The most notable father-son stars in NFL history

Robert Jones was a standout linebacker who won three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys during the early 1990s. He also played for St. Louis, Miami and Washington, all while totaling 755 tackles during his 10-season NFL career. His son Zay has also made a good living in the NFL. Currently with Jacksonville in his seventh NFL season, Zay Jones has caught more than 260 passes for better than 2,700 yards and 18 touchdowns. Zay's brother Vi, who was not drafted, did spend time with the Seattle Seahawks in 2022. 

Ferrell Edmunds might not be a household name to the casual fan of NFL history. However, he caught 148 passes and 12 touchdowns while playing tight end for Miami and Seattle from 1988-94. His three sons have also enjoyed various levels of success in the NFL. While Trey carried the ball 31 times with New Orleans and Pittsburgh from 2018-21, his brother Terrell has racked up roughly 300 solo tackles and five interceptions (as of November 2023) as a safety for Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Tennessee. Finally, Tremaine might be the most successful of them all. In his sixth NFL campaign, now with the Chicago Bears, the talented linebacker has started every game he's played, is a two-time Pro Bowler and recorded more than six sacks and 600 total tackles.

A Pro Bowler in 1990 with Denver, Bobby Humphrey played just 51 games during parts of four seasons in the NFL. However, he was a versatile threat while rushing for 2,857 yards and catching 100 passes. Marlon, who followed in his father's footsteps as a star at Alabama, was the No. 16 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. As of 2023, Humphrey was a three-time Pro Bowl selection for being one of the league's top defensive backs. In 2019, Marlon earned first-team All-Pro honors while intercepting three passes, breaking up 14 passes and recording 65 tackles.

One of the great linebackers in NFL history, father Clay made 1,561 tackles during his 19 NFL seasons, which began in 1978, and featured all but three of them in Cleveland. A three-time, first-team All-Pro, Matthews was also named to four Pro Bowls. Son Clay III also enjoyed an All-Pro career while playing 10 of his 11 seasons (2009-19) in Green Bay, With the Packers, the younger Clay recorded more than 500 tackles, was named to six Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl. Casey, meanwhile, played four seasons with Philadelphia from 2011-14 following a standout career at Oregon.

The elder Surtain roamed the secondary with Miami and Kansas City for parts of 11 seasons (1998-2008). As one of the league's top lockdown corners and a three-time Pro Bowl pick, Patrick Surtain recorded 37 career interceptions and broke up 114 passes. His son of the same name was the ninth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and has been a lineup staple for the Denver Broncos. The younger Surtain, who had seven interceptions in his first 41 NFL games, earned his first Pro Bowl nod and first-team All-Pro selection in 2022.

Pop Tony is one of the all-time greats on both the college and pro level: Heisman Trophy winner, NFL Rookie of the Year (1976), Pro Football Hall of Famer and Super Bowl champion. In 12 NFL seasons, and all but one with Dallas, Dorsett rushed for 12,739 yards and 77 touchdowns. His son Anthony, meanwhile, enjoyed an eight-season NFL career as a solid defensive back, who recorded 290 tackles, played in Super Bowl XXXIV for Tennessee and posted his two best seasons with the Oakland Raiders in 2001 and '02.

The versatile Mosi Tatupu played parts of the 14 seasons in the NFL — all but one with New England — and was named a Pro Bowler in 1986. Though Tatupu rushed for 2,415 yards with 18 touchdowns during that respectable career, he was also one fine special-teams performer, especially when on coverage units. Lofa Tatupu's pro career did not last as long as his father's but featured three Pro Bowl nods, while recording more than 550 tackles, across six seasons. Lofa also registered 8 1/2 sacks and intercepted 10 passes. 

A six-season NFL veteran, Terry Metcalf played five of them with the St. Louis Cardinals during the 1970s. A versatile performer, Metcalf totaled 3,498 rushing yards and 2,457 receiving yards. Meanwhile, Eric Metcalf proved to be one of the great return men in NFL history during his 13-year NFL career, which featured stops with seven teams. Eric, who averaged 9.8 yard per punt return with 10 touchdowns and 20.8 yards on kickoff returns with two scores, also totaled 5,572 receiving yards and 2,392 on the ground. He was a two-time first-team All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler. 

One of the best defenders of all time, Lott won four Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers, was an eight-time All-Pro and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame after totaling 1,146 tackles, 63 interceptions and 16 forced fumbles. However, there are plenty of NFL fans who do not know that Nece is his Lott's son. Nece was given his mother's maiden name, as to not feel pressure growing up as the son of an NFL legend. Though Nece never enjoyed near the same individual success as his dad, he was a serviceable NFL linebacker for seven seasons (2002-08), recorded more than 230 tackles and won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, making Nece and the Lott the second father-son duo to each win a Super Bowl.

Known as "Ironhead," Craig Heyward and his 250-pound frame were a load to bring down during his 11-season NFL career. The Pro Bowler rushed for 4,301 yards and a career average of 4.2 yards per carry. Craig's son Cameron, however, has starred on the other side of the ball as a three-time, first-team All Pro defensive tackle with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Still active after breaking into the league with Pittsburgh in 2011, Cameron Heyward has registered more than 78 sacks and 380 solo tackles. As of 2023, tight end Connor was also a on the Steelers roster, in his second season.

