RAYMOND BERRY: "The Most Prepared are the Most Dedicated"

By  TJ Troup 

Credit: Merv Corning

Has taken me a week and many revisions before writing this dedication. Boys have athletic heroes, want to play like they do, and though growing up a Bears fan in the late '50's by far my favorite player on another team was Raymond Berry. So much has been written about him that was exaggerated about his "lack of", size, speed, his body, his eyesight. 

The man could just flat play football. We will never know how many passes Raymond Berry would have caught if George Shaw had been the Colts quarterback from '55 through '67? When a Bear pass rush forced Ewbank to send Johnny Hightops into the game in October of '56 the identity of the Colts would change forever. There are phrases in the English language we can read and sort of define, but "work ethic" sure has a different meaning to some more than others. 

Berry & Unitas built a synergy on the field that was a joy to watch for BALTIMORE Colt fans, and a nightmare for defensive  coordinators, and defenders whether they be corners, outside linebackers or safeties. Berry learned from Unitas what he was about as a quarterback leader and with his deep insight into understanding how to run pass routes in a way that used as much of the field as he needed. We can all look at his game by game stats, read countless stories about his performances, but is that all there is about Raymond Berry the player? Hell, no! 

He guided Lenny Moore concerning John (Raymond never called Unitas Johnny), due to that fact that Moore was literally an offensive force to be reckoned with. Raymond Berry was not an offensive force to be reckoned with, he gave Unitas something special, when it is time for the key catch, he made that play. 

The game against NYG to win the title in '58 was compelling drama but Unitas & Berry scorched a Redskin pass defense the year before in '57. Having the entire game film you can easily see what they were capable of. Watching Raymond Berry play after his injury in early '61 there was no doubt he now had limitations in gaining yards after the catch, getting behind defenders, and scoring. His stats bear that out, yet he still was a vital part of the Colt offense through '66. There have been many men who were meant to coach the game, and he sure was one of them. 

His book "All the Moves I Had" is a must read for many reasons! His ability to dig deep into people and situations was sure a reason for his success as a coach. His catching drills were significant for me as a community college receivers coach. 

As I called them,"the catching drills." A few were modified yet was the foundation for me on the practice field EVERY DAY! Will end my dedication to him with a lengthy story about our meeting face to face. Had written to him when he became head coach of the Patriots, and his letters to me were a joy to read (still have them). There was always the "spiritual" aspect in the letters, and of course discussion about coaching/leadership. 

The Patriots were going to practice at Orange Coast College in preparation for their playoff game with the Raiders in '85. When he got off the bus he walked right towards me even though we had never met. His classic east Texas accent he explained NO ONE was allowed to watch the Patriots practice; especially the media, but Coach Berry told me to go find a place to hang out for about 20 minutes and then a ball boy would come find me. Was the only one watching the Raymond Berry Patriots practice that day. Was like a college practice; enthusiasm, brisk drills, lots of hustle, and you could feel what was coming. 

Yes, that Patriot team beat the Raiders that Sunday, then took another "mystical" step into history by beating the Dan Marino/Don Shula Dolphins in Miami. We all can read about what transpired in Foxboro but much more important was that Raymond Berry was not finished yet as a coach. During the summer of '91 we again corresponded and he shared that the Detroit Lions of '91 were going to not only going to surprise teams, they were going to win. He shared his thoughts on the quarterbacks he coached, and the passing game knowing what an impact Sanders would have on defenses. 

Raymond Berry has no doubt corresponded with many (am so honored to be one of those he wrote to), and his interviews with Steve Sabol are enlightening and fun, especially when he would say something and laugh. RIP Raymond Berry and thanks!

Vic Fangio: 2026 PFWA Paul “Dr. Z” Zimmerman Award Winner

 By John Turney 

There is no doubt that Vic Fangio deserves the Dr. Z award, that honors lifetime achievement by an NFL assistant coach. He's earned the distinction. However, while we give kudos to him, we wish the class would have included some assistant coaches who have so far been overlooked.

One is Floyd Peters, one of the top pass rush coaches ever. Also Jim Hanifan, one of best offensive line coaches ever. Be that as it may, that is a topic to address with the younger crowd of PFWA members, who we suspect are not up to snuff in NFL history.

Fangio becomes the 28th winner of the prestigious award, or "prestigious ass award" if you quote Jon Gruden. 

Fangio, one of the most respected defensive minds in the NFL, completed his 39th season in professional football in 2025. In his second stint as Eagles defensive coordinator, he orchestrated a top-ranked defense that powered Philadelphia to a Super Bowl LIX victory.

