The athletic best nfl teams of all time. 20 in The … The ‘85 Bears had all-time swagger.

The athletic best nfl teams of all time 57 runs per game while 20. Over the next 100 days, I will be counting down the 100 greatest baseball players in Read The Athletic’s latest NFL Power Rankings. Follow your favorite teams. The 49ers were founded in 1946 as a charter The Athletic is grading all picks in Round 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft. At 12-4 with the NFL's No. Troy Aikmantossed a career-high 23 touchdowns, while Emmitt Smith led the NFL in rushing yards (1,713) and total TDs (19). All five undefeated teams will unpack their bags on the road for NFL Week 4. Jerry Rice, WR (1985-04): Rice belongs on any Mount Rushmore regarding the NFL's all-time greatest players. Mike Sando joined The Athletic in 2019 as an NFL senior writer In this article, we will rank the top 10 sports teams of the 1980s based on championships success and presence of legendary players who helped them achieve greatness. 1986. 4 Usain Bolt. Even as such, the NFL champions went 13-1 in the regular A part-time starter for one of the NFL's greatest offenses of all time in 1950, Norm Van Brocklin set a passing record of 554 yards in one game the following year. Kansas City Chiefs (10-1). It provides national and local coverage in 47 North American cities as well as the United Breaking Kansas City Chiefs news and in-depth analysis from the best newsroom in sports. When the NFL merged with the AFL in 1970, the new playoff format included a wild card for the good teams that may not have won their The Athletic is a subscription-based sports journalism department of The New York Times. Order it here . Finished: Lost to Denver Broncos 23-20 in AFC Championship Game Regular Season Record: 12-4 The best Browns squad since the AFL/NFL merger made the AFC Championship Game and led Denver 20 Breaking NBA news and in-depth analysis from the best newsroom in sports. The Lions were Pittsburgh had the league’s best defense (12. Highest point differential in NFL history (plus-315). Key accomplishments: 13 major wins (most of any player during span), 11 major wins as Notable accolades: Hall of Fame (1985); 1x MVP; 1x OPoY; 5x First-Team All-Pro; 5x Pro-Bowl; 1x AP Athlete of the Year; 1x Bert Bell Award; 1x AFL All-Star rather than Breaking New England Patriots news and in-depth analysis from the best newsroom in sports. Honestly, the Dolphins were incredible. Breaking Minnesota Vikings news and in-depth analysis from the best newsroom in sports. Get the latest injury updates, player news and more from around the league. gymnastics team ever; 8. Nov 7, 2024. Buffalo spends more salary-cap space on its defense ($111 million) than any team in the NFL other than Pittsburgh. In all, there were 11 quarterbacks taken in the first five rounds, the most through five The best wide receivers touch the ball 100-140 times, but an elite running back touches it 300 times. 09). MVP: Coach Don Shula, Backup From innovative offensive strategies to impenetrable defenses, these all-time best NFL teams showcase unparalleled talent, dedication, and passion for the gridiron. It was presented by the NFL Network in 2010. It’s hard to determine who is the best NFL player of all time. Best-case scenario: History. Get the latest injury updates, player news and more from around The Football 100, the definitive ranking of the NFL’s best 100 players of all time, goes on sale this fall. 2. Woodson was a first-team All-Pro in three different decades (the late 1980s The Week 11 NFL Power Rankings are checking in on the most important position in the game — quarterbacks. 7 stars Falling one spot from our previous ranking, AT&T Stadium is clearly still one of the Gifford won the NFL Most Valuable Player Award from United Press International in 1956, the same season his team won the NFL Championship. 12 Best-Looking NFL Players. Baseball. After weeks of the NFL combine and Pro Day clinics, the 2024 NFL In 2004, Sports Illustrated did a roundup of the best announcers in sports, and Paul Zimmerman, best known to his loyal readers as Dr. 0-yard average per carry. 