NFL Films' Steve Sabol counts Dick Butkus among the greatest ever. (Photo courtesy of SI.com)

NFL Films’ Steve Sabol is sitting in for SI’s Peter King and gave us a glimpse into a new NFL Network special, The Top 100: The NFL’s Greatest Players.  Sounds a little bit like one of those VH1 I Love the 80′s specials, huh?

In the most recent Monday Morning Quarterback, Sabol named his personal list of  “greatest ever” players and counted three Chicago Bears among them.  Here’s the setup to the piece from SI.com:

One question I’m asked more than any other is: Who is the greatest player in NFL history? I can’t answer it. It’s like asking me to name my favorite noodle in a spaghetti dinner. It’s tough to name the top 10 players, even the top 100. But at NFL Films, we’re taking a crack at it anyway.

Airing in September is our latest project for the NFL Network called The Top 100: The NFL’s Greatest Players. The players were selected by a vote of 85 panelists, which consisted of Hall of Fame selectors, coaches, general managers, owners, scouts, journalists, TV analysts and statisticians. Ranking the great players is, in a way, like rating the saints. Is St. Peter better than St. Paul? Would you pick St. Mark over St. Matthew? Our show won’t end any arguments, but it will certainly start some.

This season will be my 48th filming the NFL. I’ve watched, met, known, filmed or interviewed almost every player in our Top 100. What follows is a personal list of thoughts and observations about men, not all great, who in one way or another made a lasting impression on me.

Let’s take a closer look at the three Bears Sabol counts among his greatest ever. (more…)