At this point of the NFL offseason, front offices are starting to think about their final 53-man rosters for the upcoming season. Tough decisions are on deck for all 32 teams. But let’s expand the scope a little: How would a full All-NFL roster for the past 25 years look? To celebrate the quarter-century mark, we picked out the best NFL players since 2000 and filled out a complete lineup.
We couldn’t think of two people better able to pull off this job than our stat-loving NFL analysts Aaron Schatz and Seth Walder. They served as de facto general managers for this All Quarter Century team, building the 53-man roster through a few simple rules and methods:
Players are still eligible if they began their career in the 1990s, but only production beginning in the 2000 season was considered.
These decisions were made mostly on statistical output, focusing on peak seasons while still rewarding longevity. We relied heavily on FTN’s DYAR metric (defense-adjusted yards above replacement), which calculates a player’s value over the course of the season compared to a replacement-level baseline. Other advanced statistics were also taken into account.
This team includes 25 offensive players, 23 defensive players and five special teams players. For another wrinkle, we filled out a full “practice squad” with the players who just missed the cut and listed them in their respective position groups. We followed current NFL practice squad rules, which includes 17 players if one was brought in from the International Player Pathway Program. Finally, we also needed an elite coaching staff to get the most out of this quarter-century team, so we picked a head coach and three coordinators.
Let’s jump into the All Quarter Century lineup picks, starting with the most important position in sports. Players are listed by position group and in order of how they’d land on the depth chart.
Jump to a position:
QB | RB | FB | WR
TE | OL | DL | LB
DB | ST | Coaches
Quarterbacks (3)
Teams: Patriots (2000-19), Buccaneers (2020-22)
Résumé since 2000: 89,214 passing yards, 649 passing TDs, seven-time Super Bowl champion, three-time MVP, six-time All-Pro
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The best evidence of Brady’s greatness is his all-time high in Super Bowl rings, of course, but he exemplified both team and individual success throughout his career. His 2007 season is the best in NFL history using both FTN’s DYAR metric and ESPN’s Total QBR. He was almost as good in 2010 despite playing in a completely different offense structured around two rookie tight ends.
For a long time, there was a great debate about who was better: Brady or Peyton Manning. But while Manning called it a career after his age-39 season, Brady won two Super Bowls in his 40s. Nobody has ever played so well for so long. — Schatz
Teams: Colts (1998-2011), Broncos (2012-15)
Résumé since 2000: 64,066 passing yards, 487 passing TDs, two-time Super Bowl champion, five-time MVP, nine-time All-Pro
Manning ranks second behind Brady in DYAR since 2000. He has three of the top five seasons for total passing value — 2013, 2004 and 2006. His 2004 season has the highest passing DVOA (value per play) of any season since 1978. And while QBR doesn’t go back as far, Manning’s 2006 season is the second-highest QBR behind Brady’s 2007 season. Close your eyes, and you can still picture Manning audibling behind the line of scrimmage, moving his players around before the snap to take advantage of his incredible ability to read defenses. — Schatz
Teams: Chiefs (2017-present)
Résumé since 2000: 32,352 passing yards, 245 passing TDs, three-time Super Bowl champion, two-time MVP, three-time All-Pro
There are arguments for Aaron Rodgers or Drew Brees here, but we believe Mahomes deserves a spot on this team despite his relative “lack” of MVPs or first-team All-Pro selections (two) through eight seasons.
His QBR for his career (postseason included) is 75.0, which trails Manning (75.6) but is ahead of Brady (71.0), Brees (70.9) and Rodgers (66.9). And from the unbelievable throws to the mistake avoidance to the postseason heroics, we’re choosing peak Mahomes over peak Rodgers or Brees. — Walder
Practice squad: Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees
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Running backs (3)
Teams: Ravens (1997-2000), Chiefs (2001-07)
Résumé since 2000: 9,256 all-purpose yards, 85 all-purpose TDs, one-time Super Bowl champion, one-time OPOY, three-time All-Pro
Yes, Holmes is our RB1 over anyone else. Think back to the turn of the century, when Holmes emerged from the Baltimore bench to drive the powerful offense of the Dick Vermeil Chiefs, using a dynamic combination of rushing and receiving skills.
