This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
Who are the top NFL players of the 1990s? Here is our top 10 countdown:
10. Derrick Thomas: with 116.5 sacks during the decade, Thomas had six double-digit sack seasons (including a league-high 20.0 in 1990) to earn eight Pro Bowl nods and a pair of All-Pro selections.
9. Junior Seau: in piling up nearly 1,200 tackles and 41.0 sacks in the 1990s, Seau was a 9x Pro Bowl and 5x All-Pro selection who staked a claim to being the decade’s top linebacker.
8. Rod Woodson: in addition to winning 1993 Defensive Player of the Year honors, Woodson picked off over 45 passes at his cornerback position during the decade to earn seven Pro Bowl and four All-Pro nods.
7. Reggie White: a dominant pass rusher with both the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers, White had 111.5 sacks for the decade (seven double-digit sack seasons) with nine Pro Bowl selections, four All-Pro nods, the 1998 Defensive Player of the Year award, and a Super Bowl title with the Packers.
6. Bruce Smith: the league’s all-time leader in career sacks and a 2x Defensive Player of the Year, Smith had eight double-digit sack seasons en route to 113.5 total sacks, eight Pro Bowls and six All-Pro selections during the 1990s.
5. Deion Sanders: a shutdown cornerback who also dabbled with professional baseball, Sanders was the 1994 Defensive Player of the Year and amassed nearly 40 interceptions for the decade with eight Pro Bowl and six All-Pro selections; moreover, he won Super Bowls with both the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys.
4. Emmitt Smith: a 4x rushing champion with nine 1,000-yard seasons in the 1990s, Smith racked up nearly 14,000 rushing yards for the decade en route to eight Pro Bowl selections, four All-Pro nods, the 1993 MVP award, and three Super Bowl titles with the Cowboys.
3. Brett Favre: the only player in NFL history ever to win three consecutive MVP awards (1995-1997), Favre made five Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams during the decade while also leading the league in passing yardage twice (three 4,000-yard seasons), passing touchdowns 3x, and winning a Super Bowl with the Packers.
2. Jerry Rice: the greatest wide receiver in NFL history, Rice was an 8x Pro Bowl and 6x All-Pro selection during the decade who led the league in receiving yards 4x (including a then-record 1,848 yards in 1995) and receiving touchdowns 3x while guiding the 49ers to their record fifth Super Bowl title; in all, he racked up over 850 catches for 12,000+ yards and 100+ touchdowns in the 1990s.
1. Barry Sanders: the league’s most electrifying running back before his surprise retirement in 1998, Sanders was a 5x All-Pro and 4x rushing champion who rushed for 1,000+ yards and made the Pro Bowl every season, including 2,053 yards in his 1997 co-MVP season (shared with Favre).
Agree/Disagree? As always, debate/discuss, and leave your thoughts and comments below.
Note: All statistics as of time of publication.
More Good Stuff
- Watch: Get tickets to see your favorite NFL team(s) in action
- Wear: Buy sports apparel for your favorite NFL player(s) or team(s)
- Collect: Buy unique sports memorabilia for your favorite NFL player(s) or team(s)
- Play: Show off your football knowledge by playing daily fantasy football
- Build: Start your own sports website/blog
Previous
Countdown 56: Top 10 NHL Players of the 1990s
