I remember when I was young playing pretend football in the yard with my little brother. I’d always run around trying to make the most tackles, dreaming of becoming an NFL star one day. Now, I’m grown and watching who are the real pros tackling the opponents in this iconic sport. Did you know that the all-time NFL career tackle leader is Ray Lewis, with an astonishing 2,637 successful tackles? Not to mention that he is also the leader in single season tackles, with 184 in 2003 and 187 in 2004! It’s truly remarkable how Ray, as a middle linebacker, was able to use that tackle power to become such a successful player in his career.
A number of years ago, he made history as the first linebacker to lead the NFL in tackles for seven straight seasons. What’s more, he was also selected to a whopping 13 Pro Bowls and 10 All-Pro selections. Now that’s resilience! Ray’s one of a kind tackle total begins to put together why he’s considered one of the greatest linebacker of all time.Amazingly, Luke Kuechly is the only player (so far) to surpass his career total tackle number. He has 2,888 tackles, which is an astonishing 251 more tackles than Ray Lewis.
That’s an incredible amount of tackles! I think it’s just a testament to Kuechly’s impressive skill set. But, if we back it up a bit, Dick Butkus was the first to secure his name as one of the greatest tackle leaders in the NFL, with a career total of 2157. Another amazing record-holder is Junior Seau, who played for the Chargers mainly and notched 1845 tackles in his colorful career.
When it comes to the single season tackle record, though, the numbers are a bit different. Nowhere near as high as Lewis’ mark of 184 but still pretty impressive. The leader in single-season tackles is David Harris, who recorded 166 tackles in 2008 while playing for the Jets. Coming in second is Brian Urlacher, with his 163 tackles in 2002, and then Kuechly’s 2016 total of 163. So, Harris still stands atop the list for most single-season tackles!
What do I think about it all? Well, I think that it is amazing and incredible how these NFL stars have been able to accomplish such outstanding numbers. It’s a testament to their dedication and hard work, and their incredible drive for success. They have continued to push boundaries, and set records, and it really is inspiring – just thinking about what they have gone through to do what they’ve done.
I had the chance to chat with someone who’s in the know with all of these record-breaking stats – he told me that we never know when a new record is going to be set, but if one player wants to make history they’ll have to prove they’re good enough to break the existing ones. That’s why Ray Lewis and Luke Kuechly are considered to be the very best – they put in that extra work, and pushed through the pain, to get to the heights they achieved.
When I’m watching NFL games, I find I’m constantly looking to see who’s going to make the play and get the tackle. It’s such a crucial part of the game that I can’t help cheering on the players in the heat of play. I suppose you could say that in a sense, I’m still chasing that dream of playing in the NFL – there’s just something so exciting and thrilling about it that you can’t help but be enthralled.
Of course, with social media and streaming platforms, getting updates on the latest records and feats of success has become easier than ever. So, I can keep an eye on who’s leading the way, and find out more about the greats like Ray and Kuechly. It’s an incredibly popular topic, as these athletes are held up as role models of sorts, and I have to admit that I get inspiration from them too.
Apart from the record-breakers, there are a number of players who are capable of leading the league in tackles, although not all reach the heights and numbers of the record-holders. It really takes a special kind of skill to excel in this area, so there’s certainly a level of respect that I have for these gifted athletes for sure. Players like Lavonte David, Bobby Wagner, and Eric Kendricks are just a few examples of current stars who remain consistent in their tackling.
Still, there’s no denying that Ray Lewis and Luke Kuechly are the two best NFL tackle leaders of all time. I mean, the numbers speak for themselves – their impact in the game and in history speak for themselves. From the style of play to the dedication and hard work, these players embody what it means to be an amazing NFL tackle leader. They will forever remain in the hearts and minds of all NFL fans, and I for one will keep watching to see who will be the next player to make history.