And consider this: The one-time college triple-jumper played with a Pro Bowl quarterback (Jim Everett) in only one season. "No one was going to catch no ball.". Still don't understand why the writers don't respect it.". Along with the legendary Johnny Unitas, Rote probably did more to change the quarterback position than anyone in the pre-merger era even if so few know it. Know who created those wide-open spaces? Robertson is so poorly remembered that it was hard to find a decent photo of him in our archives. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. As some players continue to grow their stardom and gain league-wide recognition, others are less talked about, often flying under the radar for several seasons or even entire careers without proper acknowledgment. Bowman makes this list because he has the makings of a player who will be underappreciated historically. Karl Mecklenburg. And then there is plain old forgotten. The Rams eventually acquired Jim Everett and opened up their offense, transforming Ellard into one of the NFL's most dangerous deep threats. Sad to say, Morgan was woefully miscast in a run-first offense in a less pass-friendly time. Mason also caught 49 postseason passes and was one of the game's best return men for a few years. Ground rules: A max of three Pro Bowl invitations. In their two Super Bowl seasons that followed, Young was a virtual nonfactor in the matchup. Bates started every game during his first three seasons since entering the league in 2018, recording three interceptions in each season and averaging over 100 tackles. At 5-foot-10, 190 pounds, he didnt wow anyone physically. 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. Membership on various All-1960s teams. The NFL is now full of receivers like Mason, but few of them are as productive as he was for over a decade. They say you know an offensive lineman is doing a great job when his name is rarely brought up, but its time Moton is talked about more for his success. To make our list, a player must contribute to a winning effort while putting up bad stats, misunderstood stats or no stats. I still don't know that people gave me my due respect for my production. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. He was usually the Bears' best rusher and receiver in his prime years, catching 40-50 passes per season from Mike Tomczak or the young Jim Harbaugh. So Anderson cranked out a few 1,000-yard seasons and played in some Pro Bowls, and that was that. Robinson is a staple of Hall of Fame Snubs lists, and he certainly has his case. Teams: Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears, Tennessee Oilers, Pro Bowl appearances: Three (1984, 1988, 1989). He also scored 35 touchdowns on the ground in that span. He accounted for all his teams points in a 15-13 white-knuckler that wrecked the 49ers three-peat bid and sent the Giants to Super Bowl XXV. In the nine seasons that Aaron Smith had double-digit starts, their D ranked among the top nine in yards allowed every time, but his consistent play went over the heads of many. Jones has also recorded at least 100 tackles every year since entering the league with the exception of 2018 when he played in only 6 games. Brett Favre may be the player most responsible for bringing spectacle and success back to Titletown, but Butler brought back celebration. During his time at Fiorentina, he was the best player, 2. On a walk-through between center and left guard, naturally. After the Bills failed to score, he knocked quarterback Jim Kelly out of the game in the next series. Even pesky third-down backs and gritty fullbacks may seem underrated until you realize how many of them become local heroes. If John Hadl is remembered for anything these days, it's for one of the most disastrous trades in NFL history. There is one football player who could score from literally anywhere, and his name is 2. "That was my territory," Edwards recalled in The Palm Beach Post. When Da Bears bean counters refused to pay up two years later, Marshall was the odd man out again. Overall, the total still ranks ninth at the position. Victory propelled Montana to superstardom, while defeat left the 32-year old Anderson to play out the string as a high-percentage passer for a rapidly disintegrating franchise. original sound - ftbl vids 221. Those accomplishments may soon finally land Kenn in the Hall of Fame. He also had some of the clutch gene. Oakland Raiders. It made the Bills of the early 1990s the greatest team to never win a Super Bowl. Today we look back at the most underrated Quarterbacks in the history of the NFL, and a few of these should be in Canton. Feyenoord v VVV Venlo - Eredivisie. What Mason did have was a keen attention to detail and fanatical drive to succeed. 