The NFL has been around since 1965, seeing many stars in every generation. Fans have come together to celebrate these playmakers in masses as football has become the number one sport in America. Fast forward to 2025 — and we’re already a quarter of the way through the 21st century. Life comes at you fast!
As another milestone is celebrated, the media does what it always does — ranks the top players.
However, rather than adhering to the traditional All-Decade team format, we decided to raise the bar and present a full roster of the best players since 2000, complete with a few practice-squad standouts, using our very own suite of metrics that will help guide the analysis and decision-making for the PFSN All-21st Century team, including QB+, Offense+, and Defense+.
Our team will consist of 53 players, plus 16 practice squad players, listed by position and depth-chart order. PFSN Analysts Mark Stolte and Jacob Infante collaborated to establish the team.
Quarterbacks
Starter: Tom Brady
Simply put, Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback in NFL history. He’s a seven-time Super Bowl champion, a five-time Super Bowl MVP, a three-time MVP, a six-time All-Pro, and a 15-time Pro Bowler.
Brady is the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards, touchdowns, completions, and QB wins. His success throughout 23 seasons is unparalleled and unlikely ever to be topped.
The 21st century has seen an abundance of elite quarterbacks, with nine of the NFL’s top ten all-time passing leaders having played within the last 25 years. Still, Tom Brady stands in a league of his own, holding nearly every major passing record.
Brady won Super Bowls across three different decades. Still, perhaps his most remarkable achievement came at age 43, when he led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a championship, proving he could win without the guidance of longtime Patriots coach Bill Belichick.
If you thought Brady’s prime wasn’t enough to match his longevity, you’d be very wrong. In our QB+ rankings, Tom Brady had four playoff runs that ranked in the top 30. He also ranks third in QB+ in career rankings (for those over 150 games played).
2nd String: Peyton Manning
There is certainly an argument to be made around Peyton Manning taking the top spot on this squad. While he didn’t quite have the longevity and winning accolades, Manning’s prowess is arguably the greatest of all time.
In our recent rankings of the 25 highest graded NFL QBs of the 21st century, Manning ranked first. Beyond just our rankings, Manning also holds the record for most MVPs (five) and has the highest EPA (expected points added) per play among all quarterbacks since 2000, according to TruMedia.
What gives Brady the slight edge as our first team quarterback is Manning’s significant drop-off in the playoffs. Despite this, his accolades are second to none, and that’s what earns him a spot as the backup on this list.
3rd String: Patrick Mahomes
If there were ever a player who had a chance to dethrone Tom Brady, it would be Patrick Mahomes. Thus far in his career, he has statistics comparable to Manning’s and a winning pedigree similar to Brady’s.
Although winning is most certainly a team sport and wins aren’t a quarterback stat, performance in the clutch matters, and no quarterback does it quite like Mahomes.
On plays where the score is within one possession of a fourth-quarter game, Mahomes ranks fourth in EPA per play behind just Manning, Tony Romo, and Aaron Rodgers. If you filter this to only look at plays where the team is tied or down, Mahomes jumps to first.
Beyond this, he ranks second in our career QB+ rankings, has already won two MVPs, and has proven he can perform even when the team around him falters.
Practice Squad: Aaron Rodgers
Running Backs
Starter: LaDainian Tomlinson
Throughout the 2000s, no running back was as talented as LaDainian Tomlinson. He was a force to be reckoned with on the Los Angeles Chargers, rushing for over 1,000 yards in each of his first eight seasons in the league.
He was a six-time All-Pro selection and was the NFL MVP in 2006, when he broke the league record with 28 rushing touchdowns in a single season. As of this writing, Tomlinson is seventh all-time in rushing yards.
There’s steep competition for the honor of the top running back in the 21st century. Adrian Peterson and Frank Gore both finished their careers with more rushing yards, and Peterson himself won MVP in 2012. Five running backs had 2,000 rushing yards in a single season in the 2000s, which Tomlinson never achieved.
However, Tominson’s peak was arguably still the highest of the bunch. He ranks second all-time in rushing touchdowns, reaching double-digit scores in all nine seasons he played with the Chargers. He’s undoubtedly one of the best running backs in NFL history.
2nd String: Adrian Peterson
Peterson ended up spending 15 seasons in the NFL, which is a commendable feat in and of itself. However, his peak, more so than his longevity, makes him a worthy all-century nomination.
He ended his career fifth in league history in rushing yards, as well as fourth in rushing touchdowns. He led the NFL in rushing three times, winning the MVP in 2012 and earning both Pro Bowl and All-Pro nominations seven times.
Peterson is one of just nine players in NFL history to surpass 2,000 rushing yards in a single season. He holds the single-game record with 296 rushing yards, a feat he achieved in his rookie year with the Minnesota Vikings.
