Los Angeles Rams Dream Team

As players get bigger, stronger and faster coupled with rules of the

game being in constant change, conventional wisdom suggests that

players from different eras cannot be compared. However, I have decided

to defy that notion. 

Considering that the Los Angeles Rams were founded in 1936 as the

Cleveland Rams, the task becomes enormously challenging. Today, I have

taken on the daunting task of compiling an All-Time Rams team. The

Rams legacy accounts for three marketplaces (Cleveland, St. Louis, and

Los Angeles twice). The franchise played in Cleveland from 1936-1945,

Los Angeles Part I from 1946-1994, St. Louis from 1995-2015 and Los

Angeles Part II from 2016-present. The franchise won two NFL

championships, 1945 and 1951. In the Super Bowl era, the Rams have

been their four times, winning one. They lost Super Bowl XIV (31-19 to

Pittsburgh) and Super Bowls XXXVI and LIII, both to New England

(20-17 and 13-3). They win Super Bowl XXXIV, 23-16 over the

Tennessee Titans. The Rams of that era were known as “The Greatest

Show on Turf.” 

There are some rigid criteria in making this team. First of all, the player

needed to have played for the Rams for a minimum of four seasons. Since

the free agency era began 30 years ago, that standard needs to be in place.

Two-year rentals don’t make this list. Personality or legal flaws are not a

deterrent to making this team. This is football, not the Boy Scouts. Being

in the Hall of Fame is the first consideration coupled with impact on the

franchise. The number of All Pro seasons are a top consideration with

longevity also helping immensely.

Generational reminders

Being on the Rams during a season of being a contender does not get you

a hall pass on this team. Winning or losing eras, all high-level performers

get considered. 

To further the challenge, we are constructing the roster in two-deep format,

which means some worthy players get left off the list. So, if you want to

make a case for a player being on the team, don’t just tell me he should be

there and why, tell me who you would remove. Before you make a case to

put someone on the list, ask yourself, “Who do I take off the list at that

position?”

OFFENSE

QB -- First team: Norm Van Brocklin. Honorable mention: Kurt Warner.

Van Brocklin, led two NFL teams to championships (Rams, 1951; Eagles,

1960). Van Brocklin spent three seasons as a Philadelphia Eagle (1958-1960)

but the majority of his Hall of Fame career was his nine years (1949-1957) as

a Ram. Though other more modern-day Ram quarterbacks have broken

Van Brocklin's records, he remains the most impactful Rams quarterback

over a long period of time. In a Rams uniform, he was a Pro Bowler six

times and a second-team All-Pro on three occasions. Warner’s Hall of Fame

career had many peaks and valleys. Those highs and lows also consisted of

his five seasons (1999-2003) with the Rams. The first three years of that

stretch, Warner was the ultimate rags-to-riches story that was one of the best

in the business. He went from grocery bagger at a Midwestern chain grocery

store to Arena Football League star to NFL MVP and Super Bowl

winning quarterback in 1999. He guided the Rams back to the Super Bowl

in 2001. They lost to the Patriots but the story is still incredible.

RB -- First team: Marshall Faulk, Eric Dickerson. Honorable mention:

Steven Jackson, Todd Gurley.

With Faulk and Dickerson, there is a Rams and Colts connection. The Rams

acquired Faulk in a trade from the Colts that made them a Super Bowl

winning team but traded Dickerson to the Colts. Both had Hall of Fame

careers and performed with greatness in a Rams uniform. Both hold

numerous NFL and franchise records. Faulk is the second running back

in NFL history to gain 1,000 yards both rushing and receiving,

accomplishing that feat in 1999. In eight Seasons (1999-2006) as a Ram,

Faulk helped lead the team to its first Super Bowl championship in 1999.

He was a three-time first-team All-Pro, three-time NFC offensive player of

the year and NFL MVP in 2000. Dickerson had a star-crossed legacy as a

Ram. No one rocked the prescription goggles and jheri curl like Dickerson.

