All for Tennessee
Fansided

Top 10 NFL careers of Tennessee football O-Linemen

By Caleb Calhoun

Raleigh McKenzie #63, Guard and Center for the Washington Redskins during the American Football Conference West game against the San Diego Chargers on 21 September 1986 at the Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego, California, United States. The Redskins won the game 30 - 27. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Allsport/Getty Images)
Raleigh McKenzie #63, Guard and Center for the Washington Redskins during the American Football Conference West game against the San Diego Chargers on 21 September 1986 at the Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego, California, United States. The Redskins won the game 30 - 27. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Allsport/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
12 of 12
Next
Photo by Joseph Patronite/Getty Images
Photo by Joseph Patronite/Getty Images /

Raleigh McKenzie. 1. 839. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 1981-1984. Years in NFL: 16. player

Teams played for:

  • Washington Redskins, 1985-1994
  • Philadelphia Eagles, 1995-1996
  • San Diego Chargers, 1997-1998
  • Green Bay Packers, 1999-2000

Yes, the most famous player in the McKenzie family tops the list of Tennessee football offensive linemen. Raleigh McKenzie was never a Pro Bowler and didn’t earn any postseason honors in college. However, he was a model of consistency.

More from All for Tennessee

After spending four years with the Vols alongside his brother, Reggie McKenzie, he entered the pros in 1985 as an 11th round draft pick by the Washington Redskins. That year, he only appeared in six games. However, in 1986, the 6’2″ 290-pound blocker became a staple on Washington’s offensive line at right guard.

In 1987-1988, McKenzie blocked for his former teammate, Tony Robinson, in the legendary game against the Dallas Cowboys that inspired “The Replacements.” That same year, he led the Redskins to the Super Bowl Championship, as Doug Williams became the first African American quarterback in NFL history to win it.

McKenzie’s elite play then helped Washington to another Super Bowl in the 1990-1991 season. By the early 1990s, he began to alternate between guard and center, and after 10 years with Washington, he joined the Philadelphia Eagles in 1995. There, he helped the franchise move on from Randall Cunningham and Reggie White, making two straight playoff appearances.

Next. Vols' 10 luckiest wins of all time. dark

Over his final three seasons, McKenzie spent one with the San Diego Chargers and two with the Green Bay Packers. He appeared in 227 games and started in 184 of them. While White built a Hall-of-Fame career as a Vol on the other side of the trenches in the same time frame, McKenzie built a career as Tennessee football’s greatest offensive lineman ever in the pros.

For other posts ranking Tennessee football players at specific positions with the greatest NFL careers, please click here.

Home/Vols Football