And thats why you hear people talk about give more than 100-percent because it is possible, because it keeps moving. I am thankful for the support of my family and friends. The best cornerbacks of all time discussed in the sections that follow are known for their superior defensive performance. He was coached by Lloyd Carr during his time at the University of Michigan. Player Team Age Total Value Avg./Year Total Guaranteed Fully Guaranteed Free Agency Playing under Vince Lombardi and Tom Landry for his entire career, there may not have been a smarter corner ever to play the position. Always gamble responsibly and in moderation. For his career, he recorded 908 tackles, 52 interceptions (26th all time), and 203 passes defended, the most by any player in NFL history. The NFL Combine's fastest cornerback 40-yard dash times of all time. He also finished the 1975 season leading in interceptions. Fill out the form below to subscribe to the Sports 2.0 Daily Digest email newsletter. He made over 1,100 tackles in his career, which led to him being inducted into the Hall of Fame. Today all this glory goes to God, Lott said. Widely considered the best CB of all time, Rod Woodson started his college football career at Purdue University. For opposing quarterbacks, betting the house against these ten shutdown corners was almost always a losing bet. Green was also a threat in the return game, though not being asked to do so for most of his career. Mel Blount changed the NFL more than any cornerback has ever done by changing the rule book. Deion Sanders 2. Time to get to work & show the city what we can do!!! The dedication to the craft was real! His 12 interceptions returned for a touchdown rank first in NFL history, as do his 32 fumble recoveries by a defensive player. Take a peek at his most memorable pic.twitter.com/y9laXfcSkx. Let me know what your thoughts are in the comments below. I enjoyed it, I whistled while I worked and every opportunity I had I tried to promote victories and wins, Barney said. Pictured from left to right: Georgia offensive tackle Broderick Jones (59), Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez (0) and USC wide receiver Jordan Addison (3). A member of the 2021 class that will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in just a few weeks, Charles Woodson is the best cornerback to have played the game on this list. The longtime cornerback for the Oakland Raiders earned NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1998, after he posted five interceptions for 118 return yards, one defensive touchdown, two forced fumbles, and 64 tackles. Mel Blount Mel Blount changed the NFL more than any cornerback has ever done by changing the rule book. Life has been good to me and if I die tonight, I wouldnt die blue because I have experienced great things in life. Couple his speed and longevity with a willingness to engage ball-carriers and make tackles, and Green was one of the most versatile corners of all time. The seven-time Pro Bowler still holds the NFL record for the most interceptions in a single season. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Being 5-foot-9 and 184 pounds with sub-30" arms and a 4.51 40-yard dash makes it tough to justify him in the top-32 -- there simply aren't many cornerbacks who beat those odds. #803 of 880. So that I could pick up keys that would allow me to release my decoy pattern a step before I might have. I am thankful for my wife, my children, my grandchildren that are here to see this also. He was also a member of the universitys track and field team but decided to focus more on his football career. Sportsfanbetting.com is an independent source of information for your favorite sports and online betting. His 1,207 interception return yards are the sixth most by any player in NFL history, and his 298 interception return yards in 1952 were just three yards short of an NFL record, at the time. The seven-time Pro Bowler may not have the greatest statistics, at least when compared to other famous NFL cornerbacks. We can never get done what we want to accomplish with one individual Its bigger than me, its bigger than you, but it aint bigger than us.. (F)or sureWe (the Miami Dolphins) love (being) the underdogsjust keeps us working and keeps us staying humble., A post shared by Marlon Humphrey (@marlon_humphrey). Then, he signed for the Washington Redskins in 2000, and he remained on the theme only one season. After all, they are our future. Ty also spent one season playing for the New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, and Denver Broncos. Green played an outstanding 295 career games, ranking 16th all-time and the most for the cornerback position. You cant wait for somebody else to tell you that youre great. In 2015, he retired with an NFL record 13 defensive touchdowns (tied with Rod Woodson and Darren Sharper), 65 interceptions (fifth most in history), 20 sacks, 155 passes deflected, and 1,105 total tackles. This leads us to Deion Sanders, the best cornerback of all time based on his impressive career statistics and other accomplishments. Heck, Im thankful Im here., Champ Bailey is officially retiring from the NFL. Darrelle Revis is considered by many the best CB of all time, but he is third-placed on our list of the best cornerbacks of all time. During his time in the NFL, the four-time Super Bowl champion was also praised for his ability to easily