Other running backs might have had longer peaks, but none of them can match the three-year period that Holmes had from 2001 to 2003. In the advanced DYAR metrics for total value, these seasons rank 15th, second and third among all running back seasons since 1978, respectively. — Schatz
Teams: Panthers (2017-22), 49ers (2022-present)
Résumé since 2000: 10,853 all-purpose yards, 81 all-purpose TDs, one-time OPOY, four-time All-Pro
As the best receiving back of the past 25 years, McCaffrey needs to be included on this roster. He averages 47 receiving yards per game, which is more than anyone else with at least 500 carries during that span.
But he’s not only a receiving back. What makes McCaffrey special is that he has maintained 4.7 yards per carry over his career, 14th-best among running backs this quarter century. — Walder
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Teams: Titans (2016-23), Ravens (2024-present)
Résumé since 2000: 13,074 all-purpose yards, 111 all-purpose TDs, one-time OPOY, four-time All-Pro
King Henry gives this team a power rusher in the ground game. But style aside, Henry’s production really earns him his spot on this list. His 4.9 yards per carry puts him well ahead of Adrian Peterson (4.6) and LaDainian Tomlinson (4.3), whom we also considered in this spot. His 2.4 yards after contact per carry make him No. 1 among all running backs with at least 500 rushes since 2000, and he has a very low 0.6% fumble rate. — Walder
Practice squad: LaDainian Tomlinson
Fullbacks (1)
Teams: Ravens (2013-16), 49ers (2017-present)
Résumé since 2000: 2,901 all-purpose yards, 24 all-purpose TDs, two-time All-Pro
Juszczyk’s nine Pro Bowl selections are four more than the Ravens’ Patrick Ricard and five more than former Charger Lorenzo Neal. He’s a unique playmaker as a fullback in the passing game, with the ability to move around and run all kinds of different routes. — Schatz
Wide receivers (6)
Teams: Vikings (1998-2004, 2010), Raiders (2005-06), Patriots (2007-10), Titans (2010), 49ers (2012)
Résumé since 2000: 12,566 receiving yards, 128 receiving TDs, three-time All-Pro
The greatest receiver of the 21st century based on the eye test, Moss also dominated in advanced metrics. He set the NFL record with 23 receiving touchdowns in 2007, a season that ranks third all-time in DYAR.
Moss ranked No. 1 in receiving DYAR three times: 2000, 2003 and 2007. In each of those seasons, he had at least 1,400 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. He is also the leader in total receiving value by DYAR whether you add together a player’s top five seasons or top 10 seasons since 2000. Plus, he’s a legend of the podium interview. — Schatz
Teams: Lions (2007-15)
Résumé since 2000: 11,619 receiving yards, 83 receiving TDs, four-time All-Pro
Johnson leaped over defenders en route to two 1,600-plus-yard seasons and the all-time single-season receiving yards record (1,964) in 2012. He ranks fourth since 2000 in yards per game behind only three current players with far fewer games played (Justin Jefferson, Puka Nacua and Ja’Marr Chase).
What’s most amazing about Johnson is what he did without Matthew Stafford as his QB. During Detroit’s infamous 0-16 season in 2008, Johnson managed 1,331 yards with Dan Orlovsky, Daunte Culpepper and Jon Kitna at quarterback. — Walder
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Teams: Falcons (2011-20), Titans (2021), Buccaneers (2022), Eagles (2023)
Résumé since 2000: 13,703 receiving yards, 66 receiving TDs, five-time All-Pro
If we look at every player’s three best seasons by receiving yards this quarter century, no wideout’s top three years matched Jones’ total of 5,141 — four yards ahead of Johnson. If we do the same exercise for each player’s five best seasons, Jones again sits at the top. Best seven? Still Jones.
Also, with all due respect to Matt Ryan, Jones did not have a Hall of Fame quarterback throwing to him the way other receivers on this list did. Though he never won a ring, Jones’ miraculous sideline grab in Super Bowl LI helped the Falcons get awfully close to one. — Walder
Teams: 49ers (1996-2003), Eagles (2004-05), Cowboys (2006-08), Bills (2009), Bengals (2010)
Résumé since 2000: 12,627 receiving yards, 123 receiving TDs, five-time All-Pro
In the 11 seasons Owens played in this quarter century, he recorded three second-place finishes in DYAR and one infamous driveway news conference. He led the league in receiving touchdowns three times, and his 80.3 receiving yards per game ranks sixth among WRs with at least 50 games played since 2000.
