receiving stats for the 1970s. Despite that individual success, Jackson was snubbed from both the 1970s All-Decade Team and the Hall of Fame. After his playing career, he had a long coaching career at various levels, including briefly serving as HC at his alma mater.
• John Jefferson was a crucial part of the San Diego Chargers "Air Coryell" passing attack of the late '70s and early '80s. Drafted #14 overall in 1978, Jefferson led the NFL in touchdowns in his rookie year (tying the then-record for rookie receiving TDs) and led the NFL in both receiving yards and TDs in 1980. Despite setting a host of "fastest to" career records, including being the first player ever to amass over 1,000 receiving yards in each of their first three seasons, Jefferson refused to play for the Chargers the following year unless they made him the highest-paid receiver in the league. They responded by shipping him to Green Bay, where he played four mostly unremarkable seasons. He played just one more year with the Browns before he couldn't make another roster and subsequently retired, making him one of the NFL's biggest What Could Have Been stories.
• Justin Jefferson was drafted #22 overall in 2020 by the Minnesota Vikings. Fresh from a dominant, national title-winning performance at LSU, Jefferson continued to put up massive numbers, breaking the post-merger rookie receiving yards record. Said record would be broken the very next year by LSU teammate Ja'Marr Chase, but Jefferson's performance only continued to improve; in his short career, he has already set a number of "fastest to" receiving records and won Offensive Player of the Year after leading the league in receiving yards and receptions in 2022.
• Andre Johnson played 14 seasons with the Houston Texans, who drafted him #3 overall in 2003 out of Miami. Johnson set almost all of the new franchise's standing receiving records, was selected to seven Pro Bowls, and twice led the league in receptions ('06, '08) and receiving yards ('08-'09). Johnson was traded away to the Colts in 2015, played for the Titans the following year, and retired after signing a ceremonial contract with the Texans. He would later become the first Texans player enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
• Calvin Johnson was considered the top wide receiver of the late '00s and early '10s, with a freakish combination of size and speed that made him almost impossible to cover. Drafted #2 overall by the Detroit Lions out of Georgia Tech in 2007, Johnson was 6'5" and 238 lb, which is nearly as large as many tight ends and earned him the nickname "Megatron". However, Johnson also boasted a blistering 4.35-second 40-yard dash time^note For context, the current Combine record sits at a 4.22 by WR John Ross, who is much, much smaller than Johnson, which, combined with his jumping ability and massive hands, made him a walking Unblockable Attack at times, able to routinely come down with receptions over two and sometimes even three defenders. Johnson set several records, and though critics noted that playing for the woeful Lions gave him more opportunities for receptions (since teams tend to pass more when they're trying to come from behind), his talent was undeniable. During the Lions' winless 2008 season, he co-led the league in touchdowns. In 2011, he helped the team break a 12-year playoff drought while leading the NFL in receiving yards. In 2012, he broke Jerry Rice's single-season record for receiving yards with one game left to go and fell just short of becoming the first to ever record 2,000 receiving yards in a season, ultimately landing at 1,964.^note Doing so the year he was placed on the Madden NFL cover; Megatron laughed at the Madden Curse. The following year, he set the record for most receiving yards in a regular four-quarter game (329)^note Just seven yards behind the total game record of Flipper Anderson, who had the benefit of overtime. and tied Lance Alworth's long-standing record for most 200+ yard receiving games. Johnson retired after 2015, despite only being 30 years old, ostensibly due to the immense punishment that his body absorbed throughout his career; he later admitted that, like Barry Sanders before him, he was just tired of suffering through said punishment for a Lions team that wasn't contending for the playoffs. Despite a shortened career, Johnson holds practically every Lions receiving record and earned a first-ballot induction into the Hall of Fame, making him the second-youngest Canton inductee ever behind only Gale Sayers.
• Chad Johnson played ten years with the Cincinnati Bengals after being drafted in the second round out of Oregon State in 2001. Johnson was one of the most productive wide receivers of the '00s, setting most of the Bengals receiving records and leading the league in receiving yards in 2006. His impressive on-field talents were almost completely eclipsed by his ability to capture media attention. A classic "diva" receiver, Johnson showed a clear savvy for marketing his own brand, from his Motor Mouth barrage of one-liners that made him a fixture of Mic'd Up features, his extravagant touchdown celebrations^note highlights include him using the pylon to putt the football, donning a gold jacket with "Hall of Fame 20??" on the back, taking control of one of the sideline cameras, proposing to a cheerleader, and riverdancing, his early adoption and use of Twitter, and, most famously, legally changing his name to Chad Ochocinco so the name on his jersey matched his #85. Ochocinco was traded to the Patriots in 2011, where his performance severely plummeted. He was released after that season, changed his name back to Johnson, and signed with the Dolphins, hoping for a career resurrection. Instead, Johnson was released during the preseason after he was arrested for a domestic battery charge against his wife of a single month; the meeting where head coach Joe Philbin informed Johnson of this release was infamously recorded for the HBO documentary series Hard Knocks. Johnson played another two years in the CFL and even played one game in a Mexican pro league in 2017 before hanging up his helmet. He is enshrined in the Bengals Ring of Honor and was the cover player for NFL Street 3.
• Keyshawn Johnson was the last wide receiver to be drafted as the #1 overall pick, going to the New York Jets in 1996 out of USC. While he had a solid 11-year career, being selected to three Pro Bowls and winning a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers, Johnson's high draft selection is now looked back on as a pretty poor decision, as he was picked ahead of numerous Hall of Famers in one of the strongest receiver drafts ever, including Marvin Harrison and Terrell Owens. After retirement, Johnson moved into a career as an analyst and radio host, currently serving as a co-host on Skip Bayless's Undisputed.
• Charlie Joiner is a Hall of Famer who played 18 seasons in the NFL, putting up a then-record for longevity at the receiver position, and was the last AFL player to retire. A fourth round pick out of HBCU Grambling State in 1969 by the Houston Oilers, his career had a slow start, going through Houston and Cincinnati without particularly standing out. The third team was the charm for Joiner, as he made his first Pro Bowl after joining the San Diego Chargers in 1976. The later hiring of Don Coryell fully unlocked Joiner's potential, as he became one of Dan Fouts' primary targets. Joiner retired after 1986, briefly holding the career record for receiving yards before being passed by Steve Largent. He spent the next several decades as an assistant coach before fully retiring in 2012. The Chargers retired his #18.
• Homer Jones was a 20th round pick by the New York Giants out of the HBCU Texas Southern in 1963. Jones soon broke out as one of the league's speediest players, led the NFL in TDs in 1967, and put up two Pro Bowl seasons prior to being traded to the Browns shortly before knee injuries ended his career in 1971. To this day, his 22.3 yards per catch remains the career record among eligible receivers. However, Jones' biggest impact on American football was his invention (or, at the very least, popularizing) of spiking the football into the ground as a touchdown celebration, a tradition that very much endures to this day. Jones passed away in 2023.
• Quintorris Lopez "Julio" Jones began his career with the Atlanta Falcons, who traded a massive haul of draft picks (including two 1st rounders) to the Browns in order to take him #6 overall out of Alabama in 2011, one of the largest trades for a non-QB prospect ever. The investment proved well worth it, as he broke out as one of the most productive receivers in NFL history. In 2015, Jones amassed 1,871 yards, then the second highest single-season total in NFL history (behind only the aforementioned Calvin Johnson, now third behind Cooper Kupp). He again led the league in 2018, currently leads active players in career receiving yards, set a plethora of "fastest to..." career milestone receiving statistics (mostly since surpassed by Justin Jefferson), and holds the Falcons franchise records for receiving yards and receptions. Following changes in the Falcons front office and coaching staff, and a down year due to injuries in 2020, Jones moved on to play with the Titans, Buccaneers, and Eagles.
• Cooper Kupp posted one of the greatest single-season performances in NFL history in 2021, particularly when his playoff output is factored in. Drafted in the third round in 2017 by the Los Angeles Rams out of Eastern Washington, where he had been a four-time FCS All-American and set most FCS receiving records, Kupp posted several solid showings in his first few years despite his seasons often being cut short by injury. In 2021, with the arrival of Matthew Stafford at QB, Kupp suddenly transformed into the Offensive Player of the Year. While he was unable to surpass fellow Stafford WR Calvin Johnson's regular season receiving yards record (see above) even with one extra game, he came very close^note 1,947, 17 yards short of Johnson's 1,964, led the league in every major receiving category, and did surpass the NFL WR record for single-season yards from scrimmage (1,965). Additionally, while Johnson's record was somewhat a testament to the lack of other receiving talent on his team (which went just 4-12 that year), Kupp was part of a much better Rams squad. He truly exploded in the playoffs, coming behind only Larry Fitzgerald in single-postseason receiving yards, becoming the first receiver ever to amass more than 2,000 yards in a combined regular and postseason^note 2,425, beating runner-up Fitz by nearly 500 yards, and winning Super Bowl MVP after securing the Rams' first Lombardi in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, this incredible season remains the only one of his career that Kupp managed to stay healthy through the whole year.
• CeeDee Lamb is the current star receiver for the Dallas Cowboys. Drafted #17 overall in 2020 out of Oklahoma, he inherited the famed #88 jersey traditionally worn by the team's greatest wide-outs and has so far lived up to the expectations placed on that number, becoming a regular Pro Bowler, breaking Michael Irvin's franchise record for single-season receiving yards and leading the NFL in catches in 2023, and even setting a few league-wide records.
• Steve Largent was the Seattle Seahawks' first true superstar and the dominant receiver of his era. A fourth-round pick out of Tulsa in 1976 by the Oilers, Largent was quickly traded to the new Seahawks expansion team; he would play there for 13 years, during which he was selected to seven Pro Bowls and led the league in receiving yards twice. Largent was fairly small and not particularly fast, but he had incredibly sure hands and could read pass defenses with such supernatural accuracy that he gained the nickname "Yoda". He retired in 1989 with almost every NFL career receiving record on the books, though other players came along only a few years later to break all of them (he still remains the Seahawks' best receiver by a considerable margin). The Seahawks retired his #80, though Largent let Jerry Rice (the current holder of his former records) wear it when he played for the Seahawks in his final active year. After football, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, right in the middle of his first of four terms as a US Representative from Oklahoma. He retired from politics after narrowly losing the election for state governor in 2002.
• Dante Lavelli, better known by his nickname "Gluefingers", was a Hall of Fame end for the Cleveland Browns. He only briefly saw playing time in college at Ohio State before a broken leg ended his season; the following year, he was drafted into the army to serve in WWII, where his division was involved in the D-Day invasions and the Battle of the Bulge. Upon returning to the States, Lavelli got an opportunity to try out for the Browns in the new AAFC; he made the cut, and his catching prowess made him a key part of the Browns' dominance of the AAFC and later the NFL. Late in his career, Lavelli became one of the founders of the NFLPA, with the union having its first meetings in his basement. He retired after 1956, remained active as a coach and scout for several more years, and died in 2009.
• James Lofton was a Hall of Famer drafted #6 overall out of Stanford in 1978 by the Green Bay Packers. A track and field star in college, Lofton immediately broke out as one of the league's leading receivers. After the Packers traded him away in 1987, he continued to put up great numbers as a journeyman, playing with the Raiders, Bills (where he appeared in three Super Bowls and earned his eighth and final Pro Bowl selection), Rams, and Eagles before finally retiring after 1993 and entering into coaching. Lofton played 16 seasons and briefly held the career receiving yards record before being passed by Jerry Rice.

M-Z

• Bob Mann was a trailblazing figure in the racial integration of the NFL, breaking the color barrier for both the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers. Undrafted out of Michigan in 1948 despite an excellent collegiate career, Mann signed with the local Lions and performed well right out the gate, leading the NFL in receiving yards in his second season. The Lions responded... by asking him to take a pay cut and blackballing him out of the league when he held out in training camp. Mann sued the NFL in response and was signed by the Packers a few months later; he performed well for a few more seasons before retiring in 1954. Mann worked in real estate while going to law school, then worked as a defense attorney for several decades before his death in 2006.
• Brandon Marshall was a well-travelled six-time Pro Bowler who began his career with the Denver Broncos, who drafted him in the 4th round in 2006 out of UCF. After becoming a starter in his second year, he put up 1,000+ receiving in 8 of 9 seasons while playing for the Broncos, Dolphins, Bears, and Jets, making him the first NFL player to have a 1,000+ yard season with four different teams. In a 2009 loss in Denver, he set the current record for most receptions in a game with 21. In 2011, he announced that he was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (which could explain some of the legal troubles that plagued his early career) and often wore green cleats to promote mental health awareness. He finished out his career with two unimpressive years with the Giants and Seahawks, retiring after 2018 as likely the most productive receiver to never reach the playoffs, and entered a career as an analyst. Not to be confused with a similarly-named linebacker who also played much of his career with the Broncos.
• Derrick Mason had a Long Runner 15-year NFL career. The fourth round pick out of Michigan State started out with the Tennessee Oilers/Titans in 1997 primarily as a return specialist. He earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2000 when he led the league in most return stats while also getting incorporated into the offense; he broke the then-record for all-purpose yards in a season and remains #2 all-time behind only Darren Sproles. He became a regular 1,000-yard receiver when the Titans shifted him to full-time starter, earning another Pro Bowl in '03. Mason signed with the Baltimore Ravens in 2005 and became the franchise leader in receiving yards (more a testament to their usual focus on the run game than a real accolade for Mason) before retiring after splitting 2011 with the Jets and Texans.
• Don Maynard was the first player signed by the New York Titans/Jets and was the most prolific receiver of his era. A ninth round pick in 1957 out of Texas Western^note now UTEP by the New York Giants, Maynard stayed in school for a year before joining the Giants in 1958. He washed out of the NFL after that season, though he did see action in the Giants' overtime loss to the Colts in the NFL championship game—the first of two pivotal games in NFL history in which he saw action. After playing in the CFL for a year, he was brought back to New York in 1960 by Sammy Baugh, who was serving as the first head coach of the AFL's New York Titans and had coached against Maynard in college. Maynard excelled in the more pass-friendly AFL, and his production reached new peaks when he became Joe Namath's favorite target, helping him to set numerous passing records and leading the AFL in receiving TDs in '65. Maynard was injured and served as a decoy in the second pivotal game in league history in which he played, the Jets' famous Super Bowl III upset of the Colts. Even still, he became the first receiver to pass 10,000 career receiving yards and held the record in yards and receptions for nearly two decades after his retirement in 1974 following short and forgettable stints with the Cardinals and the WFL. He was also known for disdaining chin straps, instead wearing a unique helmet that rested on his prominent cheekbones. Maynard still holds all of the Jets' major receiving records. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1987, his #13 was retired by the Jets, and he died in 2022.
• Tommy McDonald was a Hall of Fame wideout during the '60s, drafted in the the third round in 1957 out of Oklahoma by the Philadelphia Eagles. Despite his miniscule frame at 5'9" and 176 lbs., he earned five straight Pro Bowls with the Eagles, leading the NFL in receiving yards once and receiving TDs twice, and won a championship in 1960. He was traded to the Cowboys in '64 and spent the rest of his career as a journeyman, earning his last Pro Bowl with the Rams in '65 before retiring in '68 after stints with the Falcons and Browns. Off the field, he was known to be an exceptionally fun and charismatic person, putting together one of the funniest Hall of Fame speeches in history, dancing to songs he played off a radio, tossing around his bust, and joking around with the audience. He died in 2018.
• DeKaylin Zecharius "DK" Metcalf is a wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks and one of the biggest freak athletes in the game today. Measuring at 6'4", 228 lbs, Metcalf ran a blazing 4.33 40-yard dash at the 2019 Combine coming out of Ole Miss (he would later be tracked running 22.23 mph in actual game) and was taken with the final pick of the second round. Selecting him paid immediate dividends for the Seahawks as he set multiple franchise rookie receiving records as well as the NFL playoff game record for receiving yards by a rookie (160). During his second season, he set the franchise single-season record for receiving yards (1,303) on the way to his first Pro Bowl selection. That season, he made an all-time highlight against the Cardinals as he chased down the much smaller Budda Baker over 90 yards to prevent a pick six. He attributes his athleticism and physique to both his extreme workouts and, in part, to his unusual diet, eating one very large meal per day along with "three to four" bags of gummy candies. He also won MVP in the NBA All-Star Weekend Celebrity Game in 2023.
• Wayne Millner was a two-way end drafted by Boston during the 8th round in 1936 out of Notre Dame. He was a key component in the team’s championship years when they moved to Washington, playing well as a receiver in addition to excelling as a blocker and tackler on both sides of the ball. His career statistics are unimpressive by modern standards, but he came up with big plays in crucial moments, most notably hauling in a then-postseason record 187 yards and 2 touchdowns during Washington's first championship win in 1937. After 1941, he was shipped off to the Navy during World War II, missing the next several seasons before returning for one last year in 1945. After his playing career, he spent the next decade as an assistant for several pro and college teams, even taking over as interim coach of the Eagles in 1951. He was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1968 and died from a heart attack in 1976.
• Bobby Mitchell started his career as a HB and return specialist with the Cleveland Browns, who drafted him in the seventh round in 1958 out of Illinois. Paired with Jim Brown, Cleveland had dominant ground game with Mitchell as a runner. However, the team had a chance to potentially upgrade their offense when Washington drafted Ernie Davis (see above under "Running Backs") as the #1 pick in 1962. When Davis refused to become the first African-American player for the last NFL team to racially integrate, Washington traded him to Cleveland in exchange for Mitchell and another player, making Mitchell their first black player. Mitchell broke out as a major star as a flanker, leading the league in catches and receiving yards in his first year playing for the team that had traditionally represented the Jim Crow South, a symbolic victory for the Civil Rights Movement. Mitchell retired from playing after 1968 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame, but he stayed employed by Washington in their front office for decades. When he retired in 2003, he expressed frustration for how many times he had been passed over for promotion, missing the chance to become the league's first black GM. After his death in 2020, which coincided with both the growth of the Black Lives Matter movement and the organization's efforts to reform by changing its name and disowning its racist legacy, Washington finally retired his #49 (for decades an honor only held by Sammy Baugh).
• Art Monk was a critical component of coach Joe Gibbs' three-time Super Bowl run with Washington. Drafted #18 overall out of Syracuse in 1980, Monk was the greatest receiver in franchise history, regularly ranked as one of the top receivers in the league - recording five 1,000-yard seasons and a then-record 106 catches in 1984 - and briefly held the record for most career receptions before being passed by Jerry Rice. He retired after 1995 following brief stints with the Jets and Eagles and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2008.
