With the 2008 NFL season kicking off Thursday night, let’s take a minute to look back at the best of the best men that made (or make) careers out of only playing 20 plays per game without being a kicker. Here are the NFL’s Top 10 Non-Kicking Special Teamers Of All Time:
#10 - Mark Pike
Marv Levy called him the “best big-man special teams player” he ever saw. Pike also is the NFL’s career leader in special teams tackles. That said, he’s #10 on this list because he never made any Pro Bowls and we like our players flashy and without big white guy facemasks.
#9 - Dave Meggett
Dave Meggett became a household name for the Bill Parcells Giants in the early 90’s and went on to 2 Pro Bowls and is currently 2nd all time in punt return yardage.
#8 - Larry Izzo
After being undrafted out of Rice in 1996, he made headlines in his first training camp when Dolphins coach Jimmy Johnson said only 2 players were guaranteed to make the team - Dan Marino and the no-name Izzo. Since then he’s gone on to make 3 Pro Bowls and rank in the top 5 in career special teams tackles.
#7 - Eric Metcalf
Eric Metcalf was the Devin Hester of the 90’s and currently shares NFL record for most punt return touchdowns. While Hester will likely take that record from him, Metcalf was a proven offensive threat, which Hester is yet to show.
#6 - Dante Hall:
Dante Hall took the league by storm in 2002 with his highlight reel kick returns, which helped earn a range of sweet nicknames: “X-Man”, “The X-factor”, “The Human Torch” and “The Human Joystick”. In 2003, he returned a kickoff or punt for a touchdown in 4 straight games. Wow.
#5 - Mel Gray
Mel Gray was a 7-time All Pro selection and was one of the first big names to make an entire career of returning kicks and hardly contributing to offense.
#4 - Vai Sikahema
While Vai Sikahema only made 2 Pro Bowls as a returner, he makes it high on the list as the guy from Tecmo Bowl with the weird name who was a sick returner. Also, knocking out Jose Canseco = bonus points.
#3 - Steve Tasker
Steve Tasker was one of the first players to make a name for himself on special teams without being a kicker or a returner. What stood out is that he was small (5ft8 185) but still played without fear and was a tackling + fumble forcing machine that made 7 Pro Bowls. [thanks william for correction, good catch]
#2 - Devin Hester
Don’t need to say much here. Everyone will agree that he’ll go on to become the greatest special teams player ever.
#1 - Bill Bates
Bill Bates was the pioneer of special teamers getting their props and more importantly, getting to the Pro Bowl. In 1984 the league essentially created a spot for him on the Pro Bowl squad since he was such a bad ass on kick coverage. Since then it has been the standard for Pro Bowl rosters to have a special teams guy. For those wondering, Bill now runs a cattle ranch in Dallas.
Agree? Disagree? Think this article sucks? Post a comment below…
15 Responses
Way to go on Bill Bates, he definitely deserves the top slot. The man was a heat seeking missile coming down the field. Such a valuable player to have on the field. And damn it if his heart wasn’t twice as big as a normal mans.
Steve Tasker was great,but it was WR Don Bebe who caught Lett
good call william, what are the chances of a team having 2 white receivers on the roster?
you’d think i’d remember it was don beebe, i used his sprinting VHS in high school to train on running the 40
What about Benny Thompson. He was another heat-seeking missile of a tackler. Plus, after one tackle when he was with the Chiefs, he crawled on all fours, lifted his leg and pissed like a dog. That alone deserves a spot on the list.
How was Brian Mitchell left off this list?
White Shoes Johnson anyone?
If you had left all kick/punt returners off of this list, I could follow and agree…But how in the world could you have left Brian Mitchell out??!! This dude piled up return yardage for years and probably still owns some records because of it! Metcalf, Gray, Hester…all good return men and deserving of recognition, but Mitchell MUST be considered along side of them.
This list is totally worthless and lacking any real knowledge unless you include Brian Mitchell.
Jason -
you’re right now that i look at his stats. after coming up with my initial list i checked to see who made pro bowls. mitchell only made 1.
if i were to redo the list, he’d definitely be on it.
Steve Tasker not at #1 = FAIL. He was by far the most dominant member of that Buffalo Bills special team unit which was arguably the best special teams unit of all time.
There’s a lot more to special teams than return yardage and tackles, so this would really be better done as a survey of NFL veterans/experts instead of a statistical analysis.
That being said, this is a pretty good list you put together. I like a lot of the names on there. These guys really don’t get the recognition they deserve.
[...] NFL’s Top 10 Non-Kicking Special Teamers Of All Time (List) [...]
you are insane if steve tasker is not number one on this list. he will be the only “special teams” player in the hall of fame. Bates was good, very good but he was no steve tasker. there will never be another steve tasker, the closest thing there is, is wes welker, but the patriots let him run routes.
im glad you remembered mark pike though, good choice there.
i cant remember the redskins long snapper’s name right now but he deserves recognition as well.
thanks
don beebe caught lett on a fumble not a specail teams play
bates was good but who is the only special teams player to be named pro bowl mvp… ? steve tasker that’s who.
oh wait Desmond Howard won it two years later.
where is Bo Orlando?
Steve Tasker #1
How about Ron Wolfley of the Cardinals? May not have been flashy and on a crappy team, but FOUR Pro Bowls.
Actually took over from Bates on the Pro Bowl team starting in 1986 and made 4 straight until 1989! FOUR STRAIGHT PRO BOWLS!
I think Wolf needs to be up on this list!
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