Owens would play through any injury for this team, as evidenced by his miraculous 122-yard performance in Super Bowl XXXIX after breaking his leg seven weeks earlier. — Walder
Teams: Colts (1996-2008)
Résumé since 2000: 10,439 receiving yards, 95 receiving TDs, one-time Super Bowl champion, seven-time All-Pro
Harrison didn’t miss a first- or second-team All-Pro selection from 1999 to 2006. Although he led the NFL only one time each in receiving yards (2002) and receiving touchdowns (2005), he led the NFL in receiving DYAR three times: 2001, 2002 and 2006.
Harrison had 205 targets in 2002, the third-highest total in NFL history, and he caught 70% of those passes. We chose Harrison for this spot over other options because he had a stronger peak. — Schatz
Teams: Vikings (2020-present)
Résumé since 2000: 7,432 receiving yards, 40 receiving TDs, one-time OPOY, four-time All-Pro
Jefferson has played only five NFL seasons, but what amazing seasons they have been. When he won the Offensive Player of the Year award in 2022, he was No. 1 in receptions, yards and DYAR. He ranked in the top three for DYAR in three of his other seasons (2020, 2021 and 2024), with at least 1,400 receiving yards in each of them. The only exception is 2023, when he played only 10 games because of injury but still managed to top 1,000 yards. — Schatz
Practice squad: Antonio Brown, Andre Johnson
Tight ends (3)
Teams: Patriots (2010-18), Buccaneers (2020-21)
Résumé since 2000: 9,286 receiving yards, 92 receiving TDs, four-time Super Bowl champion, four-time All-Pro
Gronk’s 2011 season is the all-time greatest for a tight end in both standard stats (18 touchdowns) and advanced stats (461 DYAR). He ranked first in DYAR among tight ends three times and second another three times. Oh, and he was also a devastating blocker — he could basically be used as another offensive tackle during run plays. — Schatz
Ed Reed, Myles Garrett, Tom Brady, Travis Kelce and Devin Hester all make our All Quarter Century NFL roster. ESPN
Teams: Chiefs (2013-current)
Résumé since 2000: 12,151 receiving yards, 77 receiving TDs, three-time Super Bowl champion, seven-time All-Pro
Kelce is simply the best pure receiving tight end in this quarter century. If we count the postseason, Kelce recorded more receiving yards (14,229) than any other tight end in this span. And on a per-game basis, the only player who comes close to Kelce (71.1) is 2024 rookie Brock Bowers (70.2), who could be on the mid-century team if he keeps it up. Kelce ranked No. 1 among tight ends in DYAR three times (2016, 2020 and 2022). — Walder
Teams: Chiefs (1997-2008), Falcons (2009-13)
Résumé since 2000: 13,289 receiving yards, 96 receiving TDs, nine-time All-Pro
Gonzalez was great year after year after year in a career that seemingly went on forever. He led all tight ends in receiving DYAR seven different times and ranked in the top five in 12 out of the 14 seasons we’re considering for this exercise. His career total in receptions (1,325) is still an all-time high for tight ends and ranks third highest of any player all time. — Schatz
Practice squad: Antonio Gates
Left tackles (2)
Teams: Browns (2007-17)
Résumé since 2000: 167 starts, eight-time All-Pro
In his 11 pro seasons with the mostly woebegone Browns, Thomas failed to reach the Pro Bowl only one time. That was in 2017, his final year in the league. His six first-team All-Pro selections since 2000 are two more than any tackle in this span (regardless of side), making him a slam dunk choice for this team. — Walder
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Teams: Washington (2010-19), 49ers (2020-present)
Résumé since 2000: 187 starts, four-time All-Pro
Williams was chosen for the Pro Bowl in 11 seasons from 2012 to 2023, the most by any offensive tackle since 2000. He was very good in his 20s for Washington before holding out the entire 2019 season over disagreements with the team’s medical staff. He is even better in his 30s for San Francisco, leading all tackles in pass block win rate in 2023. — Schatz
Practice squad: Walter Jones, Jordan Mailata (International Player Pathway)
Left guards (2)
Teams: Steelers (1998-2007), Jets (2008-09), Cardinals (2010)
Résumé since 2000: 175 starts, one-time Super Bowl champion, eight-time All-Pro
A stalwart at left guard for the Steelers before late-career spells with the Jets and Cardinals, Faneca missed only one game from 2000 on — and that was due to rest in a meaningless Week 17 contest in 2001. His six first-team All-Pro selections are more than any other left guard this quarter century. — Walder
Teams: Seahawks (2001-05), Vikings (2006-11), Titans (2012)
Résumé since 2000: 169 starts, seven-time All-Pro
Hutchinson made the Pro Bowl every year from 2003 through 2009 and helped lead the 2005 Seahawks to Super Bowl XL, along with Walter Jones. There were a number of relatively equal, strong left guards to choose from, but we went with Hutchinson over Joel Bitonio, Logan Mankins and Quenton Nelson. His impact on the NFL also stretches past the field, as he was part of a deal that led to a rule change about contracts after the “poison pill” that kept Seattle from matching the contract he signed with Minnesota in 2006. — Schatz
Centers (1)
Teams: Eagles (2011-23)
Résumé since 2000: 193 starts, one-time Super Bowl champion, six-time All-Pro
