Maxie Baughan wanted out of Philadelphia after the Eagles’ success faded, and he got his wish in 1966 when George Allen traded for him. The move put him about as far from the City of Brotherly Love as the league allowed. Allen made him the defensive captain and signal-caller right away, and Baughan thrived in the role. He was a smart, physical linebacker who studied film constantly and called the majority of the defensive plays. Playing behind the Fearsome Foursome, he cleaned up on the second level and kept the unit organized.

He earned Pro Bowl selections in each of his first four seasons with the Rams, extending a streak that already included three with the Eagles. In 1969, he was named First-Team All-Pro, and he received Second-Team recognition in the three years before that. The Rams reached the playoffs in 1967 and 1969 and won two Playoff Bowls during his time. Baughan led those defenses on the field, calling alignments and making adjustments on nearly every snap. He stayed healthy and productive through the late 1960s while the team remained competitive.

The four Pro Bowl years and the 1969 All-Pro season were the high points. Injuries caught up with him in 1970. He played only 10 games that season, and the production dropped. The physical toll of a decade of linebacker play became harder to ignore. He retired after that year rather than continue through the wear and tear.

Baughan left the Rams after five seasons as a four-time Pro Bowler and a First-Team All-Pro who had captained the defense. The early stretch in Los Angeles brought the individual honors and the playoff appearances. The final season was limited by injury. He briefly returned in 1974 as a player-coach for George Allen in Washington, but the bulk of his productive work was done. He finished his Rams tenure as one of the more consistent linebackers of the era and a key piece of those Allen-led defenses.

Andy Robustelli was a late-round pick from Arnold (the only player ever drafted from there), and he made the team at defensive end, where he would help the Los Angeles Rams win the 1951 championship. He blossomed into one of football's top defensive players and was a first-or second-team All-Pro for the next four years. It should have continued, but Robustelli clashed with Rams management over their refusal to let him take time off to be with his new child. He was traded to the New York Giants and went on to have a Hall of Fame career. Maybe they should have let him take a couple of days off, don’t you think?

The path to the Rams began in the 19th round of the 1951 NFL Draft. The tiny Arnold College in Connecticut had never produced an NFL player, and Robustelli—a two-way end who had also been offered a minor-league baseball deal—was a pure long shot. Drafted as a receiver behind established stars like Tom Fears and Elroy Hirsch, he shifted to defensive end, made the roster, and contributed immediately. As a rookie, he played on the team that beat the Cleveland Browns for the 1951 NFL championship. Over the next four seasons, he became one of the league’s best ends: second-team All-Pro in 1952 and 1954, first-team All-Pro in 1953 and 1955, and a Pro Bowl selection in 1953 and 1955. He missed only one game in those five years and recovered 13 fumbles while starting nearly every contest.

After the 1955 season, with a new child at home in Connecticut and a sporting-goods business to tend, Robustelli asked for a couple of extra days before training camp. Coach Sid Gillman refused. When Robustelli held firm, the Rams traded him to the New York Giants in July 1956 for a first-round draft pick (used on Del Shofner). Robustelli later said he would have taken the whole season off rather than leave his family early. The move worked out just fine for him.

With the Giants, he became a cornerstone of one of the era’s great defenses, winning another championship in 1956, earning five more first-team All-Pro honors, seven total Pro Bowls, and the 1962 Bert Bell Award. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971.

The Rams got five strong seasons and a championship contribution out of a 19th-round flyer from a school that no longer exists. They also got the short end of a family-time dispute that sent a future Hall of Famer east. A couple of extra days with a newborn might have been the cheaper option.

A Super Bowl champion with the Green Bay Packers, Adam Timmerman signed with the St. Louis Rams and helped protect the offensive line for one of the most exciting offenses of the late 1990s and early 2000s. For what it is worth, Timmerman made history by becoming the first player in NFL history to win and lose a Super Bowl with two different teams.

The path to the Rams began after four seasons in Green Bay. Drafted in the seventh round in 1995 out of South Dakota State, Timmerman started every game from 1996 through 1998 and won Super Bowl XXXI. Following the 1998 season, he hit free agency. In February 1999, the Rams signed him to a five-year deal (reportedly in the $19 million range) to fortify the right side of the line. Line coach Jim Hanifan later called the addition “the missing link.”

Timmerman stepped in immediately as a full-time starter and became a foundational piece of the Greatest Show on Turf. In 1999, he started all 16 games as the Rams went 13-3 and won Super Bowl XXXIV. He returned to the Super Bowl after the 2001 season, starting in the loss to New England in Super Bowl XXXVI. That 2001 campaign also earned him a Pro Bowl selection (he was also called in as an alternate in 1999 due to injuries) and second-team All-Pro honors. He remained a reliable right guard through the mid-2000s, serving as team captain from 2003 to 2005 while the offense stayed potent under Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, and the receiving corps. His durability was exceptional—he started nearly every game he played in St. Louis.