Over his decorated career, Fangio has mentored five Pro Football Hall of Famers—Kevin Greene, Rickey Jackson, Ray Lewis, Sam Mills, and Patrick Willis—and was named PFWA NFL Assistant Coach of the Year in 2018.

His coaching journey began with four years at the high school level and a graduate assistant role at North Carolina before breaking into pro football with the USFL’s Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars (1984-85). He entered the NFL as linebackers coach for the New Orleans Saints (1986-94), where he helped develop the legendary "Dome Patrol." He later served as defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers (1995-98), Indianapolis Colts (1999-2001), and Houston Texans (2002-05).

Fangio also held roles with the Baltimore Ravens (2006-09), spent the 2010 season as Stanford’s defensive coordinator, and returned to the NFL as defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers (2011-14) and Chicago Bears (2015-18). He served as head coach of the Denver Broncos from 2019-21, calling defensive plays during his tenure. 

After a year as a consultant with the Eagles in 2022 and a season as Miami's defensive coordinator in 2023, Fangio returned to Philadelphia in 2024. and coached in two Super Bowls—Super Bowl XLVII with San Francisco and Super Bowl LIX with Philadelphia, the latter resulting in a championship.

Further, Fangio's innovative defensive concepts have become one of the most widely adopted systems across the league in recent years.

At the heart of his scheme is its heavy reliance on two-high safety shells before the snap. This pre-snap look provides tremendous post-snap flexibility, allowing defenses to mix coverages while disguising intentions and limiting explosive plays downfield. Rather than aggressive blitzing, the system emphasizes disciplined gap control, using what is known as "gap-and-a-half" technique to stop the run. It's more or less a hybrid of one-gap and two-gap techniques. 

It's bend but don't break philosophy and use of quarters/match quarters coverages that force offenses into short, methodical throws meant to frustrate offenses and take away deep passes and chunk through in the seems. 

The scheme’s influence is still evident league-wide: Many teams incorporate his scheme and most wholly and others, most others, use portions of it. Without doubt, Fangio’s fingerprints remain visible on defensive playbooks around the league. What started as a niche philosophy has evolved into a foundational blueprint for success in the modern game.

Another 'Lawrence Welk Trade' for the Los Angeles Rams. Sort Of.

 By John Turney

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Back in the day, there was a term used for a trade that involved multiple picks. In 1974, the Rams received a boatload of picks for John Hadl when they shipped him, mid-season, to the Green Bay Packers. The line in some papers was that it was a "Lawrence Welk Trade" meaning ah one, ah two, ah one, two three." That referred to the five picks the Rams got, a two firsts, two seconds and a third ovfer the next couple of years.

However, the first time we can find it in print was several years after the trade, suggesting it was something discussed but not published in papers, or maybe a late nickname for it. Folklore is funny that way. Though there may have been talk about Mel Blount being part of the driving force of the 1978 rules changes in the NFL that changed the way defenses could cover, the term "Mel Blount Rule" didn't appear in print until a decade later but is now cited all the time. 

We remember when Monte Jackson was traded to the Oakland Raiders in 1978 and the gams getting a first, second and third-round pick for him. We've heard that referred to as "ah one, ah two, a three."

Today, according to major media reports, the Rams were involved in yet another one of these 1-2-3 deals, only this time it goes the other way, sending a trio of picks plus former first-round pick Jared Verse to the Cleveland Browns for future Hall-of-Famer Myles Garrett.

So, the question is (in terms of Welk) what is Verse's value? A first at least, making it "ah one, ah two, a three, ah one." However, given Verse's skill set, on the open market he'd have commanded a first and a second (if not more), so we're going with that ... the full 1,2,1,2,3. 

As for the substance of the deal, Garrett has been a 4-3 end his entire career and goes to the Rams, who are a base 3-4 team. However, with teams in nickel/dime so much these days, it is fair to say Garrett has been in a 4-2-5 as much as anything. The thing the Rams run most often in passing downs is a 4-1-6. So, as for passing downs, his role won't change.

However, teams may copy the Rams and use more 13 personnel this year, which will dictate to the Rams that they need to be in base more often, a 3-4 or maybe even a 6-1. With the Rams' pass rush, it would make sense to try to run on the Rams' defense until they can prove they can stop it and that is the weakness of Chris Shula's defense—stuffing runners.

But it is fair to suggest that Garrett, at some point will be asked to cover a hook zone and have to cover a back or tight end at times and that is not his forte. The Rams obviously feel it won't be an issue. Garrett is elite athlete, smart and can pull that off once in a while.

Till then, though, we will have to wait and see what tweaks are put in the Rams' scheme to accommodate the best defensive player in the NFL.