adjust coverage tactics and remain mentally strong no matter what was going on on the field. We are responsible for creating change. Please see our Contributors and Sources page for data source details. His 57 career interceptions rank tied for 13th all-time. Woodson later won a title in Super Bowl XXXV as a free safety for the Baltimore Ravens. Love, love for self, love for God, love for your family, love for friends, love for your coworkers, love for your community, and love for this country. Thanks to The Pro Football Hall of Fames compilation of Hall of Fame players by position and Pro Football Focus Ben Linseys Cornerback Rankings: The 32 best outside cornerbacks entering the 2021 NFL season, which were good resources in compiling this list. One of the things that I found out about greatness, is the character. He contributed 167 total tackles, 28 pass deflections, 13.5 tackles for loss, five interceptions, two . when I went back to A&I I met a family, Green said. For his career, Woodson recorded 71 interceptions (third all time) for 1,483 yards (second all time). Then he turned into one of the greatest cornerbacks ever.Introducing the 79th greatest player in NFL history, as part of #TheAthleticNFL100: Mike Haynes. https://t.co/egrrtZLtMj pic.twitter.com/wIC5Qh7VMG, to be a good player at that game I had to work hard. One year later, he signed with the Dallas Cowboys, with whom he triumphed in Super Bowl XXX. Jerry Rice played 303 games as a wide receiver, an NFL record. While the Arizona Cardinals achieved just one winning season during Aeneas Williams' 10-year tenure in Phoenix, he managed to stand out as one of the best cornerbacks of his time. Knup Sports is an official media partner of Eventus International. Lem Barney. One of the greatest cornerbacks of all time, famed Richard Lane, better known as Dick Night Train Lane, was born on the April 16, 1928 in Austin, Texas. 8. He scored 48 touchdowns in his first 50 games and a record six TDs on kickoff returns. Year 4 in the books..! Humphrey said in an Instagram post. In 1997, Woodson received the Heisman Trophy. Doering's stats at Wisconsin do not jump off the page but he goes down as one of the top cornerbacks for one reason, his tackling. Read on to learn about the six best NFL cornerbacks of all time. The twelve-time Pro Bowler was on top of the leagues ranks back in 2006 with ten interceptions. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Champ Bailey still holds the Pro Bowl record for the most career interceptions (4) and the NFL record for the youngest player to intercept three passes in a single game. It is led by the famous name of Deion Sanders, regarded as the best cornerback of all time. It wasnt time, but it is now. Pitre Owens Love Thompson Wilson Holland Baker Sneed Amos Jenkins Elliott Brisker Delpit Johnson Epps Grant McCreary Byard Douglas Johnson Smith Hufanga 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 99 84 79 79 77 77 75 75 73 73 73 73 72 70 70 70 70 . This is one of the many others reasons behind his reputation as one of the best cornerbacks in NFL history. So, you young people set your goals high, you know, it can happen for you. Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Pro Football Reference Database. You have to be worked on, cornered in and cornered out to become as good as you can be. I came from a beautiful family, a family that struggled in the deep south and instilled in their kids that you can do anything if you are willing to pay a price and you can be as good and you are just as good and it doesnt matter where you come from, it is where you are going that is what makes the difference between failure and success, Blount said. At The Buzzer, or ATB is the place for those who love sports, life, family, community, and so much more. Check out Betting Superstore your one stop shop to everything betting! Do you have a sports website? pic.twitter.com/jdEVqA4mre, I am grateful and very proud to be part of this great Class of 2012, and I congratulate the five tremendous men who join me here, Butler said. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports. The greatest NFL cornerbacks of all time each held serve at the point of attack, never got beat deep, and were rarely even challenged. Throughout the 1990s, Rod Woodson made a compelling case as the most complete cornerback of all time, if not the greatest. The eight time Pro Bowl selection contributed to the Broncos' two Super Bowl winning years in the 90s. But that didnt matter much, because the menacing cornerback kept most opposing players from getting open in the first place. Ty Law appears on our list of the top 10 cornerbacks of all time in the tenth place. Thats not to say the guys 19 through 25 dont belong in the top 10 or even top 5. The three-time Super Bowl champion started his college career playing for the University of Michigan. In 2009, he led the league in interceptions (9) and defensive touchdowns (3), which earned him NFL Defensive Player of the Year. The best cornerback of his era, "Revis Island" is a seven time Pro Bowler and four time All-Pro. He was drafted into the NFL by the New England Patriots in 1995 after signing a five-year contract. Today we honor Hall of Fame running back and Spartan Dawg, Herb Adderley #BlackHistoryMonth #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/AUiYGpThrY, So, there is a beginning and everything. Aside from playing