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Gil Brandt's greatest NFL linebackers of all time
NFL.com senior analyst and personnel guru Gil Brandt ranks the greatest linebackers in NFL history. Take a look at how all 47 of his selections stack up.
New Orleans Saints, 1986-1994; Carolina Panthers, 1995-1997
» Voted to five Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro once
» Recorded 1,142 career tackles
New Orleans Saints, 1986-1992; Detroit Lions, 1993-1994; Oakland Raiders, 1995-1998
» Voted to five Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro twice
» Recorded 107.5 career sacks
New York Giants, 1984-1992; Washington Redskins, 1993; Cleveland Browns, 1994-1995
» Two-time Super Bowl champion
» Voted to one Pro Bowl, First Team All-Pro once
» Recorded 39.5 career sacks and 826 career tackles
Detroit Lions, 1988-1995; Buffalo Bills, 1996-1997
» Voted to four Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro once
» Recorded 1,181 career tackles
Miami Dolphins, 1996-2007; Dallas Cowboys, 2008
» Voted to seven Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro five times
» Recorded 1,100 career tackles
Los Angeles Rams, 1954-1962
» Voted to eight Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro once
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Boston Patriots, 1962-1968; Miami Dolphins, 1969-1976
» Two-time Super Bowl champion
» Voted to eight Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro five times
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Cincinnati Bengals, 1969-1973; Philadelphia Eagles, 1974-1980
» Voted to five Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro twice
Chicago Bears, 1955-1966
» One-time NFL champion
» Voted to five Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro three times
St. Louis Rams, 1998-2001; Buffalo Bills, 2002-2006; Washington Redskins, 2007-2013
» One-time Super Bowl champion
» Voted to four Pro Bowls
» Recorded 1,380 career tackles
Washington Redskins, 1965-1978
» Voted to nine Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro four times
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
New York Giants, 1976-1988
» One-time Super Bowl champion
» Voted to nine Pro Bowls
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
New York Giants, 1956-1963; Washington Redskins 1964-1969
» One-time NFL champion
» Voted to five Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro twice
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pittsburgh Steelers 2002-2012, 2014-2017; Cincinnati Bengals 2013; New England Patriots 2017
» Two-time Super Bowl champion
» Voted to five Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro twice
» Recorded 84.5 career sacks, 793 tackles
Denver Broncos, 1974-1983
» Voted to seven Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro twice
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1981-1985; Miami Dolphins, 1985-1991
» Voted to two Pro Bowls
Dallas Cowboys, 1963-1976
» One-time Super Bowl champion
» Voted to five Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro once
San Francisco 49ers, 2007-2014
» Voted to seven Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro five times
» Recorded 732 tackles in eight career NFL seasons
New England Patriots, 1982-1993
» Voted to five Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro twice
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Chicago Bears, 1948-1955
» Voted to four Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro four times
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Dallas Cowboys, 2005-2013; Denver Broncos, 2014-2016
» One-time Super Bowl champion
» Voted to nine Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro four times
» Recorded 138.5 career sacks, which ranks No. 8 on the all-time list
Atlanta Falcons, 1966-1976
» Voted to five Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro one time
Houston Oilers, 1975-1984
» Elected to the Pro Football Hall Of Fame in 2018
» Voted to seven Pro Bowls, named First Team All-Pro five times
» NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (1975)
» NFL 1970s All-Decade Team member
» Finished career with 48 sacks, 1,281 tackles, and 13 interceptions
Kansas City Chiefs, 1967-1977
» One-time Super Bowl champion
» Voted to eight Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro three times
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Carolina Panthers 2012-present
» Voted to Pro Bowl five times, four-time First Team All-Pro
» NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2013)
» NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (2012)
» 818 career tackles, 10.5 sacks, 15 interceptions
Buffalo Bills, 1987-1995; Atlanta Falcons, 1996-1998; Indianapolis Colts, 1999-2000
» Voted to five Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro once
» Recorded 71.5 career sacks
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
San Francisco 49ers, 1964-1974
» Voted to seven Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro twice
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pittsburgh Steelers, 1974-1984
» Four-time Super Bowl champion
» Voted to nine Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro six times
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Chicago Bears, 2000-2012
» Voted to eight Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro four times
» Recorded 41.5 career sacks and 1,040 career tackles
New Orleans Saints, 1981-1993; San Francisco 49ers 1994-1995
» One-time NFL champion
» Voted to six Pro Bowls
» Recorded 128 career sacks, which ranks No. 15 on the all-time list
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Philadelphia Eagles, 1949-1962
» Two-time NFL champion
» Voted to eight Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro five times
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Chicago Bears, 1981-1992
» One-time Super Bowl champion
» Voted to 10 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro seven times
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Green Bay Packers, 1963-1972; Washington Redskins 1973-1974
» Three-time NFL champion
» Voted to three Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro once
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
San Diego Chargers, 1990-2002; Miami Dolphins, 2003-2005; New England Patriots, 2006-2009
» Voted to 12 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro six times
» Recorded 56.5 career sacks and 1,522 career tackles
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Los Angeles Rams, 1985-1992; Pittsburgh Steelers, 1993-1995; Carolina Panthers, 1996, 1998-1999; San Francisco 49ers, 1997
» Voted to five Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro twice
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
» Recorded 160 career sacks, which ranks No. 3 on the all-time list
Baltimore Ravens, 1996-2012
» Two-time Super Bowl champion
» Voted to 13 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro seven times
» Recorded 41.5 sacks and 1562 career tackles
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Green Bay Packers, 1958-1972
» Two-time Super Bowl champion
» Voted to one Pro Bowl, First Team All-Pro twice
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Detroit Lions, 1953-1965
» Two-time NFL champion
» Voted to 10 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro eight times
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pittsburgh Steelers, 1971-1982
» Four-time Super Bowl champion
» Voted to eight Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro six times
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Chicago Bears, 1958-1959; Dallas Cowboys, 1961-1973
» One-time NFL champion
» Voted to six Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro five times
Chicago Bears, 1952-1966; Los Angeles Rams 1966
» One-time NFL champion
» Voted to eight Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro eight times
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Kansas City Chiefs, 1963-1974
» One-time Super Bowl champion
» Voted to nine Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro six times
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1995-2008
» One-time Super Bowl champion
» Voted to 11 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro five times
» Recorded 1,297 career tackles
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Baltimore Colts, 1969-1973; Green Bay Packers, 1974; Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, 1975-1983
» Four-time Super Bowl champion
» Voted to eight Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro four times
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Chicago Bears, 1965-1973
» Voted to eight Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro five times
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Kansas City Chiefs, 1989-1999
» Voted to nine Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro twice
» Recorded 126.5 career sacks, which ranks No. 16 on the all-time list
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
New York Giants, 1981-1993
» Two-time Super Bowl champion
» Voted to 10 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro eight times
» Recorded 132.5 career sacks, which ranks No. 13 on the all-time list
» Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