As far as the Browns, they made a good deal. Verrse is a young star and they get three other picks. It will give them scheme flexibility as well since Verse can be an OLBer in a 3-4 or a defensive end in a 4-3 scheme, which is all dependent on what new Browns defensive coordinator, Mike Rutenberg wants to do. 

RIP Manny Fernandez, One of NFL's Unsung Greats

 By John Turney 

Credit: Bart Forbes

Manuel "Manny" Fernandez, a cornerstone of the Miami Dolphins' famed "No-Name Defense" and two-time Super Bowl champion, passed away on May 24, 2026. He was 79.

In a statement released via social media, the Dolphins said, 

"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Manny Fernandez, a member of the 1972 Perfect Team, a two-time Super Bowl champion, Ring of Honor member and an anchor of the Dolphins’ legendary No-Name Defense. His consistent and selfless contributions on the field were instrumental to the Dolphins’ success throughout the 1970s, particularly in the team’s three consecutive Super Bowl appearances, in which he produced some of the most memorable defensive performances in the history of the game. Our thoughts are with his family, loved ones and teammates as we remember one of the best players in Dolphins history."

Born July 3, 1946, in Oakland, California, Fernandez went undrafted out of the University of Utah but signed with the expansion Miami Dolphins in 1968. 

As a high school athlete, he was the state wrestling tournament runner-up and set a school record with a 305-pound bench press. He began his college career at Chabot Junior College before transferring to the University of Utah as a sophomore.

Undrafted in the NFL, Fernandez was widely overlooked. He was strong, but small (237 pounds at that time) and had poor vision. He had missed three games due to a knee injury and two more after being caught drinking beer. "It wasn’t hard to overlook me," Fernandez later said. "At Utah, I wasn’t just not all-conference—I barely made all-team."

According to one public relations yarn, the Dolphins were looking for a name to appeal to Miami's Cuban population for perhaps a "feel-good" camp story only later to discover that Manuel Jose Fernandez didn't speak Spanish and might be all that great of a story.

But Fernandez, with his knee recovered, simply earned his way onto the club and spent his entire eight-year NFL career (1968–1975) with the Dolphins, playing 103 games primarily as a defensive tackle and nose tackle in their multiple-front schemes. At 6-2 and around 250 pounds, he brought quickness, leverage, and relentless pursuit that made him far more disruptive than his size suggested.

Fernandez arrived just as the Dolphins began their ascent under coaches George Wilson and, more importantly, Don Shula. He quickly established himself as a team leader on the defensive line, earning recognition as the Dolphins' Outstanding Defensive Lineman in his first six seasons (1968-73). His game elevated notably in 1970 with Shula’s arrival, as Miami transitioned into a perennial contender.

Peak Years and Accolades.

Fernandez earned second-team All-Pro honors in 1970 and 1973 (on the player-poll NEA team), along with first- or second-team All-AFC in 1971-73 that gave him four straight years of postseason recognition. In 1971, he led the Dolphins with eight sacks—a strong total for an interior lineman in that era. For his career, he recorded 35 sacks (second among Dolphins nose tackles behind only Bob Baumhower) and six fumble recoveries.

What set Fernandez apart was his performance in the biggest games. In three consecutive Super Bowl appearances (VI, VII, and VIII), he tallied 28 tackles (17 solo) and three sacks. His masterpiece came in Super Bowl VII, the capstone to a perfect 17-0 season. Fernandez delivered a game-high 10 tackles and a sack against the Washington Redskins in a 14-7 victory (note: the Dolphins coaching staff credited him with 17 tackles). Some observers, then and now, believed he—not safety Jake Scott—should have been named Super Bowl MVP.

The following year, versus the Vikings, he again led the Dolphins in total tackles with eight. One could make a case that he was the team MVP in that game as well, and most certainly the defensive MVP if there was an official one. 

Fernandez was a disruptive force on the nose in Miami's "53" defense, consistently commanding double teams and freeing up linebackers like Nick Buoniconti and safeties in the secondary. In the 53, he'd usually be relegated to nose tackle, blocked more often by a center and a guard rather than just a guard in his 4-3 defense position. But his abilities help make the "No-Name Defense" produce championship results as well as at or near the defensive statistical charts, for example, in 1972, they were the NFL's top defense.

In 1973, Fernandez was honored as the NFL’s Unsung Player of the Year, fitting recognition for a player who excelled without the spotlight. Later honors included induction into the Dolphins Walk of Fame (Class of 2012) and the Dolphins Honor Roll (2014), where he joined other Dolphins greats. He also received the John Unitas Award from the South Shore Quarterback Club in Massachusetts as an outstanding player who had come into pro football without fanfare, which was a fitting tribute, albeit an obscure award. 

