10 Greatest Nebraska football NFL careers in school history
By Josh Yourish
Nebraska: 1959-61
NFL: 1962-78
Teams: Minnesota Vikings
Accomplishments: Hall of Fame, 6x Pro Bowl, 5x All-Pro, 1969 NFL Champion
After a great career at Nebraska, Tingelhoff was not drafted into the NFL but did sign with the Vikings as an undrafted free agent. To say that was a smart move would be a wild understatement.
In the signing, the Vikings got their starting center for the next 17 years, and a Hall of Fame one at that. Tingelhoff was a great pass blocker for Fran Tarkenton and helped Minnesota win 10 division titles in an 11-year run. He also played in four Super Bowls.
Nebraska: 1989-92
NFL: 1993-2006
Teams: Kansas City Chiefs
Accomplishments: Hall of Fame, 12-straight Pro Bowls, 2x All-Pro, 2000s All-Decade team, 2003 Walter Payton Man of the Year
The 1992 Outland Trophy winner was selected in the third round of the 1993 NFL draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. He entered the first game of the 1993 season to replace the injured Dave Szott, started in Week 2, and for every game the rest of his 14-year career.
Shields made 12 straight Pro Bowls from 1995-2006 and was either first or second-team All-Pro seven times.
Nebraska: 1961-63
NFL: 1964-73
Teams: Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams, Oakland Raiders
Accomplishments: Hall of Fame, 6x Pro Bowl, 5x All-Pro, 1960s All-Decade team
Before we had Bob the Builder, Nebraska had Bob “The Boomer” Brown. Brown played both linebacker and offensive guard for the Cornhuskers and was the program’s first black All-American. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1993 and the NFL Hall of Fame in 2004.
Brown was taken with the No. 2 overall pick by the Eagles in the 1964 NFL draft and chose Philly over the Denver Broncos of the AFL. Brown suffered a knee injury in 1967 that would nag him his entire career, but didn’t slow him down much.
Brown was either first or second-team All-Pro in each of his first seven seasons and again in his ninth. He was named the NFL Offensive Lineman of the Year three times in his career.