GOAT Rank · 33

Greatest American Football Linebackers of all time

This ranking is led by Ray Nitschke, Ted Hendricks and Jack Lambert. GOAT Rank currently ranks 33 eligible American Football linebackers using verified career records across dominance, peak, longevity, honours and statistics.

Quick answer

According to GOAT Rank's current model, Ray Nitschke ranks #1 on this list with a GOAT Score of 90.4.

How the GOAT Score is calculated →

#AthleteGOAT Score

Ray Nitschke

90.4

Sport: American Football
Career: 1958–1972
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 96.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Ray Nitschke

Ted Hendricks

90.2

Sport: American Football
Career: 1969–1983
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Ted Hendricks

Jack Lambert

89.5

Sport: American Football
Career: 1974–1984
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Jack Lambert

T.J. Watt

89.4

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

Peak: 96.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: T.J. Watt

DeMarcus Ware

89.3

Sport: American Football
Career: 2005–2016
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: DeMarcus Ware

Bill George

89.2

Sport: American Football
Career: 1952–1966
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Bill George

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

Kevin Greene

88.8

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

Nick Buoniconti

88.5

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

Joe Schmidt

88.3

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

Lawrence Taylor

88.1

Sport: American Football
Career: 1981–1993
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Lawrence Taylor

Jack Ham

87.9

Sport: American Football
Career: 1971–1982
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Jack Ham

102

Bobby Bell

87.7

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

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

Athlete: Bobby Bell

113

Rickey Jackson

87.6

Sport: American Football
Career: 1981–1995
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Rickey Jackson

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

159

Chuck Howley

86.5

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

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

Athlete: Chuck Howley

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

167

Willie Lanier

86.4

Sport: American Football
Career: 1967–1977
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Willie Lanier

170

Harry Carson

86.4

Sport: American Football
Career: 1976–1988
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Harry Carson

183

Dave Robinson

86.2

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

214

Chris Hanburger

85.6

Sport: American Football
Career: 1965–1978
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Chris Hanburger

219

Luke Kuechly

85.4

Sport: American Football
Career: 2012–2019
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 68.0

Athlete: Luke Kuechly

227

Charles Haley

85.3

Sport: American Football
Career: 1986–1999
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 94.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Charles Haley

234

Sam Mills

85.2

Sport: American Football
Career: 1986–1997
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Sam Mills

263

Robert Brazile

84.3

Sport: American Football
Career: 1975–1984
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Robert Brazile

271

Von Miller

84.0

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

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Von Miller

278

Sam Huff

83.8

Sport: American Football
Career: 1956–1969
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Sam Huff

281

Mike Singletary

83.7

Sport: American Football
Career: 1981–1992
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Mike Singletary

283

Dick Butkus

83.6

Sport: American Football
Career: 1965–1973
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 72.0

Athlete: Dick Butkus

288

Randy Gradishar

83.5

Sport: American Football
Career: 1974–1983
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Randy Gradishar

312

Patrick Willis

82.2

Sport: American Football
Career: 2007–2014
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 68.0

Athlete: Patrick Willis

314

Les Richter

82.0

Sport: American Football
Career: 1954–1962
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Les Richter

333

Brian Urlacher

79.6

Sport: American Football
Career: 2000–2012
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 76.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 76.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Brian Urlacher

#	Athlete	Sport	Country	Career	GOAT Score
15	Ray Nitschke	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1958–1972	90.4
17	Ted Hendricks	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1969–1983	90.2
30	Jack Lambert	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1974–1984	89.5
31	T.J. Watt	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	2017–active	89.4
33	DeMarcus Ware	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	2005–2016	89.3
36	Bill George	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1952–1966	89.2
40	Derrick Brooks	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1995–2008	89.0
52	Kevin Greene	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1985–1999	88.8
64	Nick Buoniconti	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1962–1976	88.5
71	Joe Schmidt	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1953–1965	88.3
74	Lawrence Taylor	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1981–1993	88.1
89	Jack Ham	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1971–1982	87.9
102	Bobby Bell	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1963–1974	87.7
113	Rickey Jackson	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1981–1995	87.6
153	Ray Lewis	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1996–2012	86.6
159	Chuck Howley	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1958–1973	86.5
163	Junior Seau	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1990–2009	86.4
167	Willie Lanier	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1967–1977	86.4
170	Harry Carson	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1976–1988	86.4
183	Dave Robinson	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1963–1974	86.2
214	Chris Hanburger	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1965–1978	85.6
219	Luke Kuechly	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	2012–2019	85.4
227	Charles Haley	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1986–1999	85.3
234	Sam Mills	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1986–1997	85.2
263	Robert Brazile	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1975–1984	84.3
271	Von Miller	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	2011–active	84.0
278	Sam Huff	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1956–1969	83.8
281	Mike Singletary	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1981–1992	83.7
283	Dick Butkus	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1965–1973	83.6
288	Randy Gradishar	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1974–1983	83.5
312	Patrick Willis	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	2007–2014	82.2
314	Les Richter	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1954–1962	82.0
333	Brian Urlacher	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	2000–2012	79.6

Compare the leaders

Ray Nitschke vs Ted Hendricks

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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