Best All-time Football Players from Connecticut

While Connecticut doesn't have the kind of football tradition of a state like Texas, it has still produced its share of great players. Two Connecticut players have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

Here's a look at some of the all-time best football players from Connecticut.

Andy Robustelli

The Stamford, Connecticut native played 14 years in the NFL after being drafted in the 19^th round out of little-known Arnold College. But he was a stand-out defensive end in five years with the Rams and nine more with the New York Giants. Robustelli played a key role in what came to be called "The Greatest Game Ever Played," when the Giants lost to the Baltimore Colts in sudden-death overtime in the 1958 NFL Championship game. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1971.

Steve Young

While not born in Connecticut, Young played high school ball in Greenwich, Connecticut before attending the college named for his great-great-great grandfather, Brigham Young. Second in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1982, Young signed a $40 million contract with the USFL. After two lackluster seasons at Tampa Bay and four more as back-up to Joe Montana in San Francisco, Young became a starter. He teamed with Jerry Rice in the best passing duo of all time, and won six NFL passing titles. He threw six TD passes and was named MVP of Super Bowl XXIX.

Beyond the two Hall of Famers, there are a number of Connecicut natives who made their mark in pro football.

Floyd Little

A native of New Haven, Connecticut, Little had a stand out career at Syracuse, then was a first-round draft pick of the Denver Broncos. Little went on to be a five-time Pro Bowl player during his nine-year career, and retired as the 7^th leading rusher in NFL history. He was the first Bronco player ever to have his number (44) retired.

Eugene Robinson

The Hartford, Connecticut native played his college ball at Colgate, then went on to a 16-year career in the NFL, including three straight Super Bowl appearances, and a win with the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXI. The free safety started his career with an 11-year stint in Seattle before moving on the Packers, Atlanta and Carolina. He was selected to the Pro Bowl three times.

Bill Romanowski

Born in Vernon, Connecticut and a star for Rockville High School, Romanowski played 16 years in the NFL, including a record 243 straight starts at linebacker. The only linebacker to start five Super Bowls, he won four times - twice with San Francisco and twice with Denver. After his career, he became an actor and wrote a best-selling memoir, but also was caught up in the BALCO steroid scandal and admitted to "60 Minutes" that he used both steroids and human growth hormones during his career.