He burst onto the scene as a rookie and rushed for 1,808 yards. He was the

NFC Offensive Player of the Year three consecutive years. In 1984, he

rushed for 2,105 yards and was the second running back in NFL history to

rush for over 2,000 yards in a single season. Dickerson was also the NFL

Offensive Player of the Year in 1986. His career as a Ram, however, ended

with a contract dispute that resulted in the aforementioned trade to the

Colts. Jackson played nine seasons (2004-2012) with the Rams, taking

over for a then aging Faulk. Jackson is the franchise's all-time leader in

rushing yardage. Jackson was a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time

second-team All-Pro. Gurley is now an Atlanta Falcon after five seasons

(2015-2019) as a Ram. After a sizzling start to his career, an arthritic knee

rendered Gurley to being a shell of what he once was. Gurley was a

three-time Pro Bowler and three-time All Pro (two as a first-teamer). He

was the NFL Rookie of the Year in 2015 and NFC Offensive Player of

the Year in 2017.  

FB -- First team: Dick Bass. Honorable mention: Tank Younger.

Bass played 10 seasons (1960-1969), all with the Rams. Bass became the

first Rams player in franchise history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a

season. He accomplished that feat three times in his career. Bass was a

three-time Pro Bowler and NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 1966.

Younger played nine seasons (1949-1957) with the Rams including the

1951 championship team. Younger was the first player in NFL history

that played for a historically black college and university.Younger was a

four-time pro bowler and three-time All Pro. 

WR -- First team: Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt. Honorable mention:

Elroy Hirsch, Henry Ellard.

Bruce and Holt are one of the best receiving tandems in NFL history.

They are the top two pass-catchers in franchise history. Both helped the

Rams win the Superbowl in 1999 and reach the Super Bowl in 2001.

Asking which receiver to double-cover was akin to asking, “would I rather

get shot or stabbed?” Bruce was recently selected to the Hall of Fame. He

is a four-time Pro Bowler and was second-team All-Pro in 1999. Holt was

a seven-time Pro Bowler and two-time All Pro (one as a first-teamer).

Though he is not in the Hall of Fame yet, there is a strong contingent that

believes he should be. Hirsch, who was nicknamed Crazy Legs, spent

eight years (1949-1957) of his Hall of Fame career with the Rams. His

387 receptions may seem modest but it came in an era where teams were

not as passing game dominant. Hirsch was perhaps the best receiver of

his generation. He was a three-time Pro Bowler, two-time first-team

All-Pro and member of the 1951 NFL championship team. Ellard played

11 seasons (1983-1993) as a Ram. Throughout part of his career, the

team was known more for its running game but Ellard still put up some

impressive numbers. He is the franchise's No. 3 all-time leading pass

catcher. Ellard was a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All Pro. 

TE -- First team: Billy Truax. Honorable mention: Bob Klein.

The Rams are not exactly loaded with greatness at this position. Truax

converted from defensive end and was mostly a special teams contributor

in his first two seasons with the Rams. Then he became the starting tight

end and a reliable target for quarterback Roman Gabriel. Truax played

seven seasons (1964-1970) and caught 180 passes. Klein spent his first

two seasons as a backup to Truax. He played eight seasons (1969-1976)

as a Ram. Klein was an excellent blocker but also averaged 21 receptions

per season. 

OT -- First team: Jackie Slater, Orlando Pace. Honorable mention: Doug

France, Rodger Saffold.

When it comes to greatness as both run blockers and pass blockers, Slater

and Pace stack up against most any franchise. Slater's Hall of Fame career

spanned three decades (1976-1995). Slater was a seven-time Pro Bowler

and four-time second-team All Pro. He was also named the NFL Players

Association Offensive Lineman of the Year four times. Slater was the most

consistent performer on an offensive line that paved the way for Dickerson

to break various records. Pace was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1997 draft

and he lived up to the advanced billing by becoming a Hall of Famer.

Though the skill-position players get the credit for the Greatest Show on

Turf era, Pace also played a vital role whether it was giving Warner pass

protection or opening up holes for Faulk. Pace was a seven-time Pro

Bowler and four-time All Pro (three first-team). France played six years

as a Ram, two of which were Pro Bowl seasons and three more as a

first-team All-Pro. Saffold is going to enter his second season as a

Tennessee Titan after eight (2011-2018) as a Ram. Though he did not

earn a ton of postseason accolades, just one second-team All Pro selection

in 2017, Saffold was a reliable and consistent performer.

