By Brian Kalchik @BrianKalchik on January 25, 2015
Creating the All-Time Super Bowl Team
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Thousands of players have participated in the Super Bowl, but only a select few can be called standouts in professional football's greatest game. If you were to create an ultimate Super Bowl team featuring only Super Bowl players, who would you choose? Here is my team from offense to special teams.
QB: Joe Montana
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QB: Joe Montana
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Joe Montana was perfect in the Super Bowl and is still the standard for playing in the biggest game. In four Super Bowls, Montana did not throw an interception, threw for 11 touchdowns, and completed 68 percent of his passes. Montana was the MVP in Super Bowls XVI, XIX and XXIV.
Honorable Mention: Terry Bradshaw
RB: Emmitt Smith
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RB: Emmitt Smith
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Emmitt Smith was the workhorse for the Dallas dynasty in the 1990's, and he carried the Cowboys to three Super Bowl wins in three tries. In those three games, Smith carried the ball 70 times for 289 yards and five touchdowns. Smith was named MVP in Super Bowl XXVIII.
Honorable Mention: Franco Harris
FB: Larry Csonka
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FB: Larry Csonka
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In three Super Bowl appearances with the Miami Dolphins, Larry Csonka carried the ball 57 times for 297 yards and two touchdowns. In Super Bowl VIII, Csonka was named Super Bowl MVP after rushing for 145 yards and two touchdowns.
Honorable Mention: John Riggins
WR: Jerry Rice, Lynn Swann
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WR: Jerry Rice, Lynn Swann
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In four Super Bowls, Jerry Rice recorded 33 receptions for 589 yards and eight touchdowns, a Super Bowl record. Rice was also named MVP in Super Bowl XXIII. In four Super Bowl appearances, Lynn Swann caught 16 passes for 364 yards and three touchdowns. Swann was named MVP in Super Bowl X.
Honorable Mentions: John Stallworth, Cliff Branch
TE: Jay Novacek
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TE: jay Novacek
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In three Super Bowl appearances with Dallas, Jay Novacek recorded 17 receptions for 148 yards and two touchdowns. His best game came in Super Bowl XXVII with seven receptions for 72 yards and a touchdown.
Honorable Mention: Marv Fleming
OT: Art Shell, Forrest Gregg
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OT: Art Shell, Forrest Gregg
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In two Super Bowl appearances, Art Shell dominated elite defensive end in Jim Marshall and Claude Humphrey as the Oakland Raiders won Super Bowls XI and XV. In Super Bowls I and II, Green Bay Packers OT Forrest Gregg shut down elite defenses in Kansas City and Oakland.
Honorable Mentions: Matt Light, Joe Jacoby
OG: Gene Upshaw, Russ Grimm
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OG: Gene Upshaw, Russ Grimm
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In three Super Bowl appearances, Gene Upshaw performed admirably, winning two and dominating Minnesota and Philadelphia in Super Bowls XI and XV. In four Super Bowl appearances, Russ Grimm won four times, dominating Miami, Denver and Buffalo, especially in the running game.
Honorable Mentions: Larry Little, Jerry Kramer
C: Mike Webster
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C: Mike Webster
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The leader of the Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive line, Mike Webster was vital to all four Super Bowl wins for the Steelers in the 1970's. Webster held his own against defensive tackles like Alan Page and Randy White.
Honorable Mention: Jim Langer
DE: Charles Haley, Willie Davis
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DE: Charles Haley, Willie Davis
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In seven combined Super Bowl appearances, Charles Haley and Willie Davis never lost and were vital to their teams' successes. Haley won two Super Bowls in San Francisco, three with Dallas, and recorded four and a half sacks. In two Super Bowls, Willie Davis recorded an unofficial four and a half sacks.
Honorable Mentions: L.C. Greenwood, Reggie White
DT: Joe Greene, Manny Fernandez
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DT: Joe Greene, Manny Fernandez
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In four Super Bowl appearances, Joe Greene won four times and forced two turnovers in Super Bowl IX. In Super Bowls VII and VIII, Manny Fernandez dominated up front and was part of defenses that only gave up seven points in those two games.
Honorable Mentions: Buck Buchanan, Randy White
OLB: Lawrence Taylor, Rod Martin
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OLB: Lawrence Taylor, Rod Martin
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In two Super Bowl appearances, Lawrence Taylor was part of defenses that held Jim Kelly and John Elway both to 20 points or under. In two Super Bowl appearances, Rod Martin played on a defense that forced six turnovers in those games. Martin was also named Super Bowl XV MVP after recording three interceptions.
Honorable Mentions: Mike Vrabel, Bill Romanowski
ILB: Ray Lewis
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ILB: Ray Lewis
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In two Super Bowl appearances, Ray Lewis led the Baltimore Ravens to their only Super Bowl titles in franchise history. In Super Bowl XXXV, Lewis was named MVP after recording five tackles and four pass deflections. In Super Bowl XLVII, he played with a torn triceps and recorded seven tackles.
Honorable Mention: Jack Lambert
CB: Mel Blount, Herb Adderley
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CB: Mel Blount, Herb Adderley
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Mel Blount and Herb Adderley are the best corners in Super Bowl history. In four Super Bowl appearances, Blount recorded two interceptions and held receivers like John Gilliam and Drew Pearson in check. In four Super Bowl appearances, Herb Adderley won three times, twice with Green Bay, and recorded the first pick-six in Super Bowl history.
Honorable Mentions: Deion Sanders and Larry Brown
Safeties: Ronnie Lott, Jake Scott
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Safeties: Ronnie Lott, Jake Scott
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In four Super Bowl appearances, Ronnie Lott and the San Francisco 49ers' secondary allowed three passing touchdowns against the likes of Ken Anderson, Dan Marino, Boomer Esiason and John Elway. In Miami's two Super Bowl wins, Jake Scott recorded two interceptions and was named MVP of Super Bowl VII.
Honorable Mentions: Rod Woodson and Rodney Harrison
Special Teams: Adam Vinatieri, Ray Guy, Desmond Howard
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Special Teams: Adam Vinatieri, Ray Guy, Desmond Howard
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Adam Vinatieri and Ray Guy are considered to be the best at their positions, and they proved it in the Super Bowl. Vinatieri won two games at the last second for New England, and Guy was a three-time Super Bowl champion. In the return game, Desmond Howard won Super Bowl XXXI MVP honors after recording 244 return yards and a kick return touchdown.
Brian Kalchik is a Houston Texans writer for www.RantSports.com . Follow him on Twitter , like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google+ .
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