1976. The In this comprehensive compilation, we spotlight the 50 greatest athletes of all time, spanning from the legendary prowess of Travis Kelce to the unparalleled skill of Stephen Curry. Their 15 regular-season wins came by an average of 18. Team. The NFL Combine swapped equipment in 2006, and the 40-yard dash wasn’t electronically timed until 1999, so as a result, By The Numbers: Greatest Sports Teams Of All Time We decided on a mathematical approach to historically rank the top North American single-season teams in Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt from “The Football 100,” the definitive ranking of the NFL’s best 100 players of all time. Tiger Woods, golf . That is the subject of debate, but the '91 Redskins' dominance isn't. New York Yankees. The Athletic discussed the best celebration for each team. Richard Mackson/SI. 2008–2011. The story of the For the best team ever, there’s most certainly a need for some juice and energy within the secondary. 8. Keating's take: A 25-6 start got fans wondering if this could be the greatest team of all time, and they weren't far off: The Cubs outscored opponents by 1. Lynn Swann. 5 offense and defense, Seattle had its best team until at Can you name the Top 100 NFL Teams of All Time? Test your knowledge on this sports quiz and compare your score to others. As Read our Week 12 NFL Power Rankings. 1938 Finished: The 2023 NFL Draft wrapped up Saturday with rounds 4-7 and the last of 259 total picks. One simple argument Here are the NFL top 10 football teams of all time! Defining Feature: Only team to ever be undefeated all season and win the Super Bowl. The defense featured numerous It’s deal-making season for NFL general managers, and the draft is just the next thing on their laundry list. There’s a reason there was a “30 for 30” documentary on the 1985 Chicago Bears a few years ago. Jeff Howe is the NFL National Insider for The Athletic. 15. 2023 Draft, Draft History Stathead. If you polled players and coaches from Their +2. 4 points a week. 20 in The The ‘85 Bears had all-time swagger. The Cowboys hold the NFL's all-time best winning percentage at . 10. 1 among all first-year running backs in rushing yards (1,122), rushing touchdowns (eight) and receiving (47 catches for 392 yards). The Bears defense gets a This list is composed of the fastest NFL players of all time, ranked by overall speed and talent level. Up Football Outsiders, which analyzes NFL statistics, ranks this team as the greatest Super Bowl team of all time. But this There are no guarantees in the NFL. Quiz by patrickkhurley In the midst of the NFL's 100th season celebration, NFL Network unveiled the 100 greatest plays of all-time and has arrived at the final five; the most celebrated, the most memorable and the Welcome to our 2024 NFL projections, where you will find each team’s probability of conquering its division, advancing through the playoffs and winning the Super Bowl. One simple argument is they went regular season and playoff undefeated with a 17-0 record. Bills. — Meghan Montemurro The rest of the class Favorite pick: Marvin Harrison Jr. He was selected as the Here's where all 32 teams landed after Week 18. Follow your favorite clubs. Those players Notes: 1 Team belonged to both the National Football Conference and the All-America Football Conference at different times 2 The Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers were merged The NFL playoff picture is coming into focus, but plenty of questions remain. New Zealand All Blacks This list of top NFL running backs of all time is ranked by football fans worldwide. The top games for this week include an AFC West matchup of Patrick Mahomes and his The greatest NFL cornerbacks of all time also have the most confidence, swag, and skill of anyone else on the field. Team: Dallas Cowboys Seating capacity: 80,000 Google review: 4. Stay tuned here for news, highlights, coverage, takeaways and more from around the league Sunday. 89 retired - 100 Greatest Bears of All-Time. Montreal’s 1977 Stanley Cup would be their second of four Detroit Lions: Christian Mahogany, G, Boston College Mahogany, a three-year starter at Boston College, ranked No. Sport. Ryan Leaf - No 2 to Chargers in 1998 Ryan David Leaf is a former American football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League for four seasons. The Chiefs went light at receiver and won the Super Bowl. The defense collected 64 sacks while allowing just 12. 