He was consistently one of the best running backs during his 10 seasons with the team, and he stayed around the league as a solid rotational back for five more years.
Practice Squad: Frank Gore, Marshawn Lynch
Wide Receivers
Starter: Randy Moss
Perhaps the greatest physical specimen at wide receiver the NFL has ever seen, Randy Moss was the definition of dominant at his peak. He finished his 14-year career second in career touchdown receptions and fourth in all-time receiving yards.
Moss led the NFL in receiving touchdowns five times, which is the third-highest mark in league history. The six-time Pro Bowler also holds the single-season record with 23 receiving touchdowns in 2007, as well as the rookie record with 17 receiving touchdowns in 1998.
If you want to get technical, three of Moss’ Pro Bowl seasons didn’t take place in the 21st century, as he debuted three seasons before the new millennium. However, his elite play between his stints with the Minnesota Vikings and New England Patriots is the stuff of legend.
He was a 6’4” force with elite speed and tremendous ball skills who could take the top off the defense. If there’s an all-century team, Moss certainly belongs on it.
Starter: Antonio Brown
I can almost guarantee that this will spark a debate between Antonio Brown and Julio Jones, and I couldn’t care less. I (Mark Stolte) believe Brown was just slightly better when comparing primes.
Brown is one of only four receivers to achieve over 1,500 receiving yards three times, missing the mark by a single yard in 2013 as well. He is fourth all-time in receiving yards per game and is also 19th since 2000 in YAC per reception.
Above all, Brown is a four-time All-Pro and was also an absolute weapon in the return game, averaging 25 yards per kick return and totaling five punt and kick return touchdowns despite limited attempts.
For me, what gives Brown the advantage over Jones is his knack for finding the endzone. Brown ranks 10th since 2000 in touchdowns per game, and it’s honestly a shock that he never won an Offensive Player of the Year award in his career.
Starter: Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens was as legendary on the field as he was controversial off of it. All that to say: he was tremendous on the field.
Owens finished his career third all-time in receiving yards, eighth in receptions, and third in receiving touchdowns. He surpassed 1,000 yards in a season nine times, with all but two of them coming in the 21st century. T.O. was a first-team All-Pro five times in his career, as well.
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Throughout his 15-year NFL career, Owens made his fair share of headlines, for better or worse. Whatever your feelings are about his off-field escapades, there’s no denying he was one of the greatest wide receivers of all time.
Owens had five 1,000-yard seasons after he turned 30 years old. That speaks volumes to his longevity and consistency.
2nd String: Julio Jones
For much of his time in the NFL, Jones was one of the best wide receivers in the game. He was one of the league’s most prolific players during the 2010s, as he made seven Pro Bowls and five All-Pro appearances from 2012 to 2019 with the Atlanta Falcons.
Throughout his 13-year career, Jones tallied 914 receptions for 13,703 receiving yards and 66 touchdowns. His receiving yard totals rank 15th in NFL history.
Jones led the league in receiving yards twice, receptions once, and receiving yards per game three times. Injuries slowed him down past the age of 30, but his peak was one of the best the NFL has seen at the wide receiver position. He deserves all-century recognition for his high caliber of play.
His 54.2% catch-rate in the red zone ranks 53rd of 72 receivers with over 100 targets. While you could argue that he was being double-teamed a lot, his overall EPA when targeted in the red zone also only ranked 49th. The greatest of the greats found ways to get around it, and that knocked him down to the second team.
2nd String: Calvin Johnson
Calvin Johnson was one of those guys who found ways around a defense. While it’s near impossible to find double-team rates for wide receivers, there are numerous examples of teams double-teaming Calvin at the line of scrimmage in the red zone. Despite this, Johnson ranks eighth among receivers since 2000 in EPA per target in the red zone.
Calvin Johnson was so good that double teaming him was COMMON 😭#OnePride pic.twitter.com/Rar4TC0w3z
— 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔇𝔢𝔱𝔯𝔬𝔦𝔱 𝔗𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 📰 (@the_det_times) February 20, 2025
In terms of being outright gifted, you’d be hard-pressed to argue anyone over Johnson. His most extraordinary performance came in 2012, when he set an NFL record with 1,964 receiving yards on 122 catches and five touchdowns.
Outside of his unfortunate lack of longevity (THANKS DETROIT), his touchdown numbers also make it difficult to slot him above any of the “starters” on this all-quarter-century team. However, he remains one of the very best to have ever done it.
2nd String: Marvin Harrison Sr.
Manning’s right-hand man for most of his time with the Indianapolis Colts was Marvin Harrison Sr.. He was the definition of consistency for most of his time in the league, finishing with eight consecutive Pro Bowl and All-Pro appearances and surpassing 1,000 yards each time.
