It wasn't just one moment that defined the toughness and often over-the-top defensive contact exuded by the legendary Dick "Night Train" Lane. During this Hall-of-Fame career, Lane, who starred for the Los Angeles Rams, Chicago Cardinals, and Detroit Lions, was known for his brutal tackling, highlighted by clotheslining ball carriers or bringing them down with the face mask. Then there was the "Night Train Necktie," which featured his forearm to the opponent's neck, essentially putting him in a headlock on the way to the ground.

This infamous contest between the New York Jets and Oakland Raiders is best known for NBC breaking away late in the game to air the movie Heidi, causing East Coast audiences to miss the Raiders' remarkable comeback win. It was also one of the most physical games in NFL history. Notably, the beating taken by Jets star quarterback Joe Namath, who had his helmet knocked off and jaw broken from a severe right-handed blow by Oakland's Ben Davidson. Namath, though, never left the game.

Joe "Turkey" Jones, of the Cleveland Browns, is a name unlikely to be familiar even to the most serious football fans. However, the defensive end is infamous not just for not sacking Pittsburgh legend Terry Bradshaw during this particular contest, but for picking him up and essentially slamming him to the ground on his head. Jones was issued a 15-yard penalty, and Bradshaw sustained a concussion while also lying motionless on the ground for a bit.

Technically, this was not an illegal hit. But Oakland Raiders legend Jack Tatum, nicknamed "Assassin," never passed up an opportunity to lay the wood on an opponent. Even during a preseason game, such as this from 1978, when he delivered a devastating hit to the front of the head and neck of New England receiver Darryl Stingley. The impact compressed Stingley’s spinal cord,  fracturing his fourth and fifth cervical vertebrae, and left him paralyzed from the neck down. Tatum never officially apologized for the hit, but Stingley publicly forgave him prior to the receiver's 2007 death.

During the 1982 playoff divisional round, the Los Angeles Raiders were upset by the New York Jets, 17-14. It was an all-around bad day for the Silver and Black. And, Raiders defensive lineman Lyle Alzado, known for his volatile nature on the field, took out his frustration by ripping off the helmet of Jets offensive lineman Chris Ward and throwing it toward him. Alzado was penalized, but not ejected. 

The rivalry between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers has always been spirited. But during the 1985 season, Chicago was en route to a Super Bowl triumph, while Green Bay was a middling squad that needed to resort to late hits to gain headlines. On this day, rookie Packers defensive back Ken Stills laid out Bears fullback Matt Suhey, a bystander on Walter Payton's carry, just as the whistle was blown. Stills was whistled for a personal foul. In the same game, fellow Green Bay defender Mark Lee pushed Payton well into the Bears' sideline and over the bench, also drawing a personal foul penalty. The Bears got the last laugh, though, winning 16-10.

Back in 1985, helmet-to-helmet contact was a regular part of the game. That's not the case today, and Tampa Bay's Scott Brantley might even have been kicked out of the game in the NFL of 2026 for lowering his helmet into the facemask of scrabbling Detroit Eric Hipple, whose own helmet came flying off. The veteran quarterback was dazed and left the game, but eventually returned. 

Dirty play isn't relegated to the regular season. During this preseason contest between the reigning Super Bowl champion Chicago Bears and St. Louis Cardinals, William "The Refrigerator" Perry didn't just settle for a normal sack of visiting quarterback Neil Lomax; instead, he picked him up and essentially suplexed him to the ground. While that was a memorable moment, the game is most infamous for several fights between the two teams and 51 fines handed out. 

To this day, late Green Bay defensive end Charles Martin remains Public Enemy No. 1 to Chicago Bears fans. During this particular matchup in the storied rivalry, the Bears were 10-2 and Packer 2-10. Chicago's Jim McMahon threw an interception, and several seconds after he let go of the ball, Martin, sporting a "hit list" of Bears player numbers on his towel, body slammed the star quarterback, shoulder-first, to the Soldier Field turf. The same shoulder was already injured for McMahon, who didn't play again that season and was essentially never the same in terms of elite caliber. Martin was immediately ejected by veteran referee Jerry Markbreit. Martin initially would not comply until Markbreit stated,  "I looked at him and, tongue-in-cheek, I said, ‘If you don't come with me, I'm going to let the Bears kill you.' He said, ‘Let's go.'"

Bill Romanowski was a talented, hard-nosed linebacker. He also had no problem breaking rules and riling up opponents. Two infamous occasions stand out. During a 1995 game against the Arizona Cardinals, Romanowski, playing for Philadelphia, decided it would be smart to kick opposing fullback Larry Centers in the head. The move cost Romanowski a fine of $4,5000. Two seasons later, while with Denver, and facing San Francisco on Monday Night Football, Romanowski spat in the face of 49ers receiver J.J. Stokes, who got into it with him after claiming his groin was pulled on by the two-time Pro Bowler and four-time Super Bowl champion.

