by Shaun Messick

Created on: January 05, 2011

From its humble beginnings as a soccer-style game in 1869 between Rutgers and Princeton to its modern counterpart today, no sport has grown so rapidly into the American psyche than football.  The sport captivates Americans year in and year out.  Office pools have been created to pick the winners of each week’s matchups.  Fantasy leagues are sweeping the nation as fanciful team owners draft the best players at their respectful positions in hopes of winning the ever-illusive fantasy Super Bowl Championship.  

However, careful consideration must be taken when one goes about evaluating the greatest football players to ever play the game.  After all, quarterbacks shouldn’t be compared to lineman.  It’s like comparing apples and oranges.  So without further ado, here are the greatest pro football players in history by position:

Quarterback – Joe Montana: Perhaps no other quarterback has done more to bring a team from obscurity to the pinnacle of greatness.  He led the San Francisco 49ers to 4 Super Bowl championships, earning MVP honors 3 times. 

Running Back – Jim Brown: This position was a very difficult one to fill, considering all of the great running backs in history.  But Jim Brown earns the top spot at his position for no other reason than he is the only running back in NFL history to average 100 yards per game.

Wide Receiver – Jerry Rice: Enough said.  Rice’s accolades, championship rings, and stats speak for themselves.  He holds nearly every receiving record in the NFL, and no other receiver is within 400 receptions of his career reception mark.

Tight End – Tony Gonzalez: There are only 7 tight ends in the Hall of Fame, and Tony Gonzalez already has more career receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns than each one of those tight ends.

Offensive Lineman – Anthony Munoz: Munoz played 13 seasons in the NFL all with the Cincinnati Bengals.  By the time he retired in 1992 he had appeared in 11 straight Pro Bowls, the most by any player at that time.

Defensive Tackle – Joe Greene: An anchor of the “Steel Curtain” defense of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1970’s, Joe Greene was twice voted the NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1972, 1974).  He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1987.

Defensive End – Reggie White: This position is a no-brainer, much like Jerry Rice at wide receiver.  The “Minister

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