After the 2006 season, the Rams released him on February 27, 2007. Timmerman officially retired following that campaign.  He started 124 of his 126 games for the club.

In retrospect, Jim Everett got a bad rap. He feuded with Jim Rome (who called him “Chris” after tennis star Chris Evert), the Rams surrendered a steep package for his rights, and he finished with an overall losing record as a starter. All of that is true. But Everett was not exactly blessed with the most consistent supporting cast or organizational stability during his Los Angeles years, and the numbers he put up still clear a path into the franchise’s all-time Top 50.

The path to the Rams began in the 1986 NFL Draft. Houston selected the Purdue product third overall, behind Bo Jackson and Tony Casillas. With Warren Moon already entrenched, contract talks dragged. Midway through September—after the regular season had already started—the Oilers traded Everett’s rights to Los Angeles for All-Pro guard Kent Hill, defensive end William Fuller, the Rams’ 1987 first-round pick, their 1987 fifth-round pick, and their 1988 first-round pick. Coach John Robinson called it a “dynamic move” for the future. Everett signed a multi-year deal and arrived as the long-term answer under center.

He took over quickly. After limited action in 1986, Everett became the full-time starter in 1987 and then exploded. In 1988, he led the NFL with 31 touchdown passes while throwing for 3,964 yards. In 1989 he followed with 29 more scores and a franchise-record 4,310 passing yards (second in the league), guiding the Rams to an 11-5 record and the NFC Championship Game. From 1988 through 1990, he ranked second in the NFL in passing yards three straight seasons. A 1990 Pro Bowl selection capped the peak stretch. 

The supporting pieces were talented—Henry Ellard and Flipper Anderson formed a dangerous receiving duo under offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese—but the roster around him was never elite for long. After the 1989 near-miss, financial pressure and roster turnover set in. By 1991, the team was in freefall. Chuck Knox’s arrival brought a more run-oriented approach, and Everett’s efficiency dipped. In 1993, he was benched midseason for T.J. Rubley amid heavy interceptions and a struggling offense. The next March, with the new salary cap looming and little trade interest, the Rams dealt him to the New Orleans Saints for a 1995 seventh-round pick, primarily for cap relief

Across his Rams tenure, he threw for well over 20,000 yards (officially 23,758) and 142 touchdowns.

Larry Brooks spent his entire NFL career with the Los Angeles Rams after they selected him in the 14th round out of Virginia State in 1972. He became a defensive tackle starter early in his rookie season and held that role for most of the next decade. Brooks was a steady interior presence on a defense that often featured bigger names around him, yet he regularly ranked among the team’s top tacklers and disrupted quarterbacks before sacks became an official statistic.

His best statistical season came in 1976, when he recorded 14.5 sacks, tying for the team lead and ranking among the league’s better marks that year. Brooks earned his first Pro Bowl selection that season and followed it with four more consecutive trips from 1977 through 1980. He was named First-Team All-Pro in 1979 after leading the Rams’ defensive line in tackles while adding six sacks. Those years coincided with some of the franchise’s strongest defensive units, which regularly ranked near the top of the league in points and yards allowed.

Brooks remained the primary starter through the late 1970s as the Rams reached the playoffs multiple times. In 1979 he played in Super Bowl XIV against the Pittsburgh Steelers despite an ankle injury, helping Los Angeles reach the title game for the first time. He continued to contribute in 1980 with another Pro Bowl nod and solid sack production before injuries limited him in the following seasons.

He appeared in his final games in 1982 and retired afterward. With the Rams, he played 131 games and started most of them. Unofficial sack totals put him over 74 for his career, a strong number for an interior lineman of that era who also handled run-stopping duties.

His five Pro Bowl selections and All-Pro recognition show the respect he earned from peers and coaches, even if he was sometimes overshadowed by more colorful teammates on the same defensive line. Brooks gave the Rams a reliable and productive defensive tackle who stayed effective for more than a decade.

From Texas A&M, Dave Elmendorf was drafted in the third round in 1971 and spent all nine seasons in the National Football League with the Los Angeles Rams. The safety never made a Pro Bowl, yet he became a model of durability on some of the franchise’s strongest defensive teams of the decade.

Elmendorf arrived in Los Angeles as a dual-sport standout. A consensus All-American safety and two-time All-Southwest Conference selection at Texas A&M, he was also a two-time All-American center fielder in baseball and had been drafted by the New York Yankees. He chose football, signed with the Rams (for a reported $30,000 bonus), and immediately earned a starting role. As a rookie in 1971, he made the All-Rookie team. Over the next eight seasons, he remained a fixture in the secondary for the Rams’ consistently strong defenses of the 1970s. He was named the team’s Outstanding Defensive Back in 1973 and again in 1974. In 1974, he recorded a career-high seven interceptions, returning two for touchdowns, and earned All-NFC recognition. The following year he was named second-team All-Pro. Elmendorf also handled punt returns early in his career and was part of the 1979 Rams team that reached Super Bowl XIV.

