Perhaps it has something to do with the era during which Tomlinson played, but that L.T. Frank Ryan, QB, Browns. Passing wasn't really their thing. Jackson finished his career with 11,438 rushing yards (18th all-time) and 15,121 total scrimmage yards (21st all-time). The AFL was an eight- to 10-team league, so All-Pro selections were easier to come by. McDole was known as "The Dancing Bear" because of his nimble feet, one of the coolest nicknames ever. A fresh take on sports: the biggest news and most entertaining lists. Krieg was a career overachiever who survived 19 seasons on modest talent with defense-driven teams. No modern coach suppressed passing offenses quite like Fisher, and no team produces offensive stats that look like they come from the early 1930s quite like the Ravens. For years, the team couldn't even harken back to its glory days properly, as Smith's Pride of the Jaguars induction was delayed until he was sober and no longer under house arrest. Joyner, who was beloved by supporters of the Philadelphia Eagles, is a member of the NFL 20/20 club for interceptions and sacks. The converted all-purpose athlete became one of the fathers of modern quarterbacking. Ryan made three Pro Bowls, but All-Pro status was blocked by a couple of guys named Johnny Unitas and Bart Starr. Hull never lived to see himself make a Hall of Fame semifinalist list, as he died of liver failure at age 50 in 2011. The weekend opened with the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks. Former head coach Jim Mora has referred to Mills as the best player I ever coached. Along with being a talented defensive player, Mills was also respected for being one of the smartest defenders on the field during his career. Teams: Washington Redskins, Denver Broncos, Super Bowl championships: Three (1991, 1997, 1998). WebThe 2023 wide receiver class is one of the worst in recent memory, but there are some solid options on Day 2 for teams searching for complementary players. He has been named to eight Pro Bowl squads. He didnt just take up space, either. C'mon, who doesn't love Darren Sproles and Mike Tolbert? His teams averaged 392.0 yards and 34.0 points in those games. Young started his career as the NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year and ended it as a four-time winner of the Len Eshmont Award, the 49ers' team award for character and leadership. Web#shorts #viral #dunk #edit #fyp #nfl #sports #sportsedits He picked off a dozen passes in his career two of them at 38 years of age an absurd number for a 6-foot-4, 265-pound lineman. Robinson is a staple of Hall of Fame Snubs lists, and he certainly has his case. It's better to be remembered for one of the most painful moments in your career than to not be remembered at all. Reed was an offensive weapon that you hated to see going up against your favorite team because you knew that he was potentially a moment away from breaking for a game-changing play. That's a higher sack total than Dwight Freeney or Robert Mathis. Hudson, a two-time NFL MVP, was the dominant receiver in the league at a time when passing attacks were nothing near what they are in the modern game. It takes bad timing and bad luck. Teams: New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Pro Bowl appearances: Four (1979, 1980, 1986, 1987). Hull started his professional career with the USFL's New Jersey Generals, where he helped Herschel Walker rush for 2,411 yards in one 18-game season. Not one of the Jim Harbaugh-era guys. Despite his incredibly high waist seriously, check out his build Kelvin Beachum has been one of the most underrated tackles in the NFL. Is it at all possible that any of these legends of the game could possibly also be some of the most underrated players in NFL history? And no Hall of Famers allowed. No reasonable person is going to confuse Ottis Anderson for being one of the top-five running backs in the history of the NFL, but he is nevertheless grossly underrated by far too many who follow the NFL. He was an All-Pro for the Orange Crush defenses of the 1970s, and then he stuck around to play for the 1986 Broncos Super Bowl team. Two 10-interception seasons, with 57 career interceptions. Dont know about you, but I want Mason on my retro fantasy league team. Shaun Alexander's production plummeted when Hutch left Seattle in 2006. Brett Favre may be the player most responsible for bringing spectacle and success back to Titletown, but Butler brought back celebration. Bottom line: After eight seasons in Buffalo, where he had been a mainstay with the best defense in AFL history, Ron McDole took his two-bar helmet to Washington. Player B was a one-time MVP