Wagner and David: The Unsung Tackle Masters Climbing the NFL Record Books

by Nick Webster

In the world of NFL statistics, Touchdowns, Yards, Reception, and on the defensive side Sacks and Interceptions dominate the headlines. But quietly, two veteran linebackers are making history in a category that rarely gets the spotlight - tackles. Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Lavonte David and Washington Commanders' Bobby Wagner are rapidly ascending the all-time tackles leaderboard as they prepare for the 2025 season – a remarkable achievement that deserves proper recognition.

The Complicated History of Tackle Statistics

Before celebrating these modern-day tackling machines, we must understand why the all-time tackle leaderboard remains problematic. Despite being fundamental to defensive performance, tackles still aren't considered an official NFL statistic. The tracking of tackles has evolved dramatically over the decades, creating significant challenges when comparing players across eras.

Since 1999, the NFL has maintained consistent standards for recording tackles in its official league play-by-plays with weekly reviews and adjustments. This rigorous process ensures tackles are credited accurately and consistently league-wide. Prior to 1999, tackle statistics become increasingly questionable the further back you look.

From roughly 1980-1998, play-by-play crews increasingly maintained consistency, but team-reported numbers often differed significantly. The 1970s saw tackle statistics become more widespread and available but with notable inconsistencies even in the official league play-by-plays.  Documents best characterized as federated system pulling together individual team play-by-plays, with meaningful differences depending on the local stat-crews. Before 1970, tackle statistics were largely unreliable.

Understanding Tackle Eras

To properly contextualize David and Wagner's achievements, we must recognize distinct "tackle eras":

1. Modern Era (1999-present): Highly reliable play-by-play numbers with official review procedures

2. Alignment Era (1980-1998): Generally consistent play-by-play data, though not subject to today's review standards

3. Early Recording Era (1970-1980): Play-by-play data exists but requires skepticism

4. Pre-Historic Era (pre-1970): No reliable standardized recording

The subjective nature of tackles created significant disparities between team-reported and press box numbers. Teams often inflated tackle statistics, particularly in the 1970s, when stars like Randy Gradishar, Bill Bergey, and Harry Carson would be credited with 200+ tackles by their teams while press box figures showed more modest (though still impressive) totals in the high 100s.

Wagner and David: The Modern Tackle Titans

What makes Bobby Wagner and Lavonte David's climb up the tackle leaderboard so impressive is the era in which they've played. Their numbers come from the modern era of consistent, reviewed tackle statistics. Unlike some historical figures whose numbers may be inflated, Wagner and David's totals represent authentic defensive production under standardized counting protocols.

While Ray Lewis and London Fletcher, two other tackle legends, also benefited from playing primarily in the modern era, Wagner and David continue to climb and demonstrate remarkable longevity and consistency. Their ascent through the ranks is unquestionable in its legitimacy.

As they prepare for the 2025 season, both linebackers continue to defy age, consistently racking up tackles with the same efficiency they've shown throughout their careers. With each solo tackle and assist, they cement their legacy as two of the greatest defenders of their generation.

The Numbers Don't Lie: Elite Company

When we focus exclusively on play-by-play tackle data—the most reliable measure—Wagner and David currently rank fourth and seventh all-time, respectively. The elite top 10 consists of all-time leader Ray Lewis (2,059), London Fletcher, Junior Seau, Bobby Wagner, Zach Thomas, Derrick Brooks, Lavonte David, Leroy Jordan, Harry Carson, and Hardy Nickerson.

Rk Name             1st Season Last Seas    TT     Per Yr     Per 17 G

1 Ray Lewis         1996 2012         2,059        121              154 

2 London Fletcher 1998 2013  2,039        127              135 

3 Jr. Seau                 1990 2009  1,920         96              122 

4 Bobby Wagner 2012 2024  1,838        141              155 

5 Zach Thomas         1996 2008   1,735        133              160 

6 Derrick Brooks 1995 2008   1,709        122              130 

7 Lavonte David 2012 2024   1,601        123              137 

8 Lee Roy Jordan 1963 1976   1,538        110              140 

9 Harry Carson         1976 1988   1,528        118              150 

10 Hardy Nickerson 1987 2002   1,507         94              114 

This list notably excludes several players who frequently appear in tackle discussions but benefited from inflated team statistics. Jesse Tuggle, often credited with 2,065 tackles, registered only 1,370 in play-by-play accounts. Randy Gradishar's team-reported 2,000+ tackles shrink to 1,332 when using play-by-play data. Even Steve Nelson's patriotic 1,776 tackles (see what they did there!) cited by New England falls to 1,475 in actual play-by-play documentation.

What about iconic linebackers like Dick Butkus and Jack Lambert? Despite their legendary status, shorter careers and injuries kept them from reaching the statistical heights of the top ten. Even using team numbers, Butkus logged just 1,460 tackles—and team figures typically exceed play-by-play counts. Pre-1970 greats like Joe Schmidt, Sam Huff, and Bill George likely reached around 1,500 tackles based on limited available data, but almost certainly fell short of the 2,000 milestone.

