Another memory test: Best Safety you ever saw.

Merton Hanks

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I will not say necessarily the best, but on some of the worse NYG teams, this "Spider" brought it. Yes, I am for Spider Lockhart, a 13th round selection out of North Texas. He was named "Spider" by Emlen Tunnel and was part of the Emlin's Gremlins.

Spider spent his entire 11-year career with the Giants. He was a Pro Bowl free safety in 1966, despite the Giants being the worst defensive team in points allowed/game in NFL history:

He was a Pro Bowl free safety a second time in 1968, leading the league in defensive touchdowns. Spider intercepted 41 passes in his career and recovered 16 fumbles during his 145 games played. Lockhart also returned 328 punts and was famous for rarely calling for a fair catch.

I will never forget the foot race that he and Bob "Bullet" Hayes ran on December 12, 1971. Hayes caught a pass from Staubach around mid field. It was one of the most classic foot/track-like races to the end zone I have ever seen. Spider tried to stay with Hayes but inside the 20 yard line, the Bullet went into another gear and pulled away slightly, that is, 5 or 6 yards ahead to the end zone.

RIP Spider.

Not the best but some other good ones:

Carnell Lake, Darren Woodson, LeRoy Butler

Emlen Tunnell.

Best Giants safety I saw play was Jimmy Patton

the Giants and Patton

but Atwater definitely deserves a mention.

To my eyes Lott had a serious hole in his game. He like to lay wood so much he'd whiff at times and also put himself out of position. And it wasn't such a rare circumstance with him, he'd do it a lot, pun intended. Reed was more consistent and left his team exposed less often, and was a surer tackler.

I guy I figured wouldn't get mentioned and didn't was Johnny Robinson of the Chiefs. But he should be in the convo IMO.

Mike Haynes

His instincts were unreal. He was just an absolute madman out there and at his best he was elite against both the run and pass. That's why I always liked him better than Ed Reed, which was an opinion where I know I was in the minority. I think in terms of "Peak", I'd go Polamalu over Reed for the completeness of his game. But career wise, Reed was just better for longer and more consistent.

Ed Reed is the best pure cover safety I've seen, best "offensive" defensive player since Deion with the way he'd get those pick-6s. But I don't think he was strong enough against the run to have a real argument vs. Ronnie Lott all-time.

Dawkins is 3rd behind Reed/Polamalu for me. Dirty but a hell of a force out there. He was definitely better than John Lynch who was a similar type of player.

Earl Thomas is great, like a lesser Ed Reed. Definitely up there among guys I've seen.

Ronnie Lott would probably be #1 for me. Johnny Robinson and Ken Houston deserve to be mentioned in this thread too.

Off topic I think the most underrated defense of all time is the 1969 Chiefs. All Pros and HOFers at every level and never mentioned with the best defenses of all time. They should be.

He hit like a mack truck. Will always remember the stick he put on Okoye.

followed by Troy P

Lott was the most all around safety I have ever seen, but once Reed had the ball in his hands, he was a threat to score every time.

In comment 14475561 widmerseyebrow said:

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Merton Hanks

You're damn right!!!

has said that Kenny Easley is the best safety to ever play the game. I've never seen Easley play....would be worth checking out highlights. He was DPOY in '84, which is hard to be for a safety.

I think the Lott vs Reed debate is more a debate on eras. Lott would be suspended for 8 games a season in this century's game and Reed wouldn't have been as effective in the '80s and early '90s with less passes being thrown and a lot more runs.

That Lott was 1st team all pro twice as a CB, and then as safety 6 times has to be the overriding nod.


Link - ( New Window )

In comment 14475284 Chris684 said:

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�He�s the best weak safety I�ve seen since I�ve been in the National Football League in my career. He�s outstanding at pretty much everything. The list goes on and on with him. It�s just a question of pretty much anything he�s out there for, he�s good at.�

Little Bill thinks that Peyton Manning is better than Montana and Marino.

I guess it's harder to game plan for a QB when you don't have LT and that NYG defense.

And still despite those early Patriots teams having a very good (but nothing worthy of an all time defense), they embarrassed the crap out of Peyton Manning.

Then there were the Peyton rule changes as well....

Lil Bill - GOAT coach perhaps, but his choices in best ever intrigue me.