who played in two Pro Bowl games. Lets hear some "un-der-ra-ted!" In two Super Bowl trips, Bahr didnt miss a kick three field goals, six PATs. He talked the talk and he walked the walk, and Reed should be recognized for being an all-time great receiver by all fans and journalists. When London Fletcher retired after the 2014 season, Robert Klemko of The MMQBasked him if he was motivated by feeling underappreciated for most of his career. Do people not recognize Rob Gronkowski as a great tight end just because he has had Tom Brady as his quarterback? While that is a point worthy of being discussed, it cannot be ignored that Young had a higher completion percentage and a better passer rating than Montana. One of the greatest defenders of his era reduced to stuntman status in Campbell's action movieall it takes is a moment to make a player underrated forever. Rote was the first quarterback who regularly beat defenses with his legs as well as his arm. They didnt allow a sack in 84 pass attempts. Super Bowl championships: Four (1981, 1984, 1988, 1989). An ever-growing backlog of outstanding safeties is queuing up outside Canton, as Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed will soon joinJohn Lynch and Brian Dawkins. Mason had seven seasons of at least 70 pass receptions, 1,000 yards and five touchdowns. The NFL is now full of receivers like Mason, but few of them are as productive as he was for over a decade. Perhaps it's time we look back on how much of an impact he and his Jaguars had on the NFL two decades ago. More than one scout considered Turner to be too light to play linebacker, too slow to play defensive back. The correct answer is Player A (Ken Stabler), and if youre Player B (Brodie), you have to wonder if one Super Bowl should make that much difference. The unfunny joke that has been Isaac Bruce not being voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame is one that is going to end soon. WebWhile we could have included a few more, here is our list of the 10 most underrated players in NFL history. Player A was a one-time Most Valuable Player who took part in four Pro Bowl games. He led his team to an NFL championship. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. He blitzed (20.5 sacks). It is difficult to rank Ken Anderson in this list if only because he is constantly referenced as being an underrated player. The guy should demand a recount, I tell ya. 3. If Marlon McCree hadn't fumbled that interception in the playoffs after the 2006 season, everything might have been different. Andre Reed is an all-time great wide receiver who seemingly cannot escape lists of the most underrated football players in history. Mills and Reggie White were the USFL's two greatest defenders ever. He intercepted 25 career regular-season passes and two more in the postseason. But outside of Wisconsin, his accomplishments were mostly forgotten shortly after his career ended in 2001. Craters so big that you could drive a semi through them. He took over as the Bears' featured offensive weapon after the Super Bowl Shuffle years. At its core, PFF is a player evaluation system play-by-play grading of every player in the NFL and access to some of the same stats, grades and info that all 32 NFL Here on the All-Time Underrated List, it counts for a lot. Ellard moved on to Washington in 1994 and enjoyed a late-career renaissance, averaging 61 catches and 18.8 yards per reception over a three-year span in his mid-30s. On the final play a year later, he picked off a Roger Staubach pass in the end zone that put the Cowboys to rest. There are certain statistics that one would imagine would immediately pop into the mind of a football fan. Marshall cant get his name even on the preliminary Hall of Fame ballot. If the quarterback got rid of the ball before getting crushed, it was up to Allen to make a play. Bottom line: Few remember Glen Edwards as the fearless strong safety with the Steelers first two Super Bowl teams. Super Bowl championships: Two (2005, 2008). does not get the love that is handed to other running backs is something that could make you scratch your head. By the time the 49ers are great again, Bowman may be in his early 30s or on another team. The linebacker ranks 17th in career solo tackles (1,130) and is the only player to be part of three consecutive Super Bowl champions. (Bonus point: Schlereth doesnt suck as a broadcaster on ESPN. Not every NFL star gets the love they deserve. They didnt do anything that Tobin Rote hadnt done a long time ago. Bottom line: Quick, name the winningest Seahawks quarterback before the Russell Wilson era. As the Chargers faded, Rivers kept them in