Top Ten NFL Players of Our Time

National Football League is the most popular sports competition in USA. Fans are always exciting for the NFL matches and love to see their star footballers. Here, I have made a list Top Ten NFL Players of Our Time on the basis of current performance of the NFL players. It is really a hard task to choose 10 players from a pool of excellent players. There are many players who have the same talent to get into this list. However, I did not have many options to include all of them because at the end, I had to choose only ten players. The players included here are my personal choices. You do not need to agree with this list. You may have your own opinion on this regard. So, you can put your choices in the comment section.

Peyton Manning
This star quarterback of Indianapolis Colts now seems to become another legend in American football. No doubt, if he can continue his current form then soon he will break almost all of the records in his playing position. Peyton Manning has already achieved a lot and deserves to be a future inductee of Hall of Fame. At this moment, Manning is one of the most popular players in National Football League.

Born to father Archie Manning, a former quarterback of NFL, Peyton Manning played college football in Tennessee. Interestingly his brother Eli Manning is also a quarterback currently playing for New York Giants. Peyton Manning was born in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1976. He has already broken some of the passing record of American football. In 2004 season, Peyton Manning came up with record 49 touchdown passes in a season. He is now the world record holder of having most consecutive seasons with more than 4000 yards passing records and most seasons with 4000 or more yards in American football.

Selected seven times for Pro Bowl and awarded the “Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player” twice, Peyton Manning is now in his way to become another great footballer in the history of American football. His quick move, speed and technique have made him a leading character in today’s American football.
Source: Wikipedia

Image Source: Wikipedia

LaDainian Tomlinson
The 28 years old running back of San Diego Chargers, LaDainian Tomlinson is now the leading performer in NFL in this position. He has already broken some records in national football league. The way he is playing these days, it seems he will become a mega start of the sports soon.

LaDainian Tomlinson has been selected for Pro Bowl for four times in his career. This star running back has some other impressive records in NFL. LaDainian Tomlinson is now the highest point scorer in NFL with 186 points in 2006 season. This impressive record led him to win the “Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player” and NFL’s Most Valuable Player awards in 2006.

The early life of this great footballer was not so easy. Divorce of his parents was a big blow in his life. However, he could continue playing football from his early age and studied University High School in Waco, Texas where he played his college football besides basketball and baseball. Gradually he could able to prove his skill and came into lime light with his impressive performance in college football led him to become a star in NFL. I think, he has the potential to become one of the greatest running backs in American football.
Source: Wikipedia

Image Source: Wikipedia

Tom Brady
Great players always give their best in the big matches. If it is the way to determine greatness then, for sure, Tom Brady has already become a great player in NFL history. Tom Brady currently plays for New England Patriots in NFL. This star quarterback has already showed his talent in national football league winning Super Bowl titles. Tom Brady also got the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award twice so far.

Tom Brady is regarded as one of the best current quarterbacks in NFL. He was born in San Mateo, California in 1977. Brady attended University of Michigan where he played college football. At early years, he had to struggle to manage time for playing. However, at last he could overcome all odds and could prove himself as one of the best quarterbacks of his time. Brady holds the records of highest single game quarterback rating of 150.9 and highest single season quarterback rating of 92.6. He got four times super bowl selection in his career. If he can continue his performance then no doubt, American football will get another legend in near future.
Source: Wikipedia

Image Source: Wikipedia

Carson Palmer
Another leading quarterback of NFL, Carson Palmer also deserves to become another great in American football. He currently plays for Cincinnati Bengals where he has got lots of success. He started playing in NFL since 2003 and has already proved his skill and talent. His excellent performance led Cincinnati Bengals to win the AFC north division title in 2005.

Carson Palmer involved in American football from his school days. He studied at the Santa Margarita Catholic High School. He made 27 school records and came into lime light. Carson Palmer played college football for University of Southern California. From the beginning of his college football career, he showed his skill and talent as a quarterback. He could continue his excellent performance in NFL as well. He is the first Cincinnati Bengals footballer who has over 4000 passing yards and has 32 touchdown passes in a season. Both are record for Cincinnati Bengals. In 2006, Carson Palmer has gone through a knee injury that led him out of the field that year. However, since his coming back to the team, he has been playing excellent.

Carson Palmer is now 27 years old and by this time he has bagged some of the biggest honors of American football. He has been selected for Pro Bowl twice in his career and got the Pro Bowl Most Valuable Player 2007. So, the way Carson Palmer is playing in NFL, I think, he has the potential to achieve many more awards. No doubt, he is in the right track to become a legend in the history of NFL.
Source: Wikipedia, ESPN

Image Source: Wikipedia

Champ Bailey
This star cornerback has already become one of the best in this position in national football league. Champ Bailey has been impressive in the last few seasons in NFL. He started playing at NFL since 1999. He was drafted in the first round of NFL draft in 1999 and played for Washington Redskins till 2003. He was the first drafted player from his hometown Folkston, Georgia. For Washington Redskins, Champ Bailey set him as one of the leading shutdown cornerback of current time. He currently plays for Denver Broncos since his joining in 2004.

Champ Bailey played his college football at the University of Georgia where he was also famous for his indoor long jump record. Along with Fred Smoot and Sanders, Champ Bailey initiated the technique of man-to-man coverage while playing in Washington Redskins. For seven consecutive years, he was selected for Pro Bowl from 2001-2007. I think, he deserves some more awards in his career.