Harrison Sr. led the NFL in both receptions and receiving yards twice, along with leading the league in receiving touchdowns once. With 143 catches in 2002, he held the record for receptions in a single season before Michael Thomas broke it in 2019.
Harrison Sr. is third in career receptions, eighth in receiving yards, and fifth in touchdowns. He was one of the most productive wide receivers in NFL history, making him an easy selection for the all-century team.
Practice Squad: Larry Fitzgerald, Justin Jefferson
Tight Ends
Starter: Rob Gronkowski
Rob Gronkowski might not have the longevity of other superstar tight ends, but prime for prime, I would not hesitate to select him over anyone else. Gronkowski was a first-team All-Pro in four out of nine seasons he played more than half the games in, and was arguably the most talented pass-catching weapon Brady ever had.
Gronkowski had five 10+ touchdown seasons, including an incredible 1,300-yard, 17-touchdown season in just his second year. His red-zone ability was one of the best, ranking 12th in EPA per target.
Gronkowski’s 10.38 air yards per target is the second-most out of all tight ends since 2000, showcasing his deep ball abilities. Add all of this on top of his dominating presence in the run game, and you’ve got yourself the greatest tight end ever.
2nd String: Tony Gonzalez
A strong argument could be made that Tony Gonzalez is the greatest tight end of all time. One could certainly debate whether a player like Gronkowski or Travis Kelce had a higher peak. Still, with his longevity and consistency as a top-tier player, Gonzalez certainly has the most accolades.
Gonzalez is the all-time leader in tight end receptions with 1,325, the leader in tight end receiving yards with 15,127, and is second at his position with 116 receiving touchdowns.
Gonzalez made 14 Pro Bowls and 10 All-Pro teams, both of which are records for tight ends. He made the Pro Bowl in eight of his ten seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, as well as four times in his five seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. His receiving prowess makes him an easy choice to crack the All-Century Team.
Practice Squad: Travis Kelce
Offensive Tackles
Starter (LT): Joe Thomas
Joe Thomas is an all-time great iron man type of offensive tackle that deserves even more recognition for having to play on some of the worst Cleveland Browns teams you can imagine.
The third overall pick out of Wisconsin finished with over 10,000 career plays, including an otherworldly six seasons with over 1,000 plays. He holds the record for most consecutive snaps played, with 10,363 from his first-ever rookie game in 2007 to his final game in 2017.
Other than being the world’s most reliable lineman, Thomas let up just 30 sacks in his entire career, never giving up more than six in a season. On top of that, the average pressures allowed in a season for linemen with over 500 pass-blocking snaps is 28.5 since 2019. Thomas gave up more than that just twice and managed to register less than 20 pressures in four seasons.
Starter (RT): Jonathan Ogden
Jonathan Ogden was another relatively easy choice, even without considering his dominance in the 1990s. From 2000 to 2007, Ogden was an All-Pro in all but two seasons and finished with three first-team All-Pro selections during that same time frame.
While technically Ogden also played left tackle, for this team, we will move him to the right because he’s just too good not to start.
Arguably just as dominant as his pass-blocking were his mauling capabilities in the run game. The 2000s Ravens routinely rushed for over four yards per carry, and more often than not, they were running behind the 6’9″ 350-pound giant, Ogden.
2nd String (LT): Trent Williams
Even at 36 years old at the time of this writing, Trent Williams is showing no signs of slowing down. Entering his 15th season in the NFL, he currently has 11 Pro Bowl appearances and four All-Pro nominations.
He has started in 188 career games, making the Pro Bowl in every season he played from 2012 to 2023. The only exception was the 2019 season, in which he sat out the entire season with the team that’s now the Washington Commanders.
Between his stints in Washington and with the San Francisco 49ers, Williams was one of the best left tackles in the NFL for much of his career. Injuries in his late 20s robbed him of more All-Pro recognition, though he still made it to the Pro Bowl plenty of times.
Regardless, his elite level of play sustained over such a long period makes him one of the best offensive linemen of the 21st century.
2nd String (RT): Lane Johnson
Lane Johnson is one of those players who ages like a fine wine. Coming off of arguably his best season, Johnson ranked second behind only Tristan Wirfs in pressured allowed per pass blocking snap amongst offensive tackles. Johnson is a two-time first-team All-Pro and a two-time second-team All-Pro.
Much like Thomas, Johnson is one of those ultra-reliable players, with over 11,000 total blocking snaps in the NFL and a remarkably impressive 33 sacks allowed in his career. Even crazier, 11 of those 33 sacks came in his rookie season.
