Yes, we did an NFL Half-Decade Team last year, but if you’re a strict follower of the Gregorian calendar, we’re technically only halfway through the decade now. If you’re not a strict follower, consider this an update.
In any case, the NFL in the 2020s has already featured quarterback brilliance, record-shattering receiver play and iconic postseason thrillers. Over the past six seasons, legends such as Tom Brady have retired, current stars like Josh Allen are leaving their mark and new stars such as Bijan Robinson are emerging.
But who’s been the best of the best since the start of the decade?
Here’s my 2020s NFL Half-Decade Team:
OFFENSE
Quarterback
Yes, Mahomes’ numbers have regressed the past few seasons, but that’s due in large part to a worsening supporting cast at wide receiver. Though other quarterbacks have posted more impressive numbers recently, when you combine individual and team success, Mahomes remains the gold standard at the quarterback position post-Tom Brady.
Since 2020, Mahomes has led the Chiefs to four Super Bowl appearances (three of which came in a row, from 2022-24), including back-to-back victories. Only one other quarterback, Jalen Hurts, has more than one Super Bowl appearance in that span.
Mahomes’ best season of the decade so far came in 2022, when he led the league in passing yards, passing touchdowns and passing TD rate and won his second career MVP award.
Running Back
Henry has been the NFL’s most consistently dominant running back over the last six seasons, rushing for at least 1,100 yards five times. And the one season he didn’t (2021), he missed nine games due to injury — and still rushed for more than 900 yards.
A five-time Pro Bowler, Henry in 2020 became the eighth player in league history to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season. He came close again in 2024, rushing for 1,921 yards in his first season with the Ravens after eight years with the Tennessee Titans. The 32-year-old has reached double-digit rushing TDs in eight consecutive years.
Wide Receivers
Since 2020, no wide receiver has more combined first- and second-team AP All-Pro nods than Jefferson (4), whose numbers have been impacted recently by the Vikings’ instability at quarterback. But Jefferson has still produced six straight 1,000-yard seasons to start his career.
His LSU teammate, the Bengals’ Chase, is one of the NFL’s most dominant players. Chase leads the NFL with 360 targets over the past two seasons, a span in which he’s caught 252 passes for 3,120 yards and 25 touchdowns. The former fifth overall pick won the league’s receiving triple crown in 2024.
Adams is one of two receivers with three first-team All-Pro nods since 2020 (the other is Tyreek Hill), and the 33-year-old has become a highly effective WR2 in recent years. Last season with the Rams, he led the NFL with 14 receiving touchdowns.
Former college teammates Justin Jefferson (18) and Ja’Marr Chase (1) have taken the NFL by storm in the 2020s. (Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Tight End
The 36-year-old Kelce, entering what could be his final NFL season, leads all tight ends with two first-team All-Pro nods over the past six seasons. He’s been a diminished version of himself in recent years, but he still hasn’t had fewer than 800 receiving yards in any season since his rookie year in 2013, when he appeared in just one game.
An 11-time Pro Bowler, Kelce began the 2020s with a career-high 1,416 receiving yards and followed that with two more seasons of 1,100-plus receiving yards.
Left Tackles
Williams has been the gold standard for left tackles in the 2020s to this point, earning three first-team All-Pro nods (2021-23) and a second-team selection last season.
Thuney, who has starred for three teams over the past six years (Patriots, Chiefs, Bears), leads all left guards with three first-team All-Pro selections in the past half decade, all coming since 2023.
Joe Thuney talks about winning the inaugural Protector of the Year award during NFL Honors in February. (Photo by Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Center
The Chiefs’ Creed Humphrey has a strong case here, but Kelce leads all centers with three first-team All-Pro selections since 2020, despite the fact that he’s been retired for two years. Kelce was named to five straight Pro Bowls to close out his career.
Right Guard
Martin retired after the 2024 season, but he still paces right guards with three first-team All-Pro selections in the decade to this point.
Right Tackle
The Eagles’ Lane Johnson is in the conversation, but Sewell has been the league’s most dominant right tackle since being drafted No. 7 overall in 2021. He has been named a first-team All-Pro three straight seasons and a Pro Bowler in four consecutive years.