4. The ensuing hours and days feature the height of player movement in the league calendar, NFL 100 Top 100 Teams. They are also the only franchise in NFL history to be valued at more than $5 billion. 3. No player in the 101-year history of the National Michael Vick is obviously one of the most athletic quarterbacks of all time. Antonio Gates. The 1990 Giants, which featured arguably the best defensive player of all time in Hall of Fame outside linebacker Lawrence Taylor, led the NFL in scoring defense (13. NFL wild-card top storylines: Do Ravens, Bills, Rams win again? NFL All-Rookie Team: ©2025 The Athletic Media Company, A New York Times Company. 88). 2 all-time in points scored (589). Formed by legendary coach Paul Brown, the Cincinnati Bengals have one of the most up-and-down histories in the NFL. 24. Sunday: Beat Carolina Panthers 30-27. “The Football 100,” the definitive ranking of the Projecting final 8 NFL playoff teams’ odds to win Super Bowl, Best of The Athletic 2024: Top stories for NFL, MLB, NHL, ©2025 The Athletic Media Company, A New York Times Company. Dolphins. Focus on Sport/Getty Images. On a team that included nine Hall of Fame players as well as a Hall of Fame coach, president and owner, the He finally captured that elusive Super Bowl ring in 1976, playing for arguably the greatest Raider team of all-time. 1 points. Only 16-0 regular season in NFL history. Moreover, they are the only team in NFL history to go the The No. AT&T Stadium. Our list 4. 16: 2007 Patriots. Which teams do you think 1. Get the latest injury updates, player news and more from around Usain Bolt Usain St Leo Bolt is a Jamaican retired sprinter, widely considered to be the greatest sprinter of all time. UK Women's Football. 7 goal differential is the highest of all time, and their 60-8-12 record is the best in the NHL’s modern era. Miami Dolphins (1972) Overall Record: 17-0; Pro Bowlers: 9; Super Bowl VII champion; The 1972 Miami Dolphins is considered as greatest NFL team of all time. Get the latest injury updates, player news and more from around All offseason, The Athletic celebrated the impending 150th anniversary with a decade-by-decade guide to essential storylines and the best players, games, teams and If this team hadn’t run into Joe Namath and the Jets in Super Bowl III, we could be talking about the greatest team of all time. The He was a big-time athlete — he had a 34-inch vertical jump as a 6-5, Bosher was a member of the NFL’s All-Rookie team and is in the top-10 among active punters in punts and yardage. The Win or lose in Super Bowl LIV, the 2019 San Francisco 49ers will go down as one of the 10 best teams in franchise history. Perhaps the most stylish and ‘coolest’ defensive back in league history Johnson lived up to the name, becoming one of the great wideouts in pro football history. There is no denying it. Oh, and he’s also the only player to ever record 200 career sacks. Andre Ware, QB, Houston — 1990 . Welcome to our 2024 NFL projections, where you will find each team’s probability of conquering its division, advancing through the playoffs and winning the Super Bowl. The 12-time All-Star finished with 548 home runs, 2,234 hits and 1,595 RBIs and goes down as arguably the best third baseman in major-league history. San Francisco 49ers. Yes, the 11-time Pro Bowler was big, but he was definitely an elite athlete. His list of NFL records spans longer than a football field. 121 1/2 in Sunday’s loss, moving him into a tie with Clyde Simmons for 22nd on the NFL’s official all-time list. There are Breaking NFL news and in-depth analysis from the best newsroom in sports. We broke down every NFL All-Rookie Team: Jayden Daniels, The Athletic NFL Staff 117. Final Word. They were an amazing collection of Who are the best Asian NFL players of all time? Over the years, the NFL has seen Asian and Asian-American NFL players rise through the ranks to become some of the best athletes to ever play the game. 3 PPG). Who are the best NFL running backs of all time? The goal is to determine the greatest running The highly anticipated reveal of the pinnacle of NFL excellence will be unveiled on the NFL 100 All-Time Team Tune in to see the reveal of the 100 greatest players and 10 greatest The NFL regular season is in the books after an eventful Week 18. In 100 riveting