Impact Beyond Numbers

What truly separates David and Wagner from many others is the quality of their tackles. Ray Lewis, the all-time leader, recorded 117 stuffs (tackles for loss or minimal gain in the backfield). Junior Seau leads this category with 171 stuffs. But London Fletcher, despite his 2,000+ tackles, managed just 70 stuffs.

Lavonte David stands second only to Seau with 140 stuffs—demonstrating his remarkable playmaking ability. Wagner continues climbing this list with 78 stuffs and will likely surpass 80 in the coming season as he’s still stuffing runners at a solid clip for his age logging 9 in each of the past two seasons.  A little football IQ can make up for a lost step or two.

As we witness the final chapters of these two all-time great linebackers' careers, their Hall of Fame credentials are undeniable. While David's time in Tampa Bay may create challenges for his Canton case due to some underperforming Buccaneers teams, voters would be wise to focus on the film and the numbers—both of which clearly demonstrate that David along with Wagner belong among the immortals of the game.

George Christensen: A Detroit Lions Legend of the Early NFL but Why Don't Hall Voters Remember 'Tarzan'?

By John Turney 

George "Tarzan" Christensen is one of the foundational figures in the history of the Detroit Lions and National Football League. A towering presence on the field and key contributor to the Lions’ first championship, he produced a legacy so decorated with accomplishments that you'd think the Pro Football Hall of Fame would notice.

But then you'd be wrong.

Christensen has never advanced to the preliminary stage as a modern-era or seniors' candidate, and that's more than puzzling. It's downright unfair. He deserves a shot as a finalist. And, while that may never happen, it should.

A tackle on a Lions' team that set offensive and defensive records, Christensen was a six-time All-Pro (including four first-team selections), league champion and member of the 1930s' all-decade team - a resume that, at the very least, should draw the Hall's attention.

It did his peers.

"On our club," said Hall-of-Fame teammate Dutch Clark in the book, "The NFL's 60-Minute Men: All-Time Greats of the Two-Way Player Era, 1920-1945, "was a tackle who I think should be in the Hall of Fame. His name is George Christensen, and he was as good a tackle as I ever saw on a pro team. Most of the men who played with him or against him would say the same thing."

Christensen’s pro career began in 1931 with the Portsmouth Spartans, a team that soon became the Detroit Lions. At 6-feet-2 and approximately 240 pounds -- a significant size for the time, hence the "Tarzan" nickname -- the tackle quickly established himself as a force. 

Over his eight-year NFL career (1931–1938), Christensen appeared in 95 games and played a key role on a Lions' offensive line that helped produce an NFL record that stands today -- 426 rushing yards in one game, a feat that happened in a 40-7 defeat of the Pittsburgh Pirates (now Steelers) on Nov. 4, 1934. 

That same year, he anchored a formidable defensive front for a Lions' team that kicked off the 1934 season with an NFL-record seven consecutive shutouts. Over the course of the year, Detroit's defense allowed a league-low 59 points,  cementing its status as the top defensive unit.

The 1936 Detroit Lions squad established an NFL record for rushing prowess, too, racking up 2,885 rushing yards in a 12-game season -- a benchmark that stood unbroken until the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins surpassed it ... in 14 games. Once again, the big tackle was right in the middle of it, throwing blocks for Clark and other Lions' legends like Ace Gutowsky, Ernie Caddel and Glenn Presnell.

All of these accomplishments are why "Tarzan" was voted to the 1930s' all-decade team and first-or-second team All-NFL in 1931 (Green Bay Press-Gazette), 1932 (UP, Official NFL), 1933 (consensus -- made all the major teams), 1934-1936 (UP, Official NFL among others) ... basically, every year for his first six seasons.

"Good tackles were numerous," wrote Green Bay Press-Gazette voter George W. Calhoun when picking his All-Pro tackles for 1933,  "with Christensen of Portsmouth the best of the lot. This husky Spartan was a demon on the attack, while on the defense, he raised havoc with every club Potsy Clark’s hirelings bumped into this past season."

But there was more. He was considered one of the best punt blockers of that era, too, and recovered a blocked punt in the 1935 title game to lead the Lions to a 26-7 win over the  New York Giants. In other words, there was almost nothing George Christensen could not do.

Yet, despite his accolades, team successes, championship ring and role as a team captain, he's never registered with Hall-of-Fame voters, a snub that historian Chris Willis -- who served as Head of the Research Library at NFL Films and is an author of eight books on the formative years of the NFL -- considers an injustice.

In his latest contribution, "The NFL's 60-Minute Men: All-Time Greats of the Two-Way Player Era, 1920-1945", Willis argues that Christensen’s contributions have been unjustly ignored, particularly by Hall voters. And he's not alone. Jim Steen, a teammate of Christensen's, offered further praise, possibly coining a term commonly used today when he described Christensen's extraordinary size.

"George Christensen was the biggest man on the team at 238 pounds, and we used to consider him a freak," Willis quoted Steen as saying in 1974. "But I’ll tell you: He was one of the fastest men we had."

Big. Fast. Captain. Champion. All-Pro. Those are all things that shout "Canton." Yet "Tarzan" still waits. Maybe that changes some day. Maybe it doesn't. All I know is that it should.

