Ranked: The 25 greatest NFL players in history

Football or American football, depending on where you're from, is a unique sport because most of the players on the field don't touch the ball when it's in play. This makes it extremely difficult to rank the best players.

To make things more difficult, playstyles, conditions, and rules have changed so much over the decades that players nowadays play essentially a different sport from their forebears. However, just because something is difficult doesn't mean we can't try, so, without further ado, here are the greatest 25 players in NFL history.

Don Hutson was decades ahead of his time as a receiver, playing at a time when the position was still called an 'end'. Still, the Green Bay Packers star was the first great receiver in NFL history, becoming the first player to break the 1,000-yard receiving mark in 1942, per Sportsnaut.

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Aaron Donald was neither tall nor especially big, which some thought would be a detriment when he entered the NFL. Instead, he used his shorter stature and superhuman strength to dominate opposing offensive lines throughout his career. Donald was a key part of the Rams' recent Super Bowl triumph and finished his career with an astonishing 111 sacks.

Following Donald is another dominant defensive tackle, Alan Page, who spent 15 years in the NFL with Minnesota and Chicago. Page recorded eight double-digit sack seasons en route to a career total of 148.5 while winning the MVP award in 1971.

Irrefutably the best player in NFL history to have not won a Super Bowl, Dan Marino was two decades ahead of his time as a passer, regularly throwing for over 4,000 yards, in an era where that wasn't common. The 1984 season saw Marino become the first player to pass for over 5,000 yards in a season, per DAZN.

Emmitt Smith was undoubtedly a talented player, but it was his sheer longevity that truly made him great. He recorded 11-straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons with the Cowboys en route to setting the all-time rushing record, with 18,355 rushing yards, per ESPN. It's unlikely that number will ever be broken.

Another player whose longevity separated them from their peers, Rod Woodson, played 17 seasons as a defensive back in the NFL, a position that usually sees players decline at around 30. Woodson was a key part of the Baltimore Ravens defense that won XXXV during the 2000 season.

Elway spent 16 seasons in Denver as a member of the Broncos, winning two Super Bowls, one MVP, and nine Pro Bowl nods.  His raw athleticism separated him from many during his era, as he added over 3,000 yards and 33 TDs with his legs to go along with his gaudy passing stats.

The man who changed football forever by forcing the league to acknowledge sacks as a statistic. Per Sportsnaut, Jones had, "had three seasons with 20-plus sacks and a fourth with 19," which comfortably puts him among the best to ever rush the passer.

Unitas' career spanned from 1956-1973, so his stats aren't going to look the same as a modern quarterback. Unitas was one of the first, great passers in NFL history, however, with his record of 47 straight games throwing a touchdown pass lasting until 2012.

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Moss has two of the greatest individual seasons by a receiver in NFL history, the first, his rookie year with the Vikings where he caught 17 TDs, and the second his record-breaking 23 TD 2007 season with the Patriots. Per CBS Sports, Moss is second all-time in receiving TDs, and fourth in receiving yards.

Widely regarded as the best left tackle, and one of the best offensive linemen in history, Muñoz earned 11 straight Pro Bowl nods and was an All-Pro in nine of his 13 seasons in the NFL.

One of the greatest linebackers to ever put on a helmet, Ray Lewis was a feared physical presence during his 17 seasons as a Baltimore Raven. Per Sportsnaut, during his career, he racked up, "1,568 solo tackles, 99 tackles for loss, 96 pass deflections, 41.5 sacks, 40 QB hits, 31 interceptions, 19 forced fumbles, 3 defensive touchdowns." Ridiculous.

'Mean Joe' Greene was the key cog in what became known as the 'Steel Curtain', Pittsburgh's utterly dominant defensive line during the 1970s. Per Bleacher Report, during the 1976 season, the Steelers defense allowed just 3.1 points per game during a 9-game stretch. That doesn't happen without Greene.

Ronnie Lott was a four-time Super Bowl champion, eighth-time first-team All-Pro, and was selected to 10 Pro Bowls. It should come as no surprise that he was then also selected to the NFL's 100th Anniversary team. Most famously, Lott chose to have part of a finger amputated on the sideline rather than miss any game time.

In our opinion, Prime Time is the greatest defensive back to ever play in the NFL, and one of the greatest sportspeople to ever live. He scored touchdowns in every way imaginable, and once played for both the Atlanta Falcons and Braves on the same day in 1992.

There is no doubting 'Sweetness' and his incredible NFL career, as he carried the rock time and time again for the Bears during the 1970s and 80s, when football looked a little different from nowadays. He is among the best running backs, and football players, to ever lace up their cleats.

Peyton Manning was a nightmare for opposing defenses as he picked them apart as much with his mind as with his arm. Sportsnaut describes him as, the "greatest regular-season quarterback in NFL history," which is hard to disagree with given how often he was among the league leaders in passing yards and touchdowns.

In completed, 16-game seasons, Barry Sanders never rushed for under 1,304 yards. His career average of 5 YPC over 10 years is a simply remarkable feat, and his 99 rushing touchdowns prove he is truly one of the greatest to ever do it.

Montana won four Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers and won three MVPs in those games. He was a winner and one of the best QBs in NFL history. Per CBS Sports, Montana threw zero interceptions in four Super Bowls, earning him the nickname 'Joe Cool'.

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This could be some recency bias at play, but we truly believe Patrick Mahomes could go down as the greatest player in NFL history if he continues on his current trajectory. He is currently having a down year, and his team is still 9-1. His three Super Bowl titles have all involved Mahomes playing lights out and have changed Kansas City sports forever.

Widely regarded as the best running back in NFL history, Jim Brown was ahead of his time in so many ways. Standing at 6'2", 232 lbs, per Pro Football Reference, Brown would be big for a current NFL running back, let alone one playing in the 50s and 60s. He was an athletic marvel who made opponents pay if they even thought about attacking him.

Reggie White is second all-time in career sacks and played a huge part in Green Bay's Super Bowl XXXI victory, recording three sacks during the game. White is possibly best known for his stint in Philadelphia, where he led some of the best defenses in NFL history and was regularly seen throwing offensive linemen around like they were toys.

Taylor was a ferocious pass rusher who struck fear into the hearts of opposing quarterbacks. His career spanned 13 years and 'LT' was able to rack up 134 sacks during that time, per Pro Football Reference. He was stronger, quicker, and just better at football than any other defensive player in NFL history.

Jerry Rice holds the record for most receiving yards in NFL history with 22,895, which is over 5,000 yards ahead of second place. He also sits atop the all-time receiving TD list, with 197, over 40 more than Randy Moss in second place. His 1987 season saw him catch 22 touchdowns, in just 12 games, per CBS Sports.

Tom Brady is, as he stands, irrefutably the best player in NFL history. His seven Super Bowl wins are more than any franchise has, which would be remarkable by itself, but when you consider he won his seventh as a 43-year-old as a Buccaneer, it starts to all become a little ridiculous.

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