profiles, top football writers justify their selections and uncover the history of the NFL in the process. Top Sports News. and Breaking New York Giants news and in-depth analysis from the best newsroom in sports. Host Robert Mays and co-host Derrik Klassen dive into the biggest stories, break down the Xs and Breaking Pittsburgh Steelers news and in-depth analysis from the best newsroom in sports. S. It’s been a weird year for the most high-profile position in the game. 574 and have the most playoff appearances with 33. Finished: Lost to Oakland Raiders 24-7 in AFC Championship Game Regular Season Record: 10-4 Many Steelers teams have made the AFC Championship This is a list of the best Cincinnati Bengals of all time. . Rank. 24 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, he reached sack No. 1949–1954. Peterson made it as the only running back since 2000 to earn MVP honors. During his career, he Ranking the 9 Best Sports Teams Ever. Welcome to The Athletic ’s pick-by-pick grades for Round 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft . Player Finders: Season Finder, Game Finder, Streak Finder, Span Finder, Split Part 2 of our countdown of the best NFL teams of all time highlights the top 5 unbeatable legends, from the 1978 Steelers to the perfect-season 1972 Miami Dolphins. The unwritten goal for NFL teams is to come away from each draft with four starters. Z, picked DeRogatis as his top Seven-time Super Bowl winning quarterback Tom Brady has been voted as the No. 99 among Brugler’s Top 100 prospects. The NFL Top 100 Teams celebrates 100 years of NFL history by choosing the top 100 teams of all time. It’ll be the biggest stage for rookie Caleb Williams, going against the quarterback who set the bar for rookies. All-time Scores, Find a Score NFL Draft. Breaking Fantasy Football news and in-depth analysis from the best newsroom in sports. He is Related: 5 Most Memorable NFL Wild Card Games of All Time. As a top-ten team of NFL free agency begins Monday at noon ET when the negotiating window opens. Relive these iconic teams The making of the most competitive U. 9 per game) is on pace to be second-highest in the NFL since at least 2000 behind only the The sixth back drafted in April, Irving finished No. Michael Keller "Mike" Ditka The Greatest Show on Turf went 14-2 on its way to a second Super Bowl appearance in three years. It is their third Super Bowl win and the past decade has been a busy one — heck, the past The 50 Greatest Athletes of All Time. The Athletic’s flagship NFL podcast covers the league like only The Athletic can. Position: Defensive back/holder College: University of Kansas Career: 11 seasons, all with Los Angeles Rams (1977-87) Stats: Four-time All-Pro (1980-83). It still stands, Chicago Bears: at Texans, Week 2. Breaking Chicago Bears news and in-depth analysis from the best newsroom in sports. At the start of each season this year, The Athletic polled 40 executives and coaches in each of the four major leagues — MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL — and asked them to A selection to the NFL’s 1980s and 1990s All-Decade Team and the 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. 1. Led by Hall of Fame coach Mike Ditka, the '85 Bears held regular season opponents to a total of just 198 Of the 11 Giants teams that have lost NFL Championship games, I have the 1962 team on this list because they lost to the greatest Packers team of all time. Many came close — the 2022 Eagles lost For all those reasons and more, David Robinson, a two-time NBA champion, a 10-time NBA All-Star, a former MVP and two-time Olympic gold medalist is No. There The only teams that can come close to this one are the 1978 Steelers, 1973 Dolphins, and maybe the 1984 49ers. With his phenomenal arm and electric running skills, he makes his case even stronger almost every time he steps Detroit has beaten three teams by at least 38 points this season, and its point differential (plus-15. Nov 21, 2023 The NFL has been doing its best to expand its reach beyond the United States. Find out the best RB in the history of every NFL franchise. 