Combined All-Decade Teams—1960s

LOOKING  BACK
Things You Can Never Lay Your Hands On

By John Turney

This one takes some explaining. Two sources, the Pro Football Hall of Fame (PFBHOF) and Pro Football Reference (PFR) chose separate NFL and AFL All-Decade teams. However PFBHOF did not choose First- and Second-teams for the NFL, but did so for the AFL, and PFR chose First- and Second-teams for both. Those separate NFL and AFL teams are in italics below the sources that chose combined AFL-NFL All-Decade Teams. Those sources were the Official NFL Team, Pro Football Digest, Pro Football Chronicles, Sunday Mayhem, and Sports Illustrated.

As an editor's note: Pro Football Reference uses a metric known as "Approximate Value" (AV) for their choices. I have been critical of it in the past. The methodology is not known, but there is a component that relates to the team and team success and as such a player like Gary Larsen gets an AV of 16 in 1969 while in that same season Bob Lilly gets a 13.  That, alone, causes a question to the usefulness of the AV metric.

For the chart, players in bold were First-team choices for a Combined All-AFC-NFL or All-Pro Team. Others were All-NFL or All-AFL in their own league but did not rise to the level of All-pro for BOTH leagues.

		1960s Combined NFL-AFL All-Decade Teams
	First-team			Offense	Second-team
WR	Lance Alworth, SD (NFL, FD, PFC, SM, SI)				Don Maynard, NYJ (SM)
	Charley Taylor, Was (NFL)				Del Shofner, NYG (SM)
	Raymond Berry, Bal (FD, SM)				Tommy McDonald, Phi-Dal-Cle-LA-ATL (SI)
	Otis Taylor, KC (PFC)				Bobby Mitchell, Was (SI)
	Don Maynard, NYJ (SI)
	Lance Alworth, SD (HOF, PFR)				Charlie Hennigan, Hou (HOF, PFR)
	Don Maynard, NYJ (HOF, PFR)				Art Powell, NYT-Oak (HOF, PFR)
	Charley Taylor, Was (HOF)				Jimmy Orr, Bal (PFR)
	Gary Collins, Cle (HOF)				Tommy McDonald, 5 teams (PFR)
	Del Shofner (HOF)
	Boyd Dowler, GB (HOF, PFR)
	Bobby Mitchell, Cle-Was (PFR)
TE	Mike Ditka, Chi-Phi-Dal (FD, PFC, SM, SI)				John Mackey, Bal (SM, SI)
	John Mackey, Bal (NFL)
	Fred Arbanas, KC (HOF)				John Mackey, Bal (PFR)
	John Mackey, Bal (HOF)				Dave Kocourek, SD (HOF, PFR)
	Mike Ditka, (PFR)
	Bill Cannon, Hou-Oak (PFR)
T	Forrest Gregg, GB (NFL, FD, PFC, SM, SI)				Ron Mix, SD (SM)
	Ron Mix, SD (NFL, SI)				Ralph Neely, Dal (SM)
	Jim Tyrer, KC (FD)				Roosevelt Brown, NYG (SI)
	Bob Brown, Phi-LA (PFC)				Bob Brown, Phi-LA (SI)
	Forrest Gregg, GB (HOF, PFR)				Winston Hill, NYJ (HOF)
	Bob Brown, Phi-LA (HOF)				Stew Barber, Buf (HOF, PFR)
	Ralph Neely, Dal (HOF)				Jim Parker, Bal (PFR)
	Ron Mix, SD (HOF, PFR)				Grady Alderman, Min (PFR)
	Jim Tyrer, KC (HOF, PFR)				Ernie Wright, SD-Cin (PFR)
	Dick Schafrath, Cle (PFR)
G	Jerry Kramer, GB (NFL, FD, SM)				Gene Hickerson, Cle (SM, SI)
