The Best Linebackers of All‑Time

In the Super Bowl Era

Since 1980, there have been 18 Modern-Era Linebackers honored by the Hall of Fame, with an average Legends Score of 46. For a list of other positions, click here.

Player	Pos	Status	Legends Score	Avg/Year
Lawrence Taylor	ROLB		80	6.15
Ray Lewis	RILB		80	4.71
Junior Seau	RLB		66	3.3
Joe Schmidt	LB		65	5
Ted Hendricks	LOLB		64	4.27
Dick Butkus	MLB		63	7
Derrick Brooks	RLB		63	4.5
Bobby Wagner	ILB	Active	63	5.25
Mike Singletary	MLB		63	5.25
Jack Lambert	RILB		60	5.45
Bill George	LB		60	4
Jack Ham	LLB		56	4.67
Von Miller	OLB	Active	55	4.23
Luke Kuechly	ILB	Eligible 2025	50	6.25
Zach Thomas	LB		47	3.62
Patrick Willis	ILB		47	5.88
DeMarcus Ware	OLB		47	3.92
Brian Urlacher	MLB		46	3.54
Derrick Thomas	LOLB		43	3.91
Chuck Howley	RLB		39	2.44
Robert Brazile	ROLB		38	3.8
Khalil Mack	OLB	Active	38	3.8
Bobby Bell	LLB		36	3
Joe Fortunato	LB	Eligible 1972	35	2.92
Kevin Greene	LOLB		33	2.2
Sam Huff	MLB		33	2.36
Ray Nitschke	MLB		32	2.13
Chris Hanburger	RLB		32	2.29
Maxie Baughan	RLB	Eligible 1980	31	2.07
Andre Tippett	LOLB		30	2.5
Hardy Nickerson	MLB	Eligible 2008	30	1.88
Joey Porter	ROLB	Eligible 2017	27	2.08
Chandler Jones	LB	Active	26	2.17
Randy Gradishar	LILB		26	2.6
Nick Buoniconti	MLB		25	1.67
Les Richter	LB		25	2.78
Isiah Robertson	RLB	Eligible 1988	25	2.08
Tommy Nobis	MLB	Eligible 1982	25	2.27
Bill Bergey	LILB	Eligible 1986	24	2
Karl Mecklenburg	LILB	Eligible 2000	24	2
Dave Robinson	LLB		23	1.92
Dave Wilcox	LLB		23	2.09
Navorro Bowman	ILB	Eligible 2023	23	2.88
Darius Shaquille Leonard	LB	Active	21	3.5
Harry Carson	RILB		21	1.62
Pat Swilling	ROLB	Eligible 2004	21	1.62
Willie Lanier	MLB		21	1.91
James Harrison	ROLB	Eligible 2023	21	1.31
Rickey Jackson	LOLB		21	1.4
Greg Lloyd	ROLB	Eligible 2004	20	1.82
C.J. Mosley	ILB	Active	20	2
Demario Davis	LB	Active	19	1.58
Levon Kirkland	LILB	Eligible 2008	19	1.73
Cornelius Bennett	LOLB	Eligible 2006	19	1.36
Bill Forester	RLB	Eligible 1969	19	1.73
Fred Warner	ILB	Active	18	3
Lance Briggs	LLB	Eligible 2020	18	1.5
Roquan Smith	LB	Active	18	3
George Webster	LB	Eligible 1982	17	1.7
Clay Matthews III	OLB	Eligible 2025	17	1.55
Jessie Armstead	RLB	Eligible 2009	16	1.45
Micah Parsons	ILB	Active	16	5.33
Wilber Marshall	LLB	Eligible 2001	16	1.33
Sam Mills	LILB		16	1.33
Dale Dodrill	MLB	Eligible 1965	15	1.67
Larry Morris	LB	Eligible 1972	15	1.25
Carl Banks	LOLB	Eligible 2001	15	1.25
Larry Grantham	LB	Eligible 1978	15	1.15
Elvis Dumervil	ROLB	Eligible 2023	15	1.25
Terrell Suggs	OLB	Eligible 2025	15	0.88
Chris Spielman	LILB	Eligible 2005	15	1.25
Mike Stratton	LB	Eligible 1979	14	1.17
John Offerdahl	LILB	Eligible 1999	13	1.63
Chad Brown	RLB	Eligible 2013	13	0.87
Al Wilson	MLB	Eligible 2012	13	1.63
Julian Peterson	LLB	Eligible 2016	13	1.18
Lavonte David	OLB	Active	12	1
Jeremiah Trotter	MLB	Eligible 2015	12	1
Mike Curtis	MLB	Eligible 1984	12	0.86
Shane Conlan	LILB	Eligible 2001	12	1.33
Dan Conners	LB	Eligible 1980	12	1.09
Derrick O. Johnson	ILB	Eligible 2024	12	0.86
