The MMQB 100
When the staff of The MMQB bounced around ideas for a ranking of the most influential people in pro football, we spent a good chunk of time arguing not just about who should be on such a list, but about what it means to be “influential” in the NFL. Wouldn’t Roger Goodell, as commissioner, always top such a ranking? That would be dull. To differentiate our list, we focused on the 2015 season, weighting qualification heavily toward what happens on the field. So players and coaches predominate on The MMQB 100. And each year this list will change, maybe dramatically; people who wouldn’t normally be thought of as influential make the cut in 2015 because of their significance to the upcoming season.
For instance, you wouldn’t typically consider an NFL line judge a critical figure, but Sarah Thomas will be this year. She's the first full-time female official in the league's 96-year history. Nor would you have the GM of the league’s worst team on the list, but the Bucs’ Jason Licht is risking his franchise’s future on a promising QB with a pockmarked background. And you generally wouldn't include a college football coach, but Jim Harbaugh makes the cut because every time Michigan wins and the 49ers lose, Niner Nation will be up in arms.
As we unveil The MMQB 100 between now and July 17, we’ll have spots for a U.K. native named Nigel, a retired linebacker, a backup QB and the fifth receiver on a Super Bowl contender ... and that last one’s our little surprise. Check the site each week for another installment. And let the arguments fly.
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100. Justin Houston, Linebacker, Kansas City Chiefs