• Herman Moore was the star receiver of the Detroit Lions during their run of success in the 1990s, holding almost every franchise receiving record prior to the arrival of Calvin Johnson. Drafted #10 overall in 1991 out of Virginia, Moore led the NFL in receptions twice during his 11 seasons with the team (an even more impressive feat considering the quality of the Lions' QBs) and is enshrined in the Pride of the Lions.
• Stanley Morgan was one of the NFL's most renowned "deep threats", holding the career record for yards per catch (19.2) among receivers with over 500 catches. Drafted #25 overall in 1977 out of Tennessee by the New England Patriots, Morgan led the league in receiving TDs in '79, earned four Pro Bowl selections, played in Super Bowl XX, and became the Pats' franchise leader in receiving yards. He retired after spending 1990 with the Colts. Despite this individual success, Morgan has never garnered serious Hall of Fame consideration due to playing on mostly mediocre teams during his tenure.
• Johnny Morris is the Bears’ all-time leader in receiving yards, despite last taking a snap in 1967. They drafted him in the 12th round in 1958 out of UC Santa Barbara,^note UCSB shut down its football program in 1971, briefly revived it in 1987 as a D-III team, and dropped it again in 1992. originally playing as a running back and earning a Pro Bowl in 1960 before switching to wide receiver. He put up solid, if unspectacular numbers for a few years before having a massive ‘64 season when he led the NFL in all major receiving categories and earned the lone All-Pro of his career. That same year, while still playing, he became a sportscaster for CBS, starting a near-three decade career in broadcasting for the Bears, during which time he popularized the use of the telestrator during broadcasts. He retired from broadcasting in 1991.
• Randy Moss was a well-traveled wide receiver considered one of the greatest to play the position, having held the distinction of being the top target for the two then-highest scoring teams of all time (the 1998 Vikings and the 2007 Patriots). He is second only to Jerry Rice in receiving touchdowns, making him perhaps the most successful receiver to never win a Super Bowl. A first round pick by the Minnesota Vikings out of Marshall in 1998, Moss immediately broke out, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year after not only shattering the 46-year-old rookie receiving TD record with 17 scores (no other rookie has notched more than 13) but leading the entire league in that category (he would do so four more times). His incredible athleticism earned widespread acclaim; even years after his retirement, a DB who surrenders a catch despite fully covering their opponent is still referred to as being "Mossed". He likewise became a tremendous star off the field and was featured on the covers of the first three NFL 2K video games. However, Moss was also well known as a loose cannon; the Vikings were only able to draft him at all due to legal issues causing his draft stock to slide, and in Minnesota alone he openly admitted to coasting during games, tested positive for marijuana, hit a traffic cop with his car, and fake mooned the fans in Green Bay after scoring a touchdown^note The latter had some context, as the less polite fans of the Packers moon the buses of visiting teams as they depart., which contributed to him being traded away to Oakland in 2005. After a mostly disappointing stint in the Bay Area, Moss's personality mellowed somewhat when he joined the New England Patriots in 2007. His play did not—Moss became a crucial part of the Pats' 16-0 season and caught a NFL season record of 23 touchdowns. In 2010, he was part of a bizarre rollercoaster of trades/releases/signings that saw him traded back to Minnesota... for all of one month, after which he was waived and picked up by the Titans. He retired before the next season began, only to unretire just over a year later to play his final season for the 49ers in 2012, once again reaching the Super Bowl only to fall just short of grabbing a ring. He was voted into the Hall of Fame at his first chance in 2018, joining Largent and Rice as the only modern-era WRs to be inducted in their first year of eligibility, and has moved into a career as an analyst.
• Muhsin Muhammad II was one of the first stars of the Carolina Panthers, who took him in the second round in 1996 out of Michigan State (where he played under Nick Saban). He led the league in receptions in 2000, then led it in receiving yards and TDs in '04, making two Pro Bowls and being named an All-Pro. During that span, he paired with Steve Smith (see below) to give the Panthers one of the more dominant WR duos in the league. He was part of their Super Bowl XXXVIII team in a losing effort, but did set a Super Bowl record with an 85-yard reception. Despite a dominant '04 season, he was not retained by the Panthers and moved on to the Chicago Bears as a free agent. He was the leading receiver on their Super Bowl XLI team but again lost in the big game. After three years with the Bears, he returned to the Panthers, briefly becoming their all-time leading receiver (since surpassed by Smith) and surpassing 10,000 career receiving yards, before retiring after 2009 and entering the Panthers Hall of Honor. His son, Muhsin III, is currently a WR at Texas A&M.
• Makea "Puka" Nacua was a fifth round draft pick by the Los Angeles Rams out of BYU in 2023^note He started his college career at Washington, but saw little play in two seasons before transferring out. but greatly exceeded the expectations of his draft stock, breaking the rookie records for receptions and receiving yards; the latter record had stood for 63 years without being surpassed, even by far more hyped prospects. Besides his exceptional early performance, Nacua quickly became a fan favorite due to his upbeat personality and fun-to-say name ("Puka" is a Samoan word for "Chubby"); he is also one of the most prominent NFL players of Polynesian descent to play receiver.
• Jordy Nelson was drafted in the second round in 2008 by the Green Bay Packers. The Kansas State product was beloved by fans for his Farm Boy background and clutch playoff performances (being the top receiver in their Super Bowl XLV victory), and he claimed his first (and only) All-Pro and Pro Bowl nods in 2014. He missed all of the next year to an ACL tear but bounced right back in 2016, leading the league in receiving TDs and winning Comeback Player of the Year. His production greatly declined the next year, and he retired after spending the next year with the Raiders.
• Terrell Owens sits in the top five for most of the all-time receiving stats but is most known for defining the "diva" receiver archetype for the 21st century with his elaborate touchdown celebrations and often egotistical attitude. "T.O." was drafted in the third round in 1998 out of FCS Chattanooga by the San Francisco 49ers and played there for eight seasons before bouncing around to four other teams (the Philadelphia Eagles, the Dallas Cowboys, the Buffalo Bills, and the Cincinnati Bengals). With every team, his personal behavior often overshadowed his immense talent, as he alienated just about every quarterback that played with him by openly discussing interpersonal conflict or criticism with the press: In San Francisco, he questioned Jeff Garcia's sexuality; in Philly, he feuded with Donovan McNabb, blaming him for the team's loss in Super Bowl XXXIX (in which Owens put up a great performance on a still-broken leg);^note Notably, his performance with Philly in 2004 earned him a spot on the cover of NFL 2K5; not only did his off-field antics contribute to him being suspended and cut the following season, this turned out to be the final installment of the 2K series, an interesting variant on the infamous Madden Curse. in Dallas, he accused Tony Romo of conspiring to keep him out of the offense—and Romo was the first QB who actually tolerated his antics! He didn't do too much damage in Buffalo, but that's mostly because he was gone after one year, and had a solid final season in Cincy before he was cut due to injury at the end of 2010. He signed with Seattle in 2012 but was released during training camp. He was passed over for Canton in his first two years on the ballot, seemingly just for how many feathers he ruffled during his playing career, but got in alongside Moss in 2018 following significant fan and media outcry. In classic T.O. fashion, he refused to attend the induction ceremony and opted to host his own at his alma mater. He has remained in solid shape in retirement; as of 2023, at 49 years old, he's still catching footballs in the Fan Controlled Football indoor league, making him likely the oldest man to ever play pro football.
• Drew Pearson played for the Dallas Cowboys his entire career. Going undrafted out of Tulsa in 1973, he was originally a special teams player until injuries promoted him to the number one option. He was named to three Pro Bowls in his career and had two 1,000+ yard seasons but was most known for his clutch gene and postseason heroics; he helped the Cowboys reach three Super Bowls (winning Super Bowl XII) with multiple touchdowns in the final minutes of playoff games, including being the recipient of the first Hail Mary pass. He was forced to retire before the 1984 season due to a liver injury sustained in a car crash that also killed his brother. Although he was a member of the 1970s All-Decade Team, his abbreviated career kept him from Hall of Fame consideration until he was finally inducted in 2021. While his #88 was not retired by the Cowboys, it is typically reserved for the team's top receiver, being won by names like Michael Irvin, Dez Bryant, and CeeDee Lamb.
• Pete Pihos was a Hall of Fame two-way end for the Philadelphia Eagles during their dominant run in the late '40s. A star out of Indiana, Pihos was picked in the fifth round in 1945—he would have gone much higher had he not been serving in World War II for the past year, where he earned multiple medals for battlefield bravery and a Field Promotion to second lieutenant. When Pihos did start playing for the Eagles in 1947, he immediately elevated their offense and helped bring them to Championship appearances in his first three seasons, winning the latter two. He regularly led the league in receiving stats and made the Pro Bowl every year after it started in 1950. Pihos retired in 1955 and died in 2011 after a long battle with Alzheimer's.
• Art Powell started his career as a DB at San Jose State, drafted in the 11th round in 1959 by the Eagles. He played effectively as a return specialist but was released the following preseason, after which he joined the upstart AFL's New York Titans. Now playing WR, he took advantage of the AFL's more open passing rules to lead the league in receiving yards and TDs once each. The Titans' financial woes led him to leave for the Oakland Raiders in '63, where he led the AFL in receiving yards and TDs again while earning the first of four straight Pro Bowls. Following brief stints with the Bills and Vikings, Powell retired in '68 as the AFL's third all-time leading receiver but has received little attention for HOF induction. He died in 2015.
• Ahmad Rashād was drafted #4 overall in 1972^*under his original name of Bobby Moore; he converted to Islam in 1972 and changed his name the next year by the St. Louis Cardinals out of Oregon, where he turned out to be a bit of a bust for the organization; he was traded to Buffalo after two seasons, where injuries led him to bounce around several teams before landing with the Minnesota Vikings in 1976. He finally lived up to his draft potential in Minnesota, earning four Pro Bowl selections and being the recipient of the memorable "Miracle at the Met" game-winning catch. Rashād retired after 1982 and entered the Vikings Ring of Honor. He then entered into a prolific career as a TV host and broadcaster (mainly for the NBA rather than his own pro sport). Outside of the sports and broadcasting world, he was married from 1985 to 2001 to Phylicia Ayers-Allen (best known as Clair Huxtable on The Cosby Show^note the third marriage for both; upon which Phylicia - unlike most actresses - began using her married name professionally, remaining credited as Phylicia Rashad even after their 2001 divorce) and from 2007-13 was married to Sale Johnson, ex-wife of Johnson & Johnson heir and New York Jets owner Woody Johnson.
• Andre Reed was a star receiver of the Buffalo Bills in the franchise's peak in the late '80s and '90s and still holds most of the team's receiving records. Drafted in the fourth round in 1985 out of D-II Kutztown, Reed played for the Bills for 15 seasons and earned seven Pro Bowl nods while contributing to their dominant offense that brought the team to four straight Super Bowl appearances (including catching three TDs in their 35-point comeback against the Oilers in the 1992 Wild Card round). He retired after a single forgettable season in Washington in 2000 and still holds the Bills franchise record for games played. Reed wasn't inducted into Canton until 2014.
• Pete Retzlaff started his career as a 22nd round pick out of South Dakota State. He was cut by his original team, served two years in the Army, landed with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1956, and set almost every team receiving record over the following decade (only a few of which have since been passed). The five-time Pro Bowler also served a stint as NFLPA president, later served as the Eagles GM, and had his #44 retired by the franchise.
• Jerry Rice is the current all-time leader in receiving yards, all-purpose yards^note His receiving yards alone would be enough to put him at #2, catches, and touchdowns, and the only wide receiver to score over 1,000 points in his career—basically, if there's a record held by a receiver, chances are he holds it. He most famously played for the San Francisco 49ers during their dominant years, serving as the main target for Joe Montana and Steve Young. After the Niners drafted him #16 overall out of HBCU Mississippi Valley State in 1985,^note He may have "fallen" to that position only because the USFL took him #1 overall in the same year. he became the franchise's all-time leading scorer (again, the only receiver with such a distinction), won three Super Bowl rings (including one Super Bowl MVP), led the league in receiving yards and touchdowns in six seasons (notably setting multiple single-season receiving records in 1995 that lasted for well over a decade), won Offensive Player of the Year twice ('87, '93), and received more MVP votes than any player to never win the award. After setting the 49ers record for games played, Rice left for Oakland in 2001, where he put up one more Pro Bowl-worthy season, and spent a final year in Seattle. He was going to try to play for Denver in 2005 but was not guaranteed a spot among the top three receivers, so he retired instead at the age of 42. Rice ultimately played for 20 years, making him the only NFL receiver to play over the age of 40, let alone have a 1,000+ yard season and play in a Super Bowl at that age; because he was rarely injured, he held the record for most games played by a position player for more than a decade after his retirement^note 303 total regular season games, good for #9 overall behind only Tom Brady and a few kickers and punters. He was selected to 13 Pro Bowls (the most ever for a wide receiver), had his #80 retired by the Niners, and, unsurprisingly, was a first-ballot Hall of Famer.^note During the Hall of Fame selection meeting in 2010, the discussion of Rice's candidacy was exactly four words long: "Jerry Rice. Any questions?" Rice is among the most common non-quarterback candidates for the "Greatest of All Time" title, with many arguing he deserves it full-stop due to the dominance of his records and the sheer athleticism required to play the position so well for so long. NFL.com placed him at #1 on its list of 100 greatest NFL players.
• Andre Rison was a long-tenured journeyman whose on-field success through the '90s and various tabloid-friendly issues made him one of the archetypes of the "diva" receiver. Drafted #22 overall by the Colts in 1989 out of Michigan State, he was traded to the Atlanta Falcons after his rookie season. "Bad Moon" Rison's production exploded in Atlanta, where he earned four Pro Bowl nods and led the league in receiving touchdowns in '93. His residence in Atlanta also brought him into a long-term relationship with Lisa Left Eye Lopes of TLC; their relationship was highly volatile, and Rison's name made national headlines when Lopes was charged with first-degree arson in 1994 after she burned down their house while attempting to set fire to his shoes. This may have contributed to Rison leaving town the next year, though drama continued to follow him to Cleveland (feuded with fans upset about the team's impending move to Baltimore), Jacksonville (was cut mid-season after feuding with the QB), Green Bay (bounced back and contributed to their Super Bowl XXXI victory), Kansas City (actually stuck around for a few years, earned a final Pro Bowl nod, and attempted to rehab his image by leaning into a "Spider-Man" nickname), and Oakland. As a result of this constant movement, Rison remains the only player to catch a touchdown with seven different teams. He retired after 2000, only to return to play in the CFL in 2004-05, earning a Grey Cup win before hanging up the cleats.
• Kyle Rote was the #1 overall pick of the 1951 Draft out of SMU, where he was a Heisman runner-up as a halfback. Rote went to the New York Giants, where he played for eleven seasons mainly as a receiver. He was selected to four Pro Bowls, was a key part of their 1956 Championship win and three subsequent appearances, and retired in 1961 with most of the franchise's receiving records (all since broken). Rote was arguably more famous for his work off the field. He spearheaded the players' labor movement, becoming the first president of the NFLPA. After his retirement, like teammate Frank Gifford, he became a successful broadcaster and was paired with Curt Gowdy as commentator for three early Super Bowls on NBC. Rote passed away in 2002.
• Tyshun Raequan "Deebo" Samuel was selected in the second round in 2019 out of South Carolina by the San Francisco 49ers, where he has blossomed into the one of the most physical and well-rounded players in football. He helped the 49ers to make the Super Bowl as a rookie, setting the record for rushing yards by a WR in the Big Game with 53, but the team failed to win. After battling injuries, he broke out in 2021 where he led the league in yards per catch while also frequently carrying the ball, scoring eight rushing TDs on the season and making his first Pro Bowl. He has since continued to cement his Swiss Army Knife reputation on the Niners' formidable offense. His nickname was given by his father, based one Tiny Lister's character in Friday.
• Sterling Sharpe was drafted #7 overall out of South Carolina in 1988 by the Green Bay Packers. He became a favorite receiving target for QB Don Majkowski and later Brett Favre, quickly proving to be one of the best in the league. In seven years, he made five Pro Bowls, led the league in receiving TDs twice and receptions thrice (breaking several then-records in the latter category), and broke the Packers' franchise records for career receptions and receiving yards (most of these were later passed by Donald Driver). Unfortunately, seven years was all he got; his career was cut short by a severe neck injury in 1994 that revealed an underlying condition which made returning to play impossible. Sharpe's brother, tight end Shannon Sharpe (see below), has credited Sterling with helping him become the player he was, called him the best player in his family, and even gave Sterling his first Super Bowl ring (ironically won by defeating the Packers) since he never won one himself.
• Del Shofner played DB at Baylor when he was drafted #11 overall by the Los Angeles Rams in 1957. After one season on defense, the Rams moved him to split end on offense to replace Elroy Hirsch, a decision that made an immediate impact when he immediately led the NFL in receiving yards and was a Pro Bowler in consecutive seasons before a leg injury caused his production to drop significantly in 1960. Believing that he had lost a step, the Rams traded him to the New York Giants, where he paired up with QB Y.A. Tittle and returned to his All-Pro form, posting three straight 1,000-yard seasons (the first Giant to even post one) and helping the Giants appear in the NFL Championship game each year. His play declined again afterwards, and he retired in 1967. Despite all of his success, earning five All-Pros and a spot on the '60s All-Decade team, he remains one of the more puzzling exclusions from the Hall of Fame, having never even been a finalist for induction. He died in 2020.
