10 Hardest Hitting Linebackers In NFL History

[@robertolicon9305]

What an epic line: He tried to put you in the cemetery, not the hospital

[@17thN.O]

Right!!! And that came from noted pain inflicting, football lunatic Deacon Jones. When even he knows what the deal is, that's all you need to hear.

[@Hiipower23]

The fact deacon said says everything

[@briancurran4016]

Hell with Lewis he is a murderer

[@ravellxivrobinson4979]

Dick Butkus won defensive player of the year on a team that went 1-11. That tells you something.

[@goober5713]

My dad always said that you had to be a mean SOB to go through live with the name Dick Butkus.

[@Normchop]

​@@goober5713That is special

[@MichaelMortell-s6j]

1-13 on a 14 game schedule.

[@ravellxivrobinson4979]

@MichaelMortell-s6j thank you, and that makes it even more impressive.

[@SnuggieMaple]

@@ravellxivrobinson4979 Same happened with Cortez Kennedy the Seahawks went 2-14 but he won defensive player of the year (their offence was historically bad)

[@Will-Xaru]

I'm British and played Rugby growing up and I will never forget first watching LT highlights and trying to emulate him. The way Lawrence pounced on people is something I haven't seen before or since, it's like watching a Leopard bring down a Gazelle. The athleticism to leap until his body was almost horizontal just to reach his target and then to still have the strength to bring his man down from awkward angles - I ended up with broken fingers trying to bring down big polynesian boys like that. His tackles were clean too, he wasn't just torpedoing guys.

[@mbrawthen]

@@Will-Xaru Joe Jacoby and other members of the Washington Redskins “HOGS” Offensive Line game after game kicked LT’s ass‼️ They just forgot to include that film in this less than truthful video!! 🤔😱👍🏽🤣

[@Womper1992]

RIP Dick Butkus, absolute legend

[@A_Final_Hit]

Best LB of all-time. 🤘🏽🤘🏽

[@NathanCorrado-yn2yx]

LT better Jack lambert is to imo but yeah much respect to him 🫡 hopefully TJ watt will be a hot player to

[@GtheGreat1]

Excellent work, I can't argue with this list

[@LongLiveTheLionKing2]

I miss this kinda football

[@bad-fruit-man]

so you wanna keep ur favorite players getting hurt left and right with the wrong equipment?

[@sulleyjr06]

​@@bad-fruit-man It keeps fans on their feet and it's more entertaining that way

[@coolpool4191]

@@bad-fruit-manthey still keep getting hurt, doesnt even matter

[@DJSpotG]

@@coolpool4191yeah but imagine my man Tua not sliding running into Sean Taylor or Ray Lewis lol 😂😂😂 Closed Casket!!!

[@SnuggieMaple]

@@DJSpotG ah yes hahaha cte

[@ScottySundown]

RIP Junior Seau. That dude layed hat on people

[@kev-da-kiiwol6825]

I ain’t kno he died damn

[@ScottySundown]

@@kev-da-kiiwol6825 Shot himself at age 43 back in 2012. He had CTE really bad from absolutely crushing dudes helmet first every Sunday, and that’s one of the cases that prompted all the intense research about it. Really sad cuz he was the man

[@jimmyjackass1805]

Willie Lanier was a helluva a Hitter as well.

[@earlhopkins3745]

He's in my top five!!!

[@wesleyhitchcock4414]

Yes sir Willie set the mold i think for the modern era of line backers especially the middle linebacker

[@aireliousejones8322]

Derrick Thomas, Clay Matthews, and Brian Urlacher were pretty dominant too. I love lists like this. So many possibilities.

[@scottrackley4457]

I always thought of DT as an end. That's where he feasted on offensive tackles and tight ends. His body control was amazing.

[@RDB32]

The way the game was meant to be played......period

[@SnuggieMaple]

Dick Butkus was insane even after football there’s some insane stories of him

[@ronbarnabei8226]

As much as I hate Bill Bellecheck, he was the one who said we will never see another linebacker as dominant as LT ever again.