	Billy Shaw, Buf (NFL, SM, SI)				Howard Mudd, SF (SM)
	Jim Parker, Bal (FD, PFC, SM-T, SI)				Walt Sweeney, SD (SI)
	Gene Hickerson, Cle (PFC)
	Bill Shaw, Buf (HOF, PFR)				Walt Sweeney, SD (HOF)
	Ed Budde, KC (HOF)				Bob Talamini, Hou (HOF)
	Gene Hickerson, Cle (HOF)				Gene Hickerson, Cle (PFR)
	Jerry Kramer, (HOF, PFR)				Ed Budde, KC (PFR)
	Howard Mudd, SF (HOF)				Jim Parker, Bal (PFR)
	Ken Gray, Stl (PFR)				Wayne Hawkins, Oak (PFR)
	Bob Talamini, Hou (PFR)
C	Jim Otto, Oak (NFL, FD, SI)				Jim Otto, Oak (SM)
	Jim Ringo, GB-Phi (PFC, SM)				Jim Ringo, GB-Phi (SI)
	Jim Otto, Oak (HOF, PFR)				Jon Morris, Bos (HOF)
	Jim Ringo, GB-Phi (HOF, PFR)				Mick Tingelhoff, Min (PFR)
					Al Bemiller, Den (PFR)
QB	Johnny Unitas, Bal (NFL, FD, PFC, SM, SI)				Joe Namath, NYJ (SM)
					Len Dawson, KC (SI)
	Joe Namath, NYJ (HOF)				Len Dawson, KC (HOF)
	Len Dawson, KC (PFR)				Johnny Unitas, Bal (PFR)
	Johnny Unitas, Bal (HOF)				Jack Kemp, SD-Buf (PFR)
	Sonny Jurgensen, Phi-Was (HOF)
	Bart Starr, GB (HOF)
	Fran Tarkenton, Min-NYG (PFR)
RB	Gale Sayers, Chi (NFL, FD, PFC, SM, SI)				Paul Hornung, GB (SM)
	Paul Hornung, GB (NFL)				Lenny Moore, Bal (SI)
FB	Jim Brown, Cle (NFL, FD, PFC, SM, SI)				Jim Taylor, GB (SM, SI)
	Jim Taylor, GB (FD)
	Paul Lowe, SD (HOF)				Abner Haynes, KC-Den (HOF)
	Clem Daniels, Oak (HOF, PFR)				Cookie Gilchrist, Buf-Den (HOF)
	Jim Brown, Cle (HOF, PFR)				Keith Lincoln, SD (PFR)
	Jim Taylor, GB (HOF, PFR)				Curtis McClinton, KC (PFR)
	Gale Sayers, Chi (HOF)				Don Perkins, Dal (PFR)
	Paul Hornung, GB (HOF)				Timmy Brown, Phi (PFR)
	Leroy Kelly, Cle (HOF)
	Abner Haynes, KC-Den (PFR)
	John David Crow, Stl-SF (HOF)
K	Jim Bakken, StL (NFL)				Jim Bakken, StL (SM, SI)
	Jan Stenerud, KC (PFC, SI)
	George Blanda, Hou-Oak (SM)
	Jim Bakken, Stl (HOF)				Jim Turner, NYJ (HOF)
	George Blanda, Hou-Oak (HOF)
	First-team			Defense	Second-team
DE	Deacon Jones, LA (NFL, FD, PFC, SM, SI)				Willie Davis, GB (SM, SI)
	Willie Davis, GB (NFL, FD, PFC)				Jim Katcavage, NYG (SM)
	Doug Atkins, Chi-NO (SM)				Gino Marchetti, Bal (SI)
	Rich Jackson, Den (SI)
	Deacon Jones, LA (HOF, PFR)				Rich Jackson, Den (HOF)
	Willie Davis, GB (HOF, PFR)				Ron McDole, Buf (HOF)
	Doug Atkins, Chi-NO (HOF)				Doug Atkins, Chi-NO (PFR)
	Jerry Mays, KC (HOF)				Jim Marshall, Min (PFR)
	Gerry Philbin, NYJ (HOF)				Larry Eisenhauer, Bos (PFR)
	Bob Dee, Bos (PFR)
DT	Bob Lilly, Dal (NFL, FD, PFC, SM, SI)				Alex Karras, Det (SM, SI)
	Merlin Olsen, LA (NFL, PFC, SM, SI)				Henry Jordan, GB (SM)
	Alex Karras, Det (FD)				Houston Antwine, Bos (SI)
	Bob Lilly, Dal (HOF)				Buck Buchanan, KC (HOF)
	Merlin Olsen, LA (HOF)				Tom Keating, Oak (HOF)
	Alex Karras, Det (HOF, PFR)				Bob Lilly, Dal (PFR)
