Top 10 Greatest Los Angles / St. Louis Rams from 1965 on

Image Courtesy of Bing 

As befits a team based in L A, the Rams top 10 list has a lot of star power.  That star power was evident not only on the field, but in some cases carried over to movies and TV.  This top 10 list has very high name recognition.  You’ll probably be able to remember most if not all of these guys if you’ve been a fan of the NFL for a while.

10. Tom Mack:  Remember what I said about name recognition?  That might not apply in Mack’s case.  Mack was the Rams left guard from 1966-1978.  Tom went to 11 Pro Bowls in that time and was named All Pro in 1969.  He was also name to the Pro Football Reference All 70s second team.  Mack provided longevity and a high level of performance.  That’s enough to snag a spot on this list.

9. Aaron Donald:  The Rams have had an extraordinary amount of outstanding defensive linemen in the history of their franchise.  Donald certainly falls in that category.  He could climb this list as years go by.  As of now Donald has played five seasons for the Rams and been named to the Pro Bowl five times and All Pro four times.  In 2018 Donald led the NFL with 20.5 sacks.  For his career he sits at 59.5 sacks.  He’s probably the most dominant defensive lineman in the NFL at the moment.  We’ll see how the rest of his career develops.

8. Jackie Slater:  Playing offensive right tackle in the NFL for 20 years is an amazing accomplishment.  Slater played for the Rams from 1976-1995.  During that span he made the Pro Bowl seven times.  Eric Dickerson had some great seasons with the Rams and Jackie Slater is one of the reasons for that.  Slater did some of his best work in the playoffs. 

7. Kurt Warner:  While the Rams are currently the LA Rams, there was a period of time when they were the St. Louis Rams.  They were actually in St. Louis when they won their only Super Bowl and nearly won another.  That was during the days of “The Greatest Show on Turf”.  Kurt Warner was the triggerman for that offense.  While Warner didn’t have a long Rams career, it was certainly notable.  From 1999-2001 Warner was the most dynamic QB in the NFL.  In 1999 Warner led the NFL in TD passes with 41.  In 2001 he did the same thing with 36.  Kurt was named to the Pro Bowl three times and All Pro twice.  Kurt was named the NFL’s MVP in 1999.  Warner gets huge bonus points for leading the Rams to their only Super Bowl win.

6. Jack Youngblood:  Jack was a dominant defensive player in the 70s.  In all, Youngblood played 14 seasons with the Rams, being named to seven Pro Bowls and five All Pro teams.  He was also named to the Pro Football Reference and Pro Football Hall of Fame’s All 70s team.  Unofficially Youngblood was credited with 151.5 sacks.  His career high was 18 in 1979.  In addition to his production, Youngblood’s toughness was almost legendary.   He played in 201 consecutive games despite some very notable injuries, including a broken leg.

5. Torry Holt:  Torry Holt sounds like a name out of central casting. While Holt had a great name, he also had great game.  In 10 seasons with the Rams Holt caught 869 passes for 12,660 yards and 74 TDs.  Torry also played in 10 playoff games for the Rams, hauling in 47 passes for 630 yards and four touchdowns.  He led the NFL in receptions in 2003 with a total of 117.  Those catches resulted 1696 yards and 12 TDs.  Those 1696 yards led the NFL.  Torry also led the NFL in receiving yards with 1635 in 2000.  Holt was named to seven Pro Bowl teams and one All Pro team.

4. Eric Dickerson:  In a little over four seasons with the Rams, Dickerson made a huge impact. In his least productive season, Eric gained 1234 yards.  The other three seasons his rushing yard totals were 1808-2105 and 1821.  Those totals led the NFL in each of those three seasons.  Dickerson had a staggering work load while with the Rams.  In 1986 he ran the ball a career high 404 times.  Eric was an All Pro three times and was also named to three Pro Bowls while with the Rams.  Eric was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in both 1983 and 1986.  From a sheer rushing perspective, Dickerson may have been the best runner in Rams history.

3. Marshall Faulk:  As great as Dickerson was, I have Marshall Faulk rated higher.  The reasoning is Faulk played for the Rams longer, was a bigger threat as a receiver coming out of the backfield and played for a Super Bowl winner.  Faulk played seven seasons for the Rams and made it to four Pro Bowls and three All Pro teams.  In 1999 Faulk accounted for 2429 yards from scrimmage.  He rushed for 1381 yards and caught passé for another 1048.  In 2000 he led the NFL in TDs with a total of 26.  He did the same thing in 2001 with a total of 21.  Faulk was probably the greatest all around offensive weapon the Rams have had since 1965.

2.  Deacon Jones:  Deacon was as colorful as he was great.  Jones used a combination of speed, quickness and the head slap to become one of the best pass rushers in NFL history.  Jones plied his trade for 11 seasons in Los Angles.  During that time he unofficially piled up 159.5 sacks.  His most productive season was 1968 when he racked up 22.  Deacon was named to the Pro Bowl seven times and All Pro team twice.

1. Merlin Olsen:  While Jones may have been the most flamboyant of the Rams Fearsome Foursome, Olsen was the most consistent and had the most longevity.  Olsen manned the Rams defensive line for 15 seasons and was named to the Pro Bowl in every season but his final one.  He was also named All Pro five times.  While stuffing the run, Merlin was unofficially credited with 94 sacks.  As befits a guy who spent his playing career in Los Angles, Olsen went on to have an excellent career as an NFL analyst as well as a really nice acting career.