The NFL (National Football League), a professional football league consisting of 32 teams, all of whom compete to reach and win the Super Bowl. The teams who make it there not only skyrocketed to super-stardom, many of the players become some of the most well-known and often become some of the most successful in the league.
Some of the most iconic NFL Players of the '80s include Joe Montana who may be considered one of the greatest if not the greatest offensive player of all time, Lawrence Taylor who played nine seasons in the '80s and Dan Marino who played seven seasons during the '80s with an incredible hit rate. The impact of Kellen Winslow as one of the league's greatest tight ends cannot go unnoticed; his career started with the San Diego Chargers from 1979 to 1987 and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995. From the greatest receivers to the best quarterbacks, they all paved their way to the end zone as some of the most electrifying pro footballers of all time.
How many of the NFL players from the 1980's do you remember? Well, this quiz was meant to test just that. If you were given an image of some of the greatest players in the 80's, would you be able to tell who they are? The only way to find out how well you do is to take this quiz!
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Can you identify this '80s NFL'er?
Joe Montana
Quarterback Joe Montana spent 16 seasons with the NFL. The 4-time Super Bowl champ, nicknamed "The Comeback Kid," played for the San Francisco 49ers from 1979 to 1992 before moving on to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Known as one of the best defensive players to ever play the game, Lawrence Taylor was the #2 pick in the 1981 draft. He won two Super Bowls during his time with the New York Giants.
Dan Marino played for the Miami Dolphins from 1983 to 1999. Despite being named one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, he never managed to win a Super Bowl.
Wide receiver Jerry Rice spent 20 seasons in the NFL. The 3-time Super Bowl champ spent most of his career with the 49ers before moving on to play with the Raiders, Seahawks and Broncos.
Running back Eric Dickerson rushed 13,000 career yards while playing for the Rams and Colts between 1983 and 1991. He later became a sports broadcaster and started his own memorabilia business.
Nicknamed "Sweetness," Walter Payton played for the Chicago Bears from 1975 to 1987. He was known for his trademark "stutter step," which made it difficult for the opposing team to predict his movements.
John Hannah played for the Patriots from 1973 to 1985. In 1981, "Sports Illustrated" put him on their cover and declared him the best offensive lineman of all time.
Running back Marcus Allen played for the Raiders from 1982 to 1992, then moved to the Kansas City Chiefs. He was named Super Bowl MVP after his team's victory at Super Bowl XVIII.
Picked up 2nd in the 1975 draft, defensive tackle Randy White played for the Cowboys from 1975 to 1988. He was co-MVP when the Cowboys won Super Bowl XII.
Safety and cornerback Ronnie Lott played for the 49ers from 1981 to 1990 before moving on to the Raiders, Jets and Chiefs in later years. He was part of four Super Bowl-winning teams, and went on to work in broadcasting after retiring.
Wide receiver Steve Largent played for the Seattle Seahawks from 1976 to 1989. He later went on to serve in the House of Representatives from 1994 to 2002.
Linebacker Mike Singletary played for the Chicago Bears from 1981 to 1992. He later moved on to coaching, and served as head coach for the 49ers from 2008 to 2010.
Art Monk won three Super Bowls while playing as a wide receiver for the Redskins from 1980 to 1993. After football, he moved to northern Virginia and started his own electronic payments services business.
Defensive end Reggie White played for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1985 to 1992, then moved on to the Packers from 1993 to 1998. While playing with the Packers, he was part of the winning team at Super Bowl XXXI.
Wide receiver James Lofton played on three different NFL teams in the '80s, including the Packers, Raiders and the Buffalo Bills. He later coached for several teams, including the Chargers and Raiders.
Running back Tony Dorsett played for the Cowboys from 1977 to 1987. He was team captain when the Cowboys won Super Bowl XII, and went on to play for the Broncos after leaving the Cowboys.
Tight end Kellen Wilson played at the University of Missouri before moving to the Chargers from 1979 to 1987. He later became athletic director at Florida A&M.
Offensive tackle Jimbo Covert was part of the winning team in Super Bowl XX as a member of the Chicago Bears. In just his second year on the team, he was named a team captain thanks to his leadership skills.
