Every ten years, the NFL releases its All-Decade teams, an honor bestowed to only a handful of players that excelled in the decade. With only two teams, 54 players are chosen by members of the Hall of Fame Selection Committee. The MoCo Student makes its predictions the top contenders for the offense.
Quarterbacks: Tom Brady (First Team), Aaron Rodgers (Second Team)
Brady is the undisputed greatest QB of all time, and he solidified his position as the best quarterback of the decade with three Super Bowl wins, nine Pro Bowl selections and a clean sweep of the AFC East division titles. His continued success from the 2000s is remarkable, and he undoubtedly will be named to the first team, becoming the first QB with multiple All-Decade honors. The second passer is more tricky, but it will likely go to Rodgers. He was excellent an under center this, leading the Packers to a Super Bowl win, winning multiple MVP awards and earning seven Pro Bowl selections. The Packers made the playoffs every year from 2010 to 2016 and returned to the postseason in 2019.
Rodgers and Brady were two of only three QBs to throw for over 38,000 passing yards and 300 touchdowns in the decade, showing that their teams’ successes were matched by their own statistical production. While Drew Brees led all QBs in most major passing categories, the Saints’ string of mediocre seasons from 2012 to 2016 hurts his case for the team.
Running Backs (2): LeSean McCoy (First Team), Adrian Peterson (Second Team)
McCoy is the decade leader in scrimmage yards (13923) and was the only rusher with more than 10,000 yards on the ground. In addition, his 85 touchdowns scored led all players in the decade, and he compiled six Pro Bowl selections to go along with them. Despite falling off in production since the 2018 season, his high production and consistency in his prime from 2010 to 2017 should ensure him a place on the first team.
The second spot will likely go to either Peterson or Frank Gore. While both have set a new standard in terms of longevity for the position, they have gone on opposite roads in terms of consistency. While Gore was one of only two RBs with more than 700 rushing yards every year from 2010 to 2018 (McCoy was the other), Peterson was the top RB from 2010 to 2015. Peterson’s recent resurgence with the Redskins (oldest RB to reach 1,000 yards since 1984) and his legendary 2012 season (only non-QB to win MVP in the decade) should give him just enough of an edge over Gore.
Wide Receivers (4): Antonio Brown (First Team), Julio Jones (First Team), Larry Fitzgerald (Second Team), Calvin Johnson (Second Team)
Despite a stacked pool of WRs, there’s no argument for Jones to be anywhere except the first team. A seven-time Pro Bowler, Jones led all players in receiving yards (12,125) and has quietly become one of the leagues’ best receivers during this era. While Brown has encountered several off-the-field issues in recent years, there is no denying his dominance. He led all WRs in touchdowns scored (75) and all players in all-purpose yards (14,319). He finished second in receptions and receiving yards.
Even while missing the latter half of the decade, Johnson was the most dominant WR in the decade during his playing days, peaking in his record-breaking 2012 season (set record for most receiving yards in a season with 1,964). Fitzgerald should join him on the second team, as his consistency in the decade saw him as the only WR with over 700 yards each year. Even while having mostly underwhelming play at quarterback, Fitzgerald hauled in the most passes out of any player (855).
Tight Ends (2): Rob Gronkowski (First team), Jimmy Graham (Second team)
This position has been revolutionized this decade, with pass-catching becoming an essential attribute for TEs. Gronkowski and Graham finished first and second in touchdowns scored among all players in the decade, with 79 and 74, respectively. Graham finished the decade leading all TEs in receiving yards (7883), with Gronkowski trailing not far behind (7861).
Both also finished with five Pro Bowl selections and are shoo-ins to make the All-Decade team.
Offensive Line First Team: Joe Thomas, Tyron Smith, Maurkice Pouncey, Zach Martin, Marshal Yanda
Offensive Line Second Team: Trent Williams, Mitchell Schwartz, Jason Kelce, Mike Iupati, David DeCastro
Thomas was the Iron Man of the decade, starting 119 straight games before ultimately retiring in 2017 and finishing with seven Pro Bowl selections. Yanda and Pouncey led all LBs in Pro Bowl selections in the decade, with eight apiece, each anchoring their respective AFC North teams’ offensive lines throughout. Martin and Smith have led the Cowboys to one of the best offensive lines in recent history since 2014, while blocking the way for three rushing champions.
Williams, despite tying Thomas in Pro Bowl selections, pales in comparison with All-Pro teams (one compared to Thomas’ seven), bumping him down to the second team. Mitchell Schwartz, despite having no Pro Bowl selections in his career, has been named to four All-Pro teams. He has been one of the most underrated players in the league and is the current Iron Man, starting over 120 games (active streak). Kelce and DeCastro, while not as dominant as Pouncey and Yanda, have been crucial to the success of the Eagles and Steelers, respectively. Iupati takes the final spot due to his string of successes from 2012 to 2015, in which he was definitely the best left guard in the league, before injuries plagued his career soon after.
Article by Kevin Zhang of Richard Montgomery High School
Photo Courtesy of Simple English Wikipedia