Despite only possessing one Super Bowl victory in four appearances, the Los Angeles Rams are one of the oldest and most historic franchises in the NFL. With more than an entire team's worth of Hall of Famers and All-Pros, it was challenging to cut Los Angeles' top ranks down to five players.
Even among the many all-time greats in Rams history, the following five players stand out as legends.
5. Jack Youngblood, DE
Youngblood sneaks into the fifth spot, narrowly edging out a group of superstar Rams players.
The dominant defensive end joined the Rams as the 20th overall pick in the 1971 NFL Draft. A member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame All-1970s First-Team, Youngblood spent his entire 14-year career with the team, retiring after the 1984 season.
Sacks didn't become an official statistic until 1982. By then, Youngblood was in the twilight of his career. He unofficially registered 151.5 sacks during his career, which would rank fifth among known sack totals.
A ferocious competitor, Youngblood went to seven Pro Bowls and earned five First-Team All-Pro selections. He also became infamous for playing Los Angeles' three 1979 playoff games and the Pro Bowl with a broken leg.
While he holds fifth for now, Youngblood will likely yield his position to Aaron Donald in a few years. The two-time former Defensive Player of the Year is under contract for five more seasons.
4. Kurt Warner, QB
Unlike Youngblood, Warner spent a very short amount of time with the Rams. However, he accomplished a lot with the franchise and is widely regarded as one of the top 20 quarterbacks of all-time.
Warner famously took over when Trent Green suffered a season-ending injury during the preseason. Warner went from bagging groceries, playing in the Arena Football League, and working in NFL Europe to leading one of the most electrifying offenses in 1999.
During the 1999 season, The Greatest Show on Turf offense led the Rams to their first Super Bowl victory. Warner won the league MVP that season, a feat he repeated in 2001. However, by 2002 Warner's heyday with the Rams was over. He appeared in nine games for the franchise between 2002 and 2003 before the franchise released him.
3. Marshall Faulk, RB
The Rams acquired Faulk from the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for a second and a fifth-round pick in 1999. The move paid dividends. In seven seasons with the Rams, Faulk made four Pro Bowls and earned three First-Team All-Pro selections.
Faulk played a core role on The Greatest Show on Turf. That year, Faulk became the second running back in NFL history to produce over 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in a single-season.
Faulk went on a tear from 1999 to 2001, winning the Offensive Player of the Year award three times in a row. He joined Earl Campbell as one of two players to ever claim the award three times.
Faulk retired with 11,030 yards from scrimmage and 85 total touchdowns as a Ram.
2. Merlin Olsen, DT
Olsen joined the Rams as the third overall pick in the 1962 NFL Draft. One year later, Los Angeles acquired defensive tackle, Rosey Grier, from the New York Giants, forming the Fearsome Foursome.
The Fearsome Foursome existed as one of the greatest defensive lines in NFL history in the 1960s and 70s. Olsen lived at the heart of the dominant unit, earning 14 Pro Bowl selections. He also made the Pro Football Hall of Fame's All 1960s Team and the All-1970s Second-Team.
After spending his 15-year career with the Rams and only missing two games, Olsen retired after the 1976 season. He earned five First-Team All-Pro selections and is unofficially credited with 94 sacks.
1. Deacon Jones, DE
When NFL Network aired The Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players back in 2010, Jones ranked 15th while his teammate Olsen ranked 27th. They were the top two Rams to appear in the program. A decade later, they're still recognized as the best players in franchise history.
Among the many accomplishments of his 13-year career, Jones promoted using the term “sack” for when defenders dropped quarterbacks. He made seven Pro Bowls with the Rams and earned five First-Team All-Pro selections.
A defensive wrecking ball, Jones made the Pro Football Hall of Fame's All 1960s Team. Originally a 14th-round pick by Los Angeles in 1961, Jones is also one of the biggest draft steals of all-time.
Sacks weren't officially recorded during Jones' era, but pro football historian John Turney, claims the 6-5 defensive end amassed 173.5 (159.5 with the Rams) during his career. Jones also unofficially recorded over 20 sacks in three separate seasons, which would stand as an NFL record.
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