Most NFL fans might not know just how good of a defensive back Gene Atkins was while playing for New Orleans and Miami from 1987-96. He recorded 25 interceptions and nearly 500 tackles. However, he paid a price as numerous head injuries during his playing days could have possibly caused early onset dementia in the celebrated defensive back. Son Geno made his money on the defensive side, playing for the Cincinnati Bengals from 2010-20. Geno, an eight-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro, totaled more than 380 tackles and 75 1/2 sacks.

One of the more underrated tight ends in the game, Steve Jordan caught nearly 500 passes for more than 6,300 yards with 28 touchdowns during an NFL career that spanned 13 seasons (1982-94), all with the Minnesota Vikings. He was named to six Pro Bowls and is a member of the Vikings Ring of Honor. Fast forward, and son Cameron continues to excel as one of the game's top defensive ends with the New Orleans Saints since breaking in with them in 2011. Entering the 2023 season, Jordan totaled 115 1/2 sacks (most in franchise history) and earned eight Pro Bowl nods.

Don Hasselbeck was not a flashy tight end, but certainly dependable during most of his nine-year NFL career (1977-83) mostly spent with the New England Patriots. Hasselbeck recorded 107 receptions for 1,542 yards and 18 touchdowns, and also won a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Raiders to cap the 1983 season. However, it was son Matt who enjoyed the most individual NFL success in the family. He played 17 seasons, beginning as a backup, then a regular starter with Seattle, from 2001-10. Matt threw for more than 36,600 yards with 212 touchdowns, and made three Pro Bowls while also starting Super Bowl XL for the Seahawks. Finally, Tim Hasselbeck spent parts of four seasons in the NFL, spanning 2002-07, with four teams. He played a total of 13 games, with all five starts coming for Washington in 2003.

When talking the first father-son duo to each win a Super Bowl, the football-throwing Grieses would be the correct answer. Bob Griese led Miami to victories in Super Bowls VII and VIII, the first of which was the legendary undefeated team of 1972. The Pro Football Hall of Famer threw for more than 25,000 yards with 192 touchdowns during a 14-year career — spanning both the AFL and NFL — all spent with the Dolphins. Brian, meanwhile, played 11 seasons in the NFL (1998-2008). Though his ring came as John Elway's backup with Denver from Super Bowl XXXIII, Brian earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2000, and threw for more than 19,400 yards with 119 touchdowns in 93 career games, 83 as a starter with four different teams.

Pop Joe made his way into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, notably for being a member of the Jets' famed "New York Sack Exchange," along with Mark Gastineau, Marty Lyons and Abdul Salaam during the 1980s. He's also a two-time, first-team All-Pro, made four Pro Bowl teams and was the NFL sacks leader in 1981. Son Dan, though, did something his dad never could: win a Super Bowl. In fact, the respected defensive lineman won three: two with New England (XXXVIII, XXXIX) and one as a member of the Indianapolis Colts (XLI). 

Chris and Kyle Long never enjoyed the same level of individual NFL success as their legendary pop Howie, a three-time, first-team All-Pro, Super Bowl champ and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee while playing 13 seasons for the Raiders organization. However, most athletes would love to have their careers. Chris was a standout defenseman lineman at Virginia, then played 11 seasons in the NFL, notably with the Rams. But he won Super Bowls in back-to-back seasons (2016, '17) with New England and Philadelphia, respectively. Kyle Long was named to three straight Pro Bowls with the Chicago Bears from 2013-15.

Quite the offensive duo, no doubt. It started with wide receiver Ed, who played parts of 13 seasons (1991-2003), first with the New York Giants, then mostly with Denver, where he won two of his three Super Bowls. For his career, the All-Pro caught 565 passes and 55 touchdowns. Now, son Christian is one of the current greats in the NFL. In his seventh season (2023), McCaffrey has already rushed for more than 5,300 yards and caught better than 470 passes. Plus, he's also topped his old man by twice being named a first-team All-Pro.

The relationship between this father and son has not been all pleasant, notably for Mark Sr.'s various run-ins with the law. Before serving time for money laundering and bank fraud in the during the first decade of the 2000s, Mark Sr. caught 265 passes for 3,926 yards and 26 touchdowns during parts of 10 NFL seasons (1987-96), and won a Super Bowl with the New York Giants. The younger Ingram was much more accomplished, at least on the individual front. During the 2009 college football season, Ingram II won the Heisman Trophy and a BCS national championship at Alabama. He then rushed for more than 8,100 yards with 65 touchdowns during a 12-year NFL career, mostly with New Orleans, which featured three Pro Bowl nods. 

Between father Jackie and son Matthew, the Slaters have 17 Pro Bowl selections between them. Jackie was a Hall of Fame offensive lineman, who played 20 NFL seasons (1976-95), all with the Rams franchise. He was seven-time Pro Bowler and his No. 78 was retired by the Rams. Matthew, meanwhile, will down as one of the great special-teams performers in NFL history, and, as of 2023, was still going strong since debuting in 2008. Matthew perfected the role of gunner, is a five-time first-team All-Pro pick, 10-time Pro Bowler (an NFL record for a special-teams player) and has won three Super Bowls with the New England Patriots. 

Not too difficult figuring out who would top this list. The Manning family of quarterbacks is beyond legendary. It began with dad Archie, a College Football Hall of Famer, who was also a two-time NFL Pro Bowler while starring for the New Orleans Saints during the 1970s. Meanwhile, son Peyton was a five-time NFL MVP, 14-time Pro Bowler and won Super Bowls with Indianapolis and Denver, while considered one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever the play the game. Finally, youngest son Eli also has two Super Bowl rings, with the New York Giants, and was named to the Pro Bowl four times.