The NFL Top 100 is an annual television series aired during the NFL offseason counting down the top one hundred players in the National Football League (NFL), as chosen by fellow NFL players. The rankings are based on an off-season poll organized by the NFL, where players vote on their peers based on their performance for the recent NFL season. Only players that are not retired in the next season are eligible for consideration.
In 2010, NFL Network aired The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players, an all-time top 100 list, with wide receiver Jerry Rice being voted as the number-one player. The following year, the network debuted their annual NFL Top 100, with quarterback Tom Brady being voted at the top. Brady holds the record for most number-one selections, with four (2011, 2017, 2018, and 2022). Fellow quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the only other player to have been voted number-one multiple times (2021, 2023). Non-quarterbacks to be voted number-one include running back Adrian Peterson (2013), defensive end J. J. Watt (2015), defensive tackle Aaron Donald (2019), wide receiver Tyreek Hill (2024), running back Saquon Barkley (2025) and defensive end Myles Garrett (2026).
Series overview SeasonOriginally airedNumber 1 First aired Last aired Player Team 1
Tom Brady New England Patriots 2
Aaron Rodgers Green Bay Packers 3
Adrian Peterson Minnesota Vikings 4
Peyton Manning Denver Broncos 5
J. J. Watt Houston Texans 6
Cam Newton Carolina Panthers 7
Tom Brady New England Patriots 8
9
Aaron Donald Los Angeles Rams 10
Lamar Jackson Baltimore Ravens 11
Patrick Mahomes Kansas City Chiefs 12
Tom BradyTampa Bay Buccaneers 13
Patrick MahomesKansas City Chiefs 14
Tyreek HillMiami Dolphins 15June 30, 2025September 1, 2025Saquon BarkleyPhiladelphia Eagles 16June 22, 2026September 3, 2026Myles GarrettLos Angeles Rams
History
Produced by NFL Films, the series' first season was released during the 2011 NFL offseason. The series was aired on NFL Network, which released ten episodes, each revealing ten players. The first episode, revealing the players ranked #100 through #91 was aired on April 30, 2011. The list and series began with the #100 ranked player, Washington Redskins quarterback Donovan McNabb, and ended when New England Patriots quarterback and 2010 NFL MVP Tom Brady was selected as the number one ranked player.
The NFL Top 100 list returned following the 2012 NFL season, running during the NFL's offseason. Each episode of the season was followed up by NFL Top 100 Reaction Show, which featured NFL Network analysts reacting and voicing their opinions on the ten most recent players revealed on the list. The series has run every offseason since, following the same countdown format and continuing to feature players and analysts reacting to the rankings. NFL Films have also released annual lists of ten players who just missed the Top 100 listing.
Players with most Top 100 selections
+ Key Symbol Meaning Denotes Pro Football Hall of Fame member ^ Denotes active player
Player Position Years selected PeakAaron Rodgers^ Quarterback 14 2011–2024 #1 (2012)Trent Williams^ Offensive tackle 13 2013–2019, 2021–2026 #7 (2024) Tom Brady Quarterback 12 2011–2022 #1 (4 times)Travis Kelce^ Tight end 11 2016–2026 #5 (2 times) Bobby Wagner^ Linebacker 2015, 2017–2026 #13 (2020) Drew Brees Quarterback 10 2011–2020 #2 (2 times)Larry Fitzgerald Wide receiver 2011–2020 #7 (2012)Cameron Jordan^ Defensive end 2014, 2016, 2018–2023, 2026 #23 (2020) Khalil Mack^ Defensive end 2015–2021, 2024, 2025 #3 (2019) Von Miller^ Linebacker 2012–2020, 2022 #2 (2017) Russell Wilson Quarterback 2013–2022 #2 (2020) J. J. Watt Defensive end 9 2013–2021 #1 (2015)Aaron Donald^ Defensive tackle 2015–2023 #1 (2019) Ben Roethlisberger Quarterback 2011–2019 #18 (2018)Mike Evans^ Wide receiver 2015, 2017, 2019–2025 #26 (2024) Cameron Heyward^ Defensive tackle 2016, 2018–2025 #42 (2022) Tyreek Hill^ Wide receiver 2017–2025 #1 (2024) Cam Newton Quarterback 8 2012–2019 #1 (2016) Derrick Henry^ Running back 2019–2026 #4 (2021) Julio Jones Wide receiver 2013, 2015–2021 #3 (2017) A. J. Green Wide receiver 2012–2019 #9 (2014) Earl Thomas Safety 2012–2018, 2020 #17 (2014) Philip Rivers Quarterback 2011, 2012, 2014–2019 #17 (2019) Patrick Mahomes^ Quarterback 2019–2026 #1 (2 times) Patrick Peterson Cornerback 2012–2019 #18 (2016) Tyron Smith Offensive tackle 2014–2020, 2022 #18 (2017) Ndamukong Suh Defensive tackle 2011–2018 #24 (2015)Kirk Cousins^ Quarterback 2016–2020, 2022–2024 #42 (2023) Zack Martin Guard 2017–2024 #53 (2024) T. J. Watt^ Outside linebacker 2019–2026 #6 (2022)
Reception Several NFL players have expressed negative opinions of NFL Top 100. Responding to the 2021 list, Arizona Cardinals offensive tackle D. J. Humphries called the list "bullshit" and "made up" and cast personal doubt on if players actually vote, stating that he had never voted. In 2022, former tackle Andrew Whitworth, a 3× NFL Top 100 selection himself, also asserted that not every player votes on the list, calling it a "joke" and "content filler".
NFL.com writer Jeremy Bergman opined that Aaron Rodgers' inclusion and Joe Flacco's near-make on the 2024 list showed that "players continue to suffer simultaneously from recency bias and a misunderstanding of what the criteria for this exercise are, if there are any".
See also NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players
References