The following nicknames are given to a unit (defensive, offensive and special teams) or a secondary nickname given to some teams used to describe a style of play or attitude of teams at times in accordance with phrases in popular culture of the time. They are not the official franchise nicknames of the National Football League (NFL). Since the NFL's inception in 1920, players, coaches, team executives, league officials, and football games have been given nicknames based on either individual achievements, team achievements, historical events, etc.
6-397: Nicknames for entire teams, whole offensive units, defensive units, or special teams. Names which are marked by an asterisk (*) are team nicknames which may have been coined by team members or local media, but never became well known to the public outside of the teams media market for a multitude of reasons, but most likely due to poor performance. The nickname was earned for accomplishments on
12-487: The Pro Football Hall of Fame , despite only playing for seven seasons. The Grim Reaper Throughout the league's history, a number of rules have been enacted largely because of exploits on the field by a single coach, owner, player, or referee. The following is a partial list of such rule changes: National Football League 1980s All-Decade Team The NFL 1980s All-Decade Team was chosen by voters of
18-616: The Pro Football Hall of Fame . The team was composed of outstanding performers in the National Football League in the 1980s. The squad consists of first- and second-team offensive, defensive and special teams units, as well as a first- and second-team head coaches. Jerry Rice, Anthony Muñoz, and Lawrence Taylor were the only unanimous choices, being named on all 26 ballots. John Hannah was next with 25 votes, followed by Joe Montana at 24½ votes, Walter Payton at 23½ votes, and Ronnie Lott with 23 votes. The safety position
24-472: The best safety in football!” The overwhelming majority of NFL fans would likely argue that Ronnie Lott was the best Safety in the league during the 80's; likely due to the San Francisco 49ers dominance during the 80's, having won 4 Super Bowls. Walter Payton , John Hannah , Mike Webster , Ted Hendricks , Jack Lambert , Billy Johnson , Rick Upchurch , and Chuck Noll had been previously named to
30-523: The field. Nicknames for individual players, coaches and personnel. An all-around great athlete, he earned recognition for his abilities including 5 Pro Bowl selections, 5 total All-Pro selections, AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 1981, AFC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1983, NFL 1980s All-Decade Team honors, is in the Seattle Seahawks Ring of Honor and was inducted into
36-461: Was very close as Joey Browner made all decade second team as he came in with 22 votes. Kenny Easley got 22½ votes, just edging out Browner to make the first team. Easley of Seattle slipped between both in the voting as all three could have easily replaced the other in a very tight vote. Hall of Fame coach John Madden scoffed at the idea that Browner wasn't a member of the first team, Stating “I don’t know how anyone in that room says Joey Browner isn’t
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