Famous 20th Century American Football Players

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 1 
Peyton Manning
(One of the Greatest Quarterbacks of All Time)
Peyton Manning
33
Birthdate: March 24, 1976
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

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.

 2 
Deion Sanders
(Former American Football Player, Coach and Only Athlete to Play in Both 'Super Bowl' and 'World Series')
Deion Sanders
25
Birthdate: August 9, 1967
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Fort Myers, Florida, United States

American football player Deion Sanders is considered one of the strongest pass defenders of the game. He was an electrifying athlete and played in the National Football League for 14 seasons. He played for teams like Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins and Baltimore Ravens. He is now a coach and a sports analyst. He’s also a rapper.

 

 3 
Brett Favre
(Former American Football Player Who Played as a Quarterback)
Brett Favre
26
Birthdate: October 10, 1969
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Gulfport, Mississippi, United States

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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 4 
Terry Bradshaw
(American Former Professional Football Player Who Played as a Quarterback)
Terry Bradshaw
23
Birthdate: September 2, 1948
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Shreveport, Louisiana, United States
Drafted by Pittsburgh Steelers in 1970, Terry Bradshaw went on to become a dominant NFL quarterback and led the Steelers to four Super Bowl championships. His career halted after an injury, but Bradshaw soon established himself as a prominent television football analyst for Fox NFL Sunday. Later, he ventured into acting, writing and music.
 5 
Randy Moss
(One of the Greatest and Most Talented Football Wide Receivers of All Time)
Randy Moss
22
Birthdate: February 13, 1977
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Rand, West Virginia, United States
NFL wide receiver Randy Moss set a record for the highest number of receiving touchdowns in a season. The Minnesota Vikings player became the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1998 and retired after playing with the San Francisco 49ers. He gave rise to the term “getting mossed.”
 6 
Joe Montana
(One of the Greatest Quarterbacks in the History of the National Football League)
Joe Montana
17
Birthdate: June 11, 1956
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: New Eagle, Pennsylvania, United States
Former NFL quarterback Joe Montana, nicknamed Joe Cool, mostly played for the San Francisco 49ers, winning four Super Bowls with them. ESPN’s 25th Greatest Athlete of the 20th Century, Montana was the first player to be Super Bowl MVP thrice and was part of the Pro Bowl eight times.
 7 
Jim Brown
(Football Player)
Jim Brown
21
Birthdate: February 17, 1936
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: St. Simons, Georgia, United States
Died: May 18, 2023
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 8 
Jerry Rice
(American Former Professional Football Wide Receiver)
Jerry Rice
11
Birthdate: October 13, 1962
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Starkville, Mississippi, United States

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.

 9 
Troy Aikman
(American Former Football Quarterback)
Troy Aikman
23
Birthdate: November 21, 1966
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: West Covina, California, United States
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 10 
Walter Payton
(One of the Greatest American Football Players of All Time)
Walter Payton
14
Birthdate: July 25, 1954
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Columbia, Mississippi, United States
Died: November 1, 1999
NFL running back Walter Payton, nicknamed "Sweetness,” played for the Chicago Bears for 13 seasons, winning titles such as the Super Bowl. He was named the NFL MVP in 1977 and was a nine-time Pro Bowl. Before dying of bile duct cancer, he became an advocate for organ donations. 
 11 
Jim Thorpe
(American Athlete and Olympic Gold Medalist)
Jim Thorpe
21
Birthdate: May 28, 1887
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Lincoln County, Oklahoma, United States
Died: March 28, 1953

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.

 12 
Terrell Owens
(One of the Greatest Football Wide Receivers of All Time)
Terrell Owens
19
Birthdate: December 7, 1973
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Alexander City, Alabama, United States

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.

 13 
Aaron Donald
(American football player)
Aaron Donald
18
Birthdate: May 23, 1991
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 14 
Lawrence Taylor
(Former American football Outside linebacker)
Lawrence Taylor
12
Birthdate: February 4, 1959
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Williamsburg, Virginia, United States
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 15 
John Elway
(American football player)
John Elway
15
Birthdate: June 28, 1960
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Port Angeles, Washington, United States
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 16 
Barry Sanders
(American Former Professional Football Player Who Played in the Running Back Position)
Barry Sanders
10
Birthdate: July 16, 1968
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Wichita, Kansas, United States

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.

 17 
Emmitt Smith
(Former American Professional Football Player Who Played in the Running Back Position)
Emmitt Smith
8
Birthdate: May 15, 1969
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Pensacola, Florida, United States

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.

 18 
Steve Young
(American football player)
Steve Young
15
Birthdate: October 11, 1961
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 19 
Michael Irvin
(Former American Football Wide Receiver)
Michael Irvin
6
Birthdate: March 5, 1966
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 20 
Tony Gonzalez
(American Football Player)
Tony Gonzalez
7
Birthdate: February 27, 1976
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Torrance, California, United States
Height: 6'5" (196 cm)
 21 
LaDainian Tomlinson
(American football player)
LaDainian Tomlinson
10
Birthdate: June 23, 1979
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Rosebud, Texas, United States
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 22 
Roger Staubach
(American football player)
Roger Staubach
7
Birthdate: February 5, 1942
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 23 
Dan Marino
(Former American Football Player and One of the Greatest Quarterbacks in NFL History)
Dan Marino
13
Birthdate: September 15, 1961
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Quarterback Dan Marino had a successful stint with the Miami Dolphins, leading them to 10 playoffs and the Super Bowl XIX. However, he never won a title. Named to Pro Bowl nine times, he was also the 1984 NFL MVP and part of the 2019 NFL 100 All-Time Team.
 24 
Travis Kelce
(American Football Player)
Travis Kelce
18
Birthdate: October 5, 1989
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Westlake, Ohio, USA
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
 25 
Bo Jackson
(Former Baseball & Football Player, the Only Professional Athlete in History to be Named an 'All-Star' in Both)
Bo Jackson
11
Birthdate: November 30, 1962
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Bessemer, Alabama, United States

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.

