Choosing the top five football players of all time can lead to a heated debate among fans. To start with, these players must have great credentials. Putting up record-breaking statistics, earning multiple awards and Pro Bowl selections, and being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame helps separate the best from the rest when it comes to greatness on the gridiron. According to the NFL Network, the five best players of all time were Jerry Rice, Jim Brown, Lawrence Taylor, Joe Montana and Walter Payton.
Jerry Rice
To culminate its 10-part series, the NFL Network named Jerry Rice as the greatest football player in the NFL. Rice was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010, and was named to the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team. Perhaps most impressive, Rice owns every major receiving record in the NFL. In his 18 season Rice caught 1,549 passes for 22,895 yards and 197 touchdowns. He played for the San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders and Seattle Seahawks.
Jim Brown
The NFL Network named Jim Brown as the second greatest player in football. Brown rushed for 12,312 yards and scored 756 points. The running back was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971, and was selected to nine NFL Pro Bowls. Brown won four NFL Most Valuable Player awards in 1957, 1958, 1963 and 1965, and played all nine of his NFL seasons with the Cleveland Browns.
Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Taylor played linebacker for the New York Giants from 1981 until 1993. The aggressive linebacker was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999. Taylor was a nine time NFL All Pro and was selected to the NFL's 1980s All Decade Team. The Associated Press awarded Taylor with the Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1981, 1982 and 1986.
Joe Montana
Joe Montana was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the year 2000. Montana was an eight-time Pro Bowl quarterback who played for the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs. During Montana's career he threw for 40,551 yards, 273 touchdowns and 3,409 pass completions. Montana also won the 1989 and 1990 Associated Press Player of the Year Award. The National Football League voted Montana onto the 75th Anniversary All-Time Team and the 1980s All Decade Team.
Walter Payton
Walter Payton rushed for 16,726 yards and 110 touchdowns in his professional football career. Payton was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993 and was awarded the NFL's Most Valuable Player in 1977 and 1985. He competed in nine Pro Bowls and was a seven-time All Pro. Payton played all 13 seasons with the Chicago Bears. In 1985, Payton led to Bears to a Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots.
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