But sometimes obscurity is what Fernandez was all about. Undrafted free agent, played on the "No Names", played nose. Fernandez once said, "I play as well as anyone. I just don't get the ink." 

Off the field, Fernandez was known as a colorful character—an avid hunter and outdoorsman who embraced Florida life with the same tenacity he showed on Sundays. He remained a beloved figure among Dolphins alumni and fans, often sharing stories of the perfect season and the grind of building a champion from an expansion franchise.

Manny Fernandez was never a household name nationally, but to those who study 1970s football, he was the prototypical lunch-pail defensive lineman whose film reveals a player who beat blockers with technique, effort, and intelligence as much as athleticism. It was said he fought off blocks as well as the best.

In an era of great interior defenders, he carved out a quiet but impactful legacy as one of the best to wear aqua and orange. 

Fernandez maintained that the Dolphins' switch to a 3-4 defense, forcing him to play more nose tackle, ended his career early, offering this, "Playing nose was my downfall." On Fernandez's nose tackle role, Don Shula told the media, "There is a tremendous amount of pressure on Fernandez most of the time, but he wouldn't be there if we didn't think he can handle it." 

Even after all these years, he would properly be picked as one of the defensive tackles on any All-Time Super Bowl team, though when we see them, he is often omitted, but his legacy should be that he was one of the best defensive tackles in league history when it mattered ... in big games. 

From the 1976 Dolphins' Media Guide—

The above totals are from Dolphins coaches. NFL Gamebook totals are different, mostly in the totals of tackles.

Review: From the Outhouse to the Penthouse: The Football Journey of Hall of Famer Larry Little

 by John Turney 

The title of Joe Zagorski’s new book From the Outhouse to the Penthouse: The Football Journey of Hall of Famer Larry Little, perfectly captures the remarkable life arc of Hall of Fame guard Larry Little. From humble and often harsh beginnings in rural Georgia and in Maimi—where poverty was so deep that an outhouse was part of daily life—Little rose to become one of the NFL’s dominant offensive linemen of the 1970s and a cornerstone of the Miami Dolphins’ championship teams.

Overlooked by most major colleges after high school, Little developed at Bethune-Cookman University, signed as an undrafted free agent with the San Diego Chargers, and was later traded to the Dolphins. In Miami, he anchored the offensive line from 1970 to 1981, earning All-Pro honors, powering the legendary perfect 1972 season, and helping deliver two Super Bowl victories.

Zagorski fills the book with vivid on-field detail: the Dolphins’ dominant running game, Little's exceptional quickness and power at guard, and the respect he earned from teammates like Bob Griese and opponents like "Mean" Joe Greene. The heart of the story, however, is the character-driven narrative. The book covers Little's humble football beginnings, from being a chubby novice to working his way up to a starter on his high school varsity team and earning a chance to play college football at Bethune-Cookman, where he'd also coach two decades later.

Anecdotes of how Little stood firm on his rookie contract to make sure he got more than most undrafted free agents and more than most when he was regularized to the taxi squad as a rookie. It also documents Don Shula's "four-a-day" practices in 1970, which are credited with the Dolphins' turnaround from an also-ran to back-to-back NFL champions.

With a foreword by Griese and powerful quotes from legends like Larry Csonka—"He was going to be the first one up the hill… come hell or high water"—the book highlights Little’s perseverance, self-improvement, reliability, toughness, and quiet leadership.

At a well-paced 340 pages, the book chronicles the full journey of one of the Dolphins' all-time great offensive linemen: an undrafted player who went from overlooked prospect to Pro Football Hall of Famer (inducted in 1993). It also covers his post-playing career, including coaching at the college and with the World League of American Football.

This is Zagorski’s sixth NFL book. He previously wrote biographies of Bill Bradley and Willie Lanier, as well as titles on the 1972 Green Bay Packers, O.J. Simpson’s record 1973 season, and the NFL in the 1970s. As with his earlier works, From the Outhouse to the Penthouse is thoroughly researched with detailed endnotes, with seven pages of photos, and is an engaging and fun read.

Highly recommended for fans of 1970s football, the Miami Dolphins, or inspiring stories of overcoming long odds.

Grade: A

About the author:

Joe Zagorski is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Pro Football Researchers Association. His biography of former Philadelphia Eagles free safety Bill Bradley is his fifth book. It is published by Highlander Press out of Baltimore, Maryland. 

 Zagorski is also the coordinator of the Facebook page The NFL in the 1970s.