Practice Squad: Walter Jones, Jason Peters
Interior Offensive Line
Starter (LG): Alan Faneca
Simply put, Alan Faneca was the definition of consistency throughout his NFL career. From 2001 to 2008, he made the Pro Bowl and the All-Pro team every single year. In his 13 seasons in the NFL, he only missed one game. He’s seventh among all guards with nine Pro Bowls and tied for fifth all-time with six first-team All-Pro nominations.
Truth be told, Faneca is one of the easiest decisions to make when putting together a 21st-century NFL roster. He’s a Hall of Famer and one of the most decorated guards in league history. That, along with his durability and consistency, makes him a slam dunk.
Starter (C): Jason Kelce
Not only did Jason Kelce have one of the most prolific careers for a center in NFL history, but he did so while achieving most of his success in the back end of his career.
From 2011 to 2023, Kelce won a Super Bowl ring, made seven Pro Bowls, and was named a first-team All-Pro six times — his All-Pro total ties for the second-highest total for a center in league history. After playing in just two games in 2012, Kelce only missed four games for the rest of his 11 years in the league.
Kelce retired on top, having been a first-team All-Pro in six of his last seven NFL seasons. Most players slow down by the time they reach 30, but he continued to improve.
Kelce’s reliability as the anchor of the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive line helped popularize the Tush Push and paved the way for some dominant offenses. He’s a worthy first-ballot Hall of Famer when he becomes eligible in 2029.
Starter (RG): Zack Martin
Zack Martin dominated in the NFL — seven first-team All-Pros in 11 seasons, 11,000+ blocking snaps, and just a handful of pressures allowed in his illustrious career. Arguably, his most impressive stat is just 26 penalties in 10 seasons.
This averages out to just 2.6 per season. For context, the average among offensive linemen since 2022 has been 6.5, and Martin’s 2.6 would be in the 90th percentile.
Martin was known as a guard who could protect the quarterback and play controlled football. He was one of the most essential facets of several unbelievable rushing performances from the likes of DeMarco Murray, Ezekiel Elliott, and more, and deserves a spot on this list.
2nd String (LG): Larry Allen
I think there is a case to be made for Larry Allen to be considered the most outstanding offensive lineman of all time.
With that being said, you are probably wondering why he is sitting on our second-string team instead of being a starter. That would be because much of his dominance came from the 1990s. However, that’s a testament to how special he was — a starter in one century of football and a star backup in another century.
Even just looking at the 2000s, Allen finished with two first-team All-Pros and wowed people with his incredible feats of strength at Pro Bowl events. Jim Miloch summed it up pretty succinctly on X, referring to Allen’s unreal strength.
2nd String (C): Jeff Saturday
Jeff Saturday had the pleasure of playing center for some of the most significant offenses of all time. From 2004 to 2006, Saturday was the leader along the offensive line for PFSN’s 22nd (2005), eighth (2006), and third (2004) highest ranked offenses in our Offense+ rankings.
Since 2006 (as far back as our player-level data goes), Saturday never allowed more than 15 pressures or racked up more than five penalties.
2nd String (RG): Steve Hutchinson
Only 16 guards have made it into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, making it a relatively small group compared to most other positions. It carries significant weight when a guard makes it into the Hall, and Steve Hutchinson was a worthy addition back in 2020.
From 2003 to 2009, Hutchinson was a Pro Bowler and All-Pro all seven seasons between stints with the Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings. Whether he was blocking for Shaun Alexander, winning the MVP in Seattle, or Adrian Peterson breaking the single-game rushing record in Minnesota, Hutchinson was as steady as they come at guard.
Hutchinson’s durability in those seven years was equally as impressive; he didn’t miss a single game any of those seasons.
Practice Squad: Kevin Mawae, Will Shields
Defensive Tackles
Starter: Aaron Donald
This was easily one of the top three or four no-brainer picks, and as the asterisk next to his name indicates, Jacob and I completely agreed on it.
At his peak, Aaron Donald ranks as the third-greatest defensive player in NFL history. If we were judging based on overall career, I might bump him up to second — or even first. But when comparing primes alone, I still give the slightest edge to J.J. Watt and Lawrence Taylor.
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Donald only ever had two seasons in his career when he wasn’t a first-team All-Pro. This includes, of course, his three Defensive Player of the Year awards, which are tied for the most ever with Taylor and Watt.
His 111 sacks in his career are an absolute absurdity considering he spent a lot of his time on the interior defensive line switching from three tech to nose and then back outside as an edge rusher. This versatility is another thing that separates him from other elite, Hall of Fame-level talents in the NFL.
Starter: Warren Sapp
Warren Sapp was one of the most prolific defensive tackles in NFL history. His 96.5 career sacks tie him for the sixth-most of all time at his position, and he was a seven-time Pro Bowler and six-time first-team All-Pro.