[@ghostme1635]

Yeah he is number 1 in my book

[@shawnatkinson6564]

@@ronbarnabei8226 you got the name wrong bud. It's Bill Belicheat

[@ZakyDjemai]

love blitz best channel always my go to

[@EZ-AllenWrench]

Butkus really was a different breed of human man. That guy was absolutely unreal

[@chizorama]

This is such a tough list to make, & I'm sure many will chime in others that should be on it, but I find it to be solid.

[@FrankFernandez-wi4sq]

You can’t go wrong with 1,2,3 on this list 🐐

[@jrmorris8140]

Forgot to mention San Fransico LB Hardy Brown. In 1951 he knocked 23 opposing players unconscious. In one game versus the Redskins he knocked out every man in the starting backfield except for the QB.

[@vestibulate]

@jrmorris8140 Those were the days, when men were cannons.

[@mbrawthen]

@@jrmorris8140 I know about Hardy Brown! Hardy played on the S.F. 49ers when Y.A. Tittle played there! I knew and went to school with Y.A.’s sons Pat and Mike Tittle! Hardy Brown was Y.A.’s favorite player! Hardy was going to be cut by the 49er’s one year! Y. A. found out about it and worked out a scheme to keep Hardy on the team.!!! Hardy had a great year knocking out a bunch more running backs‼️😱🤣🤣🤣👍🏽

[@jrmorris8140]

@@mbrawthen That's a cool story! I went to the boarding school Hardy went to along with my siblings. Different era of course but they still told stories of the great ones. Recently Sony Pictures decided to make a film about the place Hardy grew up at. It's called 12 Mighty Orphans. A bunch of the schools alumni were asked to be extras in the background.

[@blakebrown84]

I miss the days when linebackers were the heart and soul of the defense. I like linebackers who had more heart than any other position in football. My top 10 hardest hitting linebackers….They are Dick Butkus, Mike Singletary, Ray Lewis, Lawrence Taylor, Zach Thomas, Junior Seau, Terrell Suggs, James Harrison, Pat Swilling and Derrick Brooks

[@didierlabossiere4726]

What a great list!! I like everyone you mentioned. If Greg Lloyd’s career hadn’t been cut short, I would’ve mentioned him, too, but this is a great list.

[@GenericYoutubeCommenter241]

I like that you mentioned him. Joey Porter also a mean sob

[@chizorama]

My favorite Lloyd moment was when he said he was going to knock Dan Marino into next week on MNF, then proceeded to knock Marino into next week. An all time Steeler for sure...

[@kennycarlson9996]

untill he ran into larry allen

[@KINGRODP]

Come on now. That was a 100lb weight difference.​@@kennycarlson9996

[@ICLight412]

Greg was awesome. Thing is he’s paying for the way he played. I watched a video about him. It doesn’t specify what is happening but his hard all out hitting must have done something physically and mentally. No doubt it does this to all players but seems could have got him even worse. Stay strong Greg 👍🙏

[@CrashPK77]

I'd like to see a few honorable mentions - guys who hit like tanks, but didn't get to play on high-profile winners: Tommy Nobis of the Falcons, Joe Schmidt of the Lions, Les Richter of the Rams, Mike Curtis of the Colts, etc. Also love to see this same type of vid with d-backs!

[@milojanis4901]

I totally agree. Schmidt was great, and Nobis? I think it was Larry Csonka who said he'd rather play against Butkus than Nobis. Enough said

[@Dancehip]

My favorite quote about Butkus, "He played like he hated you from his old neighborhood."

[@the-u2888]

Romanowski gets my respect for calling for the official when he hit somebody and he knew they were hurt

[@JediPropeck]

A linebacker lasting 20 years is almost unheard of in this day and age.

[@k.p.5736]

I miss all these players and the style of football of course then , but I miss watching L-Taylor I’d have say the most . You knew someone was going get lit up . Never forget the Joe Theismann game.

