Pro Football Reference also views the Cowboys' offensive line as an elite unit, especially in the running game . ", "Martellus Bennett: Martellus Bennett believes he's the complete package for Chicago Bears", "Why Seahawks' Jamal Adams and Saints' Michael Thomas are suddenly underrated superstars", "Phil Robertson and Terry Bradshaw to Attend Thursday's Football Game", "A Passel Of Pro Football Immortals Recall The Early Days Of The Game", "Anthony Dixon on why he's now 'Boobie Dixon' on Bills' official roster", "Depression almost ended the life of ex-NFL QB Erik Kramer. It is the unique blend of humor, originality, and bravado found only in the NFL. A company named Evil Enterprises Inc. began seeking trademark rights for the phrase "Baseball's Evil Empire" in 2008, leading a panel of judges in Washington D.C. to rule in 2013 that "there is only one Evil Empire in baseball and it is the New York Yankees.". Neither the free agents nor the many draft picks helped the Vikings form a good offensive line. This year, they're returning four of five starters. Fittingly, Jones is created with coining the term "sack.". The Cowboys offensive line of Doug Free (68), Zack Martin (70), Ronald Leary (65), Travis Frederick (72) and Tyron Smith (77) was once the most dominating unit in the NFL. Riggins and the Hogs dominated Super Bowl XVII. Jackson 5 has a nice ring to it", https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/jeff-stoutland-university-t-shirt-eagles-autism-foundation-jordan-mailata, "Sports E-Cyclopedia History of the Cleveland Browns", "Sports E-Cyclopedia History of the Miami Dolphins", CJOnline Blogs Martyball: The way it's played, "Dolphins Revived by Their Defense: Raiders: Rookies, castoffs make Miami No. 1st Dragoon Guards. During the 1978-79 season, Pittsburgh allowed the third-fewest points in NFL history, giving up only 195 in 16 games. The Ducks have been . ttarr the Vendel Crow: So given because after he was slain in a battle at Vendill, his body was eaten by crows. The Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive lineincluding stalwarts like Mike Webster, Jon Kolb, Ray Mansfield, and Sam Davishelped blaze a trail for running backs Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier, and kept quarterback Terry Bradshaw safe during their epic run of four Super Bowl victories in six years. The game would have been a fitting 17-0 shutout if not for kicker Garo Yepremian's blocked field goal kick and subsequent botched passing attempts. A nickname that carried on from high school to the pros due to his quickness while running the ball. On every play, the offense will have at least five offensive linemen, which consists of: One center, two offensive guards (one on each side of the center) and two offensive tackles (one to the outside of each guard). ", His initials. A more polite expression is person of mixed race. Play on Brees's last name and his perception as the savior of Saints Football. One of the few teams returning all five offensive line starters (and all 22 starters, for that matter), Tampa Bay will look to run it back for back-to-back titles with the ageless wonder at quarterback and a ferocious o-line unit. The Rams also showed a growing football audience that hard-hitting, physical football can be as enjoyable to watch as high-scoring affairs. The story of the 1981 New York #Jets, the "Talk of the Town." The group never matched its initial success, failing to finish above third again. In 1991 and 1992, the Dome Patrol led the league in fewest points allowed. Three of the 11 teams in NFL history to score more than 500 points in a season, the 1999, 2000 and 2001 Rams combined a potent passing attack with an explosive ground game. Arizona: Grand Canyon State, Copper State. With the the second ranked defense in the NFL, the Broncos reached their first Super Bowl. By that time, Doomsday added several new stars that included Randy White and Harvey Martin, who shared MVP honors in Dallas' Super Bowl win over Denver. After manager Harvey Kuenn took over in June, the 1982 Brewers went from a 23-24 start to a 95-67 finish and the only World Series appearance in franchise history. Self-bestowed nickname Smart used on the back of his jersey during his time in the. Nicknames for entire teams, or whole offensive or defensive units. That much most people know. This group was exceptionally durable last season, with all five of them logging north of 1,1100 snaps worth of . Arkansas: The Natural State, Land of Opportunity . The defense lead the league in fewest first downs allowed, fewest passing yards, fewest rushing TD allowed, most turnovers forced, best turnover ratio, and legend has it, the most blitzes ever called in an NFL season. Washington's powerful offensive line paved the way to three titles and four Super Bowl appearances. While there's optimism in the interior of the line which should remain solid with Cody Whitehair,. The biggest problem Pro Football Focus has with the Raiders is at center with Andre James, who is a complete unknown. Maybe I'll take from