ST. LOUIS — We're doing some serious ranking here at 5 On Your Side.
The past two weeks, we tackled the Blues all-time top 10 and the 15 best basketball players to come from St. Louis.
This week, we take on a new sport. We're counting down the top 16 St. Louis pro football players in the history of St. Louis (Cardinals and Rams).
5 On Your Side sports director Frank Cusumano has been presenting the list all week long in his sportscasts, with the final reveal coming on Friday night.
From the Big Red of the 70s to the Greatest Show on Turf of the early 2000s we've got it covered.
Here's our list. Let the debate begin.
16. London Fletcher
If he would have been in St. Louis more than four years he'd probably be higher. But he was still a world champion here with the 1999-2000 Rams.
Fletcher is probably bound for Canton some day, never missing a game and amassing more than 2,000 tackles.
15. Steven Jackson
A great running back on some of the worst teams in St. Louis history.
He had eight straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons. And in 2006, he ran for 1,500 yards and also caught 90 passes.
14. Terry Metcalf
One of the most exciting players in St. Louis Cardinals football history.
Think of Marshall Faulk but also returning kicks and punts.
In a 14-game season, he set an NFL record with 2,462 combined yards.
13. O.J. Anderson
Other than Kurt Warner, nobody exploded onto the St. Louis football scene faster than Anderson. He had 193 yards in his first game against the Cowboys.
In his first full five seasons, he went over 1,000 yards rushing. And ended up with 10,000 total yards and two Super Bowl wins.
12. Roy Green
He started as a defensive back and ended up as one of the biggest deep threats of the 1980s in the NFL.
Nicknamed "Jet Stream" because he flew past defensive backs.
11. Mel Gray
Frank's favorite football Cardinal ever and perhaps the fastest player to ever play in St. Louis.
He averaged 19 yards a catch for his career.
10. Torry Holt
"Big Game" is the only receiver ever to have six straight 1,300-yard receiving seasons.
He's still waiting for the call to the hall of fame. He should get there some day.
9. Jim Hart
Hart was a four-time pro bowler and league MVP who had the strongest arm of any St. Louis quarterback.
Tom Brady is the only quarterback to play with one team longer than Hart's 18 years with the Big Red.
8. Roger Wehrli
The Mizzou grad played in seven pro bowls, the all-decade team of the 70s and was inducted into the hall of fame.
The practically perfect cornerback.
7. Dan Dierdorf
Don't let his incredible broadcasting career take away from his hall of fame playing career.
For a stretch of two entire seasons, he didn't allow a single sack.
6. Jackie Smith
The third tight end elected to the hall of fame and one of the hardest players to tackle in NFL history.
The first truly great athlete to play the position.
5. Orlando Pace
The overall first pick in the draft exceeded expectations all the way to the hall of fame.
Nobody 6 foot 7, 325 pounds could move like Orlando Pace.
4. Isaac Bruce
Fifteen-thousand yards, 1,000 receptions and 91 touchdowns for the newest hall of famer.
"Reverend Ike" also scored the biggest touchdowns in St. Louis history.
3. Larry Wilson
Made the all-decade team in the 60s and 70s, the 70th anniversary all-time team and the 100th anniversary all-time team.
The hall of famer is one of the best safeties to ever play football.
2. Kurt Warner
Warner could certainly be number one on this list.
Two MVP awards, the town's only Super Bowl win and one of the greatest stories in the history of sports put him among the all-time greats.
We all wish it could've lasted longer in St. Louis, but Warner was able to channel some magic for our town's other former team out in the desert in the twilight of his career.
1. Marshall Faulk
The Marshall Faulk trade with the Colts is the equivalent of the baseball Cardinals' legendary Brock for Broglio swap.
There is no Greatest Show on Turf without Marshall Faulk.
The only back to ever rush for 12,000 with 6,000 receiving yards.