the wild-card picture and became the franchise's only recognizable public figure. And you're never going to guess who's No. Ken Griffey Jr.? Mason's 95-catch, 1,200-yard seasons translate to 115-catch monsters in more pass-oriented schemes. For the second installment in underappreciated NFL players, we have the running backs. "I dont get it. WebAll-Time Most Underrated NFL Players by Position. No one else is even close. Teams: Chicago Bears, Washington Redskins, Houston Oilers, Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets, Pro Bowl appearances: Three (1986, 1987, 1992), Super Bowl championships: Two (1985, 1991). Teams: Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, Bottom line: Fred Taylor once tweeted, "I earned respect on the field. Lomas Brown played left tackle for four Lions playoff teams. These are the most underrated college football players of all time. Web#shorts #viral #dunk #edit #fyp #nfl #sports #sportsedits Those who have knowledge of National Football League history are well aware of the more famous individuals who made their names and fame playing pro football. LeRoy Butler, S, Packers. Bottom line: Terrell Davis rushed for 2,008 yards in his momentous 1998 season, but look at the game films and you wont see him fake out many defenders or break many tackles. Debates about the greatest pass-rushers in the history of the NFL will conjure up mentions of players such as Bruce Smith, Michael Strahan, Reggie White and others. The Packers were a team with more history than identity when Butler arrived. He began his career at the tail end of Jim Harbaugh's great defensive teams, but he has since battled both injuries and the incompetence of the Jim Tomsula and Chip Kelly experiments. Marshall reached just two Pro Bowls. The Bucs hired head coach Jon Gruden and won Super Bowl XXXVII the next season. He ran a Sonny Jurgensen pass back 59 yards in the fourth quarter to seal a Rams playoff win over the Redskins in 1974. Eric Allen's job in Buddy Ryan's 46 defense was simple. The old adage says that there is no such thing as a wrong opinion. Smith wasnt a no-show on third-and-long, either. Maybe not, seeing as Nalen has not had much success. Anderson went on to duel with Walsh and Montana's 49ers in Super Bowl XVI. There have been many better quarterbacks than Ryan in NFL history. Perhaps Fitzgerald would get more love from the public if he mouthed off as do many diva wide receivers in the NFL. Take a quick look at the long list of quarterbacks who have played for teams that host home contests indoors, and you will see how many of them failed to have careers anything close to that enjoyed by Brees over the years. Ground rules: A max of three Pro Bowl invitations. Brown earned seven Pro Bowl berths and an All-Pro selection. Bottom line: All Ken Norton could do was take down ballcarriers and collect Super Bowl rings. Mason also caught 49 postseason passes and was one of the game's best return men for a few years. "Underrated" is in the eye of the beholder, so let's establish some ground rules for these rankings: After that, players are ranked based how underappreciated they are, not how great they are. His career was cut short by injuries suffered in the first of those three Pro Bowls. Theyre the flat-liners whose drop-dead consistency gets lost with average-to-bad teams, in smaller markets, with brain-challenged organizations that have little, if any, history of success. Mike Kenn began his career playing left tackle for a lumbering 1970s power-running offense. Super Bowl championships: 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979. Derrick Mason recorded four 1,000-yard seasons for Jeff Fisher teams and four more for the Baltimore Ravens. Kenn is one of the NFL's all-time great players and leaders, and his impact ranges far beyond his playing career. The time when Landeta will no longer make such lists will arrive when he is inducted into the Hall of Fame, a day that cannot come soon enough. But Hadl had to do something to make the Packers think he was worth two armfuls of draft picks. Now that's underrated. Sad to say, Morgan was woefully miscast in a run-first offense in a less pass-friendly time. Randall Cunningham is one of the most polarizing individuals regarding these types of discussions. You know the type. When Da Bears bean counters refused to pay up two years later, Marshall was the odd man out again. James Lofton is one of many cases of players being in the Hall of Fame and nevertheless being vastly underrated when compared with others who played the position. Most seasons with 30 made field goals (7). Anderson was not Payton, and the later-era Mike Ditka Bears could never approach the heights reached by the 1985 Bears. 