Roman Phifer ranks in the all-time elite tier for linebackers — a career that places Phifer in the top 10% of all players at the position. The Knox value model assigns Phifer a career score of 69, reflecting sustained impact that most players at the position never approach.
Season totals or exact team stints. Career totals count each season once.
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Defense | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tkl | Solo | Ast | TFL | QBHits | Sk | Dis | Int | PD | FF | FR | TD | Sfty | |||||
| 1991 | 23 | LAR | 12 | — | 27 | 0 | — | — | — | 2.0 | 2.0 | — | 0 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1992 | 24 | LAR | 16 | — | 69 | 60 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1993 | 25 | LAR | 16 | — | 118 | 106 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 7 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1994 | 26 | LAR | 16 | — | 99 | 82 | — | — | — | 1.5 | 1.5 | 2 | 7 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1995 | 27 | STL | 16 | — | 115 | 87 | — | — | — | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3 | 12 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1996 | 28 | STL | 15 | — | 128 | 108 | — | — | — | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | 5 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1997 | 29 | STL | 16 | — | 76 | 58 | — | — | — | 2.0 | 2.0 | — | 6 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1998 | 30 | STL | 13 | — | 72 | 59 | — | — | — | 6.5 | 6.5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1999 | 31 | NYJ | 15 | — | 37 | 24 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 4.5 | 12.5 | 2 | 5 | 3 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 | 32 | NYJ | 16 | — | 35 | 22 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 4.0 | 14.0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 | 33 | NE | 16 | — | 74 | 53 | 21 | 9 | 2 | 2.0 | 13.0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | 34 | NE | 14 | — | 82 | 42 | 40 | 4 | 1 | 0.5 | 5.5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 35 | NE | 16 | — | 77 | 44 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | 36 | NE | 13 | — | 25 | 15 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | — | 210 | — | 1,034 | 760 | 130 | 23 | 11 | 29.0 | 63.0 | 11 | 66 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 0 | |
Career Value · VORP
219 career value over replacement — #325 all-time of 4,695. 15.6/season above a replacement-level LB.
Pick #31 (Rd 2) · LA · 1991 · +14.2 vs expected KV-H
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Rate Roman Phifer — All-Time
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A high-end linebacker defined as much by exceptional availability — almost never missed time as by their on-field impact (top 10% all-time). Coaches and teammates could count on them being available.
Worth 219 points of value above a freely-available replacement linebacker — top 8% of all 4,695 ranked at the position. 13 of 14 seasons cleared the replacement bar, by +16.8 on average.See board →
Seasons above replacement
13 seasons × ~16.8 surplus ≈ VORP 219
Eddie Robinson
OLB
88% match