Best Athletes by the Numbers

NFL Athlete Number 71 - George Connor

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 08:54:00 +0000

All-time Chicago Bear great, George Connor, is the best NFL athlete to ever wear the jersey number 71.

A 1975 inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Connor played his entire NFL career with the Chicago Bears, spanning the years 1948 to 1955. He excelled at both the tackle and linebacker positions.

Connor was a strong athlete, playing both offense and defense for the Bears.

Did you know........Connor was an All American at both Holy Cross and Notre Dame?

NFL Athlete Number 70 - Rayfield Wright

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 09:00:00 +0000

A 2006 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, longtime Dallas Cowboy, Rayfield Wright, is the best NFL athlete to ever wear the jersey number 70.

Primarily a right offensive tackle with the 'Boys, Wright earned his starting position, appropriately, in 1970. However, he also played tight end and defensive end sparingly.

Over an NFL career spanning the years 1967 through 1979, Wright played in 166 games. He played in five Super Bowl games, was a six time Pro Bowler, and is a member of the NFL's 1970's All Decade team.

Did you know........Wright's nickname was "The Big Cat"?

NFL Athlete Number 69 - Mark Schlereth

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 09:00:00 +0000

Offensive lineman Mark Schlereth, former Denver Bronco and Washington Redskin, is the best NFL athlete to ever wear the jersey number 69.

Schlereth was a two-time Pro Bowler, an All Pro and won three Super Bowl rings. He played with the Redskins between 1989 and 1994 and the Broncos between 1995 and 2000. He started in 140 out of 156 NFL games played.

He started in 15 career NFL playoff games between the 'Skins and Broncos.

Did you know........Mark is also an actor and has been on the show Guiding Light?

NFL Athlete Number 68 - Joe Delamielleure

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 01:25:00 +0000

With one of the best names in NFL history, Joe Delamielleure, (and one of the most difficult to spell), is the best NFL athlete to ever wear the jersey number 68.

Joe was drafted out of Michigan State in 1973 and began his career with All-Rookie honors as an offensive lineman with the Bills. He would go on to play with Bills between 1973 and 1979, and again in 1985 after a five year stint with the Browns.

He was an anchor of the Bills "Electric Company" offense in the 1970s, and was a six time Pro Bowl selection. In 1975, he was named the Offensive Lineman of the Year by the NFLPA.

Joe was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003.

Did you know.......Joe started every game for the Bills between the years 1973 and 1979?

NFL Athlete Number 67 - Bob Kuechenberg

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 01:14:00 +0000

Bob Kuechenberg, longtime guard for the Miami Dolphins, is the best NFL athlete to wear the jersey number 67.

Kuechenberg was picked up by the Dolphins as a free agent in 1970, and stuck with them for quite a while. He was a Dolphin through the 1983 season. He was a six time Pro-Bowler and a two time Super Bowl Champion with Miami (VII and VIII).

Did you know....Kuechenberg played college football with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish?

NFL Athlete Number 66 - Clyde "Bulldog" Turner

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 23:40:00 +0000

Okay, this will be a controversial one. There are two viable candidates for the best NFL athlete to ever wear uniform number 66. In the end, the choice was made for Clyde "Bulldog" Turner of the Chicago Bears over Ray Nitschke of the Green Bay Packers.

"Bulldog" Turner played for the Chicago Bears between the years of 1940 to 1952. He was taken out of Hardin-Simmons college in 1940 with the seventh overall pick in the NFL draft. Turner filled a dual role for the Bears, playing both the offensive center and linebacker positions.

Turner was noted as the best center of his time, as well as an excellent linebacker. According to databasefootball.com, Turner had 17 career interceptions.

Named an All-Pro eight times in his career with the Bears, Bulldog was also a four-time NFL Champion (1940, 1941, 1943, and 1946). Turner has also been named to the 1940's All-Decade team.

Did you know......Clyde "Bulldog" Turner's uniform number 66 has been retired by the Chicago Bears?

NFL Athlete Number 65 - Elvin Bethea

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 04:59:00 +0000

Elvin Bethea, Houston Oiler defensive end and Pro Football Hall of Famer, is the best NFL athlete to ever wear number 65.