All of Zagorski’s pro football books are available on the Amazon and Barnes & Noble websites

• The NFL in the 1970s: Pro Football's Most Important Decade
• Free Spirit at Free Safety: The Incredible (but True!) Football Journey of Bill Bradley
• The 2,003-Yard Odyssey: The Juice, The Electric Company, and an Epic Run for a Record
• The Year the Packers Came Back: Green Bay's 1972 Resurgence
• America's Trailblazing Middle Linebacker: The Story of NFL Hall of Famer Willie Lanier
• Free Spirit at Free Safety: The Incredible (but True!) Football Journey of Bill Bradley

The Curious Case of the Phantom Sack: Clay Matthews, Elvis Franks, and a 1983 Milwaukee Mystery

by Nick Webster

If you've spent any time digging through old play-by-plays, you know the drill. The official record says one thing, the film says another, but as they say, "the eye in the sky never lies". This week brought a beauty of a mistake in the official record.

The setting: Cleveland at Green Bay, November 6, 1983, County Stadium in Milwaukee. Yes, the dreaded Milwaukee crew — a phrase that means something to anyone who's tried to reconcile Packers home stats from that era. Second-and-eight from the Green Bay 21. Lynn Dickey drops back and goes down for a sack, "and he will go down in a heap, Clay Matthews and Bob Golic back there," the play-by-play man announces.

But the game's official play-by-play credits Elvis Franks on his way to a 5-sack season.  Pro Football Reference will tell you Elvis Franks got him. The 1984 Browns Media Guide — well, that's where things get interesting. It tells you both stories at once, depending on which page you're reading.

Roll the film.

What you actually see is four Browns rushing the passer: Reggie Camp (96), Keith Baldwin (99), Bob Golic (79), and Clay Matthews (57). The announcers identify Matthews getting home and mention Golic arriving as cleanup, jumping on the pile after Dickey is already being brought down. Standard stuff. The kind of sack where the credit is obvious if you're watching, and only becomes confusing if you're not.

The problem is that Elvis Franks (94) doesn't appear to be on the field at all. The Browns' personnel grouping looks like 48, 56, 51, 29, 49, and 50 behind the four rushers, plus presumably another defensive back to round out the eleven. Franks is nowhere in the picture. He's a phantom. A ghost on the box score.

So how does a guy who wasn't on the field get a sack on the official record?

Here's where Eric Goska's detective work pays off — and where you start to appreciate how this stuff actually gets corrupted in the historical record. The 1984 Browns Media Guide is the source of truth here, in the season statistics section at the back, Matthews is credited with 7 sacks (vs the league's 6) and Franks with 4 (vs the league's 5). The individual player profile at the bottom of each players profile page lists the same: 7 and 4. But then you read the narrative text under Franks' profile, and it specifically mentions a sack in the Packer game — and 4 other sacks, adding up his season total to 5.

Two different numbers in the same media guide. For the same player.

What almost certainly happened: the coaching staff watched the film, charted the sacks correctly, and credited Matthews. Their internal totals — the ones that fed the statistics pages — reflect what actually happened on the field. But when somebody in the PR department sat down to write the prose summaries for the media guide, they pulled from the official NFL play-by-play. The erroneous one. The one the Milwaukee crew turned in. And so Franks got a write-up crediting him with a sack he didn't have, against a team he may not have even been on the field against during that particular snap.

This is the kind of thing that should haunt anyone who works with historical defensive stats. The official record isn't always the correct record — and when contemporaneous sources disagree with themselves, you've got a real puzzle. The coaches knew. The film knows. The Milwaukee stat crew apparently did not.

Sack goes to Matthews. His second of the day. Franks drops to 4, where the Browns' own coaches had him all along.

The search continues.

Rethinking NFL All-Decade Teams: Why Mid-Decade Rosters Capture Peak Greatness

 By John Turney 

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Traditional All-Decade teams have always been locked into neat calendar boxes — 2000-2009, 2010-2019, 2020-2029. It sounds clean on paper, but it brutally shortchanges guys whose careers ignite right in the middle of a decade. A stud who breaks out in 2015 or 2022 often gets split across two arbitrary lists, robbed of his full shine.

That’s why we’re flipping the script a little bit. As we did for 2005-15, 1995-05, etc., he did it for the last ten years.

Welcome to the 2015-2025 Mid-Decade All-NFL Team—a celebration built strictly around peak performance, not career longevity. We didn’t just tally All-Pro votes or count Pro Bowl invites. Eye test, advanced stats, dominance in the biggest moments, leadership, and that unquantifiable “he changed the game” factor were considered. The result? A pair of rosters that feels fair to what actually happened on the field over the last ten-plus years.

Here they are—First-team and Second-team—with a bright, vivid thumbnail sketch for every single pick.