my "what should we name our secondary thread" to call our Offensive Line "The Electric Fence." EDIT: Didn't realize this was a previous response for the idea. The correct answer is actually Jake Scott, the Dolphins safety who won the honor in Super Bowl VII. Also reference to the hip-hop group Run-D.M.C. Bestowed in childhood by his grandmother, who surmised he changed directions more often than the. Faulk, acquired via a trade with the Colts during the '99 offseason, became the second player in league history to record 1,000 rushing and receiving yards in the same season. The Giants, despite the loss of starting quarterback Phil Simms, raced to a 10-0 start and finished 13-3. He's your laziest friend. . Miami Dolphins running back duo from 1968 to 1974; named after. Though calling it "The Mjlnir" is probably really awkward. As for Red Hogs, I guess this gets a mention because some believe. On the football field, the defense of the Denver Broncos consumed quarterbacks and provided hope to a city long in the ranks of losing. NFL coaches, scouts, execs pick most memorable pre-draft workouts Tag them with a great nickname and they become a legendary unit. As you might expect, the Titans' offensive line is better at run blocking than pass protecting. This nickname is more than just awesome. It held O.J. The win capped an 18-1 season that remains the tale of legends. Was plagued by concussions and injuries, referencing his presumed fragility, His similarity in appearance and demeanor to the character in the movie. Sports Nicknames: 20,000 Professionals Worldwide by Terry W. Pruyne, National Football League Players Association, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_NFL_nicknames&oldid=1142337263, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Articles with dead YouTube links from February 2022, CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown, Articles with dead external links from September 2017, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with dead external links from January 2018, Articles with dead external links from May 2017, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2017, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2009, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2013, Pages using navbox columns without the first column, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, How he was as difficult to tackle as a freight train; "A" is a reference to his surname initial. New York Jets fans certainly still remember the worth of the New York Sack Exchange. However, the lone departure, Anthony Castonzo, was one. The team accrued 59 sacks, 24 interceptions, and allowed only 14.5 points per game. Due to his fear of flying, Lane road a night train to away games while the rest of the team flew. The team fell 14-12 to Oakland in its first playoff game. After building a 17-10 halftime lead the Killer B's welted late in the game and the Dolphins lost 27-17. Also self-refers as "Esteban Ochocinco". The Purple People Eaters coined the phrase, "Meet at the Quarterback," and many a QB feared their hunger. The Giants continued to play strong defensive ball throughout the late 1980s, and in 1990 the Giants defense again led them to the promised land. USC rode its rowdy defense to the 1970 Rose Bowl victory. Flame brain. The Los Angeles Rams had two future Hall of Famers on its defensive line in the'60s with the Fearsome Foursome. The defensive line joined with the offense, led by quarterback Jim Plunkett, to take Stanford to back-to-back Rose Bowl wins. NFL finds Patriots deflated 11 balls in 'Deflategate' AFC title game: report", "Sports E-Cyclopedia History of the Atlanta Falcons", "Sports E-Cyclopedia History of the Dallas Cowboys", "Don Shula on Patriots: 'the Spygate Thing Has Diminished What They've Accomplished', "Sports E-Cyclopedia History of the LA Rams", "Sam Darnold said 'I'm seeing ghosts' during awful MNF performance and fans crushed him", "FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT: RAMS: Just Call Him 'Air Chuck', "Patriots 4-1 at bye; return to action Oct. 22", "Nickname for the Jaguars' secondary? After a pair of losses to start the season, Cleveland ran off 11 wins in its final 14 games to capture the AFC Central title. ", "No. 1. offensive line unit nicknames1h20 meaning in finance1h20 meaning in finance ", "Steelers' Troy Polamalu: The Samoan Headhunter", "Fred Taylor retiring after 13 seasons, 1 Pro Bowl", "The Eagles' Mitchell Is Ready for Another Close-Up", "B.J Raji TD vs Bears and funny celebration-NFC Championship", "Top Dallas Cowboys nicknames on the 2015 roster", "Top ten wide receivers in Bills history", "Boston TE party: Gronkowski unstoppable for Patriots - NFL.com", "Report: Rob Gronkowski 50/50 to Play for Patriots Against Buccaneers on Sunday", "Seahawks 'Hausch Money' helps kick some money over to local charity for children", "K Stephen Hauschka is a major part of the Bills recent success", MLB's nickname gimmick won't solve baseball's mounting age issues, "Former Lion Hopalong Cassady passes away at 