After the Super Bowl loss to Pittsburgh, Elmendorf retired. He later said nine seasons as a strong safety felt like enough, and going out after reaching the Super Bowl was the right time. He had 27 interceptions as a pro.

Jack Pardee was a second-round pick out of Texas A&M in 1957 and became a fixture at linebacker for the Rams over the next 13 seasons. One of Bear Bryant’s Junction Boys, he brought the toughness of that brutal camp into the NFL. He played left outside linebacker for most of his time in Los Angeles and started the large majority of the 169 games he appeared in. Pardee was a sure tackler who could set the edge against the run and drop into coverage when needed. He finished with 17 interceptions as a Ram, a solid total for a linebacker of that era.

The strongest individual season arrived in 1963. He earned First-Team All-Pro honors and a Pro Bowl selection while the Rams were still building. That year he recorded two interceptions and showed the range and instincts that made him reliable on the weak side. He stayed productive through the early 1960s and into the George Allen years. In 1967, he had six interceptions and returned two for touchdowns. Those moments stood out on a defense that already featured the Fearsome Foursome up front.

In 1965, he sat out the entire season while being treated for melanoma in his arm. He returned in 1966 and played five more seasons in Los Angeles, though the individual awards did not return. By the end of the decade, he was still starting, but the big individual recognition was behind him. The Rams traded him to Washington after the 1970 season.

Pardee left Los Angeles for Washington after more than a decade as a durable starter who had earned one Pro Bowl and one First-Team All-Pro nod. The early and middle years brought the strongest production and the individual honors. The later stretch was steadier and less decorated. He finished his Rams career with 17 interceptions and a reputation for toughness that fit the team’s defensive identity. After football, he coached in the NFL, including five seasons with the Houston Oilers, and was named Coach of the Year in 1979.

Selected 13th overall out of the University of Pittsburgh in the 2014 NFL Draft, Aaron Donald entered the professional ranks with legendary collegiate credentials. In his final season with the Panthers, Donald put together one of the most dominant individual campaigns in NCAA history, sweeping the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Lombardi Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, and Outland Trophy. Despite initial concerns regarding his 6-foot-1, 280-pound frame, Donald shattered all expectations from the moment he stepped onto an NFL field, capturing the 2014 Defensive Rookie of the Year Award and earning his first of ten consecutive Pro Bowl selections.

What made Donald an absolute force of nature was a rare combination of explosive get-off speed, terrifying leverage, and relentless technique. Operating primarily from the interior defensive tackle position—a spot traditionally tasked with absorbing double-teams—Donald routinely disarmed offensive linemen with a lightning-fast first step and hand-combat mechanics that blew up plays before they could develop. His ability to generate edge-rusher-level pressure from the 3-technique alignment disrupted offensive schemes like no defensive tackle before him, forcing opposing coordinators to completely rewrite their game plans.

Following his stellar rookie year, Donald established himself as the indisputable premier defensive tackle in football, stringing together four consecutive First-Team AP All-Pro selections from 2015 to 2018. His steady trajectory reached new heights in 2017 when he captured his first AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award despite playing in just 14 games. Rather than plateauing after reaching the peak of his profession, Donald responded by putting together a 2018 campaign that stands among the greatest single seasons ever recorded by an interior lineman.

During that historic 2018 season, Donald led the NFL with a mind-boggling 20.5 sacks and 25 tackles for loss, setting the single-season sack record for a defensive tackle. Behind his game-breaking dominance, the Rams marched all the way to Super Bowl LIII. Joining Lawrence Taylor and J.J. Watt as one of only three players in league history to win back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year honors, Donald's individual brilliance carried Los Angeles back into national prominence. He followed that up in 2019 by capturing his fifth straight First-Team All-Pro nod while once again leading the league with 20 tackles for loss.

As the sport entered a new decade, Donald's dominance remained unchallenged. Named a unanimous choice for the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team, he kicked off the 2020s by capturing his third AP Defensive Player of the Year Award, tying Taylor and Watt for the most in NFL history, while topping the league with a 20 Approximate Value. In 2021, the Rams' aggressive, championship-caliber roster put it all together. Donald capped off his seventh consecutive First-Team All-Pro season by sealing Super Bowl LVI, pressuring Cincinnati's Joe Burrow on fourth down to secure the franchise's second Lombardi Trophy.

