Football List of Famous Football Safetys

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List of the most famous (American) football safetys in the history of the sport, listed by popularity with photos of the players when available. There have been many legendary safetys in the NFL and NCAA, and you'll find all of them on this list below. Some of these men are considered to be the best safetys to ever play the game, and if you're looking for a specific football player you can look for them by using the "search" function on this list. These amazing safetys may currently be active while others have been retired for quite sometime. This list of the top safetys in American football includes all the greats from both the NFL and college football.

List items range from Cam Newton to Jackie Robinson.

This list answers the questions, "Who is the greatest safety of all time?" and "Who are the best safetys of all time?"

1
Ronnie Lott is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list List of Famous Football Safetys
Cornerback, Safety, Defensive back Ronald Mandel "Ronnie" Lott is a former American college and professional football player who was a cornerback, free safety, and strong safety in the National Football League for ...more

2
Charles Woodson is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list List of Famous Football Safetys
Cornerback, Return specialist, Safety Charles Woodson is an American football free safety for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He played college football for the University of Michigan, and led the Michigan ...more

3
Ed Reed is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list List of Famous Football Safetys
Free Safety Edward Earl Reed, Jr. is an American football safety who is currently a free agent. He played college football for the University of Miami, where he was a two-time consensus All-American. He was ...more

4
Don Hutson is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list List of Famous Football Safetys
End, Safety, Wide receiver Donald Montgomery Hutson was the first star split end in National Football League history. He is considered by many to have been the first modern receiver. In his senior season at the University ...more

5
Rodney Harrison is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list List of Famous Football Safetys
Safety, Defensive back Rodney Scott Harrison is a retired professional football player of the National Football League. Harrison played safety for the San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots. He was a two-time Pro ...more

6
Steve Atwater is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list List of Famous Football Safetys
Safety, Defensive back Stephen Dennis Atwater nicknamed "Smiling Assassin" is a former American football player who spent most of his career playing free safety for the Denver Broncos. Atwater and Dennis ...more

7
Ken Houston is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list List of Famous Football Safetys
Safety Kenneth Ray Houston is a former American football defensive back in the American Football League and National Football League. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986. Houston ...more

8
Emlen Tunnell is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list List of Famous Football Safetys
Return specialist, Safety, Defensive back Emlen Lewis Tunnell was an American football player. He was the first African American to play for the New York Giants, and was inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1967, the ...more

9
Mel Renfro is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list List of Famous Football Safetys
Cornerback, Safety Melvin Lacy "Mel" Renfro is a former American football cornerback who spent his entire 14-year career in the in the National Football League with the Dallas Cowboys.

10
Steve Van Buren is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list List of Famous Football Safetys
Running back, Safety, Defensive back Stephen "Steve" W. Van Buren was a professional American football halfback who played for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League from 1944–1951, and was elected to the ...more

11
Jack Tatum is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list List of Famous Football Safetys
Safety, Defensive back John David "Jack" Tatum was an American football safety who played ten seasons from 1971 through 1980 for the Oakland Raiders and Houston Oilers in the National Football League. He was ...more

12
Eugene Robinson is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list List of Famous Football Safetys
Safety, Defensive back Eugene Keefe Robinson is a former professional American football player who played free safety. He played collegiately at Colgate University. In his 16-year NFL career, Robinson played for the ...more

13
Ty Law is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list List of Famous Football Safetys
Cornerback, Safety, Defensive back Tajuan "Ty" Law is a former American football cornerback who played fifteen seasons in the National Football League. He played college football for the University of Michigan. He was ...more

14
Ronde Barber is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list List of Famous Football Safetys
Cornerback, Safety, Defensive back Jamael Orondé "Rondé" Barber is a retired American Football cornerback who spent his entire 16-year career playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football ...more

15
Willie Wood is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list List of Famous Football Safetys
Return specialist, Safety, Quarterback William Vernell Wood Sr. is a former American football safety for the Green Bay Packers in the National Football League.

16
Everson Walls is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list List of Famous Football Safetys
Cornerback, Safety Everson Collins Walls is a former American football defensive back in the NFL, having played for the Dallas Cowboys, the New York Giants, and the Cleveland Browns. During his 14 seasons, he was ...more

17
Paul Krause is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list List of Famous Football Safetys
Safety, Defensive back Paul James Krause is a former American football safety who played in the National Football League. He set the NFL record for interceptions with 81, which he picked off from 45 different ...more

18
Eric Crouch is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list List of Famous Football Safetys
Safety, Quarterback, Wide receiver Eric Eugene Crouch is a former American football quarterback. He also is a TV sports analyst and recreational equipment vendor. Crouch played college football for the University of Nebraska. In ...more

19
Bernard Pollard is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list List of Famous Football Safetys
Outside Linebacker, Safety Bernard Karmell Pollard is an American football safety who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He has also played for ...more

20
Larry Wilson is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list List of Famous Football Safetys
Safety Larry Frank Wilson is a former professional football player, an eight-time All-Pro free safety with the St. Louis Cardinals of the National Football League. He played his entire 13-year career ...more

21
George Atkinson is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list List of Famous Football Safetys
Cornerback, Safety, Defensive back George "Butch" Henry Atkinson Jr. is a former professional American football player. He played football collegiately at Morris Brown, where he was a safety and a kick returner and ...more

22
Antrel Rolle is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list List of Famous Football Safetys
Cornerback, Safety Antrel Rocelious Rolle is an American football safety for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals eighth overall in the 2005 NFL Draft. He ...more

23
Darren Woodson is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list List of Famous Football Safetys
Safety, Defensive back Darren Ray Woodson is a former American football safety in the National Football League. He played his entire career for the Dallas Cowboys from 1992 to 2004. He was drafted by the Cowboys in ...more

24
Kenny Easley is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list List of Famous Football Safetys
Safety, Defensive back Kenneth Mason Easley, Jr. is a former American college and professional football player who was a strong safety in the National Football League for seven seasons during the 1980s. He played ...more

25
Merton Hanks is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list List of Famous Football Safetys
Cornerback, Safety Merton Edward Hanks is a former college and professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League for nine seasons during the 1990s. He is currently the NFL Vice ...more