the position of cornerback, Woodson also played as a kick returner for the college team. Mel Blount Honorable Mentions FAQ Who are the best NFL cornerbacks of all time? So, Im starting here today. In all, Revis totalled 29 interceptions, plus six forced fumbles and three defensive touchdowns throughout his career. From the bottom of my heart from Tracy and I on helping us know what its like to be married in the NFL and raise your children loving and serving your children. And so I brought what my parents had taught me and what Jesus had said and I put that to work in my NFL career. Faithfully to my community, Aeneas Williams (@aeneas35) traveled a unique path to the @ProFootballHOF.He walked on to @SouthernU_BR's football team his junior year and became a starter within 5 games, then an @NFL pro. Julius Brents (CB, Kansas State) If the Giants are looking for big, long cornerbacks, then they have to look at Julius Brents from Kansas State. He retired from the sport with 1,049 tackles, 71 interceptions, 17 touchdowns, and 20 forced fumbles. Tasked . Theres a lot of good corners in todays game and there were a lot of talented corners who retired and eventually made it to the Hall of Fame. The 40-yard dash times are in, and the best of this year so far is also one of the top marks in recent combine history. Coached by famed Bobby Bowden, it was not long before young Sanders found his way to the Seminoles first team. Night Train Lane spent fourteen seasons in the NFL playing for the Los Angeles Rams, Chicago Cardinals, and Detroit Lions. The beginning is God and I I would like to take time to acknowledge God in my spiritual beliefs because without my health and strength I wouldnt have been able to participate in football and it wouldnt be here. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019. He also caught 47 passes for 744 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns, posted 84 rushing yards, and returned . Ronnie Lott 4. After leaving the NFL, Ty Law established entertainment facilities operating under the name of Launch Trampoline Park. The Cowboys won 27 17, and Sanders spectacularly returned a punt for eleven yards. I was carrying a lot of baggage. Cornerback: Vontae Davis, Indianapolis Colts (2014) 93.3. While with the Pittsburgh Steelers (1987-1996), he forced 20 fumbles and scored six defensive TDs. Featuring 2018-2019 Colts and some of the greatest NFL cornerbacks of all time, the best Colts CBs include Vontae Davis, Eugene Daniel, Kelvin Hayden, Nick Harper, and Chris Goode. I was a part of that free agency. In the kitchen there was a high chair right by the stove that she was cooking. Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State, 6-foot-1, 166, 4.35 (40) Forbes is significantly underweight with very skinny legs, but he ran like the wind and was a monster in drills. He also picked off three passes in Super Bowl competition, including two thrown by Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach. He finished his career with 13 defensive touchdowns, 155 deflected passes, 64 interceptions, 33 forced fumbles, and 1,105 total tackles. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. INTERESTED IN ATTENDING A BETTING MEETUP EVENT IN YOUR LOCAL AREA? It was as if God was saying, You will make it next year, Mel. You see, it all kind of fits. He went on playing for the team between 1983 and 2002, when he retired from the sport. Here is our ranking of the five biggest defensive linemen at the combine Pittsburgh could target in the 2023 NFL draft. One of the greatest cornerbacks of all time, famed Richard Lane, better known as Dick Night Train Lane, was born on the April 16, 1928 in Austin, Texas. Top 2023 draft prospects Joey Porter Jr., Emmanuel Forbes and Kelee Ringo vary in size, speed and strength, but they all say they possess the most vital trait for NFL cornerback success . Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. After finishing high school, he enrolled at Texas A&I University, where he ran track and played football. Dec 14, 2008; East Rutherford, NJ, USA: New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis (24) reacts after a interception. She was working two jobs just to see if ends could see one another because they never met. So on behalf of all the black men that Ive mentioned tonight, and many more out there, whove had the most of the same experiences that Ive had in my lifetime, we say this to all of our white friends: When we tell you about our fears, please listen. . However, his family believes he died due to chronic traumatic encephalopathy he sustained after years of playing football. That was during free agency time. He also holds the record for most consecutive seasons with an interception (19) and the most games played by a defensive player (295). Cromartie played his college career at Florida State and made a name for himself as a top. New England is one of the greatest sports franchises of the last 20 years. God bless., On this day in #SteelersHistory, @ProFootballHOF CB Mel Blount was selected in the 3rd round of the 1970 NFL Draft. Law retired back in 2009 with 838 tackles, 169 pass deflections, 53 interceptions, and 7 touchdowns. This is about we., I encourage each and every one of you to start with a small but great practice of believing in yourself. Between this season and the 2023 season, Jalen Pitre made the most tackles by a defensive back, with 