10 most inspirational players in NFL history
Summary
- While NFL football is mostly about competition, it can also be about inspiring the youth and the public as well.
- Joe Namath’s confidence and guarantee of victory in Super Bowl III elevated the AFL’s status and made him an American sports folk hero.
- Some of the other most inspiring players in NFL history include two guys in the GOAT conversation, a legendary player and coach with an iron will, and a trailblazing Native American from the NFL’s infancy.
With more than its fair share of desperate Hail Marys, touchdown-saving tackles, and incredible comeback stories, the NFL was built for drama. Even so, at times, game-day heroes or villains, depending on where you sit, go on to represent so much more than what they put up in the final box scores.
When their deeds and actions impart reminders of some of life’s most important lessons, like the benefits of perseverance, or rewards of sacrifice, they become inspirations for us all, and their legacies stretch far beyond the painted lines of the gridiron. While NFL football is all about competition, it’s also about inspiring the youth and the public, and these 10 players did that better than anyone.
10
Odell Beckham Jr. Inspires A New Generation
For a new generation of fans, wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr represents the values of raw authenticity and the power and joy of self-expression. The Baltimore Ravens #3 rarely holds back. He’s fought and made-up with kicking nets. He was fined for an infamous celebration in the end zone that mimicked a dog urinating. While he may not be your cup of tea, everything Beckham Jr. does, from his hairstyles, to unfiltered opinions, is closely followed by a dedicated and inspired fanbase.
Unlike several of the players we will discuss further down on this list, he has never lifted an MVP award and has far less career accomplishments. However, to his 18m followers on Instagram, where he is far and away the most popular NFL player, that matters very little.
For them, OBJ’s vivid brand of bad boy nonconformity is more akin to their way of being. From an impeccable sense of style, to an active interest in video gaming, the sometimes brash and outspoken player, who turns 31 later this year, has found a way to connect with millennials and Gen Z very few other NFL players can.
On the field, most of his inspirational play came in his debut season, when Beckham became the first rookie to record more than 75 receptions, 1100 yards and 10 touchdowns. In addition to that, he permanently wrote his name in NFL history with a stunning one-handed (more specifically, three-fingered) touchdown catch against the Dallas Cowboys.
9
Broadway Joe Namath’s Confidence Was Contagious
Well, let’s just start with the fact that you don’t get a nickname like ‘Broadway Joe’ for no reason. For many NFL fans throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Joe Namath was the embodiment of unfiltered cool. From his trademark white cleats, long fur coat—which he often wore on the sidelines—to his surreal confidence, Namath inspired others to dare to stand out.
Perhaps even more notably, on the field, the quarterback pulled off one of the most stirring moves of all time. Namath famously guaranteed that his heavy 19.5-point underdog New York Jets, then an AFL franchise, would defeat the NFL’s Baltimore Colts at Super Bowl III, in 1969. His teammates, despite admitting to some apprehension, went on to back up their QB with a 16-7 win over the Colts.
The victory, apart from cementing Namath’s status as a bona fide legend, also changed perceptions on how the AFL was viewed, tremendously increasing their bargaining power ahead of a future merger with the NFL. As much as anything else, Namath, much like Mickey Mantle or Muhammad Ali, stepped straight into the role of the American sports folk hero. His crossover appeal was tremendous.
8
Iron Mike Ditka Embodies Toughness
For many reasons, former players typically don’t make the best coaches. One notable exception to that rule is Chicago Bears legend “Iron” Mike Ditka, and he did it his way: the hard way. After being drafted by the Bears in 1961, Ditka made the Pro Bowl every year until he left the franchise in 1966. He’s widely regarded as one of the best tight ends to ever play the game, earning a spot on the NFL’s 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
After hanging up his cleats, Ditka, who was the first tight end ever inducted into the Hall of Fame, grabbed a clipboard and transferred his tough as nails approach into coaching, an approach that made him an inspiration to players and fans alike.