Zack Martin—A Clear-cut First-ballot Hall of Famer, Right?

By John Turney 

Picture this: A gap so wide that it reminds you of the Grand Canyon.

That's the distance that separated former Cowboys' guard Zack Martin from the competition ... and that's not me speaking. It's the late Mike Giddings, founder of Proscout, Inc., an NFL scouting service. He once said there was as much daylight between Martin and the league's second-best guard as there was between legendary center Dwight Stephenson and whoever was next at center.

There is no higher praise. Giddings graded Stephenson as high as any center in what he called "the Proscout era."

But then his scouting firm graded Martin as its top guard in his rookie season ... and again for a second consecutive year ... and then a string of seasons where he again ranked first like (you guessed it) Dwight Stephenson. But that's just for openers when evaluating Martin, who retired recently announced his retirement. So, buckle up. It’s the kind of seismic praise we’re dealing with here.

And it's the kind of seismic praise that the Hall's board of selectors should consider when it meets in 2030 to chew over Martin's resume. If it does, guaranteed, voters won't have to ask, “Does this guy belong?" Instead, they'll say, "Do we let him waltz in on the first ballot, or do we embarrass ourselves by making him wait five minutes?"

Giddings laid out their choice as plain as day. Martin wasn’t just the best guard of his era, with a chasm between him and those jockeying for second place. He was one of the greatest at his position ... ever.

But he wasn't alone. All-Pro voters? They loved Martin. Coaches? Smitten. Players picking Pro Bowl squads and the NFL Network's Top 100 list, that annual flex-fest where the league’s best are ranked regardless of position? They couldn’t get enough of him. From 2017-24, Martin was a fixture on the list, often as the only guard. 

If you have video of those programs, rewind them to listen to the commentary. It supports those who view Martin as one of the all-time great linemen on either side of the ball, with accolades such as these:

"Dominates guys," said Pro Bowl defensive lineman Mike Daniels. "Good fundamental player, strong at the point and you ain't going to get by him to get the to the QB. His pass blocking is so phenomenal. He's the best pass-blocking guard in the NFL, hands down."

-- "Dominating run blocker, dominating pass blocker," said former Eagles' center Jason Kelce. "Zack’s got no weak spot."

-- "He's the gold standard," said Philadelphia All-Pro tackle Lane Johnson. "Strong ... never out of balance ... always going to the whistle. When I see him, he's a guy that is just like a robot -- not very many mistakes. That's why he's such a great player. His feet are constantly moving. He's constantly kicking ass -- that is just what he does."

But why stop there? Let's go back to 2014, the year Dallas made Martin a first-round draft choice, and see what scouts and draft "experts" had to say about him then: 

--  "Moves you off the ball in the run game and does not let you get to the QB in the pass game."

--  Road grader. Big physical specimen. Moves well. Hard to move him in his pass set." 

--  "He was coached really well. That is something you can tell about a player. He was coached really well from the beginning because his technique has grown with him." 

--  "You're talking about a player who demolishes people on Sundays."

-- "He could be an All-Pro at tackle, an All-Pro at center. Versatile."

-- "He's my dog. (In college), he was a freak at left tackle. He could play left tackle in the league if he wanted to." 

-- "Mr. Consistency."

-- Makes it look easy. Good feet good hands." 

--"No plays off. You get his best every play." 

Then you get to Martin's resume, and it speaks for itself.

The former Notre Dame star was among the most decorated offensive linemen in NFL history -- with eight consensus first-team All-Pro selections, nine Pro Bowls and an all-decade choice, even though he played only six seasons from 2010-19. Among guards, only John Hannah and Bruce Matthews were consensus first-team All-Pros more (both had nine), though Matthews earned a couple as a center. 

Martin's total was the same as Randall McDaniel's and more than Hall-of-Famers Jim Parker (seven), Larry Allen and Steve Hutchinson (six each) and Dick Stanfel, Alan Faneca, Joe DeLamielleure and Larry Little (five). It's also more than former tackle Anthony Munoz (seven), whom some consider the best offensive lineman ever.

That's the kind of company Martin keeps, and I can't imagine voters need much more to induct him immediately. 

If they did, however, they can dig a little deeper. For instance, Martin played so cleanly that he was flagged for holding just seven times in his career, prompting Pro Bowl guard Wyatt Teller to say that the stat "blew my mind. I get more holding calls in one game than he gets in ten years. "

In all, Martin was flagged for 21 penalties (holds, false starts, etc.), with 12 of those in his first two seasons. After that, he averaged less than one a year. By comparison, Eagles' center Jason Kelce -- also a perennial All-Pro -- was penalized 61 times in his 13-year career, including 32 for holding. Furthermore, the NFL's top tackle of the last decade -- San Francisco's Trent Williams -- was called for 91, while Baltimore's Marshal Yande -- an All-Pro guard who was a Hall finalist this year -- committed 43 penalties in 13 seasons.

You get the idea. Martin didn't stop drives.

