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NFL fans love it when a current player names the top four players at a particular position in the history of the sport.
It creates a great debate and conversation.
Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Robert Spillane recently appeared on The Rush Podcast to give his take on who the four best linebackers are in NFL history.
“I’ll go with Dick Butkus, the most feared linebacker of all time…I love Ray Lewis…I’ll throw Luke Kuechly on there…I loved Patrick Willis growing up,” Spillane said.
Robert Spillane’s top 4 linebackers in NFL history
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The great thing about these types of debates is that they are subjective and open to anyone’s interpretation.
Spillane picked four legendary linebackers.
The late, great Dick Butkus was an eight-time All-Pro and is a member of the league’s 75th and 100th Anniversary Teams.
He was, like Spillane said, was completely feared by everyone.
Ray Lewis is arguably the greatest middle linebacker in NFL history.
The 13-time Pro-Bowler and two-time Super Bowl winner had a defensive IQ that was unmatched.
He holds the NFL record for most combined tackles (2,059) and is a member of the league’s 100th Anniversary Team.
Luke Kuechly was the Calvin Johnson of linebackers.
Despite playing for only eight seasons, the seven-time All-Pro and former Defensive Player of the Year was absolutely dominant while in Carolina.
Having 1,092 total tackles in just eight seasons is mind-boggling.
Then, like Kuechly, Patrick Willis had a short, yet brilliant career.
The six-time All-Pro and multi-time league-leader in tackles was one of the best sideline-to-sideline players and hitters during his eight years with the 49ers.
He is a Pro Football Hall-of-Famer for a reason.
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