In comment 14475744 NINEster said:

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has said that Kenny Easley is the best safety to ever play the game. I've never seen Easley play....would be worth checking out highlights. He was DPOY in '84, which is hard to be for a safety. I think the Lott vs Reed debate is more a debate on eras. Lott would be suspended for 8 games a season in this century's game and Reed wouldn't have been as effective in the '80s and early '90s with less passes being thrown and a lot more runs. That Lott was 1st team all pro twice as a CB, and then as safety 6 times has to be the overriding nod. Link - ( New Window )

Agreed. Easley was one of the best ever. That he had to wait over 30 years to be enshrined in the HOF was egregious and laughable..Had he played in a big market, he would have been huge, imo

injuries wrecked his career. Great as he was when he played, he only played two full seasons in his career, 89 games over seven years.

a valid point

In comment 14475680 Osi Osi Osi OyOyOy said:

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His instincts were unreal. He was just an absolute madman out there and at his best he was elite against both the run and pass. That's why I always liked him better than Ed Reed, which was an opinion where I know I was in the minority. I think in terms of "Peak", I'd go Polamalu over Reed for the completeness of his game. But career wise, Reed was just better for longer and more consistent. Ed Reed is the best pure cover safety I've seen, best "offensive" defensive player since Deion with the way he'd get those pick-6s. But I don't think he was strong enough against the run to have a real argument vs. Ronnie Lott all-time. Dawkins is 3rd behind Reed/Polamalu for me. Dirty but a hell of a force out there. He was definitely better than John Lynch who was a similar type of player. Earl Thomas is great, like a lesser Ed Reed. Definitely up there among guys I've seen.

How old are you?

In comment 14475684 figgy2989 said:

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He hit like a mack truck. Will always remember the stick he put on Okoye.

Atwater is up there with the all timers. I don't think he gets the credit he deserves outside of old Broncos fans.

was amazing. I'm young though, so from my era, Sean Taylor has to be the best. He really was great. RIP.

No one ever played the position better.

Another good one was Darren Woodson

...in SB25!

In comment 14475832 x meadowlander said:

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...in SB25!

Wrong thread..😂

It was the best safety I ever saw!

And Ed Reed. :)

In comment 14475848 x meadowlander said:

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It was the best safety I ever saw! And Ed Reed. :)

😎👍🏿👍

Jack Tatum was awesome. Ronnie Lott would probably be near the top as well.

In comment 14475324 V.I.G. said:

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reed lott troy p dawkins taylor chancelor lynch

Very good list.

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I will never forget the foot race that he and Bob "Bullet" Hayes ran on December 12, 1971. Hayes caught a pass from Staubach around mid field. It was one of the most classic foot/track-like races to the end zone I have ever seen. Spider tried to stay with Hayes but inside the 20 yard line, the Bullet went into another gear and pulled away slightly, that is, 5 or 6 yards ahead to the end zone.

It was Henry Carr, another Olympian.

Hayes, Childs, and Carr were all Olympians.

it�s between Lott and Reed.

And I�m convinced Sean Taylor was destined for their level.

But give me Lott. He was every bit the ballhawk as Reed and unleashed more fear as a hitter. The pro bowls as a corner and the rings create material separation...

In comment 14475727 NINEster said:

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In comment 14475561 widmerseyebrow said: Quote: Merton Hanks You're damn right!!!

I woulda got that if it was the question!

Are all number 1. Polomalus leap over the line at the snap on the goal line is probably the single greatest instinctive play of the group. For me it was like Odell�s one hander in comparison to positions. Unreal.

All-Star game against Ronny Lott in 1976. He once told me that Lott (as a safety hit harder than any other lineman he ever faced)

The game was pretty quiet. Lott hit somebody and you could hear it travel through the top of the stadium.

Different eras different skill sets, both perfect for their time.

Spider Lockhart! My favorite player as a kid. I have a signed photograph with him... :)

In comment 14475530 Brown Recluse said:

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In comment 14475471 figgy2989 said: Quote: Sean Taylor was pretty damn good too. It's a shame, because he could have been one of the best. I've always felt like Sean Taylor was a bit overrated.

Taylor was starting to raise his level to his rep when was sadly murdered. Agree he was not even close to guys like Lott and Reed.

Lott was The best. Woodson and Reed are up here but for me it�s Lott. Atwater scared WRs too.

Lott was an amazing player.

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No safety had a bigger impact on a SB winner. He was the team MVP and not Peyton.

He wasn�t healthy long enough. When he was, he was right there with Polamalu. He was right there with any S.

Even with the limited playing time, he should be in the HOF.

In comment 14476593 KWALL2 said:

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No safety had a bigger impact on a SB winner. He was the team MVP and not Peyton. He wasn�t healthy long enough. When he was, he was right there with Polamalu. He was right there with any S. Even with the limited playing time, he should be in the HOF.

Totally agree KWALL. I have never seen one person especially (a safety, no less) transform a defense the way Sanders did.

1a and 1b. Who's better? Depends on what you want. Lott was an intimidator like none other at the position, Reed was the best center fielder I ever saw.

In comment 14475530 Brown Recluse said:

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In comment 14475471 figgy2989 said: Quote: Sean Taylor was pretty damn good too. It's a shame, because he could have been one of the best. I've always felt like Sean Taylor was a bit overrated.

Agreed - Taylor was more hype than performance. Physical freak, but I remember him getting burned frequently.

WR or RB in the open field and was so fast that he ran past him then turned and tackled him head on?

Even though Hayes was the World�s Fastest Human, Carr could beat him in any race longer than 100 meters.

IMO,Em Tunnel was by far the greatest safety EVER.