From 99-0, TeamFB7 is looking back on the greatest players in NFL history to don each jersey number. No ties allowed, tough decisions will be made — next is No. 92 and Reggie White.
Reggie White isn’t just the greatest NFL player to ever wear No. 92 — he’s one of the greatest NFL players period.
And squarely in the conversation or debate as to the most legendary defensive player in league history.
When NFL Network crafted its list of the 100 greatest players of all-time back in 2010, with a panel of current and former coaches, players, team executives and media, White landed at No. 7 overall with Lawrence Taylor the only defensive player ranked higher.
That’s a debate for another time, but for our purposes this will be one of the easiest decisions in this entire series.
If we ranked the greatest nicknames in NFL history (actually, a fun idea), White would be near the top of that list too.
The Minister of Defense played 15 seasons in the NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers and made the Pro Bowl 13 times — all but his first and last seasons. He was named first-team All-Pro eight times and second-team five times.
That means that aside from his rookie season, when he arguably got snubbed on such honors after tallying 13 sacks and 100 tackles in just 13 games, and his final season at 39 years old after returning from a year of retirement, White was considered one of the very best defensive ends in the game every other year of his illustrious career.
How Reggie White Became One Of The Best In The NFL
To further put the incredible longevity of his “prime” in perspective, he was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1987 at 26 years old after leading the league with 21 sacks and then won it again 11 years later in 1998 while posting 16 sacks as he turned 37 years old. He is the oldest Defensive Player of the Year winner in league history.
He also finished second in DPOY voting twice, third twice and fourth once.
White’s 198 career sacks rank second all-time behind Bruce Smith’s 200 sacks in 19 seasons — four more years than White. When he retired White had 28 more sacks than any other player since it became an official stat in 1982 (or 24.5 more than Deacon Jones’ unofficial total before that).
But just imagine if White hadn’t spent his first two professional seasons in the USFL, compiling 23.5 sacks in 36 games for the Memphis Showboats. (Overall, that makes him the all-time sacks leader in professional football.)
Or if he hadn’t initially retired after that 1998 season when he won his second DPOY award, sitting out a year before returning for one season with the Panthers.
Along with setting the career sacks record at the time, White finished with 1,111 total tackles, 33 forced fumbles and 3 interceptions.
And one very well-earned Super Bowl ring.
White set a Super Bowl record with 3 sacks in the Packers’ 35-21 win over the Patriots to cap the 1996 season with a championship.
Simply put, he was one of the very best to ever do it.
The Early Years
The USFL what-if is an interesting one, though.
The startup league made a splash upon launching in 1983 by offering big enough contracts to steer some stars away from the NFL at the time. Future Hall of Fame quarterbacks Steve Young and Jim Kelly, along with star running back Herschel Walker were among other marquee players for the short-lived league before it folded after three seasons.
White was born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, went on to star at the University of Tennessee where he was the SEC Player of the Year and a unanimous All-American in 1983 and was compelled by the opportunity to continue playing in his home state with the USFL’s Memphis Showboats and a five-year, $4 million contract that rivaled what he could have made initially in the NFL.
When the league collapsed after its 1985 spring/summer season, White eventually signed with the Eagles after the NFL’s 1985 season had already started. Missing the first few games, he didn’t miss a beat while registering 10 tackles and 2.5 sacks in his first game — setting the tone for what was to come for the next decade-plus.
White averaged 15.5 sacks over his eight seasons with the Eagles. His career-best 21-sack campaign incredibly came in just 12 games during the 1987 strike-shortened season, and that remains the record for fewest games to post 20-plus sacks.
He signed with the Packers in 1993 for four years and $17 million, making him the third-highest paid player in the league behind star quarterbacks John Elway and Dan Marino.
And he earned every penny of it.
Tragically, White died in 2004 from arrhythmia. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame two years later, having left an enduring legacy as one of the most impactful players in league history.
As for the No. 92, White wore it in all but his rookie season (when he wore 91), and it’s another testament to how legendary his career was that we didn’t even need to present a case for another all-time great No. 92 — longtime Giants edge rusher Michael Strahan (141.5 career sacks, Defensive Player of the Year, four first-team and two second-team All-Pro honors).
Other honorable mentions for 92 include longtime Steelers linebacker James Harrison and defensive tackle Haloti Ngata (Ravens, Lions, Eagles).
