# The 32 Greatest NFL Safeties of All Time

> Ball hawks, enforcers and hard-hitting center fielders, drawn from every era of pro football. Some piled up interceptions, others changed how offenses attacked the middle of the field.

*By YPB Team · Published November 11, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-32-greatest-nfl-safeties-of-all-time*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Ed Reed** — score 1000/1000
   Baltimore Ravens free safety from 2002 to 2012, 2004 Defensive Player of the Year with 64 career interceptions, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.
2. **Ronnie Lott** — score 990/1000
   San Francisco 49ers defensive back who won four Super Bowls and finished with 63 interceptions, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000.
3. **Dick Anderson** — score 799/1000
   Miami Dolphins safety from 1968 to 1977, the 1973 Defensive Player of the Year and a two-time Super Bowl champion.
4. **Minkah Fitzpatrick** — score 799/1000
   Safety who earned three first-team All-Pro selections with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019, 2020 and 2022.
5. **Harrison Smith** — score 786/1000
   Minnesota Vikings safety drafted in 2012 with six Pro Bowl selections.
6. **Cliff Harris** — score 708/1000
   Dallas Cowboys free safety from 1970 to 1979 with six Pro Bowl selections and two Super Bowl titles, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.
7. **John Lynch** — score 655/1000
   Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Denver Broncos safety with nine Pro Bowl selections and a Super Bowl XXXVII title, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2021.
8. **Ken Houston** — score 654/1000
   Houston Oilers and Washington safety from 1967 to 1980 who returned nine interceptions for touchdowns, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986.
9. **Joey Browner** — score 654/1000
   Minnesota Vikings safety from 1983 to 1991 with six consecutive Pro Bowl selections.
10. **Paul Krause** — score 593/1000
   Washington and Minnesota Vikings safety who holds the NFL record with 81 career interceptions, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998.
11. **Emlen Tunnell** — score 524/1000
   New York Giants and Green Bay Packers safety whose 79 interceptions rank second all time, the first Black player inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1967.
12. **Larry Wilson** — score 524/1000
   St. Louis Cardinals free safety from 1960 to 1972 known for popularizing the safety blitz, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1978.
13. **Johnny Robinson** — score 524/1000
   Dallas Texans and Kansas City Chiefs safety from 1960 to 1971 who won Super Bowl IV, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.
14. **Jack Christiansen** — score 524/1000
   Detroit Lions safety and return man on the 1952, 1953 and 1957 NFL title teams, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1970.
15. **Kam Chancellor** — score 524/1000
   Seattle Seahawks strong safety from 2010 to 2017 with four Pro Bowl selections and a Super Bowl XLVIII title.
16. **Darren Woodson** — score 443/1000
   Dallas Cowboys safety from 1992 to 2003, the franchise's career tackles leader and a three-time Super Bowl champion.
17. **Sean Taylor** — score 443/1000
   Washington safety from 2004 to 2007 with two Pro Bowl selections, who died in November 2007 at age 24.
18. **Charlie Waters** — score 443/1000
   Dallas Cowboys safety from 1970 to 1981 with three Pro Bowl selections and two Super Bowl titles.
19. **Troy Polamalu** — score 349/1000
   Pittsburgh Steelers strong safety from 2003 to 2014, 2010 Defensive Player of the Year and two-time Super Bowl champion, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.
20. **Yale Lary** — score 349/1000
   Detroit Lions safety and punter on three NFL championship teams in the 1950s, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.
21. **Steve Atwater** — score 349/1000
   Denver Broncos safety with eight Pro Bowl selections and two Super Bowl titles, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.
22. **Kenny Easley** — score 349/1000
   Seattle Seahawks strong safety from 1981 to 1987 and the 1984 Defensive Player of the Year, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.
23. **Earl Thomas** — score 349/1000
   Seattle Seahawks free safety from 2010 to 2018, a three-time first-team All-Pro and Super Bowl XLVIII champion.
24. **Adrian Wilson** — score 349/1000
   Arizona Cardinals safety from 2001 to 2012 with five Pro Bowl selections and 25.5 career sacks.
25. **Brian Dawkins** — score 238/1000
   Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos safety with nine Pro Bowl selections, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.
26. **Eric Berry** — score 238/1000
   Kansas City Chiefs safety, three-time first-team All-Pro, who won 2015 Comeback Player of the Year after treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma.
27. **Rodney Harrison** — score 238/1000
   San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots safety, the first player with 30 career sacks and 30 interceptions, and a two-time Super Bowl champion.
28. **Ed Meador** — score 238/1000
   Los Angeles Rams defensive back from 1959 to 1970 with six Pro Bowl selections and 46 interceptions.
29. **Eric Weddle** — score 238/1000
   San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens and Los Angeles Rams safety with six Pro Bowl selections who came out of retirement to win Super Bowl LVI.
30. **Donnie Shell** — score 0/1000
   Undrafted Pittsburgh Steelers safety from 1974 to 1987 who won four Super Bowls, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.
31. **LeRoy Butler** — score 0/1000
   Green Bay Packers safety from 1990 to 2001, credited with the first Lambeau Leap, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2022.
32. **Tyrann Mathieu** — score 0/1000
   Arizona Cardinals, Kansas City Chiefs and New Orleans Saints safety, a three-time first-team All-Pro and Super Bowl LIV champion.

Tags: american-football, players, nfl, defense, safeties