99 tackles. Not to mention, he played nine seasons as an outfielder in Major League Baseball in the midst of his 16-year tenure in the NFL. Ranking the 15 greatest cornerbacks in NFL history. Twenty years in the league, 54 interceptions, seven Pro Bowls (per the Pro Football Hall of Fame), Darrell Green is quite simply one of the best cornerbacks to ever play the game. In 2009, Bailey didnt allow a touchdown pass in 80 targets and was credited with holding Larry Fitzgerald to just three catches for 19 yards in a game against the Cardinals in the 2010 season. Darrelle Revis retired from the sport in 2017 with 497 total tackles, 29 interceptions, 6 forced fumbles, 3 defensive touchdowns, and 139 deflected passes. He was drafted into the NFL after graduating from college in 1952 by the Los Angeles Rams. The team were dominating the league thanks to Mels superior defensive abilities. The gathering of football legends. As a rookie, the vicious tackler set the single-season record for interceptions, with 14 across 12 games a mark that will likely never be surpassed, even with today's 17-game schedule. One of Woodson's most famous games came against Brady in the 2002 AFC Divisional Round, in which Woodson seemingly sealed a victory with a strip-sack of Brady late in the fourth quarter. ! Upload 1 picture of yourselfONLY you. But, which players are the best cornerbacks of all time in program history? 20 of the Shortest NFL Players Who Proved Height, 25 of the NFLs Best Pass Rushers of All-Time, NFL Top Tens: Comparing the 10 Best NFL QBs With the. So, in this list, youll hear from some of the top 18s Hall of Fame enshrinement speeches, along with the rest of todays corners from various points throughout their career, so you, too can strive for a Hall of Fame-type career or endeavor or familywhatever good you want to bring to the world. Join our linker program. The following is a list of the NFL career defensive leaders ranked by sacks.Statistics are current through the 2022 NFL season and include stats accrued in NFL, AFL and APFA games. Who looks to be a top-10 cornerback in the NFL right now? Alan Zemaitis, Cornerback Despite his teams not being at the top of the leagues ladder, amazing Aeneas Williams established himself as one of the greatest cornerbacks of all time. His 6-foot-3 frame mixed with his speed, tenacity and physicality enabled him to crush receivers with his "bump-and-run" pass defense. He is a top-15 tackler all time at Wisconsin and totaled 338 stops in his four years. We are far from the run-of-the-mill 24/7 sports news websites. I can be faithful. Playing for Kobes favorite NFL team is a dream come true. The one-time Super Bowl champion spent the vast majority of his professional career playing for the New York Jets. Do you have a blog? Man its truly a blessing. That is a loaded question and depends on the criteria you measure them by. We not only bring you whats happening in the world of sports in terms of trades and breaking news, but we also bring you the news that goes on behind the scenes, like big life moments, and so much more. Well, guys like Ty Law and Darrelle Revis are on the outside looking in. Rod Woodson 5. Happy Birthday to former #Lions Cornerback, Lem Barney! 1967 NFL Defensive Rookie of the year 7x Pro Bowl 2x All-Pro 1992 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee pic.twitter.com/fV7rDYN94G, Life does not always deal us a fair hand, Barney said. Racked up 231 career tackles, the most by any cornerback in program history. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Champ Bailey also holds the NFL record for the most passes defended (203). We just played some of the best football ever. He spent fourteen seasons playing in the NFL for the Arizona Cardinals and St. Louis Rams. Find out more. Gods son .. ALL GLORY TO GOD TODAY & EVERYDAY, Ramsey said in an Instagram post. A 6-foot-2-inch, 190-pounder, Ricks, 21, projects as a boundary corner at the next level. Rod Woodson made a compelling case as the most complete cornerback of all time, if not the greatest. Campbell posted two consecutive seasons with over 100 tackles, ending his collegiate career with 299 total tackles, 12.5 for a loss, three sacks, five interceptions, ten passes defended, three. If all a CB did was play man-to-man coverage and they never tackled someone else's man, you might be onto something. It was the only time quarterback Russell Wilson targeted Baldwin the entire game. Its bigger than me If you understand that, you understand that its bigger than you too, Woodson once said according to The Pro Football Hall of Fame. Eagles have a shot to land the top cornerback in the 2023 draft originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia. Adderley also had good size for the position, standing an even six-foot-tall and weighing 205 pounds. Go back to the Super Bowl after awhile away. Lets build ourselves up, instead of tearing ourselves down. Today, that total ranks seventh best for a single season. I can remember, it was a little high chair right by the kitchen. He spent time as a return specialist and wide receiver. He missed most of the season after having reconstructive surgery but returned to play in the Steelers 27-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XXX. They are well known for hosting the Betting on Sports series of events across the world. Roby earned First Team All-Big Ten honors after