Last year (1989) he was 20 points overweight and he was double-teamed on almost every play had nine sacks and 73 tackles". Being five times first-pro and the five-times pro bowler is a rare achievement in the NFL for a nose tackle. Smerlas was among the first bigger nose tackles, weighing about 290 (though often listed as less) and he also was among the first to crowd the center. There are always 22 football players on the field at once and they all have their own specialized roles. 1. The Ultimate Guide, What Is the Neutral Zone in Football? The ball was so dominant that the opposition had to make a change in their alignment to bring their best player in the middle to face the pressure Ball created. Ted Washington was another great nose tackle, dude was massive! I'm assuming that we're talking about a true NT as in 2 gap players. Alexander Boris Johnsons Net Worth vs Jeremy Bernard Corbyns Net Worth: Who is richer? He was First-team All-Pro twice and a Second-teamer three other seasons and went to five Pro Bowls as a nose tackle (tied with Fred Smerlas for the most-ever by a 3-4 nose). Two slots for the Pro Bowl and at times 25 of the teams in the NFL playing a 3-4 defense. This is about where we'd put Klecko if we had put him on this list, having been a guy who truly played three positions about equally in terms of years, we chose to put him with the 4-3 tackles even though his best two single seasons were as a 4-3 end and a 3-4 nose. He was a Second-team All-Pro in 1977 and that was the only season he received post-season honors. They try to take up as much space as possible down the middle of the line of scrimmage, which often means taking on the center and one or both of the offensive guards. To be the best in the league, one needs to be fast, athletic, dedicated, hard-working, and have exceptional talent. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Jamal Williams career seemed to be heading into obscurity as a very good shade (nose) tackle in a 4-3 defense for the Chargers from 1998 to 2004. Joe Klecko (89%, 59 Votes) Kris Jenkins (8%, 5 Votes) Jason Ferguson (3%, 2 Votes) Sione Pouha (0%, 0 Votes) Abdul Salaam (0%, 0 Votes). Its popularity declined throughout the 90's, bottoming out in 2001 when only the Steelers were running a 34. 6'5" and around 375 pounds, he was literally an immovable object in the trenches. But nose tackle still remains a key position and its distinctive skills perform a vital function for many defenses. Domato Peko is the fulcrum of the Cincinnati Bengals aggressive 4-3 defense. He received a Hall of Fame induction from the New England Patriots soon after his retirement in 2017. Joel Steed will come . Wills was exceptionally quick for his size, and so he was nicknamed The Cat.. 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. 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. The over six ft tall was like a mad bull himself. The 55 Best Movies and Series on HBO Max (Where You 1968 (Denver Broncos, Round: 2 / Pick: 31), Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, Houston Oilers, Detroit Lions, 1979 (Buffalo Bills, Round: 2 / Pick: 32), Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, and San Francisco 49ers, 1991 (San Francisco 49ers, Round: 1 / Pick: 25), San Francisco 49ers, Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, 1987 (Minnesota Vikings, Round: 3 / Pick: 72), Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots andDetroit Lions, 1984 (San Francisco 49ers, Round: 5 / Pick: 121), 1977 (Philadelphia Eagles, Round: 7 / Pick: 175), Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings, 2004 (New England Patriots, Round: 1 / Pick: 21), 1987 (Detroit Lions, Round: 3 / Pick: 63), Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders, Minnesota Vikings. 17+ Basketball Games for Kids The Ultimate List. Defensive nose tackles do not have flashy statistics or bouquets of trophies on their accolades; rather, they silently distribute for the teams wins. Gil Brandt's greatest NFL defensive tackles of all time NFL Media senior analyst and personnel guru Gil Brandt ranks the greatest defensive tackles in NFL history. Such is life. Gilbert Brown was a big piece in that loaded Packer defense. Also, played some DE. He was active, fast, and really stood out on film. Vea is the best nose tackle in the NFL and the main reason that the Buccaneers dominated the Chiefs in Super Bowl 55. He did that while ascending as one of the greatest nose tackles of all time. He was also one of the best kick blockers ever and the best of the 2000s by far with 17 blocked place kicks. Johnson played just eight years but they were mostly good some, some even very great. No nose tackle has been First-team All-Pro more or gone to more Pro Bowls than Smerlas. Maas was "Big, mean, strong, and nasty" according to Buchsbaum who also though Maas would have been an excellent 4-3 tackle. But on a serious note I would say wilfork or Hampton, with big Ted slightly behind those guys. Al Amin Sagor is simply a movie freak who is passionate about writing entertainment content. Lets see why these players are considered the best nose tackles of all time. In some situations, they might line up in-between the guards and center if they want to directly fill the gaps during a run play. With that said, the nose tackle position is highly respected by their teammates and is most likely going to be the defensive coordinators favorite player when things are going well. When you line up in a 3-technique, youre only responsible for the gap between the offensive guard and offensive tackle also known as the B-gap. Matt Toeainais the most unheralded member of the Chicago Bears tough defense. As with any list there is room for debate here and there but he's ranked about right.Let me guess, you are a Steeler's fan? Ratliff is one of the most dominant players in the league and is the key to the Cowboys multiple 3-4 scheme. Till 1949, The Browns were playing in the AAFC, and then the team joined the NFL. ", 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. I miss Jamal Williams so damn much. started his career with the Detroit Lions in 1987 and later played in three more teams, including Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders, and Minnesota Vikings. His power and quick takeoff enables him to drive blockers backwards and his speed and range allow him to disengage and envelope a ball carrier. And he deserved it due to what he meant to those Charger defenses. He was the straw that stirred the drink for the 2x Champion defenses for the Steelers in the 2000s. But Ball did it. Theyre usually the largest player and go head-to-head with the opposing center. However, his play for the Titans down the stretch was . James P. Burt (born June 7, 1959 in Orchard Park, New York) is a former American football player who played for the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers in the National Football League (NFL). 