Picking our lone center was a fairly straightforward call. While Maurkice Pouncey made the Pro Bowl nine times (versus Kelce’s seven), Kelce’s six first-team All-Pro selections are by far the most of any center — no other player has had more than two since 2000. Kelce helped lead the Eagles to two Super Bowl appearances and revolutionized third- and fourth-and-1s leaguewide with his critical role in the (still permitted!) tush push play. — Walder
Right guards (2)
Teams: Cowboys (2014-24)
Résumé since 2000: 162 starts, nine-time All-Pro
Martin’s number of first-team All-Pro selections (seven) is the highest total for any guard since 2000. Former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo once said Martin didn’t have a weakness and had everything required of an offensive lineman at an elite level: footwork, base, punch, athleticism, strength and mind. — Schatz
Teams: Ravens (2007-19)
Résumé since 2000: 166 starts, one-time Super Bowl champion, seven-time All-Pro
Yanda’s distinguished career with the Ravens included two first-team All-Pro selections. While we don’t have advanced blocking metrics for the majority of his career, his numbers were astounding near the tail end. He finished first among guards in run block win rate in both 2018 and 2019 and first in pass block win rate in 2019. — Walder
Practice squad: Jahri Evans
Right tackles (2)
Teams: Eagles (2013-current)
Résumé since 2000: 158 starts, two-time Super Bowl champion, five-time All-Pro
Johnson leads all right tackles in Pro Bowl selections since 2000 with six; no other player who primarily played right tackle in that span has more than four. He has perhaps been at his best over the past couple of seasons. In 2023, he led all tackles in run block win rate and was ninth in pass block win rate. Last season, Johnson was fifth among tackles in both run block win rate and pass block win rate. — Schatz
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Teams: Bengals (1996-2007), Ravens (2008)
Résumé since 2000: 138 starts, four-time All-Pro
Even though our time span cuts off the first four seasons of Anderson’s career, what he did in the nine years from 2000 on earns him a spot on this list. He played in 16 regular-season games every year from 2000 to 2006 with the Bengals.
Unlike at left tackle where there were quite a few feasible candidates, right tackle was quite clear-cut, with Johnson and Anderson being the two best options. If sixth-year Bucs tackle Tristan Wirfs had more seasons under his belt, he could have been a good candidate. — Walder
Edge rushers (4)
Teams: Cowboys (2005-13), Broncos (2014-16)
Résumé since 2000: 138.5 sacks, 35 forced fumbles, one-time Super Bowl Champion, seven-time All-Pro
There are so many great edge rushers to choose from, but they generally come in two categories: great career totals or great peaks with a high ratio of sacks to games played. Ware had the best balance between the two. He had the third-most sacks out of all players since 2000, while his 0.78 sacks per game rank fourth among edge rushers. — Schatz
Teams: Chiefs (2004-07), Vikings (2008-13), Bears (2014-15), Panthers (2015)
Résumé since 2000: 136 sacks, 32 forced fumbles, four-time All-Pro
Allen’s peak was incredibly strong, hitting 22.0 sacks (just shy of the single-season record) in 2011. But he was not a one-hit wonder: Allen hit double-digit sacks eight times and tallied the fourth-most sacks in our time span. He also ranks fourth among edge players (if we include J.J. Watt) in total plus-EPA since 2001 — a measure where defenders who are on the field for positive defensive plays are credited with the resulting EPA. — Walder
Teams: Browns (2017-present)
Résumé since 2000: 102.5 sacks, 20 forced fumbles, one-time DPOY, six-time All-Pro
Since Garrett entered the league in 2017, no edge player has accumulated more pass rush wins than his 522 — ahead of T.J. Watt’s 467. And Garrett did that while maintaining the third-highest double-team rate at edge (27%) of all qualifying edge rushers. He has made the most of his eight seasons in the league, with a first-team All-Pro nod in half of those seasons, making him plenty worthy of selection. — Walder
Teams: Panthers (2002-09, 2017-18), Bears (2010-13), Packers (2014-16)
Résumé since 2000: 159.5 sacks, 51 forced fumbles, six-time All-Pro
No player recorded more sacks this quarter century than Peppers. There’s a fair critique that his numbers are a product of longevity, but he also had almost 20 more sacks than anyone in this span and a higher plus-EPA than any other player since 2001, period. One reason he led that latter category over star linebackers — who are favored in the stat — is because Peppers’ 51 forced fumbles were the most since 2000. — Walder
Practice squad: T.J. Watt, Michael Strahan
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Defensive tackles (3)
Teams: Rams (2014-23)
Résumé since 2000: 111 sacks, 24 forced fumbles, one-time Super Bowl champion, three-time DPOY, eight-time All-Pro
Donald is certainly the greatest defensive tackle of the past 25 years and possibly the greatest in NFL history. His 20.5 sacks in 2018 set a single-season record for a primary defensive tackle, while his career total is second among defensive tackles (since 1982) behind John Randle’s 137.5.