OFFENSE

First Team

C – Jason Kelce

The ultimate undersized fireplug who played like a 300-pound wrecking ball. Kelce's explosive first step, football IQ, and nasty streak turned the Eagles’ line into a mauling machine. Six-time All-Pro, Super Bowl LII anchor, and the heartbeat of one of the most fun offenses of the era.

G – Zack Martin

Silent assassin on the right side for Dallas. Martin's textbook technique, power in the run game, and near-perfect pass protection made him the gold standard at guard. Multiple All-Pro nods and zero flash — just decade-long dominance. Should be a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2030. 

G – Joe Thuney

The ultimate lunch-pail mauler who went from undrafted afterthought to two-time Super Bowl champion. Thuney's balance, quickness off the snap, and ability to dominate bigger defenders made him the perfect fit on this team.

LT – Trent Williams

A mountain of a man with the feet of a guard. Williams hit his absolute apex in his 30s — elite athleticism, nasty run blocking, and shutdown pass pro that forced defenses to game-plan around him every single week.

RT – Lane Johnson

The most complete and likely athletic right tackle of the decade. Johnson's rare blend of length, power, and elite quickness protected Carson Wentz, Jalen Hurts, and everyone in between while opening massive holes in the run game. A true technician with attitude who owns two Super Bowl rings.

TE – Travis Kelce

The tight end who became an offense unto himself. Kelce’s route-running, yards-after-catch wizardry, and chemistry with Patrick Mahomes turned him into the most unstoppable mismatch weapon in football. Kelce averaged 98 catches for 1,179 yards and 7.5 touchdown catches per season, and in the playoffs, per 17 games caught 121 passes for just over 1,400 yards and 13.6 touchdowns. 

QB –  Patrick Mahomes

Super Bowl-winning and MVP-level play year after year made him must-watch football every Sunday. Pretty easy choice. Mahomes draws a lot of ire from anti-Chiefs fans, but three rings and a couple of MVPs cannot be dismissed. 

FB – Kyle Juszczyk

The best fullback in football, period. "Juice" is a Swiss Army knife — devastating lead blocker, reliable receiver, and occasional ball-carrier who made the position cool again in the modern NFL. John Madden would have loved this guy.

RB – Derrick Henry

A human freight train that broke the game. Though not what you'd call a complete running back, Henry’s 6-3, 247-pound frame combined with shocking long speed and stiff-arm violence produced multiple 2,000-yard rushing seasons and playoff destruction. When he got going, nobody—and we mean nobody—could stop him.

WR – Davante Adams

The technician. Adams' route-running precision, body control, and contested-catch ability made him the most reliable target in football during the last ten years. A walking highlight reel of separation and hands, from 2016-2025, he caught 113 touchdown passes. 

WR – Julio Jones

The physical freak who made cornerbacks look small. Jones' combination of size, speed, and leaping ability produced some of the most absurd catch-and-run plays of the decade. When healthy, he was unguardable and even though he tailed off at the end, his peak performance lands him on the first team of our team.

WR – Tyreek Hill

"Cheetah" redefined the position. Blazing speed, shifty quickness, and home-run ability every single touch made Hill the ultimate big-play weapon. Whether stretching the field or working underneath, he changed defensive schemes forever. You can not love his off-field game but his on-field game is worthy of being first team here.

Second Team

C – Alex Mack

The steady, cerebral anchor who made the Browns' line respectable and the Falcons' offense hum. Mack's intelligence and consistency were elite. Four of his seven career Pro Bowls came from 2015 and after. 

G – Quenton Nelson

A 330-pound road grader who pancakes defenders for fun. Nelson’s power and aggression made him a most dominant guard and a perennial Pro Bowler..

G – Joel Bitonio

Underrated technician who quietly dominated for the Browns. Bitonio's balance and football smarts made him a coach’s dream. While playing on mostly poor teams, he racked up seven Pro Bowls.

LT – Andrew Whitworth

The late-blooming legend who dominated into his late 30s. Whitworth’s length, strength, and leadership anchored two different Super Bowl teams. Seven seasons in this "decade" and in it he got himself a ring and a few All-Pro honors. 

RT – Ryan Ramczyk

The quiet Saints technician who became an instant star in New Orleans. Ramczyk's footwork and power made him one of the league’s best right tackles from day one. He only played seven seasons but in that time he made first- or second-team All-Pro three times. Oddly, no Pro Bowl invites came his way. But his peak makes him the backup to Lane Johnson at right tackle.

TE – George Kittle

The most complete tight end is considered when blocking and receiving. Kittle's violent style, speed, and hands turned him into a matchup nightmare for defenses. His main weakness in his resume is he misses a lot of games, which limits his numbers a tad.

