Greatest Players Who Wore the NFL Jersey 30

From Early Giants to Playoff Kings: The Elite History of NFL Jersey Number 30

The number 30 represents a tradition of pure power and revolutionary skill, defining key eras in NFL history. It belongs to not one, but three Pro Football Hall of Famers! Leading the list is Terrell Davis, the Denver Broncos running back whose dominance was so complete he earned an MVP award, a Super Bowl MVP, and an enshrinement despite a short career. But the number’s prestige begins earlier with defensive tackle Bill Willis, a two-way pioneer, and the hard-running legend Clarke Hinkle. Dive into the explosive history of this jersey, exploring other greats like Ollie Matson and Jamaal Williams, to crown the true champion of the No. 30 legacy.

Our buddy Jeremy McFarlin of the Football is Family podcast joined us back in 2021 to discuss the top players who wore uniform 30.

Which NFL Players Are the Best To Have Worn the Number 30?

Football career bios for players who wore the number 30:

Terrell Davis

This Pro Football Hall of Fame running back was the 1998 NFL MVP and Super Bowl XXXII MVP, winning two Super Bowls and averaging a record 5.6 yards per carry in the postseason.

Running Back – Denver Broncos (1995–2002) – 3-time Pro Bowl selection and 3-time All-Pro selection (3-time first-team) – Wore Number 30: 1995–2002

Bill Willis

A Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive tackle, he helped definitively break the NFL’s color barrier in 1946 and won four AAFC and one NFL Championship with the Cleveland Browns.

Guard / Defensive Lineman / Offensive Lineman – Cleveland Browns (1946–1953) – 3-time Pro Bowl selection and 8-time All-League/All-Pro selection (7-time first-team, 1-time second-team) – Wore Number 30: 1946–1951

Clarke Hinkle

This Pro Football Hall of Fame fullback played 10 seasons for the Green Bay Packers, retired in 1941 as the NFL’s all-time leading rusher, and was renowned as one of the toughest “Iron Men” of his era.

Fullback / Linebacker – Green Bay Packers (1932–1941) – 0 official Pro Bowls (played in the era prior to the Pro Bowl game, though selected to all-star games/league honors) and 4-time All-Pro selection (first-team) – Wore Number 30: 1933, 1935, 1937–1941 (wore it the longest among his several numbers)

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Ahman Green

A four-time Pro Bowl running back, he holds the Green Bay Packers’ franchise record for career rushing yards and, in 2003, became the first NFL player to rush for 1,850+ yards and catch 50+ passes in one season.

Running Back – Seattle Seahawks (1998–1999), Green Bay Packers (2000–2006, 2009), Houston Texans (2007–2008) – 4-time Pro Bowl selection and 1-time All-Pro selection (second-team) – Wore Number 30: 1998–2006, 2009 (wore No. 34 with the Texans because number 30 was already taken)

Brian Mitchell

One of the most productive return specialists in NFL history, he retired ranked second all-time in career all-purpose yards behind Jerry Rice and was a key member of the Redskins’ Super Bowl XXVI championship team.

Running Back / Return Specialist – Washington Redskins (1990–1999), Philadelphia Eagles (2000–2002), New York Giants (2003) – 1-time Pro Bowl selection and 3-time All-Pro selection (1-time first-team, 2-time second-team) – Wore Number 30: 1990–2003 (wore it throughout his entire NFL career)

Todd Gurley

The 2017 NFL Offensive Player of the Year and two-time First-team All-Pro, this dynamic running back led the league in rushing touchdowns in both 2017 and 2018.

Running Back – St. Louis / Los Angeles Rams (2015–2019), Atlanta Falcons (2020) – 3-time Pro Bowl selection and 3-time All-Pro selection (2-time first-team, 1-time second-team) – Wore Number 30: 2015–2020 (wore No. 30 with both the Rams and Falcons) [Source]

Ollie Matson

This Pro Football Hall of Fame halfback and return specialist was a six-time Pro Bowl selection who won a bronze medal in the 400-meter dash at the 1952 Olympics before starting his NFL career.

