Top 10 Tacklers of All Time (The Snubbing of London Fletcher)

[JustAfan47]

has only been an alternate to a Probowl and only got to go because the other was playing in the Superbowl. That is just plain wrong.

I wanna know how some one who was 23rd in the NFL with tackles starts in the pro bowl and the 2nd in tackles in the NFL gets to be the alternate......:doh:

[Commander Adama]

I wanna know how some one who was 23rd in the NFL with tackles starts in the pro bowl and the 2nd in tackles in the NFL gets to be the alternate......:doh:

The Probowl is more or less a popularity contest and people get in based on name recognition alone.

[kingdaddy]

Where's Chris "The Hangman" Hanburger????

9 time Pro Bowler, 18th round draft pick. Greatest LB in Redskins history.

[commyderm2]

Even back when London Fletcher was playing for the Bills I thought he got consistently snubbed.. This is all part of the Madden/Sportscenter era of football.. We continue to teach our children that the squeaky wheel gets the grease.. Ray Lewis will continue to piss and moan about how his Defensive line in front of him is a hindrance to his productivity after he does his rediculous dance. Meanwhile, London Fletcher consistently does his job without complaint or dancing.. who makes the probowl?? Sorry but London has always had much less talent around him and in front of him then both Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher..

[iXiBrianiXi]

I think it comes more for who he's playing for, not his ability. If you were to plug London into the Ravens D, he'd be the quiet monster because the Ravens are a D team. The Redskins history has been pound it down their throats, smash-mouth football. I'd say the same with Urlacher. The Bears are connected to the 85 bears, in my opinion the best Defense to ever step on the turf. Because these teams are known for D, their better D players will get better recognition.

[Section123OnSundays]

interesting milloy made the list...anyone up for making a top 10 tackling list for safties. Now that I'd like to see.

[JustAfan47]

Bump update..... Fletch now at 1891 tackles, 35 sacks, and 21 interceptions. Plus I believe that even doesn't include today's game against the browns. Man I love me some good ol'Fletcher!

[NoCalMike]

Ya know, during today's game they threw up a statistical comparison side by side of Fletcher & Ray Lewis, and I was surprised at how close they are statistically in most categories.

When both are mentioned, Fletcher is usually talked about as "the steady age-less wonder, solid if not unspectacular" while Ray Lewis is known as a "Linebacker god among man" etc etc, but their statistics measure out pretty evenly.

Both have 1 SB championship run as well, so you can't really use that as an excuse.

The main thing I think gives Ray Lewis the edge to the masses is that he has probably been on better all-around defenses more than Fletcher has, and also of course the obvious, he is a big-mouth, and guy who likes to self-gloss a lot. In other words, there is a dance or celebration that goes along with every single tackle made, regardless of the situation. It gets camera time, and chuckles and in return makes highlight shows which to the uneducated eye, equals GREATNESS!

I am not knocking Ray Lewis as a player. I think he is totally legit, one of the GOAT at the position, I just think a guy like Fletcher will never get the ultimate respect he deserves because for the most part he did his job quietly.

Lets call it the Monk vs. Irvin of Linebackers.

[JustAfan47]

^^^^^....... I completely agree. LF has had one hell of an under rated career.

[kevincollateral]

Ya know, during today's game they threw up a statistical comparison side by side of Fletcher & Ray Lewis, and I was surprised at how close they are statistically in most categories.

When both are mentioned, Fletcher is usually talked about as "the steady age-less wonder, solid if not unspectacular" while Ray Lewis is known as a "Linebacker god among man" etc etc, but their statistics measure out pretty evenly.

Both have 1 SB championship run as well, so you can't really use that as an excuse.

The main thing I think gives Ray Lewis the edge to the masses is that he has probably been on better all-around defenses more than Fletcher has, and also of course the obvious, he is a big-mouth, and guy who likes to self-gloss a lot. In other words, there is a dance or celebration that goes along with every single tackle made, regardless of the situation. It gets camera time, and chuckles and in return makes highlight shows which to the uneducated eye, equals GREATNESS!

I am not knocking Ray Lewis as a player. I think he is totally legit, one of the GOAT at the position, I just think a guy like Fletcher will never get the ultimate respect he deserves because for the most part he did his job quietly.

Lets call it the Monk vs. Irvin of Linebackers.

they were almost identical in their stats...but ray lewis played 2 more seasons. so edge goes to fletcher.

