Combined All-Decade Teams - 1980s

Things You Can Never Lay Your Hands On by John Turney

The Pro Football Journal post yielded some interesting All-Decade selections that differed from the Pro Football Hall of Fame official All-Decade team. So too, does the 1980s selections. There were fewer teams published, Football Digest and College and Pro Football Newsweekly didn't publish teams this time around, but Gannett News Service did, along with Sports Illustrated and Sporting News and others.

Here are the selections:

1980s Combined All-Decade Teams Offense WR Jerry Rice, SF (HOF, USA, PFC, SI, SN, PP) James Lofton, GB-Buf (HOF, USA, SI) Steve Largent, Sea (HOF, USA, PFC, SM, SI, PFR, SN, PP) Art Monk, Was (HOF, USA, SM, PFR) James Lofton, GB-Buf (SM, PFR) Charlie Joiner, SD (SM) Stanley Morgan, NE (SI, PFR) Mike Quick, Phi (PP) John Stallworth, Pit (PP) TE Kellen Winslow, SD (HOF, USA, PFC, SM, PFR, SN, PP) Ozzie Newsome, Cle (HOF, USA, SM, SI, PFR, PP) Mark Bavaro, NYG (SI) T Anthony Munoz, Cin (HOF, USA, PFC, SM, SI, PFR, SN) Gary Zimmerman, Min (HOF) Jackie Slater, Rams (PFC, PFR, SN) Joe Jacoby, Was (HOF, SI, PFR) Jimbo Covert, Chi (HOF, USA) Mike Kenn, Atl (USA, PFR) Joe Jacoby, Was (SM) Jackie Slater, Rams (USA, SI) Mike Kenn, Atl (SI) Keith Fahnhorst, SF (SM) Jimbo Covert, Chi (SM) G John Hannah, NE (HOF, USA, PFC, SM, SI, SN, PP) Bill Fralic, Atl (HOF) Russ Grimm, Was (HOF, USA, PFC, SM) Mike Munchak, Hou (HOF, USA) Mike Munchak, Hou (SI, PP) Dennis Harrah, Rams (USA, PP) Max Montoya, Cin-Rai (PFR) Randy Cross, SF (SM) Randy Cross, SF (PFR) Ed Neman, Mia (SM) Bruce Matthews, Hou (SN) Russ Grimm, Was (SI, PFR, PP) Bruce Matthews, Hou (SI) John Hannah, NE (PFR) C Dwight Stephenson, Mia (HOF, USA, PFC, SI, SN) Mike Webster, Pit-KC (HOF, USA, SI) Mike Webster, Pit-KC (SM, PFR, PP) Dwight Stephenson, Mia (SM, PFR, PP) QB Joe Montana, SF (HOF, USA, PFC, SM, SI, PFR, PP) Dan Marino, Mia (USA, SM, SI, PP) Dan Fouts, SD (HOF, PFR) RB Walter Payton, Chi (HOF, USA, PFC, SI, PFR, PP) Roger Craig, SF (HOF) Eric Dickerson, LA-Ind (HOF, PFC, SM, SN, PP) John Riggins, Was (HOF, USA, SM, SI) Gerald Riggs, Atl-Was (USA) Eric Dickerson, LA-Ind (USA, SI, PFR) Marcus Allen, Rai (SM) Tony Dorsett, Dal-Den (SM, PFR, PP) Earl Campbell, Hou-NO (SI) Marcus Allen, Rai (PP) Roger Craig, SF (PFR) Tony Dorsett, Dal-Den (SN) K Morten Andersen, NO (HOF, USA) Gary Anderson, Pit (HOF) Nick Lowery, KC (PFC, SI, SN, PP) Eddie Murray, Det (HOF) Mark Moseley, Was (SM) Nick Lowery, KC (USA) Raphael Septien, Dal (SM) Morten Andersen, NO (SI, PP) Defense DE Reggie White, Phi (HOF, USA, PFC, SI, SN, PP) Lee Roy Selmon, TB (HOF) Howie Long, Rai (HOF, PFC, SN, PP) Bruce