Halfback / Running Back / Return Specialist – Chicago Cardinals (1952–1958), Los Angeles Rams (1959–1962), Detroit Lions (1963), Philadelphia Eagles (1964–1966) – 6-time Pro Bowl selection and 7-time All-Pro selection (first-team) – Wore Number 30: Wore it primarily during his tenure with the Los Angeles Rams (1959–1962)

Lawrence McCutcheon

A five-time Pro Bowl running back for the Los Angeles Rams, he led the team in rushing for five straight seasons and finished his career with over 6,500 rushing yards.

Running Back – Los Angeles Rams (1972–1979), Denver Broncos (1980), Seattle Seahawks (1980), Buffalo Bills (1981) – Selected to 5 Pro Bowls (1973–1977) and 1 Second-team All-Pro (1974) – He Wore Number 30 during the 1980 season with the Denver Broncos

Alex Wojciechowicz

A Pro Football Hall of Fame center and linebacker, he was a key two-way “Iron Man” player and a defensive leader on the Philadelphia Eagles’ back-to-back NFL Championship teams (1948–1949).

Center / Linebacker – Detroit Lions (1938–1946), Philadelphia Eagles (1946–1950) – Selected as a multi-year All-Pro / All-NFL honoree (such as in 1939 and 1944) and inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (Note: The Pro Bowl did not exist during the majority of his active era, though he earned retroactive/contemporary all-league honors) – He Wore Number 30 during the 1938, 1939, and 1940 seasons with the Detroit Lions.

More Iconic Players Who Wore Number 30

Bernie Parrish

Cornerback – Cleveland Browns (1959–1966), Houston Oilers (1966) – 2-time Pro Bowl selection, 1-time Second-team All-Pro selection – Wore Number 30 with the Cleveland Browns (1959–1966)

Bill Brown

Fullback – Chicago Bears (1961), Minnesota Vikings (1962–1974) – 4-time Pro Bowl selection, 3-time Second-team All-Pro selection – Wore Number 30 with the Minnesota Vikings (1962–1974)

Mike Brown

Safety – Chicago Bears (2000–2008), Kansas City Chiefs (2009) – 1-time Pro Bowl selection, 1-time First-team All-Pro selection, 1-time Second-team All-Pro selection – Wore Number 30 with the Chicago Bears (2000–2008) and Kansas City Chiefs (2009)

Mark van Eeghen

Running Back – Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders (1974–1981), New England Patriots (1982–1983) – 0 Pro Bowl or All-Pro selections – Wore Number 30 with the Oakland Raiders (1974–1981) and New England Patriots (1982–1983) [Raiders.com]

Mike Minter

Safety – Carolina Panthers (1997–2006) – 0 Pro Bowl or All-Pro selections – Wore Number 30 with the Carolina Panthers (1997–2006) [All American Speakers]

Ron Johnson

Running Back – Cleveland Browns (1969), New York Giants (1970–1975) – 2-time Pro Bowl selection, 1-time First-team All-Pro selection, 1-time Second-team All-Pro selection – Wore Number 30 with the Cleveland Browns (1969) and New York Giants (1970–1975) [NFL Past Players]

Mike Rozier

Running Back – Houston Oilers (1985–1990), Atlanta Falcons (1990–1991) – 2-time Pro Bowl selection, 0 All-Pro selections – Wore Number 30 with the Houston Oilers (1985–1990) and Atlanta Falcons (1990–1991)

Jason McCourty

Cornerback / Safety – Tennessee Titans (2009–2016), Cleveland Browns (2017), New England Patriots (2018–2020), Miami Dolphins (2021) – 0 Pro Bowl or All-Pro selections – Wore Number 30 with the Tennessee Titans (2009–2016), Cleveland Browns (2017), and New England Patriots (2018–2020) [247 Sports]

