Emmitt James Smith III is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons, primarily with the Dallas Cowboys. Among other accolades, he is the league's all-time leading rusher.
Joseph William Namath is a former American football quarterback who played in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, primarily with the New York Jets. He played college football at Alabama, where he led the team to a national championship title, and was selected by the Jets first overall in the 1965 AFL Draft. During his five AFL seasons, he was a two-time MVP and twice led the league in passing yards while guiding the Jets to victory in one AFL championship and one Super Bowl. Both victories remain the Jets' only championships. Namath joined the NFL with the Jets in 1970 following the AFL–NFL merger, where he was the league's passing yards and touchdowns leader during the 1972 season. He played in New York for seven more seasons, with his final year spent as a member of the Los Angeles Rams.
Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 22 seasons. He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots, where he was a central contributor to the franchise's dynasty from 2001 to 2019. In his final two seasons, he was a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brady is widely regarded as the greatest quarterback of all time.
Kurtis Eugene Warner is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for twelve seasons, primarily with the St. Louis Rams and the Arizona Cardinals. His career, which saw him ascend from an undrafted free agent to a two-time Most Valuable Player and Super Bowl MVP, is regarded as one of the greatest stories in NFL history.
Peyton Williams Manning is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Considered to be one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with the Denver Broncos. Manning is also one of the NFL's most recognizable players, earning the nickname "the Sheriff" due to his tendency to audible prior to the snap. The second son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning and older brother of former NFL quarterback Eli Manning, he played college football at Tennessee, where he won the 1997 SEC Championship Game.
Reginald Howard White was an American professional football player who played defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons during the 1980s and 1990s. He played college football for the University of Tennessee, and was recognized as an All-American. After playing two professional seasons for the Memphis Showboats of the United States Football League (USFL), he was selected in the first round of the 1984 Supplemental Draft, and then played for the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, and Carolina Panthers, becoming one of the most awarded defensive players in NFL history.
Elisha Nelson Manning is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons with the New York Giants. After playing college football at Ole Miss, he was selected first overall in the 2004 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers and traded to the Giants during the draft. He is the youngest son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning and younger brother of former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning.
Elisha Archibald Manning III is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, primarily with the New Orleans Saints. He was a member of the Saints from 1971 to 1982 and also had brief stints with the Houston Oilers and Minnesota Vikings. In college, he played for the Ole Miss Rebels football team at the University of Mississippi and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989. Manning is the patriarch of the Manning football family.
Deion Luwynn Sanders Sr., nicknamed "Prime Time" and "Neon Deion", is a former football and baseball player, and currently the head football coach at Jackson State. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons as a member of the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, and Baltimore Ravens. Sanders was also a baseball outfielder for nine seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), where he played with the New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, and San Francisco Giants. He won two Super Bowl titles and made one World Series appearance in 1992, making him the only athlete to play in both a Super Bowl and a World Series.
Aaron Charles Rodgers is an American football quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). Considered to be one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, Rodgers began his college football career at Butte College in 2002 before transferring to the University of California, Berkeley to play for the California Golden Bears, where he set several career passing records, including lowest single-season and career interception rates. He was selected in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Packers.
Anthony Cris Collinsworth is an American sports broadcaster and former professional American football player. Collinsworth was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons (1981-1988), all with the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football for the University of Florida, and was recognized as an All-American. He is currently a television sportscaster for NBC, Showtime, and the NFL Network, and winner of 16 Sports Emmy Awards. He is also the majority owner of Pro Football Focus.
Walter Jerry Payton was an American professional football player who was a running back for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He is regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time. A nine-time Pro Bowl selectee, Payton is remembered as a prolific rusher, once holding records for career rushing yards, touchdowns, carries, yards from scrimmage, all-purpose yards, and many other categories. He was also versatile; he retired with the most receptions by a non-receiver, and he had eight career touchdown passes. He was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993, the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame that same year, and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1996. He was named to the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1994 and the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team in 2019. Hall of Fame NFL player and coach Mike Ditka described Payton as the greatest football player he had ever seen—but even greater as a human being.
John Matthew Stafford is an American football quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia, where he was a first-team All-American, and was selected first overall by the Detroit Lions in the 2009 NFL Draft. Ranking in the top 20 for all-time in pass attempts, completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns, Stafford is third in all-time passing yards per game and the fastest NFL player to reach 40,000 passing yards.
John Earl Madden was an American football coach and sports commentator in the National Football League (NFL). He served as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders from 1969 to 1978, whom he led to eight playoff appearances, seven division titles, seven AFL / AFC Championship Game appearances, and the franchise's first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XI. Never having a losing season, Madden holds the highest winning percentage among NFL head coaches who coached 100 games.
Adrian Lewis Peterson is an American football running back who is a free agent. He played college football at Oklahoma, where he set the freshman rushing record with 1,925 yards during the 2004 season. Named a unanimous All-American that year, he became the first freshman to finish as a runner-up in the Heisman Trophy balloting. Peterson finished his college football career as the Sooners' third all-time leading rusher. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest running backs in football history.
Von B'Vsean Miller Jr. is an American football outside linebacker for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). Miller played college football at Texas A&M, where he earned consensus All-American honors and was awarded the Butkus Award as the most outstanding college linebacker in the nation. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos second overall in the 2011 NFL Draft.
Odell Cornelious Beckham Jr., commonly known as OBJ, is an American football wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Beckham played college football at LSU and was drafted by the New York Giants in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Since entering the NFL, Beckham has been one of the most popular players but has drawn media scrutiny for his personal conduct.
Aaron Charles Donald is an American football defensive tackle for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Pittsburgh, where he received unanimous All-American honors, and was selected by the Rams in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Regarded as one of the greatest defensive players of all time, he has received a record three Defensive Player of the Year Awards, Pro Bowl selections in all eight of his seasons, and seven first-team All-Pro honors. Donald was also a member of the Rams team that won Super Bowl LVI.
Cooper Douglas Kupp is an American football wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Eastern Washington, where he won the Walter Payton Award as a junior, and was selected by the Rams in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Kupp had a breakout season in 2021 when he became the fourth NFL player to lead the league in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. He received the Offensive Player of the Year Award and was the MVP of Super Bowl LVI.
Joseph Lee Burrow is an American football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). Following a stint with Ohio State, Burrow played college football at LSU, where he won the Heisman Trophy and the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship as a senior. He was selected by the Bengals first overall in the 2020 NFL Draft.