Following two more elite seasons that brought his First-Team All-Pro total to eight and extended his streak of Pro Bowl selections to a perfect ten-for-ten, Donald initially announced his retirement from professional football in March 2024. Leaving the game at age 32 with 111.0 career sacks, 176 tackles for loss, and 24 forced fumbles, he solidified his status as a first-ballot Hall of Famer and a consensus pick for the Mount Rushmore of defensive linemen.

However, the story of the legendary wrecking ball received an unexpected, blockbuster addition. In late August 2026, after two full seasons away from the gridiron, Donald sent shockwaves across the sporting landscape by officially coming out of retirement to re-sign with the Los Angeles Rams on a one-year deal. Drawn back by the competitive fire and the opportunity to pair with newly acquired pass-rusher Myles Garrett, Donald's return instantly elevated the Rams into heavy Super Bowl contention once again.

While head coach Sean McVay opted to ramp Donald up slowly—holding him out of the team's Week 1 clash in Australia to ensure peak physical readiness—his presence on the 2026 roster reaffirms his immortal bond with the organization. His decision to put the horns back on serves as the ultimate bonus chapter for a star who spent ten seasons dominating the interior line of scrimmage in Southern California.

Whether viewed through his initial ten-year sprint or his 2026 comeback, Donald's candidacy as the greatest player in Rams history is well earned. His uncanny ability to destroy passing pockets from the inside while remaining a dominant run defender forced NFL offenses to rethink how to protect the quarterback. Facing constant double- and triple-teams for a decade, he simply converted that extra attention into highlight-reel disruption.

Going into this season, Donald compiled 543 total tackles (340 solo, 203 assists), 111.0 sacks, 176 tackles for loss, 256 quarterback hits, 24 forced fumbles, and seven fumble recoveries.  Let’s see what he adds in 2026!

2025 Pre-Season Rank #26, 2024 Pre-Season Rank #31, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #37, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #37, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #59, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #67.  Peak Period: 2021-25.

A change of scenery can change the perception.  

Matthew Stafford was a Lion for 12 years, racking up passing yards but only a few wins.  A Pro Bowl participant once in Detroit, Stafford was entrenched as a second-tier QB.  The Rams traded for him, and he became a Super Bowl Champion in his first year in Los Angeles, gaining national recognition. Articles were written (and scoffed at) proclaiming him a Hall of Famer, but his play in L.A. has now placed him not only in the conversation, but to many pundits, a lock. 

Much of that came from last season’s performance, where for the first time in his career, he led the NFL in Passing Yards and Touchdown Passes, but most importantly, he won the MVP.  He also rocketed up the all-time lists, and is currently 6th in Passing Yards (64,516) and 7th in Touchdown Passes (423), and another monster year will move him even higher.  Considering who he has to pass to, that seems very doable.

If Stafford wins a Super Bowl in 2026, and he is favored to do so, get the bust ready now. 

2020 Pre-Season Rank #15, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #5, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #3, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #2.  PEAK 2017-21

Well, look who’s back!

When we last saw Aaron Donald on this list, it was heading into the 2023 season, which he completed with another Pro Bowl, giving him a perfect ten-for-ten in that accolade.  He then shock-retired, doing so while still having something left.

Let’s see what he still has.

It is easy to see why Donald opted to come back.  The Rams begin the season as the most loaded team in football.  Quarterback Matthew Stafford is the reigning MVP, and they landed the defending Defensive Player of the Year in Myles Garrett.  This team narrowly lost to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game, and now they have a returning Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett?  We haven’t even mentioned the acquisitions of Trent McDuffie and Jaley Watson to the Defensive Back Corps!

A quick reminder of who Donald is.

He is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, and anyone who has ever done that twice has always been enshrined…easily.  From 2015 to 2021, he never finished lower than fifth for the DPOY, he led the NFL in Sacks once, Tackles for Loss twice, and also boasts a Super Bowl ring. 

He could easily add another.

Should he be ahead of the previous #1, Quarterback Aaron Rodgers?  We answer this with this question. 

Who is easier to put on the Mount Rushmore of his position?  Aaron Donald or Aaron Rodgers?

You can see who we narrowly picked!

Torry Holt entered the league as the sixth overall pick out of North Carolina State in 1999 and immediately joined the Greatest Show on Turf. As a rookie, he caught 52 passes for 788 yards and six touchdowns while helping the Rams win Super Bowl XXXIV. In that game, he caught seven passes for 109 yards and a score, giving the offense another reliable option alongside Isaac Bruce. Holt was a precise route-runner with the speed to stretch the field and the hands to make contested catches, fitting perfectly into an attack that was already lighting up scoreboards.

He broke out the next season by leading the NFL with 1,635 receiving yards. In 2003, he topped that with a career-high 1,696 yards and an NFL-leading 117 receptions, earning First-Team All-Pro honors. From 2000 through 2005, he posted six straight seasons of at least 1,300 yards, a stretch of consistency few receivers have matched. He kept producing after that with two more 1,100-yard campaigns, staying a primary target even as the roster turned over and quarterbacks changed.