85", "Oliver: "I just want to come in and compete", "Huerta Keeps Foot On The Clutch For 'canes", Idec, Keith. His ability to cover wide receivers was compared to being stranded on an island. The nickname made a resurgence with the Bears' Super Bowl run in 1985. Glanville actually had a play named "Sticky Sam" which called for a nine man blitz. In 1969 all four members started for the NFL in the Pro Bowl, but the Purple People Eaters were more than their front four. ", "Brady rule: Steps taken to protect QBs' knees", "Rules of the Name, or How the Emmitt Rule Became the Emmitt Rule", "NFL.com Laying down the Law in New England", "New Orleans Saints have a chance at the "Bird Gauntlet", "Go Deep! It's pressure also contributed to three interceptions, as Pittsburgh won its second of four Super Bowls during the decade. The Dolphins wore their seemingly insulting nickname as a badge of honor for their team concept of defense. He's your most boring friend. The New York Mets franchise got off to an inauspicious start, finishing no better than ninth in the 10-team National League during their first seven seasons on play. True or not, the name "Doomsday" evokes a sense of fear and dread in most. His mother gave him the nickname as he had many mood changes when he was young. The team was crucial to Gordon's success, though, as he won four Winston Cup (now Sprint Cup) titles between 1995 and 2001. Behind the Hogs, "The Diesel" ran for a playoff record 610 yards in four playoff games. Nickname given to him by coach Vermeil because of his big play ability in the return game. Below I'll be counting down middle-11 offensive lines heading into the 2020 season, with an accompanying "key stat" from last year's unit, plus new faces coming to the team. Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson were all among the nation's top-100 recruits (and all but Jackson was ranked in the top nine). Little did he know the moniker would become legally binding. The Dallas Cowboys' defense earned its nickname as it keyed a run to five Super Bowls between 1971 and 1979 (including wins in 1972 and 1978). His legendary 42-yard touchdown run put Washington in front to stay. The iconic Sabres' line of Rick Martin, Gilbert Perreault and Rene Robert brought scoring flair and Fu Manchu mustaches to Buffalo from 1972 to 1979. The front line of the Vikings racked up 19 Pro Bowl appearances from 1968-1976. Belichick's 3-4 scheme was anchored by George Martin, Jim Burt, and Leonard Marshall on the defensive line. This nickname for the 1919 White Sox came from an incident that led to life-time bans for eight players and left a black mark on baseball. Only two of those players, Jonah Williams and Hakeem Adeniji, started Super Bowl 56. Alabama, a team loaded with five 300-plus pound potential All-Americans, has the top OL unit in the conference. The offensive unit is primarily responsible for trying to score points. Originally given to his older brother, McNair earned it due to his impressive throwing talent, Went to college at Alabama. Name bestowed after Moats laid a clean, but particularly devastating hit on, Carolina Panthers running back duo from 2008 to 2014, previously known as Smash and Dash, Hodges, in addition to his football playing, is a world-class champion, Allusion to an incident which allegedly occurred when he was in college as well as a take on one-time teammate Jerome Bettis' nickname, "The Bus", Play on his first name, Eli, and the word. College football unit rankings - the offensive lines. Let's rank all 32 offensive lines from best to worst as we head into the new season. Living up to their name and the lofty hype surrounding them, the Fierce Five -- Gabby Douglass, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman, Kyla Ross and Jordyn Wieber -- became the second U.S. women's gymnastics team to win Olympic gold, claiming the top of the podium at the 2012 Summer Olympics. While playing for the University of Miami, the tall, thin Hendricks gained the nickname The Mad Stork., Combination of maple (due to his Canadian heritage) and Megatron (due to the similarities to, Because of his physical running style and reputation for repeatedly breaking tackles, Prolific Miami Dolphins wide receiver duo of the 1980s who shared the same first name (also a reference to the, In reference to Matt Ryan's ability to have long game-winning drives under pressure (and pejoratively for Ryan's tendency to go "ice cold" during playoff games); also a play on "Natty Ice", a low-end beer brewed by, A reference to his large frame, comparing him to a, A reference to his Christian ministry as an ordained, While not many would draw comparisons between the diminutive, Given to him in reference to his big-time corner play, Given to him by Cowboys backup quarterback. The Cougars, featuring Akeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler, also suffered one of the NCAA tournament's biggest upsets: a 62-60 loss to Jim Valvano's N.C. State team in the 1983 championship game. He set a record for penalty minutes in a season with 