In celebration of Halloween here are the top 10 scariest NFL defensive players I ever saw play:
10. Ted Hendricks: His nickname was the Mad Stork. That says it all.
9. Rich Jackson: A knee injury cut his career short in the early 70’s, but for five years this Broncos pass rusher was as feared as anyone. He had a great nickname, too – Tombstone.
8. Ronnie Lott: The second hardest-hitting defensive back I’ve ever seen. He was a speeding projectile.
7. Deacon Jones: My ears still ring watching him cause hearing damage for offensive linemen with his vicious head slaps.
6. Dick Lane: I caught Night Train Lane at the end of his career in the mid 60’s and can only imagine the devastation and destruction he caused in his prime with his clothesline tackles and face mask grabs. Lane would only play about half the games per season if he played in today’s NFL because he would be constantly suspended.
5. Ray Nitschke: Nobody personified the physical toughness of Vince Lombardi’s defense than Nitschke. I once saw him kick a powerful fullback in the butt after driving him out of bounds.
4. Jack Lambert: His toothless snarl still haunts.
3. Lawrence Taylor: Two words: Joe Theismann. Taylor was the greatest sideline-to-sideline linebacker of all time.
2. Jack Tatum: Not only was he the hardest-hitting defensive back of all time, but he was dirty and a cheap shot artist.
1. Dick Butkus: This guy wasn’t human. His eyes bulged, his nostrils flared and he snorted like a wild boar.
