They say everything is bigger in Texas. Does that include football careers? Let’s take a look at the top five Texas-born NFL players of all time and find out.
#5 Adrian Peterson
Peterson started out his career with a bang. Not only did he win Rookie of the Year, but he also broke almost every franchise record for a Vikings rookie. Then, on Nov. 4, 2007, AP earned legend status by shattering the NFL single-game rushing record, logging 296 yards on 30 carries, with three touchdowns. Fourteen seasons and a Hall of Fame career later, Peterson is still doing it. While he’s in a different stage of his career, AP still has the ability to make an impact on any team that puts the ball in his hands.
#4 Eric Dickerson
The ‘80s proved to be one of the greatest decades for NFL running backs, and Eric Dickerson, native of Sealy, Texas, was a huge reason why. Playing the bulk of his career between 1983 and 1990 (he retired in 1993), Dickerson set numerous records in that stretch that still stand, including the marks for single-season rushing yards (2,105), rookie season rushing yards (1,808), and the most rushing yards in a playoff game (248). If you’ve never watched an Eric Dickerson highlight reel, do yourself a favor and click on the link. You won’t be disappointed.
#3 Patrick Mahomes
Sure, Mahomes may someday take over second or even first place on this list – just not today. After making back-to-back Super Bowl appearances, winning league MVP, Super Bowl MVP, and finishing first in three Pro Bowl votes over his first four seasons, the boy from Tyler, Texas, is well on his way to being one of the top players of all time – from any state. In the meantime, here’s a reminder of why he’s considered the best quarterback playing today.
#2 “Mean” Joe Greene
People who don’t follow football will probably know Mean Joe from that now-famous Coke commercial he did back in 1979 (“Thanks, Mean Joe!”). The rest of us know Joe Greene from his time ruining the days of NFL offenses as a defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers. In his playing career, Greene won four Super Bowls, made 10 Pro Bowl appearances, and was a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Not bad for a dude from Temple, Texas.
#1 Drew Brees
One of the best to ever throw a football, Brees has continued to do it at a high level since his rookie year in 2001. It’s hard to believe that the upcoming 2021-2022 NFL season will be the first of the new millennium without the Dallas native. He retires having logged an illustrious 20-year career rivaled by few quarterbacks in history. Brees made 13 Pro Bowl appearances, set records for the most career passing yards (80,358) and most career completions (7,142), was a seven-time NFL passing yards leader, a four-time NFL passing touchdowns leader, and he won a Super Bowl Championship, earning MVP honors. A tip of the cowboy hat to you, sir!
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