NFL All-Decade Team: Offense

Just a few weeks prior to the start of the 2005 NFL season, Hurricane Katrina swept through the southeast, devastating everything in its path. What followed was an NFL season filled with upsets, history, and perseverance. For the first time, a team (the New Orleans Saints) played all of their games on the road,  as they were unable to host home games in the Metrodome due to Katrina. When the playoffs rolled around, the Pittsburg Steelers defied the odds by becoming the first team in five years to win the Superbowl with a wild card berth. In the NFC, after going 21 years without a playoff win,  MVP Shaun Alexander and the Seattle Seahawks gained the first conference title in their franchise’s history.

A lot has changed in the past ten years. At that time, Roger Goodell was the league’s Chief Operating Officer and was a year away from being the Commissioner. Cadillac Williams was the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year, yet he never surpassed the statistics he posted in 2005. Ten years ago, superstar Odell Beckham Jr. was an 8th grader playing offensive line (you heard that right) for an all boys school in the nation’s capital. Over the past ten years, there have been a few players in the NFL that have stood out as all-time greats, and it is time they are recognized. Here is the NFL Offensive All-Decade team.

QB: Peyton Manning (1998-2015 IND/DEN) 266 G 65.3 Cmp % 71,940 Yds 539 TD 251 INT 96.5 Rat 14x Pro Bowl 5x MVP 7x All-Pro

Peyton Manning barely edges out Tom Brady for this roster spot. Though Brady has more rings than the Sheriff, Manning has five MVPs to Brady’s two.

RB: Adrian Peterson (2007-2015 MIN) 120 G 11,675 Yds 4.9 Y/A  97 TDs 7x Pro Bowl 1x MVP 4x All-Pro

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is one of the best backs to ever play football, and also is the most recent non-QB to win an MVP. Averaging 4.9 Y/A over his career, AP leads all active rushers with at least 8,000 yards.

WR: Calvin Johnson (2007-2015 DET) 130 G 731 Rec 11,619 Yds 83 TDs  6x Pro Bowl 3x All-Pro

Reggie Wayne (2001-2014 IND) 211 G 1070 Rec 14,345 Yds 82 TDs 6x  Pro Bowl 1x All-Pro

Terrell Owens and Reggie Wayne missed out on these slots due to the climax on their careers falling before 2005. Johnson and Wayne lead this team’s receiving corps with 12 combined Pro Bowl selections. Had Megatron not retired as a 30-year-old, he would have had the chance to surpassed numerous records in Detroit.

TE: Tony Gonzalez (1997-2013 ATL) 270 G 1960 Rec 15,127 Yds 11 TDs 14x Pro Bowl 6x All-Pro

I wholeheartedly believe that at the end of Rob Gronkowski‘s career, he will surpass Tony Gonzalez. But until Gronk plays a few more seasons, Tony Gonzalez is the past TE of the past decade. Gonzalez leads all TEs in career receiving yards and ranks 5th when placed against all receivers.

OT: Joe Thomas (2007-2016 CLE) 144 G 9x Pro Bowl 6x All-Pro

Walter Jones (1997-2008 SEA) 180 G 9x Pro Bowl 4x All-Pro

 

Both of these offensive tackles were the cornerstones to their team’s offensive over the past ten years. Joe Thomas has displayed his durability through his 144 consecutive starts.

OG: Steve Hutchinson (2001-2012 SEA/MIN) 169 G 7x Pro Bowl 5x All-Pro

Alan Faneca (1998-2010 PIT/NYJ)  206 G 9x Pro Bowl 6x All-Pro

These former first round picks starred at one of the games most overlooked positions. This past year, former Pittsburg guard Alan Faneca narrowly missed an enshrinement in Canton, Ohio.

C: Nick Mangold (2006-2015 NYJ) 156 G 7x Pro Bowl 2x All-Pro

Nick Mangold has been the only consistent performer on the Jets annual dysfunctional offense. Mangold leads all active centers with seven Pro Bowl selections.

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