Greatest Players Who Wore the NFL Jersey 31

Searching for the greatest NFL players to wear No. 31? This jersey number may not be the flashiest, but it represents a rich history of hard-nosed running backs and Savage-hitting defensive backs who defined their eras. From the legendary Jim Taylor—one of Vince Lombardi’s most feared offensive weapons—to the iconic Donnie Shell, the undrafted safety who became a cornerstone of the “Steel Curtain” dynasty, the NFL #31 club is stacked with Hall of Fame talent. Dive in as we rank the top stars who made this number legendary!

Enjoy this podcast episode from 2021 when the reknowned grifiron historian Joe Ziemba joined to talk about jersey 31 and the NFL legends who wore the number.

List of Jersey 31 Legends

Ace Parker

A true all-around star and Pro Football Hall of Famer (1972) who played for the Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL) and New York Yankees (AAFC). He was the NFL MVP in 1940 and was one of the last two-way players, excelling as a passer, runner, and defensive back.

Quarterback / Tailback / Safety – Brooklyn Dodgers (1937–1941), Boston Yanks (1945) – Selected as All-Pro 4 times (2 First-team, 2 Second-team), 0 Pro Bowls – Wore Number 31 during parts of his career (also wore numbers 7 and 88)

Donnie Shell

An undrafted free agent who became a cornerstone of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ “Steel Curtain” defense. A five-time Pro Bowler and four-time Super Bowl champion, he retired as the NFL’s all-time leader in interceptions by a strong safety (51). (Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2020).

Safety – Pittsburgh Steelers (1974–1987) – Selected as All-Pro 4 times (3 First-team, 1 Second-team), 5 Pro Bowls – Wore Number 31 during the 1974–1987 seasons

Aaron Glenn

A three-time Pro Bowl cornerback known for his exceptional coverage skills, primarily during his tenures with the New York Jets and Houston Texans. He accumulated 41 career interceptions and was a reliable defensive anchor for 15 seasons.

Cornerback – New York Jets (1994–2001), Houston Texans (2002–2004), Dallas Cowboys (2005–2006), Jacksonville Jaguars (2007), New Orleans Saints (2008) – Selected as All-Pro 0 times, 3 Pro Bowls – Wore Number 31 during the 1994–2004, 2007, and 2008 seasons (wore number 26 with Dallas)

Mike Michalske

He was known as “Iron Mike”; he was one of the NFL’s earliest dominant guards. A charter inductee of the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1964), he anchored the Green Bay Packers’ offensive line during their three consecutive championships from 1929-1931.

Guard / Fullback – New York Yankees [AFL] (1926), New York Yankees [NFL] (1927–1928), Green Bay Packers (1929–1935, 1937) – Selected as All-Pro 7 times (all First-team), 0 Pro Bowls (Pre-Pro Bowl era) – Wore Number 31 during the 1933 season

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Jim Taylor

A hard-charging fullback for the Green Bay Packers under Vince Lombardi. A Pro Football Hall of Famer (1976), he was the NFL MVP in 1962, a four-time NFL champion, and the first player to record five straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

Fullback – Green Bay Packers (1958–1966), New Orleans Saints (1967) – Selected as All-Pro 6 times (3 First-team, 3 Second-team), 5 Pro Bowls – Wore Number 31 during the 1958–1967 seasons. [American Football Wiki]

Priest Holmes

A three-time Pro Bowler and First-team All-Pro with the Kansas City Chiefs, Holmes was an explosive scorer who holds the Chiefs’ franchise record for rushing touchdowns. He led the NFL in rushing yards in 2002 and rushing TDs three times.

Running Back – Baltimore Ravens (1997–2000), Kansas City Chiefs (2001–2007) – Selected as All-Pro 3 times (all First-team), 3 Pro Bowls – Wore Number 31 during the 1997–2007 seasons. [Stat Muse]

Wilbert Montgomery

The Philadelphia Eagles’ all-time leading rusher and a two-time Pro Bowler. He famously ran for a record-setting 194 yards in the 1980 NFC Championship game to send the Eagles to their first Super Bowl.

Joe Fortunato

A six-time Pro Bowl linebacker for the Chicago Bears in the 1950s and 60s. He was a ferocious hitter and a key member of the Bears’ 1963 NFL Championship team.

Jamal Lewis

A powerful running back known for his tenure with the Baltimore Ravens. A Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion, he rushed for 2,066 yards in 2003, making him only the fifth player in NFL history to surpass 2,000 yards.

Jack Tatum

Nicknamed “The Assassin,” Tatum was a fearsome-hitting safety who was a three-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl XI champion for the Oakland Raiders. He is one of the most polarizing and iconic defensive players of his era. (Note: He wore #31 for three seasons before switching to #32.)

Kevin Ross

A physical and reliable cornerback for the Kansas City Chiefs, where he spent most of his 14-year career. He was a two-time Pro Bowl selection known for his longevity and solid play.

Antonio Cromartie

A four-time Pro Bowl selection known for his length, speed, and exceptional ball skills. He led the NFL in interceptions in 2007 with 10 and was a dangerous kick returner early in his career.