Then there's this: He blocked for two NFL rushing champions -- DeMarco Murray (2014) and  Ezekiel Elliott (2016 and 2018) -- while Dallas ran for more yards during his career than all but three teams (Baltimore, Philadelphia and Buffalo). One difference: All three had quarterbacks who ran and ran a lot. So, if you're talking about the NFL's top traditional running games, the Cowboys ranked first.

If there's a downside -- and you have to look hard to find anything -- it's that the Cowboys never won a Super Bowl. In fact, they haven't even been to one since 1995). So maybe, just maybe, Canton's voters hold that against him when he's considered on the first ballot.

I hope not. Because they shouldn't. 

Hannah didn't get a ring. Neither did Bruce Matthews. Nor did first-ballot tackles Anthony Munoz and Walter Jones. Moreover, first-ballot Hall-of-Famer Joe Thomas never even played in a postseason game.

So throw out that potential obstacle. 

Predicting the future for Hall-of-Fame aspirants can be dicey. After all, even the great Randall McDaniel, whose resume mirrors Martin’s in some ways, had to wait a couple of years on Canton. And Will Shields? He went to 12 Pro Bowls in 14 seasons and was a seven-time All-Pro, yet wasn't elected to Canton until his fourth try as a finalist. 

But let’s not kid ourselves. Zack Martin is as close to a slam dunk for Canton as it gets. Towering over his peers, supported by a mountain of All-Pro honors and armed with glowing testimony from those who matter, Martin should walk into the Hall on the first ballot. 

Anything less would be crazy.

Where Rams' Defensive Tackles Ranks in Rookie History

By John Turney

The Rams drafted two elite defensive tackles the past two years. So how do they compare vs. others? 

The Los Angeles Rams did hit on a defensive tackle for the second year in a row. Last year it was Kobie Turner. This year it was Braden Fiske

Both racked up meaningful numbers -- e.g., sacks, pressures and QB hits, or all the things they were drafted to do. And that's good. But how good? How do their rookie seasons rank among players at their positions in Rams' history? 

Answer:  Very well. 

They're at or near the top of a franchise list dating back to the 1940s ... and that's not recency bias at work. We looked at all the Rams' rookie defensive tackles in the post-World War II era, and this new fearsome foursome is that accomplished -- even when looking back as some all-time greats.

Here's the list:

1. Aaron Donald, 2014.

Always the first guy on the practice field, Donald was a force as a rookie -- not only pressuring quarterbacks but nailing running backs for losses. Named to the All-Rookie team, the 13th overall pick had nine sacks and 10-1/2 run stuffs en route to a Defensive Rookie-of-the-Year season.

But that's not all. Pro Football Focus (PFF) named him first-team All-Pro, too. 

Among Defensive Players of the Year, only J.J. Watt ranked higher in PFF's grades for defensive interior players, and no defensive interior player ranked higher vs. the run ... not even Watt. There is no question that Donald is the top defensive rookie in Rams' history, regardless of position. 

#99 Aaron Donald with a super-quick swim move and nails a runner for a loss

2. Kobie Turner, 2023.

Turner played a unique role for the Rams in his initial season. He'd relieve the starting nose tackle in base defenses but always had a role in sub packages, often running stunts with Donald. He even tied Donald's franchise record for most sacks as a rookie.

How about that?  "The Conductor" was also All-Rookie and was third in the AP's Defensive Rookie-of-the-Year voting. 

#91 Kobie Turner with quick move for a run stuff

3. Braden Fiske, 2024.

The Rams traded up in the 2024 draft to get Fiske, surrendering a fifth-rounder as well as a 2025 second-round pick to swap second-round choices with Carolina. The move was widely criticized as too costly in draft capital, with ESPN Sports Analytics Writer Seth Walder going to X to call it "the most expensive Day 2 overpay of at least the last six drafts, according to ESPN's draft pick valuations."

Ouch. 

Initially, it seemed the "Worldwide Leader" was right. In his first eight games, Fiske had only one sack. However, he also had 21 pressures, per PFF, a signal of what was to come. Over the second half of the season, he produced eight sacks and 30 pressures. 

Teamed with Turner, Verse and Young, Fiske was part of one the NFL's best nickel packages. Not only was it effective in a Wild Card win over Minnesota; it nearly launched a surprise victory over the Eagles in the divisional round. In the end, Fiske provided first-round value and made Rams' GM Les Snead look like a genius. 

Left defensive interior #55 Braden Fiske gets  in front of All-Pro Lane Johnson

to chase play from backside and forces a run stuff

4. Dick Huffman, 1947.

Huffman played in the 1943 Sugar Bowl game when he was at the University of Tennessee. But then he left school to join the U.S. Marine Corps and fought in the Battle of Saipan and other places in the Pacific. While he was away, the Cleveland Rams chose him in the sixth round of the 1945 NFL draft as a "future" pick -- a move that paid off after Huffman returned to the Univerity of Tennessee and signed with the Rams after his junior year. 

As a rookie, he was as good as any tackle in the league. Playing both ways, he was named first-team All-Pro and, watching film, you can see why. At 6-2 and 250 pounds, he was unusually quick, repeatedly getting into backfields to tackle ball carriers for losses. In one November game, Huffman was a one-man goal-line defense, making four consecutive tackles when the visiting Boston Yanks were inside the Rams' five-yard line.

