Two NFL greats will help headline CBS Sports' coverage of the 2024 season on "NFL on CBS" in longtime Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and former Houston Texans pass rusher J.J. Watt. But first, they've teamed up to take a look back at other legends of the game, building all-star lineups of the 2010s and beyond.
Ryan handled offense, and Watt handled defense, and in the end, the all-timers ended up with these squads, which happened to include a few of their former teammates:
| Team Matt Ryan | Team JJ Watt |
|---|---|
QB Tom Brady | DE JJ Watt |
RB Adrian Peterson | DT Aaron Donald |
WR Calvin Johnson | DT Ndamukong Suh |
WR Julio Jones | DE T.J. Watt |
TE Rob Gronkowski | LB Patrick Willis |
TE Travis Kelce | LB Luke Kuechly |
LT Joe Thomas | LB Fred Warner |
LG Brandon Brooks | CB Darrelle Revis |
C Jason Kelce | S Ed Reed |
RG Marshal Yanda | S Troy Polamalu |
RT Trent Williams | CB Stephon Gilmore |
Ryan, it should be noted, moved several players from their normal positions, particularly up front: Brandon Brooks played right guard for the Texans and Philadelphia Eagles, though Watt recommended his inclusion as a partner for Jason Kelce. Trent Williams, meanwhile, has only played left tackle for Washington and the San Francisco 49ers.
Which squad would prevail in a head-to-head matchup? Ryan thinks the run game would be a "push" given the talent at linebacker in Watt's base defense; Watt admitted he also considered Bobby Wagner there. The defense might have the edge disrupting pass protection. But both guys seemed to agree that Ryan's perimeter pass catchers would be tough to cover, even considering the shutdown coverage ability of Watt's corners: "Covering Megatron three on one is tough," Watt joked.