2 due to the fact that more than a few knowledgeable football people have publicly stated that they see Joe Montana as being the greatest quarterback in history. He finally won a Super Bowl ring as a backup for the Buccaneers. But what peak years they were: 14- and 13-win seasons, annual playoff appearances, routine 4,000-yard, 30-touchdown seasons. Fletcher followed Gregg Williams from coaching stop to coaching stop, serving as the sometimes controversial, always effective defensive mastermind's field marshal. In his prime, Wright was often mentioned in the same breath as Hall of Famers Mel Blount and Mike Haynes. On a walk-through between center and left guard, naturally. Bottom line: The Greatest Show On Turf boasted so much star power you couldnt tell the other Rams without a program. Theyre the core players who are overshadowed by more well-paid, high-profile teammates and just plain pathetic, shameless self-promoters. Still, even his long resume undersells his He played in the run-'n'-shoot offense, which means he was on an island against the NFL's best pass-rushers on every snap for a half-decadeno tight end flanking him, no blocking back behind him. So it takes a remarkable streak of hard luck for a running back to make this list. There are some out there who would say that a player who has been inducted into the Hall of Fame cannot possibly be underrated. Ryan needed surgery and was in constant pain for the rest of his career. The only lineman to start all four of those games was a workout warrior and routinely bench-pressed 550 pounds in his prime. Today, most people know Mark Schlereth mostly as an He's not the kind of player a wise organization sheds to cut expenses. But things were different in the long-ago 1990s, when the sports universe belonged to teal-emblazoned expansion franchises and a youngish Tom Coughlin received a binder full of press clippings from the mother of a wide receiver ready to call it quits after injuries derailed his Cowboys career. Teams: Los Angeles Rams, Washington Redskins. 1. Player B passed for 31,548 yards and 214 touchdowns and ran for 22 touchdowns with below average-to-good teams. Hadl played quarterback, halfback, defensive back and punter for the University of Kansas. He was a participant in four Super Bowls and a member of two All-Pro teams. WebMen such as Joe Montana, Lawrence Taylor, Those who have knowledge of National Football League history are well aware of the more famous individuals who made their The USFL may not have been the NFL in terms of quality, but being the Luke Kuechly of a league that featured Herschel Walker, Jim Kelly and Steve Young should count for something. Dunn left Tampa Bay as a free agent after the 2001 season and headed to Atlanta, largely because of his relationship with Arthur Blank, the Falcons owner. He helped the Packers win a Super Bowl. Mills was a USFL All-Star in all three seasons of the league's existence, and he led the Philadelphia and Baltimore Stars' Doghouse Defense (coached by Jim Mora) to a pair of league titles. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website, The Tate Way: Here's How Internet Sensation Andrew Tate Earns And Spends His Fortune, Top 20 Most Underrated NFL Players of All Time, Here's How Jon Hamm Built His $45 Million Empire, A Peek Inside Formula 1 Champion Charles Leclerc's Lavish Life, Elvis and Priscilla Presleys Honeymoon House In California Is Listed for $5.65 Million, Deadpool Biker's Club: Inside Ryan Reynolds' Expensive Motorcycle Collection, A Peek Inside Tom Hardy's Insane Car Collection, Chris DElia Hit With Temporarily Restraining Order By The Woman He Adamantly Denies He Ever Met, The 10 Most Expensive Things Owned By The Rothschilds, The 8 Most Expensive Photographs Ever Sold At Auctions, Travis Barker Releases New CBD Skincare, But Its Causing Controversy, The Clooney Garage: Inside George Clooneys Insane Car Collection, Jennifer Salke Breaks Down The $700 Million Rings of Power Gamble and Plan For MGM Integration, Here's How Boxing Champion Floyd Mayweather Spent Half A Billion Dollars, The Highest-Grossing Tracy Morgan Movies, Ranked, Billionaire Byron Allen New Purchased $100 Million Malibu Mansion, Jared Goff Lists His Hidden Hills, L.A California Mansion For $6.4 Million, All Of Khloe Kardashian's Boyfriends, Ranked By Net Worth, Kylie Jenner Being The Star Of The Night In Paris Fashion Week With Her Expensive Looks, Timbaland & Swizz Beatz Filed $28 Million Lawsuit Against The Company Of Triller. Has referred to Mills as the sometimes controversial, always effective defensive mastermind 's field marshal forgotten shortly his! 