[@davidk6269]

The Bears' Singletary was great, but let's not overlook the very concussive hitting of fellow Bears linebacker Wilber Marshall. Some said that what separated Wilbur Marshall from Lawrence Taylor was 2" and 20 lbs.

[@geraldframinghammer2626]

Otis Wilson, Wilbur Marshall, Mike Singletary. Was there ever a more complete linebacker corp?

[@jessem_i31]

​@@geraldframinghammer2626 I'll say that the 86 Giants LB core was pretty competitive too. LT, Harry Carson, Pepper Johnson, and Carl Banks.

[@damonsonnier34]

@@geraldframinghammer2626 The Saints Dome Patrol: Rickey Jackson, Sam Mills, Pat Swilling, and Vaughan Johnson. Mid 90s Steelers: Greg Lloyd, Kevin Greene, Levon Kirkland, and Chad Brown. Late 90s - Early 2000s Buccaneers: Hardy Nickerson, Derrick Brooks, Jamie Duncan, and Shelton Quarles. Late 90s - Early 2000s Patriots: Tedy Bruschi, Willie McGinest, and Mike Vrabel. Early 2000s Ravens: Ray Lewis, Jamie Sharper, and Peter Boulware. 2000s Steelers: James Harrison, James Farrior, Joey Porter, and Lamar Woodley.

[@jessem_i31]

​@@damonsonnier34 Great picks, especially the 90s Saints LB core...IMO, they are a very underappreciated group.

[@nothx962]

Hell yes I just posted the SAME thing. I'm a Bears fan and Singletary was great but Marshall is one of the hardest hitting players of all time. He's got a ring and should be in the hall too. When he hit you it sounded like a 357 magnum.

[@webmeister5000]

People are quick to hate on Bill Romanowski for playing with an edge yet it was the much beloved Ronnie Lott who created that monster...🤣🤣🤣

[@chizorama]

That & his roid rage...

[@A_Final_Hit]

He didn't play with an edge...he was just a dirty player.

[@matt_valentine]

Amazing channel!

[@alcap57]

I enjoyed watching them all

[@Miridafeo]

Singletary and the like was the reason I wanted to play LB as a kid😂

[@dariusdafigga]

Hardest hitting safeties or DEs next!

[@williamnguyen6859]

Bam bam kam

[@dariusdafigga]

@@williamnguyen6859 Sean Taylor

[@williamnguyen6859]

@@dariusdafigga brian dawkins

[@damonsonnier34]

Brian Dawkins, Ronnie Lott, John Lynch, Steve Atwater, Troy Polamalu, and Rodney Harrison.

[@fallguye6011]

Mel Blount, Donnie Shell​@@damonsonnier34

[@harryshriver6223]

I have been watching football since I was a young kid, I still believe the greatest linebackers I have ever seen would be Ray Lewis and Dick Butkus. If I had to choose, it would be impossible since they are both GOAT'S!

[@whiteboycycy84]

This is the best yt football channel

[@BIGBPROD-p3c]

Love your videos

[@budski0927plays]

I love your vids I just got back from school

[@mbrawthen]

Dick Butkus is the GOAT Linebacker in NFL HISTORY, no exceptions full stop‼️🤙🏽

[@shawnatkinson6564]

@@mbrawthen Ray Lewis

[@mbrawthen]

@@shawnatkinson6564 Ray Lewis❓🤣🤣🤣 In a PIGS-EYE‼️ Ray Lewis comes in at about 500th on the list.!!! Dick Butkus comes in as the GOAT, Best NFL LINEBACKER EVER‼️ Ray Lewis is even ranked behind my sister, Pudding Cheeks☄️💥🔥🤣🤣🤣

[@mbrawthen]

@@shawnatkinson6564 Ray Lewis? 🤔 Stick it up yo WaZoo‼️🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@shawnatkinson6564]

@@mbrawthen LoL 😂

[@mbrawthen]

@@shawnatkinson6564 How’s it feel up there in the old Whaaa Zooo❓ 🤷🏽‍♂️ Just wondering that’s all‼️🤔

[@Noswad58]

Finally a list that is legit true

[@thegoastofmccain5368]

I’ve been hearing London Fletcher from nfl pros lately

[@aireliousejones8322]

Oh heck yeah. He was a beast. People focused so much on the offense that they forgot that the Rams had a talented top notch defense as well. I still hate them beating my Bucs in the 99 NFC Championship game. We should've went to the Super Bowl.

