With his career spread evenly across three teams and zero All-Pro selections (a consequence of playing in the same era as Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher), Fletcher is a Hall of Fame long shot. The guy should demand a recount, I tell ya. He's rarely mentioned as an all-time great. If Mel Blount, Mike Haynes and teammate Lemar Parrish hadnt been in the same conference, Riley would have made more a few more Pro Bowl trips. Greenwood, but there are dozens of other great old players clamoring for their chance who didn't enjoy the glory of playing for a "team of the decade.". ), Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, Super Bowl championships: Two (1974, 1975). Giants: All-time underrated, overrated players David was a crucial component of the Bucs defense during their playoff run in 2020 that culminated in a Super Bowl victory. Anchoring defenses with catchy names like the "Orange Crush?" Mills and Reggie White were the USFL's two greatest defenders ever. Anderson became a footnote to the Ditka era, but fans who saw him play know he was far more than that. Anderson's 1,000-yard seasons came in a primitive offense with a rudimentary passing game. If Anderson had failed, the 49ers may never have lured Walsh away from the Bengals staff. Unlike many of Marshall's teammates, however, he wasnt an obnoxious self-promoter, which partly explained his absence from the NFC Pro Bowl roster that season. To make our list, a player must contribute to a winning effort while putting up bad stats, misunderstood stats or no stats. Steven Jackson arrived in St. Louis just as the Greatest Show on Turf was deteriorating into the Most Miserable Slog in the Midwest. So LeRoy Butler, innovator of the Lambeau Leap, is excluded from his own statue. most underrated player of all time A lifelong Tampa Bay Buccaneer, Davids 10-year career has been about consistency and productivity. Juszczyk knows his role and is a winning player that will always fight to win those tough yards. Get this: Ten of those seasons were spent with either the Vince Lombardi Packers or Don Shula Dolphins. Pittsburgh Steelers: All-time underrated, overrated players - NFL.com He rose to Pro Bowl status playing left tackle for a single-back, Joe Gibbs-style 1980s offense. 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. There have been many better quarterbacks than Ryan in NFL history. That's not something to hold against a player. Sad to say, Morgan was woefully miscast in a run-first offense in a less pass-friendly time. Fletcher followed Gregg Williams from coaching stop to coaching stop, serving as the sometimes controversial, always effective defensive mastermind's field marshal. The Over-the-Hill Gang fielded one of the most ferocious pass rushes of its era, notching 53 sacks in 1973. On the field, it is Diontae Johnson that has emerged as a favorite target of Big Ben. His 2,690 all-purpose yards with the Titans in the 2000 season are second in league history. Top 20 Most Underrated Footballers in 2022 - Top Soccer Blog While every fan base is sure to have two or three names they feel are undervalued and worthy of this list, here are my current top ten underrated players in the NFL. Some might say it's a stretch to put Allen on this list after four straight Pro Bowl seasons and 95+ catch seasons. He finished his career by doing something almost impossible: signing with the Patriots as a veteran role player during one of the few years they didn't reach the Super Bowl. There may be such a thing as too much blitzing, after all. Player A passed for 27,928 yards and 194 touchdowns and ran for four touchdowns with mostly very good teams and one great one. McDole played 251 professional games as a defensive lineman, a remarkable feat in any era that should not be forgotten. Oh, and sub-packages were pretty rare in the 1960s and 1970s, so Marshall didn't leave the field much. 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. Every NFL teams most underrated player of all time - FanSided Jerry Hughes has been a consistent pass rusher and important piece to the Buffalo Bills defense. Lomas Brown played left tackle for four Lions playoff teams. Following a strong start to 2021, McLaurin is slowly beginning to earn the respect his game deserves. Turner was the ultimate plug-and-play guy, one of five 49ers to be part of all eight of their playoff teams in the decade. Edouard Mendy - Chelsea. McDole was a starting defensive end for two of history's legendary defenses: the AFL champion Buffalo Bills of 1964 and '65 and Washington's "Over-the-Hill Gang" of the early 1970s. Mason had seven seasons of at least 70 pass receptions, 1,000 yards and five touchdowns. But this list is all about giving overlooked players their due respect. Web12. The Rams eventually acquired Jim Everett and opened up their offense, transforming Ellard into one of the NFL's most dangerous deep threats. Ryan made three Pro Bowls, but All-Pro status was blocked by a couple of guys named Johnny Unitas and Bart Starr. The 49ers are installing a new system and reshaping their roster. The problem with Dierdorf is he played for a lot of bad Cardinals teams. These men did so much but received so little credit in return. Oakland Raiders. Bottom line: Quick, name the winningest Seahawks quarterback before the Russell Wilson era. 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. Wisniewski reached eight Pro Bowls and was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame All-Decade team for the 1990s, so he's not exactly obscure. 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. Coaches rave about his work off the field and his dedication to improving his craft. He covered receivers (38 career interceptions). Most Underrated NFL Players Of All Time - The Onion Cooke is the most underrated player in the sport, performing mostly in the wonderful but considerable shadows of Boston, Staleys grand personality and all the noise at Colonial Life Arena. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. Quick: Name the 49ers' all-time sack leader. Its a frigging joke that Taylor isnt in the Hall of Fame discussion. Most Underrated NFL Players of All Time by Team | Stadium Talk Its hard to think of a player more dominant and less talked about over a long period of time than Chandler Jones. 1 overall pick, NFL coverage map 2021: TV schedule Week 16, Seattle Seahawks: 3 players who wont be back in 2022. Travis Kelce and George Kittle dominate the conversation at tight end but Darren Waller is quickly emerging as a name that should be discussed as well. An all-underrated team like this one can get flooded with Zach Thomas, Hardy Nickerson, Tommy Nobis and Tedy Bruschi types if we don't get a little choosy. DeForest Buckner plays great team defense and has done so successfully for two franchises. He should be remembered as more than a throwback to the era when Lawrence Welk references were topical. It's Bryant Young, whorecorded 89.5 sacks for the 49ers, 23 more than Haley. McDole's Bills defenses held opponents to fewer than 3.1 yards per carry across three consecutive seasons. Shenault is dynamic after the catch and plays like a running back with the ball in his hands. 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. 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? They never had any playoff success, even when they did make it into the postseason. Hadl played quarterback, halfback, defensive back and punter for the University of Kansas. McDole was known as "The Dancing Bear" because of his nimble feet, one of the coolest nicknames ever. Bottom line: Never mind guys such as Michael Vick and Lamar Jackson. Make no mistake about it, Eric Bieniemys exodus from Kansas City to Washington is only one move on the chess board But a double whammyplaying center and playing for the Broncoshas kept him miles from Hall of Fame consideration. Tom Jackson. In his prime, Wright was often mentioned in the same breath as Hall of Famers Mel Blount and Mike Haynes. 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. At only 510, Johnson lacks the ideal size. 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. "I dont get it. 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. Even so, Smith was pretty much a well-kept secret outside Pittsburgh despite meeting or approaching Pro Bowl standards for almost a decade. Fifteen years ago, similar receivers were gimmicky undersized role players. Barca star Pedri hails Lionel Messi as the greatest player of all time Kenny Anderson may be the most "so underrated that he's overrated" player in NFL historya darling of the stat-head community and common first-guy-mentioned when Hall of Fame snubs come up. But McCree did fumble. The Top 10 Most Underrated Football Players of All Time Marshall reached just two Pro Bowls. 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. Maybe that victory gives them the psychological edge they need to beat the undefeated Patriots in their 2008 playoff rematch. While Stafford's game is Hall of Fame worthy, an 0-3 career record in the playoffs on some flawed Lions teams has done little to elevate his name into the conversation of top QBs. Franklin-Myers has the ability to play anywhere on the defensive line and is off to a strong start in the Jets' new 4-3 defense under head coach Robert Saleh. Allen made a lot of plays. Yet somehow, some way, Kolb never received a Pro Bowl invitation. "That was my territory," Edwards recalled in The Palm Beach Post. top 20 WebThe Top 10 Most Underrated Football Players of All Time 1. The Steelers rushed for a then-record 249 yards and did not allow a sack. "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. Not one of the Jim Harbaugh-era guys. He headed to Washington and moved from the weak to strong side. Bottom line: All Ken Norton could do was take down ballcarriers and collect Super Bowl rings. He didnt just take up space, either. 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. More than one scout considered Turner to be too light to play linebacker, too slow to play defensive back. But outside of Wisconsin, his accomplishments were mostly forgotten shortly after his career ended in 2001. 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 A great story off the field and rare talent on it, Waller appears to still be getting better at age 29. Most Underrated American Football Players of All Time He played 256 career regular-season games, never missing a start due to injury. The most underrated player on all Robinson was one of those players. Through the 2018 season, Vinatieri checked in at 81 (56 of 69) and 99 (70 of 71), respectively. Not only was Fleming good enough to stick with great teams, but he also was the luckiest son of a gun on the face of the earth. Tom Nalen protected John Elway in a pair of Super Bowl victories and helped trigger a zone-blocking revolution as part of Alex Gibbs' influential offensive lines. The Pro Football Reference Similar Players tool compares Ryan's five-year peak to that of Joe Theismann. Neal Anderson replaced Walter Payton. If Marlon McCree hadn't fumbled that interception in the playoffs after the 2006 season, everything might have been different. Super Bowl championships: Two (1996, 1999). Honourable Mentions Hajime Hosogai, Hertha Berlin DM, Age: 27 He led the Bengals to a pair of playoff appearances in 1973 and 1975, Joe Montana's high school senior and Notre Dame sophomore seasons. Bates finished tied for 6th in 2020 with 15 passes defended. The trade went how you might expect a lopsided midseason deal for an aging quarterback to go. That's a higher sack total than Dwight Freeney or Robert Mathis. Jackson probably helped you win a fantasy title or two, but he would be remembered for so much more if he wasn't always on the wrong team at the wrong time. He played for teams that were more