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

2306

Satchel Paige

75.9

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1926–1965
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 94.0

Athlete: Satchel Paige

2311

Al Kaline

75.9

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1953–1974
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 92.0

Athlete: Al Kaline

2315

Hines Ward

75.9

Sport: American Football
Career: 1998–2011
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Hines Ward

2318

Billy Wagner

75.9

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1993–2010
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 96.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Billy Wagner

2319

Craig Kimbrel

75.9

Sport: Baseball
Career: 2010–2024
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Craig Kimbrel

2321

Shannon Briggs

75.9

Sport: Boxing
Career: 1992–2016
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 70.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 70.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Shannon Briggs

2322

Ed "Too Tall" Jones

75.9

Sport: American Football
Career: 1974–1989
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 92.0

Athlete: Ed "Too Tall" Jones

2325

Katie Hoff

75.9

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2004–2012
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 76.0
Statistics: 80.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 72.0

Athlete: Katie Hoff

2327

Earl Campbell

75.9

Sport: American Football
Career: 1978–1985
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 96.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 66.0

Athlete: Earl Campbell

2328

Ozzie Newsome

75.9

Sport: American Football
Career: 1978–1990
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 90.0

Athlete: Ozzie Newsome

2330

John Mackey

75.9

Sport: American Football
Career: 1963–1972
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: John Mackey

2331

Benny Friedman

75.9

Sport: American Football
Career: 1927–1934
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Benny Friedman

2332

Paddy Driscoll

75.9

Sport: American Football
Career: 1920–1929
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Paddy Driscoll

2333

Lou Creekmur

75.9

Sport: American Football
Career: 1950–1959
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Lou Creekmur

2334

Jerry Kramer

75.9

Sport: American Football
Career: 1958–1968
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 92.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Jerry Kramer

2335

Dave Robinson

75.9

Sport: American Football
Career: 1963–1974
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 92.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Dave Robinson

2336

Eric Allen

75.9

Sport: American Football
Career: 1988–2001
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Eric Allen

2337

Rosey Brown

75.9

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

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Rosey Brown

2344

Joanna Atkins

75.9

Sport: Athletics
Career: 2010–2017
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 74.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Joanna Atkins

2348

John Elway

75.8

Sport: American Football
Career: 1983–1998
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: John Elway

2349

Joe Greene

75.8

Sport: American Football
Career: 1969–1981
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Joe Greene

2352

Ron Lyle

75.8

Sport: Boxing
Career: 1971–1995
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 74.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 68.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Ron Lyle

2353

Mordecai Brown

75.8

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1903–1916
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Mordecai Brown

2354

John Clarkson

75.8

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1882–1894
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 96.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: John Clarkson

2355

Ray Brown

75.8

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1930–1948
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Ray Brown

2357

Cullen Jones

75.8

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2006–2016
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 72.0
Statistics: 78.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Cullen Jones

2358

Stan Smith

75.8

Sport: Tennis
Career: 1968–1985
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Stan Smith

2360

Caroline Burckle

75.8

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2005–2009
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 76.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 66.0

Athlete: Caroline Burckle

2361

Gene Hickerson

75.8

Sport: American Football
Career: 1958–1973
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Gene Hickerson

2362

Claude Humphrey

75.8

Sport: American Football
Career: 1968–1981
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Claude Humphrey

2365

Robert Lindley Murray

75.8

Sport: Tennis
Career: 1913–1919
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 66.0

Athlete: Robert Lindley Murray

2370

Tom Seaver

75.7

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1967–1986
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Tom Seaver

2371

Travis Kelce

75.7

Sport: American Football
Career: 2013–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Travis Kelce

2372

Michael Strahan

75.7

Sport: American Football
Career: 1993–2007
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Michael Strahan

2375

Mel Ott

75.7

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1926–1947
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Mel Ott

2376

Frankie Frisch

75.7

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1919–1937
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Frankie Frisch

2378

Cooper Kupp

75.7

Sport: American Football
Career: 2017–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 96.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Cooper Kupp

2379

Biz Mackey

75.7

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1920–1947
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Biz Mackey

2380

Corey Seager

75.7

Sport: Baseball
Career: 2015–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 96.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Corey Seager

2381

Ernie Nevers

75.7

Sport: American Football
Career: 1926–1931
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 96.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 68.0

Athlete: Ernie Nevers

2383

Yogi Berra

75.6

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1946–1965
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Yogi Berra