[@SimonMeshko]

Absolute beasts💯💪

[@zaidmusawwir5591]

Derrick Brooks was a hitter.

[@MONKEEZGAMEZ]

Dick Butkus RIP 🪦

[@jimdellavecchia4594]

Ray Lewis is the only LB on this list who murdered 2 people and skated without a conviction

[@christiantalamantez3889]

He wasn't the one who murdered them if you don't know the whole story stfu

[@christiantalamantez3889]

He didn't murder them learn the full story

[@MrHav1k]

Trying to run over Ray Lewis is Darwin Award antics.

[@JamesSavik]

I might have put Hacksaw Reynolds on the list.

[@HotDonny36]

Ahahaha Harrison what a legend! His response to how he felt about the fine: "If I had known they were gonna fine me 75 thousand dollars, I would have tried to kill him" meaning to him that hit wasn't shit.😂

[@k.g.r.2682]

I love watching the explosive hits in football, and I loved participating in the sport even at a high level (though never in the pros). I grew up in the era when everyone on your team celebrated when you'd put an opponent out of the game with a blistering hit. But now, on reflection, seeing the cost these guys pay when their career is over in terms of both physical and mental disabilities, despite my love for the manliness of the sport, I do question whether it's worth it all for the sake of entertainment. Yeah, they get paid a boatload of money, but when they can't walk, or they can't think straight, just five or ten years after retirement at age 35, the question seems easy to answer after it's too late. Seeing Junior Seau featured in this clip is a brutal reminder of the cost of playing this game. And it is, after all, still just a game.

[@thehunterstruck]

Linebackers were built different in those older days. They didnt just light you up they made sure you always remember them.

[@Bendyboy_eso]

Fantastic segways!

[@ROBERTWATFORD-g6h]

Mike Curtis,Colts!!

[@mbrawthen]

Butkus, Nobody else comes close! When great players from the same era as Butkus! Like members of the fearsome foursome, Rosey Grier and Deacon Jones speak about Dick as the greatest most feared player of that time, well then you need to listen, take that to the bank and agree with them!

[@damonsonnier34]

In no particular order: Ray Lewis Ray Nitschke Jack Lambert Lawrence Taylor Sam Mills Derrick Brooks Junior Seau Patrick Willis James Harrison Richard Butkus

[@shaggyfrankdizzl]

Delete Ray Lewis and your list is great. Murderers don't get accolades.

[@christiantalamantez3889]

​@@shaggyfrankdizzlso lt a literally child rapists shouldn't get accolades either

[@LiamDeege]

Replace Sam Mills with Chuck Bednarik and that list is perfect

[@MalikHines-b5u]

​@@shaggyfrankdizzl damn hating on the best linebacker to ever touch the field

[@shaggyfrankdizzl]

@@MalikHines-b5u I'm from Baltimore, I've seen his whole career. He was incredibly overrated. You don't have to like it, but it is what it is. He wasn't that good, the 2000 Ravens were not one of the best defenses ever, that's the perception the NFL pushed and everyone drank the kool-aid. The 2000 Ravens never played against an all pro QB all season, easiest schedule in the league (seriously, Google it) Ray Lewis is overrated. Deal with it. And for good measure, sure he beat 2 people to death with his bare hands, and would have done life if they could have found his bloody suit, which magically disappeared, not really because even his driver said they threw it in an alley dumpster. So the suit in reality was somewhere in an Atlanta landfill by the time of the trial, not gonna find it. BTW Lawrence Taylor is the greatest linebacker of all time, and it's not even close. LT is the greatest defensive player by any position in NFL history.