	Tom Sestak, Buf (HOF)				Jim Hunt, Bos (PFR)
	Houston Antwine, Bos (HOF, PFR)				Tom Sestak, Buf (PFR)
	Buck Buchanan, KC (PFR)				Roger Brown, Det-LA (PFR)
	Henry Jordan, GB (PFR)
MLB	Ray Nitschke, GB (NFL, FD, SM)				Nick Buoniconti, Bos-Mia (SM)
	Dick Butkus, Chi (NFL, FD, PFC, SM, SI)				Ray Nitschke, GB (SI)
	Tommy Nobis, Atl (SM)
	Ray Nitschke, GB (HOF, PFR)				E.J. Holub, KC (PFR)
	Dick Butkus, Chi (HOF)
	Tommy Nobis, Atl (HOF)
	Nick Buoniconti, Bos-Mia (HOF, PFR)
	Sherrill Headrick, KC (PFR)
OLB	Bobby Bell, KC (NFL, FD, PFC)				Bobby Bell, KC (SM, SI)
	Chuck Howley, Dal (PFC, SI)				Chuck Howley, Dal (SM)
	Dave Wilcox, SF (SI)				Dave Robinson, GB (SI)
	Dave Robinson, GB (HOF)				Mike Stratton, Buf (HOF, PFR)
	Larry Morris, Chi-Atl (HOF)				Dan Conners, Oak (HOF)
	Bobby Bell, KC (HOF)				Larry Grantham, NYJ (HOF)
	George Webster, Hou (HOF)				Bobby Bell, KC (PFR)
	Wayne Walker, Det (PFR)				Don Shinnick, Bal (PFR)
	Larry Grantham, NYJ (PFR)				Chuck Howley, Dal (PFR)
					Joe Fortunato, Chi (PFR)
CB	Herb Adderly, GB (NFL, FD, PFC, SM)				Bob Boyd, Bal (SM)
	Willie Brown, Den-Oak (NFL, PFC, SI)				Dave Grayson, KC-Oak (SM)
	Mel Renfro, Dal (FD)				Herb Adderly, GB (SI)
	Jimmy Johnson, SF (SI)				Night Train Lane, Det (SI)
	Herb Adderly, GB (HOF, PFR)				Butch Byrd, Buf (HOF)
	Lem Barney, Det (HOF)				Miller Farr, Hou (HOF)
	Bob Boyd, Bal (HOF, PFR)				Dick LeBeau, Det (PFR)
	Willie Brown, Den-Oak (HOF)				Fred Williamson, Oak-KC (PFR)
	Dave Grayson, KC-Oak (HOF, PFR)				Cornell Green, Dal (PFR)
	Butch Byrd, Buf (PFR)				Willie Brown, Den-Oak (PFR)
S	Larry Wilson, StL (NFL, FD, PFC, SM, SI)				Johnny Robinson, KC (SM, SI)
	Johnny Robinson, KC (NFL)				Paul Krause, Was-Min (SM)
	Willie Wood, GB (FD, PFC, SM)				Willie Wood, GB (SI)
	Eddie Meador, LA (SM)
	Ritchie Petitbon, Chi-LA (SI)
	Johnny Robinson, KC (HOF, PFR)				Goose Gonsoulin, Den (HOF)
	George Saimes, Buf (HOF)				Kenny Graham, SD (HOF)
	Willie Wood, GB (HOF, PFR)				George Saimes, Buf (PFR)
	Eddie Meador, LA (HOF, PFR)				Larry Wilson, StL (PFR)
	Larry Wilson, StL (HOF)				Ritchie Petitbon, Chi-LA (PFR)
	Bobby Hunt, KC-Cin (PFR)				Jim Norton, Hou (PFR)
P	Don Chandler, GN (NFL, SM)				Jerrell Wilson, KC (SM)
	Yale Lary, Det (PFC)				Yale Lary, Det (SI)
	Tommy Davis, SF (SI)
	Don Chandler, GN (HOF)				Bob Scarpitto, Den (HOF)
	Jerrell Wilson, KC (HOF)
KR	Travis Williams, GB (PFC)
PR	Leroy Kelly, Cle (PFC)
ST	Dave Meggysey, Stl (PFC)
Coach	Vince Lombardi, GB (PFC, SM)				Blanton Collier, Cle (SM)
	Weeb Ewbank, NYJ (HOF)				Sid Gillman, SD (HOF)
Sources and key: NFL = Official NFL All-Decade; FD = Pro Football Digest;
PFC = Pro Football Chronicle; SM = Sunday Mayhem
HOF = Pro Football Hall of Fame; PFR = Pro Football Reference.com

