Which football players from before your era do you look up to?

[Cat'sGrowl]

By your era, i mean, either before you started watching the game, before your were born, of that nature. Which players do you have insane amounts of respect for? Which players do you get a chill run up your spine when you step into the bust room at the HoF and look at their bust? They can be from any time period, from the 20's until now, which players do you truly view as just the greatest of the great? You can only put one!

I have many of course, being a guy who just loves the game so much, there are so many players who I really look up to. I wanted to put Jim Thorpe on this list, but in the end, i went with another one of the men who I looked up to growing up (just for the sake of being different.) My guy:

Fred Biletnikoff

As a white dude growing up playing WR (which is pretty much out of position in today's world..), this was the man I looked up to. He wasn't big. He wasn't blazing fast. He wasn't tall. He wasn't strong. But man, he could ball. I used to love watching highlights videos of this guy. The guy could catch anything. He could run great routes. He had a cool name. He was just everything I wanted to mold myself after. Awesome player. I'm nowhere near old enough to remember him when he actually played, and maybe that helps add to the mystique for me.

A "highlight" video on nfl.com of Biletnikoff's career.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/auto/09000d5d80130c26/Fred-Biletnikoff-Feature

[CarolinaCatBrigade]

Well I'm only 6'2, so I'd have to say everyone of them that is 6'3 and above. :cam:

[Awesomeness!!]

Lynn Swann.

[KillerKat]

[PantherBrew]

Ray Nitschke

[ECUPantherFan]

I was born in '84, so I never saw him play.

[eViL jEsTeR]

[Jackofalltrades]

Howie Long.

[Captroop]

Larry Csonka

[The Other Colbert]

Larry Csonka

looks like the vikings players loved him too

[cdandi1]

Johnny Unitas - because my dad is a colts fan

[GritsRgreat]

I was born in '84, so I never saw him play.

Favorite player of all time.

[Ricky Spanish]

Darrell Green

Growing up I was a lot smaller than everyone else, as was darrell green. I respected him for being a small guy that played like he was 6'5". It's probably why Smitty is my favorite player now. I love the little dudes with the big hearts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MpPxm_08jQ

[Kevin Greene]

I'd post one up before I started watching but........