Top 30 NFL Players of the 1900s

28. Gene Upshaw

If you’re creating an all-time NFL offensive line, you’d be remiss to not have Upshaw as one of those five. The Raiders running game would not have been what it was without the Hall of Famer creating holes for Mark van Eeghen and Clarence Davis.

While the Raiders had two great quarterbacks of that era in Ken Stabler and Jim Plunkett, their ground attack was vital in several key games. While Super Bowl XI is remembered for Willie Brown’s interception return for a touchdown, the Raiders offensive line put in a great performance. The Raiders punished the Vikings front seven by running for over 260 yards, with Upshaw being the key contributor up front.

While Upshaw was dominant on the field, his impact off of it was arguably more noteworthy. He led the player’s strike in 1987, and was the head of the NFLPA until his death in 2008.

Upshaw was selected as a first- team All-Pro three times and made six consecutive Pro Bowls from 1972-77. He is also part of the NFL’s 1970s All-Decade team, and won Super Bowls XI and XV with the Raiders. He started 207 games in his fourteen year career, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.