More Significant NFL Players of Jersey 31

Frank Minnifield

Cornerback – Cleveland Browns (1984–1992) – 0-time All-Pro, 4-time Pro Bowl – Wore Number 31: 1984–1992 [Stat Muse]

Marcus Robertson

Safety – Houston Oilers / Tennessee Oilers / Tennessee Titans (1991–2000), Seattle Seahawks (2001–2002) – 1-time First-team All-Pro, 1-time Pro Bowl

William Andrews

Running Back – Atlanta Falcons (1979–1983, 1986) – 1-time First-team All-Pro, 4-time Pro Bowl – Wore Number 31: 1979–1983, 1986 [Source]

Brock Marion

Dallas Cowboys (1993–1998), Miami Dolphins (1998–2003), Detroit Lions (2004–2005) – 1-time All-Pro, 3-time Pro Bowl – Wore Number 31: 1993–2005 [Stat Muse]

Brandon Meriweather

Safety – New England Patriots (2007–2010), Chicago Bears (2011), Washington Redskins (2012–2014), New York Giants (2015) – 0-time All-Pro, 2-time Pro Bowl – Wore Number 31: 2007–2015

Fred Marion

Safety – New England Patriots (1982–1991) – 0-time All-Pro, 1-time Pro Bowl – Wore Number 31: 1982–1991 [Stat Muse]

Roy Williams

Safety – Dallas Cowboys (2002–2008), Cincinnati Bengals (2009–2010) – 1-time First-team All-Pro, 5-time Pro Bowl – Wore Number 31: 2002–2010 [Source]

Mike Harden

Defensive Back – Denver Broncos (1980–1988), Los Angeles Raiders (1989–1990) – 0 All-Pro or Pro Bowl selections – Wore Number 31: 1980–1988 [Source]

Al Harris

Cornerback – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1997), Philadelphia Eagles (1998–2002), Green Bay Packers (2003–2009), Miami Dolphins (2010), St. Louis Rams (2011) – 1x Second-team All-Pro, 2x Pro Bowl – Wore Number 31: 2003–2010 [Source]

Cortland Finnegan

Cornerback – Tennessee Titans (2006–2011), St. Louis Rams (2012–2013), Miami Dolphins (2014), Carolina Panthers (2015) – 1x First-team All-Pro, 1x Pro Bowl – Wore Number 31: 2006–2015

Doug Cline

Linebacker / Fullback – Houston Oilers (1960–1966), San Diego Chargers (1966) – 0 NFL All-Pro or Pro Bowl selections (played in the AFL) – Wore Number 31: 1960–1966

Kam Chancellor

Strong Safety – Seattle Seahawks (2010–2017) – 2x Second-team All-Pro, 4x Pro Bowl – Wore Number 31: 2010–2017 [Stat Muse]

Bill Mathis

Running Back – New York Titans / Jets (1960–1969) – 1x AFL All-Star – Wore Number 31: 1960–1969

Jason Sehorn

Jason Sehorn – Cornerback – New York Giants (1994–2002), St. Louis Rams (2003) – 1x First-team All-Pro – Wore Number 31: 1994–2002 [Source]

Gerry Ellis

Running Back – Green Bay Packers (1980–1986) – 0 selections – Wore Number 31: 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986 [Green Bay Packers]

George Teague

Defensive Back / Safety – Green Bay Packers (1993–1995), Dallas Cowboys (1996, 1998–2001), Miami Dolphins (1997) – 0 selections – Wore Number 31: 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001

Jairus Byrd

Safety – Buffalo Bills (2009–2013), New Orleans Saints (2014–2016), Carolina Panthers (2017) – 3× Pro Bowl (2009, 2012, 2013), 2× Second-team All-Pro (2012, 2013) – Wore Number 31: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017

Charlie Harraway

Running Back – Cleveland Browns (1966–1968), Washington Redskins (1969–1973) – 0 selections – Wore Number 31: 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973 [Source]

Benny Barnes

Defensive Back – Dallas Cowboys (1972–1982) – 0 selections – Wore Number 31: 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 [Source]

David Johnson

Running Back – Arizona Cardinals (2015–2019), Houston Texans (2020–2021), New_Orleans Saints (2022) – 1× Pro Bowl (2016), 1× First-team All-Pro (2016) – Wore Number 31: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 [Stat Muse]

Conclusion

The history of NFL jersey number 31 is a compelling narrative of grit, versatility, and defensive tenacity. From Mike Michalske and Ace Parker, who helped define the sport’s early two-way era, to the legendary running of Jim Taylor and the hard-hitting defense of Donnie Shell, this number has graced the backs of some of the game’s toughest competitors. Whether they were carving out a dynasty with the Packers, anchoring the “Steel Curtain,” or setting franchise records like Wilbert Montgomery and Jamal Lewis, the players who wore #31 consistently embodied the reliable, impactful excellence championship teams are built on. It stands as a testament to those players who may have been undersung but were always undeniable on the field.

Big thanks to our sources mentioned above and to the standard sources of Pro-Football-Reference.com, Newspapers.com, NFL.com, StatMuse, and Wikipedia.

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