#83 - Yinzers Influenced Top 30 NFL Players of All Time — The BallHawgs Fix Sports Illustrated's List

<p>Sports Illustrated dropped their “Top 30 NFL Players of All Time” list… and Richard and Conner took one look at it and said, “Nope. We’re fixing this.”</p><p><br></p><p>This episode is pure Yinzer energy: Steelers reverence, Cowboy slander, Ratbird disgust, and a whole lot of football truth-telling. It’s loud, it’s funny, and it’s exactly why sports debates are the greatest thing on earth.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>The List Starts Off Wrong, So the BallHawgs Fix It</strong></p><p>30 — Larry Allen (SI)</p><p>Great player, freak athlete… but this is a Yinzer edition.</p><p>Larry Allen OUT. Mike Webster IN.</p><p>Iron Mike: four rings, greatest center ever, redefined the position. </p><p>29 — Bob Lilly</p><p>Great Cowboy, great DT. No demotion, no jokes (well… maybe a few Cowgirls jokes).</p><p><br></p><p>28 — Emmitt Smith</p><p>Emmitt stays, but the boys remind everyone:</p><p>– He ran behind the Great Wall of Dallas.</p><p>– Emmitt outside Dallas? Arizona proved that story.</p><p><br></p><p>27 — Jonathan Ogden</p><p>A Ratbird, yes. But a legend. He stays.</p><p><br></p><p>26 — Bruce Smith</p><p>200 sacks. Monster. </p><p><br></p><p>25 — Sammy Baugh</p><p>Led the league in passing, punting, and interceptions in the same season.</p><p><br></p><p>24 — Rod Woodson and the DB debate</p><p>Finally, a Steeler. </p><p>But SI disrespected the entire DB hierarchy.</p><p>Richard and Conner fix it with the legendary 24A–24E format:</p><p>24A — Rod Woodson</p><p>24B — Deion Sanders (elite, but couldn’t tackle)</p><p>24C — Ronnie Lott </p><p>24D — Troy Polamalu (best hair + best commercials ever)</p><p>24E — Mel Blount (had a rule named after him; original shutdown island)</p><p><br></p><p>Mel Blount being left off SI’s list? A crime against football.</p><p><br></p><p>23 — John Hannah</p><p>A hog. A legend. Stays.</p><p><br></p><p>22 — Randy Moss</p><p>Straight cash, homie. Perfect at 22.</p><p>But the Yinzers remind everyone:</p><p>– Lynn Swann’s acrobatics were generational.</p><p>– Antonio Brown (pre‑Burfict multiverse brain shift) was on a Hall of Fame trajectory.</p><p><br></p><p>21 — Ronnie Lott</p><p>Dude was a dog. Warrior. Cut off the tip — just the tip — to stay in the game.</p><p><br></p><p>20 — Patrick Mahomes</p><p>Magician. If he keeps winning, he’ll break this list like he breaks defenses.</p><p><br></p><p>19 — Aaron Donald</p><p>Yinzer approved. Freak of nature.</p><p><br></p><p>18 — Deion Sanders</p><p>Should be grouped with the other DBs at 24A–24E.</p><p><br></p><p>17 — Ray Lewis</p><p>Stone‑cold killer… on and off the field.</p><p><br></p><p>16 — John Elway</p><p>Horse teeth. Rocket arm. Two rings.</p><p><br></p><p>15 — Anthony Muñoz</p><p>One of the greatest linemen ever. Stays.</p><p><br></p><p>14 — Mean Joe Greene</p><p>Leader of the Steel Curtain. Face of the dynasty.</p><p>If Mean Joe is here, Mel Blount MUST be on the list. Period.</p><p><br></p><p>13 — Barry Sanders</p><p>Disrespectful placement.</p><p>Worst franchise in football, still put up 1,000 yards every season.</p><p><br></p><p>12 — Deacon Jones</p><p>Secretary of Defense. Invented trash talk.</p><p><br></p><p>11 — Johnny Unitas</p><p>Prototype QB. Invented the two‑minute drill.</p><p>Also: got cut by the Steelers (oops).</p><p><br></p><p>10 — Don Hutson</p><p>Played in the 1930s–40s.</p><p>30 interceptions on defense.</p><p>Basically Gronk + Polamalu in one body.</p><p><br></p><p>9 — Dick Butkus</p><p>Name alone is worth five spots.</p><p><br></p><p>8 — Peyton Manning</p><p>Five MVPs. Two rings.</p><p>Ran a Fortune 500 company at the line of scrimmage.</p><p>Richard and Conner debate whether he should be No. 2.</p><p><br></p><p>7 — Joe Montana</p><p>Joe Cool. Four rings. Three Super Bowl MVPs.</p><p>King of the moment.</p><p><br></p><p>6 — Reggie White</p><p>Minister of Defense.</p><p>LT himself said Reggie was the best defensive player ever.</p><p><br></p><p>5 — Walter Payton</p><p>Sweetness.</p><p>Did everything: run, catch, block, throw.</p><p>Should