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. In Jahri Evans' four All-Pro seasons (2009-12), the Saints ranked first, sixth, first and second in the NFL in total yards. It takes years of playing the wrong position for the wrong team in the wrong league at the wrong time. If McCree doesn't cough up that fourth-quarter pick, the Chargers beat the Patriots, and perhaps Philip Rivers leads a team that went 14-2 in the regular season to the Super Bowl. Bottom line: Adam Vinatieri was money in the postseason, but Matt Bahr was even better. chants for the best players who didnt get their just dues over the years. Far from it. The Bills were among the first teams to frequently operate without a huddle. Where did Davis score the game-winner late in Super Bowl XXXII? The Niners' willingness to spend big money on a long-term deal at fullback demonstrates the value and unique skill set Juszczyk provides. In two Super Bowl trips, Bahr didnt miss a kick three field goals, six PATs. More than one scout considered Turner to be too light to play linebacker, too slow to play defensive back. If you guessed both or neither one, youre wrong. Bowman doesn't get the recognition he's due, and he may have to get used to it. McDole played 251 professional games as a defensive lineman, a remarkable feat in any era that should not be forgotten. As for being so underrated he's overrated, wellthat's extremely underrated, which justifies Anderson's ranking here. Mike Kenn began his career playing left tackle for a lumbering 1970s power-running offense. He isn't the dynamic threat thatTyreek Hill orDavante Adams are, but Allen is an elite route runner that consistently puts up elite production. McDole is not known for much of anything anymore, as his AFL stardom came before the Super Bowl era and his Redskins heroics predated the era of Joe Gibbs and the Hogs. Let's take a look at the the five most underrated footballers of all time. Yet somehow, some way, Kolb never received a Pro Bowl invitation. Moton has also committed just 10 penalties in over 50 career starts, an average of less than one penalty every five games. There are a ton of names in the conversation for best offensive linemen of all time, but Dierdorf never seems to have his name mentioned. New England Patriots wide receiver Stanley Morgan, right, battles for In 10 of the 12 seasons in which he started at least half their games, the Seahawks prevailed more times than not. in the mid-1960s to early '70s, chances are "Whichever one has Marv Fleming" would have been a correct answer. Interior defensive linemen: The average height and weight for defensive tackles entering the league is 6-foot-3, 306 pounds. Rivers lacks several quarterback prerequisites for enshrinement: playoff glory, all-time records and, most importantly, momentum from a regional fanbase and media. Ronald Koeman. There are no official sack statistics before 1982, but the Minnesota Vikings credit Jim Marshall with 127 career sacks. He became an All-Pro playing blindside protector in an early 1990s run-'n'-shoot offense. The Lions drafted him as a running back. His 4.53 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine was far from elite level speed either, but none of that has not stopped Johnson from playing fast and producing at a high level for the Steelers. Bottom line: The 1970s Steelers won four Super Bowls two with a power run game, two with a potent pass attack and who better than Jon Kolb to do the heavy lifting? Saleh has compared Franklin-Myers to Arik Armstead, whom he coached in SF while registering 10 sacks in 2019. As a pass blocker, Moton has developed into a steady presence capable of holding his own, and at times even dominating top pass rushers that include Joey Bosa and Cameron Jordan. (Bonus point: Schlereth doesnt suck as a broadcaster on ESPN. He also doesn't play in the shadow of a legend. Franklin-Myers went from fourth-round draft choice of the Rams in 2018, to a final roster cut in 2019. Nothing screams underappreciated like rumors you're about to be traded to make room for a late first-round pick. Player B passed for 31,548 yards and 214 touchdowns and ran for 22 touchdowns with below average-to-good teams. Anderson was not Payton, and the later-era Mike Ditka Bears could never approach the heights reached by the 1985 Bears. It would rank 16th all-time, except that if we allow Marshall's sacks into the record, we would have to make room for Deacon Jones, Mean Joe Greene and others. Twenty years ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars were one of the marquee organizations in professional sports, and Jimmy Smith was one of their brightest stars. The fullback has become a non-factor in many of todays NFL offenses, but Juszczyk remains an integral part of how the San Francisco 49ers run their offense. Both players were Pro Bowlers the previous year. Anderson's 1,000-yard seasons came in a primitive offense with a rudimentary passing game. The career active leader in games started by a defensive lineman is Julius Peppers with 227. According to Pro Football Reference, he was flagged for 14 accepted holding penalties in 187 career games, little more than one per season. Only a dozen players have more career interception return yards (961), and seven of them are in the Hall of Fame. Quarterback is the most important position in organized football and maybe in all of sports, so it should be no surprise that men who play QB dominate the top spots of this