In his first four years he was a top backup for Ted Washington forming an amazing 1-2 punch. Pro Football Journal: The Best Nose Tackles in NFL History - Blogger 1 Joe Greene 3,939 votes Charles Edward Greene (born September 5, 1946), better known as "Mean" Joe Greene, is a former American football defensive tackle who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football .more #1208 of 1,316 The Best Athletes Of All Time #11 of 25 Old Athletes You Didn't Realize Are Still Alive #1 of 146 He was First-team All-Pro once and a Second-team All-Pro twice and was a Pro Bowler all three of those seasons. You simply cant run a 3-4 defensive scheme without one. Again, these are two completely different positions in the game of football and have entirely different roles in defensive schemes. Such is life. But the tenacious and resourcefulfourth-year prois a significant member of the Bears defensive line rotation. The crown as the best non-Donald interior defender is a tough one to claim definitively, but in 2019 it belonged to Heyward. Who are the Top 10 greatest Nose Tackles of all time? : r/nfl - reddit His pro career started as remaining undrafted and ended as one of the best nose tackles of all time! This player is only used in a 3-4 defensive scheme, opposed to a 4-3 defensive scheme. He was solid in all aspects and could have been a terrific 3-technique if asked. Fat Pat Williams is top 10 material bias aside. Relying on awesome strength and excellent leverage, Garay is able to create a powerful forward push, few centers can deal with. If theres a tight end on the play, a 6-technique lines up head-to-head with the tight end. If youre interested in learning more about the nose tackle position in football, continue reading for a full breakdown of what a nose tackle does and what it takes to be a dominant nose tackle. Sometimes a nose tackle or defensive tackle will line up in a 1-technique. Career stats: 106 games started, 5.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, 150 tackles, four-time Pro Bowler. They are often referred to as the anchor of the defense because their sole responsibility is to limit the amount of space an offense has down the middle of the line of scrimmage. Top 25 offensive tackles in the 2021 NFL season - Pro Football Network However, his play for the Titans down the stretch was . While many people often confuse a nose guard with a nose tackle, many fans also use the terms nose tackle and defensive tackle interchangeably. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Joel Steed will come . He benefits from a strong and talented supporting cast, but everything the Steelers are able to do on defense, is determined by the play of Hampton. With a little more experience at the position, Sopoaga could beexpected to top a similar list in the near future. And as was normal, Long would play the three-technique in passing situations. Here is a ranking ofthe 10 best nose tackles in the game today. It seems unfair to rank him above more versatile players like Ratliff and Wilfork, but from a purist point of view, Casey Hampton is the finest nose tackle in the game. Tom LaMarre. Email us at: He was a First-team All-Pro in 1986-88 and was Second-team in 1985 when he had 7 sacks (he had 6.5 in 1988) and was a three-time Pro Bowler and three-time Super Bowl champion. One of the least glamorous positions in the NFL is Nose Tackle, but they are still a critical position in the NFL so who are the greats? Ratliff is one of the most dominant players in the league and is the key to the Cowboys multiple 3-4 scheme. In the Bears under front,Toeaina is required to take on the center and occupy the interior, creating one on one matchups for pass rushing defensive ends and the 3-technique tackle. Williams would rush into the offense and occupy multiple blockers to create a lane of pursuit for fellow defenders. Bill Wills is one such example, he was undrafted in the 1946 draft! Gil Brandt's greatest NFL tackles of all time - NFL.com He would also play left end on occasion, usually when Lyle Alzado was taking a series off or if he missed a game or two. Smears was an exceptional talent. Hopefully, Whitworth and the rest of Los Angeles can have a bounce-back year as they will look to contend in a very competitive NFC West. NFL, one of the most exciting sports leagues in the world, is the gathering place of all American football legends. 