Donald is one of only three players in NFL history to win three DPOY awards (along with J.J. Watt and Lawrence Taylor). Only two other defensive linemen can match his number of first-team All-Pro selections (Reggie White and Bruce Smith, eight). Donald even went out on top, leading all defensive tackles in pass rush win rate in his final season. — Schatz
Teams: Cardinals (2008-16, 2025-present), Jaguars (2017-19), Ravens (2020-22), Falcons (2023), Dolphins (2024)
Résumé since 2000: 110.5 sacks, 18 forced fumbles, three-time All-Pro
Though Campbell has had the benefit of a 17-year (and counting!) career, his numbers are truly quite remarkable. He’s only one sack shy of passing Donald’s career total, while his total plus-EPA ranks fourth among all players and first among interior defenders. Campbell has moved around a lot over his career, but he’d play the 3-technique for this team (that’s the position he has played the most since NFL Next Gen Stats tracking data started in 2017). — Walder
Teams: Chiefs (2016-current)
Résumé since 2000: 80.5 sacks, 13 forced fumbles, three-time Super Bowl champion, six-time All-Pro
There were a number of great interior defensive linemen who we considered for this team, and some of them had more first-team All-Pros than Jones’ three. Kevin Williams had five, Cameron Heyward four and Warren Sapp also three (not including his career before 2000). In the end, we asked ourselves this: Who would we choose if we needed to win one big game? So we went with the player who anchored a defense for three championship teams.
If Donald didn’t exist, Jones would have ranked first in pass rush win rate at defensive tackle for five consecutive seasons (2020-24). In two of those seasons, he also ranked first in double-team rate at defensive tackle. — Schatz
Practice squad: Kevin Williams, Cameron Heyward
Nose tackles (1)
Teams: Patriots (2004-14), Texans (2015-16)
Résumé since 2000: 16 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, two-time Super Bowl champion, five-time All-Pro
While there were plenty of other defensive tackles who could threaten the quarterback, we wanted to make sure we put at least one nose tackle on the squad. Wilfork hit 105 in approximate value — a statistic by Pro Football Reference that attributes a single number on the seasonal value of a player. That’s the most by any nose tackle in our span and the fourth most among any defensive tackle regardless of alignment, giving Wilfork an edge over five-time Pro Bowler and longtime Steeler Casey Hampton. — Walder
Versatile defensive linemen (1)
Teams: Texans (2011-20), Cardinals (2021-22)
Résumé since 2000: 114.5 sacks, 27 forced fumbles, three-time DPOY, seven-time All-Pro
We wanted to save a spot for Watt because he can play as an edge rusher or interior lineman. He is one of only three players in history to win Defensive Player of the Year three times, and he has the best plus-EPA of any player since 2000 (minimum 50 games).