interesting than outstanding, from the Ryan and Rich Kotite-era Eagles to the Jim Mora and Mike Ditka Saints to Jon Gruden's Raiders. By the time the 49ers are great again, Bowman may be in his early 30s or on another team. He intercepted 25 career regular-season passes and two more in the postseason. The AFL was an eight- to 10-team league, so All-Pro selections were easier to come by. Most Underrated NFL Players of All Time | Stadium Talk Sideways. The admission probably slams the door of the Hall of Fame on Brown forever. Steve Atwater. "Even now I still get pissed off. Lambeau Field was an icy outpost; the Packers still played a handful of home games in Milwaukee back then. In both New England and Arizona, Jones has wreaked havoc on quarterbacks, demonstrating versatility as a 3-4 OLB and 4-3 DE. most underrated nfl players They would rank first in the NFL in yardage four other times while Evans was a starter. On the final play a year later, he picked off a Roger Staubach pass in the end zone that put the Cowboys to rest. Who are the top 20 best left-footed football players as of 2023? Coughlin gave Smith a tryout, then kickoff return duties, and then teamed him with Mark Brunell and Keenan McCardell to create one of the most dangerous passing attacks of the late '90s and early 2000s. Rote was the first quarterback who regularly beat defenses with his legs as well as his arm. He started for an offensive line that helped Barry Sanders win two of his four rushing titles. 10. Those accomplishments may soon finally land Kenn in the Hall of Fame. He was a eight-time Pro Bowler and one-time Super Bowl champion. He then went on to start at left tackle for the playoff-bound Cardinals and 2000 NFC champion Giants. Jackson finished his career with 11,438 rushing yards (18th all-time) and 15,121 total scrimmage yards (21st all-time). "Stanley Steamer" could run every route and was hell on wheels with the ball in his hands. 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 NFL is a star-driven league. But he didn't play for the legendary 49ers teams. Web#shortsucl#bayernmunich #bayern #barcelona#football#footballedit#footballedits#footballshirts#soccer#socceredit#socceredits#soccershorts Hall of Fame receiver Paul Warfield was on the receiving end of many of Ryan's touchdowns. Perhaps Hull would be in the Hall of Fame if the Bills had won even one Super Bowl. But his Hall of Fame candidacy has been stuck in semifinalist limbo. Old-timers call it the Lawrence Welk trade after a television bandleader of the era who would begin songs by counting off "A one, and a two, and a three". Maybe Rivers takes his place among the all-time greats. Yes, Marshall amassed that sack total by playing foreverhe started270 games (plus 19 playoff starts) from 1961 through 1979. NFL The Hall of Fame has turned up its nose on all of them. Dierdorf started his career with the Cardinals in 1971 as a guard. 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. The start to his career is Hall of Fame worthy and includes a Super Bowl championship while with the New England Patriots. He has started every game he has played in since 2014 (with four different franchises). 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: St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Oilers, Buffalo Bills, Washington Redskins, Pro Bowl appearances (AFL All-Star Game): Two (1965, 1967). That may tick him off. Raphael Guerreiro - Borussia Dortmund. He took over as the Bears' featured offensive weapon after the Super Bowl Shuffle years. Teams: Los Angeles Rams, Washington Redskins. 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. His career was cut short by injuries suffered in the first of those three Pro Bowls. Once an arbitrary number of players from a historic team get enshrined, the committee moves on in search of underappreciated players from other franchises. Bowman is coming off an Achilles tear in 2016. The least glamorous position on the field, a so-so team, a franchise moveWisniewski pulled three lemons on the recognition slot machine. There are no official sack statistics before 1982, but the Minnesota Vikings credit Jim Marshall with 127 career sacks. A dominant presence as a run blocker, Moton uses his athleticism to get to the next level of the defense in a hurry. 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. "I wasnt the fastest guy, but I didnt mind having the defender at my hip," Ellard said per Yahoo Sports. WebBUY OUR MERCH: https://www.thegivengo.com/merchTIK TOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@thegivengoSPOTIFY: He played center, as well, before his career was over. Seven times, he surpassed 1,000 yards on pass receptions, most of them on slants and corner routes. But the run-'n'-shoot took away more than it provided, and the early 1990s Lions kept getting obliterated by better defenses in the playoffs. 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. Despite his incredibly high waist seriously, check out his build Kelvin Beachum has been one of the most underrated tackles in the NFL. He played the run with authority (721 career solo tackles). 100-91). Teams: Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Pro Bowl appearances: Three (1993, 1995, 1997), Super Bowl championships: Three (1992, 1993, 1994). The Jaguars upset John Elway's Broncos and reached the AFC Championship Game as a second-year expansion team and then went on to three more playoff berths, culminating in a 14-2 season. While Graham's sack numbers have never hit double digits, he remains a complete player and Super Bowl champion. And then there is plain old forgotten. 1. In Jahri Evans' four All-Pro seasons (2009-12), the Saints ranked first, sixth, first and second in the NFL in total yards. 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. Today we look back at the most underrated Quarterbacks in the history of the NFL, and a few of these should be in Canton.