I'm assuming the NFL will name it's 100th anniversary team either this offseason, or potentially after this season....the 75th was announced in 1994

here is the 75th anniversary team

http://www.nfl.com/history/legends/75th

If we assume that they keep the same number of players at each position....

who are the certain additions from the past 25 years?

who are the guys who are in the running but not certainties?

Certain Addition:

My pov

Certainties

Tom Brady
Devin Hester
Larry Allen
Jonathan Ogden
Ed Reed
Tony Gonzalez
Adam Vinatieri


who am I missing?

In the running

Offense

Peyton Manning
Bruce Matthews
Barry Sanders
Emmit Smith
Gronk
I'd also have John Hannah but he retired around 94 so maybe he didn't make the cut and won't again?

Defense
Bruce Smith
Troy Polamanu
Deion Sanders
Ray Lewis
Julius Peppers
JJ Watt

other than Watt and Brady...not sure any current players have quite the body of work yet? eg Donald, some of the receivers, Rodgers etc

Would have thought there's got to be some receiver that'd get in ahead of anyone that isn't Rice, but they all seem a bit similar and none of them stand out ahead of the others to me

Yeah, I agree re the WRs. I think Randy Moss probably has the best case of any of them. TO was incredible but too much bull**** I’d guess. Larry Fitz a step down from these two imo.

If Calvin had kept playing he might have had a chance and then Antonio or even Hopkins or Odell may well be capable of building his own story with 5 more seasons but they’re not there yet

If Moss isn't on it then just lol at the whole thing

Moss is still more known for fake mooning the packers than any touchdown he got.

Damnit Joe Buck you had to get upset for no reason.

Also the Bears all time team is f'ing loaded at RB, bronko is arguably not even the bears best fullback, lol.

Derrick Thomas probably should be in
Junior Seau on the maybe list

Ray could get replaced by Lechler, but I don't think they'll do it for that list.

Yeah I thought about Lechler too

Emmitt Smith has to be in, IMO.

Brett Favre

Lol no.

Maybe if you need to pick six.

Would he even be the third QB picked from the past 25 years?

Brees probably closest, Rodgers in there too.

not all time....the last 25 years, yes

Bruce Smith should be on the 2nd team

Have we ever done an all-time draft here? The only ones I recall seeing or doing were modern era so ignoring like two thirds of pro football history

Ray Lewis has be to a lock #homer

Ray Lewis is vastly overrated

show your work

I don't have to.

CBs:

D. Sanders

C. Bailey
C. Woodson
D. Revis
R. Sherman

I might be overrating Champ Bailey but he was the first player that came to mind that hasn't been mentioned.

Heh.

Woodson should make it...maybe Sanders....no other CB

Interesting that the immediate thought is that Deion should definitely get in ahead of Charles Woodson (Rod Woodson >> than both) and certainly he added far more value on special teams than Woodson, but if you look at the stats you see how much of a more rounded player Woodson was


more INTs
more Defensive TDs
waaaay more Forced Fumbles...28-0
waaaay more sacks 20-1
no tackle data for much of Deion's career but we know (and the FF and sacks data tell a tale) that he wasn't one for contact

(Woodson did play a few more seasons, which would have padded his stats)

my instinct despite all the above would still be to pick Deion because he was probably the greatest shutdown corner ever but definitely a lot closer than I thought

ok well Ray Nitschke was named first team all pro twice and second team 5 times while Ray was named first team 7 times and 2nd team twice. Of course 2 NFL Defensive MVPs for Lewis (Didn't have that award in the 60s but by the looks of it Nitschke would have never won it) + Super Bowl MVP etc

I meant Rod Woodson.