Once again, I'm going to create a roster (actually in this case two) rosters of NFL players who played the entire decade of the 90s - truly an "All-Decade" team.
But before I start, here is the official NFL All-Decade team for the 90s and the years they played (First-Team only):
QB- John Elway (1983-98)
RB- Barry Sanders (1989-98)
RB- Emmitt Smith (1990-2004)
WR- Jerry Rice (1985-2004)
WR- Cris Carter (1987-2002)
TE- Shannon Sharpe (1990-2003)
T- Willie Roaf (1993-2005) and Gary Zimmerman (1986-97)
G- Bruce Matthews (1983-2001) and Randall McDaniel (1988-2001)
C- Dermontti Dawson (1988-2000)
DE- Bruce Smith (1985-2003) and Reggie White (1985-2000)
DT- Cortez Kennedy (1990-2000) and John Randle (1990-2003)
LB- Junior Seau (still active, since 1990), Derrick Thomas (1989-99), Kevin Greene (1985-99)
DB- Deion Sanders (1989-2000, 2004-5), Rod Woodson (1987-2003), Steve Atwater (1989-99), LeRoy Butler (1990-2001)
K- Morten Andersen (1982-2007)
P- Darren Bennett (1995-2005)
KR- Michael Bates (1993-2003)
PR- Deion Sanders (1989-2000, 2004-5)
So there you have it. The "official" NFL All-Decade Team. Pretty good list, huh? 20 of these players played all 10 years of this decade.
With that said, here we go with my list.
QB- Dan Marino (1983-99)
There were a ton of quarterbacks who played all 10 seasons of the 90s, not just Marino (Steve Young, Warren Moon, Rich Gannon, Vinny Testaverde, Neil O'Donnell, Randall Cunningham, Troy Aikman, Elvis Grbac, Steve Walsh, Steve Bono, Steve Beurlein). Officially anointed signal caller John Elway missed the cut by a season, retiring after the 1998 season. Whereas fellow 1983 draftee hung on for one more season in '99. Not much else to say here, I think we all know the significance to Marino's career. He on the second team of the 1980s All-Decade (I think we all know who was first team).
RB- Emmitt Smith
No deviance from the NFL list here. There actually weren't too many running backs who played the whole decade, unlike in the 2000s. However I am one of those who felt that the 90s Cowboys were kind of overrated but because Smith carried a lot of the load, he's not overrated in my book.
FB- Daryl Johnston (1989-99)
I decided to put a fullback on the team (instead of second running back) and I'm pretty sure that Johnston was the only true fullback who played all 1o years, as the role of a fullback in the 90s became more and more invisible. Was a true blocker and did not have many carries or pass receptions.
WR- Jerry Rice and Cris Carter
Again not deviating from the official list. There were a bunch of wide receivers who played the entire decade, which is mainly why I created a second team (to be seen later). These two guys are pretty self-explanatory.
TE- Howard Cross (1989-2001)
I'm not really the hugest fan of Shannon Sharpe as a tight end mainly due to his physical specs (6'2" 230 lbs.). I highly value his receiving stats but would not be against putting him in the Hall of Fame as a wide receiver and not a tight end. Unfortunately my favorite all-time tight end, Ben Coates, was a rookie in 1991, so would not be eligible for this list. So, I decided on the big (6'5" 270 lbs.) Cross. He was the only member of the rather forgettable 2000 Giants who was on the 1990 team who beat the Bills in the big game. Judging by his receiving numbers he was strictly used as a blocker. His single season high for receptions was 31, which was in 1994.
T- Bruce Armstrong (1987-2000) and Lomas Brown (1985-2002)
Armstrong was one of the best pass blocking tackles of all-time and help protect Drew Bledsoe from being sacked even though he dropped back 600+ times three-straight seasons. I think this may be my only homer pick of this list because I was a fan of the Parcells-era Patriots (not so much now though). Lomas Brown wasn't bad either, making seven Pro Bowls and one First-Team All-Pro (1995). Brown had the notoriety of being a member of the "Barry Sanders-era Lions" and then went to Arizona and then Cleveland. He and the Giants lost the Super Bowl in 2000 and he finally earned a Super Bowl ring in his final season with the Bucs, although he did not play in the game (he must have been injured).
G- Bruce Matthews and Randall McDaniel
Not deviating from the official list, and for good reason. These are probably the two best guards ever. Matthews may be the best overall o-lineman ever. Matthews made a record 14 Pro Bowls over his 19-year career. He primarily played at guard, although he played tackle early in his career and played center for the Run & Shoot Oilers before switching back to guard. And in looking at his p-f-r page it looks like Matthews played center in his last season in 2001 (and he made the Pro Bowl too). McDaniel made Pro Bowls in all of his seasons played except for his first and last and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.
C- Dermontti Dawson
The Steelers hit two homeruns with centers over the years. First with the long career of Mike Webster in the 70s and 80s and then with Dawson in the 90s. And not to sound too cliche, but again we're not changing from the NFL's list.
My First-Team defense is exactly same the same other than with my defensive backs. They are Darrell Green, LeRoy Butler, Deion Sanders and Rod Woodson. I took Steve Atwater out and put him on my Second-Team and have him switch spots with Darrell Green (who was on the NFL's Second-Team). I guess I prefer speedy guys over hard hitters, because that's what Atwater was, whereas Green, Sanders and Woodson were all superior athletes.
K- Gary Anderson (1982-2004)
Anderson was on the NFL's Second-Team. His perfect season of 1998 influenced my decision greatly, because even back then kickers were not as automatic as they are now.
P- Sean Landeta (1985-2005)
There were two times I went "wha-huh?" when glancing over the NFL's 1990s All-Decade Team. One was why Darren Bennett was selected as punter. Although he was the first Australian Rules player to have success in the NFL, he did not start playing until 1995. The other one was selecting Ronnie Lott to the Second-Team defense. He made Pro Bowls and All-Pros in 1990 and 1991, but did not do much else in his last couple years after that. So instead I picked Sean Landeta as my team's punter.
KR- Eric Metcalf (1989-2002)
Metcalf could easily play a third down back or another wide receiver too. Another one of the best all-around players in NFL history (he really blurred some of the skill positions, playing returner, receiver and running back).
PR- Deion Sanders
Either guy could play either position. I just including Deion because of his athleticism. He also would come in on offense on my team.
The Second-Team will be in another upcoming post.
14 May 2010
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