• Jimmy Smith was drafted in the 2nd round in 1992 out of the HBCU Jackson State by the Dallas Cowboys. He won two Super Bowls with the team, initially playing mainly in special teams and buried deep in the depth chart. However, he missed all of the 1993 season after the Cowboys' coaches and doctors failed to properly diagnose and treat his appendicitis, resulting in multiple surgeries, a near-fatal infection, an ileostomy, and the Cowboys trying to cut his pay and insurance. He was let go after refusing to take a pay cut and sat out the 1994 season before getting a tryout with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1995. With the Jaguars, he became their #1 receiver over the next decade and helped make them a perennial playoff contender in the late '90s and early 2000s. Eventually, lingering medical issues and legal troubles started to creep up, including a four game substance abuse suspension in 2003. He retired in 2006 as the Jaguars all-time leader in receptions, receiving touchdowns, and yards. Unfortunately, his legal troubles continued to follow him long after his career was over, including a stint in prison in 2013, though he was still inevitably inducted into the Pride of the Jaguars
• Rod Smith was, by many statistical metrics, the most successful undrafted wide receiver in NFL history. The Missouri Southern product set multiple records in his D-II conference, which was enough to get him a spot on the Denver Broncos roster in 1994. Smith's very first catch in the NFL was a walk-off game-winning touchdown, and by year three he had become a central part of the offense that brought Denver back-to-back Super Bowl victories. By the time of his retirement after 2007, the three-time Pro Bowler had become the Broncos' franchise leader in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving/total touchdowns, and likewise led all undrafted players in league history in those categories (only since passed in receptions by Wes Welker). He is enshrined in the Broncos Ring of Honor.
• Steve Smith Sr. played from 2001-16, most notably for the Carolina Panthers, who drafted him in the third round out of Utah. While his numbers themselves were impressive (he currently ranks 8th all-time in receiving yards and 9th in all-purpose yardage and holds most Panthers franchise records for receiving, punt returns, and overall TDs), Smith is perhaps best known for putting them up despite standing only 5'9" in an era where many top receivers are 6' to 6'4". He was nonetheless extremely strong and physical for his size, often taking on larger defenders in collisions and winning, not to mention very fast. A well-known trash talker, he was infamous in his younger days for having a Hair-Trigger Temper and often got into trouble for fighting with his own teammates in practices. After he lost almost all of the 2004 season to a broken leg, Smith won Comeback Player of the Year in 2005 after earning the receiving "triple crown" of leading the NFL in receptions, yards, and TDs. He mellowed out in his 30s... a bit. After his release in 2014 by the Panthers, who were undergoing a youth movement, Smith played three more years for the Baltimore Ravens.^note Well, two and a half—an Achilles injury cut his 2015 season (which he had implied would be his last) short. Not wanting to end his career on such a sour note, he decided to rehab the injury—notoriously difficult for an older player—and come back for one more season. His numbers were very solid, leading many to postulate that he had at least another year left in him. However, by the end of the season, he made his decision to walk away. His retirement letter sent to the commissioner read thus: "Dear Commissioner Goodell: This is to notify you that as of today, I, Steve Smith Sr., will no longer be antagonizing defensive backs." He currently serves as an analyst on the NFL Network.
• Mac Speedie was an end for the early Cleveland Browns and a key part of their dominance of the AAFC and NFL. A struggle with Perthes disease (a disorder where the head of the femur dies, causing hip deformity) in his youth left Speedie with a unique shambling gait that made him particularly difficult for defenders to read, helping him to excel at route running. After a college career at Utah, Speedie was drafted in the fifteenth round by the Lions in 1942 but played for an Army team through WWII. After the end of his service, he signed with the new Browns of the AAFC, leading the league in receptions in all four of its seasons and in receiving yards in two of them and playing a critical role in their string of championships; his career average of over 800 receiving yards a season was not matched for decades. However, he also had an acrimonious relationship with coach Paul Brown due in part to his sense of humor.^note He once brought a skunk named Paul to practice; when confronted about it, he insisted that it was named after Paul Revere due to being a nocturnal animal. Their relationship soured even more after Speedie jumped his contract with the Browns to play for more money in Canada in 1953, where he continued to play well in the twilight of his career before suffering a Career-Ending Injury in 1955. He then entered into coaching, putting up a less-than-stellar record as head coach of the Denver Broncos in the early '60s. Despite his numbers matching or exceeding most of his peers (including fellow Browns end Dante Lavelli, see above) who made it into the Hall of Fame, Speedie was not inducted into Canton until 2020 with the Hall's Centennial Class, well after his death in 1993; many, including Browns QB Otto Graham, posited that this was because Paul Brown, known for holding a grudge, saw to it personally that he wasn't honored during either of their lifetimes.
• Amon-Ra St. Brown^note And yes, that is his actual name - his father, bodybuilder John Brown, named Amon-Ra and his brothers (including Equanimeous St. Brown, a journeyman WR) due to an interest in black consciousness and Egyptian names. The “St.” was added to their last names because John felt it looked better on a jersey. is a current WR with the Detroit Lions. Part of the first draft class of GM Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell, St. Brown was taken in the fourth round out of USC in 2021, the 18th WR off the board (he famously memorized the list of 17 receivers taken before him). After breaking several rookie franchise receiving records, he fully broke out as a top receiver in 2022. Not known for being the flashiest receiver, St. Brown excels in picking up short yards while still being capable of making big plays, and he was a massive part of the Lions’ 2023 campaign that saw their first playoff win in more than 30 years.
• Pat Studstill went undrafted out of Houston in 1961 but landed with the Detroit Lions, where he had a unique career as a receiver, punter, and returner. Studstill was something of a One-Hit Wonder, leading the NFL in receiving yards in 1966—that was the only year he exceeded 500 yards, let alone 1,000. Still, upon retiring in 1972 following stints with the Rams and Patriots, Studstill remained in the public eye for several years as an actor, most notably landing a recurring role on The Dukes of Hazzard. He passed away in 2021.
• Lynn Swann and John Stallworth were both Hall of Famers drafted in 1974 by the Pittsburgh Steelers. They never put up the same kind of numbers that some other dominant receivers of the era did (as being on the same team interfered with their individual stats to an extent), but they were integral parts of the '70s Steelers' Super Bowl dynasty. Swann, the #21 overall pick out of USC, played one of the best games of his career during Super Bowl X, becoming the first wide receiver to be named the Big Game's MVP. Stallworth, a fourth-round pick out of the much smaller HBCU Alabama A&M, may be best known for his even more dominant performance in Super Bowl XIV. Despite his smaller draft stock, his career lasted five years longer than Swann's, and he won Comeback Player of the Year in 1984 after putting up his best career numbers without Swann's competition for targets. After football, Swann entered politics and unsuccessfully ran for Pennsylvania governor in 2006, and Stallworth became a minority owner of his former team.
• Charley Taylor was picked #3 overall out of Arizona State in 1964 by Washington. Originally a dependable RB, he was switched to WR in 1966 and led the league in receptions in 1966-67. During his career, he made eight Pro Bowls and briefly became the record holder for career receptions in 1975 before retiring two years later. After his retirement, he was named a scout for the team and became its WR coach in 1981, helping Washington win three Super Bowls. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1984 and retired from coaching in 1993, ending a 30-year tenure with Washington. He passed away in 2022.
• Hugh "Bones" Taylor was originally an All-American basketball player at Tulane before serving in the Navy during World War II. He was discharged in 1946, played a year of college football at Oklahoma City, and went undrafted in 1947. The lanky 6'4" end was then signed by Washington, where he put up 212 receiving yards and 4 TDs in his first pro game, setting records for most receiving yards in both a season opener^note broken by Frank Clarke in 1962 and a rookie debut^note broken by Anquan Boldin in 2003. He immediately became one of Sammy Baugh's favorite targets, appearing in two Pro Bowls and setting many of the team's receiving records before retiring in 1954. He spent a decade as an assistant coach, most notably serving as the Houston Oilers HC in 1965. He died in 1992.
• Lionel Taylor was a record-shattering receiver in the early AFL, leading the league in receptions for five of its first six seasons and becoming the first pro player to amass 100 catches in a single season. After going undrafted out of the tiny New Mexico Highlands in 1959, Taylor played a single year with the Bears as a linebacker before going to the new AFL's Denver Broncos and switching to his preferred role as a receiver. Unfortunately, for all his individual success, the Broncos were generally abysmal during Taylor's career, and after a decline in performance in 1966, he left for the Oilers for two more seasons before retiring and entering a lengthy assistant coaching career. He was an inaugural member of the Broncos Ring of Honor.
• Otis Taylor was originally a 15th round NFL Draft pick out of HBCU Prairie View A&M, but he instead signed with the AFL after the Kansas City Chiefs took him in the fourth round of the AFL Draft. Over the next decade, Taylor became the most statistically prolific wide receiver in Chiefs history, leading the AFL in receiving touchdowns in '67, leading the merged NFL in receiving yards in '71, winning a ring in Super Bowl IV, and setting every major franchise receiving record; only two Kansas City tight ends, Tony Gonzalez and Travis Kelce, have passed his benchmarks in the half century since. Taylor passed away in 2023.
• Adam Thielen is by no means the best receiver in the Minnesota Vikings' storied history at the position, but he remains a favorite for many of the team's local fans. The Minnesota native went undrafted in 2013 out of D-II Minnesota State in 2013 and slowly fought his way into the starting roster. When he did become a featured part of the team's offense, he briefly flashed as one of the very best WRs in the league; his streak of eight straight games with over 100 yards in 2018 tied a record set by the great Calvin Johnson. He was released after 2022 as a salary cap move and now plays for the Panthers.
• Michael Thomas was picked in the second round out of Ohio State in 2016 by the New Orleans Saints and got off to arguably the greatest career start of anyone at his position. While he had a solid rookie season, he truly emerged in his second, becoming a regular Pro Bowl selection and receptions leader. In 2019, Thomas led the league in receiving yards, set a new league record for receptions in a season (149), and was named Offensive Player of the Year. While he took a major step back after an ankle injury and some locker room drama knocked him out of half of 2020 and all of 2021, Thomas has the all-time record for receptions through his first four seasons and earned the nickname "Can't Guard Mike" for his skill at contested catches.
• Gaynell Tinsley was an end drafted by the Chicago Cardinals in the second-round out of LSU in 1937 and serves as a case of What Could Have Been had he remained healthy. He made an immediate impact, leading the league in receiving yards in his rookie year (aided largely by a then-record 97-yard catch) and then in receptions the following year, tying Don Hutson's record from two seasons prior and breaking his record for longest reception with then-record 98-yard TD catch (still the longest in Cardinals history), achieving all this while also coaching at Louisiana College. After taking 1939 off to coach high school football and play minor league baseball, he returned to the Cards in 1940, but his career was cut short by a torn ligament. At the time of his retirement, he ranked fourth in career receptions and was named a member of the 1930s All-Decade team despite only playing three seasons. He returned to the collegiate ranks, serving as HC of his alma mater from 1948-54 and was inducted into the College Hall of Fame in 1956 before passing away in 2002.
• Amani Toomer holds most of the New York Giants franchise receiving records from his 13-year career with the team, through which he was never selected to a Pro Bowl. Drafted in the second round in 1996 out of Michigan, he was the team's primary target in the early 2000s and managed to collect a ring before his retirement. He is enshrined in the Giants Ring of Honor.
• Jaylen Waddle was drafted #6 overall in 2021 by the Miami Dolphins, reuniting him with college QB Tua Tagovailoa from Alabama. While his production in college had been somewhat limited by injuries, Waddle quickly broke out as a star in Miami, setting a rookie record for receptions (since surpassed by Puka Nacua). However, he is perhaps most notable for his TD celebration, a penguin waddle through the end zone that quickly became popular with Miami fans.
• Wesley Walker was drafted in the second round by the New York Jets in 1977 and quickly broke out for the team, leading the NFL in receiving yards in just his second season. While he never quite had as dominant a performance, he played well for the Jets for his entire 13-season career. He remains behind only Don Maynard for Jets franchise receiving yards and touchdowns and is enshrined in the team's Ring of Honor.
• Hines Ward played with the Pittsburgh Steelers for 14 seasons. A third-round pick out of Georgia in 1998, Ward was selected to four Pro Bowls, won Super Bowl MVP after their victory in XL, and set most of the standing all-time receiving records for the team. He did all this while missing an ACL in his left knee; he lost it in a childhood bicycle accident, and it wasn't discovered until he left college. He was also, somewhat unusually for the position, a widely feared blocker; his propensity for blind-side hits, including one infamous (but legal) block that broke rookie LB Keith Rivers' jaw and ended his season, led to the league passing a rule to make such blocks illegal. The son of a Korean mother and an African-American father, Ward is one of the most accomplished Asian-American players in the history of the sport and has been an advocate both for opening the sport up to players of Asian descent, who currently comprise fewer than 2% of active players, and for increased social acceptance of foreign and multiracial youth in Korea. Non-football fans may better recognize him for winning Season 12 of Dancing with the Stars and successfully outrunning the exploding football field in his cameo in The Dark Knight Rises. He entered coaching after retiring from play and served one season as head coach of the XFL's San Antonio Brahmas. Before Antonio Gates (see "Tight Ends") was snubbed by the Hall in 2024, Ward had the most receiving touchdowns of any eligible player not enshrined in Canton.
• Paul Warfield was a Hall of Famer and eight-time Pro Bowler. An Ohio native who attended Ohio State and was drafted #11 overall by the Cleveland Browns in 1964, Warfield helped the Browns win an NFL Championship and appear in two more during his first six seasons. Warfield then became part of one of the most lopsided trades in NFL history when the Browns, fresh off two consecutive Championship appearances and seeking a new quarterback that would get them back on top, traded their home-state hero star receiver to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a first round pick. The Browns picked QB Mike Phipps, who turned out to be a bust, and the team ultimately paid for this foolish decision by never appearing in a championship game again. Warfield, meanwhile, got to play for the Dolphins during their perfect season and win two Super Bowls. Warfield eventually left the NFL with a few other Dolphins players in pursuit of a promised higher salary with the World Football League, only for that organization to fold almost immediately, and spent the last few years of his pro career back with the Browns before retiring in 1977.
• Gene Washington was a star receiver of the early '70s in a number of respects. Drafted #16 overall in 1969 by the San Francisco 49ers out of nearby Stanford, Washington hit the ground running, earning Pro Bowl nods in his first four seasons, leading the league in receiving yards in his second year and in receiving TDs in his fourth. His performance played a major role in breaking the Niners' 12-year playoff drought and making them serious contenders. Taking advantage of his relative proximity to Hollywood, Washington built off of his on-field fame to launch a simultaneous acting career, starring in The Black Six and appearing in several other TV shows and Blaxploitation movies. His on-field production began to decline around the same time, but he remained a capable player until retiring after 1977; he returned for one more season with the Lions in 1979. Washington would later serve as the NFL's director of football operations from 1994 to 2009. Fun fact: Two years before Washington entered the league, the Vikings drafted a first-round receiver also named Gene Washington; the two both made the Pro Bowl in 1969-70.
• Reggie Wayne was drafted #30 overall in 2001 out of Miami by the Indianapolis Colts and would go on to set the franchise record for games played. A six-time Pro Bowler, he sits behind only teammate Marvin Harrison in most of the franchise's receiving stats and led the NFL in receiving yards in 2007. Wayne retired in 2016 after having quietly sat out the prior season and has since moved into coaching for his former team, who placed him in their Ring of Honor.
• Wes Welker was a five-time Pro Bowler who defined the modern "shifty, undersized slot receiver" role. Listed at 5'9" and 185 lbs and running a sub-par 4.65 40-yard dash at the Combine, Welker went undrafted out of Texas Tech in 2004 despite a highly productive college career where he set the standing FBS record for career punt return yards. He caught on with the Miami Dolphins, where he initially stood out as a return specialist before earning a role on offense. In 2007, entering the final year of his rookie contract, the New England Patriots traded a 2nd round pick to Miami for Welker.^note That same year, the Patriots traded a 4th round pick to the Raiders for future Hall of Famer Randy Moss (see above). Welker broke out with the Patriots, leading the league in receptions three times over the next five seasons, though the Pats fell short in each of their Super Bowl appearances with Welker on the roster. He moved on to the Denver Broncos in 2013, joining fellow free agent acquisition Peyton Manning as the team put up a record-setting offensive performance, though once again lost in the Super Bowl. In the years since Welker's rise to dominance, a number of "Welker Clone" style slot receivers started getting opportunities throughout the league, including his successor in that role with the Patriots in Julian Edelman (see above)^note The ~2005 rule changes reducing the contact defenders are allowed to have with receivers as well as the safety rules reducing the physicality they could use when hitting "defenseless receivers" made this role much more viable. He retired as a player in 2015 after a single weak year with the Rams and subsequently moved into coaching; he leads all undrafted players in career receptions and holds multiple franchise records in both Miami and New England.
• Roddy White is the Atlanta Falcons' all-time leader in total and receiving TDs. Drafted #27 overall in 2005 out of UAB, White played all 11 seasons of his pro career in Atlanta and played a major role in the team's first (and only) run of sustained success in franchise history. He notched four Pro Bowl nods, led the league in receptions in 2010, and is enshrined in the Falcons Ring of Honor.
• Billy Wilson was a dominant receiver of the 1950s, playing his whole career with the San Francisco 49ers after they drafted him in the second round out of San Jose State in 1950. Over his decade-long career, Wilson earned six Pro Bowl nods and led the league in receptions thrice, finishing his career second in all-time catches and at least in the top ten in most other receiving stats. He has yet to be inducted into the Hall of Fame and passed away in 2009.

Tight Ends

Tight Ends

• Mark Andrews was drafted in the third round in 2018 out of Oklahoma by the Baltimore Ravens. The massive TE has been one of the best pass catchers at his position; in 2021, he set single-season Ravens franchise receiving records for all positions and was the only player since 2013 not named Gronkowski, Kelce, or Kittle to lead all tight ends in receiving yards.
• James Victor "J.V." Cain was drafted #7 overall by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1974 out of Colorado (one of the highest picked TEs of all time) despite having future HoFer Jackie Smith at the position already. He played sparingly in his first two seasons behind Smith for several years, only to tear his Achilles and miss the entire season when Smith moved to Dallas. In training camp the next year, Cain collapsed on the field, was revived by CPR, and rushed to the hospital where he died a few hours later. An autopsy revealed that he had a rare heart condition exacerbated by strenuous exercise. Despite his short and somewhat disappointing career, the Cardinals retired his #88 (joining OT Stan Mauldin and later S Pat Tillman, who also passed away during their playing careers).
• Dave Casper (nicknamed "The Ghost" by his teammates) doesn't quite have the numbers you'd expect from a star tight end in today's passing league, but he permanently etched his name into NFL lore due to his involvement in a number of key plays with the '70s Oakland Raiders. An OT at Notre Dame before the Raiders drafted him in the second round in 1974, Casper was moved from special teams to the starting TE position in 1976 and had a breakout season as both a fearsome blocker and the team's leading receiver, helping take Oakland to their first Super Bowl victory. In subsequent years, Casper became known as the featured player in the famed "Ghost to the Post" pass from Ken Stabler in the 1977 Divisional Playoff game and also recovered the infamous "Holy Roller" fumble for a touchdown the following year. Casper retired with the (now Los Angeles) Raiders in 1984 after brief stints with the Oilers and Vikings. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002.