Another way to describe Watt’s greatness is with a look at defeats. That’s a metric that adds together turnovers, tackles for loss and plays that prevent a conversion on third or fourth down. There have been only a dozen seasons of more than 40 defeats since 1991. Watt has three of them, including a record 57 defeats in 2012. — Schatz
Linebackers (5)
Teams: Ravens (1996-2012)
Résumé since 2000: 28.5 sacks, 15 forced fumbles, 24 interceptions, two-time Super Bowl champion, two-time DPOY, seven-time All-Pro
The preeminent linebacker of this quarter century, Lewis’ numbers back up his reputation. He led all linebackers in Pro Football Reference’s approximate value metric over these 25 years, even though that time period missed the first four years of his career. Lewis’ plus-EPA per game ranks second among all players since 2001, and that even omits one of his DPOY seasons. And from 2001 to 2012 (the time when Lewis played that we have EPA data to measure), the Ravens ranked as the best defense in the NFL in terms of EPA per play. — Walder
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Ray Lewis shares his film strategy with Peyton Manning, saying he was watching Manning’s every move. For more Peyton’s Places, sign up for ESPN+ today at https://plus.espn.com/.
Teams: Seahawks (2012-21, 2023), Rams (2022), Commanders (2024-present)
Résumé since 2000: 35 sacks, 7 forced fumbles, 13 interceptions, one-time Super Bowl champion, 11-time All-Pro
Wagner has the same number of first-team All-Pro selections as Lewis (seven), which is more than any other linebacker since 2000. His 10 Pro Bowl selections don’t even include the year he finished second in the Defensive Rookie of the Year balloting (2012) or the year he helped lead the Seahawks to a Super Bowl win (2013). Wagner also led the NFL in tackles three times. Since 2000, only London Fletcher has more tackles than Wagner’s 1,838. — Schatz
Teams: Bears (2000-12)
Résumé since 2000: 41.5 sacks, 11 forced fumbles, 22 interceptions, one-time DPOY, five-time All-Pro
The Urlacher-led Bears had the third-best defense in terms of EPA per play from 2001 to ’12. His 22 career interceptions are the second most by any linebacker in the past 25 years, behind only Lewis’ 26. Urlacher ranks fourth among all players in plus-EPA per game at minus-3.59, too. — Walder
Teams: Buccaneers (2012-current)
Résumé since 2000: 39 sacks, 31 forced fumbles, 13 interceptions, one-time Super Bowl champion, three-time All-Pro
No linebacker over the past 25 years has dominated with splash plays quite like David. His 415 defeats rank third among all players since 1991 (behind Lewis and Junior Seau), while his 31.9 defeats per season rank first. David also has 330 pass tackle stops (tackles after pass receptions that prevent the offense from having a successful play). Derrick Brooks (275) is the only other player since 1991 with more than 240. It’s ridiculous that David has only two total Pro Bowl (2015) or first-team All-Pro (2013) selections, but we’re not letting that keep him off our team. — Schatz
Teams: Panthers (2012-19)
Résumé since 2000: 12.5 sacks, 18 interceptions, one-time DPOY, seven-time All-Pro
Kuechly’s career burned so hot over its short eight-year span. The only one of those seasons in which he did not reach the Pro Bowl and earn first- or second-team All-Pro honors was 2012 … when he won Defensive Rookie of the Year. Kuechly’s 9.2 tackles per game and 0.15 interceptions per game are the second- and third-most of any linebacker in this century, respectively. — Walder
Practice squad: Derrick Brooks
Cornerbacks (5)
Teams: Jets (2007-12, 2015-16), Buccaneers (2013), Patriots (2014), Chiefs (2017)
Résumé since 2000: 29 interceptions, one-time Super Bowl champion, four-time All-Pro
Even the best receivers in the NFL disappeared on Revis Island. In the star cornerback’s best season (2009), the Jets allowed an average of 29 receiving yards per game to opposing WR1s. Revis’ 31 passes defensed that year are still an NFL record, four more than any other cornerback has ever had in a single season. — Schatz
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Teams: Washington (1999-2003), Broncos (2004-13)
Résumé since 2000: 5 forced fumbles, 47 interceptions, seven-time All-Pro
Bailey amassed more approximate value (149), per Pro Football Reference, since 2000 than any other cornerback by a healthy margin (Patrick Peterson was second at 131). His number of interceptions from 2000 rank third most in this span. Bailey qualifies for this team on both peak and longevity; he is tied with Ray Lewis for the most Pro Bowl nods (12) on this roster. — Walder
Teams: Buccaneers (1997-2012)
Résumé since 2000: 24 sacks, 13 forced fumbles, 43 interceptions, one-time Super Bowl champion, five-time All-Pro
Barber was one of the integral parts of the “Tampa 2” defense that dominated the NFL in the early 2000s. Plenty of cornerbacks in that era played close to the line of scrimmage as part of a Cover 2 shell, but no one matched Barber’s numbers against the run and pass. He leads all defensive backs with 292 defeats since 2000; Charles Woodson is the only other defensive back above 220. Barber’s interceptions rank sixth in that span, and he also made the most tackles on running plays (477). — Schatz
Teams: Seahawks (2011-17), 49ers (2018-20), Buccaneers (2021)