QB – Tom Brady

Yes, he qualifies, 2015-22 totals eight seasons. Plenty. He has two rings with Patriots and one with the Buccaneers and a pile of numbers and personal awards. He edges Aaron Rodgers, whose main knock is that he didn't win as many Super Bowls as he should have but he had tons of elite stats and a pair of MVPs to take his career total to four. 

FB – Patrick Ricard

The 6-3, 300-pound bowling ball who punished linebackers as a lead blocker and occasional short-yardage hammer for Baltimore.

RB – Christian McCaffrey

The ultimate modern back with vision, elusiveness, receiving chops, and surprising power. McCaffrey’s three-down dominance was generational when healthy. The only issue is that he gets hurt a lot. 

WR – DeAndre Hopkins

Contested-catch king with the strongest hands in football. Hopkins’ body control and ability to win 50/50 balls made him a safety blanket for multiple quarterbacks.

WR – Mike Evans

The 6-5 red-zone monster who never missed 1,000 yards. Evans’ size, speed, and reliable hands turned him into one of the most consistent big-play threats in the league.

WR – Stephon Diggs

Diggs moved around a lot, but his numbers make him hard to ignore for the final receiver slot.

DEFENSE

First Team

DE – Myles Garrett

The most explosive edge rusher in football. Garrett’s blend of speed, power, and bend turned him into a weekly sack-and-forced-fumble machine. When he turned it on, quarterbacks had nightmares. Since 2017 he's recorded 125-1/2 sacks including 23 in 2025. 

DE – Cameron Heyward

The ultimate interior disruptor who played 3-4 defensive end and defensive tackle in nickel. Heyward’s strength, leverage, and motor made him a perennial double-team magnet for Pittsburgh. Was All-Pro four times in last decade.

DT – Aaron Donald

Quite simply, the most dominant defensive player of the era. Donald's quickness, power, and relentless pursuit redefined what an interior lineman could do. Three Defensive Player of the Year awards and a constant game-wrecker who owns a Super Bowl ring. Has aa rightful claim as the best defensive tackle ever. He was first-team All-Pro per Pro Football Focus every year he was healthy. 

NT – Vita Vea

The 350-pound mountain has good athleticism for his size. Vea's ability to collapse the pocket and dominate the run game made Tampa’s front seven terrifying.

LB-Rush – T.J. Watt

The sack artist who plays like a bigger, meaner version of his brother. Watt’s length, closing speed, and strip-sack obsession produced multiple league-leading sack seasons. He recocorded 14.5 sacks and 4.5 forced fumbles per 17 games in the last decade.

MLB – Bobby Wagner

The smartest and most productive linebacker in football. Wagner’s range, instincts, and leadership made him the defensive quarterback of the Seahawks, Rams and Commanders. 

LB – Lavonte David

The most underrated linebacker of the decade. David’s sideline-to-sideline speed, coverage ability, and tackling form turned him into a three-down monster for Tampa Bay. David averaged 125 tackles and 12 tackles for loss since 2015.

CB – Jalen Ramsey

The shutdown artist who trash-talked and backed it up. Ramsey's length, physicality, and ball skills made him the most complete corner in the league. He could play slot, outside, and last year moved to safety. He was not what he was at his new position, but he was the best corner since 2015/16.

CB – Stephon Gilmore

The 2019 Defensive Player of the Year, who locked down one side of the field like a blanket. Gilmore's technique and instincts were flawless at his peak.

DB – Tyrann Mathieu

"The Honey Badger" — fearless, versatile, and always around the football. Mathieu's playmaking ability and leadership elevated every secondary he joined. We just loved the way he plays the game.

S – Harrison Smith

 Smith's range, instincts, and physicality made him the ultimate general for Minnesota for over a decade. He could play deep, in the box, just wherever you wanted to put your dominant safety.

S – Budda Baker

The pint-sized (under 5-feet-11) heat-seeking missile who plays like he's 6-4. Baker's tackling violence, coverage skills, and big-play ability made him a tone-setter in Arizona.

Second Team

DE – Cameron Jordan

The consistent, high-motor edge presence who racked up double-digit sacks multiple times while anchoring New Orleans' line. Sacks quarterbacks, knocks down passes, a complete end.

DE – Calais Campbell

The ageless wonder who dominated into his late 30s with length, strength, and rare quickness for his size. The man has played 3-4 DE, 4-3 DE, a lot of DT and even NT. His numbers may not "pop" at your eyes right away, but he's still effective and at his peak was as good a 30 end as there ways outside Cam Heyward.