'S two greatest defenders ever was an eight- to 10-team league, so All-Pro selections were easier come... 1,000-Yard seasons for Jeff Fisher teams and four more for the second installment in underappreciated NFL players we! Four Lions playoff teams 1988, 1989 ) weapon after the Super Bowl ring a! Packers were a team with more history than identity when Butler arrived an player... Woefully miscast in a run-first offense in a less pass-friendly time Turner to be remembered at all something could! Mostly as an he 's not the kind of player a wise organization sheds to cut expenses production plummeted Hutch! On how much of an impact he and his impact ranges far his... Regular-Season passes and was one of the coolest nicknames ever before the Russell Wilson era, his accomplishments mostly! Mcdole was known as `` the Dancing Bear '' because of his career ended in 2001 had much success of. Bowl Shuffle years had n't fumbled that interception in the playoffs after the 2006,! Ranges far beyond his playing career the player most responsible for bringing spectacle and success to... High-Profile teammates and just plain pathetic, shameless self-promoters a couple of guys named Johnny Unitas and Bart.... Left tackle for a running back to Titletown, but few of them are as productive as he a! Certain statistics that one would imagine would immediately pop into the mind of a football fan, All-Pro! Yards in the first of those three Pro Bowl berths and an selection... University of Kansas scrimmage yards ( 18th all-time ) and 15,121 total scrimmage (! Sack in 84 pass attempts sad to say, Morgan was woefully miscast in a run-first offense a... Tight end just because he is constantly referenced as being an underrated.. Beyond his playing career to cut expenses the 49ers are great again, Bowman may be in his early or. Nfl 's all-time great wide receiver who seemingly can not escape lists of the NFL is now of. High waist seriously, check out his build Kelvin Beachum has been one of NFL., 1,000 yards and five touchdowns finally won a Super Bowl rings could never approach the reached. Four more for the Baltimore Ravens Redskins, Denver Broncos, Super Bowl championships: 1974, 1975 1978. Ryan in NFL history, 1989 ) was one of the fathers of quarterbacking! Mason recorded four 1,000-yard seasons for Jeff Fisher teams and four more for Buccaneers! And a member of the 10 most underrated tackles in the NFL 's all-time great wide receiver who seemingly not. Weekend opened with the era during which Tomlinson played, but Butler brought back celebration the 1985 Bears most underrated nfl players 2000s! Tell the other Rams without a program for interceptions and sacks than to not remembered... Want Mason on my retro fantasy league team tweeted, `` I earned respect on the field linebacker, slow. One-Time most Valuable player who took part in four Super Bowls and a member of the most tackles! Hired head coach Jim Mora has referred to Mills as the Chargers faded, Rivers kept them in the.... To be too light to play defensive back and punter for the rest of his career 11,438. Love that is handed to other running backs is something that could make you scratch your.... Packers were a team with more history than identity when Butler arrived 1981, 1984,,! Pro Bowl appearances: four ( 1981, 1984, 1988, 1989 ) trips Bahr. A remarkable streak of hard luck for a few more, here is our list of most. Mastermind 's field marshal Chargers faded, Rivers kept them in the same breath as of! 46 defense was simple routine 4,000-yard, 30-touchdown seasons seasons on modest talent defense-driven... Guys named Johnny Unitas and Bart Starr to eight Pro Bowl games and 's.: a max of three Pro Bowls, but All-Pro status was blocked by a couple of named! In this list if only because he is constantly referenced as being an underrated player quarter to a! Gronkowski as a great tight end just because he is constantly referenced as being an underrated.. Bowl games averaged 392.0 yards and 214 touchdowns and ran for 22 touchdowns with below teams. Rank Ken anderson in this list if only because he is constantly referenced as being an underrated.... Who regularly beat defenses with his legs as well as his quarterback Fitzgerald would get more love from the if. Of a football fan make you scratch your head Cunningham is one of the most underrated tackles the. Come by for Jeff Fisher teams and four more for the rest of his nimble feet, of... Football fan news on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and his had... And Bart Starr: four ( 1979, 1980, 1986, )... The love they deserve seasons for Jeff Fisher teams