Résumé since 2000: 5 forced fumbles, 37 interceptions, one-time Super Bowl champion, five-time All-Pro
Sherman headlined the “Legion of Boom” secondary that took over the NFL in the 2010s, making the game-clinching deflection that sent the Seahawks to their second Super Bowl appearance of the 21st century. And in retrospect, it’s a testament to Sherman and Earl Thomas III (more on him later) that the emulations by other teams of Seattle’s Cover 3 defense never had as much success as the original. From 2012 to 2014, Sherman earned three straight first-team All-Pro selections and recorded 20 interceptions. — Walder
Teams: Cardinals (2011-20), Vikings (2021-22), Steelers (2023)
Résumé since 2000: 2 forced fumbles, 36 interceptions, three-time All-Pro
Peterson’s career had a long tail, but that shouldn’t overshadow his eight-year peak from 2011 to 2018. He was above average in yards allowed per target in each season during the early part of his career, peaking when he allowed a league-leading 4.4 yards per target in 2015. Peterson also tied for eighth (with Sherman) in interceptions during the past 25 seasons. — Schatz
Practice squad: Jalen Ramsey
Safeties (4)
Teams: Ravens (2002-12), Texans (2013), Jets (2013)
Résumé since 2000: 11 forced fumbles, 64 interceptions, one-time Super Bowl champion, one-time DPOY, eight-time All-Pro
The ultimate ball hawk, Reed picked off 15 more passes than any other defensive back in this quarter century. His 0.39 picks per game were by far the highest, amounting to almost one interception per 10 quarters! During his Defensive Player of the Year season in 2004, he picked off nine passes (the first of two seasons he hit that number). — Walder
Teams: Steelers (2003-14)
Résumé since 2000: 12 sacks, 14 forced fumbles, 32 interceptions, two-time Super Bowl champion, one-time DPOY, six-time All-Pro
Polamalu flying all over the field epitomized what NFL teams began prioritizing with modern safeties. He is fifth among safeties with 103 passes defensed since 2000. He also had 80 run stops (tackles to stop runs short of a successful play), which is third among all defensive backs since 2000. — Schatz
2:32
Polamalu receives HOF jacket, pays tribute to Steelers during speech
Troy Polamalu gets to don his gold Hall of Fame jacket for the first time and lauds the Pittsburgh Steelers during his speech.
Teams: Eagles (1996-2008), Broncos (2009-11)
Résumé since 2000: 22.5 sacks, 29 forced fumbles, 25 interceptions, five-time All-Pro
Dawkins delivered some huge hits during his 12 seasons this quarter century, as evidenced by the fact that he forced the second-most fumbles among DBs in our span and finished with the third-most sacks. When Dawkins was on the Eagles from 2000 to ’08, Philadelphia ranked third in EPA allowed per dropback on defense. — Walder
Teams: Seahawks (2010-18), Ravens (2019)
Résumé since 2000: 12 forced fumbles, 30 interceptions, one-time Super Bowl champion, five-time All-Pro
Thomas doesn’t have many impressive numbers because you don’t accumulate numbers when nobody will throw near you. He shut down the deep part of the field for the Seahawks, earning a Pro Bowl nod in five straight seasons (2011-15). At his peak in 2013, Seattle was the No. 1 defense against both short passes and deep passes on the way to a Super Bowl XLVIII win. — Walder
Practice squad: Charles Woodson
Kickers (1)
Teams: Ravens (2012-24)
Résumé since 2000: 1,775 points scored, 89.1% field goal percentage, one-time Super Bowl champion, eight-time All-Pro
The recently released Tucker is clearly the best kicker in these 25 years — and perhaps ever. If we compare him to other top contenders such as Adam Vinatieri, Sebastian Janikowski, Phil Dawson and Robbie Gould, Tucker recorded a higher field goal percentage from 40-44 yards, 45-49 yards and 50-54 yards. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, he also had the most field goals made over expectation (24.5, with no other player reaching 17) and the most win probability added among kickers (plus-78%) since 2017. — Walder
Punters (1)
Teams: Raiders (2000-12), Texans (2013-17)
Résumé since 2000: 47.6 yards per punt, nine-time All-Pro
One of the greatest and longest-tenured punters in NFL history, Lechler was named a first-team All-Pro in his rookie season. Throughout his 18-year career, he racked up more first-team All-Pro selections (six) than any other punter in NFL history (no one has had more than four). Lechler led the league in gross punt average in five seasons, and his career average in yards per punt is an NFL record for punters who have played over 120 games. — Schatz
Return specialists (1)
Teams: Bears (2006-13), Falcons (2014-15), Ravens (2016), Seahawks (2016)
Résumé since 2000: 20 return touchdowns, 11,028 total return yards, four-time All-Pro
Though Hester is remembered for scoring on the opening kickoff in Super Bowl XLI, he was actually more prolific as a punt returner. Fourteen of his return touchdowns came off punts; no other player recorded more than four in that same span. In 2024, he became the first return specialist to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. — Walder
Practice squad: Cordarrelle Patterson
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Devin Hester thanks mom at HOF induction: ‘Your son is a Hall of Famer!’