His elite athleticism and ferocity up the middle made him one of the most feared defenders in the NFL during his nine years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
From a production standpoint, Sapp had his best seasons before the turn of the century. However, he was still a three-time Pro Bowler and an impact starter for seven years between his stints with the Buccaneers and the Oakland Raiders.
He most notably finished with ten sacks at 34 years old with the Raiders, demonstrating just how sustained his high level of play was.
2nd String: Richard Seymour
The 317-pound defensive tackle Richard Seymour was a three-time team All-Pro and anchored the defensive line of some all-time level defenses, including the 15th and 31st ranked defenses since 2000 in PFSN’s Defense+ database.
Seymour finished his career with a respectable 57.5 sacks, often sacrificing the statistical glory for double teams where his teammates would seal the deal.
2nd String: Cam Heyward
Heading into Year 15 of his NFL career, Cam Heyward is arguably just now playing the best football of his life at 36 years old. That says a lot, particularly since he’s been a high-level starting defensive tackle for much of his time in the league.
He’s a seven-time Pro Bowler and six-time All-Pro, and he’s coming off a first-team All-Pro campaign for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024. That’s where he’s spent the entirety of his career, tallying 88.5 sacks and 133 tackles for a loss.
Heyward is showing no signs of slowing down as he approaches his late 30s. He figures to be a Hall of Fame inductee in the future, but if he continues this elite level of play for a few more years, he’ll undoubtedly be a first-ballot selection when his time comes.
Practice Squad: Fletcher Cox
Defensive Ends (EDGE)
Starter: J.J. Watt
Prime for prime, J.J.Watt is the most outstanding defensive player of all time. Slightly biased by the era in which I was born (Mark was born in 2002), Watt’s four-year stretch from 2012 to 2015 is unlike anything I’ve ever seen.
Four straight first-team All-Pros, three Defensive Player of the Year awards, two seasons with 20+ sacks, and being robbed of the first defensive MVP since 1986 (Taylor). Utter dominance.
Joining Taylor and Alan Page as the only defensive players ever to win MVP would have cemented Watt’s career with an even stronger stamp than his other accolades. Unfortunately, he placed second behind an incredibly efficient Aaron Rodgers season.
Nevertheless, Watt still holds the record for most tackles for a loss in a season since it started getting counted in 1999. His 39 TFL is 10 more than the second and third best marks of 29, also set by himself.
Starter: Julius Peppers
There may not be a bigger physical specimen on the defensive side of the ball from the 21st century than Julius Peppers. A 6’7”, 295-pound monster with elite athleticism and a deep pass-rushing arsenal, he proved to be a nightmare for opposing offensive tackles during his 17 years in the league.
He was a nine-time Pro Bowler and six-time All-Pro, surpassing double-digit sack numbers ten times.
Peppers was consistently one of the best pass rushers in the NFL for most of his career. In his first stint with the Carolina Panthers, he was a five-time Pro Bowler in eight years, tallying 81 sacks during that span.
He also made two Pro Bowls with the Chicago Bears and one with the Green Bay Packers. Perhaps most impressively, he surpassed ten sacks in a season twice after turning 35 years old. He’s fourth all-time in career sacks and an easy all-century selection.
2nd String: Von Miller
Though Von Miller hasn’t retired yet, he hasn’t signed with an NFL team for the 2025 season as of this writing. No matter what happens, he’s already solidified himself as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Miller ranks 16th all-time in career sacks, and all but two of the 14 players eligible ahead of him are Hall of Famers. He’s an eight-time Pro Bowler and a seven-time All-Pro who won the Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos.
The current active leader in career sacks, Miller reached double-digit sacks seven times in his NFL career. With his combination of elite athleticism, relentless motor, and intelligent pass-rushing acumen, he’s been unblockable for much of his time in the league. At his peak, he was a disruptive specimen and one of the best edge rushers of the modern era.
2nd String: Myles Garrett
While Myles Garrett still has time to play, it’s hard not to put him on here given his consistent dominance since being selected first overall by the Cleveland Browns in 2017. Garrett’s only season with fewer than 10 sacks came in his rookie year, and he already has four first team All-Pros and a Defensive Player of the Year to his name.
With him only being 29 years old and a relatively healthy player, I think Garrett can and will continue to cement his legacy as he reaches the twilight of his career.
3rd String: Khalil Mack
Everywhere he’s gone, Khalil Mack has been lightning in a bottle rushing off the edge. He exploded onto the scene with the Oakland Raiders, winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2016.
He spent four years there before being traded to the Chicago Bears in 2018, finishing second in DPOY voting that season. After four years in Chicago, he joined the Los Angeles Chargers and is entering his fourth season with them.