George Halas recruited Ditka to take over as the Bears head coach in 1982 and Ditka, along with defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan, were able to turn a floundering Bears franchise into a force of nature by 1985, culminating with their iconic Super Bowl-winning 1985 team, which some consider to be the best of all-time.
Off the field, Iron Mike has been immortalized in pop culture by Saturday Night Live sketches where actors replicated his trademark look with aviator sunglasses and massive fake mustaches. A near mythical figure with cult-like status in Chicago, Ditka considered a run for senate in 2004 but eventually decided against it. Funnily enough, that race could have pit him against a certain young politician named Barack Obama.
7
Trailblazing Jim Thorpe
A Native American hero, Jim Thorpe, like several others of the era, proved that character, talent, and ability had very little to do with one’s ethic background. Thorpe didn’t just play football, but he still excelled at the highest level. In his heyday during the 1920s, he represented six teams in the NFL and became renowned for his strength and speed, earning a spot on both the NFL 1920s All-Decade Team and the NFL 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.
Amazingly, the depth of Thorpe’s talent was such that in addition to the NFL he managed to play in the MLB while also winning two Olympic gold medals for the United States. He later went on to serve as the first president of the American Professional Football Association, which would later become the NFL. What makes his achievements all the more remarkable is they took place during a time when Native Americans were rarely considered full citizens.
Thorpe’s Olympic gold medals, which he won in the decathlon and pentathlon, were controversially stripped from him in 1913, after it was adjudged that he had violated the competition’s rules on amateurism. His awards were recently posthumously reinstated after a campaign in 2022.
6
Joe Montana: The Quarterback Blueprint
There’s hardly anything worth saying that hasn’t been said already about legendary field general Joe Montana, a man who inspired and continues to inspire current and future generations of quarterbacks. Montana remains synonymous with two things: a surreal coolness, and the uncanny ability to deliver big when it mattered most.
In 16 seasons in the NFL, Montana built a reputation as a man who could do the unthinkable, football’s very own Harry Houdini, a master of the great escape. As a member of the 49ers, Montana started and won four Super Bowls, earning three Super Bowl MVP Awards and was widely viewed as the greatest to ever do it for quite some time.
When it came to passing in a pinch, Montana was the blueprint. He played in a time before the NFL’s passing game really exploded, but won the passing title twice and helped to usher in a new era of high-flying offensive football. Among those who grew up idolizing Montana was another QB you may have heard of—Tom Brady. Enough said.
5
John Elway: King Of Comebacks
For fans of the Denver Broncos in the 1980s and 1990s you only needed to know one thing: you were never really out of a game as long as John Elway was still in it. Elway was famous for his late game heroics and that included a combined 35 comeback wins in the fourth quarter and overtime, which is tied for third all-time with Johnny Unitas.
“The Drive”, a 98-yard game winning drive in the fourth quarter of the 1986 AFC Championship game against the Cleveland Browns, has long been etched into NFL folklore. In a span of five minutes and two seconds, Elway methodically led his team 98 yards in 15 plays, tying the game with 37 seconds left in regulation. Denver went on to win the game in overtime.
Another cool customer, John Elway is known for being one of the most prolific passers of all time who didn’t mind using his legs either. By the time he retired in 1999 on the heels of back-to-back Super Bowl triumphs, Elway had become the winningest quarterback in NFL history.
Unlike many former athletes who go on to make terrible GMs, Elway did just the opposite. As the man pulling the strings, he put together a team that took the Broncos to two Super Bowls, including their victory in 2016 in Super Bowl 50. The title saw Elway become the first man in NFL history to win a Super Bowl as a quarterback and a general manager.
4
Jerry Rice Becomes The Wide Receiver Prototype
When it comes to wide receivers, few would argue that former San Francisco 49er Jerry Rice remains the benchmark, and it’s fairly easy to see why. Rice retired from the league back in 2005, yet his name remains at the top of the pile for several of the NFL’s most coveted records, which many view as unbreakable.