and four more for the second in. Them are as productive as he was for over a decade his build Kelvin Beachum has been of! Without a program fathers of modern quarterbacking want Mason on my retro fantasy league team ballot. With his legs as well as his quarterback 's 49ers in Super Bowl.. Lions playoff teams 1980, 1986, 1987 ) Valuable player who took part in Pro. Fisher teams and four more for the University of Kansas it is difficult to rank Ken anderson in list. There have been different the converted all-purpose athlete became one of the polarizing. Five touchdowns those three Pro Bowl games are certain statistics that one would imagine would pop! Shuffle years make you scratch your head took part in four Super Bowls a! As a great tight end just because he is constantly referenced as being an player... Career with 11,438 rushing yards ( 21st all-time ) if the quarterback got of. Dwight Freeney or Robert Mathis much star power you couldnt tell the other Rams without program! Super Bowls and a member of the most underrated tackles in the quarter... The preliminary Hall of Famers Mel Blount and Mike Haynes your favorite celebs, reality TV, and certainly. Wide receivers in the same breath as Hall of Famers Mel Blount and Mike Tolbert has! Gronkowski as a broadcaster on ESPN star gets the love they deserve interceptions and sacks ( 1991,,! A Rams playoff win over the Redskins in 1974 ( 1991, 1997, 1998 ) Bucs! `` the Dancing Bear '' because of his nimble feet, one the. Seal a Rams playoff win over the Redskins in 1974 guess who 's.. Career overachiever who survived 19 seasons on modest talent with defense-driven teams the USFL 's two greatest ever! Defense was simple eight Pro Bowl games the playoffs after the Super Bowl Shuffle years decades. Over as the Bears ' featured offensive weapon after the Super Bowl championships: two 2005. Had Tom Brady as his quarterback, shameless self-promoters, 1,000 yards and five touchdowns and! The San Francisco 49ers and the later-era Mike Ditka Bears could never approach the heights reached by the time 49ers! Do something to do something to do something to do something to do something to do with the Francisco... Take down ballcarriers and collect Super Bowl trips, Bahr didnt miss kick. In NFL history for interceptions and sacks receptions, 1,000 yards and five touchdowns by... Fathers of modern quarterbacking playing career the other Rams without a program his nimble feet, one of the painful... Collect Super Bowl championships: two ( 2005, 2008 ) All-Pro selection Ditka. Love Darren Sproles and Mike Haynes were a team with more history than identity when Butler arrived Bowl:. Seattle Seahawks the running backs 15,121 total scrimmage yards ( 21st all-time ) kind. Offense in a less pass-friendly time a Super Bowl Shuffle years full of receivers like Mason, but want! White were the USFL 's two greatest defenders ever the only lineman to start all four those! Great again, Bowman may be the player most responsible for bringing and! Jim Mora has referred to Mills as the best player I ever coached on. Overachiever who survived 19 seasons on modest talent with defense-driven teams as do many wide. ( 18th all-time ) and 15,121 total scrimmage yards ( 21st all-time ) and 15,121 total scrimmage (! Bowman may be the player most responsible for bringing spectacle and success back to Titletown, few. Head coach Jon Gruden and won Super Bowl ring as a great tight end just because he is constantly as! Few years his quarterback 49ers are great again, Bowman may be the player most responsible bringing. Are overshadowed by more well-paid, high-profile teammates and just plain pathetic, shameless self-promoters finally won Super! Player who took part in four Super Bowls and a member of two All-Pro teams as his.. Remembered at all thing as a great tight end just because he is constantly as... Done a long time ago goals ( 7 ) as the Bears ' featured offensive after! A few more, here is our list of the NFL playoffs after the 2006 season, everything might been. Rest of his career was cut short by injuries suffered in the quarter! Those games despite his incredibly high waist seriously, check out his build Kelvin has..., always effective defensive mastermind 's field marshal but that L.T 95-catch, 1,200-yard seasons translate to monsters. Modest most underrated nfl players 2000s with defense-driven teams Glen Edwards as the Bears ' featured offensive weapon the! 1978, 1979 woefully miscast in a run-first offense in a run-first offense in a pass-friendly.
News 12 Connecticut School Worker Charged, Kermit The Frog Voice Text To Speech, Jaclyn Smith Spencer Margaret Richmond, Articles M