Holt earned seven Pro Bowl selections during his time with the Rams and remained one of the league’s most dependable receivers. Defenses knew he would be targeted, yet he kept creating separation and producing big plays week after week. The production never really dropped off until late in his run in St. Louis.

He left after the 2008 season and finished his career in Jacksonville. With the Rams, he totaled 869 receptions, 12,660 receiving yards, and 74 touchdowns. Those numbers rank among the best in franchise history and reflect a decade of steady excellence.

Holt was named to the NFL’s 2000s All-Decade Team. He has been a frequent Hall of Fame finalist in recent years, recognition for the receiver who went from a Super Bowl champion as a rookie to one of the most consistent producers of his era in St. Louis.

Tom Mack entered the NFL in Los Angeles as the second overall pick in the 1966 NFL Draft out of Michigan, and the Rams quickly figured out what they had. He worked into the starting left guard job midway through his rookie year and never really gave it back. By his second season, he was already a Pro Bowl selection, the first of eleven straight trips that spanned most of his career.

For more than a decade the Rams simply didn’t have to worry about left guard. Mack was a steady, technically sound blocker who preferred the run game and used his speed on sweeps. He wasn’t the biggest or most punishing guard of his era, but he was consistent enough to earn first- or second-team All-Pro honors in most years and keep the left side of the line solid, no matter who played next to him.

The durability was just as impressive as the production. Mack appeared in 184 consecutive games over thirteen seasons and never missed a start once he locked down the job. That streak ranked near the top of Rams history at the time, and it meant the offense could count on the same reliable presence week after week while the team stayed competitive.

During his years, the Rams were one of the league’s better clubs, winning their division eight times and reaching four NFC Championship Games. Mack was a big part of the offensive line that helped make that possible, protecting the quarterback and opening lanes for the running game while the rest of the roster turned over around him. He stayed with the Rams for his entire career and retired after the 1978 season.

He finished with 176 starts and a reputation as one of the most dependable guards of his generation. The individual awards were plentiful, but the real story was the quiet consistency that kept the left side of the line from ever becoming a problem.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame called him in 1999, a well-earned recognition for the second overall pick who turned into an eleven-time Pro Bowler and one of the steadiest offensive linemen the Rams have ever had.

Les Richter never played for the team that drafted him. The New York Yanks took the California All-American second overall in 1952, but the franchise folded almost immediately. His rights moved to the new Dallas Texans, who then traded him to the Los Angeles Rams for 11 players. It looked like a steep price, but the Rams got the better end of the deal. After two years in the military, Richter joined the Rams in 1954 and quickly became a fixture.

He was unusually versatile from the start. Richter played primarily at linebacker, but he also lined up at guard early on and handled placekicking duties in his first few seasons. He led the team in scoring in 1955 and 1956 while converting field goals and extra points. On defense, he was a hard-hitting middle linebacker who excelled against the run and could also cover well enough to pick off 16 passes over his career. In one game, he broke his cheekbone and kept playing, showing the toughness that defined him.

Richter earned Pro Bowl selections in eight of his nine NFL seasons, missing the honor only in his final year. He earned first- or second-team All-Pro honors multiple times and became one of the era’s better linebackers. The Rams reached the championship game in 1955, and Richter’s physical play and reliability were a big part of the defense. He never missed a game across 112 appearances with the club.

In his last season, the Rams needed a center after Art Hunter went down, so Richter shifted over and handled the job. It was the kind of move only a player with his background could make. He retired after 1962, having spent his entire professional career in Los Angeles.

With the Rams, he recorded 16 interceptions and 193 points while making eight Pro Bowls. The Pro Football Hall of Fame inducted him posthumously in 2011 as a senior candidate, recognition for the tough, versatile linebacker who anchored the Rams defense through the 1950s and early 1960s.

The Rams got a bargain when they took Norm Van Brocklin in the fourth round of the 1949 draft. Teams had assumed he would return to Oregon for his senior year, so he fell further than his talent warranted. He arrived in Los Angeles and joined a quarterback tandem with Bob Waterfield that powered one of the league’s most explosive offenses. The two split time early on, and in 1951 they helped the Rams win the NFL championship. Van Brocklin threw the game-winning 73-yard touchdown to Tom Fears in the title game against Cleveland.

He was a strong-armed passer who thrived throwing deep and could also handle punting duties. In 1951, he set a still-standing single-game record by throwing for 554 yards against the New York Yanks. After Waterfield retired, Van Brocklin became the full-time starter. In 1954, he led the NFL in passing yards, and he finished first in yards per attempt four times during his Rams career. He earned six Pro Bowl selections while in Los Angeles and was widely regarded as one of the better quarterbacks of the 1950s.

