The NFL might sell itself on grit, toughness, and “playing the right way,” but let’s not kid ourselves—there’s a long, proud history of dudes who built their legacies on late hits, cheap shots, and doing whatever it took to get in the opponents’ head… or take it clean off.
From legends who blurred the line to full-on goons with rap sheets longer than their highlight reels—we’re diving into the 25 dirtiest players in NFL history—let’s get into it!
Who are the top 25 dirtiest players in NFL history?
25. Rodney Harrison
Rodney Harrison was the NFL’s resident enforcer—a safety who played like he had a personal vendetta against every offensive player. Voted the league’s dirtiest player multiple times by his peers, Harrison’s hits were as notorious as they were bone-jarring.
24. Richie Incognito
His on-field antics included eye-gouging and late hits, culminating in a 2009 Sporting News poll where players voted him the dirtiest player in the league. The fact of the matter is that Richie Incognito’s name is synonymous with controversy and dirty play.
23. Albert Haynesworth
Albert Haynesworth’s talent was undeniable, but so was his temper. The 6-foot-6, 320-pound defensive tackle’s most infamous moment came in 2006 when he stomped on the unprotected face of Cowboys center Andre Gurode, leading to a five-game suspension—the longest for on-field misconduct in the NFL at the time.
22. Cortland Finnegan
Titans Vs Jaguars
Cortland Finnegan thrived on agitation. The Titans’ cornerback was a master of getting under opponents’ skin, culminating in a 2010 brawl with Texans receiver Andre Johnson. During his prime, there was nothing that Finnegan wouldn’t do to try to get an advantage during a game.
21. James Harrison
James Harrison, the Steelers’ fearsome linebacker, played with an intensity that often crossed into illegality. Known for his punishing hits, Harrison amassed over $100,000 in fines during his career.
20. Hines Ward
You really have to be a special kind of dirty player to make this list as a wide receiver, but let’s call a spade a spade: Hines Ward redefined the wide receiver position with his physicality, often delivering hits more reminiscent of a linebacker.
And his attitude and willingness to toe the line of legality matched.
His blindside block on Bengals linebacker Keith Rivers in 2008 broke Rivers’ jaw and led to the NFL instituting the “Hines Ward Rule,” banning such hits.
19. Deacon Jones
There are few players throughout the history of the game who have developed a reputation like Deacon Jones.
The Rams great was as fierce a competitor as you’d ever find in the NFL.. Or anywhere for that matter.
He was as gifted as it got when it came to get after the quarterback, he racked up so many sacks that he basically inspired the league to invent the statistic to start keeping track.
People believe he totaled more than 130 during his time on the gridiron… Unfortunately, he didn’t always keep his strategies above the line. Jones employed a variety of moves to punish the unfortunate offensive lineman tasked with blocking him.
His most infamous move was the Head-Slap, which was really more of a punch than a slap… In fact, Jones would quite literally punch somebody in the earhole of their helmet, then blow past.
18. Mark Schlereth
You know you’re dealing with a different breed of dirty when the guy doesn’t just own it—he relishes in it and despite his good natured media personality, the fact of the matter is that is Mark Schlereth to a tee.
He was the ringleader of the late-90s Broncos offensive line, a unit so notorious for their low blows that the NFL literally had to change the rules.
Cut blocks were their calling card, and Schlereth once bragged that while most teams threw 15 a game, Denver threw 40. He didn’t just play mean—he wanted you to know he was mean. And the knees of countless defensive linemen paid the price.
17. Jason Babin
Jason Babin played like a man constantly trying to get suspended, but just barely staying on the right side of the line. Coached by the notoriously vicious Chuck Cecil, who you might just see later on this list, Babin carried that same villainous code! Hit hard, hit low, and make it hurt.
Bonus points if the tackle looks close enough to legal. Philip Rivers nearly lost his career to one of Babin’s plays.
To Babin, “dirty” wasn’t a derogatory remark—it was an edge and a badge of honor.
16. Shawne Merriman
Cheap shots, extracurricular hits, late blows—Merriman hit you however he could, whenever he could, and then flexed over your body like it was all just part of the show. He wasn’t trying to make friends, and he made no bones about it!
“Lights Out” wasn’t just a nickname—it was Merriman’s entire playstyle. From his roided-up rise to greatness to his near-violent outbursts, he was an enigma on the gridiron… and a dirty one at that.
15. Bart Scott
For most of his career, Bart Scott wasn’t in the “dirty” conversation. Until one play changed the narrative forever. In a game against the Saints, Scott targeted Reggie Bush’s ankle with a shot that looked very intentional, and it knocked Bush out of the game.
After that, everything changed. The whispers became shouts. Suddenly, every late shove, every borderline hit got reexamined. That one moment branded him with the scarlet “D”—and it followed him to retirement.
14. Darnell Dockett
Dockett was equal parts trash talker and bruiser.
He didn’t just play defensive line—he played mind games and brought all of the malice an NFL player could need.
Sure, he could beat you clean off the line, but he preferred the scenic route sometimes—elbows to the throat, knees in your back, and some post-whistle love taps to send the message home.
Ask Matt Hasselbeck, who found Dockett’s forearm pressed into his neck long after a play was dead.
Even when the play was over, Dockett rarely was.
13. Roy Williams
Roy Williams tackled like a man trying to yank the skeleton out of your body. The horse-collar was his weapon of choice, and he used it so recklessly the league had to invent a new penalty just to make him stop.
