Top 10 Greatest Players from the State of Pennsylvania

TEMPE, AZ - JANUARY 28: NFL legend quarterback Joe Montana who won four super bowls with the San Francisco 49ers poses for a photo on the field after participating in the coin toss prior to Super Bowl XXX between the Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers at Sun Devil Stadium on January 28,1996 in Tempe, Arizona. The Cowboys defeated the Steelers 27-17. (Photo by George Rose/Getty Images) /

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ARLINGTON, TX – OCTOBER 02: A pink ribbon with the NFL logo for breast cancer awareness on a football at Cowboys Stadium on October 2, 2011 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

5. Joe Schmidt (Pittsburgh, PA)

An absolute diamond in the rough, Joe Schmidt was drafted in the 7^th round of the 1953 NFL Draft. When drafted, he joined the defending NFL Champions, bolstering a very stout defense. Schmidt has been credited with the revolutionization of the linebacking position, due to his speed while stopping the run. The way Schmidt played set the tone for generations of middle linebackers to come. He was named to ten straight Pro-Bowl teams, as well as ten straight first-team All-Pro teams. Schmidt was the NFL Defensive MVP in both 1953 and 1957.

Schmidt was a two time NFL Champion in 1953 and 1957. His number 56 was retired by the Detroit Lions and he was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1973. He was named the greatest Defensive Lion of All-Time in 1997.

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