 26 
Bart Starr
(American football quarterback and coach)
Bart Starr
8
Birthdate: January 9, 1934
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Montgomery, Alabama, United States
Died: May 26, 2019
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 27 
Gale Sayers
(American Football Player)
Gale Sayers
7
Birthdate: May 30, 1943
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Wichita, Kansas, United States
Died: September 23, 2020
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 28 
Tyreek Hill
(American football player)
Tyreek Hill
10
Birthdate: March 1, 1994
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Pearson, Georgia, United States
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 29 
Dick Butkus
(American Former Professional Football Player Who Played as Middle Linebacker)
Dick Butkus
5
Birthdate: December 9, 1942
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 30 
Carl Weathers
(Actor and Former American Professional Football Player Known for His Role as ‘Apollo Creed’ in ‘Rocky’ Film Series)
Carl Weathers
10
Birthdate: January 14, 1948
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

Carl Weathers began his career as a football player, playing for the NFL team Oakland Raiders and the CFL team B.C. Lions. He stepped into acting with Arthur Marks’s blaxploitation films. He is best known as Apollo Creed from the Rocky films and as Greef Karga from The Mandalorian.

 31 
Andy Reid
(Head Coach for the National Football League Team 'Kansas City Chiefs')
Andy Reid
11
Birthdate: March 19, 1958
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States

Andy Reid is an American football coach who is currently serving as the head coach for the National Football League team the Kansas City Chiefs. Reid is credited with revitalizing the Chiefs which was a struggling team when he started coaching them in 2013. He helped the Kansas City Chiefs win a Super Bowl title, their first in 50 years.

 32 
Johnny Unitas
(American Football Player Who Played as a Quarterback)
Johnny Unitas
6
Birthdate: May 7, 1933
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: September 11, 2002

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.

 33 
Franco Harris
(American Football Player)
Franco Harris
4
Birthdate: March 7, 1950
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Fort Dix, New Jersey, USA
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 34 
Shannon Sharpe
(American footballer)
Shannon Sharpe
9
Birthdate: June 26, 1968
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 35 
Sean Taylor
(American football player)
Sean Taylor
12
Birthdate: April 1, 1983
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Florida City, Florida, United States
Died: November 27, 2007
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 36 
Jimmy Garoppolo
(American football player)
Jimmy Garoppolo
14
Birthdate: November 2, 1991
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Arlington Heights, Illinois
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 37 
Jameis Winston
(American Football Player)
Jameis Winston
13
Birthdate: January 6, 1994
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Bessemer, Alabama, United States
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 38 
Derrick Thomas
(American football player)
Derrick Thomas
4
Birthdate: January 1, 1967
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Miami, Florida, USA
Died: February 8, 2000
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 39 
Jared Goff
(American football player)
Jared Goff
12
Birthdate: October 14, 1994
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Novato, California
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 40 
Steve McNair
(American Football Player)
Steve McNair
7
Birthdate: February 14, 1973
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Mount Olive, Mississippi, USA
Died: July 4, 2009
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 41 
Herschel Walker
(American football player)
Herschel Walker
8
Birthdate: March 3, 1962
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Wrightsville, Georgia, United States
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 42 
Philip Rivers
(American football player)
Philip Rivers
16
Birthdate: December 8, 1981
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Decatur, Alabama, United States
Height: 6'5" (196 cm)
 43 
Archie Manning
(American football player)
Archie Manning
5
Birthdate: May 19, 1949
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Drew, Mississippi, United States
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 44 
Jason Kelce
(Football player)
Jason Kelce
3
Birthdate: November 5, 1987
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Cleveland Heights, Ohio, United States
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 45 
Chad Johnson
(American Football Player)
Chad Johnson
10
Birthdate: January 9, 1978
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Miami, Florida, USA
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 46 
Doug Flutie
(American football player)
Doug Flutie
6
Birthdate: October 23, 1962
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Manchester, Maryland, United States
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 47 
Howie Long
(American football player)
Howie Long
6
Birthdate: January 6, 1960
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Somerville, Massachusetts, United States
Height: 6'5" (196 cm)
 48 
Pete Carroll
(American football coach)
Pete Carroll
7
Birthdate: September 15, 1951
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: San Francisco, California, United States
 49 
Merlin Olsen
(American Football Player)
Merlin Olsen
5
Birthdate: September 15, 1940
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Logan, Utah, USA
Died: March 11, 2010
Height: 6'5" (196 cm)
 50 
Shaquem Griffin
(American football player)
Shaquem Griffin
9
Birthdate: July 20, 1995
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: St. Petersburg, Florida
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)