[@arvinartigas6128]

If your names bears the award for the best college and high school Linebacker in the country, he better be no.1

[@mikecannon5530]

Chuck Bednarik? Hit Gifford so hard he didn't play again for two years. Oh, and he was the last true 60 minute man. Won three Championships. He has to make the list.

[@amsf1]

James Harrisons baby pic says it all 😂

[@shawnatkinson6564]

@@amsf1 ya exactly what I said to myself when I saw that pic. George Thorogood said it best..."bad to the bone" 😀

[@DirtyKoolAid]

If the NFL players got hit by any of these guys today they would probably be out for their careers 😭😭😭 because even the tiniest hits take them out

[@CorneliusEdwards-o6u]

Man ray lewis would be scary if I played against him in the nfl

[@DSumm762]

Back when football was a man’s sport. Football now is like watching soccer.

[@christiansolis3229]

Agreed penalties for what hitting the players to hard. That’s what helmets and shoulder pads are for.

[@g.manifestomsnifesto4338]

Fact.

[@stevebonafede2777]

Women's soccer

[@DSumm762]

@@stevebonafede2777 Men’s soccer, women’s soccer. Same thing. They barely get touched and they act like everything in their body fractured.

[@nothx962]

Singletary did not hit like Wilber Marshall...Im a Bears fan too. Marshalls tackles sounded like a gunshot going off.

[@TheFunnyGamer-j6y]

You should do one for Sean taylor

[@amybenzaquen7417]

Honorable mention Deacon Jones

[@kennethschultz4910]

Wasn't Deacon àn End?

[@dariusdafigga]

^Yeah he wasn’t a LB

[@havocyt1904]

we need a list of the most hardest hitting safeties in the league darren sharper number 1 for sure

[@taborevan]

nice vid

[@bige2259]

If you liked this you need to find a video from the late 80s Swansons Crunch Time !! My grandma of all people got this video for me when 10-12yrs old

[@jerrylohla5356]

Joe Schmidt of the 1960s Detroit Lions NEVER missed a tackle. PERFECT technique.

[@NFLMullen24]

I knew the top 3 before I watched this video but I thought Pat Willis was gonna be Top5

[@SeanTaylorlover]

Can u make a hardest hitting safety video

[@n8doggy733]

1:30 damn! ❤

[@mjjohnson5904]

This was interesting..............

[@calebbuys603]

people like this makes me happy i play defense

[@A_Final_Hit]

As an 8 year old kid, watching the '85 Bears beat the snot out of everyone was something special to behold. Best defensive unit of all-time.

[@hillbilly4895]

If you had a list of top 10 hardest hitting guys "who wanted to be" linebackers...I'd be like, #3?

[@keres9580]

Ray Lewis was a killer on the football field.

[@dwtdwtdwt]

off*

[@holdencaulfied7492]

And at the night club. He put new meaning when he said he was going to kill you on the field.

[@SNARC15]

And in an Atlanta night club.

[@AlanDarden-ys4uw]

These builds are WR's today

[@KorithStoneheart]

The fact that the bears couldn't put together a winning season and win a championship when they had Dick Butkus and Gale Sayers on the same team for 4 years is absolutely shameful

[@MichaelMortell-s6j]

As a Bears fan my entire life, I agree. All they needed was an aerial assault. Simple, right? Not for Chicago. They believed in 3 yards in a cloud of dust and an overwhelming Defense. Think of the 85 Bears that had a good passing game (17 touchdowns and 15 interceptions) if one can call it that.

[@olliedrake4746]

We’re do I find this replay

[@davids7017]

LT #3 - ridiculous

[@foxtrotknowsbest1804]

I think it’s shockingly true though

[@chizorama]

Accurate, Butkus practically invented the monster linebacker, Ray-Ray personified it. Not taking anything away from LT, there isn't much of a gap in this list.

[@A_Final_Hit]

Nah...LT is in the right spot.

[@the45er]

Butkus and Taylor - take your pick. I'd choose Taylor because of his overall greatness. Fast - smart - and holy moly could he hit!

