Of the thousands of football players who have been part of the entire history of professional football teams who were the players who could do it all? They played offense, defense, and special teams. These football players can could run, pass, catch, kick, punt block and tackle.

We are making a perfect football team.  So here is #1 of the 11:

Number 1: Sammy Baugh
  football player

Slingin’ Sammy Baugh (6’2”, 185 lbs)

  • Washington Redskins (1937-52)
  • All-Time 11 positions: quarterback, free safety, punter
  • All-NFL: 7 times
  • MVP: n/a
  • NFL champion: 1937, 1942
  • Hometown: Temple, Texas
  • College: Texas Christian
  • Hall of Fame: 1963 (charter member)

Sammy Baugh could throw like Dan Marino, run like Michael Vick, pick off passes like Ronnie Lott and punt the ball better than Ray Guy.  

A two-time All-American football player at TCU, Baugh joined the NFL as a single-wing tailback. By the 1940s, he had become one of the first “quarterbacks” as we know them today, as passing specialists. In football history, many historians credit him with creating the modern quarterback position.

Sammy Baugh’s passing numbers have stood the test of time. In 1945, he completed 70.3 percent of his attempts and posted a very modern-looking 109.9 passer rating. Baugh was also a two-way iron man who intercepted 31 passes as a defensive back.

He also still stands as arguably the greatest punter in NFL history. His career punting average of 45.1 is second all-time to current Oakland punter Shane Lechler’s 45.9. He averaged an amazing 51.4 yards per punt in 1940 (still an NFL record) and led the league in punting a record four different seasons (1940-43). 

As good as he was in 1945, Baugh’s signature season was 1943. In that 10-game campaign, he led the NFL in passing (1,754 yards), interceptions (11) and punting (45.9 average) and became one of just three “Triple Crown” winners in NFL history.