OG -- First team: Tom Mack, Charley Cowan. Honorable mention:

Dennis Harrah, Joe Scibelli.

Cowan and Mack formed one of the best guard tandems in the business.

Mack, who played from 1966 to 1978, reached 11 Pro Bowls in his 13

seasons, which is impressive in any era. On the way to a Hall of Fame

career, Mack also was an All-Pro selection eight times (four as a first-

teamer). Cowan, meanwhile, played 15 seasons and earned three Pro

Bowls. Harrah played all 13 seasons (1975-1987) of his career as a Ram.

He was a member of the 1979 team. During his tenure with the team, the

Rams led the NFC in points scored in 1976, total yards gained in 1980,

and yards rushing in 1976 and 1980. Harrah was a six-time Pro Bowler

and was first-team All-Pro in 1986. Scibelli played 15 seasons (1961-

1975), all as a Ram. Scibelli was a Pro Bowler in 1968 and All Pro in

1973. 

C -- First team: Rich Saul. Honorable mention: Doug Smith. 

Saul played 12 seasons (1970-1981), including being a member of the

1979 team that reached the Super Bowl. Saul was a six-time Pro Bowler

and two-time second-team All-Pro. Smith's career spanned three decades

(1978-1991). Smith was a versatile center who led the way for potent

running games, most notably by Eric Dickerson, and the transition of

the Rams becoming a more pass-oriented team under then quarterback

Jim Everett. Smith was a six-time Pro Bowler. 

DEFENSE

DE -- First team: Deacon Jones, Jack Youngblood. Honorable

mention: Kevin Carter, Andy Robustelli.

Though Jones is a Hall of Famer as a player, his impact on the game of

football as a whole is what defines him. Jones coined the term “sacking

the quarterback.” He was part of the famed Fearsome Foursome, which

is widely known as one of, if not the best, defensive lines in NFL history.

Jones had incredible speed and could cover sideline-to-sideline. That skill

was unheard of in his era (1961-1971). Jones was an eight time Pro

Bowler, eight-time All Pro (five as a first-teamer) and two-time NFL

Defensive Player of the Year. Youngblood is best known for playing

Super Bowl XIV with a fractured fibula. In his Hall of Fame career,

Youngblood was often impervious to pain. Youngblood was a seven-

time Pro Bowler and eight-time All Pro (five as a first-teamer).

Youngblood was also a two-time NFC Defensive Player of the Year.

Though Robustelli played nine of his 13 Seasons as a New York Giant,

his first four as a Ram (1951-1955) were also impactful. In that span, he

made two Pro Bowls and was All-Pro three times. Carter spent six

seasons (1995-2000) as a Ram. In that span, Carter recorded 62.4 of his

104.5 career sacks. He was on the 1999 Super Bowl Bowl champions.

That season, Carter was a Pro Bowler and All Pro. Carter recorded 27

tackles for loss and 14 forced fumbles. 

DT -- First team: Merlin Olsen, Aaron Donald. Honorable mention:

Larry Brooks, D’Marco Farr.

Before he became an accomplished actor and color commentator for

National NFL broadcasts, Olsen was a Hall of Fame defensive tackle

for the Fearsome Foursome. While he was more understated then his

linemates, he was every bit as valuable to the team success. Olsen played

15 seasons (1962-1976) and was a Pro Bowler in 14 of them, enough

said. He was also a 10 time All Pro (five as a first-teamer)  and NFL

Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1962. Can you imagine Donald playing

with the Fearsome Foursome? Good luck. Donald is entering his seventh

NFL season, all with the Rams. He has been a Pro Bowler in each of his

six seasons and is a five-time Pro Bowler. He is also the two-time NFL

Defensive Player of the Year. In that span, Donald has 72 career sacks

which is exceedingly impressive for a position that is not the most stat

friendly. Brooks played in the shadow of more heralded players but was

still every bit as valuable and his 11 seasons (1972-1982). Brooks was

a member of the 1979 team, five-time Pro Bowler and four-time All Pro

(two as a first-teamer). Farr played seven seasons (1994-2000), all with

the Rams. The first five seasons, the team was terrible but he was a Pro

Bowl player and an underrated cog in the 1999 Super Bowl

championship season. Farr was also a consistent performer on the Rams

teams that were not good. 