Combined All-Decade Teams - 1990s

Things You Can Never Lay Your Hands On

by John Turney

The number of groups picking All-Decade teams shrunk to four. Pro Football Chronicles and Sunday Mayhem were published in the early 1990s and no updates to their All-Decade teams were never made. And this research couldn't find selections by the usual football magazines such as College & Pro Football Newsweekly, Pro Football Weekly or Football Digest. 

The selections:

			1990s Combined All-Decade Teams
				Offense
WR	Jerry Rice, SF-Oak (HOF, SI, SN, PFR, SL)					Tim Brown, Oak (HOF, PFR, SL)
	Cris Carter, Min (HOF, SI, SN, SL)					Michael Irvin, Dal (HOF, SL)
	Michael Irvin, Dal (PFR)					Andre Reed, Buf (SI)
						Sterling Sharpe, GB (SI)
						Cris Carter, Min (PFR)
TE	Shannon Sharpe, Den (HOF, SI, SN, PFR. SL)					Ben Coates, NE (HOF, S, SL)
						Brent Jones, SF (PRF)
T	Richmond Webb, Mia (SN, PFR, SL)					Tony Boselli, Jax (HOF)
	Gary Zimmerman, Min-Den (HOF)					Richmond Webb, Mia (HOF)
	Willie Roaf, NO (HOF, SL)					Bruce Armstrong, NE (SI, SL)
	Lomas Brown, Det-Ari-NYG (PFR)					Tony Jones, Cle-Bal (PFR)
	Bruce Armstrong, NE (SN)					Gary Zimmerman, Min-Den (PFR)
	Tony Boselli, Jax (SI)					Mike Kenn, Atl (SI)
	Harris Barton, SF (SI)					Lomas Brown, Det-Ari-NYG (SL)
G	Bruce Matthews, Hou (HOF, SI, SN, PFR, SL)					Larry Allen, Dal (HOF, SL)
	Randall McDaniel, Min (HOF, SN, PFR, SL)					Steve Wisniewski, Oak, (HOF, PFR)
	Larry Allen, Dal (SI)					Will Shields, KC (SI, SL)
						Nate Newton, Dal (PFR)
						Dave Szott, KC (SI)
C	Dermonti Dawson, Pit (HOF, SN, PFR, SL)					Mark Stepnoski, Dal (HOF, PFR, SL)
	Kent Hull, Buf (SI)					Dermonti Dawson, Pit (SI)
QB	Steve Young, SF (SI, SN, PFR)					Brett Favre, GB (HOF)
	John Elway, Den (HOF)					John Elway, Den (SI, PFR)
	Brett Favre, GB (SL)					Steve Young, SF (SL)
						Troy Aikman, Dal  (SL)
RB	Barry Sanders, Det (HOF, SI, SN, PFR, SL)					Terrell Davis, Den (HOF)
	Emmitt Smith, Dal (HOF, SI, SN, PFR, SL)					Thurman Thomas, Buf (HOF, PFR. SL)
						Rickey Watters, SF-Phi-Sea (PFR, SL)
FB	Darryl Johnson, Dal (SI)					Mike Alstott, TB (SI)
K	Morten Andersen, NO-Atl (HOF, SI, SN, SL)					Gary Anderson, Pit, Min (HOF)
						Nick Lowery, KC-NYJ (SI)
						Al Del Greco Hou-Ten (SL)
				Defense