Result: Turnover on downs.

Left defensive tackle #20 Dick Huffman gets into the backfield and throws runner for a loss

5. Merlin Olsen, 1962.

A Pro Bowler as a rookie, Olsen was like a couple of the Rams' top rookie edge rushers: He was stuck playing for a team that wasn't very good. On a talent-deficient club, he would later say that he could have started at any one of five positions -- center, guard, tackle, defensive end and defensive tackle.

The Rams did toy with him at guard, but the third-overall pick was a natural as a defensive tackle. The 6-5, 265-pound former All-American was the only Rams' defender to elicit an invitation to the Pro Bowl and was on UPI's second-annual All-Rookie team.

Left defensive tackle #74 Merlin Olsen knifes into the backfield for a tackle for loss

6. Larry Brooks, 1972.

After starting the year on the taxi-squad (remember those?), Brooks was put on the active roster six weeks into the season and inserted into the starting lineup where he was a tackling machine -- recording 66 tackles, with a dozen behind the line of scrimmage, including sacks (per NFL gamebooks).

"I like this Larry Brooks," former ABC announcer Howard Cosell said in a late-season Monday Night Football game at Candlestick Park. "He's all over the field."

Part of why Brooks was on what is now called a practice squad was his inexperience. But it was also because the Rams wanted him lighter. A Little All-American at Virginia State, he played at around 275 pounds, and the Rams wanted him at 255. So they let him sit, trim down and learn the nuances of the pro game from vets like Merlin Olsen.

Result: Brooks would go on to lead the Rams defensive linemen in tackles every season he was healthy and played in five Pro Bowl games.

#90 Larry Brooks, on MNF, run free for a run stuff

7. Sean Gilbert, 1992.

At 315 pounds as a rookie, Gilbert is the largest defensive tackle on my list. He ended the year with 54 tackles and five sacks and was yet another All-Rookie defensive interior player who starred for the Rams.

From the right tackle position #90 Sean Gilbert sheds a blocker a stuffs running back

8. Jim Winkler, 1951.

Winkler was so good as a rookie that, by the end of the season he was voted the Rams' top lineman -- offense or defense.

"Jim Winkler has been a terrific defensive tackle," then-Rams' PR director Tex Schramm said. "Give him a couple of years, and we think he'll develop into the National League's all-time greats.

In an oddity of player movement, Winkler yo-yoed from the Rams ... to the 49ers ... then back to the Rams, and let me explain. In 1949, the Rams chose him in the third round of the draft, but in a mish-mash of rules and adjustment changes due to the NFL absorbing AAFC teams, there were often two NFL clubs that held the rights to a player. 

To secure the rights of Army All-American Glenn Davis, whom the Rams coveted, they had to send Winkler to the 49ers along with another player. Then, one month later, the Rams sent two players to the 49ers (one of them Clay Matthews, Sr.) to reacquire the Texas A&M star. So, Winkler was back with the team that drafted him.

But after two years in the 81st Airborne, he contracted an illness that caused him to miss the 1950 season. When he finally could play, he became a starter who not only played well but joined Robustelli, also a rookie, harassing Otto Graham in the NFL title game.

#78 Jim Winkler stuffs a running play

9. Frank Fuller, 1953.

Fuller was a 26th-round draft choice out of Kentucky, so not much was expected of him. But at the Rams' training camp, he made such an impression that when the Baltimore Colts made "an overwhelming offer" for Winkler (a Pro Bowler in 1952), the Rams took it. With Winkler, they felt they were still well-stocked at defensive tackle.

They were right. Though he hurt a knee late in the season, Fuller was voted the team's Rookie of the Year. At 6-4 and 235 pounds, he was a particularly strong pass rusher from his right defensive tackle spot. 

Right tackle #79 Frank Fuller initially inside, changes direction to turn play in

10. Michael Brockers, 2012.

Because of injuries, Brockers got a late start in his first pro season. But once healthy, he was a fine run-stopper for new coach Jeff Fisher's Rams. In 13 games he had 31 tackles and four sacks and was voted to the PFWA All-Rookie team as well as draft guru Mel Kiper's All-Rookie team.

For years the "book" on the Rams was pounding the A-gaps. But when Brockers was joined by 2012 UFA acquisition Kendall Langford, that "book's" narrative closed.

#90 Michael Brockers at right tackle sheds blocker and forces a fumble.

*********************************************

That's the ten best in our view. Who didn't make the cut? There are maybe a couple that could arguably be in the top ten and a lot that deserve mention. 

In 1954 Art Hauser was solid and started most of the year. 

In 1971 the Rams had two first-year players -- Phil Olsen and Bill Nelson. While Olsen was on the mend from knee surgery the 6-7, 270-pounder stared. When Merlin's younger brother was ready he took over. Together they combined for 57 tackles and eight sacks (each had four). 

Marc Boutte was a third-round pick in 1992 and started almost the entire season at left defensive tackle. And he made plays. No, not in the number of sacks -- he had just one -- but he deflected six passes and forced four fumbles while recording 32 tackles.