Bethea, drafted by the Oilers out of NCA&T State University in 1968, played for Houston between the years 1968 and 1983. Some of Bethea's more impressive achievements are: 135 consecutive regular season games played, eight-time Pro Bowler, 105 career sacks (unofficially), and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee in 2003.

Did you know.....Bethea played in eight Oilers' playoff games?

NFL Athlete Number 64 - Randall McDaniel

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:20:00 +0000

Continuing with the numbers owned by offensive lineman, the best NFL athlete to ever wear the jersey number 64.

Playing for the Vikes between the years of 1988 and 1999, McDaniel was an impressive twelve-time Pro Bowler. A former quarterback of his named him as "the best to ever play the position".

McDaniel is a 2006 inductee into the Vikings Ring of Honor, and should be a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

NFL Athlete Number 63 - Gene Upshaw

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 04:59:00 +0000

Raider great Gene Upshaw is the best NFL athlete to ever wear the jersey number 63. Playing his entire career with the Raiders, spanning the years 1967 through 1981, Upshaw put together a Hall of Fame career as an offensive lineman.

He was a six-time Pro Bowler and played in three Super Bowls. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.

NFL Athlete Number 62 - Jim Langer

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 04:59:00 +0000

Another NFL great, and another pick for an NFL athlete who is also the great professional athlete to ever wear the jersey number. Number 62 goes to offensive center Jim Langer of the Miami Dolphins.

A 1987 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Langer played for the Dolphins between the years of 1970 and 1979, and was a member of the Dolphins perfect season team in 1972.

Langer is a member of the 1970s All-Decade team and played in 141 consecutive games over eight seasons.

NFL Athlete Number 61 - Bill George

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 04:59:00 +0000

Bill George is the best NFL athlete to ever wear jersey number 61, and the best professional athlete to ever wear the jersey number 61.

He is credited as the first star at the middle linebacker position in the NFL. He spent the majority of his career with the Chicago Bears, as the predecessor to Mike Singletary and Dick Butkus, and one year with the Rams at the end of his career.

He is a 1974 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, and was named number 49 on The Sporting News list of the 100 greatest NFL players in 1999.

NFL Athlete Number 60 - Chuck Bednarik

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 04:59:00 +0000

Chuck Bednarik, the best NFL athlete to wear the jersey number 60, was the last of the two-way players in the NFL. Bednarik is a 1967 inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. For more on Chuck and his Pro Football career, see the original post on him being named the best professional athlete to ever wear the jersey number 60.

Brett Favre's NEW Jersey

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:59:00 +0000

Brett Favre is a Jet and he will be wearing.......guess what uniform number? Yes, you guessed it, number 4. He's already thrown passes on the field in Jets gear tonight. Okay, well not in a Jets uniform, but he tossed the ball around in Jets hat and t-shirt after the weather delay. Yes, weather delays happen in football, I guess, for lightning, and that's about it.

Check out the video of the press conference with Jet holding his NEW jersey number 4.

Favre joins Jets

NFL Athlete Number 59 - Jack Ham

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:15:00 +0000

Another Pittsburgh Steeler great, and another identical pick for our best professional athlete to wear the jersey number. Number 59 goes to Penn State alum and four time Super Bowl champion, Jack Ham.

Ham was a perfect counterpart to Lambert as part of the Steeler linebacker crew. Ham was extremely quick at the outside linebacker position, racking up 32 career interceptions, spanning the years 1971 to 1982.

He was a four-time Super Bowl Champion, like Lambert, and was named to eight consecutive Pro Bowls. Think this guy was key to the Steel Curtain?

Did you know......Ham was a starter for all 14 regular season games as a rookie with the Steelers?

NFL Athlete Number 58 - Jack Lambert

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 18:54:00 +0000

Jack Lambert is the best NFL athlete, and the best professional sports athlete, to ever wear the jersey number 58. His name is synonymous with tough football player. The prototypical linebacker, Lambert led the "Steel Curtain" defense for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1970s.

Beginning with his rookie season in 1974, Lambert took over the starting middle linebacker position for the Steelers, and didn't give it up for 11 years. Over his NFL career, spanning the years 1974 to 1984, he was named an All-Pro and Pro-Bowler nine times each, and was a Super Bowl Champion four times in the 70s.

If you really want to see what Jack Lambert was all about as a football player, check out this excellent video tribute to him on YouTube:

Did you know.....Jack Lambert is also our selection for the best professional athlete to ever wear jersey number 58?