Van Brocklin remained productive through the mid-1950s, posting solid yardage totals even as the roster changed. He was known for his competitiveness and willingness to throw deep, which fit the Rams’ wide-open attack. By the end of the 1957 season, he had grown frustrated with the coaching situation and briefly retired.

He came back after agreeing to a trade to the Philadelphia Eagles, where he played three more seasons and won another championship. With the Rams, he finished with 16,114 passing yards and 118 touchdowns in nine seasons. Those numbers were outstanding for the era and reflected a consistent presence in one of the league’s most pass-heavy offenses. 

After his playing days, he coached and later worked in broadcasting. The Pro Football Hall of Fame inducted him in 1971, recognizing the quarterback who shared the job early, then took over and helped define the Rams’ passing game in the 1950s.

Eric Dickerson arrived in Los Angeles as the second overall pick out of SMU in 1983 and immediately looked like the league’s most explosive runner. As a rookie, he led the NFL with 1,808 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on 390 carries, earning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors while also catching 51 passes for another 404 yards. He ran upright with a long, smooth stride that made him hard to bring down once he got into the open, combining rare size and speed in a way that forced defenses to account for him on every play. That season he had multiple 100-yard games and scored in bunches, including a three-touchdown performance against Detroit.

The following year he broke O.J. Simpson’s single-season rushing record with 2,105 yards and 14 touchdowns on 379 carries. He topped 100 yards in twelve games, including a 215-yard outing against Houston and a 208-yard day against the Cardinals. That total still stands as the NFL mark. Dickerson was a First-Team All-Pro that season, and the production carried the Rams into the playoffs. He followed it with another solid year in 1985 (1,234 yards and 12 scores despite missing time), then topped 1,800 yards again in 1986 on a league-high 404 carries. In those peak seasons, he earned multiple First-Team All-Pro nods and led the league in rushing more than once.

He was just as dangerous in the postseason. In the 1985 playoffs, he ran for a then-record 248 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Dallas, a performance that still ranks among the greatest single-game rushing efforts in playoff history. The combination of volume and big-play ability made him the clear centerpiece of the Rams’ offense for four seasons. Contract issues eventually ended the run. Midway through the 1987 season, the Rams traded him to Indianapolis in a multi-team deal after prolonged disputes over money. His time in Los Angeles was relatively short, but the production was unmatched.

With the Rams, he finished with 7,245 rushing yards and 56 touchdowns in 65 games. Those numbers remain among the best stretches any back has ever put together for the franchise.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame inducted him in 1999, and the Rams retired his number 29. It recognized the runner who set the single-season record and redefined what a franchise back could look like in Los Angeles.

Selected in the fifth round (42nd overall) of the 1944 NFL Draft out of UCLA—where he led the Bruins to their first Rose Bowl appearance—Bob Waterfield stepped into professional football and delivered one of the most remarkable rookie campaigns in gridiron history. Debuting for the Cleveland Rams in 1945, the multi-talented phenom led the league with 14 touchdown passes while guiding the franchise to a 9–1 record and a 15–14 victory over the Washington Redskins in the NFL Championship Game. For his extraordinary debut, Waterfield was named NFL Most Valuable Player, becoming the first rookie in league history to capture the award.

Waterfield was the quintessential triple-threat star of pro football's single-wing transition era, influencing games on offense, defense, and special teams. Beyond his aerial distribution at quarterback, he served as the team's primary placekicker and punter, leading the league in field goals twice and average punting yards in 1948. On defense, his ball-hawking instincts at defensive back produced 20 career interceptions across eight seasons, showcasing an all-around athletic versatility modern football rarely sees.

After their 1945 title, the Rams relocated west to become the Los Angeles Rams in 1946, and Waterfield quickly became a Southern California sports icon. He picked up right where he left off in his new home, finishing second in passing yards (1,747) and throwing a league-high 17 touchdown passes while earning his second consecutive First-Team AP All-Pro selection. Off the field, his star power burned just as brightly when he married Hollywood superstar Jane Russell, turning the couple into one of Los Angeles's original glamour pairings.

While his statistical efficiency fluctuated in subsequent campaigns, Waterfield regained top form in 1949 to earn his third First-Team AP All-Pro selection after leading the NFL with 1,608 passing yards and 23 touchdown passes. He remained at the top of his game as the league entered the 1950s, earning selections to the first two Pro Bowls in 1950 and 1951. His steady leadership in the pocket helped propel Los Angeles to three straight NFL Championship Game appearances from 1949 through 1951.

The peak of the Rams' Southern California revival arrived in 1951, when Waterfield anchored a high-powered offense that captured the NFL Championship with a 24–17 victory over the Cleveland Browns. Managing the offense alongside head coach Joe Stydahar, Waterfield shared signal-calling duties with fellow future Hall of Famer Norm Van Brocklin, creating a lethal two-quarterback system that confounded opposing defensive coordinators and produced one of the most prolific passing attacks of the mid-century era.

