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Top 30 NFL Players of the 1980s

By Jarrett Bailey

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - SEPTEMBER 30: Lawrence Taylor #56 of the New York Giants in action against the Dallas Cowboys during an NFL football game September 30, 1990 at The Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Taylor played for the Giants from 1981-93. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - SEPTEMBER 30: Lawrence Taylor #56 of the New York Giants in action against the Dallas Cowboys during an NFL football game September 30, 1990 at The Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Taylor played for the Giants from 1981-93. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FL – DECEMBER 13: Lee Roy Selmon
TAMPA, FL – DECEMBER 13: Lee Roy Selmon /

15. Lee Roy Selmon

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the late 1970s and early 1980s were far from anything to write home about. After their inception in 1976, they lost their first 26 games and were the laughing stock of the NFL. Their luck turned around in 1979, though. Tampa won their division and made it to the NFC Championship game, and Selmon was one of the biggest reasons for their turnaround.

The former No. 1 overall pick in the 1976 NFL Draft made it to five consecutive Pro Bowls in the decade from 1980-1984. He was the heart and soul of a team that didn’t have much great talent on it. The Bucs made the playoffs in both 1981 and 1982 in large part because of Selmon’s disruptive play on the defensive side of the ball.

Selmon retired after the 1984 season, going out on a high note with one final Pro Bowl appearance. While the teams he played for had only sporadic success, his ability and impact set him apart as a diamond in the rough. His No. 63 jersey was retired by the team, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995.

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