the. He played college football at Pittsburgh, where he .more. Now, he told me he always worked on his feet because he tried to stay away from big wide receivers because he was such a small guy. He also has seven career postseason interceptions which rank 6th all-time, three of which he returned for touchdowns which ranks second only behind Asante Samuel. He was ranked by NFL network as the 2nd most feared tackler to ever play the game. They doubted. So, I want to thank God for number one, making everything possible. Answer (1 of 5): A2A. Deion Sanders is the only athleteever to scorean NFL touchdown and hitan MLB home runin the same week30 years ago today: 3-for-5 with HR, pair of doublesFivedays later, returns punt68 yards for a TDin his NFL debutLegend pic.twitter.com/S6l8RhU2H7, Thank you, Lord, I thank you, Sanders said. When it comes to his professional NFL career, he joined the Atlanta Falcons in 1989, and he remained on the team for four years until 1993. At the moment, Rod Woodson works for the Vegas Vipers as the general manager and head coach. That right there should be motivation to keep going no matter what profession you find yourself in. See, we left it on the field. COPY AND PASTE . They thought they were ready sooner, but they werent. From a technical standpoint, very few have had as fluid hips as Bailey, and he might also have the greatest T-step of any corner. Night Train Lane spent fourteen seasons in the NFL playing for the Los Angeles Rams, Chicago Cardinals, and Detroit Lions. Dave Brown 3. The Ravens' defense was absolutely decimated by injury in 2021, and that left Humphrey to carry much of the . 16. Make sure to attend one of their upcoming events. He finished that season with 64 tackles. His career skyrocketed during the 90s, and this is why Woodson is considered by many the best cornerback ever praised for his tackling and rushing abilities. Known as "Prime Time" and "Neon Deion," Sanders is considered by many the greatest at his position. He also tallied six sacks in 1992, the second most by a Steelers player that season. The Bengals primarily ran a 5-2 base defense under Anarumo last year but would revert to a 4-3 at times involving subpackages against triple option teams, like the Baltimore Ravens during last . Now, if she says its okay, then its okay. An eight-time Pro Bowler, he intercepted six passes as a rookie and led the league in interceptions (9) the following season. All too often, we men find it easier to criticize each other, instead of building each other up, Sherman shared, in part, in an Instagram post tagging other men. Build your own custom leaderboards with Stathead Football, Frequently Asked Questions about the NFL and Football, Pro-Football-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREE. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Sanders also played for the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, and Baltimore Ravens before retiring from the sport in 2005. With so many sports on hiatus, now is the time to check out horse racing at BetAmerica. They view me first as a black man. The NFL Defensive Player of the Year 2009 was born on the Oct 7, 1976 in Fremont, Ohio. 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. The Most Likable NFL Players In 2022. he managed 52 tackles, 3 interceptions, and 7 pass deflections, but that wasn't all. The exact cause of death was never released. Green entered the NFL Draft in 1983, where he was selected by the Washington Redskins. All rights reserved. Sanders also briefly played for the Redskins and Ravens, before he retired in 2005. He completed his extremely successful career with 1,159 tackles, 54 interceptions, and 6 touchdowns. Mama, Im going to make a lot of money, and you will never have to work another day of your life. My mama said thats fine, but until then you get that lawnmower and go out there and cut that grass. I stayed the course. The forty-four-year-old Champ Bailey was born on the Jun 22, 1978 in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Deion Sanders Charles Woodson Ronnie Lott Rod Woodson Green is often regarded as the most versatile defensive player in the modern era. Blount ended his career in 1983 with 57 interceptions (13th in NFL history) and 736 return yards. Im representing more than myself sitting here today; Im representing everyone and everything that had an impact on my life to get to this point. The #Rams have had trade talks about six-time Pro Bowl CB Jalen Ramsey and league sources now believe it's very likely Ramsey is dealt in coming weeks. You cant wait for somebody else to validate your purpose. 1 receiver, including the likes of Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, and Calvin Johnson. 1 15) Dick LeBeau. I appreciate you. That season, he was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. During that stretch, Bailey was a three-time first-team All-Pros, had 21 Interceptions and 56 pass breakups, and was second in defensive player of the year voting in 2006. Remember there are no limits., Defensive backs coach Emmitt Thomas to retire after coaching 38 NFL seasons. https://t.co/vjdLeROMeG pic.twitter.com/cW3n8F1GVD, Ifeel blessed and honored to stand before you today, Thomas said. Blounts frame and length led to the rule change, but his hips and speed still allowed him to be voted first-team All-Pro once and second-team All-Pro twice, even after the fact.