Russ Grimm won three Super Bowls while playing for the Redskins from 1981 to 1991. He later went on to coach for teams that included the Redskins, Steelers and Titans.
Center Dwight Stephenson played for the University of Alabama before he was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in 1980. He later went on to work as a contractor and construction manager in Florida.
Cornerback Mel Blount spent 13 years with the Pittsburgh Steelers, winning four Super Bowls. He later became a player relations director for the NFL and opened several youth homes for troubled teens.
Strong safety Kenny Easley played for UCLA before he was picked up by the Seattle Seahawks in 1981. After he was selected for the Pro Bowl five times, his playing career was cut short by kidney disease in 1987.
Billy "White Shoes" Johnson was a wide receiver who was as well known for his end zone dances as well as for his playing. He played for the Oilers from 1974 to 1980, before spending much of the '80s as part of the Falcons.
Quarterback Dan Fouts played for the Chargers from 1973 to 1987. Despite tremendous skill and many years in the game, he never made it to a Super Bowl.
Wide receiver Michael Irvin was a three-time Super Bowl champ while playing from the Cowboys from 1988 to 1999. He, Emmitt Smith and Troy Aikman were often referred to as "the triplets."
Tight end Ozzie Newsome played for the Cleveland Browns from 1978 to 1990. During that time, he never missed a single game. He later became an executive for the Browns and later the Ravens.
Offensive lineman Gary Zimmerman played for the Vikings from 1986 to 1992. He then moved to the Broncos, where he was part of the winning team at Super Bowl XXXII.
Dan Hampton was a defensive tackle for the Bears from 1979 to 1990, and was part of the winning team at Super Bowl XX. He went on to co-host the popular "Pro Football Weekly" for many years.
Cornerback Mike Haynes played for Arizona State before he was drafted by the Patriots in 1976. He moved to the Raiders in 1983, and was part of the winning team at Super Bowl XVIII.
Nicknamed "The Great Dane" because of his Danish heritage, Morton Andersen was a kicker for the Saints from 1982 to 1994. he later played for the Falcons from 1995 to 2000.
Punter Sean Landeta played fro the Giants from 1985 to 1993, then moved to the Rams from 1993 to 1996. He was part of two Super Bowl-winning teams while playing for New York.
Defensive back Mike Nelms played for the Redskins from 1980 to 1984. He was part of the winning team at Super Bowl XXVII, and was chosen for the 1980s NFL All-Decade Team.
Defensive end Bruce Smith played in four consecutive Super Bowls as part of the Buffalo Bills. He was a member of the Bills from 1985 to 1999 before moving to the Redskins from 2000 to 2003.
Linebacker Ted Hendricks was the first Guatemalan player in the NFL. The four-time Super Bowl champ played for the Colts and Packers before spending eight seasons with the Raiders in the late '70s and early '80s.
Linebacker Andre Tippett was an All-American at the University of Iowa before he was picked up by the Patriots in 1982. He played in five straight Pro Bowls during his time with New England.
Jack Lambert played for Kent State before moving on to the Steelers from 1974 to 1984. During his time in Pittsburgh, the middle linebacker was part of four Super Bowl-winning teams.
Cornerback Lester Hayes played for Texas A&M before playing for the Raiders from 1977 to 1986. During that time, he went to five Pro Bowls and picked up two Super Bowl rings.
Safety Deron Cherry played for Rutgers before he was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in 1981. He was later named to the NFL's All-Decade Team for the '80s.
BYU Quarterback Jim McMahon played for the Bears from 1982 to 1988 before moving to the Chargers and then the Eagles. Along the way, he picked up two Super Bowl rings.
Bernie Kosar served as quarterback on several NFL teams, including the Browns in the late '80s and the Cowboys and Dolphins in the '90s. It was during his time in Dallas that he picked up a Super Bowl championship in 1994.
Norman "Boomer" Esiason was a quarterback for the Bengals from 1984 to 1992, and later played for the Jets and Cardinals. He was NFL MVP in 1988 while playing for Cincinnati.