list. Upon entering the league in 2019, Johnson recorded 59 catches as a rookie and then topped that mark in 2020 with 88 catches. Neal Anderson replaced Walter Payton. But the former NFL Man of the Year award winner and two-time All-Pro should not have had to wait so long. At age 25, Franklin-Myers seems to be just scratching the surface of his potential and should benefit from some additional pieces being added to a young rebuilding Jets defense. But Anderson was an extraordinary talent. WebWho are the most underrated players of all time? Ryan made three Pro Bowls, but All-Pro status was blocked by a couple of guys named Johnny Unitas and Bart Starr. They were the Yale football of the NFL, their glory years moldering in history books. He arrived in Buffalo at the same time Marv Levy was revolutionizing NFL offense with the help of Jim Kelly, Andre Reed and Thurman Thomas. 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. NaVorro Bowman trade rumors surfaced in early spring, only to be quickly squelched by new 49ers general manager John Lynch. Sideways. Following a strong start to 2021, McLaurin is slowly beginning to earn the respect his game deserves. Dierdorf started his career with the Cardinals in 1971 as a guard. The former top ten draft pick looks to be on the verge of breaking out. He intercepted 34 passes for the Eagles and 54 in his career. He should be remembered as more than a throwback to the era when Lawrence Welk references were topical. And then there is Kent Hull, the first center to achieve greatness in a no-huddle offense. He had to blanket a wide receiver in man coverage with no safety help on every play. The Rams acquired him from the Chargers in 1973 in exchange for defensive end Coy Bacon. This commitment to team defense is perhaps one of the main reasons Buckner is not more recognized as one of the top interior defensive linemen in football. Steve Atwater. These men did so much but received so little credit in return. Other than Steve Largent and Kurt Warner, Pro Bowlers were harder to find in the Seahawks offense than a haystack in the Space Needle. He led his team to an NFL championship. That feeling never really went away.". Roberston is the guy getting head-butted in the sternum and knocked backward by Campbell before the running back's jersey gets torn off. Bottom line: The Greatest Show On Turf boasted so much star power you couldnt tell the other Rams without a program. His stardom was spread among three teams, robbing him of local hero status (or Hall of Fame momentum) in any one city. So it takes a remarkable streak of hard luck for a running back to make this list. WebWhile positional drills may be more indicative of a player's success in the NFL, other events like the 40-yard dash, three-cone drill and bench press are less obvious. Two 10-interception seasons, with 57 career interceptions. But there is no player; fans themselves get to "leap" into the statue for photo ops. His .588 win percentage ranks second to Wilson in team history. Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots, Super Bowl championships: Two (1979, 1990). Ryan would blitz between five and eight defenders, plus some water boys and maybe a few boo birds from the 700 level of Veterans Stadium. Even without the same speed and athleticism as when he entered the league, David continues to find ways to make impact plays like a seasoned veteran. Running backs suffer none of the "didn't win the big game" biases that color our perception of quarterbacks. Coaches rave about his work off the field and his dedication to improving his craft. The Colts accused Ryan of running up the score in the 27-0 championship rout of 1964. Johnny Robinson's credentials make you want to drive to Canton, kick down the Hall of Fame's door and clear a spot for his bust yourself. Maybe that victory gives them the psychological edge they need to beat the undefeated Patriots in their 2008 playoff rematch. And to think, the guy never played in a Pro Bowl game. Passing wasn't really their thing. Even so, Smith was pretty much a well-kept secret outside Pittsburgh despite meeting or approaching Pro Bowl standards for almost a decade. Wright earned a second-team All-1970s nod from the Pro Football Hall of Fame, even though several of his signature years were in the 1980s. 10. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. The AFL was an eight- to 10-team league, so All-Pro selections were easier to come by. Turned out he was skilled and driven enough to be a champion. He once threw three touchdowns in a shutout victory in a title game. Tom Jackson. He returned eight interceptions for touchdowns, including four in 1993 and three during his age-35 season with the Raiders in 2000. He was a Pro Bowl regular, two-time All-Pro and Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1971. So Kenn basically had three careers. A longtime semifinalist, his case is about to be handed over to the Veterans Committee, which has done a fine job recently of correcting oversights from Kenn's era. It was the era of great defensive lines with catchy namesthe Rams had the Fearsome Foursome, the Cowboys the Doomsday Defense, the Steelers later added the Steel Curtain, and so forthand Marshall was the Ringo Starr of the Purple People Eaters, the guy who once ran the wrong way for a touchdown and was happy just to be in the band. Is Jalen Hurts the Future of the Philadelphia Eagles? Once an arbitrary number of players from a historic team get enshrined, the committee moves on in search of underappreciated players from other franchises. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. Johnson can line up all over the field and consistently find space in the opposing defense. "Stanley Steamer" could run every route and was hell on wheels with the ball in his hands. Anchoring defenses with catchy names like the "Orange Crush?" ", Teams: St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Oilers, Buffalo Bills, Washington Redskins, Pro Bowl appearances (AFL All-Star Game): Two (1965, 1967). Player B was a one-time MVP who played in two Pro Bowl 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. Bates finished tied for 6th in 2020 with 15 passes defended. In Super Bowl IX, Edwards killed a drive and darn near Vikings intended receiver John Gilliam on a hellacious hit near the goal line. WebA key ingredient of arguably the best back four to grace the game Mauro Tassoti, him, Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini the Milan central defender made more than 450 WebDon't hesitate to comment below with underrated players who you believe should have been on this list. TGT Play! Odds Deals Podcasts US USA Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Florida Georgia Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Louisiana Maryland Michigan New Jersey New York North Carolina Ohio He blitzed (20.5 sacks). A bit more well-known after recently signing a four-year contract extension, John Franklin Myers is an easy player to root for and deserving of the success he has achieved. By the time Rivers is retired for five years, the "San Diego Chargers" will be as relevant as the Dayton Triangles, and Hall voters will be too busy rubber-stamping Tom Brady and Drew Brees to get to a guy from a lost city who couldn't win the big one. Web20 most underrated football players of all time 1. The rumors themselves were not surprising. Super Bowl championships: Four (1981, 1984, 1988, 1989). 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. For a few years, he was not only the best guard in the NFL, but the most important. Whether they were disrespected by the media, or scrappy fan-favorites, every NFL team has had a selection of players that didnt get the attention they deserved. Maybe Wright wasn't a Blount-level legend, but he deserves better than to be the forgotten man among the Broncos' forgotten men. Hull never lived to see himself make a Hall of Fame semifinalist list, as he died of liver failure at age 50 in 2011. Put him on the Tom Brady-led Patriots, and Mason might have invented a new branch of mathematics. Super Bowl championships: Four (1966, 1967, 1972, 1973). He took over as the Bears' featured offensive weapon after the Super Bowl Shuffle years. Mason was frequently his team's most valuable offensive player, but he and Steve McNair made their short pitch-and-catch passes look a little too easy. Buckner is a smart player and one of the better-run defenders in football. Frank Ryan led the NFL in passing touchdowns twice. He announced his retirement from pro football in 2010, not long after signing with the Arizona Cardinals. After making the Pro Bowl twice early in his career, David has failed to make it since 2015 while still playing at a high level. Time has been hard on both of them. Allen has much in common with many others on this underrated list. Williams' career-high in receptions is only 49, but with increased targets, he has already recorded 31 catches over the first five games in 2021. WebThis list is for those players the ones who were great football players and did not get the credit they deserve. There have been many better quarterbacks than Ryan in NFL history. "Because when the ball was thrown, I knew I had better ball skills and would go up and get it.". They would rank first in the NFL in yardage four other times while Evans was a starter. MVP-caliber seasons (1,528 yards, 90 receptions, 16 total touchdowns in 2006) early in his career gave way to annual 1,100-1,200 yard, low-touchdown grinds as the Greatest Show Rams retired one by one and the team fell to 2-14 and 1-15. Super Bowl championships: 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979. So whaddya say, fans? You will find some familiar Hall of Fame snubs on this list (like Jim Marshall, pictured above), but also plenty of players who were even snubbed from the Hall of Fame snubs, plus some current players who aren't getting their due. While under the radar, Bates has emerged as one of the better all-around safeties in football. It was rival 49ers tackle Bryant Young who the Rams were most concerned about before the 1999 season, when they signed Timmerman as a free agent.
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