ESPN's All Quarter Century Team 2000-2025

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2 hours ago, frankw said:

LT had 8 straight seasons of an average of 1100-1800 rushing yards and 126 touchdowns and missed one game in that timespan.

If you want to quote me and strut around in your Christian McCaffrey PJ's by all means do your thing bud.

Doesn't discount what I said...at all. Your LT PJs have to be a little worn at this point.

[OneBadCat]

On 6/24/2025 at 8:16 AM, Gapanthersfan said:

Love smitty, but can you put him ahead of Moss, Harrison, Fitz, Jefferson, Megatron, TO , Andre Johnson, Deandre Hopkins, Evans, Tyreek and several others not immediately coming to mind? 

Smitty only has 9 more career receiving TDs than Marquis Colston (yes, I know Brees). Colston never even made first team pro bowl. It’s painful to say, but he’s not even top 10 when considering his competition 

Some of those guys? Yeah honestly you can. 
I would 100% take Steve Smith over Larry Fitzgerald, Harrison, even Mike Evans. He is 100% a better player than those guys in his prime.

If you look at the numbers Smith is historically under targeted in comparison to his contemporaries. He was only targeted 150 times or more only once in his career. Fitzgerald for example was targeted well above that 9 different seasons.

Had Smith played with Peyton, Brady, Greatest Show on Turf, or even with Warner in Arizona he would broken records. His 2008 season was ridiculous accumulating 1400 yards in 13 games on less than 80 receptions.

All time he also lost a season due to injury in 04, barely played WR as a rookie. Got robbed of 1k season with Clausen. Thats easily another 1800yds minimum that should have been tacked on to his #s.

The only guys I’d say for certain are better than Smith are Rice, Moss, TO, Megatron, Julio Jones, Antonio Brown.

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On 6/24/2025 at 8:16 AM, Gapanthersfan said:

Love smitty, but can you put him ahead of Moss, Harrison, Fitz, Jefferson, Megatron, TO , Andre Johnson, Deandre Hopkins, Evans, Tyreek and several others not immediately coming to mind? 

Smitty only has 9 more career receiving TDs than Marquis Colston (yes, I know Brees). Colston never even made first team pro bowl. It’s painful to say, but he’s not even top 10 when considering his competition 

The era that you played in, and, more importantly, who you played with actually matters. Honestly, that's why these issues will be debated forever, as it's just difficult to say that this person or that person is better when you're discussing the passage of time.

As for me, after Rice, Moss and maybe Megatron and T.O., there's probably a dozen or so guys that can be argued about to the cows come home. Personally, I'm not putting Fitz, Harrison, Johnson, Evans, or especially D-Hop, Jefferson, Chase or Hill definitely in front of Smitty (and Colston ain't even in the discussion). Context and all that stuff actually matters. Things like the triple crown matter. 

[HaricotVert]

5 hours ago, OneBadCat said:

The only guys I’d say for certain are better than Smith are Rice, Moss, TO, Megatron, Julio Jones, Antonio Brown.

I know it a real homer take but Im not sure Id slam dunk take that list over Smitty.  Smith just played a different way, he had an ability to just take over a game as a matter of will.  The catch against the giants where he caught it and took a helmet that broke his arm mid air, the games against DeAngelo Hall, 05 Bears playoffs, Ice Up Son, the revenge game against us.

Those other WRs may have better stat books but love him or hate him, good guy or bad, Smith just played a different game and when he did look out.

[CRA]

On 6/28/2025 at 7:26 AM, OneBadCat said:

Some of those guys? Yeah honestly you can. 
I would 100% take Steve Smith over Larry Fitzgerald, Harrison, even Mike Evans. He is 100% a better player than those guys in his prime.

If you look at the numbers Smith is historically under targeted in comparison to his contemporaries. He was only targeted 150 times or more only once in his career. Fitzgerald for example was targeted well above that 9 different seasons.

Had Smith played with Peyton, Brady, Greatest Show on Turf, or even with Warner in Arizona he would broken records. His 2008 season was ridiculous accumulating 1400 yards in 13 games on less than 80 receptions.

