Writing Illini
Fansided

Top 10 NFL careers by an Illinois football player

By Rees Woodcock

Sept. 11, 2005; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end #97 Simeon Rice is all smiles after his team scores late in the fourth quarter to insure their win over the Minnesota Vikings at the Metrodome. Tampa Bay wins 24-13. Mandatory Credit: Photo By Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports Copyright (c) 2005 Bruce Kluckhohn
Sept. 11, 2005; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end #97 Simeon Rice is all smiles after his team scores late in the fourth quarter to insure their win over the Minnesota Vikings at the Metrodome. Tampa Bay wins 24-13. Mandatory Credit: Photo By Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports Copyright (c) 2005 Bruce Kluckhohn /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
9 of 10
Next
Green Bay Packers linebacker Ray Nitschke (66) speaks with head coach Dan Devine during a 20-14 loss to the Oakland Raiders on Sept. 24, 1972 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Green Bay Packers linebacker Ray Nitschke (66) speaks with head coach Dan Devine during a 20-14 loss to the Oakland Raiders on Sept. 24, 1972 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. /

No. 2 Ray Nitschke

While the Illinois football program hasn’t had many legends recently, we have had two of the biggest names in NFL history. Let’s first get to the great, Ray Nitschke.

Nitschke emerged as a great player coming out of Proviso East High School in Illinois. He joined the Illini program and was successful on both sides of the ball. He led the program as a running back and was then a dominant linebacker on defense.

After his time at Illinois, Nitschke would take his talents to the NFL. The Green Bay Packers liked what they saw, so they selected Nitschke in the third round of the 1958 NFL Draft.

The great career of Nitschke was just getting started. He would end up having a legendary career for the Packers at linebacker. Nitschke would play 15 seasons in the NFL, and he would amass 25 interceptions during this time.

Nitschke’s great play earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl in 1964 and he was an All-Pro in 1964 and 1966. He would go on to win three NFL Championships and two Super Bowls with the Packers.

In 1978, Nitschke earned the greatest honor of them all. He was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame. This capped off his tremendous professional career. Illinois has had some special players in the history of the program, and Nitschke was one of them. He checks in at No. 2 on this list.

Home/All-Time Football Lists