Smith, Buf (HOF, SI) Bruce Smith, Buf (USA) Howie Long, Rai (USA, SM, SI, PFR) Lee Roy Selmon, TB (SM, SI) Richard Dent, Chi (USA, PP) Mark Gastineau, NYJ (SM) Ed Jones, Dal (SM) Ed Jones, Dal (PFR) Mark Gastineau, NYJ (PFR, PP) DT Randy White, Dal (HOF, USA, PFC, SM, PFR, SN, PP) Keith Millard, Min (HOF) Dan Hampton, Chi (HOF, USA, SM, SI, PFR, SN) Dave Butz, Was (HOF, USA, PFR) Doug English, Det (PFC) Doug English, Det (SM) Jerome Brown, Phi (SI) Joe Klecko, NYJ (SM, SI) Randy White, Dal (SI) Steve McMichael, Chi (PFR) Dan Hampton, Chi (PP) NT Michael Carter, SF (USA, PFC) Fred Smerlas, Buf (USA) Fred Smerlas, Buf (PFR) Michael Carter, SF (PP) Tim Krumrie, Cin (PP) ILB Mike Singeltary, Chi (HOF, USA, PFC, SM, SI, PFR, SN, PP) Jack Lambert, Pit (HOF) Harry Carson, NYG (PFC, SN) Harry Carson, NYG (USA, SM, PFR, PP) E.J. Junior, StL (SM) Karl Mecklenberg, Den (SM) Sam Mills, NO (SI) OLB Lawrence Taylor, NYG (HOF, USA, PFC, SM, SI, PFR, SN, PP) Andre Tippett, NE (HOF, SI) Ted Hendricks, Rai (HOF, SI) Carl Banks, NYG (HOF, PP) Andre Tippett, NE (USA, PFC, SM, PP) John Anderson, GB (HOF) Rickey Jackson, NO (PFR) Rickey Jackson, NO (USA, PP) Clay Matthews, Cle (USA, SI, PFR) Rod Martin, Rai (PFR) CB Mike Haynes, NE-Rai (HOF, USA, PFC, SM, SI, PFR, SN, PP) Frank Minnifield, Cle (HOF, SI) Darrell Green, Was (SI, SN) Lester Hayes, Rai (HOF) Raymond Clayborn, NE (USA) Darrell Green, Was (USA, PP) Lester Hayes, Rai (PFC) Everson Walls, Dal (USA, SM) Mel Blount, Pit (HOF) Mark Haynes, NYG-Den (SM, PFR) Everson Walls, Dal (PP) Albert Lewis, KC (SI) Hanford Dixon, Cle (PFR) Raymond Clayborn, NE (PP) LeRoy Irvin, Rams (PFR) S Ronnie Lott, SF (HOF, USA, PFC, SM-CB, PFR-CB, SN, PP) Deron Cherry, KC (HOF, SM, PP) Ken Easley, Sea (HOF, PFC, SM, PP) Nolan Cromwell, Rams (HOF, PP) Deron Cherry, KC (USA, SI, PFR, SN) Joey Browner, Min (HOF, USA) Nolan Cromwell, Rams (SM) Ken Easley, Sea (USA, SI) Joey Browner, Min (SI) Gary Fencik, Chi (SM, PFR) Ronnie Lott, SF (SI) Donnie Shell, Pit (PFR) P Sean Landetta, NYG (HOF) Reggie Roby, Mia (HOF, PP) Reggie Roby, Mia (USA, SI) Rohn Stark, Ind (USA, SI) Rohn Stark, Ind (PFC, SM, SN, PP) Rich Camarillo, NE (SM) KR Mike Nelms, Was (HOF, PFC) John Taylor, SF (HOF) Dennis Gentry, Chi (SN) PR Billy Johnson, Atl (HOF, SN) Rick Upchurch, Den (HOF) Darrell Green, Was (PFC) ST Ron Wolfley, Cards (PFC) Coach Bill Walsh, SF (HOF, USA, PFC, SM, SN, PP) Chuck Noll, Pit (HOF) Joe Gibbs, Was (USA, SM, PP) Sources and key: HOF = Pro Football Hall of Fame; USA = Gannett News Services; PFC = Pro Football Chronicle; SM = Sunday Mayhem; SI = Sports Illustrated (Dr. Z); PFR = Pro Football Reference.com; SN = Sporting News PP = Pro Preview