• Todd Christensen was drafted in 1978 in the 2nd round by the Cowboys out of BYU, where he was originally a fullback. He was injured in the preseason, missed all of his rookie year, and was cut after he didn't want to become a tight end. He was signed by the Giants in 1979, only played a single game before being waived, and then signed with the Oakland Raiders, at first playing mainly on special teams as a long snapper before he finally agreed to play TE. He put up unspectacular numbers in his first three seasons at the position before breaking out in 1982 and becoming one of the NFL's most dominant receiving TEs, leading the league in receptions twice. (His 95 catches in 1986 stood as the record for most catches by a tight end until 1994, when it was broken by Ben Coates.) He was named to 5 straight Pro Bowls from 1983-87 and won two Super Bowls with the Raiders. He retired after an injury-riddled 1988. Off the field, he was known as another Raider eccentric; the son of a college professor, he would often play up the expectations of him being a Dumb Jock by peppering his speech with Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness and allusions to poetry, only to joke that he didn't understand anything he just said. After his playing career, he became a broadcaster for various networks before passing away from complications during liver transplant surgery in 2013.
• Ben Coates was an out-of-nowhere prospect drafted by the New England Patriots in the 5th round in 1991 out of HBCU Livingstone. His first two years were largely unspectacular, but he broke out in his third year with the arrival of Drew Bledsoe and Bill Parcells. From 1993-98, he had over 50 catches a season, including a record-breaking 1994 campaign that saw him catch 96 passes (since broken by Tony Gonzalez) and helped New England make Super Bowl XXXI. After a disappointing 1999 campaign, the five-time Pro Bowler played one last year in Baltimore, picking up a ring from Super Bowl XXXV. He was inducted to the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2008.
• Vernon Davis was a greatly hyped workout prospect out of Maryland when he was drafted #6 overall by the San Francisco 49ers in 2006. While initially perceived as somewhat of a diva (being the target of Mike Singletary's infamous "cannot win with them" post-game tirade), Davis was a key part of the Niners' recovery from their 2000s struggles, co-leading the NFL in receiving TDs in 2009 and being the recipient of the game-winning "Catch III" in the 2011-12 playoffs. After over a decade in S.F., Davis was traded during the 2015 season to Denver (where he picked up a Super Bowl ring primarily as a blocker) and spent a few more seasons in Washington before retiring after 2019.
• Mike Ditka, while most famous for his run as head coach of the Chicago Bears (detailed here), had an all-time great career as a tight end in the '60s and early '70s. Drafted #5 overall in 1961 by the Bears out of Pittsburgh, he burst onto the scene by setting multiple NFL rookie TE records that still stand to this day, including receiving yards (1,076), TD receptions (12), and yards per reception (19.2), and being named Rookie of the Year. He started every game in his six seasons with the Bears, earning the nickname "Iron Mike", and won a pre-merger NFL title in 1963. However, he could not agree to new contract with owner George Halas following 1966 and instead signed a deal with the Oilers, who held his AFL rights after they drafted him #8 overall.^note The NFL did not have true free agency until 1993, meaning players had very limited options to leave the club that drafted them. Jumping to another pro league was one of those options. He was traded to the Eagles just days before the AFL/NFL merger became official. Injuries plagued Ditka in Philly, and he was traded after two seasons to the Dallas Cowboys, where he spent the final four seasons of his career primarily as a backup, though he started every game in his final season in which the Cowboys won their first Super Bowl (VI). Overall, Ditka was named to five Pro Bowls, was named All-Pro six times, had his #89 retired by the Bears, was named to the NFL's 50th, 75th, and 100th Anniversary Teams, and became the first tight end to enter the Hall of Fame. Curiously, back in 2004 he gave serious consideration to continuing the trend of former football players occasionally moving into politics by running to represent Illinois in the United States Senate. There's a chance his name recognition might have carried him to a win. He did not follow through, however, and his would-be opponent, a young and then little-known state senator named Barack Obama won the seat instead.
• Zach Ertz was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round out of Stanford in 2013 and quickly established himself as one of the team's main receiving threats, contributing to their Super Bowl-winning 2017 season and setting the NFL record for most receptions by a TE in a season (116) the following year. He was traded to the Cardinals during the 2021 season, was released in 2023, and is now with the Lions. Despite his football accomplishments, he's Overshadowed by Awesome in his own household—his wife Julie was a fixture on the US women's soccer team (when not injured or pregnant) from 2013 until her retirement in 2023, and has two World Cup winners' medals.
• Antonio Gates spent his entire career with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers and was one of the most dominant TEs ever, owning the record for career TD catches at the position (#7 all time) and setting almost every major franchise receiving record over his 16 seasons with the Bolts. He is also notable as one of the few NFL players (let alone stars) who never played college football; he was an undersized power forward for a Kent State basketball team that made an NCAA regional final in 2002, was signed by the Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2003, and had the longest career of any NFL player who never played the sport in college.^*While the career of Garo Yepremian (in the "Kickers and Punters" folder of the "Defensive and Special Teams Players" page) spanned the same number of years, Gates played in more seasons. Gates initially enrolled at Michigan State planning to play both football and basketball. Upon finding out that Spartans head coach Nick Saban—yes, that Nick Saban—wanted him to play only football, he immediately transferred to Eastern Michigan, playing basketball there for part of a season before moving on to a junior college and finally to Kent State for two years. The eight-time Pro Bowler was released by the Chargers in 2018, as they had drafted his presumptive successor, wasn't picked up by another team, and appeared ready to slip quietly into retirement to wait for his inevitable Hall of Fame nomination. Then said successor—and said successor's backup—suffered season-ending injuries in training camp, prompting the Chargers to call the 38-year-old Gates back up for One Last Job. He didn't catch on with another team in 2019 and after that season made his retirement official, signing a ceremonial contract to retire as a Charger. To the shock of virtually everyone, Gates was snubbed for the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2024. This snub also meant that he now has the most career TDs of any eligible player not in Canton, passing Shaun Alexander (see "NFL Running Backs, A–G") for that dubious distinction.^note Adrian Peterson ("Running Backs, N–Z") and Larry Fitzgerald ("Wide Receivers, A–G") have more TDs, but aren't yet eligible for the Hall.
• Tony Gonzalez is the current holder of all the tight end receiving records except for career TDs (Gates), as well as the first TE to amass over 1,000 receptions. Gonzalez played college basketball at Cal, and his talent in that sport translated to him revolutionizing the tight end's role as a pass catcher. He spent twelve years with the Kansas City Chiefs, who drafted him #13 overall in 1997, and holds most of the franchise's receiving records (not by a tight end, by any player period). He ended his career with five more seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, retiring after 2013. He was voted to 14 Pro Bowls, the most ever for a tight end and tied for second-most for a player at any position, and missed only two games in his 17 seasons, bringing him one game short of Jason Witten for most regular season games played by a TE. Despite his immense talent, he also only won a single playoff game, having to wait until his penultimate season to do so, and never played in a Super Bowl. He has worked mainly as an analyst for several major TV networks since his retirement (currently with Prime Video) while occasionally dabbling in acting. He was inducted into Canton in his first year of eligibility, the only tight end with that honor.
• Jimmy Graham initially made his name with the New Orleans Saints, who drafted him in the third round in 2010. Yet another former college basketball player, Graham played four years of basketball at Miami before playing football for one year.^note Under NCAA rules, students have five years of athletic eligibility but can only play for four seasons in a particular sport. He led the NFL in most major receiving categories early in 2013, earning him an Offensive Player of the Month award, the first TE in the history of that honor (dating back to 1986) to win it. He was the center of a controversy during the 2014 offseason after the Saints applied the "franchise tag"^note A mechanism teams can use to keep a would-be free agent player by forcing a 1-year, fully guaranteed contract on him equal to the average of the top 5 highest paid players at his position or 125% of his previous year's salary, whichever is higher. to him as a tight end. Graham, whose athleticism allows him to play split out wide as a wide receiver quite often, argued that he should get the wide receiver franchise tag instead, a difference of about $5 million. This was despite Graham being drafted as a tight end, listed on the roster as a tight end, accepting a Pro Bowl invitation as a tight end, and having tight end in his Twitter handle. The case went to court where the judge ruled in favor of the NFL. (The Saints struck a deal with Graham later in offseason anyway, making it a moot point other than for precedent.) Following a trade the next season, Graham has played for Seattle, Green Bay, and Chicago, and he is currently back in the Big Easy after a year out of the league.
• Rob Gronkowski, also known simply as "Gronk", played for the New England Patriots for nine seasons and was one-half of the "Boston TE Party" before Aaron Hernandez was released. A second-round pick in 2010 out of Arizona, Gronkowski is considered by many to be the greatest tight end of all time; he holds many of the per game/per season records for the position, is the only TE to lead the league in receiving TDs in a single season (doing so in 2011), holds the Pats' franchise TD record, and is the only TE to be featured on a Madden NFL cover. Known for his unusual size—6'6" and around 250 lbs^note for you metric folks, 1.98 m and 113 kilos—he could go up for passes that other players can't get their hands on, block elite defensive ends, and shrug off tackles. A forearm injury in 2013 led him to don a bulky arm brace for several seasons; already considered The Lancer (or The Dragon) to Tom Brady, this cyborg-like appearance led many to compare the massive Gronk to Darth Vader (and helped him win Comeback Player of the Year in 2014). His retirement in 2019 to deal with his injuries and mental health^note and, to hear him tell it, to avoid being traded to Detroit ensured that he wouldn't claim many of the career TE records he was on track to shatter, but that retirement proved temporary, as the Buccaneers made a deal with the Pats for his rights in 2020, reuniting him with Brady on the way to a fourth Super Bowl win before re-retiring after 2021. Off-field, Gronk was known for his hard-partying ways. He is the second-youngest of the five Gronkowski brothers (Gordie Jr., Dan, Chris, and Glenn), all of which played football in college and had brief careers in the NFL. He also dabbled in professional wrestling during his first retirement, appearing at WrestleMania 36 and coming away with the WWE 24/7 Championship. In 2023, he became the first living former player ever to place his name on a college bowl game—the LA Bowl Hosted by Gronk.
• Leon Hart was a massive college star who set multiple records as a Heisman-winning end at Notre Dame in the late '40s, where he won three championships. The Detroit Lions drafted him with the #1 overall pick in 1950, and while the term "tight" end wasn't then in use for ends who played next to the other linemen and were equally skilled at blocking and catching (since that was generally the expectation), he was the first end to be chosen with the first overall pick and is sometimes considered the only tight end with that honor.^note Two other receiving ends were picked at #1 before the "wide receiver"/"tight end" distinction became standard; both are normally considered WRs. Hart made up for this investment, as he played a key role in helping the Lions also win three championships (still their last). While his receiving stats hardly compare to today's standards, he primarily served as a blocker on both sides of the ball, a role he excelled at: he was the last player to be named All-Pro on both offense and defense. Hart retired after his last championship in 1957 and died in 2002.
• Todd Heap is the Baltimore Ravens' all-time leader in receiving TDs. A late first round pick in 2001 out of Arizona State, he was a dependable presence and ranged weapon on the usually run-heavy team. He retired in 2012 after two seasons with the Cardinals and was enshrined in the Ravens Ring of Honor.
• Steve Jordan was the most successful TE in Minnesota Vikings history. Drafted in the seventh round in 1982 out of Brown, Jordan set many still-standing TE records for the franchise and earned six Pro Bowl nods before his retirement after 1994 and was later inducted into the Vikings Ring of Honor. His son Cameron would later go on to great success with the Saints as a DE.
• Travis Kelce^*pronounced "Kelsey" has played for the Kansas City Chiefs since 2013, when they drafted him in the third round out of Cincinnati^note Worth noting: He fell so relatively low in the draft process largely because of a one-year college suspension for marijuana use., and soon emerged as one of greatest to ever play the position, having set a number of "fastest to" marks that set him on a current pace to compete for many career TE records- and that's despite playing just one snap in his first season due to injury. The younger brother of Eagles center Jason Kelce (who he faced off against in Super Bowl LVII; see below), Travis shares his elder sibling's Boisterous Bruiser personality, and has backed up his confident swagger with excellent receiving ability, nine straight Pro Bowl appearances, and seven consecutive 1,000+ yard seasons, the latter a record for his position (no one else has more than four period, let alone consecutive). Kelce has been the number one target for Patrick Mahomes since his NFL emergence, with his receiving ability serving as a critical part of the Chiefs' dominance in the AFC and victories in three Super Bowls—he has more playoff receptions than any player in the history of the league and is second behind only Jerry Rice in postseason receiving touchdowns and yards. In 2020, Kelce set the single-season record for receiving yards by a TE. In 2023, the same year he became the Chiefs' franchise leader in receiving yards, Kelce saw his public profile outside of the sport skyrocket when he began dating Singer-Songwriter Taylor Swift.
• George Kittle plays for the San Francisco 49ers, who drafted him in the fifth round in 2017 out of Iowa. Known for his prolific skill, Cavalier Competitor attitude, Motor Mouth banter, and unique sense of humor, Kittle set the NFL TE record for single season receiving yards on an otherwise floundering Niners team in 2018 (since passed by Travis Kelce), and he was critical to their turnaround run to a Super Bowl appearance the following year. In 2020, he signed the largest contract for a tight end in NFL history and has remained a dominant receiving and blocking threat, helping take the Niners back to the Super Bowl after 2023.
• Marcedes Lewis is a Long Runner in his 18th season, the most by a TE in NFL history. Drafted in the first round in 2006 out of UCLA by the Jaguars, he made one Pro Bowl and set every career franchise record for a TE over 12 years before moving on as a free agent to the Packers in 2018. Primarily a blocker and veteran leader late in his career, he signed with the Bears in 2023 at age 39, making him the oldest TE in NFL history, where he also became the second oldest non-QB to ever score a TD after Jerry Rice.
• John Mackey played for the Baltimore Colts from 1963-71. In college at Syracuse, he took #88 for his jersey after he was told he had the potential to be "twice as good" as a fellow Syracuse alum, #44 Jim Brown. Knee injuries ended his career after ten seasons, but he was still selected to five Pro Bowls, caught a critical record-setting pass in Super Bowl V, and became the second tight end to be inducted to the Hall of Fame. Mackey was the president of the NFLPA immediately after the NFL-AFL merger and led player strikes and lawsuits that provided increased benefits for players, most notably expanding player's opportunities to pursue free agency. The NFLPA repaid Mackey later in his life. When he began to exhibit signs of dementia in his sixties, likely due to the effects of CTE, the union and the NFL responded with "the #88 rule", which provides financial aid for former players suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's. Mackey died in 2011.
• Jay Novacek began his career with the St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals, who drafted him in the sixth round out of Wyoming in 1985. During his tenure with the Cardinals, he struggled with injuries and lackluster QB play. In 1990, he became arguably the best signing in the short-lived Plan B free agency program when he signed with the Dallas Cowboys, where he became an essential cog in the team's three Super Bowl championships as well as going to five straight Pro Bowls from 1991-95. He retired in 1997 after a disc injury caused him to miss the 1996 season.
• Greg Olsen was a late first round pick for the Chicago Bears out of Miami (FL) in 2007 but established himself as one of the best tight ends of the 2010s after being traded to the Carolina Panthers in 2011. He earned three straight Pro Bowl nods from 2014-16 while becoming the first NFL TE to notch three straight 1,000-yard seasons and serving as a key offensive weapon on the Panthers' 2015 Super Bowl run. Olsen retired after spending 2020 in Seattle, signing a ceremonial contract with Carolina. He went straight into broadcasting, immediately finding success as a color commentator and being elevated to FOX's #1 broadcast team after his first year in the booth following the departure of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman.
• Marcus Pollard was best known for his time with the Indianapolis Colts where he served as one of early-career Peyton Manning's favorite targets after being signed as an undrafted free agent in 1995. While the aforementioned Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez, and Jimmy Graham are more famous for it, Pollard is the Trope Maker for converted basketball players making the jump to become NFL tight ends. Pollard played power forward for the tiny Bradley in Illinois, a school which last played football in 1970, more than a year before he was born. After a few years in Detroit, Seattle, and Atlanta, Pollard retired in 2008 and currently works in the front office of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He also was a competitor on The Amazing Race.
• Charlie Sanders was a star tight end for the Detroit Lions, who drafted him in the third round in 1968 out of Minnesota. By modern standards for receiving TEs, his career was fairly pedestrian, never amassing more than 750 yards in a season during his ten-year career. By the standards of his day, however, this dependable blocker that also provided a receiving threat was a star for a franchise that was otherwise largely in decline; he was named to seven Pro Bowls and even inducted into the Hall of Fame, a testament to how much the position has evolved.
• Shannon Sharpe was a Hall of Famer who spent most of his career with the Denver Broncos, who drafted him in the seventh round in 1990 after a solid career at the D-II HBCU Savannah State^*which moved to D-I and FCS a decade after Sharpe left but returned to D-II in 2019, and was one of their greatest weapons during their two Super Bowl years. He joined the Ravens for a two-year stint, where he won another Super Bowl ring, before returning to Denver for another two seasons before retiring with the records for TE receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns (all since surpassed by Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten); he still holds the record for most receiving yards in a game by a TE. He was also very well-known for his trash talking and on-field antics. Following his retirement, the eight-time Pro Bowler joined CBS Sports as an analyst for nearly a decade before joining Skip Bayless on the Fox Sports 1 "hot take" show, Undisputed, expanding his media presence until leaving to join ESPN's First Take. He is the younger brother of WR Sterling Sharpe (see entry under Wide Receivers).