He has 197 career touchdown receptions, which is 41 more than the guy in second place, his all-purpose touchdown total of 208 is also 33 scores ahead of the next best guy, while his 22,895 career receiving yards are over 5,000 yards ahead of the competition. During his legendary stint for the 49ers, Rice won three Super Bowls, earning the MVP at Super Bowl XXIII.
Before even Tom Brady, Rice was the symbol of how hard work and dedication can prolong a career, having played 20 grueling seasons at wide receiver. The close attention that he paid to taking care of his health has greatly influenced the current generation of NFL stars. Known as the textbook wide receiver, young players would often be encouraged to pay close attention to Rice and the way he ran routes—but more importantly to his incredible work ethic.
3
Colin Kaepernick’s Kneel For Change
One of the most inspiring NFL players of this most recent generation is without a doubt former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Drafted in 2011, Kaepernick burst onto the scene in his second year when he led the Niners on a shocking run to the Super Bowl during which the QB set an NFL record for quarterback rushing yards in a single postseason, with 264.
Kaepernick’s speed and massive 6’4″, 230-lb frame made him an anomaly that opposing defenses couldn’t figure out at first, but after a few years as the Niners’ starter, the results had become much more of a mixed bag.
In 2016, Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem to try and draw attention to the police brutality, inequality, and racial injustice that people of color continue to deal with in the United States. His decision sparked an international debate, with many seeing Kaepernick as an agent of positive change and many others misinterpreting his actions as an attack on the country.
Unfortunately, Kaepernick paid for his activism with his career, as he was blackballed by the league the next year when he became a free agent. Kaepernick inspired not only his fellow players to speak up and speak out on what you believe in no matter the cost, but also inspired thousands of others to take a stand where and how they were able to.
2
Tom Brady Beats The Odds
If anyone had told you on the night of the 2000 NFL draft that some guy named Tom Brady would go on to be the winningest NFL player of all-time, you would have laughed right in their face. A mere afterthought, Brady was taken in the sixth round of the draft at No. 199. Brady started as the fourth-string quarterback, but by his second year, he was second behind only Drew Bledsoe, for whome he took over due to an injury during that season. We all know the rest.
Brady went on to rack up the most career passing yards, completions, touchdown passes, wins, and starts in NFL history, cementing him as the new GOAT (sorry, Joe). He has the most Super Bowl MVPs with five and is the only player to win Super Bowl MVPs for two different franchises.
Much like Rice, Brady’s dedication to his own health has also been inspiring to many current athletes, which led to the creation of his “TB12” company, which has become a bit of a peak performance empire. Brady’s whole career is just proving the old adage: it’s not where you start but how you finish. And speaking of a finish, Brady did that well too, becoming the oldest player to be named Super Bowl MVP, win a Super Bowl as the starting quarterback, and be named league MVP.
1
Legendary Jim Brown Led By Example
Every now an again an athlete emerges that is such a strong leader both on and off the field that one can’t help but be inspired. For many pundits, players, and coaches, Cleveland Browns Jim Brown is not just the greatest running back, but possibly the greatest NFL player of all time. Combine that with the part he played as both a role model and community leader and no one else really compares.
By the time he retired, Brown was the NFL all-time leader in rushing yards, with 12,312, and career touchdowns, with 126. Those statistics were all the more impressive considering the fact that Brown retired after just nine seasons in the NFL and played 12-game seasons for the first four year of his career and 14-game seasons in his final five. In eight of those nine seasons Brown led the NFL in rushing and was named NFL MVP three times.
Off the field, his aura was perhaps even more sizable. His willingness to influence conversations on racial equality, at a time when it was easier for most athletes to not speak out against injustice, puts him in a category with very few others. As part of an early, rapidly growing civil rights movement, along with NBA stars Bill Russell and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Brown took part in the Cleveland Summit, which was a meeting with then outcast boxer Muhammad Ali.
The aim of the meeting was to rally behind and recruit others to help Ali’s push for Black civil rights in the United States. In later years it was defined as a crucial turning point for the role athletes played in addressing social justice issues and remains an inspiration to athletes trying to use their platform to create change today.
All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference and all contract information courtesy of Spotrac unless stated otherwise.
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