DT – Chris Jones

An explosive interior force who could collapse pockets and stop the run with equal violence. Jones became a Chiefs cornerstone and probably the best defensive tackle in the NFL since Aaron Donald hung' em up.

NT – Damon  Harrison 

This was a hard spot to pick for, there were several guys who played in the middle, but often shaded. Specifically, longevity factor was an issue for second-team run stuffing defensive tackle. Damon  Harrison or "Snacks" played just six season since 2015, but per Pro Football Focus he graded 90 or more four times. "Sexy" Dexter Lawrence played seven years but 90 and above three times. Photo of 

Linval Joseph for more seasons in and had two 90-plus years. The "Sausage" — Brandon Williams — a 340-pound space-eater who dominated the middle for Baltimore with pure power and leverage and Michael Pierce were consistent but neither had the top seasons. Williams had more playing time than the others and was never All-Pro, for what that's worth.

All would be good picks. We went with peak performance and that's Snacks over Sexy Dexy (the best pass-rusher of this group), Joseph and the Sausage and Pierce, though none would be wrong, but we had to make a call and like Harrison the best.

LB-Rush – Khalil Mack

A bit of a traveler, three teams in the last decade but performed everywhere. A former AP Defensive Player of the Year, four-time All-Pro. Production waned last couple of years, but less so than Von Miller, who he beats out for this slot. 

MLB – Fred Warner

The modern linebacker prototype—fast, smart, and a coverage demon. Warner's instincts made the 49ers' defense elite. He loses out to Wagner simply by not playing as many seasons in this ten-year period as Wagner. At his peak, he may be a bit better than Wagner.

LB – Demario Davis

The veteran leader whose production never dipped. Davis' range and tackling made him a Saints staple. Davis played a number of years in the middle as well, so this was a tough choice.

CB – Darius Slay

"Big Play Slay" — physical, ball-hawking corner who shut down top receivers for Detroit and Philadelphia.

CB – Marcus Peters

A two-time consensus All-Pro, Peters picked off 30 passes in his "mid-decade" and returned them for nearly 900 yards and took seven of them to the house. He's not been productive for the last five years, but his eight peak years and 115 games were enough to qualify for this team, and he edges a few other guys, so it was close for the final corner position.

DB – Marlon Humphrey

Versatile playmaker who could cover receivers and deliver thunderous hits. Humphrey’s athleticism made him a Ravens star for his (usually) slot position.

S – Minkah Fitzpatrick

The do-it-all safety who can play deep, in the box, or in the slot. Fitzpatrick's instincts and ball skills were elite.

S – Justin Simmons

The rangy center fielder who led the league in interceptions multiple times with Denver. Smooth, smart, and always around the football. Astonishing that he only went to two Pro Bowls. Don't let that fool you, he deserved more.

SPECIAL TEAMS

First Team

K – Justin Tucker

The most automatic kicker in NFL history. Tucker's range, accuracy, and clutch gene (including that famous game-winner in Baltimore) made him the gold standard. It's too bad his off-field behavior has tainted his reputation as a person, but as a kicker, you cannot take anything away from him.

P – Johnny Hekker

The punter who changed the position with his ability to flip the field, fake punts, and even throw touchdowns. Hekker's hang time and accuracy were unmatched.

KR – Cordarrelle Patterson

The ultimate return specialist who turned kickoffs into house calls. Patterson's vision and burst produced multiple return touchdowns and Pro Bowl nods. He won't be remembered teh way Devin Hester was, but Patterson was to kickoff returns what Hester was to punt returns; an all-time great, if not the greatest.

PR – Tyreek Hill

Yes, the same Cheetah that is on the offense—his electric speed and elusiveness made every punt return a potential game-changer.

ST – Matthew Slater

The ultimate special-teams captain and gunner. Slater’s effort, leadership, and technique made him the gold standard for a decade in New England.

Second Team

K – Chris Boswell

The clutch Pittsburgh weapon whose accuracy and leg strength bailed out the Steelers repeatedly in big moments.

P – Michael Dickson

The Australian rugby convert who boomed punts with elite hang time and directional control for Seattle.

KR – Andre Roberts

The veteran return man who still had explosive plays well into the decade.

PR – Kalif Raymond

Speedy, shifty return specialist who consistently broke big returns for Detroit.

ST – Miles Killebrew

The hard-hitting special-teams ace whose violence on coverage units set the tone for Detroit and later Pittsburgh. He played at a Pro Bowl level long before he went to his frst Pro Bowl in 2023.

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This is what peak football looked like from 2015-2025. No decade-boundary bias. Just the best of the best at their absolute best.

Who got snubbed? Who’s missing from your personal list?