Overall, the AFC North proudly brings the #1 overall Offensive Line onto the field. Their Offensive Tackles, Guards, and Centers make up #1, #4, and #1 among the rest of the divisions' offensive line units, respectively.
AFC North starting Offensive Tackle: Anthony Munoz, Cincinnati Bengals
Anthony Munoz is probably the greatest Offensive Lineman who has ever lived. The first-ballot Hall of Famer made 11 Pro Bowls and 11 All-Pro teams. In 1994, Muñoz was named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All-Time Team. In 1999, he was ranked #17 on Sporting News' list of the 100 greatest football players and was the highest-ranked offensive lineman.In 2010, he was ranked #12 on the NFL Network's The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players list and again was the highest-ranked offensive lineman.
AFC North Starting Offensive Tackle: Jonathan Ogden, Baltimore Ravens
Just look at how huge this guy was... At 6'9", 345 pounds, there was just nobody who could beat this guy. He dominated everybody he faced. An 11-time Pro-Bowler, Ogden also made 9 All-Pro teams. He was a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and he also won a Super Bowl with Baltimore in 2000.
Back-up Offensive Tackle: Joe Thomas, Cleveland Browns
Thomas might have picked the wrong division to play in, but maybe not. By the time this guy is finished, just might be the greatest Offensive Lineman ever. He has been to 7 Pro Bowls (every year he has played) and has been named to 6 All-Pro teams. Perhaps his best season came in 2010 when he allowed 4 sacks and committed 2 penalties-- for the entire season.
Back-up Offensive Tackle: Willie Anderson, Cincinnati Bengals
A 4-time Pro-Bowler and 3-time All-Pro, poor Anderson would have started on half the other NFL divisions' Offensive Lines, but not this monster AFC North unit. One of the strongest players in NFL history, Anderson bench-pressed 675 pounds when he first entered the league.
AFC North Starting Offensive Guard: Alan Faneca, Pittsburgh Steelers
Faneca, a sure-fire Hall of Famer when the time comes, made 9 Pro Bowls and 9 All-Pro squads. He also helped lead the Steelers to a victory in Super Bowl XL. Faneca also found a starting spot on the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team.
AFC North Starting Offensive Guard: Gene Hickerson, Cleveland Browns
Hickerson played in 6 Pro Bowls and was named to 7 All-Pro rosters. He also helped the Cleveland Browns win a Championship. During Gene's 10 pro seasons, the Browns featured a 1,000-yard rusher every season but one in the era where the NFL season consisted of 14 games. They also had the NFL's leading rusher seven seasons of those ten. He was elected to the Browns' legends team and the NFL 1960s All-Decade Team. Hickerson was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007.
Back-up Offensive Guard: Max Montoya, Cincinnati Bengals
There is not a whole lot to say about unheralded lineman who did not achieve too much beyond the ordinary during the extents of their NFL careers. Montoya had a great career, and he went to 4 Pro Bowls. He also helped out in 2 heart-breaking Super Bowl losses, both at the hands of Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49ers.
Back-up Offensive Guard: Marshal Yanda, Baltimore Ravens
Yanda has been playing in the NFL for 6 years, but he seems to have figured something in his game out: he has made 3 Pro Bowls and 3 All-Pro teams his last 3 seasons. Is this the beginning of a long series of great seasons? Time will tell, and Yanda will continue to do what he does: pave the way for Ray Rice and company.
AFC North Starting Center: Mike Webster, Pittsburgh Steelers
It takes somebody like Webster to keep his mentee, Dermontti Dawon, on the pine. He is probably the greatest Center to ever play. He, and not Bradshaw, was actually the Steelers' Captain during the course of those 4 Super Bowls the Steelers won. The numbers are not shocking: he made 9 Pro Bowls, 9 All-Pro teams, made both the NFL 1970s and 1980s All-Decade Teams, the NFL 75th-Anniversary All-Time Team, and was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1997.
Back-up Center: Dermontti Dawson, Pittsburgh Steelers
As I alluded to earlier, Dawson would be starting on most NFL Divisional rosters. He made 7 Pro Bowls and 6 All-Pro rosters, and was enshrined in the NFL Hall of Fame in 2012. He also continued the Pittsburgh Steelers' streak of Centerial domination by starting for the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team.
Click HERE to see the next series of roster announcements for the All-Time AFC North!
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