GOAT Rank · 44

Greatest American Football Players who debuted in the 1990s

This ranking is led by Tony Gonzalez, Peyton Manning and Champ Bailey. GOAT Rank currently ranks 44 eligible American Football players who debuted in the 1990s using verified career records across dominance, peak, longevity, honours and statistics.

Quick answer

According to GOAT Rank's current model, Tony Gonzalez ranks #1 on this list with a GOAT Score of 91.6.

How the GOAT Score is calculated →

#AthleteGOAT Score

Tony Gonzalez

91.6

Sport: American Football
Career: 1997–2013
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Tony Gonzalez

Peyton Manning

90.7

Sport: American Football
Career: 1998–2015
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 93.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 93.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Peyton Manning

Champ Bailey

89.8

Sport: American Football
Career: 1999–2013
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Champ Bailey

Shannon Sharpe

89.6

Sport: American Football
Career: 1990–2003
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Shannon Sharpe

Derrick Brooks

89.0

Sport: American Football
Career: 1995–2008
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Derrick Brooks

Brian Dawkins

88.9

Sport: American Football
Career: 1996–2011
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Brian Dawkins

Larry Allen

88.8

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

Warren Sapp

88.3

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

Willie Roaf

88.2

Sport: American Football
Career: 1993–2005
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Willie Roaf

Jonathan Ogden

88.1

Sport: American Football
Career: 1996–2007
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Jonathan Ogden

John Randle

88.1

Sport: American Football
Career: 1990–2003
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: John Randle

Ronde Barber

88.0

Sport: American Football
Career: 1997–2012
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Ronde Barber

Brett Favre

87.9

Sport: American Football
Career: 1991–2010
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 94.0

Athlete: Brett Favre

Isaac Bruce

87.8

Sport: American Football
Career: 1994–2009
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 90.0

Athlete: Isaac Bruce

117

Walter Jones

87.5

Sport: American Football
Career: 1997–2008
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Walter Jones

118

Curtis Martin

87.5

Sport: American Football
Career: 1995–2005
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Curtis Martin

133

Jerome Bettis

87.0

Sport: American Football
Career: 1993–2005
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Jerome Bettis

137

Emmitt Smith

86.9

Sport: American Football
Career: 1990–2004
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Emmitt Smith

141

Ty Law

86.8

Sport: American Football
Career: 1995–2009
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Ty Law

153

Ray Lewis

86.6

Sport: American Football
Career: 1996–2012
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 89.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 87.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Ray Lewis

163

Junior Seau

86.4

Sport: American Football
Career: 1990–2009
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Junior Seau

164

Kevin Mawae

86.4

Sport: American Football
Career: 1994–2009
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Kevin Mawae

168

Orlando Pace

86.4

Sport: American Football
Career: 1997–2009
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Orlando Pace

180

Hines Ward

86.2

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

189

Michael Strahan

86.0

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

193

Adam Vinatieri

85.9

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

197

Alan Faneca

85.8

Sport: American Football
Career: 1998–2010
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Alan Faneca

201

Cortez Kennedy

85.8

Sport: American Football
Career: 1990–2000
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Cortez Kennedy

205

John Lynch

85.6

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

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: John Lynch

209

Torry Holt

85.6

Sport: American Football
Career: 1999–2009
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Torry Holt

211

Terrell Davis

85.6

Sport: American Football
Career: 1995–2001
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 98.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 60.0

Athlete: Terrell Davis

217

Jimmy Smith

85.5

Sport: American Football
Career: 1992–2005
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Jimmy Smith

232

LeRoy Butler

85.2

Sport: American Football
Career: 1990–2001
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: LeRoy Butler

244

Marshall Faulk

84.8

Sport: American Football
Career: 1994–2005
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Marshall Faulk

248

Randy Moss

84.7

Sport: American Football
Career: 1998–2012
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 83.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Randy Moss

259

Edgerrin James

84.3

Sport: American Football
Career: 1999–2009
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Edgerrin James

260

Herman Moore

84.3

Sport: American Football
Career: 1991–2002
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Herman Moore

261

Keenan McCardell

84.3

Sport: American Football
Career: 1991–2007
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 74.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 92.0

Athlete: Keenan McCardell

264

Marvin Harrison

84.2

Sport: American Football
Career: 1996–2008
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Marvin Harrison

272

Jason Taylor

84.0

Sport: American Football
Career: 1997–2011
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Jason Taylor

277

Terrell Owens

83.8

Sport: American Football
Career: 1996–2010
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 76.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Terrell Owens

291

Charles Woodson

83.2

Sport: American Football
Career: 1998–2015
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Charles Woodson

319

Tony Boselli

81.8

Sport: American Football
Career: 1995–2001
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 62.0

Athlete: Tony Boselli

335

Kurt Warner

78.8

Sport: American Football
Career: 1998–2009
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 76.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 66.0

Athlete: Kurt Warner

#	Athlete	Sport	Country	Career	GOAT Score
7	Tony Gonzalez	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1997–2013	91.6
12	Peyton Manning	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1998–2015	90.7
25	Champ Bailey	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1999–2013	89.8
27	Shannon Sharpe	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1990–2003	89.6
40	Derrick Brooks	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1995–2008	89.0
44	Brian Dawkins	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1996–2011	88.9
49	Larry Allen	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1994–2007	88.8
69	Warren Sapp	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1995–2007	88.3
73	Willie Roaf	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1993–2005	88.2
77	Jonathan Ogden	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1996–2007	88.1
81	John Randle	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1990–2003	88.1
83	Ronde Barber	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1997–2012	88.0
88	Brett Favre	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1991–2010	87.9
95	Isaac Bruce	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1994–2009	87.8
117	Walter Jones	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1997–2008	87.5
118	Curtis Martin	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1995–2005	87.5
133	Jerome Bettis	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1993–2005	87.0
137	Emmitt Smith	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1990–2004	86.9
141	Ty Law	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1995–2009	86.8
153	Ray Lewis	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1996–2012	86.6
163	Junior Seau	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1990–2009	86.4
164	Kevin Mawae	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1994–2009	86.4
168	Orlando Pace	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1997–2009	86.4
180	Hines Ward	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1998–2011	86.2
189	Michael Strahan	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1993–2007	86.0
193	Adam Vinatieri	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1996–2019	85.9
197	Alan Faneca	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1998–2010	85.8
201	Cortez Kennedy	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1990–2000	85.8
205	John Lynch	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1993–2007	85.6
209	Torry Holt	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1999–2009	85.6
211	Terrell Davis	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1995–2001	85.6
217	Jimmy Smith	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1992–2005	85.5
232	LeRoy Butler	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1990–2001	85.2
244	Marshall Faulk	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1994–2005	84.8
248	Randy Moss	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1998–2012	84.7
259	Edgerrin James	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1999–2009	84.3
260	Herman Moore	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1991–2002	84.3
261	Keenan McCardell	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1991–2007	84.3
264	Marvin Harrison	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1996–2008	84.2
272	Jason Taylor	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1997–2011	84.0
277	Terrell Owens	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1996–2010	83.8
291	Charles Woodson	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1998–2015	83.2
319	Tony Boselli	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1995–2001	81.8
335	Kurt Warner	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1998–2009	78.8

Compare the leaders

Tony Gonzalez vs Peyton Manning

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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