Top 10 Players of the NFL Network Era

With NFL Network changing hands to Disney and ESPN after 23 years, Rich marked the moment with a power rankings list. The 10 best players of the NFL Network era 1.0, from the network's week 10 2003 debut to now, presented by SoFi.

Number ten was a choice between Adrian Peterson and LaDainian Tomlinson. Rich took Tomlinson. Both were MVPs, both led the league in rushing multiple times. Tomlinson sits third on the all-time touchdowns list at 162, behind only Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith. His 2006 season, in which he was MVP, offensive player of the year, and Walter Payton Man of the Year in the same season, was the closer. Twenty-eight rushing touchdowns. Thirty-one total scores. A record that is not coming down.

Number nine was JJ Watt. Three-time defensive player of the year in his first five seasons. Two seasons with 20-plus sacks. A single-season record of 39 tackles for loss. A Walter Payton Man of the Year winner in 2017.

Number eight was Drew Brees. Super Bowl MVP, two-time offensive player of the year, comeback player of the year, four-time passing touchdowns leader, seven-time passing yards leader. His 74.4 percent completion rate in 2018 makes the case for most accurate passer ever. Fifty-four straight games with a touchdown pass.

Number seven was Randy Moss over Calvin Johnson. Four-time first team All-Pro, six-time Pro Bowler, fourth on the all-time touchdowns list at 157. The 2007 season, comeback player of the year, 23 touchdowns, was the defining image.

Number six was Aaron Donald. Three-time defensive player of the year, eight-time first team All-Pro, 10-time Pro Bowler. Rich said you could make a case Donald was Super Bowl LVI MVP over Cooper Kupp on the strength of the game-ending sack of Joe Burrow.

Number five was Aaron Rodgers. Four-time MVP, best all-time passer rating at 102.2, a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 4.3, and the 402 straight passes without a pick. Rich recalled watching Rodgers as a backup at Texas Stadium, after Brett Favre went down, and realizing the kid was the real thing.

Number four was Ray Lewis. Two-time defensive player of the year, 13-time Pro Bowler, seven-time first team All-Pro. Rich had never seen anything like him.

Number three was Peyton Manning. Five MVPs. A 55-touchdown, 5,477-yard season in Denver. Two rings of honor.

Number two was Patrick Mahomes. Three Super Bowls before age 30, 17 postseason wins before 30, and 5,614 total yards in 2022.

Number one was Tom Brady. When NFL Network covered its sixth Super Bowl, Brady had played in half of them. At its 18th, he had played in nine. The math made the pick.