348 in 1973-74, only to top it a year later with 472. A year later they nearly returned the Jets to the Super Bowl, but came up short in the AFC Championship game. His blond hair, combined with his tendencies to throw the ball down the field, hence "bomber". Left tackle Jordan Mailata is the technically the worst offensive lineman on the team (blown blocks, per SIS) and yet he's still the fourth highest graded (88.8) zone run scheme blocker in the. A journeyman quarterback whose NFL career was quite brief, Corcoran earned a reputation for pomposity in high school when, coming onto the field in a clean uniform after a rainstorm, he drew a cheer of "hail to the King!" Offensive line coach Cincinnati (1981-1982) Offensive line coach Kansas (1983-1985) Offensive line coach Pittsburgh (1986) Offensive coordinator & offensive line coach Dallas. 1. "Heyward remembered fondly at memorial service", "Craig Heyward, Who Was N.F.L. Unfortunately, the somewhat confusing origins of the nickname dropped it a few pegs on this list. The nickname is credited to former Saints Head Coach Hank Stram. Coolness of the nickname; How memorable was the unit; How well the nickname/unit fit together; Without further ado, let's get started. offensive an offensive word for a person who has parents of two different races, especially someone with one white parent and one Native American or black parent. Philadelphia won the Stanley Cup in each of those seasons behind intimidating defense and the superb goaltending of Bernie Parent. The Flyers suffered a second-half collapse in the 1993-94 season and slow start in 1994-95, but once the high-scoring, physical forward line of Eric Lindros, John LeClair and Mikael Renberg came together, Philadelphia took off. Behind Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce, St. Louis won the 2000 Super Bowl but lost to the Patriots as heavy favorites in 2002. . The most iconic version of the Hogs was the unit that was first given the nickname. The early '40s Bears were dominant, and the nickname certainly added to their fame. The original Doomsday Defense was led by cornerbacks Herb Adderley, Mel Renfro and linebackers Chuck Howley, Dave Edwards and Lee Roy Jordan. Cowboy," making the All-Decade team for the 70s and eventually the Hall of Fame. The Big Three capped off the season with a championship and made another NBA Finals appearance in 2010. The unit, despite losing Salaam after the '83 season, led the Jets to back-to-back playoff appearances in 1985-86. The website also ranks Dallas' O-line as the best in the league through Week 16. The following nicknames are given to a unit (defensive, offensive and special teams) or a secondary nickname given to some teams used to describe a style of play or attitude of teams at times in accordance with phrases in popular culture of the time. Washington's powerful offensive line paved the way to three titles and four Super Bowl appearances. "Kansas Comet" was stuck on him by the Director of Sports Information at the University of Kansas. It's the offseason, and while you're probably itching to read yet another Aaron Rodgers story, we invite you to check out our ranking our the top unit nicknames in NFL history. The punt returner had a scattershot running style akin to a, For his ability to defeat tight coverage, even double coverage, and make big plays. One of the many nicknames the left-handed quarterback acquired during his playing career; he was obese his entire adult life and weighed an average of 300 pounds during his playing career (he was approximately 400 pounds at the time of his premature death). Gregory Kronz, a ninth grader from the Steel City, came up with the iconic nickname. Watching offensive linemen at the NFL combine might not be the most enjoyable thing to do on a Sunday afternoon but this is still an opportunity for the Indianapolis Colts to find some draft prospects to help bolster their unit. But either way, the Pistons were champions. The Trades Union. Their run blocking will literally maul you, pulverizing you into dust. In the 1970s, a popular soda drink known as Orange Crush was consumed across the county. Ain'ts Nickname given to the New Orleans Saints after their 1980 season of 14 consecutive losses. Other nicknames include: J-Load, Hefty Lefty, Abominable Throwman, Round Mound of Touchdown, Quarter(got)back, He Ate Me, and BBQ (Big Beautiful Quarterback). Because he was "the most feared running back in the NFL. In 1986, the Giants, led by these defensive stars, went 14-2. It was the beginning of a fad which lasts to this day. March 2, 2023 9:59 pm ET. By John . Names which are marked by an asterisk (*) are team nicknames which may have been coined by team members or local media, but never became well known to the public outside of the teams media market for a multitude of reasons, but most likely due to poor performance. Others said it was just aggressive. What we do know is that in November of 1981, Gastineau, Lyons, Klecko, and Salaam were invited to ring the ceremonial opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. Reference