Rodney Harrison was one of the hardest-hitting defensive backs in the history of the NFL. He also had no problem testing the boundaries of dirty play during his Pro Bowl career. Like this 2002 contest against the Raiders, when Harrison, then playing for the San Diego Chargers, was suspended for one game due to a hit, deemed helmet-to-helmet, on Hall-of-Fame receiver Jerry Rice. Harrison and the Chargers brass felt he led with his forearm, which didn't make much difference, since he still made contact with Rice's helmet.

It remains one of the most egregious and sickening displays of unsportsmanlike conduct in NFL history. During this contest between Dallas and Tennessee, the latter's Albert Haynesworth felt it was necessary to rip the helmet off opposing offensive lineman Andre Gurode, while the Cowboy was on the ground amid a pile of players. However, Haynesworth's stupidity wasn't done, as he then stomped on the top of Gurode's head. The Cowboys' center needed several stitches to close up the severe gash. Haynesworth was suspended for five games without pay.

Pittsburgh's James Harrison was a fierce defender. However, during this 2010 contest against the rival Cleveland Browns, Harrison got a bit carried away when he delivered a front-on, helmet-to-helmet hit on Browns receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, who was obviously in a defenseless position trying to catch a cross-route pass. Massaquoi, woozy after getting to his feet, was left with a concussion. Harrison, meanwhile, received a $75,000 fine from the NFL.

This won't be the first time we hear from Ndamukong Suh, one of the best defensive linemen to play the game, but also a defender who didn't mind testing the boundaries of fair play. Like on Thanksgiving Day 2011, when the Detroit Lions star pushed the head of Green Bay offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith into the ground several times, then stomped on his arm. All with the officials looking on. Suh was rightfully kicked out of the game, then slapped with a two-game suspension by the NFL.

Talented Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing dealt with various injuries throughout an NFL career that lasted nine seasons. In 2012, his season ended after five games due to a cut-block by New York Jets offensive lineman Matt Slauson. Cushing tore his ACL, and Slauson was fined $10,000 for the play. Some football analysts believe that injury hindered Cushing throughout his career.

On Thanksgiving Day 2012 (one year removed from his aforementioned infraction), the Detroit Lions hosted the Houston Texans. During the first quarter of the contest, Texans quarterback Matt Schaub took a kick to the groin by the aforementioned Ndamukong Suh, who did so after being brought to the ground by a Houston lineman. Though Suh claimed there was no malicious intent (even if it looked like he purposely thrust his foot into Schaub), he was fined $30,000 by the NFL.

We promise, this is the last mention of Ndamukong Suh on our list. But during the 2013 season opener, Suh delivered an unnecessarily chop on Vikings center John Sullivan during an interception return for a touchdown that was called back due to the penalty. Suh was slapped with a $100,000 fine, the largest in the league at the time, for an on-field infraction. 

Antonio Brown has had his fair share of issues on and off the field. One of his more memorable on-field antics came during this 2014 season opener at Cleveland, when Pittsburgh's Brown was amid a solid punt return when he decided to avoid a tackle by jump-kicking punter Spencer Lanning. Brown was whistled for an obvious 15-yard penalty on the play.

In one of the more bone-headed moments in NFL history, Denver defensive back Aqib Talib earned a 15-yard penalty for poking the eye of Indianapolis tight end Dwayne Allen, who was jawing with the Broncos' Von Miller. Talib had no business even being involved, and earned a one-game suspension for the incident. And, the Broncos lost the game.

OK. Here's a case in which the aforementioned Antonio Brown was the victim of one of the most viciously illegal hits of all time. The perpetrator: Cincinnati linebacker Vontaze Burfict, who, in the waning seconds of the AFC Wild Card game of the 2015 season, laid a vicious helmet-to-helmet hit on Brown. The latter suffered a severe concussion, and Burfict, who showed no remorse, was suspended for the first three games of the 2016 season after the 15-yard penalty assessed in the play led to Chris Boswell's game-winning field goal for the Steelers.

Rob Gronkowski is one of the great tight ends in NFL history and a true character of the game. However, he seemed to lose it during this 2017 contest at Buffalo. The famed New England tight end lost it when he dove, shoulder-first, into the Bills' Tre'Davious White, who was already out of bounds following his interception. Gronkowski was suspended one game without pay for the obvious late hit.

Cleveland's Myles Garrett is the greatest quarterback sack master of all time, but he certainly lost his cool during this 2019 game against the rival Steelers. After hitting Pittsburgh quarterback Mason Rudolph on a pass attempt, the two tangled. While Rudolph was not happy with the way he was brought down, Garrett responded by ripping the Steelers' helmet off, then swinging it onto his head. Garrett claimed Rudolph hurled a racial slur during the incident, but the star defensive end was suspended for the final six games of the 2019 season and fined more than $45,000.