In 1959 John LoVetere, who didn't play at a major college. He played at Compton Community College. He was signed as a free agent and started right away at right defensive tackle. 

Fifth-round pick Clifton Ryan didn't start as a rookie in 2007, but he got a lot of snaps while rotating in for starters Le'Roi Glover and fellow rookie Adam Carricker. He was skilled enough to play nose tackle and three-technique while playing every game. He made 48 total tackles had a pair of sacks and forced three fumbles far outperforming Carricker the Rams' first-round pick.

Sebastian Joseph-Day was the starting nose tackle for the Rams in 2019. He was a sixth-round pick out of Rutgers. He didn't play a log of snaps on passing downs but when the Rams were in their base defense he was active, totaled 44 tackles.

Verne Lewellen -- Passed Over For Six Decades

By John Turney 

When a commentator on this blog defined a Hall-of-Fame player, he had no trouble. He ran down a handful of criteria that, he believed, are necessary for someone to qualify for Canton he made great sense.

"You have to play at least 9-10 years," he said, "(and have) at least 4-5 or more All-Pro first-team nods ... (be) top five at your position for at least half a decade ... played in some big games ... and left a mark on the game."

Exactly.

And you know what? That describes former Green Bay Packers' back Verne Lewellen. He fits all that and more.

Yet he's been bypassed by various Pro Football Hall-of-Fame boards of selectors over the years. I just wish those voters held candidates to the same standard as the broadcaster. If they did, Lewellen would've had a bust in Canton a long time ago. Take a look at his career, and I think you'll agree.

-- He did play "9-10 years." In fact, it was nine. And he was first-team All-Pro four times and second-team once.

-- He was a "top five" player for at least a half-decade -- probably more.  In his book, "The NFL's 60-Minute Men: All-Time Greats of the Two-Way Player Era, 1920-1945," pro football historian Chris Willis said Lewellen likely would have been the NFL MVP twice had such an award existed.

-- Furthermore, Willis named Lewellen the seventh-best player of the first 25 years of the NFL's existence.

-- He played in big games, and his Packers won enough to be crowned three-time NFL champions, dominating a 1929 game against the Giants that determined that year's title.

-- As far as making his mark on the game, he was a prolific scorer and one of the best two punters of his era ... if not the best.

Now I know what you're thinking: What does it matter that he was an outstanding punter? Well, you might as well say you don't know about early pro football. Because punting mattered.

A lot.

Teams would punt on any down if they thought it was to their advantage. In Lewellen's era, the passing game was in its infancy. Football was a running game, and defense had most of the advantages. So, if a team was pinned inside its own 10-yard line, it might choose to punt on an early down -- especially if it had a good punter -- to win a game of field position. 

Or, if it was beyond the range of a placekicker or drop kicker, it might surprise its opponent by punting over the head of the last defender .... again, to win a game of field position. And, if that was the case, there was one guy you wanted to call on.

Verne Lewellen.

"No one who ever saw Lewellen kick could ever forget him," said New York Times columnist Arthur Daley. "He was the finest punter these eyes ever saw."

Daley wrote that in 1962, or four decades after Lewellen retired.

Now, remember what I said about him being "a prolific scorer?" He held the NFL record with 51 touchdowns when he retired, a mark that stood until Hall-of-Fame end Don Hutson broke it in 1941. 

But that's well-documented. What isn't are the findings of David Neft, a respected football historian and editor of "The Football Encyclopedia." who meticulously studied NFL statistics from the pre-stats' era. Drawing from his unofficial and occasionally incomplete league-wide data, he determined that Lewellen concluded his career as the NFL's second-highest scorer, second-leading rusher, fifth-ranked receiver in receptions and tied for fifth in interceptions.

Impressive? Ask former Hall-of-Fame voter Cliff Christl, who was a Packers' beat writer and now serves as the team's historian. He insists that Lewellen is more than the Packers' best player of his era.

"I believe Lewellen is one of a handful of players who deserves to be in the discussion about the greatest Packers’ player ever," he said 

OK, let's assume that's the case. Then why didn't he gain more support ... any support ... in the Hall's formative years? He was never a finalist for almost a century after his retirement in xxx. Yet, plenty of Packers from Lewellen's era were elected in the early-to-mid 1960s, including Curly Lambeau, Cal Hubbard, Johnny "Blood" McNally, Mike Michalske, Arnie Herber, Clarke Hinkle, and Don Hutson. 

Then, in the 1970s and 1980s, the Lombardi legends began getting their Gold Jackets. There was Jim Taylor, Forrest Gregg, Bart Starr, Ray Nitschke, Herb Adderley, Willie Davis Jim Ringo, Paul Hornung Willie Wood and, of course, Lombardi himself. Also chosen was back Tony Canadeo, enshrined in 1974 as a seniors' finalist, and defensive tackle Henry Jordan, elected in 1995.

The field was so crowded with Packers that perennial All-Pros like Dave Robinson and Jerry Kramer had to wait until well into the 21st century for their enshrinements. It's understandable, then, if a traffic jam of Packers sucked the oxygen out of the room and provoked voters to move on from Lewellen. But it doesn't make it right.