DE	Reggie White, Phi-GB (HOF, SN, SI, PFR. SL)					Chris Doleman, Min-Atl-SF (HOF, PFR, SL)
	Bruce Smith, Buf (HOF, SI, SN, PFR, SL)					Neil Smith, KC-Den (HOF, PFR, SL)
						Charles Haley, Dal (SI)
						Robert Porcher, Det (SI)
DT	Cortez Kennedy, Sea (HOF, SN, PFR, SL)					Warren Sapp, TB (HOF, SI, SL)
	John Randle, Min (HOF, SN, PFR, SL)					Bryant Young, SF (HOF, SL)
	Bryant Young, SF (SI)					Cortez Kennedy, Sea (SI)
	Ray Childress, Hou (SI)					Henry Thomas, Min-Det-NE (PFR)
						Michael Dean Perry, Cle-Den (PFR)
ILB	Junior Seau, SD (HOF, SN, PFR, SL)					Levon Kirkland, Pit (HOF)
	Sam Mills, NO-CAR (SI)					Hardy Nickerson, Pit-TB (HOF, SL)
	Hardy Nickerson, Pit-TB (PFR)					Ray Lewis, Bal (SI)
						Jesse Tuggle, Atl (SL)
OLB	Derrick Thomas, KC (HOF, SN, PFR, SL)					Cornelius Bennett, Buf-Atl (HOF, SL)
	Kevin Greene, Rams-Pit-Car-SF (HOF, SL)					Derrick Thomas, KC (SI)
	Derrick Brooks, TB (SI)					Junior Seau, SD (SI)
	Greg Lloyd, Pit-Car (SN)					Ken Harvey. Ari-Was (SL)
	Seth Joyner, Phi-Ari (SI)
CB	Deion Sanders, Atl-SF-Dal (HOF, SI, SN, PFR, SL)					Darrell Green, Was (HOF, SI, SL)
	Rod Woodson, Pit-Bal (HOF, SN, PFR)					Aeneas Williams, Ari (HOF, PFR)
	Aeneas Williams, Ari (SI, SL)					Rod Woodson, Pit-Bal (SI, SL)
						Albert Lewis, KC (SI)
						Eric Allen, Phil-NO (PFR)
S	Steve Atwater, Den (HOF, SN, SL)					Carnell Lake, Pit (HOF)
	LeRoy Butler, GB (HOF, SI, PFR, SL)					Ronnie Lott, Oak-NYJ (HOF)
	Carnell Lake, Pit (SN, PFR)					Tim McDonald, Ari-SF (SI, SL)
	Eugene Robinson, Sea-Atl (SI)					Eugene Robinson, Sea-Atl (PFR, SL)
						Steve Atwater, Den (PFR)
						Brian Dawkins, Phi (SI)
						Darren Woodson, Dal (SL)
P	Michael Bennett, SD (HOF)					Sean Landetta, NYG (HOF)
	Matt Turk, Was (SI, SN)					Rich Camarillo (SI)
	Rich Tuten, Sea (SL)					Matt Turk, Was (SL)
KR	Michael Bates, Sea-Cle-Car  (HOF)					Mel Gray, Det-Hou-Phi (HOF)
	Mel Gray, Det-Hou-Phi (SN, SI)
PR	Deion Sanders, Atl-SF-Dal (HOF)					Mel Gray, Det-Hou-Phi (HOF)
	Eric Metcalf, Cle-Atl (SN)
	Brian Mitchell, Was (SI)
ST	Steve Tasker, Buf (SI)
Coach	Bill Parcells, NYG-NYJ-NE (HOF, SL)					Marv Levy, Buf (HOF)
	Jimmy Johnson, Dal-Mia (SN)					Jimmy Johnson, Dal-Mia (SL)
Sources and key: HOF = Pro Football Hall of Fame; SI = Sports Illustrated (Dr. Z);
PFR = Pro Football Reference.com; SN = Sporting News; SL = Stats, LLC