Devin Hester shares an emotional moment with his mom at his enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Special teamers (1)
Teams: Patriots (2008-23)
Résumé since 2000: 4,487 special teams snaps, three-time Super Bowl champion, five-time All-Pro
The Patriots had above-average special teams DVOA every single season from 1996 through 2020, and Slater was a huge factor in the second half of that streak as a gunner. Slater stayed in the NFL for 16 seasons despite having just one career reception at wide receiver and only one season with more than 20 defensive snaps at safety (both in 2011). There’s no way we were leaving him off this team. — Schatz
Long-snappers (1)
Teams: Ravens (2010-20), Titans (2021-present)
Résumé since 2000: 233 starts, one-time Super Bowl champion, one-time All-Pro
We’re not going to act like long-snapper experts, but Cox is a five-time Pro Bowler and earned his lone first-team All-Pro award in 2020 — the first year long-snappers were added to the team. He has played 15 years in the league for the Ravens and Titans. — Walder
Coaching staff
Bill Belichick, head coach
We wrestled back and forth here, considering both Belichick and Andy Reid. Reid has the advantage of sustained success with multiple quarterbacks and multiple franchises, but we went with Belichick because of his superior success in the postseason: nine Super Bowl appearances and six Super Bowl championships.
Belichick also won in different ways. His early Patriots teams were more about the defense, highlighted by a game plan that slowed down the 2001 Rams’ dynamic offense. The midcareer Patriots were offensive juggernauts. At the end of his New England tenure, the team went back to being defense-first, highlighted by a 13-3 victory in its final Super Bowl. — Schatz
Catch up on the NFL offseason
• Offseason dates | OTAs and minicamps
• 10 lingering questions | 2025 schedules
• Draft pick analysis | Kiper’s draft grades
• Free agency grades | Top remaining FAs
Draft | Free agency | Coaching hires
Kyle Shanahan, offensive coordinator
Our criteria for the coordinators was that head coaches were allowed as long as they spent some time as a coordinator in this quarter century. Shanahan — along with Sean McVay and the resulting coaching tree — proliferated a schematic shift across the league that happened to be quite successful.
Teams coordinated or coached by Shanahan averaged 0.06 EPA per play (postseason included), including three seasons where they ranked top two in DVOA and six seasons in the top six. Shanahan’s statistical success is notable given that he usually hasn’t had elite quarterbacks playing for him — the quarterback with the most playing time under him is Jimmy Garoppolo. — Walder
Wade Phillips, defensive coordinator
Phillips not only has a record of coordinating strong defenses at multiple stops; he also has a great record of improving those defenses. He took the Falcons’ defense from 24th in DVOA in 2001 to 10th in 2002. He took the Chargers’ defense from 28th in 2003 to ninth in 2004. He took the Texans’ defense — with some help from rookie J.J. Watt, of course — from 30th in 2010 to eighth in 2011. Then he took the Broncos to No. 1 in defensive DVOA in both 2015 and 2016, with a Super Bowl championship.
Including Phillips’ stops as a head coach (Bills and Cowboys), his defenses have ranked in the top half of the league in 15 of 18 seasons since 2000. — Schatz
Dave Toub, special teams coordinator
Toub holds one of the most impressive streaks a coach can have. He coordinated a top-five special teams unit in every season from 2006 (when ESPN’s efficiency ratings began) to 2017, including the postseason. That completely absurd streak — almost impossible considering the fickle nature of special teams — was broken in 2018 when Toub’s Chiefs finished … sixth in the category. — Walder