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All told, Mack is a nine-time Pro Bowler and a four-time All-Pro. He’s been a high-level starter for all three teams he’s played for to this point, and he’s showing no signs of stopping. Coming off another Pro Bowl year in 2024, it’s entirely possible Mack’s Hall of Fame case will only get stronger in the coming seasons.
3rd String: Michael Strahan
Michael Strahan’s 2001 Defensive Player of the Year season, in which he set the sack record with 22.5, is the defining season that puts Strahan on this list over others. This, along with his other All-Pro season where he put up 18.5 sacks, shows what Strahan was capable of as a pass rusher.
Even in his final season, Strahan was instrumental in the New York Giants’ Super Bowl run, when they upset the undefeated New England Patriots. He makes the list based on rare accomplishments, alone.
Practice Squad: Dwight Freeney
Linebackers
Starter: Ray Lewis
Ray Lewis might be the best linebacker in NFL history. He holds records with 2,059 career combined tackles and 1,568 career solo tackles. He was a two-time Super Bowl champion and made Pro Bowl appearances in three separate decades. Lewis leads all linebackers with 12 Pro Bowls and ten All-Pro nominations.
In his 17 seasons in the NFL, Lewis led his team in tackles 14 times. He spent his entire career with the Baltimore Ravens, starting as the first draft pick in franchise history in 1996. He wound up becoming not just the most accomplished player the team has ever had, but also the most accomplished off-ball linebacker in NFL history.
Starter: Brian Urlacher
Brian Urlacher is one of the most fun watches in NFL history. His bone-crushing hits and speedy reaction time made him one of the last throwback linebackers before the league started to switch over to more undersized coverage linebackers.
Urlacher was a four-time first-team All-Pro and the Defensive Player of the Year in 2005. Urlacher finished his career with 1,361 total tackles. His 1,046 solo tackles rank 11th since 1994, when the NFL started tracking tackles.
Among other stars, Urlacher was the quarterback of some of the nastiest defenses in the 2000s. This includes PFSN’s sixth, 13th, and 30th-ranked defenses in our Defense+ database.
Starter: Luke Kuechly
Despite Luke Kuechly’s career being cut short, he was an all-time great from the start. Kuechly was the youngest player ever to win the Defensive Player of the Year award, achieving this feat in his second year at the age of 22. As athletic and talented as he was, Keuchly’s true talent was his mind.
I could link countless videos and examples of this, but to me, this one perfectly encapsulates what this guy was made of.
I would be rather shocked if Kuechly doesn’t end up coaching one day, given his ability to understand the game of football. This is evident in his 1,092 total tackles in just eight seasons. His 16-season pace would have put him second all-time behind Ray Lewis if it hadn’t been for his career being cut short.
2nd String: Bobby Wagner
As of this writing, Bobby Wagner is entering his 14th NFL season. While his career might be nearing its end, he’s shown no signs of stopping in the slightest. The current active leader in career tackles, Wagner is an 11-time All-Pro and a ten-time Pro Bowler. He was most recently named a Pro Bowler and All-Pro at 34 years old last year for the Washington Commanders.
Having spent 11 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, Wagner is one of the most intelligent and reliable linebackers in NFL history. He’s a franchise icon who was a first-team All-Pro linebacker in six of the seven seasons from 2014 to 2020. The scariest thing about Wagner is that he’s not done adding accolades to his already tremendous resume.
2nd String: Patrick Willis
Patrick Willis was a five-time Pro Bowl linebacker who dominated the NFL from the moment he stepped onto the field. In his rookie year, he finished with 136 solo tackles and was a first-team All-Pro.
Willis is yet another all-time great linebacker whose career was unfortunately cut short, stopping after just eight years in the NFL.
2nd String: Derrick Brooks
As the face of the Tampa-2 defense, Derrick Brooks was an impact player in all 14 of his NFL seasons, which he spent entirely with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He didn’t miss a single game in his entire career, finishing with 11 Pro Bowls and nine All-Pro nominations. He was the Defensive Player of the Year in 2002 and won the Super Bowl that same season.
Brooks was the NFL’s leader in solo tackles three times in his career and surpassed 100 total tackles in all but two years he played in the league. He has the third-most solo tackles and seventh-most combined tackles in NFL history; he’s firmly entrenched as one of the best linebackers ever to play the game.
Defensive Backs
Starter (CB): Darrelle Revis
With a nickname like Revis Island, it’s a no-brainer that Darrelle Revis gets the nod as a starting corner for this all-quarter century team.
Revis’s ability to play man coverage and completely shut down an entire side of the field is unlike anything the NFL has seen and probably will ever see again. Revis finished his career with four first-team All-Pros but came in second in 2009 for defensive player of the year behind another all-time great, Charles Woodson.