• Jeremy Shockey was drafted #14 overall by the New York Giants in 2002 out of Miami, where he was the leading pass catcher for their 2001 BCS National Championship winning team. Shockey exploded onto the NFL scene, racking up 894 yards, the most by a rookie TE since the merger^note and second most all time, behind only Mike Ditka in 1961 and was a finalist for Offensive Rookie of the Year. His distinctive look (long blonde hair and numerous arm tattoos) coupled with his performance (four Pro Bowls in his first five seasons) made him a fan favorite and landed him on the cover of NFL Street 2. However, he was also very brash and vocal with the media, making homophobic comments and often openly criticizing teammates and coaches (especially head coach Tom Coughlin). Late in 2007, he suffered a season-ending broken fibula and was not on the field for the Giants' upset victory over the undefeated Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. Shockey held out of minicamp the following offseason while seeking a trade, with the Giants ultimately shipping him to New Orleans. He continued to play well when healthy, being part of the team's Super Bowl XLIV victory, but battled injuries before being released in 2011. Shockey was linked to the Saints "Bountygate" scandal with it rumored that he was the source who leaked the team's bounty system to the media, with Warren Sapp (then employed by NFL Network) outright stating that he was the "snitch" on Twitter; Shockey denies the allegation. He spent one final season in Carolina before retiring.
• Jackie Smith was drafted in the tenth round in 1963 out of the obscure Northwestern Louisiana State (now just Northwestern State, an FCS school) by the St. Louis Cardinals. He was one of the most notable tight ends of his era despite playing for a generally poor team for 15 years, setting a position record for career receiving yards that stood for over a decade. However, he is likely most famous for one of his final plays; after retiring in 1977, Tom Landry convinced Smith to return to the Dallas Cowboys for one last season. The old veteran finally got to play for a successful franchise and was a key part of the team's #1 offense in 1978 that took them to Super Bowl XIII, his first championship appearance. Unfortunately, Smith dropped a potential touchdown pass in the Cowboys' eventual loss in the Big Game that could have made the difference in its outcome, something that hung over his head for years; many believe that his induction in the Hall of Fame in 1994 was overdue and delayed just from the results of this one play.^note Multiple players and analysts have pointed out that the assessment of Smith "losing the game" for the Cowboys was overblown and the product of media narratives. Not only did Roger Staubach admit that the pass was poorly thrown, Smith dropped it in the third quarter; even if Smith scored, a PAT was made, and everything else in the game went the same, it still would have only resulted in the game going into overtime.
• Jerry Smith played 13 seasons in Washington after being picked in the ninth round out of Arizona State in 1965. He was one of the premier tight ends of his era, was selected to two Pro Bowls, and set a record for most touchdowns by a TE that stood for over two decades. He was also one of the most prominent gay players in the league's history, though his sexuality was something he kept private up until his death from AIDS in 1986. Many analysts and former teammates have argued that Smith would be in the Hall of Fame were it not for a would-be touchdown pass in Super Bowl VII that bounced off the crossbar barely a year before the goalposts were moved behind the end zone, which would have helped Washington tie and potentially beat the undefeated Dolphins; others have argued that he should be in the Hall already for his achievements and that he has only been excluded because of his early death and his sexuality.^note Even today, only a handful of NFL players have openly come out as gay.
• Kellen Winslow Sr. was an acclaimed player for the '80s San Diego Chargers. Drafted #13 overall in 1979 out of Missouri, he helped to pioneer the "joker" archetype for the position; able to act as a wide receiver just as well as he could block or run drag routes, he led the league in receptions in two consecutive seasons. Winslow is perhaps most famous for his performance in the "Epic in Miami", one of the greatest games in NFL history, in which he played through multiple injuries in scorching heat, not only catching 13 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown but also blocking a potential game-winning field goal by his fingertips, sending the game into overtime and allowing the Chargers to win. A knee injury shortened his productivity and career to just nine seasons, but he retired holding several TE records and was still inducted into Canton and had his #80 retired by the Chargers. Unfortunately, Winslow is likely better known by modern NFL fans for the criminal behavior of his son, Kellen Winslow II.
• Jason Witten is the Dallas Cowboys' all-time leader in receiving yards and games played. The Cowboys drafted Witten in the third round out of Tennessee in 2003, and he became a franchise mainstay. Witten trails only Tony Gonzalez in career receptions and receiving yards by a TE in NFL history, set a record for most catches by a TE in a season (since surpassed by the Eagles' Zach Ertz), and currently holds the record for most consecutive starts at the position. He broke that streak when he initially retired after 2017 and was thrust immediately into the booth by ESPN, who were looking to replicate the success CBS was having with Witten's former Cowboys teammate, Tony Romo. After drawing near-unanimous negative reviews as a commentator (with most criticism calling him dull and humdrum), Witten left ESPN and returned to the Cowboys for 2019, then the Raiders in 2020. He signed a ceremonial contract in 2021 to retire as a Cowboy, this time for good.

Offensive Linemen

A-L

• Ki Aldrich was a center/linebacker and the #1 overall pick in 1939, going to the Chicago Cardinals out of TCU. Aldrich is best known as the first lineman (and still the only center) to be drafted with the top pick; he was also the first #1 pick to not be a tremendous bust. He played well on both sides of the ball, though never well enough to overcome the Cards' misfortunes; his prospects picked up when he was traded to Washington, where he was reunited with former college teammate Sammy Baugh and helped the team win a championship in 1942, right before he enlisted in the Navy during World War II. He returned to football in 1945, retired in 1947, and died in 1983.
• Larry Allen was a massive guard best known for his time with the Dallas Cowboys. A fantastic run blocker drafted in the second round in 1994 out of D-II Sonoma State, Allen paved the way for some of Emmitt Smith's greatest seasons and helped the Cowboys secure their third Super Bowl win in the '90s. He was renowned for his strength, with an official bench press of over 700 lbs and a squat of over 900. He made 11 Pro Bowls over 14 seasons and is one of the few players to be named to multiple All-Decade teams (1990s and 2000s). He's also famous for a play in his 1994 rookie season where he made a touchdown-saving tackle on Saints LB Darion Conner following an interception (keeping in mind that linemen aren't exactly known for their speed), famously leading ABC commentator Dan Dierdorf to exclaim, "This guy's got a rocket booster strapped to his back!" After finishing his career with two seasons with the 49ers, Allen retired after 2007 and was later inducted into the Hall of Fame.
• David Bakhtiari is a five-time All-Pro left tackle — and, unfortunately, a sad case of What Could Have Been. Drafted by the Green Bay Packers out of Colorado in the fourth round in 2013, Bakhtiari made a name for himself over his first eight seasons as one of the NFL's best o-linemen. In 2020, the Packers signed Bakhtiari to a four-year, $105.5 million contract extension that made him the highest-paid o-lineman in NFL history. It seemed like a reasonable move at the time, but it all came crashing down just six weeks later when Bakhtiari injured his knee in practice on New Year's Eve. The injury proved to be a particularly complicated one, with multiple surgeries and setbacks throwing wrenches in his recovery timeline; he missed all of 2021 save for a handful of snaps in the regular season finale, missed six games in '22 due to his knee and an appendectomy, and ended his '23 season after one game due to another knee complication before being let go by the Packers. Once considered to be on a Hall of Fame trajectory, his future is now uncertain, as while he's still a great player when he's on the field, teams will now have to weigh that against the ongoing injury and availability concerns.
• Matt Birk was a center who most famously played for the Minnesota Vikings, who drafted him in the sixth round out of Harvard in 1998. After two seasons as a backup, Birk started every game from 2000-03, missed the last four games in 2004 and all of 2005 due to injuries, and then never missed a game for the rest of his career. He made the Pro Bowl six times, all with the Vikings. In 2009, he signed with the Ravens and retired following 2012 after winning Super Bowl XLVII.
• Al Blozis was a 5th round pick by the New York Giants in 1942 out of Georgetown where was also a successful track player, winning the NCAA title in shot put three times. A behemoth for his time at 6'6" and 250 lbs, he tried to enlist for the military during World War II but was rejected due to his massive frame, instead playing a few seasons with the G-Men and earning an All-Pro in '43 before he was finally accepted into the army a year later, working his way up to second lieutenant. In 1945, his platoon was sent to the Vosges Mountains in France, where Blozis died trying to rescue two of his men who went missing. He received many posthumous honors afterwards, including the Giants retiring his #32 and placing him in their Ring of Honor.
• Jim Boeke was an OT who was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the 19th round of Heidelberg in 1960, where he played until being traded to the Cowboys in 1964, where he played until 1967. He started 92 consecutive games from 1960-1966 until a knee injury sidelined him in favor of Tony Liscio, who he ironically supplanted due to injuries. His most famous play came in the 1966 NFL Championship game, when he committed a false start with the Cowboys trailing by seven and at the Green Bay 2 yard line, costing Dallas a chance to the tie the game as the next play was an interception. He finished out his career with stops in New Orleans, Detroit and Washington before retiring in 1969. During his playing career, he was a bodyguard for Ozzie and Harriet Nelson and used these connections to launch a somewhat prolific acting career.
• Tony Boselli was an OT and the first draft pick in Jacksonville Jaguars history, being selected #2 overall out of USC in 1995. Boselli immediately proved a good choice, breaking out as one of the league's best offensive linemen, earning five Pro Bowl selections and being a key part of the Jags' early run of success, including two AFC Championship Game appearances. Injuries led to his production declining by the turn of the century, and the Jags let him go in 2002 as the first pick of the Houston Texans' expansion draft; he sat on injured reserve the full season and retired after its end. Despite a short 91-game career, Boselli still remains the most accomplished player in the struggling Jaguars' history, he was the first player from the franchise to be selected for the Hall of Fame, making the cut in 2022, and is the only Jaguar to have his number (#71) retired.
• Bob Brown was a Hall of Fame OT drafted #2 overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1964 out of Nebraska.^note He was also drafted #4 overall by the AFL's Denver Broncos. A massive player at 6'4" and nearly 300 lbs, he was nicknamed "The Boomer" for beating up on opposing defenders and being nigh impossible to get past on the line. He spent 10 years in the NFL with the Eagles, Rams, and Raiders, earning eight All-Pro selections and appearing on the '60s All-Decade team before retiring in '73. He died in 2023 after suffering a stroke.
• Lomas Brown was an OT best known for his tenure with the Detroit Lions, who drafted him #6 overall in 1985 out of Florida. During his time in Detroit, he made seven Pro Bowls from 1990-96, started 163 of 164 games, and was a major piece in the Lions rushing attack led by Barry Sanders. He proceeded to become a journeyman the remainder of his career, eventually winning a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers after 2002 before ending his 18-year career. Years after his retirement, he drew heavy criticism when he claimed to have intentionally missed a block in an attempt to get struggling starting QB Scott Mitchell injured during the '94 season. If true, it worked, as Mitchell injured a hand and the Lions made the playoffs under backup QB Dave Krieg. (Mitchell himself believes that Brown lied to increase his standing at ESPN.) The controversy around this claim may have contributed to his delayed induction into the Pride of the Lions, the team's Ring of Honor.
• Orlando Brown Sr., nicknamed "Zeus", was a massive (listed at 6'7", 360lbs) OT in the '90s and early '00s. Undrafted out of HBCU South Carolina State, he signed with the Browns, became a starter in his second season, and moved with the team in '96 when they became the Baltimore Ravens. He returned to Cleveland as a free agent when the Browns re-entered the league in '99 but suffered a gruesome eye injury when struck by a penalty flag thrown by referee Jeff Triplette. Brown shoved Triplette and was ejected and suspended (though the suspension was lifted when the severity of the eye injury came to light). Brown sued the NFL for damages and settled for an undislosed amount between $15 and $25 million (even at the low end, more than he made in his playing career otherwise). The NFL switched from using ball bearings to sand to weight the flags as a result of the incident. Brown missed three seasons as his eye healed before returning to Baltimore for three seasons, retiring in '05. He passed away in 2011 at just 40 due to complications from diabetes. His son, Orlando Brown Jr., is also a massive OT (6'8", 340lbs) who has seen even more success than his father, being drafted in the third round by the Ravens. He soon established himself as one of the best o-linemen in the league, was traded to the Chiefs in '21 (winning a Super Bowl), and currently is with the Bengals.
• Ray Brown was a G/T for five teams over a 20-year career and holds the distinction of being the oldest non-QB, non-specialist to play in an NFL game at age 43 in his final season. Originally an 8th round pick out of Arkansas State by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1986, where he was primarily a backup, he would later become a starter for Washington during their early-'90s success. Though he missed their Super Bowl XXVI win due to an elbow injury that took him out the whole season, he became a regular starter at guard over the next four seasons before moving onto the 49ers as a free agent. He made his only career Pro Bowl there in 2001 before finishing his career with Detroit and a second stint in Washington. He moved into coaching after his playing career.
• Roosevelt "Rosey" Brown was an OT for the New York Giants during the '50s and early '60s. Brown was one of the most famous "draft steals" in NFL history: he was drafted in the twenty-seventh round in 1953 as the #321 overall pick out of the HBCU Morgan State, yet only missed four games in his 13 seasons with the Giants, was selected to nine Pro Bowls, and was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1975. He continued to work with the Giants as a coach and scout after he retired from play, ultimately working over fifty years for the team before passing away in 2004.
• Jim Covert was a Hall of Fame OT drafted by the Chicago Bears in 1983 out of Pittsburgh. "Jimbo" was the main cog behind the Bears' dominant rushing attack of the '80s, was named to two Pro Bowls, and helped the team lead the league in rushing for four straight years from '83-'86 and win Super Bowl XX. He retired in 1991 after having back surgery.
• Lou Creekmur was a Hall of Fame lineman for the Detroit Lions. He was drafted by the Eagles in the 26th round in 1948 out of William & Mary when he was available but it was publicly known he was going to play two more years of college to make up for his military service. The Lions acquired him in 1950, starting a streak of nine seasons where he never missed a game, earned eight Pro Bowl nods, and served as a cornerstone of the team's three-time champion dynasty. He passed away in 2009.
• Dermontti Dawson was a Hall of Fame center (and long snapper) drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round in 1988 out of Kentucky. While known as a friendly figure off the field, he was one of the most dominant forces ever to play the center position on it, earning the nickname "Dirt" for the number of players he drove into it. After collecting seven Pro Bowl nods, he retired after 2000.
• Joe DeLamielleure was a six-time Pro Bowl guard drafted by the Buffalo Bills #26 overall in 1973 out of Michigan State. "Joe D" made an immediate impact as part of the Bills' "Electric Company" o-line that helped O.J. Simpson became the first player to rush for 2,000 yards en route to winning the MVP. He was traded to the Browns in 1980, where he once again made an immediate impact by blocking for his second MVP in Brian Sipe, becoming the first player to have blocked for both a 2,000+ yard rusher and a 4,000+ yard passer. After spending 1985 back with the Bills, he had a brief stint in 1992 in the Arena Football League, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003.
• Dan Dierdorf was an OT drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the second round in 1971 out of Michigan. He became a full-time starter by his second season and quickly became renowned as one of the league's best offensive lineman, earning five straight Pro Bowls from 1974-78 and being named the NFL's Offensive Lineman of the Year three straight years from 1976-78, anchoring a line that gave up the fewest sacks all three years. A knee injury forced him to sit out most of 1979 before he returned in 1980, earning one more Pro Bowl before retiring in 1983 to move into a lengthy broadcasting career that included twelve years and three Super Bowls as a commentator paired with Al Michaels. The Canton, Ohio native was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1996 for his playing career and later given its Radio-Television Award for his broadcasting work in 2008.
• Laurent Duvernay-Tardif was a guard out of Montreal who didn't even play football until he was 14 and stayed in his hometown to enter McGill University's medical school straight out of CEGEP.^note Quebec medical schools, unlike those in the US or Anglophone Canada, accept applicants who have completed a two-year CEGEP diploma, equivalent to the first year of a US or Anglophone Canadian university. While practicing only once a week due to his medical studies, he was All-Canadian in his final two seasons of football at McGill and was named the top lineman in Canadian university football in his last. Duvernay-Tardif went to the Kansas City Chiefs in the sixth round in 2014 and became a starter in 2015, all while continuing his medical studies during offseasons until receiving his M.D. in 2018. During the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, he returned to Montreal to work as an orderly in a care home and became the first player to opt out of the 2020 season, choosing to stay at home as a front-line worker during the pandemic. His decision was recognized at the end of that year by Sports Illustrated when it named him as one of five "Activist Athletes" who shared its annual award for Sportsperson of the Year, and also by media on his side of the border when he shared the Lou Marsh Trophy^note since renamed the Northern Star Award for Canada's top athlete with rising soccer superstar Alphonso Davies. He returned the following season and played two more years with the Jets before retiring to pursue his medical practice.
• Albert "Turk" Edwards was a Hall of Fame two-way lineman (most frequently an OT) who signed with the expansion Boston Braves out of Washington State in 1932. Edwards was a star player and helped the team win their 1937 championship after their move to Washington, but he is likely best known for how his playing career ended: After calling the pre-game coin toss in a 1940 game, he pivoted back to his sideline, but his cleats caught in the grass and his knee gave out. Not only is Edwards the only player known to have been injured during the coin toss, it turned out to be a Career-Ending Injury. He stayed on with the team's staff, even serving as their head coach from 1946-48 before retiring from football after his first winning season. He passed away in 1974 after a long illness.
• Gover "Ox" Emerson was one of the NFL's top linemen during the '30s, signing with the Portsmouth Spartans (now Detroit Lions) out of Texas in 1931. The five time All-Pro paved the way for one of the league's top rushing attacks, led by Hall of Fame QB Dutch Clark, appearing in the league's first playoff game and winning a championship in 1935. Their 1936 team set the single season record for rushing yards with 2,885, a record that stood until it was broken by the undefeated Miami Dolphins in '72. Emerson retired in 1938 after spending a year as a player-coach for the Brooklyn Dodgers and went into a lengthy career as a college coach before passing away in 1998. Despite being a unanimous All-Pro throughout his career, he has regularly been overlooked for Hall of Fame consideration.
• Alan Faneca was an offensive guard most famous for his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who drafted him #26 overall in 1998 out of LSU. Faneca was diagnosed with epilepsy in his youth, which nearly ended his football career in high school, but went on to become one of the most dominant linemen of his era. He was named All-Pro eight times, made nine Pro Bowls, was named to the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team, and was a starter for the Steelers' Super Bowl XL win. After short stints with the Jets and Cardinals, he retired after 2010 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2021. In support of former players, especially linemen, who struggle with weight-related health issues in retirement, Faneca famously lost over 100 pounds and began running marathons to raise awareness.
• D'Brickashaw Ferguson was an OT drafted #4 overall in 2006 out of Virginia by the New York Jets. Ferguson played a decade for the franchise without missing a game and is enshrined in their Ring of Honor, but he is most notable for being the inspiration for the iconic Key & Peele sketch parodying the trend of football players with unusual names.