All time he also lost a season due to injury in 04, barely played WR as a rookie. Got robbed of 1k season with Clausen. Thats easily another 1800yds minimum that should have been tacked on to his #s.

The only guys I’d say for certain are better than Smith are Rice, Moss, TO, Megatron, Julio Jones, Antonio Brown.

Fitz was also 6-3, with a bigger body, and fantastic all timer at going up for the ball (not that 89 wasn't but again the god given size factors).  That could of had something to do w/ the targets.  Also, when times got hard, Larry Fitz was the same dude for his team. Easier option. 

just glancing at the pass attempts by teams, Carolina edged AZ years than the other way around.  I give Evans the edge too. 

89 more entertaining than both though w/ the ball in his hands and just in general.  

[OneBadCat]

16 hours ago, CRA said:

Fitz was also 6-3, with a bigger body, and fantastic all timer at going up for the ball (not that 89 wasn't but again the god given size factors).  That could of had something to do w/ the targets.  Also, when times got hard, Larry Fitz was the same dude for his team. Easier option. 

just glancing at the pass attempts by teams, Carolina edged AZ years than the other way around.  I give Evans the edge too. 

89 more entertaining than both though w/ the ball in his hands and just in general.  

Carolina only surpassed ARZ in passing attempts one time in Smith's whole career in Carolina. While ARZ was had several years in the top 10 in attempts, of which Carolina had none. We were a running team.

It's a testament to Smitty that he was able to build a HOF with the opportunities he had. I think if he had a stretch of his prime with Peyton, or Brady he would have embarrassed a lot guys. He would have had a shot a 2k yard season.

[CRA]

2 minutes ago, OneBadCat said:

Carolina only surpassed ARZ in passing attempts one time in Smith's whole career in Carolina. While ARZ was had several years in the top 10 in attempts, of which Carolina had none. We were a running team.

It's a testament to Smitty that he was able to build a HOF with the opportunities he had. I think if he had a stretch of his prime with Peyton, or Brady he would have embarrassed a lot guys. He would have had a shot a 2k yard season.

Looks like I glanced at Delhomme vs Warner attempts back when AZ was sucking so bad.   

Larry Fitzgerald was bigger and more consistent than 89.  God doesn't give everyone the same tools. I mean, if you shrunk Megatron and probably changes in his rank position.  89 was more entertaining.  89 quit on that 2010 team.  89 would often prioritize himself over the team and was a poo teammate (and we as a collective fanbase embrace so many of his demons).  You didn't have that w/ Fitz. 

Same demons that make 89 literally not even run routes and show up for his team because he had to take plays off to "show" Richard Sherman something.......are the same demons that had him assault his teammates often w/ cheap shots. 

I would assume if most were building a team from scratch and have the option of Fitz vs 89.....Fitz is winning that in a landslide. 

[OneBadCat]

6 hours ago, CRA said:

Looks like I glanced at Delhomme vs Warner attempts back when AZ was sucking so bad.   

Larry Fitzgerald was bigger and more consistent than 89.  God doesn't give everyone the same tools. I mean, if you shrunk Megatron and probably changes in his rank position.  89 was more entertaining.  89 quit on that 2010 team.  89 would often prioritize himself over the team and was a poo teammate (and we as a collective fanbase embrace so many of his demons).  You didn't have that w/ Fitz. 

Same demons that make 89 literally not even run routes and show up for his team because he had to take plays off to "show" Richard Sherman something.......are the same demons that had him assault his teammates often w/ cheap shots. 

I would assume if most were building a team from scratch and have the option of Fitz vs 89.....Fitz is winning that in a landslide. 

I'm not disputing the negative aspects of Smitty as a teammate. But I do think he was the better player. That said Fitz wasn't a total saint either. And John Fox quit on the 2010 squad as well; he tanked that team on purpose and trot Clausen out there when Moore was the best chance for us to win.

[Mol3m4n]

On 6/21/2025 at 9:00 PM, The NFL Shield At Midfield said:

No Frank Gore with his 16k rushing yards either.  Joke list.

He played forever, but was probably only top 3 in just 1 season.