Various NFL players have contributed to naming the league’s Top 100 players every year since 2011, when NFL Network began assembling the list. While we all know this list isn’t perfect, as it’s just a small portion of some players’ perceptions, it serves as a measuring stick for how players are viewed by their peers. Widely respected, it’s no surprise to see Tom Brady land at No. 1 on the list for the fourth time since 2011.
Brady holds the record for receiving the top spot more than any other player. Amazingly, his peers still view Brady as the best, despite him nearly walking away from the game this past offseason. Not only that, Brady is 45 years old for Pete’s sake. He’s simply not like the others.
Yet it’s hard to argue with Brady’s placement at No. 1. He’s coming off a season in which he led the NFL in several major passing categories, such as yards, touchdowns, and sack percentage. While his birth certificate may be older than every other football player still in the game, Brady’s not showing his age once he steps between the lines.
We don’t expect that to suddenly change in 2022 either, meaning we could see Brady rank at No. 1 once again a year from now.
Related: NFL MVP odds 2022-23: Betting favorites point to Josh Allen, Tom Brady ahead of preseason
NFL’s Top 100 has Tom Brady at the top, beating out Aaron Donald
What about the other players on the Top 100? Who did Brady beat out for the top slot?
Here’s the top ten, as voted on by NFL players.
- Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, QB
- Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams, DL
- Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers, QB
- Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams, WR
- Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts, RB
- T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers, LB
- Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders, WR
- Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs, QB
- Jalen Ramsey, Los Angeles Rams, CB
- Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs, TE
As expected, the top ten is dominated by players who play offense and score touchdowns, yet it’s hard to have beef with any of the three defenders named to the top ten.
It’s incredible to think the Rams have two players ranked in the top four, and three in the top ten with Donald, Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp, and shutdown corner Jalen Ramsey but that’s exactly the respect earned when you win a Lombardi. Plus, they’ve assembled an All-Star cast, so this is no surprise.
Rodgers being ranked third despite winning the MVP for a consecutive year is also notable. He’s the MVP, yet his peers don’t view him as the best? Is this a biased approach? Few have any sort of distaste for Brady (aside from maybe teams in the AFC East), yet Rodgers isn’t as well-liked league wide. Yet, it’s still hard to argue either player being ranked much higher than the other. Both are world-class quarterbacks.
Davante Adams is the top-ranked player to change teams this offseason, forcing Rodgers to make a big adjustment this season. Will his departure help Rodgers ascend in the rankings next year, or will his absence be the cause for his downfall?
The Chiefs may have shipped Tyreek Hill away, but the Patrick Mahomes-Travis Kelce pairing remains the best in football, according to their fellow NFL players. Hill came in at 15 on this year’s list, the same placement as last season. We’ll see how catching passes from Tua Tagovailoa impacts Hill’s ranking next season.
Jonathan Taylor climbing up to No. 5 is an incredible feat after leading the NFL in rushing. He wasn’t even on this list last season, but Taylor’s clearly earned his respect around the league.
The entire list of the NFL’s Top 100 players can be viewed here. Sportsnaut also has our own top 100 list. How do they compare?