It is a bit early to mark him a great footballer of all time but it is also true that he has the potential to become a legend of American football. He is now 29 years old and he has a long way to go in his career. I will not be surprised if he bags all of the records for a cornerback in his career.
Source: ESPN, Wikipedia

Image Source: ESPN

Brett Favre
Veteran quarterback Brett Favre is still an influential performer of Green Bay Packers. Throughout his illustrated career, he has bagged many awards and records. Aged 37, he is still a major footballer of NFL. Even if he retires today, he has the enough achievement to deserve to be a legend in American football.

Brett Favre started playing football since his school days in Hancock North Central High School. In his childhood, he played for different positions under the coaching of his father Irvin Favre. He attended Southern Mississippi where he got a scholarship and started playing for the college team as a quarterback. In 1991, he joined Atlanta Falcons after being drafted at the second round. However, the very next season Brett Favre joined his current club Green Bay Packers where he has got lots of awards.

He has 57,500 career passing yards, just 3861 short of Dan Marino. Favre is just six short to break the all time touchdown passing record of Dan Marino. Currently Brett Favre has 414 touchdown passes.

Brett Favre has already become a great footballer. Now, it is yet to see where he stops by the time he will retire. He stands at 82 in The Sporting News’ 100 greatest footballers list. Awarded NFL Most Valuable Player for three consecutive seasons and selected for Pro Bowl for eight times, Brett Favre has hardly any honor yet to be awarded in American football. Oh yes, he has not been a hall of famer. However, no doubt, he has already set a step into the elite panel of hall of famer. I think, he is a legend of American football.
Source: Wikipedia, ESPN

Image Source: Wikipedia

Brian Urlacher
He is, for sure, one of the best defensive players of current time in NFL. He is the star linebacker of Chicago Bears who has already set himself as the best in this position. From the very beginning of his career, he has been showing his talent and skill at the elite level of NFL.

Brian Urlacher was eager to take admission at the Texas Tech University. However, he failed to get a scholarship from Texas Tech University. Then he attended at the University of New Mexico where he played college football and established himself as one of the future star of American football. In 2000, he joined Chicago Bears and won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award that season. Till now, he has played five times in Pro Bowl. In 2005, he won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Aged 29, Brian Urlacher has a long way to go and if he can continue his current performance then, for sure, he will be one of the greatest defensive players of all time in American football.
Source: Wikipedia, ESPN

Image Source: Wikipedia

Richard Seymour
Strong, athletic and highly effective Richard Seymour has already been a star defensive lineman of NFL. He currently plays for New England Patriots. Since rookie year in 2001, he has been playing with great intensity for his club. He is now 27 but already proved his talent and skill in NFL. He ha splayed Pro Bowl for five consecutive times. He is now in the way to become a future great in American football.

Richard Seymour started playing football from his school life at the Lower Richland High School in Hopkins, South Carolina. Richard Seymour played excellent in his school career. He played for Georgia in college football and achieved lots of awards since then. In 2001, he has drafted by the New England Patriots in the first round of NFL Draft of that year. He is nicknamed Big Sey and interestingly he could not take part in School football till ninth grade as he was too big to play with the children.

I think, it should not be fair to predict anything about Richard Seymour and his future success as he has a long way left to him. However, I think, if he can continues his current performance in the coming years then, no doubt, he will be one of the great defensive players of all time in American football.
Source: Wikipedia, ESPN

Image Source: ESPN

Ray Lewis
I know that many would argue for the presence of Ray Lewis in the top ten footballers of current time. Actually, while including him, I just thought about his skill and the ability to dominate over the opponent players. Awarded the NFL Defensive Player of the Year twice and Super Bowl Most Valuable Player, this Baltimore Ravens linebacker has already proved his talent and ability in NFL.

Ray Lewis started playing football from his school life. He won the Most Valuable Player award in both junior and senior seasons in Kathleen High School. He played college football for University of Miami. He impressed with his performance in college football career. Then in 1996, he was drafted in the first round and since then he has been playing as a regular defensive player for Baltimore Ravens.

Ray Lewis is now one of the leading linebackers in NFL. He has already played Pro Bowl for eight times in his career. Moreover, he has been selected for Associated Press All-Pro for seven times in his career. He is now 32 and I think, he can continue his career at least five more years. The talent Ray Lewis has in him is enough to be a greatest defensive player of all time in American football.
Source: Wikipedia

Image Source: Wikipedia

Larry Johnson
This star offensive player is another leading footballer in NFL at this moment. Larry Johnson currently plays for Kansas City Chiefs where he has been playing from his debut season. He has already proved his class with his consistent performance for his club in NFL. Born to Larry Johnson, Sr., a famous high school football coach and current defensive line coach at the Penn State University, Larry Johnson might have got the early inspiration from his father.

Larry Johnson played both as a linebacker and running back in his young age. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2003 and from then on he is playing for this club. He has been selected twice for Pro Bowl. He has a lot to go in his career and this is not the right time to make any prediction. However, the way he has been playing these days, he seems to become another great footballer in American football.
Source: Wikipedia, ESPN

Image Source: Wikipedia

It is true that there are many more names popped up in my minds while making the lost. To tell the truth, I had to struggle myself to exclude some of the names from the list of top ten NFL players’ list. I have arranged some more names of currently popular NFL players who also deserve to make it to the list of top ten NFL players. The names are given below:

Chad Johnson, Dwight Freeney, Adam Vinatieri, Jonathan Ogden, Matt Hasselback, Randy Moss, Kerry Rhode, John Henderson, Torry Holt, Walter Jones