• Eric Fisher was the #1 overall pick in 2013. While the 2013 Draft was widely viewed as one of the most talent-dry in the modern era, the tackle out of Central Michigan did his often thankless job with the Kansas City Chiefs, contributing to the team's turnaround to one of the most consistent winners in the NFL, notching two Pro Bowl nods, and winning a Super Bowl ring; his absence on the line in Super Bowl LV due to an Achilles tear was identified as a major reason for the team's loss. Fisher was cut after that injury and has since bounced around the league to the Colts and Dolphins.
• Dan Fortmann was an offensive and defensive guard for the Chicago Bears. Fortmann was his high school valedictorian and a straight-A pre-med student at Colgate when he was drafted in 1936 at the age of 19, the youngest ever draftee at the time. Fortmann played few games in his first four seasons because he was going to medical school at the University of Chicago, something Bears' owner-coach George Halas helped pay for on the condition that he would eventually return to play for the team. Fortmann saw football as a means to an end, but he appreciated Halas' trust in his abilities so much that, when he finished his classes, he led the Bears to three championships in his remaining four years of play. This short burst of incredible productivity was enough to earn him a spot in the Hall of Fame's third class. After retiring from football and serving in WWII, he became the team physician for the L.A. Rams before becoming Chief of Staff at an L.A. hospital and died in 1995 after a long battle with Alzheimer's.
• Frank "Gunner" Gatski was a Hall of Fame center for the original Cleveland Browns. The son of a West Virginia coal miner whose college stints at Marshall and Auburn were split by his military service in WWII, the 25-year-old Gatski went undrafted in 1946 but became the rock of the Cleveland teams that dominated the AAFC and NFL. Gatski was so dependable and durable that he was often the only center Paul Brown kept on the roster. He won seven championships with the Browns and an eighth in his final season with the Lions in 1957. He died in 2005.
• Forrest Gregg was a Hall of Fame OT who played for 16 years and was a key component in Vince Lombardi's '60s Packers team. He played a then-record 188 consecutive games, and Lombardi once called him "the finest player I ever coached." After being selected to nine Pro Bowls and winning three NFL Championships and two Super Bowls with the Packers, Gregg won one more Super Bowl with the Cowboys in his final playing year, making him one of four players to win six NFL championships. He subsequently went into coaching, with stints as HC with the Cleveland Browns (1975-77, winning Coach of the Year in his second season) and Cincinnati Bengals (1980-83, where he coached the team to a Super Bowl in 1981 and put up what is still the best win percentage in franchise history) before he returned to Green Bay to replace former teammate Bart Starr as coach. Like Starr, Gregg failed to revive the Packers to the heights they had reached with him as a player and soon left the NFL to coach at his alma mater, SMU, the year after the NCAA gave their football program the infamous "death penalty" (making him the first Super Bowl HC to have a losing career record). He died of complications of Parkinson's in 2019.
• Russ Grimm was a Hall of Fame lineman for the '80s Washington dynasty and the recognized leader of their "Hogs" offensive line. A third round pick out of Pittsburgh in 1981, Grimm was an adaptable player who could play every position on the line (most often going at guard). His unit helped Washington win three Super Bowls with three different quarterbacks by setting up a powerful ground game, and he earned four Pro Bowl selections. He retired in 1991 after battling injuries for several years and went straight into coaching and served as a successful o-line coach for several teams, including winning another ring in Pittsburgh.^note He was reportedly a leading candidate to succeed Bill Cowher as the Steelers' head coach before being passed over for Mike Tomlin. He retired from coaching after 2017.
• John Hannah was a left guard for the New England Patriots for 13 seasons. Drafted #4 overall in 1973 out of Alabama, Hannah became the franchise's first great player—he went to nine Pro Bowls, was the first inductee in the team's Hall of Fame, had his #73 retired by the Pats, and was inducted into Canton in 1999.
• Mel Hein was an offensive and defensive center and linebacker out of Washington State who played for the New York Giants in the '30s and '40s. Nicknamed "Old Indestructible", Hein played for 15 seasons, a long time for a lineman in the modern game and a near eternity for that era, while dealing and receiving hits for all sixty minutes of every game. He won two NFL Championships and appeared in five more with the Giants. Hein was the first recipient of the Joe F. Carr Trophy, the NFL's first MVP award, a truly remarkable feat considering he is still the only center ever to receive such an honor. Hein was part of the Hall of Fame's charter class and had his #7 retired by the Giants. He died of stomach cancer in 1992.
• Wilbur "Pete" Henry, nicknamed "Fats", was an offensive/defensive tackle, kicker, punter, and sometimes player-coach out of Washington & Jefferson College who played for the Canton Bulldogs, New York Giants, and Pottsville Maroons in the 1920s. A Lightning Bruiser renowned for his size and speed, Henry was one of the league's first star players and led Canton to back-to-back championships in 1922-23. His kicking prowess saw him set many of the league's initial season and career kicking/punting records as well. He was famously the first NFL player to wear #0. He died in 1952 at age 54 of diabetes-related gangrene-induced sepsis and was posthumously enshrined in the Hall of Fame's charter class.
• Gene Hickerson was a guard for the Cleveland Browns. Drafted in the seventh round in 1957 out of Ole Miss, he played a major role in the success of the Browns' string of dominant rushers (Jim Brown, Bobby Mitchell, and Leroy Kelly) over his 15-year career in Cleveland. Hickerson's accomplishments went mostly overlooked until the year before his death in 2008, when the Hall of Fame finally inducted him; Brown, Mitchell, and Kelly memorably pushed Hickerson, terminally ill with Alzheimer's disease, in his wheelchair onto the stage so he could lead them one last time.
• Winston Hill was a dominant OT for the New York Jets, who drafted him in the eleventh round in 1963 out of HBCU Texas Southern. Hill was one of the AFL's best o-linemen, playing both the right and left side of the line, and a key contributor to the Jets' sole championship title. He claimed eight All-Star/Pro Bowl nods before he retired after spending 1977 with the Rams. He died in 2016 and was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.
• Chris Hinton was an exceptionally gifted OT in his 13-year career, sealing him a spot in the Indianapolis Colts' Ring of Honor. However, his career is best remembered for the circumstances by which he joined the Colts; after being drafted fourth overall out of Northwestern in 1983 by the Broncos, Hinton was immediately traded to secure John Elway. Hinton was traded again for a #1 overall QB in 1990, going to the Falcons in exchange for the pick that the Colts used on Jeff George. He put up the last of his seven Pro Bowl seasons in Atlanta and retired after a stint with the Vikings.
• Cal Hubbard was a offensive and defensive center who played for the New York Giants (1927-28, '36) and Green Bay Packers (1929-33, '35). Though many "all-time" lists place him as an OT and Curly Lambeau placed him on the line in most games, Hubbard also helped to pioneer the linebacker position in college at Centenary^note The one in Louisiana, which dropped football after the 1947 season but plans to bring it back in D-III in 2024. There's also a Centenary in New Jersey; it's D-III and has never had a football team. and Geneva Colleges. In his second year of pro play, Hubbard began umpiring for minor league baseball games, earning him the nickname "the Big Umpire". When he retired from football, he immediately moved into officiating MLB games, where he brought the football mindset of set positions to baseball by creating a system that gave specific duties to different officials, laying the foundation for the modern MLB system. As a result, Hubbard is the only person to be in both the Baseball and Pro Football Hall of Fame—he was part of the latter's charter class. Hubbard died from cancer in 1977.
• Kent Hull was the center for the Buffalo Bills early '90s dynasty, landing with the team after first going undrafted out of Mississippi State and playing for the USFL's New Jersey Generals. After helping pave the way for Herschel Walker's record-shattering USFL performances, Hull landed in Buffalo and was a key part of their K-Gun offense, blocking for Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas and helping the team reach four straight Super Bowls. The three-time Pro Bowler retired after 1996 and died in in 2011 from liver disease; the Bills have him in their Wall of Honor.
• Steve Hutchinson is considered one of the greatest guards to have ever played the game, making seven Pro Bowls, earning five first-team All-Pro nods, and was named a member of the 2000s All-Decade team. Drafted #17 overall out of Michigan by the Seattle Seahawks in 2001, he paired with fellow Hall of Fame left tackle Walter Jones (see below) to give Seattle one of the league's best offensive lines during the early '00s and paved the way for Shaun Alexander's run of dominance, culminating with the team's first Super Bowl appearance after 2005. The following offseason, Hutchinson was part of one of the most controversial and bizarre free agent deals in NFL history when the Minnesota Vikings used a "Poison Pill" provision to force the Seahawks to release him from the transition tag.^note The transition tag is a one-year, fully guaranteed deal equal to average of the top ten highest paid players at his position that allows players to receive offers from other teams that their team has the option to match. The Vikings offered Hutchinson a seven-year, $49 million deal, the richest ever for a guard at the time, that included a provision to make the deal fully guaranteed if Hutchinson was not the highest paid o-lineman on the team. As Seattle had just given Walter Jones a bigger deal, they couldn't match the offer without triggering the provision and devastating the team's salary cap situation. In retaliation, Seattle signed Minnesota restricted free agent WR Nate Burleson to a deal with a similar provision — a clause that guaranteed Burleson his entire $49 million contract if he played at least five games in the state of Minnesota in a season. Due to the controversy surrounding the signings, the NFL banned the future use of such provisions. Hutchinson retired after spending 2012 with the Titans and entered the Hall of Fame in 2020.
• Tunch Ilkin was a tackle who became the first Turkish-born player in the NFL. Drafted in the 6th round in 1980 out of Indiana State by the Pittsburgh Steelers, he made two Pro Bowls in 1988-89 and retired after playing 1993 with the Packers. He moved on to call Steelers games locally until 2020, when he was forced to retire. He died in 2021 after a battle with Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS) and is set to be inducted into the Steelers Hall of Honor.
• Bob Johnson was the Cincinnati Bengals' first ever draft pick and, at #2 overall, the highest drafted center of the Super Bowl era. The Tennessee product played for the team from 1968-79 and was the last member of the original Bengals roster to retire; the Bengals' retired his #54.
• Lane Johnson started out as a walk-on juco transfer quarterback at Oklahoma before being shuffled around multiple positions, not being placed on the o-line until his junior year. He proved to be such a natural right tackle that he was drafted #4 overall just two years later in 2013, and he has since settled in as a mainstay on the Philadelphia Eagles line. Although Johnson was suspended earlier in his career for PEDs, he's been one of the best linemen in the league. According to Pro Football Focus, from 2020 to 2023, Johnson went nearly three years without surrendering a sack, the longest stretch they've ever measured.
• Stan Jones was a Hall of Famer for the Chicago Bears during the '50s and '60s. Initially a tackle at Maryland, he was considerably undersized in school at 6'1" and under 200 lbs and began regular weight training to help improve his physicality and conditioning, one of the first players to do so. By the time he was drafted in the fifth round by the Bears in 1953, he had significantly improved his weight to nearly 250 lbs and was switched to guard in 1955, where he made the first of seven straight Pro Bowls. Towards the end of his career, he started playing both ways before moving fully to DT in 1963, the same year the Bears won the NFL Championship. He played his final year with Washington in 1966, after which he spent the next few decades as a defensive assistant and strength and conditioning coach across the NFL. He died in 2010.
• Walter Jones is widely regarded as one of the best left tackles to ever play the game. A Hall of Famer, he was drafted #6 overall out of Florida State by the Seattle Seahawks in 1997 and played there for 11 years. He was selected for the Pro Bowl nine times, was only called for holding nine times in his career, and was a major contributor to the dominant o-line performance that led Shaun Alexander to dominance as a running back. The team retired his #71 after his retirement in 2009.
• Jason Kelce was a center for the Philadelphia Eagles, drafted in the sixth round (#191 overall) in 2011 out of Cincinnati, where his younger brother Travis (in the "Tight Ends" folder) was one of his teammates for two seasons. Despite lacking "true NFL size", making him the lineman equivalent of a Pint-Size Powerhouse at roughly 6'2½"/190cm, he was instrumental in solidifying the Eagles' offensive line during several playoff runs and is a seven-time Pro Bowler. In the locker room, he's particularly known for his penchant for fiery, impassioned (sometimes impromptu) speeches. Non-teammates best remember him for his performance in the Eagles' Super Bowl parade, where he spent the length of the event gallivanting up and down the parade route dressed in bright and colorful mummer regalia, singing and dancing, before delivering a blistering, profanity laden speech at the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Even a local brewery took notice, crafting an IPA using his name and parade likeness, with his blessing^note and a caveat that the brewers give a cut of the sales to a local charity. He returned to the Super Bowl five years later, where he faced off and lost against his brother, and retired a year later.
• Mike Kenn, the 13th overall draft pick in 1978 out of Michigan, spent his entire 17-year NFL career as a tackle for the Atlanta Falcons, playing the most games in franchise history. Like his linemate, center Jeff van Note (see below), he combined excellence with durability - missing only ten of a possible 261 non-strike games and starting in every game he played - and was selected for the Pro Bowl in five straight seasons (1980-84) and named first-team All-Pro thrice despite playing for mostly forgettable teams that reached the playoffs only four times. Large for his time at 6'7" and about 275 pounds, Kenn demonstrated both great strength and skill as a pass protector; he played the entire 1980 season without committing a penalty and anchored an o-line that allowed just 31 sacks in 1991, fewest in club history. Also like Van Note, Kenn served as president of the NFLPA from 1989-96. However, Kenn has not won induction to the Hall of Fame, likely held back by the mediocrity of the Falcons during his career.
• Walt Kiesling was a two-way lineman for several teams^note Duluth Eskimos, Pottsville Maroons, Chicago Cardinals, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, and Pittsburgh Pirates during the late ‘20s and ‘30s. One of the largest players of his era, he matched his intimidating size with a strong knowledge of the game and surprising speed. He played 13 years in the NFL, earning three All-Pros during this time, before he finished his playing career in 1938. Towards the end of his career, he also served as a line coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates (they renamed themselves the Steelers in 1940), a position he held for the next two decades (aside from a four year stint in Green Bay), even serving as head coach on a few occasions, albeit to very middling success. He stepped away from coaching in 1957 due to his declining health, ultimately passing away in 1962. He was posthumously inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1966.
• Frank "Bruiser" Kinard was a two-way tackle drafted by the Dodgers in the third round of 1938 out of Ole Miss. Despite his short size for a lineman (6’1”, 195 lbs.), his quickness and mobility made him a fearsome blocker on offense and a bruising tackler on defense. He played seven years in Brooklyn, starting in all but 2 games and being named All-Pro every year before enlisting in the Navy after the 1944 season. After he was discharged a year later, he signed with the New York Yankees of the AAFC, where he earned his last All-Pro before retiring in 1947. He was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1971 and died in 1985 from Alzheimer’s complications.
• Jerry Kramer was an offensive guard and placekicker for the '60s Green Bay Packers dynasty. Drafted in the fourth round out of Idaho in 1958, Kramer was a Farm Boy whose childhood was marked with enough injuries to make him a certified Cosmic Plaything. These include a) being Impaled with Extreme Prejudice by a giant wood shard that barely missed his spine and left splinters inside his body, and b) having his shotgun explode while hunting, badly mangling his right hand and forearm, causing lasting nerve damage, and adding some buckshot to the mix in his organs as well. Kramer managed to play through near-constant pain and frequent injuries and surgeries with little complaint and was a core part of the Packers' five championship wins. He retired after 11 seasons and three Pro Bowl selections and was commonly held up as one of the biggest snubs from Hall of Fame induction, being named a finalist ten times before finally making it in 2018 at age 82.
• Olin Kreutz was one of the greatest centers in Chicago Bears history, posting 13 seasons and 182 regular season games (behind only Walter Payton in franchise history) after they drafted him in the third round out of Washington in 1998. A 2000s All-Decade Team member, he earned six Pro Bowl nods. Unfortunately, he was also seen as a tremendous jerk who was as big a threat to his own team as he was to his opponents; he broke two different teammates' jaws in off-field brawls (one in college at Washington and one with the Bears) and called it a career after he threw Drew Brees against the wall during a fight with his coaches during his last season with the Saints.
• Bob Kuechenberg was a guard who spent 14 years with the Miami Dolphins, helping them to four Super Bowl appearances and back-to-back victories in 1973-74. Initially a 1969 fourth round draft pick by the Eagles out of Notre Dame, he failed to even make the team and signed with Miami as a free agent the following year. Once there, he won six Pro Bowl nods while serving as a key part of offenses as diverse as Miami's running attack of the early 1970s and the passing game led by a young Dan Marino, whose first season in 1983 was Kuechenberg's last. Kuechenberg, who died in 2019, has been a frequent finalist for Hall of Fame consideration but has not been selected as of 2022.
• Larry Little and Jim Langer were a pair of undrafted players who both wound up in the Hall of Fame after serving on the Miami Dolphins' line in the 1970s. Little began his career in 1967 by signing out of the HBCU Bethune–Cookman by the Chargers. The guard was traded to Miami in 1969, where Langer joined him at center after being signed out of South Dakota State. The two were key contributors to the team's bruising running attack, helping the Dolphins win two Super Bowls (including their undefeated season) and going to five and six Pro Bowls respectively. Little retired in 1980; his brother, David, was a LB for the Steelers from 1981-92. Langer was cut from the Dolphins in '79 but played two more years in Minnesota; he died in 2019.
• Al Lolotai was a guard who only spent a single season in the NFL but is notable for being the first player of Polynesian descent to play in the league. Undrafted out of Weber Junior College (now the FCS school Weber State) in 1945, the Samoan-born Lolotai signed with Washington, a team otherwise entirely segregated under notoriously racist owner George Preston Marshall. He then signed with the Los Angeles Dons of the more racially diverse AAFC and spent four seasons there playing both offense and defense.

M-Z

• Tom Mack was a Hall of Fame o-lineman for the Los Angeles Rams from 1966 (when they drafted him #2 overall out of Michigan) to 1978. In that span, he never missed a game, putting up 184 straight starts and being named to 11 Pro Bowls.
• Nick Mangold was a late first round pick by Ohio State by the New York Jets in 2006. Immediately recognizable for his shaggy blonde hair and beard, the center was a Pro Bowler in seven of his eleven seasons with the Jets and is enshrined in the team's Ring of Honor.