For a 5’11” (relatively) unathletic corner, Revis’ textbook technique and knowledge of the game helped him become one of the greatest corners of all time.
Starter (CB): Charles Woodson
When you think about the best cornerbacks to ever play in the NFL, Charles Woodson should be one of the first names that comes to mind. He played 18 seasons in the league, achieving tremendous success for both the Raiders and the Packers.
He finished his career fifth in NFL history with 65 total interceptions, as well as second with 11 career pick-sixes. His nine Pro Bowls and seven All-Pros make him one of the most successful defensive backs in the game.
Woodson came out firing early in his NFL career, making four consecutive Pro Bowls from 1998 to 2001. He faded into the background for a few years as the Raiders collapsed, but he still finished his eight seasons of his initial run in Oakland with 17 interceptions. However, it’s his run with the Packers that solidified him as a Hall of Famer.
Signing with Green Bay in 2006, Woodson intercepted 38 passes in his seven seasons with the team. At 33 years old, he was the Defensive Player of the Year in 2009, leading the league with nine interceptions and three defensive touchdowns. To top it all off, he returned to the Raiders for three more years and ended his career after an All-Pro season at safety at 39.
Starter (FS): Ed Reed
As far as pure safeties go, there’s a strong argument that Ed Reed is the greatest of all time. Sure, players like Ronnie Lott and Rod Woodson have strong arguments, but they moved over to safety midway through their careers.
Reed was a safety his whole career, notching nine Pro Bowls and eight All-Pro seasons. He was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2004 and led the league in interceptions three times, tying him for the most instances in NFL history.
Reed’s total of 1,590 return yards on interceptions is the highest in NFL history. He was the backbone of the Baltimore Ravens’ secondary for 11 seasons, racking up All-Pro nominations well into his 30s. He was an electric ballhawk who wasn’t afraid to lower the shoulder and hit someone, either. Simply put, he’s an easy choice for the all-century team.
Starter (SS): Troy Polamalu
The way Troy Polamalu flew to the ball is one of the most beautiful things you will see in the game of football. The man had unreal instincts to go with a limitless aggression and unreal closing speed. Polamalu was a four-time team All-Pro, Defensive Player of the Year, and one of the two most valuable members of some star-studded Pittsburgh Steelers defenses.
My favorite play he ever had came against the San Diego Chargers in November of 2008. It was one of those right place, right time plays where Polamalu just barely got his hand underneath the ball for the acrobatic interception, before running around and making magic happen on the return.
If it wasn’t for the snowy ground, it’s likely Polamalu would have returned that one for a touchdown.
2nd String (CB): Richard Sherman
Richard Sherman was the cornerback on PFSN’s 12th-ranked defense since 2000. The Legion of Boom was a special unit, and I don’t think our rankings do them any justice. From 2011 to 2014, Sherman racked up 24 interceptions and 65 pass deflections. His 24 pass deflections in 2012 rank tied for 11th all-time.
2nd String (CB): Champ Bailey
Champ Bailey was often overshadowed by Darrelle Revis, but was still a legendary corner for the Denver Broncos in the 2000s. A beacon of consistency is especially impressive for a position with so much year-to-year volatility. Bailey finished with three first-team All-Pro seasons as well as 12 Pro Bowls in 15 years.
Bailey’s peak came in 2005 and 2006, when he was arguably the best corner in football. He racked up eight and 10 interceptions, as well as getting involved in the run game with 66 and 86 total tackles.
2nd String (FS): Earl Thomas
Another member of the vaunted Legion of Boom, Earl Thomas, was a dominant safety for the Seattle Seahawks. Three first-team All-Pros and an essential role in limiting explosive plays as the free safety over the top, while Kam Chancellor roamed around in the box and blew up ball carriers.
2nd String (SS): Brian Dawkins
Brian Dawkins might be the most feared defensive back in NFL history. Lovingly referred to as ‘Weapon X’, Dawkins played 16 seasons in the league and spent 13 with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was a nine-time Pro Bowler and a five-time All-Pro, finishing with 37 career interceptions and 1,147 career tackles.
During his time with the Eagles, Dawkins was consistently one of the top safeties in the NFL. He concluded his last two seasons in the league with the Denver Broncos, maintaining his elite level of play.
He made two Pro Bowls and one All-Pro past the age of 35, including his final season in 2011 at 38 years old. A heavy hitter who could make plays on the ball, he’s easily one of the most accomplished safeties of all time.
Special Teams
Starter (K): Adam Vinatieri
Our starting kicker is pretty easily the greatest kicker of all time. While others might have comparable statistics, Adam Vinatieri has the most clutch moments you can even dream of. Getting to kick for both Brady and Manning was something special. Earning their trust by being reliable in crunch time is even sweeter.