25 Best Undrafted NFL Players of All Time - AthlonSports.com Vita is one of the best nose tackles in the NFL because he has the ability at 345-pounds to rush the passer. In the 1980 season, almost 3/4ths of teams were running one. This is different from the 0-technique, which is responsible for the two gaps in between the center and both offensive guards. He was All-Pro in 1990 then made a Pro Bowl in 1995. Of course, thats not the case with any odd-numbered technique. Top 10 NFL Strong Safeties of All Time Rankings Burt also helped the 49ers in their Super Bowl seasons as a rotation nose tackle. Take a look at how they stack. B/R NFL 1000: Top 50 Defensive Tackles - Bleacher Report Probably the most technically sound nose tackle on this list, Wilfork's leverage and footwork are outstanding. Wilfork was drafted by the Patriots with the 21st overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. [Family Ethnicity & Religion], Bruce Wills And Demi Moores Divorce History & Their Kids. Former New England Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork was announced as this year's inductee into the team's Hall of Fame on Tuesday. You have to keep in mind that offensive linemen are big players and that the nose tackle is almost always double-teamed. He ended his career with 510 tackles and 35.5 sacks and 57.5 run stuffs. Despite being a 5-time pro bowler, he is still not in the hall of fame. His power and ferocity at the point of attack make him virtually impossible to handle one on one. The quintessential 2-gap artist, Hampton is the cornerstone of the Steelers ferocious run defense. Some of these men are considered to be the best nose tackles to ever play the game, and if you're looking for a specific football player you can look for them by using the "search" function on this list. He played a total of 200 games and recorded 20.5 sacks and 8 forced fumbles. An excellent athlete for the position, Sharrif Floyd (6'3", 305 lbs, one season) has lateral quickness and moves well both along the line of scrimmage and heading upfield to make tackles. At 6'4" and287 pounds, Ratliff is taller and significantly lighter than the prototypical NFL nose tackle. Team (s): Seattle Seahawks. Defensive nose tackles do not have flashy statistics or bouquets of trophies on their accolades; rather, they silently distribute for the teams wins. Plenty of other factors were there, but the move to the 3-4 defense and Culp's play in it were certainly right up there in the reasons why there was a turnaround (they were 3-31 in the previous 34 games prior to Culp's arrival.). ", Minnesota Vikings, 1967-1978; Chicago Bears, 1978-1981 Played in four Super Bowls, one-time NFL champion 1971 NFL MVP Two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Voted to nine Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro six times NFL 1970s All-Decade Team Played in 238 consecutive games Had six seasons of double-digit sacks, including 18 in 1976; unofficially finished with 173 career sacks Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams, 2014-Present Voted to three Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro two times 2014 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Set record for fastest recorded 40 time for DT at NFL Scouting Combine Has logged 28 sacks and 116 tackles in his three NFL seasons Voted 15th best player in NFL on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017, Cincinnati Bengals 2010-present Voted to Pro Bowl six times, First Team All-Pro twice 290 career tackles, 61 sacks, and eight forced fumbles, Detroit Lions, 1960-1966; Los Angeles Rams, 1967-1969 Voted to six Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro two times Member of the Rams' "Fearsome Foursome" First player in NFL history with playing weight exceeding 300 pounds Sacked Bart Starr seven times (one for a safety) in the famous 1962 "Thanksgiving Day Massacre", Kansas City Chiefs, 1968-1974; Houston Texans 1974-1980; Detroit Lions, 1980-1981 One-time Super Bowl champion Voted to six Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro one time 1975 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Unofficially had 68 sacks and 14 forced fumbles in 14 NFL seasons Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Minnesota Vikings, 1990-2000; Seattle Seahawks, 2001-2003 Voted to seven Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro six times 1997 NFL sacks leader NFL 1990s All-Decade Team Played in 219 career NFL games, recording 137.5 sacks and 556 tackles Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Kansas City Chiefs, 1963-1975 One-time Super Bowl champion, two-time AFL champion Voted to eight Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro four times, six AFL All-Star games Played in 182 career NFL games, including 166 consecutively Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Seattle Seahawks, 1990-2000 Voted to eight Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro three times 1992 NFL Defensive Player of the Year NFL 1990s All-Decade Team Had 58 sacks and 568 tackles durin 11-year NFL career Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, New York Yanks, 2948-1949; New York Giants, 1950-1953 Two-time NFL champion Voted to four Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro five times Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1995-2003; Oakland Raiders, 2004-2007 One-time Super Bowl champion Voted to seven Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro four times 1999 NFL Defensive Player of the Year NFL All-Decade Team in 1990s and 2000s Recorded 96.5 career sacks, 435 tackles, and 19 forced fumbles Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Dallas Cowboys, 1975-1988 One-time Super Bowl champion Super Bowl XII co-MVP Voted to nine Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro seven times NFL 1980s All-Decade Team Unofficially