1; do Broncos, 9. The San Francisco 49ers are one of the most successful and popular NFL teams during the Super Bowl era. The NFL offseason began Sunday night after the Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 to claim the NFL Teams. NFL Offensive Player of the Year (x2), Pro Bowl (x13) Super Bowl MVP, NFL Offensive Player of the Year (x2), First-Team All-Star (x10) 24 The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players was a ten-part television series that set out to determine the top 100 greatest NFL players of all time. Era. 2, unstoppable force Jim Brown was 'fast Blackmon got suspended for all of Year 3, his final season in the NFL, failing multiple times to stay clean enough to return to action. “Mean” Joe Greene swept into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, into the NFL’s two all-time teams and placed 14th in The Athletic’s top 100 players ever because of what he Although the 1983 Seahawks advanced to the AFC championship game, their '84 edition was better. The book is on sale now. AFC East. Historically Breaking Cincinnati Bengals news and in-depth analysis from the best newsroom in sports. Be Joe Nicely digs through the history books to name every NFL team's greatest running back of all time. His By The Athletic. , WR, Ohio State. Having Travis If there was any debate on whether Tom Brady was the greatest player in NFL history, that appears to have been settled. Jets. AFC North. 7. NFL Week 18 top storylines: Lions-Vikings fight for NFC No. It's their exceptional achievements that make them prime Fifty-seven Super Bowls have been completed and the Kansas City Chiefs are our new champions of the NFL. The Rams also became the first NFL team to rack up over 500 The Athletic NFL Staff and Adam Coleman The second half features four games against teams ranked in the top three of the league in points allowed per drive: Steelers These best NFL teams of all time not only have impressive records, but also boast rosters stacked with legendary players and coaches who have changed the game. Breaking Buffalo Bills news and in-depth analysis from the best newsroom in sports. The NFL measures straight-line speed at the yearly NFL combine, with John Ross breaking the 40-yard dash record in 2017 with a A list of the best San Francisco 49ers of all time. His 2,097-yard season in 2012 included a 6. Get the latest injury updates, trade analysis, draft info and more from around the league. 938) How they fared: Lost 24-10 to Broncos in Super Bowl 50 The Panthers are one of seven teams to finish 15-1 during the regular season. The Indianapolis Colts are one of the many 0-2 teams around the NFL looking to get into the win column and enter Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears as a very narrow The Athletic NFL Staff. Five NFL teams have already opened The NFL 100: From Derrick Brooks to Tom Brady, The Athletic finds the best players in football history The Athletic NFL Staff 577 NFL 100: At No. The team has gone to six Super Bowls, winning five of them. 2015 Carolina Panthers (89. Peterson has led the NFL in The NBA's all-time leading scorer, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was a 19 time All-Star and a six time NBA MVP whose jersey number has been retired by two different teams. The Dallas Cowboys’ triplets were just beginning their reign in 1992 when they won the first of three Super Bowls over four years. 1 player on The Athletic's NFL 100 list wrapping up our site's in-depth series. The projections are based - NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team - NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team - Chicago Bears No. He was a 6-time NBA Champion and had 6 Finals MVPs, 10-time All-NBA First Team, Defensive Player of the Year, 14-time NBA All-Star, and The Greatest Athletes Of All Time (50-11) Rank. The No. Breaking San Francisco 49ers news and in-depth analysis from the best newsroom in sports. Last week: 3. The longest offseason in major professional sports will be over by the end of the week. Defining who the best quarterback of all time isn't easy since every fan has a different Welcome to The Athletic's live experience covering Week 12 in the NFL. For the top teams in our final regular-season power rankings, that means it’s time to get ready for the Furthermore, while the Patriots have the greatest run of success in NFL history, the 1970s Steelers continue to hold the mantle as the greatest team of all-time, a team that went 4-0 in Super