[@mbrawthen]

@@the45er “F” Taylor, Dick Butkus and no other is the GOAT Linebacker in NFL History, NUFF SAID‼️ When Deacon Jones and Rosie Greer of the L.A. Rams Fearsome give their Vote to Dick Butkus as the NFL GOAT Linebacker, well then, take that to the BANK and NOTHING MORE need be said‼️🤔👍🏽

[@the45er]

@@mbrawthen Classy reply for sure.

[@timking-iy9jw]

I wasnt a huge Pattick Willis fan.....but what does length of career have to do with how hard he hit?

[@jonwasilewski8226]

That's when Football was Real Football

[@wesleyhitchcock4414]

I agree with the top ten but maybe an 11th should have been the list. What about KC's Willie Lanier? I watched all ten of these guys from the 60s and following and Willie seemed to set the mark for speed and power and animal instinct. Maybe because his carreer was not as long as others but he wrecked alot of people and games

[@BlitzV-r]

Anotha banga yaaaaAaaAaAa

[@earlhopkins3745]

Great list watched it almost to the end and said to myself where the hell is Dick Butkus. He is right where he should be #1. I thought Singletary should have been way higher. IMHO he's a top 3. Nobody loved hitting more than him. I mean just run through you and invite you for more!!! I don't want to mention any names but a dirty player who's known more for dirty play should not be on this list. Almost for got where is Willie Lanier???

[@holdencaulfied7492]

Where's the Mad Stork Ted Hendricks? How dare you leave him off this list.

[@johndembowski8609]

Great list...but what about Brian Urlacher?

[@lilzah8223]

LT should of been number #1

[@Ravensprods08]

Nah ray Lewis

[@g.manifestomsnifesto4338]

As a lifelong Bears fan I can't argue with Butkus at #1 but LT def should be above Ray Lewis. In fact, LT is the only name I would consider at the top other than Butkus.

[@terribletomvu37]

Patrick Willis AND Navorro Bowman on the same team. Not fair!

[@SnuggieMaple]

Safety’s next?

[@martavioustisby4942]

Okay

[@nubreaks2]

RIP, Junior Seau!

[@Bebegamer]

Darren sharper one of da hardest hittin safeties in da league couldn’t bear Greg Jennings and the broken leg

[@gilbertdubay6297]

When it was football!!

[@TheShepherdfiles]

Levon Kirkland #99 was pretty damn scary too.

[@Papadragon8155]

Fun fact. Singltary was great but this least is " hard hitters " he was the third hardest hitting linebacker on the 85 bears. Otis Wilson and Wilber Marshall both hit harder .

[@keeyaJohnson-sg8xh]

Hell yeah me too

[@UsedDishSoap]

WE NEED A "How good was Troy Polamalu actually" VIDEO

[@BasskingJ]

Speaking of the bears, what about Brian urlacher?

[@Illuminate-gg5yt]

There's only one that blasted people....Dick Butkus. The others were great backers, but rarely really stuck somebody.

[@littleguy6753]

Mike Singletary never closed his eyes when hitting. He said he lost a lot of contact lenses.

[@kennybadger]

Any list without Vaughn "the super collider" Johnson shows me they just pick big names. Steve Young said the hardest hit he ever took was from Vaughn Johnson.

[@HerbGrayIII-id1zg]

If Jonathan Vilma isnt on this list, somebody ought to be fired. That dude used to lay the WOOD back at U of M, with the Saints, but especially for the Jets!

[@Darin-o9s]

Ummm, I couldn't find Derek Thomas anywhere in this list. Hm.

[@John-lu1qr]

Honorable mention to ex Steeler Greg Lloyd.

[@averyrestless3786]

I'm glad we don't have this level of CTE anymore. These men have suffered such awful post-football careers. And it's not like I don't have an appreciation for this era, I loved this brand of football. But now that I am older, and think of these men's lives after all the damage, it's just not worth it to me for them to sacrifice this hard for entertainment.