Best of Jersey 74

Number 74 in the NFL conjures images of both offensive and defensive powerhouses. From dominant tackles anchoring the offensive line and protecting franchise quarterbacks to disruptive defensive ends terrorizing opposing backfields, number 74 has been a force on both sides of the ball.

But who truly wore #74 the best? Today, we're on a quest to answer that very question! We'll unveil a list of the legendary offensive linemen and defensive disruptors who donned this iconic number.

Get ready for a journey through NFL history, where we'll analyze the careers of these gridiron greats. We'll explore their dominant blocks, game-changing sacks, and championship runs, sparking friendly debates about who reigned supreme with number 74.

On this edition of the Football by Numbers series will be coming up with the top ten best NFL players to wear the number 74! 

The Players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame wearing the number 74 are:

• Bruce Matthews
• Merlin Olsen
• Jimbo Covert
• Mike McCormack
• Bob Lilly
• Joe Perry
• Fred Dean
• Henry Jordan
• Ron Mix

The Substantial Players wearing 74 not yet in the HOF are:

• Joe Staley
• Nick Mangold
• Steve Wallace
• Larry Hand
• Paul Gruber
• George Starke
• Jermon Bushrod
• Billy Ray Smith
• Anthony Castonzo
• Rich Braham
• Derland Moore
• Bryant McKinnie
• Aaron Kampman
• Charlie Johnson
• Ephraim Salaam
• Louie Kelcher
• Tom Keating
• Erik Howard
• Todd Weiner
• Mike Current
• Maurice Williams
• Mike Tilleman
• Mike Pitts
• Wade Smith
• Paul Farren
• Jim Snowden
• Orlando Franklin
• Reggie Wells
• Terry Long
• Mike Reid
• Shelby Jordan
• Nolan Harrison
• Ali Marpet
• Abdul Salaam
• Clark Miller
• Glenn Parker
• Mark Dennis
• Brian Blados
• Michael Oher
• Mike Remmers
• Donnie Green

A speical thanks to the Pro Football Reference website for information they share on these great players. Check them out at Pro-Football-Reference.com

The Image used above is courtesy of Google Gemini and others from Wikimedia Commons. It is pleasing to see such vivid images of the jerseys that point out the uniform number and help us identify the legends that wore it.