Voters had a  chance to correct that oversight in 2020 when Lewellen was a finalist for the Pro Football Hall-of-Fame's Centennial Class, named to celebrate the NFL’s 100th anniversary and Lewellen was a finalist. Ten seniors were chosen, but the Blue-Ribbon Centennial Committee composed of Hall voters, media members and Hall of Famers didn't include Lewellen -- instead picking a class of mostly recent players, leaving Lewellen and others who played before World War II behind.

What a shame.

To this day, Verne Lewellen remains one of the most underrated NFL players of all time. He was someone who was an outstanding defensive back noted for his sure tackling, as well as someone who would gain yards with his legs and, when called upon, could (and did) win games as a passer. Plus, when the analytics of the time -- as displayed by coaching decisions -- called for punting his team out of a hole or putting his opponent into one, no one was better than the 6-1, 184-pound halfback out of Nebraska.

It shouldn't matter that eight pre-WW II Green Bay Packers are in the Hall or that a dozen from the Lombardi dynasty were elected. What should is that players who are Hall-of-Fame worthy are honored. After all, the mission statement of the Pro Football Hall of Fame says that its purpose is to "honor and celebrate the greatest players, coaches, and contributors in the history of professional football ... "

Well, then, why is Verne Lewellen still waiting? The Hall of Fame is not complete when players of his caliber are left out. Remember what our commentator said -- namely, if someone who played a decade, was a four-time All-Pro, considered a top-five player, played in big games and left a mark on the game, he should be enshrined.

He might as well have been talking about Verne Lewellen because he described him.

Exactly.

What Are Hall Voters Missing About Packers' Lavvie Dilweg?

By John Turney

Now, consider if that player had the following credentials:

-- A six-time consensus All-Pro, including as a rookie, and a second-team All-Pro twice more.

-- A member of an all-decade team.

-- A key player on three NFL champions.

-- An impressive statistical mark that stands among the best of his era.

-- Praise from some of the most respected NFL historians.

-- Recognition from former NFL greats who acknowledged his excellence.

If a player with those achievements were repeatedly denied entry to the Hall of Fame, you'd be outraged ... and you should be. But you may not be as upset as you might because you've seldom heard of Packers' two-way end Lavvie Dilweg and because he played nearly a century ago.

However, if you're a pro football fan who cares about the history of the league and believes in fairness—that is, that players of similar achievement should be recognized equally, regardless of era—then Dilweg’s exclusion should concern you.

Because it does me.

Yes, Dilweg has had his chances. He appeared on the Hall-of-Fame’s preliminary list for a handful of years and was later included on the seniors' preliminary roster. Plus, when the Hall created a special Centennial Class in 2020 to celebrate the NFL’s 100th anniversary, he was a semifinalist. Yet, when the inductees were named, the Blue-Ribbon Centennial Committee largely chose more recent players.

Meaning that Dilweg was left out again.

Given his resume, you have ask: Why? It's a simple question, though the answer is not. No one knows for certain. Some speculate that Hall voters suffer from Packers' fatigue and hesitate to induct many Packers from the league’s formative decades when Green Bay dominated. 

After all, when the Hall was established in 1963, there was a significant backlog of deserving candidates. From 1963-66, multiple Packers' legends were inducted, including Curly Lambeau, Cal Hubbard, Johnny "Blood" McNally, Mike Michalske, Arnie Herber, Clarke Hinkle, and Don Hutson. Later, in 1974, two years after the creation of the seniors' category, another pre-World War II Packer, Tony Canadeo, was added to the list of Packers in the Hall.

That’s a lot of Green Bay representation in a short span, and perhaps voters grew weary of enshrining Packers. Still, even if "Packer fatigue" played a role, it shouldn't. If a team was a dynasty. then elite players and perennial All-Pros should not be left out. Yet Dilweg has been, and that's a mystery.

More than that, it's downright unfair.

I say that because players of similar or lesser caliber who played his position -- end -- were inducted. The WWII-era two-way ends in the Hall of Fame are Red Badgro, Ray Flaherty, Bill Hewitt, Wayne Millner, Guy Chamberlin, George Halas, and Don Hutson. Hutson was in a league of his own, entering the league in 1937 and revolutionizing the receiver position. So no one ...  and I mean no one ... compares to him. 

But, when compared to the rest of the field, Dilweg stands shoulder to shoulder. He played as many or more seasons as the Hall-of-Fame ends of his time, with only Hutson and Bill Hewitt catching more touchdown passes. However, his impact went far beyond that. While a fine receiver and excellent blocker, he made his biggest mark on defense. On that side of the ball, few made more plays than the former Marquette All-American.

Most individual NFL statistics weren’t recorded in the early years and only became official in 1932. But extensive research by historians David Neft and Richard Cohen—both experts who compiled multiple sports encyclopedias—revealed that Dilweg intercepted 27 passes, a skill that set him apart from his peers. Unlike Dilweg, players such as Badgro, Flaherty and Millner rarely, if ever, recorded interceptions. But Dilweg's ability to pick off passes highlights his versatility and effectiveness in the Packers' defensive scheme.