NFL Athlete Number 57 - Dwight Stephenson

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:18:00 +0000

There aren't too many centers on this list. However, the best NFL athlete to ever wear the jersey number 57 is longtime Miami Dolphin, and offensive center, Dwight Stephenson. Taken with the 48th overall pick out of Alabama, Stephenson started what was to become a Hall of Fame career with the Dolphins in 1980.

In his rookie season, Stephenson played in all 16 games as a center, although he did not start in any of them. He quickly became an anchor of the Miami offensive line however. During Stephenson's injury-shortened tenure with the Dolphins, 1980 - 1987, the Dolphins led the NFL in fewest sacks for six straight seasons (1982-1987).

Dwight was a five time All-Pro and Pro-Bowl selection. He is a member of the 1980s All-Decade team and received the NFL Man of the Year award in 1985.

He currently has his own charitable organization, aptly named, The Dwight Stephenson Foundation.

Did you know......that Dwight was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998?

NFL Athlete Number 56 - Lawrence Taylor

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 06:00:00 +0000

Do we even need to say who the best NFL player to ever wear number 56 is? Okay, we don't, but we will. It's Lawrence Taylor, also the best overall athlete to ever wear jersey number 56.

In our humble opinion, this guy is the best linebacker ever. Hands down. See all his accomplishments by checking out the link for the best overall athlete to wear number 56.

Did you know........that Howie Long once said abut Lawrence Taylor, "All I can say about Lawrence Taylor is that he's the best defensive football player I've seen. I've said many times he's the best player I've seen in my era defensively. Everyone else is a pretender. "

NFL Athlete Number 55 - Derrick Brooks

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 06:00:00 +0000

Suprisingly, there aren't many Hall of Fame caliber players who have worn the jersey number 55 in the NFL. Double nickels. That's a pretty cool number. Anyway, there are a few top-notch NFL players who have worn this number, and we have selected the best to ever wear it. The selection is Derrick Brooks, linebacker, who has played his entire NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Brooks, a 10-time Pro Bowler, was taken by the Buccaneers with the 28th overall pick out of Florida State in the 1995 NFL draft. Brooks made an immediate impact on the Bucs defense, racking up 82 total tackles in his rookie season. That was the only season in his career to date that Brooks had less than a three-digit tackle total. Through the 2007 season, Brooks has amassed 1,646 total tackles and 24 total interceptions. His career high season total was reached in 1998 with 158 total tackles, 124 of which were solo.

Did you know........Derrick Brooks has his own charitable foundation called Derrick Brooks Charities?

NFL Athlete Number 54 - Randy White

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 03:36:00 +0000

One of the most popular, and best, Dallas Cowboy players of all-time, Randy White is also the best NFL athlete to ever put on the jersey number 54.

White, who was the second overall pick in the 1975 NFL draft out of Maryland, played his entire NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys spanning the years of 1975 through 1988. White proved to be extremely durable on the gridiron, missing only one game in 14 seasons with the Cowboys.

White was a star from the beginning as he was named co-MVP of Super Bowl XII in his first year with the Cowboys. He was also named an All-Pro and Pro Bowler that year, and would be for nine straight seasons.

Did you know......Randy White is also our pick as the best professional athlete to ever wear the number 54?

NFL Athlete Number 53 - Harry Carson

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 02:42:00 +0000

Another pick that was also our best overall athlete pick. Harry Carson is the best NFL athlete to ever wear the jersey number 53, AND the best overall professional athlete to ever wear the jersey number 53.

Carson played his entire career at linebacker for the New York Giants. He was a fierce run stopper who played in one of the finest defensive backfields ever, along with Lawrence Taylor and Carl Banks.

Did you know......Harry Carson was selected to seven straight Pro Bowls (1982-1988)?

NFL Athlete Number 52 - Ray Lewis

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:42:00 +0000

Best NFL number 52 is one that can and should be debated by football fans. Both Ray Lewis and Mike Webster get strong consideration here. In the end, we chose the two-time NFL defensive player of the year. In fact, we chose him as the best overall athlete to ever wear the jersey number 52. Playing his entire NFL career with the Baltimore Ravens, spanning the years 1996 through 2007, Lewis has accumulated 794 tackles overall, 30 sacks and 25 interceptions. Lewis was also named the MVP of Super Bowl XXXV in 2000 where the Ravens beat the Giants. Did you know......Lewis played his college ball at Miami with "The Rock"?

