Yesterday, we ranked the top half of our list of the top 20 players in AFC North history. Today, we’re finishing out the list with the top 10.

A reminder of our format. This list only considers what each player did since the AFC North was formed in 2002. Anything prior in the AFC Central does not count. And only the player’s resume during his time with an AFC North team is considered for these rankings.

A refresher of No. 20 through 11.

20. OT Willie Anderson
19. C Maurkice Pouncey
18. NT Haloti Ngata
17. WR Hines Ward
16. K Justin Tucker
15. WR Ja’Marr Chase
14. OG Marshal Yanda
13. WR Chad Johnson
12. EDGE James Harrison
11. DL Cam Heyward

10. QB Lamar Jackson/Ravens (2018-Present)

Jackson’s spot among the top 20 shouldn’t be in question, though you can argue his place on it. Before even turning 30, Jackson is a two-time MVP. A dynamic threat with his arm and legs, Jackson won his first MVP as a sophomore in 2019 with 43 total touchdowns (36 passing, 7 rushing). He won it again with a less statistically impressive 2023 and narrowly lost out to Josh Allen in 2024.

Entering the 2026 season, Jackson is tied with Aaron Rodgers for NFL record holder in QB rating at 102.2.

Health has knocked him out of the lineup for key stretches of time, and Jackson has struggled to find postseason success. To ascend higher on this list that only gets tougher to climb, he’ll have to reverse those two trends. But Jackson is a challenge for every opponent, even if Pittsburgh has found more success against him than most.

9. EDGE Terrell Suggs/Ravens (2003-18)

“T-Sizzle” had the best of both worlds. High-end play and longevity. He spent 17 years in the NFL and all but one in the AFC North. In Baltimore, he racked up 132.5 career sacks. That’s more than anyone else in AFC North history.

Suggs was named Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2003, made seven Pro Bowls and was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2011. His 229 career regular season games are the most of any non-specialist in Ravens history and only second to P Sam Koch.

Suggs and Ben Roethlisberger had some of the best battles over the years. The two players summed up how competitive and intense the AFC North was at its peak.

8. WR Antonio Brown/Steelers (2011-18)

Brown’s run in the North was legendary. A completely dominant stretch from 2013-18 with solid seasons in the two years before. Brown was uncoverable as a receiver and electric as a returner. He made seven Pro Bowls, five total All-Pros (four of them first-team) and was named to the NFL’s All-2010s team. For his career, he hauled in 22 touchdown passes against AFC North competition.

The only thing holding Brown back was true longevity. It’s a problem of his own making after forcing his way out of Pittsburgh after the 2018 season.

7. EDGE T.J. Watt/Steelers (2017-Present)

Watt may be under the microscope more in recent years and feeling pressure to succeed for the first time in his career, but that doesn’t detract from his incredible career. With eight Pro Bowls, four All-Pros and a Defensive Player of the Year trophy, he could retire today and become a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

In 2021, Watt tied the NFL’s official sack record with 22.5. He’s more than just a pass rusher. His run defense and well-rounded game create impact in every situation are special, and Watt’s motor and demeanor fit the division’s ethos well. By his career’s end, he’ll likely surpass Suggs in AFC North sacks.

6. ILB Ray Lewis/Ravens (2002-12)

Like Jonathan Ogden, considering Lewis’ entire career would move him up the list. The scope of this list begins in 2002 when Lewis had already made three All-Pro teams, been named Defensive Player of the Year once, and anchored one of the most stifling defenses in NFL history in 2000.

Still, his final 11 years in the league were excellent. Lewis made four first-team All-Pros and was again named DPOY in 2003. His attitude and ferocity were a perfect fit in the AFC North, and he often won the mental game before the ball was snapped.

Only injuries held him back. He missed large chunks of time in 2002, 2005, and his final season in 2012.

5. QB Ben Roethlisberger/Steelers (2004-21)

Roethlisberger is an easy inclusion on this list as the AFC North’s top quarterback. His long and excellent career, highlighted by winning when it mattered most in the fourth quarter and playoffs, makes him a clear choice in the top 10.

His rugged style, especially in his early years, fit the city and the division like a glove. He had no problem playing in the rain, snow, or when injured, and he often rose to the occasion in those moments. Roethlisberger’s numbers in-division are remarkable. A career 67-22-1 regular season record, including an amazing 26-2-1 mark against the Cleveland Browns. He also went 4-2 against the North in the postseason highlighted by beating Baltimore in the AFC Championship Game in 2008.