Waterfield played one final season in 1952, splitting snaps with Van Brocklin before retiring at age 32 to transition into film production and coaching. He later returned to the franchise as head coach of the Los Angeles Rams from 1960 to 1962. In 1952, the Rams honored his foundational contributions by officially retiring his #7 jersey, ensuring no future Ram would wear his iconic number.

His legacy as one of football's greatest pioneers was permanently sealed in 1965 when he was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. 

With the Rams, he threw for 814 completions on 1,617 attempts, 11,849 passing yards, and 97 touchdown passes, plus 60 field goals, 315 extra points, and 20 defensive interceptions.

Selected in the third round (86th overall) of the 1976 NFL Draft out of Jackson State—where he played alongside Walter Payton—Jackie Slater arrived in Los Angeles as a backup before becoming the standard for offensive-line longevity. Spending his first three seasons primarily on special teams and as a reserve, Slater absorbed the professional game until taking over as the full-time starting right tackle in 1979. That year, he helped anchor an offensive line that led the Rams to an NFC Championship and a berth in Super Bowl XIV against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Once entrenched at right tackle, Slater launched a reign of relentless durability that defined two decades in Southern California. From 1979 onward, he was a steady fixture on the edge, starting 211 regular-season games for the franchise. Opposing edge rushers struggled to solve his technique, as his combination of lateral footwork and brute strength neutralized the league's most fearsome pass rushers throughout the 1980s.

Slater earned seven Pro Bowl selections (1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, and 1990) and four Second-Team AP All-Pro honors. Whether blocking for Eric Dickerson during his record-breaking 2,105-yard rushing campaign in 1984 or protecting signal-callers like Vince Ferragamo and Jim Everett, Slater consistently anchored one of the league's most dominant front fives.

His 20-season career with a single franchise set an NFL record for offensive linemen, spanning 19 years in Los Angeles (1976–1994) and concluding with a single final game after the team relocated to St. Louis in 1995. By the time he retired, Slater had blocked for 24 different quarterbacks and 37 different running backs, leaving behind an unmatched standard of consistency and professional dedication.

In 1996, the franchise permanently honored his legendary service by retiring his #78 jersey. His transcendent career achieved ultimate gridiron immortality in 2001, when he was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

Traded from the Indianapolis Colts in the spring of 1999, Marshall Faulk arrived in St. Louis and immediately revolutionized the running back position. Already an elite dual-threat weapon during his five seasons with the Colts, Faulk elevated his skill set to unheard-of heights under head coach Dick Vermeil and offensive coordinator Mike Martz. His arrival helped transform a struggling franchise into "The Greatest Show on Turf"—the most explosive offensive machine in NFL history.

In his legendary 1999 debut season with the Rams, Faulk put together one of the most remarkable individual campaigns in gridiron history. Playing as both a traditional tailback and an unmatched slot receiver, he rushed for 1,381 yards and caught 87 passes for 1,048 receiving yards. By doing so, he became only the second player in NFL history (joining Roger Craig) to eclipse 1,000 rushing and 1,000 receiving yards in the same season, setting a then-NFL record with 2,429 yards from scrimmage.

Faulk’s versatility and processing speed made him the undisputed engine of the Rams' high-flying attack. Defenses couldn't match up against him, as he could slice through defensive lines between the tackles or split out wide to obliterate linebackers in single coverage. His relentless execution in both phases of the offense gave quarterback Kurt Warner the ultimate escape hatch, propelling St. Louis to a 13–3 record and the franchise's first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XXXIV.

The dynamic back somehow raised the bar even higher over the next two seasons, producing an unprecedented three-year run of individual brilliance. Faulk captured the AP NFL Most Valuable Player award in 2000 after scoring a staggering 26 touchdowns in just 14 games, followed by winning three consecutive AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year awards from 1999 through 2001. During this historic peak, he earned three consecutive First-Team AP All-Pro selections and guided the Rams back to Super Bowl XXXVI.

Beyond his eye-popping statistical output, Faulk served as an extension of the coaching staff on the field. His elite football IQ allowed him to call out defensive coverages, adjust pass protection schemes at the line of scrimmage, and exploit subtle mechanical flaws in opposing front sevens. His rare vision, combined with pristine route-running precision out of the backfield, redefined expectations for modern all-purpose running backs for generations.

Faulk retired after the 2006 season with over 19,000 all-purpose yards and 136 touchdowns. The Rams retired his No. 28 jersey in 2007. In 2011, he entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. With the Rams, he compiled 6,959 rushing yards with 58 rushing touchdowns, 470 receptions for 4,071 receiving yards with 27 receiving touchdowns, and 11,030 yards from scrimmage.