DEFENSE
Edge Rushers
Since 2020, no edge rushers have more first-team All-Pro selections than Garrett and Watt, who have five and three nods, respectively.
Traded from the Browns to the Rams in a blockbuster deal this offseason, the 30-year-old Garrett registered 23.0 sacks last season, setting a single-season NFL record. The 31-year-old Watt has led the NFL in sacks three times over the past six seasons, including a career-high 22.5 in 2021.
Interior Defensive Linemen
Arguably the best defensive tackle in modern NFL history, Donald has been retired the past two seasons (though he has hinted at a 2026 return). He was still in peak form for his four seasons in the 2020s, winning his third Defensive Player of the Year award and being named a first-team All-Pro three times.
Jones’ pass-rush production has dipped the last couple of seasons, but he has the best résumé in the past half decade among players at his position not named Donald. The Chiefs star made first- or second-team All-Pro every season from 2020-24, and he has 54.5 sacks over the past six years.
Inside Linebackers
Warner and Smith lead all inside linebackers with four and three first-team All-Pro selections since the start of 2020, respectively.
Before missing 11 games last season due to injury, Warner made four All-Pro teams in the previous five seasons, recording at least 125 tackles each year and totaling 38 pass breakups. Smith has been a first- or second-team All-Pro five times since 2020, and he has recorded at least 130 tackles in six straight years.
Cornerbacks
Surtain, a two-time first-team All-Pro, is the only cornerback to claim a Defensive Player of the Year award since 2020. In his award-winning season of 2024, the four-time Pro Bowler amassed a league-high 132 yards returned off interceptions.
The Texans’ Derek Stingley wins the recency debate here and the Colts’ Sauce Gardner was exceptional at the start of his career (2022-23), but Ramsey gets the second outside cornerback spot. He hit his prime at the start of the 2020s — he earned back-to-back first-team All-Pro selections in 2020 and ‘21 – and has remained an effective player in his early 30s playing more at safety.
Star corner Surtain turned receiver in 2024 when he got his hands on the football. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Nickelback
An electrifying slot-safety hybrid, James has received an All-Pro nod as slot cornerback twice in the three years the position has been on the AP ballot, leading all players.
Safeties
Since 2020, Hamilton is the only safety with two first-team All-Pro nods. Baltimore’s 2022 first-round pick, one of the NFL’s most versatile defenders, has recorded at least nine pass breakups in three consecutive seasons.
Baker has arguably been the league’s most consistently excellent safety over the last half decade, despite playing for bad Cardinals teams for most of his career. The 2017 second-round pick has been named to seven straight Pro Bowls.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Special Teamer
Gray played just five games last season between two teams, the Broncos and Buccaneers, but he made three All-Pro teams between 2019-24 with the Saints (first team in 2021) as a core special teamer. That’s not bad for an undrafted free agent out of Mississippi State in 2018.
J.T. Gray (48) forces a fumble by Bengals punt returner Trent Taylor on Oct. 16, 2022, in New Orleans. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Punter
Cole is the only punter with two first-team All-Pro selections in the 2020s. His 48.5 yards per punt career average is the highest in NFL history.
Placekicker
The Cowboys’ Brandon Aubrey has an argument here in a small sample size (2023-25), but Tucker gets the edge. The former Ravens kicker was named to three All-Pro teams and four Pro Bowls between 2020-23.
Punt Returner
Jones has been named to two All-Pro teams since 2022. His 14.3 yards per punt return career average is the highest in league history.
Marcus Jones returned two punts for touchdowns last season, including this 94-yarder vs. the Giants in December. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
Kick Returner
Nixon was a Pro Bowl cornerback last season, but he was a dominant kick returner earlier in the decade. He earned back-to-back first-team All-Pro nods in 2020 and 2021 after leading the NFL in both kick returns and kick return yardage.
Long Snapper
The 38-year-old DePaola has made four consecutive All-Pro teams (two first team, two second team). He’s the only long snapper with that many All-Pro nods since the start of 2020s.
