NFL 1970s All-Decade Team

This is a list of all NFL players who have had outstanding performances throughout the 1970s and have been compiled onto this fantasy group. The team was selected by voters of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.^[1]^[2] The squad consists of first- and second-team offensive, defensive and special teams units, as well as a first- and second-team head coaches.

Punter Ray Guy was the leading voted-getting for the 1970s All-Decade Team, receiving 24 of a possible 25 votes. O.J. Simpson and Lynn Swann were next with 22 and 21 votes, respectively. Linebacker Jack Ham and Tight end Dave Casper each received 20 votes. Next were Defensive end Jack Youngblood and Joe Greene who each had 18 votes.^[3] Holdovers from the National Football League 1960s All-Decade Team were Bob Lilly, Dick Butkus, Merlin Olsen and Larry Wilson. Willie Brown was also on the 1960s AFL All-Decade Team.

Offense

Position	First Team	Votes	Hall of Fame?	Second Team	Votes	Hall of Fame?
Quarterback	Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers	13	Yes	Roger Staubach, Dallas Cowboys Ken Stabler, Oakland Raiders	3 3	Yes No
Running back	O.J. Simpson, Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers	22	Yes	Earl Campbell, Houston Oilers	8	Yes
Running back	Walter Payton, Chicago Bears	11	Yes	Franco Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers	7	Yes
Wide receiver	Lynn Swann, Pittsburgh Steelers	21	Yes	Paul Warfield, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns	5	Yes
Wide receiver	Drew Pearson, Dallas Cowboys	7	No	Harold Carmichael, Philadelphia Eagles	2	No
Tight end	Dave Casper, Oakland Raiders	20	Yes	Charlie Sanders, Detroit Lions	3	Yes
Tackle	Art Shell, Oakland Raiders	13	Yes	Dan Dierdorf, St. Louis Cardinals	11	Yes
Tackle	Ron Yary, Minnesota Vikings	12	Yes	Rayfield Wright, Dallas Cowboys	5	Yes
Guard	Larry Little, Miami Dolphins	16	Yes	John Hannah, New England Patriots	9	Yes
Guard	Joe DeLamielleure, Buffalo Bills	12	Yes	Gene Upshaw, Oakland Raiders	6	Yes
Center	Jim Langer, Miami Dolphins	15	Yes	Mike Webster, Pittsburgh Steelers	6	Yes

Defense

Position	First Team	Votes	Hall of Fame?	Second Team	Votes	Hall of Fame?
Defensive end	Jack Youngblood, Los Angeles Rams	18	Yes	L.C. Greenwood, Pittsburgh Steelers	10	No
Defensive end	Carl Eller, Minnesota Vikings	11	Yes	Harvey Martin, Dallas Cowboys	5	No
Defensive tackle	Joe Greene, Pittsburgh Steelers	18	Yes	Alan Page, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears	8	Yes
Defensive tackle	Bob Lilly, Dallas Cowboys	16	Yes	Merlin Olsen, Los Angeles Rams	5	Yes
Middle linebacker	Dick Butkus, Chicago Bears	9	Yes	Jack Lambert, Pittsburgh Steelers	6	Yes
Outside linebacker	Jack Ham, Pittsburgh Steelers	20	Yes	Robert Brazile, Houston Oilers	5	No
Outside linebacker	Ted Hendricks, Baltimore Colts, Green Bay Packers, Oakland Raiders	8	Yes	Bobby Bell, Kansas City Chiefs	4	Yes
Cornerback	Willie Brown, Oakland Raiders	13	Yes	Louis Wright, Denver Broncos	7	No
Cornerback	Jimmy Johnson, San Francisco 49ers	8	Yes	Roger Wehrli, St. Louis Cardinals	7	Yes
Safety	Ken Houston, Houston Oilers, Washington Redskins	16	Yes	Larry Wilson , St. Louis Cardinals	7	Yes
Safety	Cliff Harris, Dallas Cowboys	15	No	Dick Anderson, Miami Dolphins	3	No

Special Teams

Position	First Team	Votes	Hall of Fame?	Second Team	Votes	Hall of Fame?
Kicker	Garo Yepremian, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints	8	No	Jim Bakken, St. Louis Cardinals	7	No
Punter	Ray Guy, Oakland Raiders	24	No	Jerrel Wilson, Kansas City Chiefs	1	No
Kick Returner	Rick Upchurch, Denver Broncos	10	No	Billy “White Shoes” Johnson, Houston Oilers	6	No

Coach

Position	First Team	Votes	Hall of Fame?	Second Team	Votes	Hall of Fame?
Coach	Don Shula, Miami Dolphins	11	Yes	Chuck Noll, Pittsburgh	9	Yes

References

^ Pro! Official Magazine of the NFL. 1980. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthor= (help)
^ "1970s ALL-DECADE TEAM". NFL.com. Retrieved 2008-08-21. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ "NFL All-Decade Team of the 1970s". Tyrone Daily Herald. 1980-07-29. Retrieved 2009-03-11. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

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[1] Pro! Official Magazine of the NFL. 1980. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthor= (help)

[2] "1970s ALL-DECADE TEAM". NFL.com. Retrieved 2008-08-21. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[3] "NFL All-Decade Team of the 1970s". Tyrone Daily Herald. 1980-07-29. Retrieved 2009-03-11. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

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