Matt Blair	LLB	Eligible 1991	11	0.92
Shawne Merriman	ROLB	Eligible 2018	11	1.38
Walt Michaels	RLB	Eligible 1969	11	0.85
Lee Roy Jordan	MLB	Eligible 1982	11	0.79
Wayne Walker	LB	Eligible 1978	11	0.73
Mo Lewis	LOLB	Eligible 2009	11	0.85
Roger Zatkoff	RLB	Eligible 1964	11	1.83
Jon Beason	MLB	Eligible 2021	11	1.22
Tom Jackson	ROLB	Eligible 1992	11	0.79
Ken Norton Jr.	MLB	Eligible 2006	11	0.85
Tamba Hali	OLB	Eligible 2023	11	0.92
Keith Brooking	LLB	Eligible 2018	11	0.73
Andy Russell	RLB	Eligible 1982	10	0.71
Robert Mathis	OLB	Eligible 2022	10	0.71
James Farrior	LILB	Eligible 2017	10	0.67
Ken Harvey	LLB	Eligible 2004	10	0.91
Rod Martin	ROLB	Eligible 1994	10	0.83
London Fletcher	ILB	Eligible 2019	9	0.56
Fredd Young	LILB	Eligible 1996	9	1.29
LaVar Arrington	LLB	Eligible 2012	9	1.29
Keith Bulluck	RLB	Eligible 2016	9	0.82
Chip Banks	LOLB	Eligible 1999	9	0.75
Tim Harris	ROLB	Eligible 2001	9	0.9
Seth Joyner	LLB	Eligible 2004	9	0.69
John Anderson	LB	Eligible 1995	9	0.75
Bryce Paup	LOLB	Eligible 2006	9	0.82
Dan Currie	LLB	Eligible 1972	9	1
Thomas Davis	OLB	Eligible 2026	8	0.5
Marv Matuszak	MLB	Eligible 1970	8	0.67
Malcolm Smith	LB	Eligible 2027	8	0.73
Jason Gildon	LOLB	Eligible 2010	8	0.73
Bryan Cox	ROLB	Eligible 2008	8	0.67
Hugh Green	ROLB	Eligible 1997	8	0.73
Justin Houston	OLB	Active	8	0.62
Jessie Tuggle	MLB	Eligible 2006	8	0.57
Matt Hazeltine	RLB	Eligible 1976	8	0.5
Lofa Tatupu	MLB	Eligible 2016	8	1.33
Peter Boulware	LLB	Eligible 2011	7	0.78
Jim Houston	LLB	Eligible 1978	7	0.54
Vaughan Johnson	RILB	Eligible 2000	7	0.78
Sean Lee	LB	Eligible 2026	7	0.64
Al Smith	MLB	Eligible 2002	7	0.7
E.J. Junior	MLB	Eligible 1999	7	0.54
Clay Matthews Jr.	OLB	Eligible 2002	7	0.37
Phil Villapiano	LLB	Eligible 1989	7	0.54
Tedy Bruschi	RILB	Eligible 2014	7	0.54
Takeo Spikes	RLB	Eligible 2018	7	0.47
Adalius Thomas	LLB	Eligible 2015	7	0.7
Donnie Edwards	LILB	Eligible 2014	7	0.54
Pepper Johnson	RILB	Eligible 2004	7	0.54
Jerod Mayo	LILB	Eligible 2021	7	0.88
Ahmad Brooks	OLB	Eligible 2023	7	0.58
Jamir Miller	LLB	Eligible 2008	6	0.67
Lee Roy Caffey	RLB	Eligible 1978	6	0.6
Mike Vrabel	LOLB	Eligible 2016	6	0.43
Bob Swenson	LOLB	Eligible 1989	6	0.67
Matt Milano	LB	Active	6	0.86
John Reger	RLB	Eligible 1972	6	0.5
Kevin Hardy	RLB	Eligible 2010	6	0.67
Renaldo Turnbull	ROLB	Eligible 2003	6	0.75
ZaDarius Smith	LB	Active	6	0.67
Jack Pardee	LLB	Eligible 1979	6	0.35
Aldon Smith	OLB	Eligible 2021	6	1.2
Myron Pottios	MLB	Eligible 1979	6	0.46
Bob Breunig	MLB	Eligible 1990	6	0.6
Eric Kendricks	LB	Active	6	0.67
John Mobley	RLB	Eligible 2009	5	0.63
William Thomas	RLB	Eligible 2007	5	0.45
Haason Reddick	OLB	Active	5	0.71
Dont'a Hightower	LB	Eligible 2027	5	0.5
Stephen Boyd	MLB	Eligible 2007	5	0.71
DeMeco Ryans	MLB	Eligible 2021	5	0.5
Lorenzo Alexander	LB	Eligible 2025	5	0.38
Quincy Williams	LB	Active	5	1
De'Vondre Campbell	LB	Active	5	0.63
Chad Greenway	OLB	Eligible 2022	5	0.5
Brad Van Pelt	LOLB	Eligible 1992	5	0.36

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