Roethlisberger was a one-helmet player who spent his entire career in Pittsburgh. His next NFL stop should be the Hall of Fame next summer.

4. OT Joe Thomas/Browns (2007-17)

It’s hard to know whether or not to feel bad for Thomas. A Hall of Fame career toiled away in Cleveland, Thomas never got to play in the postseason. On the other hand, Thomas willingly signed a seven-year extension to stay with the Browns.

Individually, there are few better than him. His ironman streak spanned a decade, not missing a snap, let alone a game, until his final season in 2017. He played 10,000 straight snaps before missing action.

He made 10 Pro Bowls, six All-Pros and cruised to Hall of Fame induction. Thomas is truly one of the greatest offensive linemen in NFL history.

3. EDGE Myles Garrett/Browns (2017-25)

Only two Cleveland Browns made the top 20, but both sit inside the top Five. Garrett’s time in the AFC North appears over after being dealt to the Los Angeles Rams this offseason. It’s a sigh of relief to the three other teams who no longer face him twice a season.

Garrett and Watt ran neck-and-neck for most of their careers. My stance has been that Garrett was the better pass rusher, but Watt the better all-around player. Separation came last season. Watt underperformed while Garrett broke the NFL sack record and captured his second Defensive Player of the Year trophy. He now has 10.5 more sacks than Watt. The nod must swing to Garrett.

With seven Pro Bowls, five All-Pros and those two DPOY trophies, Garrett will be known as a generational player with few modern-day equivalents.

2. S Troy Polamalu/Steelers (2003-14)

The Ed Reed versus Troy Polamalu debate will be timeless. Ravens fans will say Reed, Steelers Nation will argue Polamalu. Both were great at their crafts and held different roles. Reed, the range-less center fielder, and Polamalu, the impact hitter closer to the line. Both could wear the other hat well; Reed could hit and Polamalu could cover, but Reed gets the edge for reasons explained below.

It doesn’t take away from Polamalu’s greatness. A unique playing style combining elite athleticism and instincts, Polamalu flipped the switch from soft-spoken off the field to a menace on it. Eight Pro Bowls, four first-team All-Pros, one Defensive Player of the Year award and two Super Bowls. He made the impossible look effortless and routine.

His hard-hitting style was difficult on his body and his health was fleeting. He played a full season in only six of his 12 seasons. Still, a small blip for a player incomparable to anyone else in NFL history, let alone anything the AFC North has ever seen.

1. S Ed Reed/Ravens (2002-12)

It was a tough decision between Polamalu and Reed. Putting Garrett ahead of Watt and Reed above Polamalu won’t curry favor with Steelers fans reading this. Objectively, Reed had a more decorated career. More Pro Bowls. More All-Pros. More games started. A higher Approximate Value (127 versus 117). And Reed had only six fewer sacks and three fewer forced fumbles while nearly doubling Polamalu’s interception production. Reed wins out.

It’s only fitting Reed’s rookie year came in the North’s first season. The NFL may never see another ballhawk like him. He burst onto the scene with five interceptions in 2002 and made his first Pro Bowl and All-Pro team his sophomore season.

By 2004, Reed was a star. His nine interceptions led the NFL. With the ball in his hand, Reed knew what to do with it. During his Ravens tenure, he tallied nine touchdowns: seven on interceptions and two on fumbles. Three times he led the league in picks, and he could throw his weight around, too. Reed forced 11 fumbles throughout his career.

For perspective, Reed picked off 58 passes during his time with Baltimore. Over that same span, no Bengal player had more than 22, no Brown more than 14, and Troy Polamalu didn’t come close with his 30. Reed’s 1,541 interception yards with the Ravens nearly span a literal mile.

Final Thoughts

Among the top 20, here’s the final team count. For those who played for multiple AFC North teams, I counted the team they played for throughout the majority of their career.

Team Count

Pittsburgh Steelers: 8
Baltimore Ravens: 7
Cincinnati Bengals: 3
Cleveland Browns: 2

Pittsburgh takes the plurality but not the majority with eight. Baltimore is right behind. Cincinnati and Cleveland have just five combined, but again, the Browns have their two high atop this list.

It’d be fun to keep expanding this list out, and maybe I will in future years. A top 20 is a solid start with a worthwhile mix of players from the previous generation and the current one.

In another five years, what new names could crack the list? Browns CB Denzel Ward, Bengals QB Joe Burrow, Ravens S Kyle Hamilton and Steelers C Zach Frazier are all candidates.