On the gridiron, they were simply the best. From Jim Thorpe and Jerry Rice to Joe Montana and Rondé Barber, NFL Hall of Famers brought unmatched passion and skill to their positions. Revisit football history's greatest professional athletes in this stat-filled, photo-driven sports series for middle-grade readers that showcases star linebackers, defensive linemen and backs, quarterbacks, pass catchers, and...

On the gridiron, they were simply the best. From Jim Thorpe and Jerry Rice to Joe Montana and Rondé Barber, NFL Hall of Famers brought unmatched passion and skill to their positions. Revisit football history's greatest professional athletes in this stat-filled, photo-driven sports series for middle-grade readers that showcases star linebackers, defensive linemen and backs, quarterbacks, pass catchers, and running backs. They're the captains of defense, backing up the defensive line and "blitzing" the quarterback. Although the gridiron has seen outstanding linebackers throughout pro football history, only a handful of the greatest players have been enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Photo-driven and stat-filled, this middle-grade sports title for fans of the NFL showcases 11 linebackers, ranked by induction year, from Chuck Bednarik and Dick Butkus to Mike Singletary and Ray Lewis. Includes sidebars about the position's role and how it's changed over time.