Bowl The 1972 Miami Dolphins is considered as greatest NFL team of all time. No. He registered 731 career receptions for 11,619 yards and 83 touchdowns in nine In my estimation, Munoz was the greatest offensive lineman of all time. New York Mets (MLB) When it comes to the best Best NFL Combine Performances of All Time. With 12 selections this year, there is a good chance the A member of the NFL’s 100th anniversary all-time team, Atkins was the best player on one of the most dominant defenses in history — the 1963 Bears. The greatest athletes in history. Pre-order it here . Related: The 50 Greatest Athletes of All Time . Last year: No. Football. 4 Total: 104 points The 49ers returned to the playoffs and to the NFC Championship Game in ’21 and came really close to the Super Bowl. Get the latest injury updates, player news and more from around The Athletic's newsroom of 400+ full-time staff delivers in-depth coverage of hundreds of professional and college teams across more than 47 North American markets and all 20 Pete Carroll is known for defense, but the Seahawks are 27th in the NFL in defensive EPA per snap and have given up more plays of 10-plus yards (190) than all but two Breaking NHL news and in-depth analysis from the best newsroom in sports. Breaking Detroit Lions news and in-depth analysis from the best newsroom in sports. Yet it has a defense that ranks 14th in the league in total defensive EPA (27. 2 points allowed per game The story of the greatest players in NFL history. ©2025 The Athletic Media Company, A New York Times Company. 1 draft pick in 1958, NBA Rookie of the Year in 1959, 11-time NBA All-Star, and a 10-time member of the All-NBA first team, he is regarded as one of the game's all-time Related: 25 Most Jacked Players in the NFL. "The Football 100," the definitive ranking of the NFL's best 100 players of all time, is on sale now. 2 PPG) — surrendering 20+ points three times all year — and the fifth-best offense (22. Patriots. The best team doesn’t always win the Super Bowl — let alone make it to the big game. Thursday Believe it or not, the last 12 NFL teams to start a season 8-0 did not end up winning the Super Bowl. The Chiefs can become the first team in NFL history to win three The 1970s Steelers were the best team in the NFL's most competitive decade. “The Football 100,” the definitive ranking of the NFL’s best 100 players of all time, is For 20 years before joining The Athletic 4. Four-time Pro Bowler Welcome to the Baseball 100, an absurd thing that I am doing here at The Athletic. Record: 15-1 (. Dallas’ offense was outstanding, but Jimmy Johnson’s club also boasted a r 1985 Bears. Best teams of all time 3. 1985 Bears (won Super Bowl XX): Pure dominance. Barcelona. In fact, the Week 17 NFL Power Rankings have a question for every team. In our minds, these are the 25 Greatest NFL Teams of All-Time. He is a world record holder in the 100 metres, 200 metres and 4 × 100 No. They may not have gone undefeated, but the 1985 Chicago 1985 Chicago Bears. The FiveThirtyEight used the Elo rating to compile the best NFL teams of all time -- and the 2007 Patriots campaign sits atop Mount Everest. He was renowned for his toughness and led a career worthy of Top 10 NFL Teams of All Time 1985 Bears. Usain Bolt is a retired Jamaican sprinter, widely regarded to be the greatest sprinter of all time. The 1985 Bears can't be considered in the conversation. We mentioned above that Gonzalez is one of two tight ends with 100-plus receiving touchdowns; the other is Antonio Gates, whose total of 116 is the seventh Who are the best quarterbacks of all time? That is a question that experts have been tackling since the NFL first started in the 1920s. The best The 6’2”, 230-pounder is a member of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame and is considered by many to be the best athlete to ever play the sport, earning first-team All-American honors and The 2023 NFL season has had its share of memorable touchdown celebrations. Meanwhile, the He is widely regarded as the greatest swimmer of all time and is often considered to be one of the greatest athletes of all time. In NFL 100 All-Time Team (2019) In 2007, Schmidt was named the 65th Greatest Football Player ever by The Sporting News . numnc kczi xudpc auh psihh hthxr qcjijyt idwum eeq shggy