2384

Ronnie Lott

75.6

Sport: American Football
Career: 1981–1994
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Ronnie Lott

2385

Adam Vinatieri

75.6

Sport: American Football
Career: 1996–2019
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 94.0

Athlete: Adam Vinatieri

2392

DeAndre Hopkins

75.6

Sport: American Football
Career: 2013–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: DeAndre Hopkins

2393

Gil Hodges

75.6

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1943–1963
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Gil Hodges

2394

Crissy Ahmann-Leighton

75.6

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1989–1993
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 74.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 62.0

Athlete: Crissy Ahmann-Leighton

2397

Sonny Jurgensen

75.6

Sport: American Football
Career: 1957–1974
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Sonny Jurgensen

2406

Bob Gibson

75.5

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1959–1975
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Bob Gibson

2407

Josh Gibson

75.5

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1930–1946
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Josh Gibson

2408

Clayton Kershaw

75.5

Sport: Baseball
Career: 2008–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Clayton Kershaw

#	Athlete	Sport	Country	Career	GOAT Score
2306	Satchel Paige	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1926–1965	75.9
2311	Al Kaline	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1953–1974	75.9
2315	Hines Ward	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1998–2011	75.9
2318	Billy Wagner	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1993–2010	75.9
2319	Craig Kimbrel	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	2010–2024	75.9
2321	Shannon Briggs	Boxing	🇺🇸 United States	1992–2016	75.9
2322	Ed "Too Tall" Jones	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1974–1989	75.9
2325	Katie Hoff	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	2004–2012	75.9
2327	Earl Campbell	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1978–1985	75.9
2328	Ozzie Newsome	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1978–1990	75.9
2330	John Mackey	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1963–1972	75.9
2331	Benny Friedman	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1927–1934	75.9
2332	Paddy Driscoll	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1920–1929	75.9
2333	Lou Creekmur	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1950–1959	75.9
2334	Jerry Kramer	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1958–1968	75.9
2335	Dave Robinson	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1963–1974	75.9
2336	Eric Allen	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1988–2001	75.9
2337	Rosey Brown	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1953–1965	75.9
2344	Joanna Atkins	Athletics	🇺🇸 United States	2010–2017	75.9
2348	John Elway	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1983–1998	75.8
2349	Joe Greene	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1969–1981	75.8
2352	Ron Lyle	Boxing	🇺🇸 United States	1971–1995	75.8
2353	Mordecai Brown	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1903–1916	75.8
2354	John Clarkson	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1882–1894	75.8
2355	Ray Brown	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1930–1948	75.8
2357	Cullen Jones	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	2006–2016	75.8
2358	Stan Smith	Tennis	🇺🇸 United States	1968–1985	75.8
2360	Caroline Burckle	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	2005–2009	75.8
2361	Gene Hickerson	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1958–1973	75.8
2362	Claude Humphrey	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1968–1981	75.8
2365	Robert Lindley Murray	Tennis	🇺🇸 United States	1913–1919	75.8
2370	Tom Seaver	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1967–1986	75.7
2371	Travis Kelce	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	2013–active	75.7
2372	Michael Strahan	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1993–2007	75.7
2375	Mel Ott	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1926–1947	75.7
2376	Frankie Frisch	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1919–1937	75.7
2378	Cooper Kupp	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	2017–active	75.7
2379	Biz Mackey	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1920–1947	75.7
2380	Corey Seager	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	2015–active	75.7
2381	Ernie Nevers	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1926–1931	75.7
2383	Yogi Berra	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1946–1965	75.6
2384	Ronnie Lott	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1981–1994	75.6
2385	Adam Vinatieri	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1996–2019	75.6
2392	DeAndre Hopkins	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	2013–active	75.6
2393	Gil Hodges	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1943–1963	75.6
2394	Crissy Ahmann-Leighton	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	1989–1993	75.6
2397	Sonny Jurgensen	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1957–1974	75.6
2406	Bob Gibson	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1959–1975	75.5
2407	Josh Gibson	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1930–1946	75.5
2408	Clayton Kershaw	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	2008–active	75.5

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.

Related rankings

Greatest athletes of all time Greatest female of all time Greatest male of all time Greatest active Athletes Greatest retired Athletes Greatest Boxers of all time Greatest Swimmers of all time Greatest Football Players of all time Greatest Tennis Players of all time Greatest Golfers of all time Greatest Formula 1 Drivers of all time Greatest Esports Players of all time