OLB -- First team: Les Richter, Kevin Greene. Honorable mention:

Maxie Baughan, Roman Phifer.

On the way to a Hall of Fame career that spanned nine years (1954-1962), 

Richter missed nary a game in that span playing through various injuries

including once a broken cheekbone. Richter was an eight-time Pro Bowler

and seven-time All Pro (four as a first-teamer). He also recorded 16

career interceptions and 12 fumble recoveries. Richter also filled in at

center on offense and kicker on special teams. Greene could make this

team either as a 3-4 linebacker or 4-3 end. Although he played for four

different teams, the longest part of his career in one place came as a Ram

from 1985-1992. On the way to a Hall of Fame career, Greene was a

five-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro. Greene's 160

career sacks are third in NFL history behind Bruce Smith and Reggie

White. Baughan played five of his 12 NFL seasons (1966-1970) as a

Ram. As a defensive captain, Baughan’s strength was preparation. In

a Rams uniform, he was a four-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro (one as a

first-teamer). Though Phifer played on mostly bad Ram teams, he gets

overlooked, Phifer also never earned any postseason accolades but in

his time with such a valuable linebacker that he never came off the field

even when personnel changed.

ILB -- First team: London Fletcher, Jack Pardee. Honorable mention:
Jack “Hacksaw” Reynolds, James Laurinatis.

Fletcher played just four seasons (1998-2001) as a Ram. Built like a fire
hydrant 5-10, 240 pounds, Fletcher made the team as an undrafted free
agent in 1998 and later became an underrated cog in the Rams team success,
winning the Super Bowl in 1999 and reaching it in 2001. In his four years
as a Ram, he was a tackling machine and recorded 35 tackles for loss, 13
sacks, and 15 passes broken up. Though most people know Pardee as an
accomplished coach, before that span, he was a linebacker of 15 years in
the NFL. Pardee spent 13 of those years as a Ram. He was All Pro in 1964.
Pardee's career was interrupted by malignant melanoma in 1965 but he
returned to the field a year later. Reynolds earned his nickname “Hacksaw”
during his time in college at the University of Tennessee after a loss,
Reynolds sawed an abandoned vehicle in half with a hacksaw. In his
15-year NFL career, 11 of which came as Ram (1970-1080), he sawed
plenty of opponents in half. Reynolds was a two-time Pro Bowler as a
Ram and played on the 1979 team. His last four seasons came as a member
of the rival San Francisco 49ers, where he helped win two Super Bowls.
Laurinaitis played seven seasons (2009-1015) as a Ram. Although he never
earned any postseason accolades, Laurinaitis was a very consistent and
reliable player. He surpassed the 100 tackle mark in each of his seven
seasons. Laurinatis recorded 49 tackles for loss and 35 passes broken up.

CB -- First team: Jerry Gray, Leroy Irvin. Honorable mention: Todd
Lyght, Rod Perry.

Gray and Irvin were a solid cornerback tandem in the 1980's for the Rams.
Gray played six seasons (1985-1991) with the Rams. He was a Pro Bowler
in four consecutive seasons. Irvin played 10 seasons (1980-1989) as a Ram
and is third in franchise history with 34 career interceptions. Irvin was a Pro
Bowler twice and All-Pro four times. Lyght played 10 seasons (1991-2000)
on mostly bad Rams teams until his last two. Lyght was a member of the
1999 Super Bowl champions. That season was his best as he was a Pro
Bowler and All-Pro. Lyght is fourth in franchise history with 31 career
interceptions. Perry played eight seasons (1975-1982) with two being Pro
Bowl campaigns. Perry is tied for fifth in franchise history with 28
interceptions. 

S -- First team: Ed Meador, Nolan Cromwell. Honorable mention:
Keith Lyle, Aeneas Williams.