"Without question," said his coach, Hall-of-Famer Curley Lambeau, "he was the greatest end in the seven-man line type defense ever developed."

Dilweg’s contributions weren’t empty stats; they directly fueled Green Bay’s historic success. From 1929-31, the Packers dominated the league -- winning three consecutive NFL championships, compiling a 34-5-2 record, leading the league in scoring and allowing the fewest points. It was pure dominance, and Dilweg was a cornerstone of that team.

Opponents and teammates knew it. That's why Hall-of-Famer Cal Hubbard named Dilweg to his personal all-time team, and Bronko Nagurski did the same. Red Grange went even farther, calling Dilweg "the greatest end who ever brought me down." 

Now, fast-forward to today to see what historians and football researchers have to say. Not surprisingly, they echo those sentiments:

-- Bob Carroll, founder and long-time executive director of the Professional Football Researchers Association (PFRA), once stated that "nobody played end better than Dilweg."

-- Ken Crippen, former PFRA president and founder of the Football Learning Academy, has long advocated for Dilweg’s Hall-of-Fame inclusion.

-- Chris Willis, head of the NFL Films Research Library, author of multiple football books and former president of the PFRA, pushed for Dilweg's induction after he was denied in 2020, saying, "Hopefully, that won’t be his last chance to make the Hall, where he deserves to be."

-- Yet another PFRA historian and author John Maxymuk, noted that Dilweg "overall, was consistently excellent ... Dilweg deserves to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as the finest end of his era by far."

-- Even the editors of "Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League" recognized his magnificence. "Lavern Dilweg," they said, "by nearly all contemporary accounts, was the best end in pro football almost from his first game in 1926 until his last in 1934."

The support for Dilweg among historians, researchers and peers is overwhelming. Hall-of-Fame player/coach Jimmy Conzelman named him to his all-time team. Two of his teammates -- Arnie Herber and Verne Lewellen -- included Dilweg on their personal teams. As did Lambeau.

My point is that there are no more reliable experts on Dilweg's candidacy than those who played with or against him -- individuals like Grange, Nagurski, Hubbard, Conzelman, Lambeau and others. If they thought Lavvie was one of the game's most accomplished players, it should mean something. Strike that. It should mean a LOT. But, so far, it hasn't been enough to persuade the Hall's board of selectors to act.

And it's had over six decades. 

Remember what I said about fairness? It demands that voters change their attitude and re-examine a great player whose exclusion from Canton is one of the great injustices in football history. 

I repeat: All-Pros? Check. All-Decade? Check. Championships? Check. Impressive statistics? Check. Unqualified support by coaches, teammates, opposing players and coaches? Check. Unqualified support by pro football historians and authors? Check.

Lavvie Dilweg checks all the boxes for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Enshrinement should be the last for one of the NFL's best-ever players.

Eric Allen's Relative Defensive Passer Rating

By Nick Webster 

As we consider the results of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2025 many are surprised that Eric Allen made it through as one of the four inductees.

It’s certainly been a wait – this is Allen’s second to last bite at the apple. In two years he will be moved our of the Hall's modern-era into their seniors category.

In the last year, a research partner (Peirce Conboy) and I went back to supplement Stats, Inc. passer rating data on Allen and what came out of the charting and the film study. After poring over old games he was a clear Hall of Famer to me.

Here's why:

Allen was a smooth Corner with very good instincts and hands who certainly benefitted – early in his career – from a devastating Eagles defensive line featuring Reggie White, Clyde Simmons and Jerome Brown - all All-Pros.

A 4.4 guy from Cornerback U (as I like to think of Arizona State with Mike Haynes and Louis Wright preceding Allen as lockdown Sun Devils) his speed didn’t last beyond his first few seasons, but those instincts and ball skills allowed the aging corner to continue to perform well into his thirties.

Most will remember Allen for his four touchdown returns in 1993, including a famous call by Merrill Reese on his long-winding touchdown return versus Boomer Esiason’s Jets. 

But while 1993 was a fine season for Allen, it wasn’t his best. We’ve charted all but two games of Allen’s career and here are his coverage stats year-by-year.

As a rookie Allen played fairly well but was beaten, giving up more touchdowns than interceptions and posting his last above league-average rating allowed that he would have for his next six seasons. Starting in 1989 Allen ripped off a career peak to rival any. In four consecutive seasons he didn’t allow a completion percentage over 50% and had 19 Iinterceptions while giving up just 11 touchdowns.

His passer ratings bounced around between good and spectacular posting a 38.4, 63.4 and 33.9 in ’89 – ’91. Additionally, 1992 and 1993 were both strong with rating allowed of just over 60. 

Allen did begin to fall off in 1994, however - his final year as an Eagle. 

After three mediocre seasons in New Orleans Allen may have been perceived as having lost it, but after signing with Oakland in 1998 Allen had a spectacular season – albeit in less than a complete season – but he returned to have three more seasons around or better than league average.

The numbers say it, the film says it and the accolades say it – Eric Allen is a deserving Hall of Famer.

Here are Allen's career stats and accolades -