Who is better, McMichael or Lanier?
Steve McMichael leads with a GOAT score of 86.4 against 86.4 for Willie Lanier — a gap of 0.0 points on GOAT Rank's weighted model.
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McMichael vs Lanier
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Quick answer
GOAT Rank currently scores Steve McMichael and Willie Lanier level at 86.4. Steve McMichael leads on Longevity, Statistics. Willie Lanier leads on Dominance, Honours.
How the GOAT Score is calculated →GOAT verdictgoatrank.world
McMichaelWinner
86.4McMichael wins: Longevity, Statistics
Lanier
86.4Lanier wins: Dominance, Honours
Candidates
Locked to American FootballShareable URL · /compare/steve-mcmichael-vs-willie-lanier
Time range
Showing full careers. Pick a window to recalculate the selected period.
Category radar
Verdict
Weighted GOAT score
🇺🇸 Steve McMichael
86.4
McMichael leads in 3 of 5 weighted categories.
1. Steve McMichael
2. Willie Lanier
Category breakdown
Season form · Form index per season
Career timeline · Form index per season
Cumulative output season by season — the shape of each career against the other.
GOAT pace tracker
Career stage · GOAT pace
Through season 5 · Form index per season1. 🇺🇸 Willie Lanier5 seasons played · career day 1,825342 touchdowns
Setting the pace at this stage
2. 🇺🇸 Steve McMichael5 seasons played · career day 2,19130.5 touchdowns
-91.1% vs Lanier at the same stage
| Ghost race · career day | 30 | 100 | 365 | 1000 | 1825 | 3650 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 McMichael | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12.5 | 55 |
| 🇺🇸 Lanier | 0 | 0 | 50 | 109 | 342 | 665 |
Careers are aligned from debut; the first 5 season periods are measured against the same career window.
Fan vote — data vs the people
GOAT Rank · the data
McMichael86.4
Lanier86.4
FAQ
Where does Lanier beat McMichael?
Lanier scores higher on dominance, honours. McMichael leads on statistics, longevity.
How is the McMichael vs Lanier score calculated?
Both are scored on peak, dominance, honours, statistics, longevity within their sport. McMichael: 86.4, Lanier: 86.4.
What do you think?
0 commentsMake your case for McMichael vs Lanier. The scoring is published in full — if you can point at the pillar or the weight you disagree with, we read it. Read the methodology paper.