The 10 best linebackers in the history of the Tennessee Titans
The early days of this team saw a pair of championships in 1960 and ’61, and it reached the league title game in 1962. Be it the Houston Oilers, Tennessee Oilers, or the Tennessee Titans, the club has always had its share of solid defensive players.
The following list gives you a brief glimpse of the kind of talent the organization has had when it comes to the linebacker position.
Of course, the man at the top of the chart is a Pro Football Hall of Famer who excelled from the outside in the 1970s and ‘80s. There’s also an active player on this list who has gotten off to a good start in 2024.
The top 10 linebackers in Oilers/Titans history
10. Lamar Lathon
Former University of Houston standout Lamar Layton seemed like the perfect option for the Houston Oilers when it came their turn in the first round of the 1990 NFL Draft. He was the 15th overall pick that year and wound up spending five seasons with the franchise. The first four years saw the Oilers reach the postseason each time. He joined the expansion Carolina Panthers via a five-year deal in 1995.
During his stint with the Oilers, Lathon got off to a so-so start but became more of a factor as time wore on. His most complete year came in 1991 when he amassed a career-best 116 tackles, a pair of sacks, and three interceptions (1 TD). During his final year in Houston, he recorded 8.5 sacks and three forced fumbles.
9. Avery Williamson
His time with the franchise and the NFL was short-lived but former University of Kentucky product Avery Williamson was a productive player during his first stint with the Titans. A fifth-round draft choice in 2014, he missed just one game and made 12 or more starts in four straight seasons. As a rookie, he finished fourth on the club with 78 tackles. He led Tennessee in stops in 2015 and ’16 and finished second in tackles in 2017.
Williamson totaled 11.5 sacks, two interceptions, three forced fumbles, and a pair of fumble recoveries. He signed with the Jets in 2018, missed the 2019 season (torn ACL), and returned to play for the Jets and Steelers in 2020. He was back with the Titans in 2021 but played in only two games.
8. Harold Landry III
He is the one active player on this list, and he got off to a promising start in 2024. In the season-opener at Chicago, Harold Landry III totaled six tackles and one sack. Versus the Jets in Week 2, the six-year pro finished with a pair of sacks of Aaron Rodgers. In the Week 3 home loss to the Packers, Landry totaled four tackles, and in the Monday night surprise of the Dolphins, he put up five tackles and another sack.
All told, Landry has amassed 45.5 sacks in his six-plus seasons with the franchise (as of Week 7 of 2024). That places him in ninth place in the team annals, and he figures to continue his climb up this chart. He’s been a big bright spot for a team off to a disappointing start.
7. Garland Boyette
Talk about a fascinating pro career.
Grambling State’s Garland Boyette went undrafted but wound up playing two seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1962-63. It was off to the CFL in ’64, where he starred for the Montreal Alouettes. He returned to the States in 1966, the first of seven years with the Oilers.
Boyette missed only one game during his seven-year stay with the franchise, making 80 starts, and was part of a playoff team in 1967. Along with his share of stops, he picked off two passes. He also came up with six fumble recoveries, as well as 5.5 sacks. Boyette earned AFL All-Star Game honors (aka Pro Bowl accolades) in 1968 and ’69. He was an unsung performer for the team and a great rags-to-riches story.
6. Ted Washington
Talk about a longshot.
Linebacker Ted Washington was the 439th overall pick in the 1972 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. He never played a down with that franchise, and wound up with the Oilers one year later. The former Mississippi Valley State product played in only one game with the club that season, but things began to change in 1974. He missed only two games over his final nine years in Houston.
The father of star NFL nose tackle Ted Washington, the Oilers defender ranks fifth in team history with 907 total tackles. He also accumulated 45.0 sacks, ninth in the franchise annals. The 6’1”, 244-pound pro totaled 16 takeaways in 128 regular-season contests and was part of three playoff teams from 1978-80.
5. Al Smith
He was a sixth-round pick from Utah State in 1987, the 147th overall selection for head coach Jerry Glanville’s exuberant squad. He played in all 12 non-strike games for the Oilers that season, making 11 starts. He was also in the opening lineup for both postseason games vs. the Seahawks and Broncos.
Al Smith played in a total of 10 seasons with the Houston Oilers and ranks sixth in the franchise archives in tackles. He started in 124 of his 125 regular-season outings but was limited to a combined three games over his final two seasons in 1995 and ’96. Still, he totaled 100-plus tackles in five of those first eight seasons, was named to the Pro Bowl in 1991 and ’92, and also earned All-Pro accolades in ’92. A real gamer.
4. Keith Bulluck
Former Syracuse University standout Keith Bullock was a steady defender for the Titans during his stay with the franchise. The Titans were coming off their Super Bowl XXXIV season, picked 30th in the 2000 NFL Draft, and were able to land the 6’3’, 235-pound defender. He missed only three games in 10 seasons.
In six of his 10 seasons in Nashville, Bulluck totaled at least 100 tackles. His 1,265 total stops rank third in team history behind only Gregg Bingham (1,970) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Robert Brazile (1,281). There were 18.0 sacks, 15 forced fumbles, 19 interceptions (1 TD). Bulluck returned four of his 12 fumble recoveries for scores. His big campaign came in 2003 when he earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro accolades.
3. George Webster
His pro football career began in 1967 when the Houston Oilers made him the fifth overall pick in the first NFL-AFL Common Draft. George Webster's stay in the Lone Star State was fairly short, but incredibly sweet. The 6’4”, 220-pounder and former Michigan State standout spent his first five-plus seasons in Houston.
The rangy defender was an immediate standout. He earned NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors and was a Pro Bowler and All-Pro in each of his first three pro seasons. There were countless tackles, eight takeaways, and 8.5 sacks during his stay in Houston. Webster was dealt to the Steelers during the middle of the ’72 season, and in 1974 was traded to the Patriots, where he played his final three NFL seasons.
2. Gregg Bingham
He is the organization’s all-time leader with an impressive 1,970 total stops. In fact, when it comes to the Houston Oilers’ top 10 seasons in terms of total tackles, 12-year pro Gregg Bingham owns the first four spots and seven of the 10 overall. Not bad for a fourth-round draft choice from Purdue University in 1973.
The durable performer started and played in 173 regular-season games, as well as seven playoff contests for the franchise. He missed just two outings during the strike-shortened season in 1982. The interior force also totaled 21 interceptions, 14 fumbles recoveries (1 touchdown), and 14.5 sacks during a career which never saw him earn Pro Bowl or All-Pro honors. He also picked off three passes in the postseason.
1. Robert Brazile
It took far too long for the seven-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro to be enshrined in Canton, Ohio. On the other hand, former Jackson State product Robert Brazile wasted little time making his presence felt around the league once he took the field. The sixth overall pick in the 1974 draft started all 14 games, totaled seven sacks, recovered five fumbles, and earned NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.
The 10-year pro amassed 27 takeaways (13 interceptions, 14 fumble recoveries) in 147 regular-season contests. Only longtime teammate Gregg Bingham racked up more tackles in the team annals than Brazile, who never missed a game during his tenure in the league. He was part of three playoff teams in Houston.