• Logan Mankins was a late first round pick by the New England Patriots in 2005. The guard from Fresno State earned seven Pro Bowl nods, was part of the 2010s All-Decade Team, and established himself as one of the most accomplished players of the Patriots dynasty... except he didn't win any rings, as his tenure coincided directly with the Pats' championship drought. He was traded to the Buccaneers in 2014 and retired after two seasons.
• Zack Martin is a guard for the Dallas Cowboys, who drafted him #16 overall in 2014 out of Notre Dame. Martin has made the Pro Bowl every year of his NFL career (save for an injury-impacted 2020) and landed on the 2010s All-Decade Team.
• Bruce Matthews was an o-lineman (and long snapper) for the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans, which drafted him #9 overall out of USC in 1983; he would play 19 seasons for the team, notching the most games in franchise history. He is widely regarded as one of the best in history, as his record streak of 14 consecutive Pro Bowls (tied for second all-time) will attest. He was incredibly durable, playing 244 consecutive starts (a record for an o-lineman and the fourth longest streak for any player), and versatile, getting named an All-Pro at tackle, guard, and center. He is part of the Matthews dynasty; brother of Clay Matthews II and uncle to Clay Matthews III (both found below under "Linebackers" on the Defensive Players page), and father to Kevin and Jake Matthews (Kevin a journeyman center and Jake a tackle for the Atlanta Falcons). He retired from play in 2001 and transitioned into coaching. The Titans retired his #74, and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
• Stan Mauldin was an OT for the (then) Chicago Cardinals who selected him the 7th round in 1943 out of Texas. His football career went on hold when he joined the Army Air Corps to fight in WWII, ultimately flying 35 missions. He joined the Cardinals in 1946 and was a starter on their 1947 NFC Championship team, still the most recent for the organization. Unfortunately, the next year, he died from a heart attack following a game against the Eagles. The cause of death was declared to be a heart attack but his family disputes this, saying it was complications from a brain bleed caused by a blow to the head during the game. His #77 was retired by the team.
• Kevin Mawae was a Hall of Fame center best known for his time with New York Jets. Drafted in the second round in 1994 out of LSU by Seattle, he primarily played right guard in his first two seasons before moving to center. He signed with the Jets in 1998 and made six Pro Bowls from 1999-2004. He signed with Tennessee in 2006 and made two more Pro Bowls before retiring in 2010. He also served as the President of the NFLPA from 2008-12 and was a major force in the 2011 NFL Lockout and the negotiations of the CBA. He currently serves as an assistant offensive line coach for the Colts.
• Mike McCormack was a Hall of Famer who spent nearly half a century in prominent positions in all levels of the NFL. A third round pick out of Kansas in 1951, he initially went to the New York Yanks but was conscripted to serve in the Korean War after his rookie season; by the time he returned to the States two years later, the team had ceased to exist. He was picked up by the Cleveland Browns, who organized a sizable trade with the Baltimore Colts for his rights. He played nine All-Pro seasons while seeing action on both sides of the ball, most prominently as one of the league's most proficient o-linemen, and contributed to two championship titles. He then entered into a long coaching career that included mostly unimpressive stints as HC for the Eagles (1973-75) and Colts (1980-81). After his second HC firing, he moved into third career as an exec, becoming the GM for the Seattle Seahawks in 1982; he wound up returning to the sidelines that season after HC Jack Patera was fired during the player strike, and wound up posting the only winning coaching record of his career as interim HC. McCormack was fired as GM after 1989 but was hired by the Carolina Panthers ownership group as a consultant, eventually becoming their first GM and President before retiring after 1997. He passed away in 2013.
• Randall McDaniel was a Hall of Fame guard. Drafted #19 overall in 1988 out of Arizona State by the Minnesota Vikings, McDaniel played twelve years for the team and a final two in Tampa. He was selected to twelve consecutive Pro Bowls, only missing out in his first and final years of play. McDaniel scored a single touchdown in Tampa at the age of 36, making him the oldest NFL player to score their first.
• Mike Michalske was among the most prolific two-way linemen of the early NFL. The Penn State product joined the New York Yankees in 1926, earning acclaim as the best guard in the NFL. "Iron Mike" joined the Green Bay Packers in 1929, where he won three championships before a back injury forced his retirement in 1937, after which he entered into coaching. The five time All-Pro was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1964 and died in 1983.
• Ron Mix was a Hall of Fame OT who played most of his career in the AFL with the Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers. Mix was drafted #10 overall in 1960 out of USC by the Colts but opted to stay in his home state to join the brand new AFL, where he dominated and earned eight All-Star nominations. During one of those All-Star trips after the 1964 season, Mix notably became the first white AFL player to cross the color line and agree to boycott the game as long as it was hosted in the strictly segregationist New Orleans, an action that helped convince the league to move it to Houston. Nicknamed "The Intellectual Assassin", Mix attended law school throughout his pro football career and entered a career as a lawyer after his retirement following 1969 (though he returned for one more season in 1971 with the Raiders, mainly so that the Chargers could pick up a few draft picks in a trade).^note Nearly half a century later, he would be disbarred for tax fraud.
• Mike Munchak was a dominant guard drafted #8 overall in 1982 out of Penn State by the Houston Oilers, an organization he would serve in some capacity for the next 32 years. Munchak visited the Pro Bowl nine times during his twelve seasons as a player, than transitioned into coaching for the team when he retired from play after the Oiler's turbulent 1993 season; the organization retired his #63 almost immediately. He followed the team as Jeff Fisher's o-line coach during its transformation into the Tennessee Titans and eventually replaced Fisher as head coach in 2011. He produced middling results as HC and was fired after 2013 when he refused to fire most of his staff; he has since served as an o-line coach for the Steelers and Broncos. Munchak was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2001 for his playing career.
• Anthony Muñoz was an 11-time Pro Bowler considered by many to be the greatest offensive lineman of the modern era. The USC product was ranked #12 on NFL Network's Top 100 Greatest Players list, the highest of all offensive linemen. Muñoz played almost his entire 13-year career with the Cincinnati Bengals after they drafted him #3 overall in 1980^note He signed with the Buccaneers in 1992 but was cut and retired before the season started.; for decades, he was the only Bengal enshrined in the Hall of Fame, which he reached in his first eligible year. Due to an injury from his playing days, his pinky finger now bends outward at a 90-degree angle.
• George Musso was a two-way lineman and one of the largest players of the '30s, standing at 6'2" and weighing close to 270 lbs. A triple-sport athlete at now-D-III Millikin, his size made him particularly dominant in football. He had a successful tryout with the Chicago Bears in 1933 and became a regular starter by his second season, later switching to guard and earning three Pro Bowls while winning four titles. He retired in 1944, was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1982, and died in 2000.^note Fun fact: he also played against future presidents Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan in college, likely the only NFL player to ever do so.
• Tom Nalen was a Long Runner center for the Denver Broncos from 1994-2008 (though he missed all of his final season). Drafted in the seventh round out of Boston College, the five-time Pro Bowler led an o-line nicknamed "the Orange Hush" that produced ten 1,000+ yard rushers, including Terrell Davis' MVP-winning 2,000-yard season, and helped win two Super Bowls. However, despite his accomplishments rivaling those of many o-linemen enshrined in Canton, his name has often been ignored by the Hall of Fame's selection committee, though it does sit in the Broncos' Ring of Honor.
• The Nesser Brothers were the original football family, consisting of six brothers (John, Phil, Ted, Fred, Al, and Frank) out of twelve total siblings^note A seventh, Ray, is believed to have also played at some point, but it is unknown if he did or for how long that spent most of their careers as two-way linemen for the Columbus Panhandles. The brothers were all boilermakers for the Pennsylvania Railroad company who practiced football during their lunch breaks, eventually catching the attention of one of their coworkers, Joe Carr, who established a football team, the Columbus Panhandles, with the Nessers as the main attraction. The Panhandles would become one of the most popular and successful travelling teams in the nation, primarily due to the Nessers being among the best football players of the time, with Columbus joining the NFL as charter members in 1920. Most of the Nessers stayed in Columbus after joining the league, later being joined in 1921 by Ted’s son Charles, marking the only time in NFL history that a father and son played on the same team. Four of the brothers (John, Phil, Ted, and Fred) retired after 1921, with 46-year old John being the oldest player in league history until he was surpassed by George Blanda more than five decades later. Frank spent the rest of his career in Columbus before retiring in 1926, while Al went on to have the most successful career of the brothers, winning championships with the Akron Pros and New York Giants and being named All-Pro once before retiring in 1931. While none of the brothers have earned induction to Canton, the Hall of Fame has a display commemorating their success and contributions to the league.
• Nate Newton was a six-time Pro Bowl guard who most famously played with the Dallas Cowboys for 13 seasons through their '90s dynasty. Newton protected Troy Aikman's left side and was the face of the "Great Wall of Dallas", a Ragtag Bunch of Misfits who paved the way for Emmitt Smith's record-breaking rushing career. Newton played 16 total seasons in the NFL, made more impressive considering that he initially went undrafted out of the HBCU Florida A&M, didn't make the final roster in Washington, and was seriously injured in a car accident the day he was cut. After a few years in the USFL, Newton was swiped up by the Cowboys after that league folded. The immense lineman weighed well in excess of 300 pounds at a time when the league average was in the high 200s and gained the nickname "The Kitchen" because he was even bigger than Bears' defensive lineman William "The Refrigerator" Perry (see below). Newton retired in 1999 after a year with the Panthers; his history of legal issues caught up with him, leading to a year in prison for drug trafficking.
• Uche Nwaneri was a guard who played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, who drafted him in the 5th round out of Purdue in 2007. After seven seasons in Jacksonville, he signed with the Cowboys in 2014, but was cut before the season and retired. After retiring, he started a successful YouTube channel where he was known as The Observant Lineman until his death in 2022 from an apparent heart attack.
• Bart Oates was a center most famous for his time with the New York Giants in the late '80s and early '90s. Undrafted out of BYU, he initially signed with the Philadelphia Stars of the USFL and won two of that league's championships. When the USFL folded, he signed with the Giants as a 27-year-old NFL rookie and started 125 consecutive games while being part of their two Super Bowl winning teams of that era. He moved onto the 49ers as part of the league's first ever free agency class and won another Super Bowl there. A knee injury ultimately ended his career at age 37 and, despite his accolades including five Pro Bowl trips, he has never made it past the semi-finalist stage of the Hall of Fame. He famously earned his law degree while an active player and voiced himself in an episode of Aqua Teen Hunger Force where he was Carl's favorite player.
• Jonathan Ogden was the first ever draft pick of the Baltimore Ravens, who selected him #4 overall in 1996 out of UCLA. Ogden made the Pro Bowl eleven times before his retirement after 2007. Standing at over 6'9", he is the tallest player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. While he used his massive frame to devastating effect during plays, he was something of a Gentle Giant between them, frequently seen smiling and joking with other players. Interesting footnote: Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome had to convince Ravens owner Art Modell to allow him to select Ogden as Modell preferred Nebraska RB Lawrence Phillips.
• Shaun O'Hara was a center for the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants after going undrafted out of Rutgers in 2000. He entered the starting lineup in his second season and played well enough to earn a free agent contract in New York in 2004. However, his first season was cut short as a case of athlete's foot developed into a severe staph infection that put his foot (and career) at risk. (This, along with a few other prominent cases of infection around the same time, led to major improvements in cleanliness standards in team facilities around the league.) After recovering, he developed into a three-time Pro Bowler and was a captain for their Super Bowl XLII winning team. He retired following an injury plagued 2010 season and currently serves as an analyst on NFL Network.
• Michael Oher was an OT for the Ravens, Titans, and Panthers. A first round pick in 2009 out of Ole Miss, he had a solid if unspectacular NFL career (though he did win a Super Bowl with the Ravens and visited another with the Panthers) but is best known as the main subject of the 2006 Michael Lewis book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, which was adapted into the Oscar-winning film the year he joined the NFL.
• Jim Otto was an original star for the Oakland Raiders, drafted in the second round in their inaugural season of 1960 out of Miami (FL). The center amassed nine All-Star and three Pro-Bowl nods through his 15-year Hall of Fame career, during which he famously wore #00.^note This was permitted in both leagues both pre- and post-merger, but banned after the merger in 1973. He and Ken Burrough were grandfathered in. His physical style of play took its toll, however; Otto underwent dozens of operations during his career due to injuries, which riddled his body with chronic pain and caused numerous life-risking infections. He has been a prominent advocate for better health care and protections for the players that came after him.
• Orlando Pace was the #1 overall pick in 1997 after not allowing a sack in his final two college seasons at Ohio State and finishing 4th in Heisman voting, unheard of for an offensive lineman in the modern era. He was as big a part of the Rams' "Greatest Show on Turf" success as anyone, keeping Kurt Warner upright and opening running lanes for Marshall Faulk. After seven Pro Bowl selections and a Super Bowl win, Pace spent the final year of his career in Chicago before retiring in 2009. He entered the Hall of Fame in 2016.
• Jim Parker played tackle and guard for the Baltimore Colts for 11 years. Drafted #8 overall in 1957 from Ohio State, Parker quickly became one of the most renowned blockers in the league while protecting Johnny Unitas, being selected to eight Pro Bowls and helping the Colts to win two championships. Parker was a first-ballot Hall of Famer, had his #77 retired by the Colts, and was the first full-time offensive lineman to be enshrined in Canton; he passed away in 2005.
• Jason Peters is a Long Runner who has played nearly two decades in the NFL as one of its premier tackles, though he didn't even know how to play the position when he entered the league as an undrafted tight end out of Arkansas in 2004. After initially signing with the Buffalo Bills and learning the new position, he emerged in 2007 as a regular All-Pro. Peters was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2009 and played there for the next twelve seasons, earning a Super Bowl LII ring despite his 2017 season being cut short by a knee injury that likewise ended his run of nine Pro Bowl appearances. After being released by Philly after 2020, he has continued to bounce around the league with stints in Chicago, Dallas, and Seattle; at 41 years old, he is the NFL's oldest active player.
• Marvin Powell was a tackle drafted #4 overall in 1977 out of USC by the New York Jets. The five-time Pro Bowler served a tenure as the NFLPA president, retired in 1987 after two years with the Buccaneers, and died in 2022.
• Jim Ringo was a Hall of Fame center drafted in the seventh round out of Syracuse in 1953 by the Green Bay Packers. Very small for his position (just 211 pounds wen drafted) but exceptionally quick, intelligent, and dedicated, Ringo posted a then-record 182 straight games in his 15-year career. He earned seven Pro Bowl nods with the Packers and helped take Green Bay to their first two championships of the Lombardi era, only to be traded to the Eagles in 1964, where he put up three more Pro Bowl appearances before retiring after 1967. He then entered coaching; like fellow '60s Packer Hall of Famers Forrest Gregg and Bart Starr, the results of this stage of his career were less than stellar. He passed away in 2007.
• Willie Roaf was a tackle who spent the majority of his career with the New Orleans Saints, who drafted him #8 overall in 1993 out of Louisiana Tech. Nicknamed "Nasty" for his physical playstyle, he played with the Saints until 2001. He was then traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2002, lasting there until he retired in 2005. He made the Pro Bowl an impressive 11 times, from 1994-2000 and again from 2002-05. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2012.
• Chris Samuels was an OT who spent his entire 10-year career with Washington, who drafted him #3 overall in 2000 out of Alabama. During his career, he went to six Pro Bowls and became a major contributor for the team's rushing attack. He retired in 2010 due to a spinal stenosis injury and was named to Washington's Ring of Honor in 2019; he would later be featured on The Real Housewives of the Potomac for four seasons.
• Jesse Sapolu was an interior lineman who spent his entire 14-year career with the 49ers after they drafted him in the 11th round in 1983 out of Hawaii. While there were other Polynesian players in the NFL before him, the Samoan-descended Sapolu was the first to reach immense success, winning four Super Bowls and being named to two Pro Bowls as both a guard and center. Following his playing career, he co-founded the Polynesian Pro Football Hall of Fame and is active in Polynesian youth football programs.
• Jeff Saturday was a center best known for snapping to and protecting Peyton Manning with the Indianapolis Colts. Saturday went undrafted out of North Carolina in 1998 and failed to make the final team with the Baltimore Ravens. After a year working at an electronics store, Saturday landed a tryout with the Colts and established himself as one of the league's premier linemen, being selected to five Pro Bowls in Indy as a key support to Manning's '00s passing dominance. He picked up a sixth Pro Bowl selection with the Packers in 2012, giving him one last chance to snap to Manning (now with the Broncos) in the Pro Bowl before he retired. After several years as an analyst and high school football coach, Saturday was hired to be the Colts' interim head coach in the middle of the 2022 season, making him the first NFL HC in the Super Bowl era to have no prior coaching experience at the college or pro levels;^note Though, notably, he also has the most career games played by a former player to become a head coach (211). his tenure likely explains why this was the case, as he went 1-7, with one of those losses involving surrendering a record 33-point lead.
• Dick Schafrath was a popular figure in Ohio sports, politics, and culture. A national champion at Ohio State, the left tackle/guard was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the second round in 1959 and went on to earn seven Pro Bowl nods in a 13-year career. For all his success on the gridiron, "The Mule" was perhaps equally notable for his stubborn nature that manifested in numerous off-field demonstrations of his endurance for the sake of bets and dares, including once wrestling a bear, running 60 miles, and canoeing across Lake Erie. After his retirement, he later entered politics and served as a State Senator from 1987-2000. He passed away in 2021.
• Mark Schlereth was initially drafted in the 10th round out of Idaho by Washington in 1989. He became a valuable contributor to the "Hogs" dominant o-line, earning a Pro Bowl nod in 1991 and helping the team win Super Bowl XXVI that same season, becoming the first Alaskan-born athlete to win a Super Bowl. In 1995, he signed with the Denver Broncos, winning two more Super Bowls and earning another Pro Bowl nod in 1998 while blocking for John Elway and Terrell Davis. He retired in 2000 due to injury issues — he had 29 surgeries over his career, 20 for his knees alone (15 left, 5 right). He is perhaps best known for his nickname Stink, which he got due to his habit of urinating in his uniform while sitting on the bench. He later entered into a minor career as a TV actor and currently serves as a commentator for Fox. Fun fact: Schlereth is one of very few players to be born and raised in Alaska and the most accomplished from the state by a sizable margin.