to the wide avenue that ran through New York, the city where he played QB with the New York Jets. It symbolizes the first great era of Broncos football, an era that included the franchise's first trip to the Super Bowl. Nickname given to his frequent acts off the field and his huge ego. Klenakis, who spent the 2022 season as the offensive line coach at Liberty, brings more than 30 years of experience to the Owls. Before you do, here's the criteria we used when putting our list together. When a state has multiple nicknames, the official or most common state nickname is listed first. "C'mon, you mothers," Foreman told the group, "give us a yard.". Ryan benefited from the presence of standout defense players such as Wilbur Marshall, William 'The Fridge" Perry, Steve McMichael, Dan Hampton, Leslie Frazier, Otis Wilson, team captain Mike Singletary, and Super Bowl MVP Richard Dent. Olsen is flanked in Canton by Jones, who tallied 173.5 sacks during his legendary career. Stanford's answer to USC's Wild Bunch was the name of a motorcycle gang in Montana: the Thunderchickens. Ryan brought relentless pressure on opposing QBs, often rushing five to eight defenders on every play. Ranking the greatest unit nicknames in NFL history: Steel Curtain, Doomsday, Orange Crush among all-time best - CBSSports.com These nicknames stand out from the rest These nicknames stand. In Super Bowl XVII, the Killer B's were unable to contain John Riggins and the Washington Redskins' powerful running game. 19761980 New Orleans Saints dynamic running back duo known as "Thunder and Lightning". 1. The quartet, comprised of Rosey Grier, Deacon Jones, Lamar Lundy and Merlin Olson, imposed their will on opposing offenses. 1 linebacker corps of all time, the New Orleans Saints "Dome Patrol" featured the only linebacker unit to have all four members elected to the same Pro Bowl. It's a first-rounder's main problem", "NFL adopts 'Hochuli rule' to make loose balls reviewable", "NFL rule changes cause controversy, draw ire", "Giants owner wants challenge rule reviewed (and changed)", "2013 Official Playing Rules of the National Football League", New NFL rules include more fumble reviews, higher goalposts, "Upon further review, replay is dead --again", "PRO FOOTBALL: NOTEBOOK; Now They All Want To Be in Cleveland", "NFL owners approve 'Odell Beckham Rule,' players will be tossed after two 'unsportsmanlike conduct' penalties", "Owners table re-seeding playoffs proposal; pass other rules", "Chargers LB supports the "Merriman Rule", "NFL seeks to hold teams accountable for flagrant fouls", "Steve Tasker on Sal Alosi uproar: So what? The name is a takeoff of the Redskins' "Hogs" offensive line. 11:06 am ET. Football Offensive Positions. The Killer B's, cliched as they were, were quickly forgotten. They followed up their regular season by allowing only three points in the NFC playoffs. An all-around great athlete, he earned recognition for his abilities including 5 Pro Bowl selections, 5 total All-Pro selections, AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 1981, AFC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1983, NFL 1980s All-Decade Team honors, is in the Seattle Seahawks Ring of Honor and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, despite only playing for seven seasons. They may be under-represented in Canton, Ohio, but the Dolphins' "No Name" defense has a unique place in NFL history as the only unit that did not lose a game for an entire season. The Steelers won the Super Bowl in 1975, 1976, 1979 and 1980. Lamonica tended to throw, or "bomb", the ball deep during unnecessary situations. After a 1989 change in FIBA laws opened the doors for professional basketball players to compete in the Olympics, the "Dream Team" was promptly assembled for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. Merlin Olson and Deacon Jones led the Los Angeles Rams defense line in the 1960s and early 1970s. The name persisted somewhat as, although they would later qualify for the playoffs several times since then, they did not win a playoff game until their defeat of . Regarding their nickname, it is difficult to determine if it came from art imitating life ,or life imitating art. After becoming a valuable part of the offensive line rotation in 2019, the LSU product appeared in 14 games with three starts. Kuenn earned the Manager of the Year award for his work. A play on his name, but also his role as a guard when run-blocking. His tendency to blitz despite being a safety. The '77 Falcons offense was horridly bad. Among the wins was a 27-26 comeback victory over Pittsburgh, in which the Browns came back from a 26-14 deficit and the Cleveland defense stopped the Steelers in the final minutes. Chuck Howley and Lee Roy Jordan were staples at linebacker for the Doomsday during their early heyday. Bednarik is generally recognized as the last to have done so. I'm almost positive that you're assigning them to the border and that although you create the offensive line you're not assigning any units to it.