The NFL has seen legendary linebackers, but only one can be the greatest. Ray Lewis falls just short, as a Giants icon takes the crown. From hard-hitting enforcers to sideline-to-sideline beasts, these 25 legends defined defensive dominance like no other!

25 Best Linebackers in NFL History: Ray Lewis Misses Out on #1 Against Giants Legend

James Harrison, a force from Pittsburgh (2002, ‘04‑12, '14‑17), Cincinnati (2013), and New England (2017), stands as one of the most imposing linebackers ever. A 4‑time All‑Pro and 5‑time Pro Bowler, Harrison powered the Steelers to Super Bowl XL and XLIII victories. With 84.5 career sacks and a legendary 100‑yard interception return in Super Bowl XLIII, his impact is unforgettable.

25. James Harrison

Sam Huff, legendary for his time with the New York Giants (1956‑63) and Washington (1964‑69), redefined linebacker play. A 6‑time All‑Pro and 5‑time Pro Bowler, Huff helped the Giants win the 1956 NFL championship. The first NFL player on Time magazine’s cover and star of CBS’s "The Violent World of Sam Huff," he remains iconic. He is forever widely revered.

24. Sam Huff

Patrick Willis, who played for San Francisco from 2007 to 2014, was a 6‑time All‑Pro and 7‑time Pro Bowler. As the 2007 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and 2009 Butkus Award winner (Professional), Willis consistently made the Pro Bowl whenever he played more than four games. Known as a sure tackler and instinctual defender, his legacy is absolutely undeniable.

23. Patrick Willis

Rickey Jackson, who played for New Orleans (1981‑93) and San Francisco (1994‑95), was a 6‑time All‑Pro and 6‑time Pro Bowler. A Super Bowl XXIX champion with the 49ers and a Hall of Famer (Class of 2010), Jackson is one of the most underrated linebackers. He recorded 128 career sacks and 1,173 tackles, ranking impressively among linebackers and remains an enduring legend.

22. Rickey Jackson

Kevin Greene, who played for the Rams (1985‑92), Steelers (1999‑95), Carolina (1996; 1998‑99), and San Francisco (1997), is a 3‑time All‑Pro and 5‑time Pro Bowler. The 1996 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and Hall of Famer (Class of 2016) holds 160 sacks—more than any linebacker—and led the league at age 34 with 14.5 sacks, truly one of the defensive legends.

21. Kevin Greene

Terrell Suggs, who starred with the Baltimore Ravens (2003‑2018), Arizona (2019), and Kansas City (2019), is a 2‑time All‑Pro, and 7‑time Pro Bowler. A Super Bowl XLVII and LIV champion, truly exceptional, Suggs won the 2003 Defensive Rookie of the Year, 2011 Defensive Player of the Year, and 2011 Butkus Award. With 139 sacks, he remains among the most dominant linebackers.

20. Terrell Suggs

Harry Carson, who played for the New York Giants from 1976 to 1988, was a 6‑time All‑Pro and 9‑time Pro Bowler. A Super Bowl XXI champion and Hall of Famer (Class of 2006), Carson was a disruptive force in the heart of the Giants’ defense, forming one of the greatest linebacker tandems alongside Lawrence Taylor, and leaving an enduring legacy.

19. Harry Carson

Joe Schmidt, who played for Detroit from 1953 to 1965, earned 9 All‑Pro and 10 Pro Bowl selections. A 2‑time NFL champion (1953, '57) and Hall of Famer (Class of 1973), Schmidt was named the 65th Greatest Football Player ever by The Sporting News in 2007. Renowned for his toughness, he remains an iconic figure in NFL history, truly legendary.

Joe Schmidt

18. Joe Schmidt

DeMarcus Ware, who played for Dallas (2005‑13) and Denver (2014‑16), is a 7‑time All‑Pro and 9‑time Pro Bowler. A Super Bowl 50 champion with the Broncos, Ware earned NFC Defensive Player of the Year in 2008 and multiple Butkus Awards. His 138.5 career sacks rank ninth all‑time, surpassed only by Kevin Greene and Terrell Suggs among linebackers, making him legendary.

17. DeMarcus Ware

Ray Nitschke, who played for Green Bay from 1958 to 1992, was a 7‑time All‑Pro and made the 1964 Pro Bowl. A 5‑time NFL champion (1961‑62, '65‑67) and Super Bowl I and II champion, Nitschke earned the 1962 NFL Championship Game MVP award, cementing his status as a legendary figure in NFL history and a true Hall of Famer, absolutely.

Ray Nitschke

16. Ray Nitschke

Bill George, who played for Chicago from 1952 to 1965 and the Los Angeles Rams in 1966, was an 8‑time All‑Pro and 8‑time Pro Bowler. A key contributor to the 1963 NFL championship with the Bears, George revolutionized the linebacker position and is celebrated as the NFL’s first true middle linebacker, earning a rightful place in the Hall of Fame.

15. Bill George

Brian Urlacher, a stalwart for the Chicago Bears from 2000 to 2012, earned 5 All‑Pro and 8 Pro Bowl selections. Named the 2000 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and 2005 Defensive Player of the Year, Urlacher redefined linebacker play. His dominant career led to his 2018 Hall of Fame induction, solidifying his legacy as one of the all‑time greats.

Brian Urlacher - Eating Cookies

14. Brian Urlacher

Ted Hendricks, known as "The Mad Stork," played for the Baltimore Colts (1969‑73), Green Bay (1974), and the Raiders (1975‑83). A 9‑time All‑Pro and 8‑time Pro Bowler, he won Super Bowls V, XI, XV, and XVIII. At 6‑7, he remains the tallest linebacker ever, earning his rightful spot in the Hall of Fame and NFL 100 All‑Time Team, truly legendary.