99. Rachel Nichols, Journalist, CNN (long essay by Peter King)
Photo by Taylor Ballantyne/Sports Illustrated
98. Blake Bortles, Quarterback, Jacksonville Jaguars
97. Richie Incognito, Guard, Buffalo Bills
96. John Fox, Head Coach, Chicago Bears
95. Le'Veon Bell, Running Back, Pittsburgh Steelers
94. Eliot Wolf, Director of Player Personnel, Green Bay Packers
93. Marcus Mariota, Quarterback, Tennessee Titans
92. Ray Rice, Running Back, Free Agent
91. John Elway, General Manager, Denver Broncos
90. Bill O'Brien, Head Coach, Houston Texans
89. Jason Licht, General Manager, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
88. DeMaurice Smith, Executive Director, NFL Players Association
87. Jim Harbaugh, Head Coach, University of Michigan
86. Nigel Eccles, CEO and Co-Founder, FanDuel
85. Khalil Mack, Linebacker, Oakland Raiders
84. Shahid Khan, Owner, Jacksonville Jaguars
83. Brian Rolapp, Executive Vice President, Media, NFL
82. Mike McCarthy, Head Coach, Green Bay Packers (long essay by Robert Klemko)
Photo by Jonathan Ferrey for Sports Illustrated
81. Eli Manning, Quarterback, New York Giants
80. Ted Wells, Special Investigator, NFL
79. Bruce Arians, Head Coach, Arizona Cardinals
78. Joe Flacco, Quarterback, Baltimore Ravens
77. Tom Coughlin, Head Coach, New York Giants
76. Connor Cook, Quarterback, Michigan State University (long essay by Andy Staples)
Photo by Andrew Hancock for Sports Illustrated
75. Jimmy Haslam, Owner, Cleveland Browns
74. Matthew Stafford, Quarterback, Detroit Lions
73. Dirk Koetter, Offensive Coordinator, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
72. Colin Kaepernick, Quarterback, San Francisco 49ers
71. Todd Gurley, Running Back, St. Louis Rams
70. Ken Whisenhunt, Head Coach, Tennessee Titans
69. Johnny Manziel, Quarterback, Cleveland Browns
68. Marc Ganis, Consultant, SportsCorp Ltd.
67. Matt Ryan, Quarterback, Atlanta Falcons
66. John Harbaugh, Head Coach, Baltimore Ravens
65. Darrell Bevell, Offensive Coordinator, Seattle Seahawks
64. Junior Seau, 2015 Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee (long essay by Peter King)
Photo by John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated
63. Jason Garrett, Head Coach, Dallas Cowboys
62. Jeff Pash, Executive Vice President & General Counsel, NFL
61. Cris Collinsworth, Analyst, Sunday Night Football
60. Ryan Grigson, General Manager, Indianapolis Colts
59. Troy Vincent, Executive Vice President of Football Operations, NFL
58. DeMarco Murray, Running Back, Philadelphia Eagles
57. Mark Davis, Owner, Oakland Raiders
56. Jay Cutler, Quarterback, Chicago Bears (long essay by Robert Klemko)
Photo by Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated
55. Marshawn Lynch, Running Back, Seattle Seahawks
54. Jeffrey Kessler, Attorney, Winston & Strawn
53. Dan Quinn, Head Coach, Atlanta Falcons
52. NaVorro Bowman, Linebacker, San Francisco 49ers
51. Cam Newton, Quarterback, Carolina Panthers
50. Kevin Turner and Shawn Wooden, Retired Players
49. LeSean McCoy, Running Back, Buffalo Bills
48. Mark Rodgers, Agent, Frontline Athlete Management (long essay by Andrew Brandt)
Photo by Kelly Gavin/Texas Rangers
47. Ben Roethlisberger, Quarterback, Pittsburgh Steelers
46. Teryl Austin, Defensive Coordinator, Detroit Lions
45. The Thursday Night Football Viewer
44. Sean Payton, Head Coach, New Orleans Saints
43. Lisa Friel, Senior Adviser, NFL
42. Jimmy Garoppolo, Quarterback, New England Patriots
41. Richard Sherman, Cornerback, Seattle Seahawks
40. Todd Bowles, Head Coach, New York Jets
39. Tom Benson, Owner, New Orleans Saints
38. Andy Dalton, Quarterback, Cincinnati Bengals
37. Rob Gronkowski, Tight End, New England Patriots
36. Howard Katz, Senior Vice President of Broadcasting, NFL
35. Greg Hardy, Defensive End, Dallas Cowboys
34. Dean Spanos, Team President and CEO, San Diego Chargers
33. Dean Blandino, Vice President of Officiating, NFL
32. Jimmy Graham, Tight End, Seattle Seahawks
31. Odell Beckham Jr., Wide Receiver, New York Giants (long essay by Emily Kaplan)
Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images
30. Jed York, CEO, San Francisco 49ers
29. Eric Grubman, Executive Vice President, NFL
28. Robert Griffin III, Quarterback, Washington
27. Drew Brees, Quarterback, New Orleans Saints
26. Jared Abbrederis, Wide Receiver, Green Bay Packers
25. Jameis Winston, Quarterback, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
24. Chris Borland, Retired Linebacker
23. Sam Bradford, Quarterback, Philadelphia Eagles (long essay by Andy Benoit)
Photo by Matt Rourke/AP
22. Rex Ryan, Head Coach, Buffalo Bills
21. Ndamukong Suh, Defensive Tackle, Miami Dolphins
20. Darrelle Revis, Cornerback, New York Jets
19. Sarah Thomas, Line Judge, NFL (long essay by Amy Trask)
Photo by John Froschauer/AP
18. Philip Rivers, Quarterback, San Diego Chargers
17. Jim Tomsula, Head Coach, San Francisco 49ers
16. J.J. Watt, Defensive End, Houston Texans
15. Tony Romo, Quarterback, Dallas Cowboys
14. Robert Kraft, Owner, New England Patriots
13. Pete Carroll, Head Coach, Seattle Seahawks
12. Andrew Luck, Quarterback, Indianapolis Colts
11. Adrian Peterson, Running Back, Minnesota Vikings
10. Rich McKay, Co-Chairman, NFL Competition Committee (long essay by Peter King)
Photo by Ross D. Franklin/AP
9. Peyton Manning, Quarterback, Denver Broncos
8. Stan Kroenke, Owner, St. Louis Rams
7. Aaron Rodgers, Quarterback, Green Bay Packers
6. Jerry Jones, Owner, Dallas Cowboys
5. Russell Wilson, Quarterback, Seattle Seahawks (long essay by Paul Chryst)
Photo by Robert Beck/Sports Illustrated
4. Bill Belichick, Head Coach, New England Patriots (long essay by Greg A. Bedard)
Photo by Winslow Townson/Sports Illustrated
3. Chip Kelly, Head Coach, Philadelphia Eagles (long essay by Emily Kaplan)
Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images
2. Roger Goodell, Commissioner, NFL (long essays by The MMQB Fan Bloggers)
Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images
1. Tom Brady, Quarterback, New England Patriots (long essay by Jenny Vrentas)
Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images