2nd String (K): Justin Tucker
As of this writing, it remains to be seen if Justin Tucker will play in the NFL again. Nonetheless, from a purely on-field perspective, Tucker is one of the greatest kickers in league history.
He currently holds the record in career field goal percentage at 89.1%, and he nailed a 66-yard field goal in 2021 to break the record for the longest field goal in NFL history.
Tucker is an eight-time Pro Bowler and a seven-time All-Pro, having spent all 13 of his NFL seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. He also won a Super Bowl in his first year in the league, cementing his resume as one of the greatest kickers ever to put on cleats.
Starter (P): Shane Lechler
As of this writing, Ray Guy is the only pure punter in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. If anyone else deserves to be inducted, though, it’s Shane Lechler. He was a nine-time All-Pro, which is the highest total of any punter in NFL history.
He spent 18 seasons in the league, playing for the then-Oakland Raiders for 13. A powerful punter, he led the league in punting average five times in his career.
There have been some talented punters over the 21st century. Johnny Hekker and Andy Lee particularly deserve credit for their success and longevity in the league. However, nobody has combined the two quite as well as Lechler did in the NFL. He’s an easy choice as the best punter of this quarter-century.
2nd String (P): Johnny Hekker
Having just signed a one-year deal with the Tennessee Titans, Hekker doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
It’s been a remarkable career for him, having been a six-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler. He holds the record in single-season net average punting yards with 46.0 in 2016, and he also had the longest punt in Super Bowl history with a 65-yard boot in Super Bowl 53.
Hekker is a two-time league leader in punting yards. Heading into Year 14 of his illustrious NFL career, he’s easily been one of the most consistent and accomplished punters of the 21st century.
Starter (LS): Morgan Cox
2025 will be Morgan Cox’s 16th season as a long snapper in the NFL. He is a five-time Pro Bowler and has been the definition of consistency between his stints with the Baltimore Ravens and the Tennessee Titans.
Since the league started inviting long snappers to the Pro Bowl in 2004, Cox has the most appearances of any player at his position in league history.
Throughout 233 career starts in the NFL, Cox has been as reliable as they come. It’s tough to measure long snapper success other than longevity and awards, but he has both of those in spades.
2nd String (LS): Patrick Mannelly
Patrick Mannelly was the first player ever explicitly selected as a long snapper in NFL draft history.
When the Chicago Bears made history by taking him in 1998, even they likely didn’t expect they’d get as much success out of him as they ended up getting. Mannelly played 245 games in Chicago throughout his 16-year career. He snapped the ball 2,282 times in his career and didn’t botch a single snap.
The first long snapper to adjust his snapping technique to count rotations on his snaps, Mannelly consistently made sure to land the laces away from the holder. He was a holder’s best friend during his time in the league, and it’s only fitting that the college football award for the best long snapper in the FBS is named after him.
Starter (KR): Cordarelle Patterson
It’s hard living up to the expectations set by Devin Hester as the standard of being an NFL return specialist. If anyone’s come the closest to meeting that standard, though, it’s Cordarrelle Patterson.
He’s a six-time All-Pro and a four-time Pro Bowler for his work on special teams. He most notably made two first-team All-Pro teams, one with the Minnesota Vikings and the other with the Chicago Bears.
Patterson’s nine career kick returns for touchdowns are the most in NFL history. Even in his 12th season in the league, he led the Pittsburgh Steelers in kick returning in 2024 at 33 years old. He’s also been a valuable gunner on special teams during his time in the league, making him a valuable asset in the third phase.
Starter (PR): Devin Hester
The only pure return specialist inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Devin Hester is an easy choice for the best returner of the quarter-century. He’s the NFL’s all-time leader with 20 career return touchdowns, as well as the league’s leader with 14 career punt returns for touchdowns.
A four-time Pro Bowler who broke the single-season record with six total return touchdowns in 2007, Hester is also the first player to return the opening kickoff of the Super Bowl for a touchdown.
Hester was an elite return specialist in a way that has never been matched before or since his time in the NFL.
He was a valuable asset to the Chicago Bears, thanks to his electrifying play with the ball in his hands and his exceptional ball-carrier vision as a return specialist. Nearly every time a team decided to kick the ball his way, they would end up regretting it one way or another.
Starter: Matthew Slater
Bill Belichick would be the guy to listen to here. Getting that kind of recognition from one of the greatest coaches of all time is something special. Matthew Slater is one of the rare cases of a special-teams player who absolutely should make it to the Hall of Fame. While he didn’t do any of the flashy jobs, he was one of the best at what he did.
Practice Squad: Josh Cribbs