recorded 111 sacks (high of 16 in 1978) and 1,104 tackles in 14 NFL seasons Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Los Angeles Rams, 1962-1977 Voted to 14 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro five times 1962 NFL Rookie of the Year NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team,Br> Member of two NFL All-Decade Teams (1960s, 1970s) Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Pittsburgh Steelers, 1969-1981 Four-time Super Bowl champion Voted to 10 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro five times Two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team Recorded unofficial 78.5 career sacks and 16 fumble recoveries Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Dallas Cowboys, 1961-1974 One-time Super Bowl champion Voted to 11 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro seven times NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team member of NFL's All-Decade Teams in 1960s and 1970s Started every game (164) of his 14-year career 29-yard sack of Bob Griese in Super Bowl VI is NFL record and one of the most memorable in Super Bowl history Scored four defensive touchdowns in career Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Pro Bowl: 6 times (1969, 1971, 19751978), Defensive Player of the Year: 1 time (1975). List of the most famous (American) football nose tackles in the history of the sport, listed by popularity with photos of the players when available. These players are often the most recognized players in the locker room especially among the defensive coordinators for helping clear up space for the rest of the team. Besides, he had been a part of the 49ers three super bowl winning teams and a three-time first-team all-pro and three-time pro bowler. Al Amin Sagor is simply a movie freak who is passionate about writing entertainment content. Gary Dunn/NT - 1976-1987. as a nose tackle, mostly a backup or part-time player. From there Peko is able to frequently split double teams and spearhead the Bengals run defense. He was a 'move' guy, not a power guy and he could rush the passer very well in addition to playing his two-gap responsibilities. With Sopoaga over the center, Navorro Bowman and Patrick Willis are always kept clean and remain free to chase plays down. Lets take a look at some of those specific nose tackles: Its unclear if well ever see any nose tackles in the future that live up to the names listed above, but theres no doubt that these players are some of the least-recognized superstars of their time. He used his size to his advantage and made the lives of the blockers impossible. With that said, most nose tackles in the league are anywhere from 60 to 63 and weigh anywhere from 300-350 pounds. A high-motor, hustle type. From his 121 games, he recorded 121 sacks. WithToeaina in the lineup, there is often more space for destructive duo Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs to exploit. Bob Baumhower Baumhower was a unique player, tall (6-5) for a nose tackle and may have been better suited as a 4-3 tackle or 3-4 end. all the guys ahead of him were better than he was. One name that is well worth mentioning among the Top 10 Strong Safety All-Time list is the former Seattle Seahawks and Pro Football Hall of Famer strong safety Kenny Easley. With that said, Im happy to have you on the site and hope I can help you out in achieving your goals! 16. Since nose tackles are largely responsible for clogging up the middle of the line of scrimmage, its almost required that they have a big body thats difficult to block. One of his best assets is his quick first step, giving him an excellent takeoff at the snap. Wilfork has seamlessly transitioned to a 4-3 front and has been by far the Patriots best defensive player this season. I also thought Jamal Williams was excellent for a few years at his peak. Ive played and watched sports all my life and have coached them as well for the last few years. In recent seasons the position has taken on greater significance thanks to the proliferation of 3-4 fronts. Check. He ended his career with just 20.5 sacks but the main reason he was on the field was to stop the run and that he did, evidenced by his 90 run stuffs in his career (five times he had 9.0 or more). John Banaszak: Born in rival city Cleveland, Ohio, John Banaszak played in Pittsburgh's final three Super Bowls of the 1970s starting in Super Bowls XIII and XIV. . Carter played nine seasons, 121 games with 97 starts. Like Bill Wills, Pat Williams was also undrafted in 1997. A 375-pounder as a defensive tackle is something not everyone can expect. Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, 1968-1982 Voted to eight Pro Bowls; First Team All-Pro two times Two-time Super Bowl champion Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Cleveland Browns, 1946-1967 Voted to nine Pro Bowls; First Team All-Pro four times Four-time NFL champion Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Buffalo Bills 2004-2008; Philadelphia Eagles 2009-present One-time Super Bowl champion (LII) Voted to Pro Bowl nine times, First Team All-Pro twice Has started 166 of 176 career games Has two career receiving touchdowns, Dallas Cowboys 2011-present Voted to Pro Bowl five times, First Team All-Pro twice Voted No. Kendall Wright looked like the perfect slot receiver for a lot of the year. 6'5" and around 375 pounds, he was literally an immovable object in the trenches. He also covers media and entertainment news on various online platforms. As you learn more about football, you start to hear the term defensive technique. Its not something a normal fan has to be concerned about, but its something that gets mentioned by the announcers and commentators regularly. The creative direction of Super Bowl LVII was inspired by the beauty of Arizona's natural landscapes - from its grand rock formations to its vast rainbow skies. Sugar Bear Hamilton began his career as a defensive end in 1973 but when the Patriots moved to a 3-4 defensive full-time in 1974 he was the middle guard. The 3-4 had been around for years but no one committed to it on an every-down basis like the Patriots in 1974. Akiem Hicks is one of the best run defenders in the NFL today. Joe Nash is a glaring omission. It all depends on the game situation. This allows the defensive ends to cover the outside of the offensive line and frees up the middle linebackers to find the quarterback or running back. He can sometimes be a little inconsistent against the run and doesn't always bring the same fiery determination to disrupting the ground game. 25. No nose tackle has been First-team All-Pro more or gone to more Pro Bowls than Smerlas. Ostensibly a 2-gapper, Raji manages to make a lot of plays behind the line of scrimmage. He was a true 2 gap run stuffer. His 47.5 sacks and 779 tackles put him easily among the best who have ever played. Vita Vea Tampa Bay Buccaneers Highlights " The Freak" Fletcher Cox Team: Philadelphia Eagles But Ball did it. A 3-4 defensive scheme is more of a base defense that can be effective against the run and pass when performed correctly. We may reconsider in the future, but for now, we put him with the tackles. You can guess from his career highlights how much we could write about him. With 91 games played during his career, made . He did play some 3-4 end in his career and was always effective as a defensive tackle in the Chiefs 4-man lines when they went to nickel, he would routinely turn in 5, 6, or 7-sack seasons. Wilfork is widely considered one of the best nose tackles to play the game of football. In fact, he ended his career with 53 sacks with highs in 9 in 1977, 8 in 1980 and 6 in 1976. Coming out of Georgia, Wynn was clearly a great athlete and an accomplished player, but he was far from the prototype in terms of height and length for offensive tackles in the NFL. Most defensive tackles that line up in a 4-3 defensive scheme are lining up in a 3-technique. Nose Tackle: A Comprehensive Guide to the Football Position List of Famous Football Nose Tackles - Ranker His 10 kick blocks rank top 10 among all NFL players. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Washington had played for several teams in his 17-year-long career. He had unusually large legs and Dolphin locker room lore includes the fact that even the large socks would not fully cover Baumhower's calves when stretched all the way to the top. But the starter at nose in the first game was Lyle Alzado, not Carter. From Culp to Jerry Ball, everyone featured in this article has played major roles in their teams success, which established them as the best defensive nose tackles of all time in the NFL. Gil Brandt's greatest NFL tackles of all time NFL Media senior analyst and personnel guru Gil Brandt ranks the best offensive tackles in NFL history. Akiem Hicks, Chicago Bears. Take a look at how they stack up. The Ultimate Guide, Volleyball Scoring 101: The Ultimate Guide to Keeping Score. Really, on a game-to-game basis, Hamilton was the NFL's first modern nose tackle. Thomas played in 213 games, started 199 of them, totaled 864 tackles including 93.5 sacks and 95.0 run stuffs, totals that rival players like Warren Sapp and Bryant Young, two of the 1990s All-Decade selections. This is because the 4-3 defensive scheme has two inside linebackers that can fill those two gaps if needed. Baumhower was a unique player, tall (6-5) for a nose tackle and may have been better suited as a 4-3 tackle or 3-4 end. May 4, 2021 8:47 AM EDT. Moving former defensive end Isaac Sopoaga to nose tackle has made an already stout 49ers run defense even more formidable. I'll have to their cortez Kennedy into the mix for this one. This player is mostly responsible for filling the two gaps on either side of the center in-between each guard also known as the A-gaps. I miss Jamal Williams so damn much. Admittedly, in this period, it was less characterized by the dominating nose tackle and more by the fearsome outside linebacker, such as Lawrence Taylor. I swear every time there is a discussion about nose tackles Ngata is mentioned, and Ravens fans go berserk because he doesn't play nose tackle. Houston Texans starter Shaun Cody has adapted well to the rigours of Wade Phillips' 1-gap 3-4. Carter was a dominant nose when motivated.