13. Ted Hendricks

Willie Lanier, who played for Kansas City from 1967 to 1977, was an 8‑time All‑Pro and 6‑time Pro Bowler. A Super Bowl IV champion and Hall of Famer (Class of 1986), Lanier, nicknamed "Contact" for his ferocity, was a head‑hunter, devastating hitter, and a standout in pass coverage with 27 career interceptions, earning his place among NFL legends, absolutely iconic.

12. Willie Lanier

Derrick Brooks, who played for Tampa Bay from 1995 to 2008, was a 9‑time All‑Pro and 11‑time Pro Bowler. A Super Bowl XXXVII champion and 2002 Defensive Player of the Year, Brooks recorded over 1,700 tackles and 49 turnovers. His phenomenal consistency and impact earned him a well‑deserved spot in the Hall of Fame and NFL 100 All‑Time Team, indisputably.

11. Derrick Brooks

Bobby Bell, who played for Kansas City from 1963 to 1974, was a 2‑time All‑Pro and 3‑time Pro Bowler, and a 6‑time All‑AFL All‑Star. A 2‑time AFL champion (1966, '69) and Super Bowl IV champion, Bell, standing 6‑4 at 230 pounds, recorded 26 interceptions and tied with Derrick Brooks for six touchdowns on returns, truly an extraordinarily dominant physical force.

10. Bobby Bell

Chuck Bednarik, who played for Philadelphia from 1949 to 1962, was a 10‑time All‑Pro and 8‑time Pro Bowler, and a 2‑time NFL champion (1949, '60). A true Iron Man who never left the field, he also served as the Eagles’ center, is the namesake for a prestigious defensive award, and is a proud World War II veteran, and eternally admired.

Chuck Bednarik (1949)

9. Chuck Bednarik

Junior Seau, who played for San Diego (1990‑2002), Miami (2003‑05), and New England (2006‑09), was a 10‑time All‑Pro and 12‑time Pro Bowler. Seau won the 1992 Defensive Player of the Year and 1994 AFC Player of the Year awards, recording 1,849 tackles. Tragically, he took his own life at age 43 due to CTE, leaving an indelible lasting legacy.

8. Junior Seau

Jack Ham, who played for Pittsburgh from 1971 to 1982, was an 8‑time All‑Pro and 8‑time Pro Bowler. A key figure in four Super Bowl victories (IX, X, XIII, XIV) and the 1975 Defensive Player of the Year, Ham recorded 53 forced turnovers—the most by any linebacker—and truly remains an absolute timeless icon on pure defense. <a href="https://www.yorkdispatch.com/gcdn/presto/2022/05/19/PPYD/78338dcc-d328-4208-9e29-c12d450eabad-AP765257602869.jpg">https://www.yorkdispatch.com/gcdn/presto/2022/05/19/PPYD/78338dcc-d328-4208-9e29-c12d450eabad-AP765257602869.jpg</a>

7. Jack Ham

Derrick Thomas, who played for Kansas City from 1989 to 1999, was a 6‑time All‑Pro and 9‑time Pro Bowler. The 1989 Defensive Rookie of the Year, Thomas, is renowned as one of the greatest pass rushers, recording 126.5 sacks in 157 starts and setting the NFL record with seven sacks in a single game, a truly unforgettable performance.

Derrick Thomas

6. Derrick Thomas

Mike Singletary, who played for Chicago from 1981 to 1992, was a 9‑time All‑Pro and 10‑time Pro Bowler. A Super Bowl XX champion and 2‑time Defensive Player of the Year (1985, '88), Singletary, known as "Samurai Mike," was renowned for his intense focus and leadership, revolutionizing linebacker play and leaving an indelible mark on the NFL, truly unmatched in greatness.

5. Mike Singletary

Jack Lambert, who played for Pittsburgh from 1974 to 1984, was an 8‑time All‑Pro and 9‑time Pro Bowler. A key figure in four Super Bowl victories (IX, X, XIII, XIV) and a 1974 Defensive Rookie of the Year, Lambert’s toothless snarl and leadership of the Steel Curtain struck fear into opponents, earning him a rightful Hall of Fame place, indeed.

4. Jack Lambert

Dick Butkus, who played for Chicago from 1965 to 1973, was an 8‑time All‑Pro and 8‑time Pro Bowler. A 2‑time Defensive Player of the Year (1969, '70) and Hall of Famer (Class of 1978), Butkus epitomized the quintessential linebacker, with a nasty disposition that inspired the award named after him, forever defining the position and remains an absolute timeless icon on pure defense.

3. Dick Butkus

Ray Lewis, who played for the Baltimore Ravens from 1996 to 2012, was a 10‑time All‑Pro and 13‑time Pro Bowler. A Super Bowl XXXV and XLVII champion, Lewis also earned Super Bowl XXXV MVP and two Defensive Player of the Year awards (2000, '03). He holds the record for 13 Pro Bowl selections as a middle linebacker and remains unparalleled.

2. Ray Lewis

Lawrence Taylor, who played for the New York Giants from 1981 to 1993, is widely regarded as the greatest linebacker in NFL history. A 10‑time All‑Pro and 10‑time Pro Bowler, Taylor was a Super Bowl XXI and XXV champion, 1981 Defensive Rookie, 1986 NFL MVP, and a 3‑time Defensive Player of the Year. His legacy is unmatched and remains eternally iconic.