This ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.
.American football quarterback Peyton Manning played 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with the Denver Broncos, winning a Super Bowl with each, thus becoming the only person to achieve the feat. Also known as “The Sheriff,” the talented player has NFL records for passing yards and touchdowns.
.Brett Favre is a former American football player who spent the majority of his National Football League career with the Green Bay Packers. Apart from being a retired player with several achievements and records under his belt, Favre is also a philanthropist; in 1996, he set up the Brett Favre Fourward Foundation, which has donated over $2 million to charities.
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.Jerry Rice is a former American footballer. He played primarily for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. Thanks to his several records and accomplishments, Rice is considered one of the greatest players and the greatest wide receiver in the history of NFL. In 1999, The Sporting News ranked him second on its Football's 100 Greatest Players list.
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.Terrell Owens is a former American football player who played for popular teams like San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL) in a career spanning 16 years. Considered one of the greatest American footballers of his generation, Terrell Owens was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.
.Jim Thorpe was an American athlete who was counted among the most versatile athletes of the modern era. Jim Thorpe won two gold medals at the 1912 Olympics and became the first Native American to give the United States an Olympic gold. He also played American football, professional baseball, and basketball. He was memorialized in the 1951 film Jim Thorpe – All-American.
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.Barry Sanders is a former professional American footballer who spent all his playing years with the Detroit Lions of NFL. Widely considered one of the greatest running backs in the history of National Football League, Barry Sanders has been made an inductee to Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, Michigan Sports Hall of Fame, and the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame.
.Emmitt Smith is a former American footballer who helped the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League win three Super Bowl championships between 1993 and 1996. He remains NFL's all-time leading rusher and is the only running back to win a Super Bowl. A humanitarian, Smith is credited with founding a nonprofit organization called the Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities.
.Adrian Peterson is an American football player. Widely regarded as one of the greatest running backs in the history of the National Football League (NFL), Peterson became the third-fastest player in NFL history to reach 10,000 rushing yards in 2013. He is currently playing for the Detroit Lions.
.Johnny Unitas was an American football player who played as a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). A three-time NFL champion and three-time NFL Most Valuable Player, Unitas is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the NFL. In 1979, Johnny Unitas was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
.Former professional baseball and football player Bo Jackson has the distinction of being the only professional athlete in history to be named an All-Star in both the sports. Considered one of the greatest athletes of all time, he pursued his other interests following his retirement from sports in the 1990s. He has acted in a few TV shows, playing minor characters.
.Former American football player, Michael Oher had been associated with the Baltimore Ravens for the major part of his career. He also played for the Tennessee Titans and Carolina Panthers for a while. He had a very tough childhood and sought solace in playing sports. After years of struggle, he finally emerged as a successful sportsman.
.Football coach, Vince Lombardi, is best known for being the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s. Beginning his career as a high school coach, he eventually started coaching National Football League (NFL) teams. As a head coach in the NFL, he never had a losing season. He died of cancer in 1970.
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.Vince Papale is a former professional football player. During his career as a player, he played with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Philadelphia Bell. As a young boy, he played multiple sports and lettered in football, basketball, and track and field. He eventually chose to pursue football. His story is the inspiration behind the film Invincible.
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.College football player, athletic director, and coach, Joe Paterno, is best remembered for being the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions from 1966 to 2011. In his extensive coaching career, he registered 409 victories. His career ended abruptly when he was dismissed as a result of the Penn State child sex abuse scandal. He died shortly after.
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.Former American football player and coach, Tony Dungy, currently works as an advisor for the professional football team, The Houston Texans. An evangelical Christian, Dungy has been an integral part of several community service organizations over the years. Also a writer, Dungy claims that his memoir Quiet Strength has touched the lives of many.
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.Brian Bosworth is an American actor known for playing important roles in films like Stone Cold and One Man's Justice. A former football player, Bosworth played for the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL. Renowned for making controversial comments and his flamboyant personality, Brian Bosworth discusses his internal conflict in a documentary film titled Brian and The Boz.
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.Joe Namath is a former football player who was named on The Sporting News' 100 Greatest Football Players list in 1999. He established himself as a sports icon and a pop culture icon after guaranteeing a victory to his team, New York Jets, over the favorites, Baltimore Colts, and then helping his team win Super Bowl III against the Colts.
.Alex Karras was an American footballer, sportscaster, actor, and professional wrestler. A four-time Pro Bowl player, Karras was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and College Football Hall of Fame. In 1977, he was also inducted into the Iowa Sports Hall of Fame. As an actor, he is remembered for playing George Papadopolis in the TV series, Webster.
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.Famous for the age-defying longevity of his American football career, George Blanda set several records before retiring at the age of 48. The quarterback and placekicker who played mainly for Chicago Bears, Houston Oilers and Oakland Raiders teams, retired with 943 extra points from 26 seasons. He scored a record-setting 42 interceptions thrown in a single season in 1962.
Mack Brown is an American college football coach who is currently serving as the head coach for the North Carolina Tar Heels which represents the University of North Carolina. A former head coach for the Texas Longhorns football program, Brown is credited with reinvigorating the Texas and North Carolina football programs. He won the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award in 2006.
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