Meador played 12 seasons (1959-1970) and remains the franchise leader
with 46 career interceptions. He played the second half of his career as a safety
after being a cornerback for the first portion of his career. Meador was a six-
time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro (three first-team). Cromwell played
11 seasons (1977-1987) and while he was known for his ability to run a fake
field goal as a holder, he was an outstanding safety for some Rams teams that
were among the Top 10 in the NFL. Cromwell was a four-time Pro Bowler
and All-Pro (two as a first-teamer).  He is second in franchise history with 37
interceptions. Lyle's six seasons (1994-2000) with the Rams featured a lot of
peaks and valleys. The peak was being a member of the 1999 Super Bowl
champions. Lyle is tied for fifth in franchise history with 28 interceptions and
he was the NFL leader in interceptions return yardage in 1996. After 10
seasons as a cornerback for the Arizona Cardinals, Williams spent his last
four seasons (2001-2004) of his Hall of Fame career with the Rams as a
safety. Two of Williams’ four Seasons as a Ram were Pro Bowl campaigns
and he was first-team All-Pro in 2001. 

SPECIAL TEAMS

K -- First team: Jeff Wilkins. Honorable mention: Greg Zuerlein. 

Wilkins spent 11 seasons (1997-2007) as a Ram and became the franchise
all-time leading scorer with 1,223 points. He was a member of the 1999
Super Bowl champions and was first-team All-Pro in 2003. Wilkins
connected on 81.8% of his kicks throughout his career. Zuerlein recently
became a Dallas Cowboy after eight seasons with the Rams. Zuerlein has
made good on 82.8% of his field-goal attempts in his career. Zuerlein was
a Pro Bowler and All Pro in 2017. That season the Rams reached the Super
Bowl and it was Zuerlein’s kick in overtime that beat the New Orleans Saints
in the NFC Championship Game. 

P -- First team: Johnny Hekker. Honorable mention: Donnie Jones.

Hekker will enter his ninth season with the Rams and he owns a career 47.0
yards per punt average. Hekker is a four-time Pro Bowler and four-time
first-team All Pro. Jones spent four seasons (2007-2011) with the Rams
during which time he averaged 46.6 yards per punt and made the Pro
Bowl on two occasions.

RETURN -- First team: Ron Brown. Honorable mention: Az-Zahir
Hakim.

After winning a gold medal in the 1984 Olympics in the 4 x 100 meter relay, 
Brown joined the Rams for two different stints (1984-1989; 1991). That
speed translated to being a threat every time the ball was kicked off by the
opponent. Brown averaged 23.2 yards per return with four touchdowns.
He was a Pro Bowler and All Pro in 1985. Hakim played four seasons
(1998-2001) with the Rams. He compiled 1,981 punt return yards and
four touchdowns. Hakim was a member of the 1999 Rams and was an
All Pro in 2000. 

HEAD COACH -- First team: John Robinson. Honorable mention:
George Allen.

Robinson successfully made the jump from college coach at USC to
successful NFL coach for nine Seasons with the Rams. Robinson remains
the franchise's all time winning coach with a 75-68 record. That mark,
however, is deflated because the Rams went 8-24 in his last two seasons.
The Rams reached the postseason in six of his first seven seasons, including
two trips to the NFC Championship Game (1985 and 1989), losing to the
Bears and 49ers respectively. The misfortune the Rams had in the 80s was
being in the NFC West at the same time as the 1980s 49ers, one of the best
dynasties in NFL history. Allen was most widely known for his time
coaching the Washington Redskins but his four years with the Rams from
1966-1970 were highly successful as well. Under Allen, the Rams went
49-17-4 with two trips to the Conference Championship game. Allen is
one of the hardest working coaches in NFL history, credited by some with
popularizing the 16 hour work day. 

TEAM -- 1999. To appreciate the success of the 1999 Rams, you have to
understand their journey. From 1990-1998 the Rams went 45-99. The team
was entering the third season under Dick Vermeil after going 9-23 his first
two seasons. After losing free agent quarterback Trent Green to a knee injury
during the preseason, the team turned to Warner and the rest is history.
Warner and the Rams enjoyed a rags-to-riches story on the way to winning
the Super Bowl. The Rams also became the first “dome team” (indoor home
games) team to win a Super Bowl. It was the first season of the Rams’
“Greatest Show on Turf” offense. The 1999 Rams remain one of only five
teams in NFL history to score more than 30 points twelve separate times in
a single season. On defense, the Rams returned seven interceptions returned
for touchdowns, third most in NFL history.