• Billy Shaw was a guard who played for the Buffalo Bills, who drafted him in the second round in 1961 out of Georgia Tech, his entire career. He became a major contributor quickly, earning eight consecutive AFL All-Star Game nods from 1962-69 and helping the Bills win back-to-back AFL Championships in 1964-65. He retired in 1969 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999, becoming the only inductee to never play in the NFL. During his enshrinement speech, he forgot to mention his wife and had to apologize on stage.
• Will Shields was a Hall of Fame guard for the Kansas City Chiefs, who drafted him in the third round in 1993 out of Nebraska, for 14 seasons. He was aptly named; in that time, Shields was selected to twelve consecutive Pro Bowls while leading a line that paved running lanes for dominant backs like Marcus Allen, Priest Holmes, and Larry Johnson.
• Duke Slater was a two-way lineman during the 1920s and an early pioneer for African-American players as the league's first black lineman. He spent ten years playing with the Rock Island Independents and Chicago Cardinals^note plus two games with the Milwaukee Badgers while earning six All-Pros and receiving praise for being near unstoppable on both sides of the line, with opponents constantly double teaming him due to his immense strength and arm reach. He played all 60 minutes in every game he appeared in and only missed one game in his career, not because of injury, but because the team that was hosting them, the Kansas City Blues, did not allow black players in their stadium. Slater was the only black player in the NFL in 1927 and 1929. He retired from playing in 1931; a few years later, the NFL unofficially banned black players, after which Slater helped to assemble and occasionally coach all-black teams. During his playing career, Slater also studied law at Iowa, earning his degree in 1928 and later becoming the second black lawyer to be elected to a Chicago court in 1948. Slater was the only black player elected to the charter class of the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951 and was a finalist for the inaugural class of the Pro Hall in 1963. However, Slater was ultimately left out of Canton, died of cancer in 1966, and wouldn’t be inducted until 2020 as part of its Centennial Class.
• Jackie Slater was an OT for the L.A. Rams from 1976-95. A 3rd round pick out of HBCU Jackson State (where he was a teammate of Walter Payton), he didn't become a starter until his fourth season but quickly became a fixture on the Rams line for the next 15 years. At the peak of his career, the Rams o-line was arguably the most dominant in the NFL, particularly in regards to enabling the team's run game; Eric Dickerson shattered records with Slater and company clearing the way, and even after his departure, relatively obscure Ram RBs like Charles White, Greg Bell, and Cleveland Gary continued to lead the NFL in rushing TDs. A seven-time Pro Bowler, Slater set the record for most seasons played by a position player for a single team at 20 (since tied by Darrell Green with Washington), had his #78 retired by the Rams (where he still holds the franchise record for games played), and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. He is the father of Patriots special teams ace Matthew Slater.
• Tyron Smith was drafted #9 overall in 2011 out of USC by the Dallas Cowboys. The OT established himself as one of the best o-linemen in franchise history, racking up eight Pro Bowl nods and a spot on the 2010s All-Decade Team. Unfortunately, the current longest-tenured Cowboy has struggled with injuries in recent years.
• Gus Sonnenberg was one of the smallest lineman in NFL history, standing at a whopping 5'6" and 176 lbs. Despite his short size, the Detroit product managed to be a perennial All-Pro as a tackle (and kicker) throughout the '20s, playing with five (all-defunct) teams between 1923 and 1930, most notably winning a championship with the Providence Steam Roller in 1928. That same year, he made his debut in professional wrestling and was one of the biggest draws in the Boston area, creating the "flying tackle" move and holding the heavyweight title from January 1929 to December 1930. He remained one of the sport's biggest attractions, briefly reclaiming the championship title in 1939, before enlisting in the Navy a few years later to serve in World War II. He died from leukemia in 1944 and was posthumously inducted to the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2007.
• Bob St. Clair played OT for the San Francisco 49ers for eleven seasons after being drafted in the third round in 1953. He was selected to five Pro Bowls and inducted into the Hall of Fame but was better known by fans and teammates for his various personal eccentricities, which earned him the nickname "The Geek". A San Francisco native, St. Clair was A Hero to His Hometown and one of the only NFL players to literally play at the same home field in high school, college, and his entire pro career^note though he had to finish his college career at Tulsa after San Francisco ended its football program. He was even voted mayor of the neighboring Daly City and served his term while still an active player. His #79 was retired by the 49ers before he passed away in 2015.
• Dick Stanfel was a guard drafted in the second round by the Detroit Lions out of San Francisco in 1951. A knee injury delayed his pro career by a year, but it did little to hurt his on field production, earning two All-Pros and anchoring the Lions offense that appeared in three straight championships. He was traded to Washington in '56, where he earned three more All-Pros despite playing on some lackluster teams, but repeated injuries led to his early retirement in 1958. After his retirement, Stanfel spent three decades as an o-line coach across the NFL, most notably serving as an interim head coach for the 1980 Saints and winning a Super Bowl with the Bears during the '80s. He died in 2015 and was posthumously inducted to the Hall of Fame a year later.
• Dwight Stephenson was a center for the Miami Dolphins, who drafted him in the second round in 1980 out of Alabama. With Stephenson as its captain, the Dolphins o-line allowed the fewest sacks in the league for six straight seasons, paving the way for Dan Marino's early record-breaking passing performances. While the five-time Pro Bowler's time in the NFL was cut short by a Career-Ending Injury to his knee in 1987, he was still widely recognized as the best center of the '80s and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998.
• Mark Stepnoski was the C for the Dallas Cowboys dynasty in the early-mid '90s after they drafted him in the third round in 1989 out of Pittsburgh. Despite an All-American college career, he fell in the draft due to being extremely undersized for the position, weighing in at 265 lbs. Still, he earned the starting job by the end of his rookie season and played well between much larger guards in Mark Tuinei and Nate Newton (see above), 50 and 70 pounds heavier than Stepnoski, respectively. He won two Super Bowls with the Cowboys, earned three All-Pro nods, and was selected to five Pro Bowls as well as being named to the NFL's '90s All-Decade team. In 1994, following the institution of the salary cap, he became the first big name Cowboy to leave the team via nascent free agency and moved onto the Houston Oilers. In 1999, he returned to the Cowboys and retired in 2001. Since then, he has become one of the leading ex-player advocates of marijuana legalization and is something of a Conspiracy Theorist, likely contributing to exclusion from the Hall of Fame.
• Korey Stringer was an OT for the Minnesota Vikings, who drafted him #24 overall in 1995 out of Ohio State and made the Pro Bowl in 2000. In 2001, he tragically died from complications related to heat stroke during the Vikings training camp. His death brought about changes in how NFL teams conduct their practices, as many teams now train in lighter color uniforms with water and shade being made readily available. His death also led to greater criticism of teams pressuring their players to bulk up to more than 300 lbs. The Vikings inducted him into their Ring of Honor and retired his #77.
• Joe Stydahar was a Hall of Fame two-way tackle who made his name with the "Monsters of the Midway" Chicago Bears in the 1940s. Massive for his era at 6'4", Stydahar was drafted #6 overall out of West Virginia in 1936. He was a key part of three championship seasons in Chicago, though he missed 1933-34 due to WWII service in the Navy. He retired from playing after 1946 and immediately entered coaching, eventually being named HC of the Los Angeles Rams in 1950. He immediately found success in L.A., organizing a three-end offense in his first year that still leads the NFL in single-season points-per-game (38.8) and winning the championship the following year. However, his incredibly promising HC career was derailed just one game into the following season due to conflicts with his assistant Hamp Pool, forcing him to resign and cede control; he put up two abysmal seasons with the Chicago Cardinals, then later returned as an assistant with the Bears. He passed away in 1977.
• Joe Thomas was a first-ballot Hall of Fame OT who spent his entire career with the Cleveland Browns. Drafted #3 overall in 2007 out of Wisconsin, Thomas played every single offensive snap from his first game in 2007 until suffering a season-ending torn triceps during the 2017 season (an NFL record 10,363 snaps), something that likely had something to do with the team's 0-16 record that year. He then surprised everybody by deciding to retire, leaving behind an immense legacy, most notably as one of only 5 players in NFL history to be named to 10 consecutive Pro Bowls. Despite his talent and individual successes, the Browns were the worst team in the league over the span of his career, never making the playoffs. Thomas nonetheless embraced Cleveland, making the area his full-time home, and he got his often-expressed wish of playing his entire career as a Brown and doing his part in turning them into a contender (even if team management couldn't help him out). He currently serves as an analyst for NFL Network.
• Mick Tingelhoff was a center who spent his entire career with the Minnesota Vikings, who signed him as an undrafted free agent in 1962 out of Nebraska. During his career, he made six Pro Bowls from 1964-69 and played in (and lost) four Super Bowls. He started 240 consecutive games over 17 seasons, second most at the time of his retirement in 1978, only behind his teammate Jim Marshall's 270. The Vikings retired his #53 and placed him in their Ring of Honor, and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015 after a 32-year wait. He died in 2021.
• George Trafton was a Hall of Fame two-way C and LB who spent his entire playing career with the Chicago Bears. He played at Notre Dame but was kicked off the team after they found out he previously played professionally under a fake name. He signed with the Bears in 1920, where he was the first center to snap the ball one-handed (partially out of necessity, since he was missing his left index finger) while also proving to be a monstrous hitter on defense, earning recognition as one of the league's top linemen and possibly its most hated player. Trafton's aggressive and "dirty" playstyle made him disliked across every city in the NFL, with Rock Island and Green Bay in particular despising him; his rookie campaign saw him run out of Rock Island after he injured four of their players in the same game. He retired in 1932 having won two championships with the Bears, later spending several years in the '40s as a line coach for the Packers and Rams before moving to the CFL as head coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers from 1951-53. Outside of the NFL, he spent a couple years as a boxer and opened his own gym during the '30s. He passed away in 1971.
• Laremy Tunsil is an OT currently playing for the Houston Texans. Coming out of Ole Miss in 2016 Draft, he was rated as the #1 overall prospect by many prominent draft experts and was expected to be the first tackle, if not the first non-QB, off the board. However, 10 minutes before the draft began, a video of Tunsil smoking a bong and a screenshot of a text where Tunsil was requesting money from Ole Miss' Assistant AD were posted to his Instagram page. His agent claimed that Tunsil's account was hacked, but the damage had been done; multiple teams reportedly removed Tunsil from their draft boards and he fell to the Dolphins at pick #13, the third OT off the board. After three middling years in Miami, he was traded to the Texans where he broke out as one of the best tackles in the league, making multiple Pro Bowls and, in 2023, signing the largest deal for an offensive linemen in league history to that point.
• Clyde "Bulldog" Turner was a Hall of Fame two-way player best known as a center, though he was also an excellent linebacker who led the league in interceptions in 1942. Drafted #7 overall by the Chicago Bears in 1940 out of the tiny Hardin-Simmons, Turner led the dominant o-line that took the "Monsters of the Midway" to four championships in the '40s. He made seven first-team All-Pro selections before his retirement after 1952, at which point the Bears retired his #66 and he transitioned into coaching. Turner served as the head coach of the New York Titans in 1962, a year wrought with off-field issues as the owner ran out of cash; he was let go when the team was bought-out and renamed the Jets. Turner passed away in 1998.
• Gene Upshaw was a guard drafted #7 overall by the Oakland Raiders in 1967 out of HBCU Texas A&I (now Texas A&M-Kingsville). The Hall of Famer played for the Raiders for 15 seasons and made six Pro Bowls with his effective and gritty style of play. Renowned for his durability, Upshaw started his career with 231 straight starts, a record yet to be surpassed by any player. After his retirement, Upshaw became the sometimes controversial executive director of the NFL Players Association, leading the union during the failed 1987 strike and remaining in the position until his sudden death from pancreatic cancer in 2008.
• Jeff Van Note was a center drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the eleventh round in 1969 out of Kentucky. Despite his low draft stock, the mustachioed lineman was one of the few consistent stars on a Falcons franchise that otherwise largely struggled during his 18-year career with the team, missing only four out of 250 possible games and playing the longest of anyone in franchise history. He made six Pro Bowl appearances, briefly served as NFLPA president, was enshrined in the Falcons Ring of Honor, and spent several years as the Falcons' color commentator after his retirement.
• Alejandro Villanueva is an OT who emerged in 2017 as one of the most unlikely NFL stars. How unlikely? For starters, he's a Spanish military brat, born in Mississippi while his naval officer father was assigned with NATO. His father's military career took him to Rhode Island, back to Spain, and then to NATO headquarters in Belgium, where he attended a US-run high school for NATO brats and was first exposed to American football. From there, he went to West Point, where he played three different positions (DE, OT, and WR) and grew to 6'9" (2.06 m for metric folks). Villanueva took a commission in the U.S. Army and joined the Army Rangers, serving three tours of duty in Afghanistan and earning a Bronze Star. He attended an NFL regional combine during a 2014 leave period and was signed by the Eagles, with the Army giving him its blessing to put his military career on hold. The Eagles signed him as an defensive end but cut him in training camp. The Steelers signed him little more than a week later, switching him to the O-line. He made the main roster in 2015, working his way to a starting role and two Pro Bowl berths, but he made his biggest headlines during the 2017 national anthem protests. Before one game that season in Chicago, the Steelers decided not to take the field during the anthem in an attempt to avoid controversy; however, due to a misunderstanding, he went out to the middle of the tunnel during the anthem instead of being with his teammates in the locker room. While he got some criticism, his action led to his jersey briefly becoming the league's biggest seller. He retired after spending 2021 with the Ravens.
• Richmond Webb was drafted by the Miami Dolphins #9 overall in 1990 out of Texas A&M. The tackle made the Pro Bowl in each of his first seven seasons and he made the All-Decade Team, but injuries took their toll, and he retired in 2002 after two years with the Bengals.
• Mike Webster was the Hall of Fame center for the Pittsburgh Steelers during their heyday years of the "Steel Curtain" in the 1970s. Nicknamed "Iron Mike", Webster was only a fifth round pick out of Wisconsin in the 1974 Draft, but he helped make the Steelers' offense as durable as their defense and was selected to nine Pro Bowls over a 17-year career. After his retirement, Webster began suffering from amnesia, dementia, depression, and such intense pain that he at times used a taser to get himself to sleep. Eventually, he filed a disability claim with the NFL, claiming his time in the league led to his disabilities. After being evaluated by Webster's and the NFL's own doctors, the claim was upheld, and he began to receive disability payments until his death in 2002. It was the first time the NFL admitted that league play could result in disability, though this was not made public until over a decade later. After Webster's death, an examination of his brain found that he was suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a disease that had only been previously linked to boxers and jockeys. Further studies of other NFL players who suffered from cognitive disability, severe mental illness, and suicidal depression led to more discoveries of CTE. The public outcry that followed forced the NFL to re-evaluate its policies regarding head trauma, and they are still trying to save face as more facts continue to come to light showing how long and how diligently the league tried to deflect the problem (in some government hearings, the league was compared to the cigarette industry and the tactics it used). The film Concussion is in part a dramatization of Webster's story, from the point of view from the doctor who discovered his CTE.^note The 2013 book (and PBS Frontline documentary) League of Denial is an excellent overview of the entire story.
• Trent Williams has been one of the most dominant o-linemen since he was drafted #4 overall by Washington in 2010. The Oklahoma product has made the Pro Bowl every season starting in 2012 due to his exceptional talent and unique speed and mobility... well, almost every season. In 2019, he sat out the season in order to force a trade, having blamed the team's medical staff for failing to recognize and treat a potentially life-threatening sarcoma on his scalp for six years. He was eventually sent to the San Francisco 49ers the following year and has continued to cement his reputation as one of the best to ever play the position.
• Rayfield Wright, nicknamed "Big Cat" for his exceptional footwork, was a Hall of Fame OT for the Dallas Cowboys. Drafted in the seventh round in 1967 out of the small Fort Valley State, Wright's contributions helped the 'Boys reach five Super Bowls and win two in his 13 seasons with the team, during which was chosen for the Pro Bowl in six straight years. He died in 2022.
• Andrew Whitworth is an OT known for his longevity and respected reputation on and off the field. A second round pick out of LSU in 2006, "Big Whit" spent the first eleven seasons of his career with the Cincinnati Bengals before going to the Los Angeles Rams in 2017. He picked up four Pro Bowl noms, served as a dependable part of the line that took the Rams to two Super Bowl appearances, and garnered acclaim for his charitable works. In the 2021-22 postseason, a few days after being named Walter Payton Man of the Year, the 40-year-old white-bearded tackle became the oldest lineman to both play in and win a Super Bowl, ironically against his former team from Cincy, before deciding to retire on top and go into television analysis.^note Whitworth was actually older than both of the head coaches in that Super Bowl.
• Steve Wisniewski, a.k.a. "The Wiz", was a guard who played his entire 13-year career with the Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, accumulating eight Pro-Bowl nods with the team after Dallas drafted him in the second round in 1989 out of Penn State. Part of a large football family, as his brother and nephew both played in the NFL (the latter winning two Super Bowls with the Eagles and Chiefs).
• Marshal Yanda was a guard who played for the Baltimore Ravens after being picked in the third round out of Iowa in 2007. Despite such accolades as making six consecutive Pro Bowls from 2011-16 (he suffered a broken ankle and missed most of 2017, breaking the streak) and being widely considered the best active player at his position, he didn't get much popular attention until 2019 when, with QB Lamar Jackson, the Ravens had a breakout year with a record-setting running attack. Yanda, as the centerpiece of the offensive line that supported said running attack, finally got some time in the spotlight before he opted to retire early in 2020.
• Ron Yary was a Hall of Fame tackle and the #1 overall pick of the 1968 Draft, going to the Minnesota Vikings with a pick they had secured by trading Fran Tarkenton to the Giants the year before. The USC product was a key part of the Vikings' four-time Super Bowl-losing team (ironically protecting a returned Tarkenton for most of his tenure), missing only two games in his career from a broken ankle. Yary was selected to seven Pro Bowls and retired in 1982 after a year with the Rams.
• Gary Zimmerman was a Hall of Fame OT from the '80s and '90s. After initially going to the USFL out of Oregon, his rights were acquired by the Minnesota Vikings in 1986 following the league's collapse. After an incident where his criticism of his teammates was made public by the media, he vowed to never speak to the press again. He carried that philosophy with him when he signed with the Denver Broncos, where he helped the franchise win their first Super Bowl before retiring after 1997; the rest of the Broncos' o-line took up his media silence as a tradition until the NFL mandated press availability several years later.