1 overall Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Seattle Seahawks, 1997-2009 Voted to nine Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro four times Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Cincinnati Bengals, 1980-1992 Voted to 11 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro nine times Started 184 of 185 NFL games Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Baltimore Ravens, 1996-2007 One-time NFL champion Voted to 11 Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro four times Started 176 of 177 NFL games Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Baltimore Colts, 1958, 1959 Two-time NFL champion Voted to eight Pro Bowls, First Team All-Pro eight times (five times at OT, three times at OG) Called by Woody Hayes "the best offensive lineman I've ever coached." Ngata played more than the shade (1-tech) for the Ravens, playing mostly over guards and even inside shoulder of a tackle (4i) technique. After getting drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in 1984, Michael Carter remained unmoved throughout his pro football career. So far, weve mentioned how the 0-technique lines up head-to-head with the center, and the 2-technique lines up head-to-head with the offensive guard. Rogers started his career hot, playing shade most often in a 40 defense, and was playing lots of plays (36.5 run stuffs in his first four seasons) and then went to his "All-Pro-type" years from 2004-08 when he was a Second-team All-Pro once and a three-time Pro Bowler. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. The 0-technique is generally played in the 3-4 defensive scheme, which is why its largely a nose tackle technique. For the most part, the nose tackle is responsible for filling up these two gaps. As one of the few proponents of the traditional, 2-gap style 3-4 leftin the game, the Steelers are absolutely reliant on a dominant nose tackle. Taylor Lewan, Tennessee Titans. 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. A Complete Overview. They rank up there with the San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers, San Francisco Giants, Chicago Blackhawks, Boston Red Sox, and all the other teams to win several championships since the turn of the century. Along the way, Ill also answer general sports related questions. He has been an all-pro or pro bowler more than any other nose tackle. [Family Ethnicity & Religion], Bruce Wills And Demi Moores Divorce History & Their Kids. At 6'4" and287 pounds, Ratliff is taller and significantly lighter than the prototypical NFL nose tackle. The Ultimate Guide, Volleyball Scoring 101: The Ultimate Guide to Keeping Score. + Indicates Hall of Famer. After his stellar 1980 season, coaches from opposing teams would fly to Buffalo to watch how Smerlas played in the middle of the Bill defense and exported the style to their own 3-4 teams. 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. A 3-4 scheme has one nose tackle in the middle, while a 4-3 defense has two defensive tackles in-between the defensive ends. Super Bowl LVII: All You Need To Know About Its Results, Winner, Highlights and Half-Time Show !! NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. Ted Washington is another. It reached peak popularity with the Bill Parcells style in the mid 80's. Of course, it leaves some space right up the middle. This is different from the 0-technique, which is responsible for the two gaps in between the center and both offensive guards. Any coach that wants to find success with a 3-4 defensive scheme needs a dominant nose tackle. 4-3 duo Terrence Knighton and Brandon Mebane do not appear on the list due to the same inconsistency. 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. But his lightning-quick first step, long arms and aggressive hands technique, allow Ratliff to challenge and overcome blockers. Highest single-season PFF grades since 2017 Donald's peers are the NFL's all-time greats on defense the Reggie Whites and Lawrence Taylors of the world rather than anyone else currently playing. Yep, he arrived when those guys were on their way out of town. Enjoy! Not only is Art Shell at the top of this list, but he was also among the best tackles in NFL history, and there those who believe . In fact, he ended his career with 53 sacks with highs in 9 in 1977, 8 in 1980 and 6 in 1976. This allows the safeties to stay deep and maintain the integrity of Chicago's preferred Tampa-2 coverage scheme. Well.it's more that it goes through cycles. A nose tackle, also known as the nose guard or middle guard, is a player that aligns themselves in the middle of the defensive line. The 6"1' 325 pound Hamptonis an immovable force in the middle of Pittsburgh's front seven. When you think of the Steelers' 3-4, you think of a couple names: it starts with Casey Hampton, the best true nose tackle the team has ever had. Akiem Hicks, Chicago Bears. Follow us on Twitter: @NFL_Journal - Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. This can either give them an advantage or disadvantage, depending on the play being called by the offense. One of his best assets is his quick first step, giving him an excellent takeoff at the snap. At the time he was drafted, he was the most athletic defensive tackle of all-time. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. Bills, in his career, became a total of a three-time pro bowler and a four times all-pro. Casey Hampton Jr. (born September 3, 1977), nicknamed "Big Snack," is a former American football nose tackle who played twelve seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League, The Best Miami Football Players of All Time, The Greatest Out of Shape Athletes in Sports. Former New England Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork was announced as this year's inductee into the team's Hall of Fame on Tuesday. 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. But Garay's brute force makes him formidable at the point of attack. NFL Media senior analyst and personnel guru Gil Brandt ranks the greatest defensive tackles in NFL history. Here are the top 25 offensive tackles for the 2021 NFL season. The more space they take up, the less of a hole the running back has to make it through the line of scrimmage. 2022 The News Titan - All Rights Reserved, The 10 Best Nose Tackles of All Time in the NFL, The 10 Best Defensive Ends of All Time in the NFL. And my man Smerlas getting his due love it! Plus he played the position until 39 years old; amazing longevity for a position where you're fighting off double teams from other 300 lb men your whole career. Another excellent piece of work by you Mr. Turney. And for a nose, he was very durable. But his place went to a division rival who doesn't benefit from quite as strong a supporting cast around him. They just don't. Pro Football Hall of Fame/Associated Press, Al Messerschmidt Archive/Associated Press. We also mentioned how the 1-technique lines up on the outside shoulder of the center and the 3-technique lines up on the outside shoulder of the offensive guard. as a nose tackle, mostly a backup or part-time player. This is because four linebackers can either drop back and guard the middle of the field or play at the line of scrimmage against the run. As mentioned above, the best feature of a nose tackle is that he sacrifices himself for the greater good of the team. This list includes the tackle's accomplishments, honors, awards, records, & statistics. Sione Pouha has quietly emerged as one of the most effective run defenders in the game. He played in the NFL for 13 seasons and recorded 32.5 sacks. It used to take three blockers to stop him. Excellent article, John T! First-team All-Pro: 5 times (1980, 1981, 82, 83, 88). He was an eight-time First-team All-League selection and was a Second-team selection one additional time and was part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame team All-1940s Team and the owner of five championship rings. A 3-4 defensive scheme is more of a base defense that can be effective against the run and pass when performed correctly. Sometimes even experts fail to recognize talent. Defensive tackles are mostly the silent killer of a team. As they continue to learn the What Is a Secondary in Football? In his rookie year, he had to share his position with Keith Traylor. He. Maryland totaled 279 tackles, with 25 for loss, and 20.5 sacks in his four dominant years for Miami. Additionally, that year, he had 14.0 run stuffs(second in NFL behind Jerome Brown's 17.0). Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Regular five-on-five basketball is a fun game on its own, but its always nice to have some variety in the types of games that can be played, especially with kids. The 3-4 had been around for years but no one committed to it on an every-down basis like the Patriots in 1974. 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. 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. [email protected]. He's likely best known for a gruesome broken leg in the Super Bowl versus the 49ers but he came back from that in 1989 and had a couple solid seasons after that. . he was a good player, but didn't play enough to really fit in. Bill Wills is one such example, he was undrafted in the 1946 draft! Top 10 Defensive Tackles of All Time | NFL Highlights NFL 11M subscribers Subscribe 269K views 5 years ago Former VP of Player Personnel Gil Brandt's Top 10 Defensive Tackles of All Time! What does it need to be a good nose tackle? He weighs 375 pounds and still ran so fast. Of course, thats not the case with any odd-numbered technique. 3-4 Defences have only become really popular around the nfl in the last 15 years so there hasn't been that many Nose Tackles in the last 40-50 years in comparison to other positions. He debuted in 1968 with the Kansas City Chiefs. He spent his last six seasons as a backup/rotational nose for the Raiders, then the Jets. Lorenzo Neal as a fullback is one. The likes of Vince Wilfork, Jamal William, Haloti Ngata, Ted Williams are some of the best ever. He was a Second-team All-Pro once and a three-time Pro Bowler (all when playing as 1/2 of the "Williams Wall" in Minnesota. Sopoaga is a disruptive force over the center. His pro career started as remaining undrafted and ended as one of the best nose tackles of all time! Probably the most technically sound nose tackle on this list, Wilfork's leverage and footwork are outstanding. By its nature, nose tackle is one of the most unheralded and selfless positions in the NFL. He was not quite the size of Ted Washington, but he was more than the 315 pounds he was listed at, though. Jake Matthews, Atlanta Falcons. May 18, 2022 9:45 am ET. He was drafted into the NFL in 1987 and remained active till 2000. 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. Obviously, its popularity has recovered quite a bit to now when almost half the league is using one again. Take a look at how they stack up. Clears the gap for the linebacker, works the left tackle, and forces the. Packers stalwart B.J. To be fair, Williams was a Second-team All-Pro in 2004 and then First-team in 2005 and 2006. We think he would have been a fine left 3-4 defensive end and inside rusher in nickel but the Raiders already had that guyHowie Long.
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