NFL 1970s All-Decade Team

The National Football League 1970s All-Decade Team is a list of National Football League (NFL) players selected by voters of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.[1][2] The squad consists of first- and second-team offensive, defensive, and special teams units, as well as a first- and second-team head coaches.

Punter Ray Guy was the leading vote-getter for the 1970s All-Decade Team, receiving 24 of a possible 25 votes. O. J. Simpson and Lynn Swann were next with 22 and 21 votes, respectively. Linebacker Jack Ham and Tight end Dave Casper each received 20 votes. Next were Defensive end Jack Youngblood and Joe Greene who each had 18 votes.[3] Players that also made the National Football League 1960s All-Decade Team (the first NFL all-decade list) were Bob Lilly, Dick Butkus, Merlin Olsen, Larry Wilson, and Jim Bakken. [a][4] Walter Payton, John Hannah, Mike Webster, Ted Hendricks, Jack Lambert, Billy Johnson, Rick Upchurch, and Chuck Noll would also be named to the 1980s All-Decade Team.

Offense

* Elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame ¤ ~ Hall of Fame Finalist [5]
Position First Team Votes Hall of Fame? Second Team Votes Hall of Fame?
Quarterback Terry Bradshaw* (Pittsburgh Steelers) 13 Yes Roger Staubach* (Dallas Cowboys) 3 Yes
Ken Stabler* (Oakland Raiders) 3 Yes
Running back O. J. Simpson* (Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers) 22 Yes Earl Campbell* (Houston Oilers) 8 Yes
Walter Payton* (Chicago Bears) 11 Yes Franco Harris* (Pittsburgh Steelers) 7 Yes
Wide receiver Lynn Swann* (Pittsburgh Steelers) 21 Yes Paul Warfield* (Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns) 5 Yes
Drew Pearson* (Dallas Cowboys) 7 Yes Harold Carmichael* (Philadelphia Eagles) 2 Yes
Tight end Dave Casper* (Oakland Raiders) 20 Yes Charlie Sanders* (Detroit Lions) 3 Yes
Tackle Art Shell* (Oakland Raiders) 13 Yes Dan Dierdorf* (St. Louis Cardinals) 11 Yes
Rayfield Wright* (Dallas Cowboys) 12 Yes Ron Yary* (Minnesota Vikings) 5 Yes
Guard Larry Little* (Miami Dolphins) 16 Yes John Hannah* (New England Patriots) 9 Yes
Joe DeLamielleure* (Buffalo Bills) 12 Yes Gene Upshaw* (Oakland Raiders) 6 Yes
Center Jim Langer* (Miami Dolphins) 15 Yes Mike Webster* (Pittsburgh Steelers) 6 Yes

Defense

Position First Team Votes Hall of Fame? Second Team Votes Hall of Fame?
Defensive end Jack Youngblood* (Los Angeles Rams) 18 Yes L. C. Greenwood ~ (Pittsburgh Steelers) 10 6 time finalist
Carl Eller* (Minnesota Vikings) 11 Yes Harvey Martin (Dallas Cowboys) 5 No
Defensive tackle Joe Greene* (Pittsburgh Steelers) 18 Yes Alan Page* (Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears) 8 Yes
Bob Lilly* (Dallas Cowboys) 16 Yes Merlin Olsen* (Los Angeles Rams) 5 Yes
Middle linebacker Dick Butkus* (Chicago Bears) 9 Yes Jack Lambert* (Pittsburgh Steelers) 6 Yes
Outside linebacker Jack Ham* (Pittsburgh Steelers) 20 Yes Robert Brazile* (Houston Oilers) 5 Yes
Ted Hendricks* (Baltimore Colts, Green Bay Packers, Oakland Raiders) 8 Yes Bobby Bell* (Kansas City Chiefs) 4 Yes
Cornerback Willie Brown* (Oakland Raiders) 13 Yes Louis Wright (Denver Broncos) 7 No
Jimmy Johnson* (San Francisco 49ers) 8 Yes Roger Wehrli* (St. Louis Cardinals) 7 Yes
Safety Ken Houston* (Houston Oilers, Washington Redskins) 16 Yes Larry Wilson* (St. Louis Cardinals) 7 Yes
Cliff Harris* (Dallas Cowboys) 15 Yes Dick Anderson (Miami Dolphins) 3 No

Special teams

Position First Team Votes Hall of Fame? Second Team Votes Hall of Fame?
Kicker Garo Yepremian (Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints) 8 No Jim Bakken (St. Louis Cardinals) 7 No
Punter Ray Guy* (Oakland Raiders) 24 Yes Jerrel Wilson (Kansas City Chiefs) 1 No
Kick Returner Rick Upchurch (Denver Broncos) 10 No Billy "White Shoes" Johnson (Houston Oilers) 6 No

Coach

Position First Team Votes Hall of Fame? Second Team Votes Hall of Fame?
Coach Don Shula* (Miami Dolphins) 11 Yes Chuck Noll* (Pittsburgh Steelers) 9 Yes

Notes

  1. ^ Willie Brown was named to two all-decade teams, as the American Football League All-Time Team (a league that merged with the NFL) covered the 1960s.

References

  1. ^ Pro! Official Magazine of the NFL. 1980.
  2. ^ "1970s ALL-DECADE TEAM". NFL.com. Retrieved 2008-08-21.
  3. ^ "NFL All-Decade Team of the 1970s". Tyrone Daily Herald. 1980-07-29. Retrieved 2009-03-11.
  4. ^ "Tom Brady is first QB to make two all-decade teams". 6 April 2020.
  5. ^ "Finalist list". Pro Football Hall of Fame.com. Retrieved 2012-09-14.