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10 Best Defensive Tackles of All Time

The first line of defense against the run, we take a look at the best defensive tackles of all time. These players have set the benchmark for how the position should be played, dominating the physical battle and often changing the momentum of games.

10. Randy White

“The Manster” Randy White was part of the devastating “Doomsday Defense” which starred during the Cowboys dynasty of the late 1960s and 1970s.

Quarterback sacks weren’t an official NFL statistic until 1982 which makes it difficult to benchmark defensive tackles before then. Nevertheless, White is credited with 111 sacks and 1,104 tackles in his regular season career.

9. Bob Lilly

Lilly is one of the best Cowboys players of all time and missed only one game across his 14-season career which he spent entirely at Dallas. Although not an official stat by the NFL, researchers attribute 11-time Pro Bowler Lilly to 95.5 sacks, which is remarkable considering that he was often double and triple-teamed. 

8. Cortez Kennedy

Cortez Kennedy is a Seattle Seahawks legend and he spent his entire 11-season career at the franchise. He reportedly rarely spent time in the weight room, which is impressive considering how he overpowered offensive linemen with his agility and speed.

Kennedy had a major impact on the Seahawks defense with 668 tackles, 58 sacks and three interceptions during his career. In 1992 he earned the Defensive Player of the Year award in which he recorded 92 tackles, 14 sacks and forced four fumbles. 

7. Merlin Olsen

Like Randy White, Bob Lilly and Cortez Kennedy, Merlin Olsen spent his entire career with one franchise. The LA Rams defensive tackle was a good hitter with a great leap and he was a Pro Bowler in every season of his 15-year career, with the exception of his final season. Across 208 games Olsen is credited with 91 sacks and 915 tackles. 

6. John Randle

Known for his intense and disruptive style of play, John Randle was a seven-time Pro Bowler and an absolute terror for offensive linemen. He was fortunate to play his career after quarterback sacks were officially a stat and he finished with 137.5 sacks in his career.

It’s an incredible feat and the most sacks ever by a defensive tackle, and he led the Vikings in sacks for eight years straight. 

5. Alan Page

Alan Page was a cornerstone of the Minnesota Vikings’ famed “Purple People Eaters” defensive line during the 1960s and 70s, and he’s a two-time Defensive Player of the Year winner.

Page finished his career with 148.5 sacks, 23 fumble recoveries and 28 blocked kicks. He was the first and one of only two defensive players to win the NFL MVP award which he did so in 1971, the only other being linebacker Lawrence Taylor.

4. Warren Sapp

The interior defensive line position was redefined by one of the best defensive tackles of all time Warren Sapp. With his quickness and pass-rushing ability, Sapp is credited with 96.5 sacks, 19 forced fumbles and four interceptions.

Sapp sometimes drew criticism for his excessively hard-hitting style of play but with that said he was a seven-time Pro Bowler and NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1999.

3. Joe Greene

Joe Green, also known as “Mean” Joe Greene, was a huge part of the Pittsburgh Steelers dynasty and the “Steel Curtain” defense. A four-time Super Bowl champion and 10-time Pro Bowler he earned two Defensive Player of the Year awards. Green is credited with 77.5 sacks.

2. Aaron Donald 

Some regard Aaron Donald as the best defensive player of all time, and they have a case with Donald winning Defensive Player of the Year three times. There’s no doubt that Donald has changed the defensive tackle position, and there’s a solid argument he’s the quickest player ever at the position, and strongest six-foot athlete ever.

Before the 2023 season began Donald had 104 sacks to his name in his career. In 2018 he had a career-high 20.5 sacks, just two short of the NFL record set by Michael Strahan in 2001. 

1. Reggie White

The best defensive tackle of all time, Reggie White earned 13 Pro Bowl selections during his career. Playing at both defensive end and tackle, he was impossible to block one-on-one and is one of the most physically imposing players in NFL history.

White holds the record for most consecutive seasons with 10+ sacks, doing so for nine seasons straight. Only defensive end Bruce Smith has more than White’s 198 sacks, and White finished his career with 1,112 tackles and forced 33 fumbles.

Matt Ieriko

Matt Ieriko is a freelance writer who’s evolved his lifelong passion for sport into the creation of WolfgangSport.com in 2020 – an American sports blog covering the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, MLS and more. As an Australian, he’s always been fascinated with the cultural differences and global significance of sports in America.

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