Multiple fines, a laundry list of victims, and a highlight reel that doubles as a cautionary tale—Williams didn’t just blur the line between hard-hitting and dangerous, he sprinted right through it.
12. Jared Allen
Jared Allen had a reputation for being a high-motor, grinder of an edge rush… but if you watched the tape closely, something a bit more nefarious was going on in our estimation.
There are a few too many hits that conveniently ended at a quarterback’s knees. Take Matt Schaub, for example, and the former Texans quarterback missed games as a result of being hit by Allen.
He’s one of the most respected players on this list, but he always walked that fine line between “relentless effort” and “see you in court.”
11. Brian Dawkins
Weapon X wasn’t just a nickname—it was a warning label. Dawkins was a Hall of Famer with a Hall of Fame temper, and when he came downhill, you better be wearing two mouthpieces. His peers voted him one of the dirtiest players in the NFL, and for good reason.
He led with his helmet, finished with his shoulder, and delivered hits that could stop time. The whistle meant nothing. If Dawkins had a target, you were getting hit, ready or not.
10. Andre Waters
We have another notorious secondary man for the Birds, who just sort of fits the vibe of the city and the fans and all that…
There’s tough, and then there’s Andre Waters. The late Eagles safety wasn’t just physical—he was feared. Waters had a gift for making quarterbacks reconsider their life choices. He hit below the waist so often that the league literally wrote a rule to stop him.
9. Lyle Alzado
Alzado wasn’t playing football. He was waging war. A full-blown lunatic between the lines, Alzado believed in one thing: winning at all costs. If that meant a cheap shot, a late hit, or swinging a helmet like a medieval weapon, so be it.
Alzado never had any issue taking his outbursts outside of the whistles, either, as he garnered a reputation for being willing to try and fight an opponent mid-game.
8. Steve Wisniewski
Every defense that lined up across from Steve Wisniewski knew one thing: it was going to hurt. A mainstay of the Raiders’ line in the ‘90s, Wisniewski made a living out of holding, twisting, clawing, and finishing blocks well after the whistle.
He led with his fists, finished with his forearms, and left you wondering how your kidneys felt like they’d been hit with a bat. Raiders football at its absolute filthiest… the man embodied the silver and black culture at the time.
7. Chuck Cecil
Over his relatively brief, but wildly eventful seven-year career in the NFL, Chuck Cecil made his presence known in a major way… in a dirty way.
Cecil hit like he was trying to send a message to your descendants. In just seven seasons, he compiled more fines than some guys get tackles.
He was the embodiment of an era when “dirty” was still marketed as “tough,” and even by those standards, Cecil pushed the envelope and racked up plenty of fines, as he injured the competition.
And yet, the man just kept coming—shoulder low, helmet forward, morality left in the locker room.
6. Jack Tatum
Jack Tatum wasn’t just a safety; he was the embodiment of football’s dark side. Nicknamed “The Assassin,” he delivered hits that bordered on criminal. Tatum once proudly stated, “I like to believe that my best hits border on felonious assault.”
That is some dark stuff… especially when you factor in the context of what has come to be known as his most infamous moment… the 1978 preseason hit on Patriots receiver Darryl Stingley that left Stingley paralyzed. Tatum never apologized, cementing his legacy as one of the game’s most feared—and reviled—figures.
5. Joe Greene
“Mean” Joe Greene wasn’t just a nickname; it was a warning. As the anchor of the Steelers’ Steel Curtain defense, Greene dominated with a ferocity that left opponents bruised and battered. He didn’t just tackle; he punished. Greene was known to spit on opponents and throw punches when things didn’t go his way.
4. Conrad Dobler
Conrad Dobler didn’t just play dirty; he reveled in it. Dubbed “Pro Football’s Dirtiest Player” by Sports Illustrated in 1977, Dobler’s tactics included punching, kicking, biting, and even spitting on injured opponents.
Dobler was so dirty that it is hard to even imagine him playing in today’s game… The NFL and the players would not stand for it.
Just ask Mean Joe Greene, who he punched in a game, or Merlin Olson, who he kicked in the head… The list goes on and on!
3. Ndamukong Suh
Ndamukong Suh’s blend of talent and aggression made him one of the most feared defensive tackles in recent memory. But his penchant for crossing the line overshadowed his skills. Suh’s rap sheet includes stomping on opponents, delivering late hits, and racking up fines.
While Suh defended his actions as competitive intensity, many saw a player who too often let aggression override sportsmanship… which, considering his propensity for stomping, seems like a fair assessment.
2. Vontaze Burfict
Vontaze Burfict’s career is a highlight reel of controversy. Known for his vicious hits and disregard for player safety, Burfict amassed over $5 million in fines and was suspended for 22 games—the most for on-field misconduct in NFL history.
His most notorious moment came in a 2016 playoff game when he delivered a brutal hit to Antonio Brown’s head, leading to a concussion.
Burfict’s repeated offenses eventually led to a season-long suspension in 2019, effectively ending his NFL career.
1. Bill Romanowski
When it comes to dirty play, there are few names more synonymous than Bill Romanowski. He wasn’t just dirty, he was dangerous. The man has a list of transgressions that resembles a rap sheet…
Whether it was spitting on opponents, breaking fingers, or taking cheap shots, his lack of sportsmanship really knew no bounds… He even punched his teammate in the face and shattered his eye socket.
His unapologetic approach and repeated offenses make him the dirtiest player in NFL history—a title he seemed to wear with pride.