NFL Athlete Number 51 - Dick Butkus

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Thu, 29 May 2008 21:32:00 +0000

Playing his entire NFL career for the Chicago Bears between the years of 1965 and 1973, Dick Butkus established himself as one of the best linebackers ever to grace the gridiron. He is our pick for the best NFL athlete to wear the uniform number 51.

Although Butkus' career was cut short by knee injuries, it was a brilliant one. Taken out of Illinois by the Bears in the first round of the 1965 NFL draft, Butkus played in all fourteen regular season games as a rookie. He had five INTs and recovered seven fumbles that year.

During his career, he amassed 1,020 tackles, 22 INTs and 27 fumble recoveries. He was a Pro-Bowler for eight consecutive years (1965 - 1972.)

He was coined by Sports Illustrated as the "most feared man in the game." Wow, that's a mean looking picture!

Did you know......Butkus was also drafted in the AFL in 1965 by the Denver Broncos?

NFL Athlete Number 50 - Mike Singletary

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:24:00 +0000

"Samurai Mike", Mike Singletary is the best NFL athlete to ever wear the jersey number 50. He's also our pick as the best professional athlete to ever wear the jersey number 50. So what do you need to know about Mike Singletary as an NFL athlete? Why is he on this list for number 50?

10 time Pro Bowler (consecutive)
1,488 career tackles
9 time All Pro
2 time AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1985, 1988)
Pro Football Hall of Fame (Class of 1998)
1985 Super Bowl Champion (XX)
172 games started as a Chicago Bear

Did you know.........Mike Singletary had two fumble recoveries in Super Bowl XX?

NFL Athlete Number 49 - Bobby Mitchell

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 09:15:00 +0000

A Pro Football Hall of Famer, inducted in 1983, Bobby Mitchell is also the best NFL athlete to ever wear the uniform number 49.

Taken with the 84th overall pick in the 1958 NFL draft out of Illinois by the Cleveland Browns, Mitchell went immediately into action in the backfield. He was teamed with the incomparable Jim Brown, to create one of the most potent running attacks in NFL history.

Not only was Mitchell a threat in the backfield however, he was also a threat when returning punts and kicks. Over his 11 year NFL career (first four with the Browns, final seven with the Redskins), Mitchell had 699 punt return yards with three touchdowns, and 2,690 kick return yards with 5 touchdowns.

His most impressive statistics however, came as a receiver. Mitchell led the NFL in receiving yards in both 1962 and 1963 (with 1384 and 1436 yards respectively). For his career he amassed 7,954 receiving yards and 65 receiving TDs.

5 time All Pro
4 time Pro Bowler
1962 NFL reception leader (72)
1964 NFL receiving TD leader (10)
91 career touchdowns
Pro Football Hall of Famer

Did you know.......Mitchell scored a touchdown on a kick return each year from 1960 through 1963?

NFL Athlete Number 48 - Daryl "Moose" Johnston

noreply@blogger.com (Scott) — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 17:21:00 +0000

Also our pick for the best professional athlete to ever wear the uniform number 48, Daryl "Moose" Johnston is certainly the best NFL athlete to ever wear the uniform number 48.

As one of this blog's comments states, "Moose is the reason that Emmitt Smith is on this list". If that's not 100% accurate, Moose's blocking certainly is one of the reasons that Emmitt is the best professional athlete to ever wear the uniform number 22.

Moose was drafted 39th overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1989 NFL draft, out of Syracuse. He made an immediate impact as fullback for the Cowboys during his rookie year. Not only could he block, but he also caught the ball well out of the backfield. He racked up 133 yards and 3 receiving TDs during the 1989 NFL season.

During his eleven year NFL career, spent entirely with the Dallas Cowboys, Johnston racked up 2,227 receiving yards, 14 receiving TDs, 753 rushing yards, and 8 rushing TDs. His biggest contribution during his career however, cannot be measured as a statistic. It was the defenders he took on, and the holes he helped create, so that Emmitt Smith could go on to become the NFL's all-time leading rusher.

Did you know......Moose won three Super Bowl rings while with the Dallas Cowboys?