GOAT Rank · 1370

Greatest Athletes from United States

This ranking is led by Michael Phelps, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Carl Lewis. GOAT Rank currently ranks 1370 eligible athletes from United States using verified career records across dominance, peak, longevity, honours and statistics.

Quick answer

According to GOAT Rank's current model, Michael Phelps ranks #1 on this list with a GOAT Score of 95.2.

How the GOAT Score is calculated →

#AthleteGOAT Score

1754

Joe Montana

78.1

Sport: American Football
Career: 1979–1994
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 93.0
Dominance: 89.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 91.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Joe Montana

1755

Brittney Griner

78.1

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2013–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 84.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Brittney Griner

1757

James J. Braddock

78.1

Sport: Boxing
Career: 1926–1938
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: James J. Braddock

1758

Cammi Granato

78.1

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1990–2005
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Cammi Granato

1759

Charley Hyatt

78.1

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1928–1937
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 70.0

Athlete: Charley Hyatt

1761

Steve Smith Sr

78.1

Sport: American Football
Career: 2001–2016
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 90.0

Athlete: Steve Smith Sr

1763

Lou Hudson

78.1

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1966–1979
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 74.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 74.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Lou Hudson

1764

Larry Allen

78.1

Sport: American Football
Career: 1994–2007
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Larry Allen

1765

Tony Dorsett

78.1

Sport: American Football
Career: 1977–1988
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Tony Dorsett

1767

Craig Beardsley

78.1

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1979–1984
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 64.0

Athlete: Craig Beardsley

1768

Chris Doleman

78.1

Sport: American Football
Career: 1985–1999
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Chris Doleman

1769

Kevin Greene

78.1

Sport: American Football
Career: 1985–1999
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Kevin Greene

1773

Oliver Campbell

78.1

Sport: Tennis
Career: 1888–1893
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 66.0

Athlete: Oliver Campbell

1774

Malcolm Whitman

78.1

Sport: Tennis
Career: 1896–1902
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 68.0

Athlete: Malcolm Whitman

1778

Drew Brees

78.0

Sport: American Football
Career: 2001–2020
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 96.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 92.0

Athlete: Drew Brees

1779

Wilma Rudolph

78.0

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1956–1962
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 58.0

Athlete: Wilma Rudolph

1786

Art Monk

78.0

Sport: American Football
Career: 1980–1995
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 90.0

Athlete: Art Monk

1787

Cal Hubbard

78.0

Sport: American Football
Career: 1927–1936
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 92.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Cal Hubbard

1788

Willie Brown

78.0

Sport: American Football
Career: 1963–1978
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Willie Brown

1794

Jack Nicklaus

77.9

Sport: Golf
Career: 1961–1986
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 94.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 99.0
Longevity: 99.0

Athlete: Jack Nicklaus

1795

Reggie White

77.9

Sport: American Football
Career: 1984–2000
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 87.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 90.0

Athlete: Reggie White

1800

Sonny Liston

77.9

Sport: Boxing
Career: 1953–1970
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 76.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Sonny Liston

1801

Nat Clifton

77.9

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1942–1958
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 84.0
Dominance: 72.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Nat Clifton

1803

Pop Lloyd

77.9

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1906–1932
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 92.0

Athlete: Pop Lloyd

1804

Gene Upshaw

77.9

Sport: American Football
Career: 1967–1981
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 92.0

Athlete: Gene Upshaw

1805

Art Shell

77.9

Sport: American Football
Career: 1968–1982
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 92.0

Athlete: Art Shell

1810

Rowdy Gaines

77.9

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1978–1984
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 68.0

Athlete: Rowdy Gaines

1811

Jimmie Foxx

77.9

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1925–1945
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 96.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 92.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Jimmie Foxx

1812

Mel Hein

77.9

Sport: American Football
Career: 1931–1945
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 92.0

Athlete: Mel Hein

1815

Jim Ringo

77.9

Sport: American Football
Career: 1953–1967
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 90.0

Athlete: Jim Ringo

1816

Nick Buoniconti

77.9

Sport: American Football
Career: 1962–1976
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Nick Buoniconti

1822

Alexandria Anderson

77.9

Sport: Athletics
Career: 2007–2016
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 76.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Alexandria Anderson

1824

Randy Johnson

77.8

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1988–2009
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 90.0

Athlete: Randy Johnson

1825

Ann Meyers Drysdale

77.8

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1974–1982
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 62.0

Athlete: Ann Meyers Drysdale

1826

Alice Marble

77.8

Sport: Tennis
Career: 1931–1940
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 66.0

Athlete: Alice Marble

1828

George Brett

77.8

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1973–1993
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 90.0

Athlete: George Brett

1836

Pablo Morales

77.8

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1984–1992
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Pablo Morales

1840

Nia Ali

77.8

Sport: Athletics
Career: 2011–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 76.0
Statistics: 80.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Nia Ali

1841

Harry Gallatin

77.8

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1948–1958
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 74.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Harry Gallatin