Chad Scott

Cornerback – Pittsburgh Steelers (1997–2004), New England Patriots (2005–2007) – 0 All-Pro or Pro Bowl selections – Wore Number 30 during his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers (1997–2004) and New England Patriots (2005–2007)

Frank Pollard

Running Back – Pittsburgh Steelers (1980–1988) – 0 All-Pro or Pro Bowl selections – Wore Number 30 throughout his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers (1980–1988) [Stat Muse]

Stump Mitchell

Running Back / Return Specialist – St. Louis / Phoenix Cardinals (1981–1989) – 0 All-Pro or Pro Bowl selections – Wore Number 30 throughout his entire career with the Cardinals (1981–1989) [All-American Speakers]

James Jones

Fullback – Detroit Lions (1983–1988), Seattle Seahawks (1989–1992) – 0 All-Pro or Pro Bowl selections – Wore Number 30 throughout his entire NFL career

Timmy Newsome

Fullback / Running Back – Dallas Cowboys (1980–1988) – 0 All-Pro or Pro Bowl selections – Wore Number 30 throughout his career with the Dallas Cowboys (1980–1988) [Grokipedia]

Bruce Gossett

Placekicker – Los Angeles Rams (1964–1969), San Francisco 49ers (1970–1974), New England Patriots (1974), Atlanta Falcons (1974) – 2 Pro Bowl selections (1966, 1969), 3 All-Pro selections – Wore Number 30 during his NFL career [American Football Database]

LaRon Landry

Safety – Washington Redskins (2007–2011), New York Jets (2012), Indianapolis Colts (2013–2014) – 1 Pro Bowl selection (2012), 0 First-team All-Pro selections – Wore Number 30 throughout his entire career with the Washington Redskins, New York Jets, and Indianapolis Colts

Issiac Holt

Cornerback — Minnesota Vikings (1985–1989), Dallas Cowboys (1989–1992) — 0 selections — Wore Number 30 in the NFL during the 1985–1992 seasons

Bernie Casey

Wide Receiver — San Francisco 49ers (1961–1968), Los Angeles Rams (1967–1968) — 1 Pro Bowl selection — Wore Number 30 in the NFL during the 1961–1968 seasons

Dan Reeves

Running Back — Dallas Cowboys (1965–1972) — 0 selections (won 1 NFL Championship) — Wore Number 30 in the NFL during the 1965–1972 seasons

Dave Meggett

Running Back / Return Specialist — New York Giants (1989–1994), New England Patriots (1995–1997), New York Jets (1998) — 2 Pro Bowl selections, 2-time Second-team All-Pro — Wore Number 30 in the NFL during the 1989–1998 seasons

Wray Carlton

Running Back — Buffalo Bills (1960–1967) — 2 Pro Bowl selections (AFL All-Star teams) — Wore Number 30 in the NFL / AFL during the 1960–1967 seasons

Ernie Jackson

Running Back — San Diego Chargers (1983), Philadelphia Eagles (1985), Pittsburgh Steelers (1986–1988) — 2 Pro Bowl selections — Wore Number 30 in the NFL during the 1983 and 1985–1988 seasons

Conclusion

The number 30 represents a compelling blend of NFL pioneers and modern playoff legends, making its history truly unique. While Hall of Famers like the unstoppable rusher Clarke Hinkle and the barrier-breaking two-way star Bill Willis established its early prestige, the number’s modern fame belongs to the Super Bowl MVP and former NFL MVP Terrell Davis. His brief but impossibly dominant run, alongside the record-breaking all-purpose yardage of Brian Mitchell and the consistency of rushers like Ahman Green, ensures the No. 30 jersey will forever be associated with game-changing running and a fierce commitment to excellence.

Most of our information above comes from the folks we want to thank, including Pro-Football-Reference.com, NFL.com, Newspapers.com, and StatMuse.com.

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