When the St. Louis Rams selected Ohio State offensive tackle Orlando Pace with the first overall pick in the 1997 NFL Draft, they weren't just picking a blue-chip prospect—they were laying the bedrock foundation for one of the most explosive offenses in pro football history. A two-time Outland Trophy winner and Lombardi Award recipient with the Buckeyes, Pace famously popularized the term "pancake block," flattening collegiate defenders with a combination of raw power, pristine footwork, and effortless lateral agility.

Stepping directly into the starting lineup at left tackle, Pace wasted no time proving that his rare athletic traits translated seamlessly to the professional level. While every great team boasts headline skill players, "The Greatest Show on Turf" required an unyielding anchor on the blind side to operate its intricate, deep-developing passing concepts. Pace provided exactly that, giving head coach Dick Vermeil and offensive coordinator Mike Martz the luxury of keeping extra receivers in the route progression without needing tight end or running back chips on his edge.

The breakout moment for both Pace and the franchise arrived during the magical 1999 season. Protecting unexpected breakout quarterback Kurt Warner, Pace put together a masterclass campaign, securing his first career Pro Bowl selection and First-Team AP All-Pro honors. His impenetrable pass protection allowed Warner to toss 41 touchdown passes and throw for 4,353 yards, culminating in a thrilling 23–16 victory over the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV to bring the Lombardi Trophy to St. Louis.

Pace elevated his game even further in 2000, delivering what was arguably the finest single-season performance by an offensive lineman of his era. Anchoring a unit that produced a staggering 7,075 total yards of offense, Pace posted a career-high 22 Approximate Value score from Pro Football Reference. His dominance continued into 2001, earning another First-Team AP All-Pro nod while guiding the Rams back to Super Bowl XXXVI and cementing his reputation as the NFL’s premier left tackle.

For seven consecutive seasons spanning from 1999 through 2005, Pace was an automatic Pro Bowl selection and the undisputed gold standard at his position. While teammates like Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce, and Torry Holt captured the national spotlight and posted dominant stat lines, Pace’s consistent, selfless effort in the trenches created the time and space for those weapons to flourish week after week.

Even as the Rams transitioned away from their championship core later in the decade, Pace remained the steadying heartbeat of the roster. Over his 12 seasons in St. Louis, he anchored lines for multiple coaching staffs, neutralizing the league's top pass rushers with startling consistency. Across 158 games in blue and gold, he surrendered remarkably few sacks, serving as a trusted leader and veteran mentor in the locker room.

After a brief final season with the Chicago Bears in 2009, Pace retired as one of football’s most decorated linemen. In 2016, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton as a first-ballot honoree, capping a dominant career protecting the game's most explosive offense.

Kurt Warner’s path to the Rams was unlike almost anyone else’s. He went from Northern Iowa to stocking shelves, then the Arena League and NFL Europe before landing with St. Louis. When starter Trent Green went down in the 1999 preseason, Warner stepped in and never looked back. He became the starter that year and immediately looked comfortable in an offense built on timing, quick decisions, and downfield throws to Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, and Marshall Faulk.

In 1999, he led the NFL in completion percentage and touchdown passes while throwing for 4,353 yards and 41 scores. The Rams went 13-3, and Warner won the MVP. In the playoffs, he kept producing, including a Super Bowl XXXIV performance that set a then-record with 414 passing yards. He threw the game-winning touchdown to Isaac Bruce late in the fourth quarter as the Rams beat Tennessee 23-16. Warner also earned Super Bowl MVP, becoming one of the few players to win both the regular-season and Super Bowl MVP awards in the same year.

He stayed at a high level in 2000 even though the Rams fell short of another Super Bowl run. Warner earned another Pro Bowl selection and again led the league in completion percentage. The offense still scored at a historic rate, and he remained the clear starter despite some turnover issues that season.

The peak came in 2001. Warner led the NFL in completions, completion percentage (for the third straight year), passing yards (4,830), and touchdown passes (36). He won his second MVP as the Rams went 14-2 and returned to the Super Bowl. This time they lost to the Patriots, but Warner’s three-year stretch had established him as one of the best quarterbacks in the league. He was an accurate passer with a quick release who thrived in a system that asked him to get the ball out fast and hit receivers in stride.

Injuries limited him the next two seasons. He played only seven games in 2002 and two in 2003 before the Rams released him. His time in St. Louis was relatively short, but the peak production was unmatched. 

With the Rams, he threw for 14,447 yards and 102 touchdowns in those six seasons. Those numbers, concentrated in the 1999-2001 window, still rank among the best stretches any quarterback has put together for the franchise.

Warner later took the Arizona Cardinals to their first Super Bowl appearance. The Pro Football Hall of Fame inducted him in 2017, recognition for the quarterback who went from an undrafted long shot to the engine of one of the most explosive offenses the league has ever seen.