1842

Sid Luckman

77.8

Sport: American Football
Career: 1939–1950
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 96.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 92.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Sid Luckman

1843

Mark Howe

77.8

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1973–1995
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 92.0

Athlete: Mark Howe

1845

Joe Perry

77.8

Sport: American Football
Career: 1948–1963
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Joe Perry

1846

Frank Gatski

77.8

Sport: American Football
Career: 1946–1957
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 96.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Frank Gatski

1852

Inman Jackson

77.8

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1930–1942
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 76.0
Statistics: 80.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Inman Jackson

1855

Mikaela Mayer

77.7

Sport: Boxing
Career: 2017–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Mikaela Mayer

1861

Jim Courier

77.7

Sport: Tennis
Career: 1988–2000
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 72.0

Athlete: Jim Courier

1862

Jim Otto

77.7

Sport: American Football
Career: 1960–1974
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 90.0

Athlete: Jim Otto

1863

Warren Sapp

77.7

Sport: American Football
Career: 1995–2007
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Warren Sapp

1864

Tim Brown

77.7

Sport: American Football
Career: 1988–2004
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 92.0

Athlete: Tim Brown

1865

Joe Schmidt

77.7

Sport: American Football
Career: 1953–1965
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Joe Schmidt

#	Athlete	Sport	Country	Career	GOAT Score
1754	Joe Montana	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1979–1994	78.1
1755	Brittney Griner	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2013–active	78.1
1757	James J. Braddock	Boxing	🇺🇸 United States	1926–1938	78.1
1758	Cammi Granato	Ice Hockey	🇺🇸 United States	1990–2005	78.1
1759	Charley Hyatt	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1928–1937	78.1
1761	Steve Smith Sr	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	2001–2016	78.1
1763	Lou Hudson	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1966–1979	78.1
1764	Larry Allen	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1994–2007	78.1
1765	Tony Dorsett	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1977–1988	78.1
1767	Craig Beardsley	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	1979–1984	78.1
1768	Chris Doleman	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1985–1999	78.1
1769	Kevin Greene	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1985–1999	78.1
1773	Oliver Campbell	Tennis	🇺🇸 United States	1888–1893	78.1
1774	Malcolm Whitman	Tennis	🇺🇸 United States	1896–1902	78.1
1778	Drew Brees	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	2001–2020	78.0
1779	Wilma Rudolph	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	1956–1962	78.0
1786	Art Monk	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1980–1995	78.0
1787	Cal Hubbard	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1927–1936	78.0
1788	Willie Brown	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1963–1978	78.0
1794	Jack Nicklaus	Golf	🇺🇸 United States	1961–1986	77.9
1795	Reggie White	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1984–2000	77.9
1800	Sonny Liston	Boxing	🇺🇸 United States	1953–1970	77.9
1801	Nat Clifton	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1942–1958	77.9
1803	Pop Lloyd	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1906–1932	77.9
1804	Gene Upshaw	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1967–1981	77.9
1805	Art Shell	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1968–1982	77.9
1810	Rowdy Gaines	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	1978–1984	77.9
1811	Jimmie Foxx	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1925–1945	77.9
1812	Mel Hein	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1931–1945	77.9
1815	Jim Ringo	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1953–1967	77.9
1816	Nick Buoniconti	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1962–1976	77.9
1822	Alexandria Anderson	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	2007–2016	77.9
1824	Randy Johnson	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1988–2009	77.8
1825	Ann Meyers Drysdale	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1974–1982	77.8
1826	Alice Marble	Tennis	🇺🇸 United States	1931–1940	77.8
1828	George Brett	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1973–1993	77.8
1836	Pablo Morales	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	1984–1992	77.8
1840	Nia Ali	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	2011–active	77.8
1841	Harry Gallatin	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1948–1958	77.8
1842	Sid Luckman	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1939–1950	77.8
1843	Mark Howe	Ice Hockey	🇺🇸 United States	1973–1995	77.8
1845	Joe Perry	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1948–1963	77.8
1846	Frank Gatski	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1946–1957	77.8
1852	Inman Jackson	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1930–1942	77.8
1855	Mikaela Mayer	Boxing	🇺🇸 United States	2017–active	77.7
1861	Jim Courier	Tennis	🇺🇸 United States	1988–2000	77.7
1862	Jim Otto	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1960–1974	77.7
1863	Warren Sapp	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1995–2007	77.7
1864	Tim Brown	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1988–2004	77.7
1865	Joe Schmidt	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1953–1965	77.7

Compare the leaders

Michael Phelps vs Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Read the full methodology

Sport lists use the raw In-Sport GOAT Score. Cross-sport lists use the official competition-depth adjustment. No scores are recalculated for this page.

Read the full methodology

Frequently asked questions

How is this ranking calculated?

Five verified components are weighted consistently: dominance, peak, longevity, honours and statistics.

Who is included?

According to GOAT Rank's current data model, only verified athletes with sufficient career history, metrics, honours and independent sources are eligible. Rank and score are read live.

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