Tim McDonald ranks in the all-time elite tier for defensive backs — a career that places McDonald in the top 10% of all players at the position. The Knox value model assigns McDonald a career score of 70, reflecting sustained impact that most players at the position never approach.

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Tim McDonald

6× Pro Bowl👑 Dynasty DNA · 12 seasons · 3 titles Top 10% all-time defensive backsIron Man🌅 Early Bloomer · 1989

Height6'2"

Weight

Career Value · VORP

164 career value over replacement — #563 all-time of 4,695. 13.7/season above a replacement-level S.

Draft OutcomeValue ↑

Pick #34 (Rd 2) · LA · 1987 · +15.2 vs expected KV-H

70actual

54.8 expected · Δ+15.2

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Combined Season Grid

Season totals or exact team stints. Career totals count each season once.

1 categories · One row per season · Scroll for all statistics

Season	Age	Team	G	GS	Defense
Season	Age	Team	G	GS	Tkl	Solo	Ast	TFL	QBHits	Sk	Dis	Int	PD	FF	FR	TD	Sfty
1987	22–23	STL	3	—	7	—	—	—	—	0.0	0.0	0	—	0	0	—	—
1988	23–24	ARI	15	—	115	—	—	—	—	2.0	2.0	2	—	4	1	—	—
1989	24–25	ARI	16	—	155	—	—	—	—	0.0	0.0	7	—	0	1	—	—
1990	25–26	ARI	16	—	114	—	—	—	—	0.0	0.0	4	—	1	1	—	—
1991	26–27	ARI	13	—	96	—	—	—	—	0.0	0.0	5	—	0	1	—	—
1992	27–28	ARI	16	—	107	—	—	—	—	0.5	0.5	2	—	1	3	—	—
1993	28–29	SF	15	—	91	—	—	—	—	0.0	0.0	3	—	0	1	—	—
1994	29–30	SF	16	—	72	67	—	—	—	0.0	0.0	2	—	1	1	—	—
1995	30–31	SF	16	—	75	61	—	—	—	0.0	0.0	4	—	0	0	—	—
1996	31–32	SF	16	—	98	81	—	—	—	1.0	1.0	2	—	0	1	—	—
1997	32–33	SF	15	—	62	51	—	—	—	0.0	0.0	3	—	0	3	—	—
1998	33–34	SF	16	—	78	68	—	—	—	4.0	4.0	4	—	0	2	—	—
1999	34–35	SF	16	—	61	44	17	5	1	2.0	8.0	2	4	1	1	0	0
Career		—	189	—	1,131	372	17	5	1	9.5	15.5	40	4	8	16	0	0

Career arc · VAL by season

12 seasons · peak 7.1 in 1989

VAL (Value Above League) measures each NFL season against that season's league; the dashed line is zero — a season that added nothing above the league's fringe. ● peak · ○ league-best season.

What he added · wins above replacement

3.2 career wins over 12 seasons · 1 win = 13.08 VAL

Best season · 1989 · +0.5 wins

Estimated from the season line (early era)

Defense

Season	Age	Team	G	GS	Tkl	Solo	Ast	TFL	QBHits	Sk	Dis	Int	PD	FF	FR	TD	Sfty	VAL
1987	22–23	STL	3	—	7	—	—	—	—	0.0	0.0	0	—	0	0	—	—	—
1988	23–24	ARI	15	—	115	—	—	—	—	2.0	2.0	2	—	4	1	—	—	3.2
1989	24–25	ARI	16	—	155	—	—	—	—	0.0	0.0	7	—	0	1	—	—	7.1
1990	25–26	ARI	16	—	114	—	—	—	—	0.0	0.0	4	—	1	1	—	—	4.5
1991	26–27	ARI	13	—	96	—	—	—	—	0.0	0.0	5	—	0	1	—	—	5.9
1992	27–28	ARI	16	—	107	—	—	—	—	0.5	0.5	2	—	1	3	—	—	1.5
1993	28–29	SF	15	—	91	—	—	—	—	0.0	0.0	3	—	0	1	—	—	3
1994	29–30	SF	16	—	72	67	—	—	—	0.0	0.0	2	—	1	1	—	—	1.2
1995	30–31	SF	16	—	75	61	—	—	—	0.0	0.0	4	—	0	0	—	—	4.3
1996	31–32	SF	16	—	98	81	—	—	—	1.0	1.0	2	—	0	1	—	—	1.9
1997	32–33	SF	15	—	62	51	—	—	—	0.0	0.0	3	—	0	3	—	—	2.3
1998	33–34	SF	16	—	78	68	—	—	—	4.0	4.0	4	—	0	2	—	—	5.7
1999	34–35	SF	16	—	61	44	17	5	1	2.0	8.0	2	4	1	1	0	0	0.6
Career			189		1,131	372	17	5	1	9.5	15.5	40	4	8	16	0	0	41.2

KV-H Anatomy

KV-H 70 · Great

A great career by KV-H: a peak-driven profile that scores 70 of 100, era-normalized against int/g peers across 12 scored seasons.

Sustained

career value

×.6

Peak

best 3 seasons

×.4

×1

Longevity

career length

Blend 66.8 × longevity 1 = KV-H 70· confidence 100%

What builds the career mark of 62

On-field 42.4

Availability 19.6

On-field production