[Bobbyst21]

The pro bowl to me is more of the popularity bowl. You lead the league in tackles and you don't make the pro bowl? Something is seriously flawed in the selection process. Fletch isn't the "flashy blinged" out player that others are. He doesent talk crap yet he's one of the best out there year in and year out. It's sad to say that if he was more of a camera focuses player than he'd be considered to the pro bowl more and the hall of fame. We know ray Lewis will make the HOF but do you think Fletcher will?

[DogofWar1]

This article bugged me too concerning Fletcher:

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8732856/anonymous-voter-picks-sixteen-surefire-nfl-hall-famers-espn-magazine

They've got Lewis as a 1st ballot lock, and Urlacher as an eventual enshrinee, but don't even mention Fletcher, not even in the "close, but no plaque" section. I feel like that's a serious oversight, considering that Urlacher and Fletcher have very similar numbers.

But I don't worry too much, I think once he becomes eligible, Fletcher's fans, namely us, will create enough of a stir to get him in. Certainly, if Lewis and Urlacher get in, Fletcher deserves to.

[Zarg]

The thing about London Fletcher and conversations about top LB's is his name does not come up quickly but when it does, he is IMMEDIATELY recognized as one of the best....

[FanboyOf91]

This article bugged me too concerning Fletcher:

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8732856/anonymous-voter-picks-sixteen-surefire-nfl-hall-famers-espn-magazine

They've got Lewis as a 1st ballot lock, and Urlacher as an eventual enshrinee, but don't even mention Fletcher, not even in the "close, but no plaque" section. I feel like that's a serious oversight, considering that Urlacher and Fletcher have very similar numbers.

But I don't worry too much, I think once he becomes eligible, Fletcher's fans, namely us, will create enough of a stir to get him in. Certainly, if Lewis and Urlacher get in, Fletcher deserves to.

It would be a crime if Urlacher got in and not Fletcher.

[JustAfan47]

This article bugged me too concerning Fletcher:

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8732856/anonymous-voter-picks-sixteen-surefire-nfl-hall-famers-espn-magazine

They've got Lewis as a 1st ballot lock, and Urlacher as an eventual enshrinee, but don't even mention Fletcher, not even in the "close, but no plaque" section. I feel like that's a serious oversight, considering that Urlacher and Fletcher have very similar numbers.

But I don't worry too much, I think once he becomes eligible, Fletcher's fans, namely us, will create enough of a stir to get him in. Certainly, if Lewis and Urlacher get in, Fletcher deserves to.

What gets me is LF has two years on Urlacher and over 500 more tackles then him. They both have the same amount of ints so that's a wash. Urlacher has only 6 more sacks then LF. But again I will bring up LF has way over then 500 tackles on him.

[ZRagone]

I love me some Fletch, but let me try to play devil's advocate.

Ray's been with one team most of his career. One team that has been relatively relevant, successful, and largely predicated on great defenses. Beyond "dances" and the such, THIS helps his visibility because the Defense he captained largely made his team good enough to be continually nationally relevant. They're having prime time games, they're having playoff games, and people are watching as Ray Lewis makes impactful and big plays during those games. Meanwhile, Fletcher spends a lot of years in an irrelevant team and market like Buffalo and then years with us when we've been largely mediocre overall.

When looking at that list of tacklers, you also see another one of the issues. For much of his Career, whatever division he was in typically had two other pretty strong "mainstay" linebackers....one of which in each division (Lewis / Urlacher) was on a big market team, typically having some decent big games, and with defenses that routinely were rated pretty high. Then you have the random "hot" linebackers each year and it becomes difficult for those probowl spots.

Finally, a persons comment earlier hit on another thing in terms of the defenses. Take the two "BIG NAME" guys during Fletcher's tenure...Urlacher and Lewis. Both players are individuals whose teams are predicated and known for their defense. In the year that Lewis won the superbowl, and the year the Bears got to the Superbowl, both teams strength was their Defense not their Offense. And that was a defense led by those MLB's. You can't say that about the Rams that won the Superbowl. Their defense was definitely not the greatest show on that turf. Urlacher and Lewis also have been the captains and hearts of defenses that have routinely been top 10 and often top 5 over the past decade. I don't believe you can say the same about the defenses London has been on. This isn't a direct slight on London, but it does massively impact that perception and exposure.

I love London and would be overjoyed to see him in Hall of Fame talk...but I also don't think it's completely unreasonable that he doesn't typically rank up with Lewis/Urlacher overall in national discussions.