Theyre the core players who are overshadowed by more well-paid, high-profile teammates and just plain pathetic, shameless self-promoters. Anderson is a member of the 10,000 rushing yards club. Taylor rushed for 1,000-plus yards in seven seasons. There's underrated, underappreciated and overlooked. 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. The converted all-purpose athlete became one of the fathers of modern quarterbacking. Once an arbitrary number of players from a historic team get enshrined, the committee moves on in search of underappreciated players from other franchises. Maybe that victory gives them the psychological edge they need to beat the undefeated Patriots in their 2008 playoff rematch. WebMost Underappreciated WRs of the 2000s June 11, 2020 Koby83 Derrick Mason, Football, Joey Galloway, Marques Colston, This is a Top 10 list that I love. Young played for some great 49ers teams, including a Super Bowl-winning squad as a rookie in 1994. Running backs suffer none of the "didn't win the big game" biases that color our perception of quarterbacks. "It was tough, but I was happy for those guys," Dunn told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Super Bowl championships: Two (1996, 1999). in the mid-1960s to early '70s, chances are "Whichever one has Marv Fleming" would have been a correct answer. He ran a Sonny Jurgensen pass back 59 yards in the fourth quarter to seal a Rams playoff win over the Redskins in 1974. Chandler Jones, Some of the hottest takes one will see as it pertains to Drew Brees involve criticisms of his numbers because of the fact that he has played the majority of his home games inside of a dome. His stardom was spread among three teams, robbing him of local hero status (or Hall of Fame momentum) in any one city. For a few years, he was not only the best guard in the NFL, but the most important. No current player is even close to notching 81 career picks, and that record may never be broken. Derrick Mason recorded four 1,000-yard seasons for Jeff Fisher teams and four more for the Baltimore Ravens. Bottom line: One of the premier long-ball threats of any era, Stanley Morgan ranks 10th in yards per reception (19.2) and 39th in touchdown catches (72) on the all-time list. Web#shorts #viral #dunk #edit #fyp #nfl #sports #sportsedits They didnt allow a sack in 84 pass attempts. McDole was known as "The Dancing Bear" because of his nimble feet, one of the coolest nicknames ever. 2. Greene remains third all-time in the list of career NFL sacks, and 32-year-old Jared Allen is the only active player who is remotely close to catching Greene. Teams: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, Pro Bowl appearances: Three (1997, 2000, 2005). His franchises just kept ending up on the wrong side of history. Six All-Pro selections. Thats what Krieg did best win football games. And to think, the guy never played in a Pro Bowl game. Passing wasn't really their thing. 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. Seth Joyner is one of those athletes who is widely respected by fans of the team that he played for but who is also not always mentioned as being an underrated player. But he didn't play for the legendary 49ers teams. So it takes a remarkable streak of hard luck for a running back to make this list. 4. Guys who played in Jacksonville repeatedly have been crapped on in Pro Bowl and Hall of Fame votes, none more so than Taylor during and after his 11 seasons there. That's a higher sack total than Dwight Freeney or Robert Mathis. He started for the Rams in their Super Bowl seasons at the beginning of his career and then earned Pro Bowl berths for Washington from 2009 through 2012 when he was in his mid-30s. When the Rams finally earned a Super Bowl berth, Robertson was in Buffalo, playing for another playoff also-ran. The Jaguars, meanwhile, slowly descended to their current status as the NFL's punching bag. Player A was a one-time Most Valuable Player who took part in four Pro Bowl games. Krieg was a career overachiever who survived 19 seasons on modest talent with defense-driven teams. "I dont get it. Guards don't make the Hall of Fame unless they win multiple Super Bowls or play forever. 4,409 Rushing Attempts. Bahr converted 84 percent of his field-goal attempts (21 of 25), and 98 percent of his extra-point tries (40 of 41) when it counted most. Allen made a lot of plays. His teams averaged 392.0 yards and 34.0 points in those games. If the soft-spoken scatback had been in the right place at the right time, he would have filled his one nagging void a Super Bowl title and the exposure that accompanied it. Super Bowl championships: Four (1966, 1967, 1972, 1973). He has started every game he has played in since 2014 (with four different franchises). But Anderson was an extraordinary talent. Those who like to shout "first-ballot Hall of Famer" about Rivers do not know how the Hall of Fame works. The AFL was an eight- to 10-team league, so All-Pro selections were easier to come by. Teammates Alan Page and Carl Ellar were held in higher regard. In an era when 50 percent completion rates and 20-interception seasons were common for Pro Bowl quarterbacks, Anderson's 64.9 percent completion rate and quarterback ratings above 90 look like temporal anomalies. WebMost Underrated NFL Players of All Time These men did so much but received so little credit in return. To make our list, a player must contribute to a winning effort while putting up bad stats, misunderstood stats or no stats. The Lions drafted him as a running back. Bottom line: Warrick Dunn overcame the murder of his mother, bouts with depression and 5-foot-9 size to have a successful 12-year NFL career. There may be such a thing as too much blitzing, after all. That Greene remains one of the most underrated defensive players in history is a mystery when you look at the numbers. While Kreig didnt possess fleet feet or a bazooka arm, he could read defenses and throw an accurate ball. 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? Maybe Rivers takes his place among the all-time greats. Twenty years ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars were one of the marquee organizations in professional sports, and Jimmy Smith was one of their brightest stars. In Super Bowl IX, Edwards killed a drive and darn near Vikings intended receiver John Gilliam on a hellacious hit near the goal line. Krause is undeniably one of the best defensive players to ever play pro football, but his name nevertheless rarely pops up whenever such discussions arise among fans and even among analysts. By the time the 49ers are great again, Bowman may be in his early 30s or on another team. But this list is all about giving overlooked players their due respect. Freelancer for multiple websites. But McCree did fumble. 11) Let's face it: An entire All-Underrated Team can be assembled using only Broncos defenders. He's not the kind of player a wise organization sheds to cut expenses. 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. 1. Super Bowl championships: Four (1981, 1984, 1988, 1989). No matter. Its a frigging joke that Taylor isnt in the Hall of Fame discussion. McDole's Bills defenses held opponents to fewer than 3.1 yards per carry across three consecutive seasons. Appreciate him for being that. In his prime, Wright was often mentioned in the same breath as Hall of Famers Mel Blount and Mike Haynes. Yet he still led his team to the playoffs three more times. 10. 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. But c'mon: 289 regular-season and postseason starts, 127 sacks and four Super Bowl appearances, yet the Hall of Fame turns up its nose at Marshall as just a pretty good defender with a long career? But his Rams had a running back named Eric Dickerson and quarterbacks named Dieter Brock and Jeff Kemp. 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. It was a motivating factor for a number of years in my career. He is Baltimore Ravens nose tackle Brandon Williams. Young played for the teams that slowly slid from George Seifert to Steve Mariucci to oblivion. Stafford is an underrated quarterback who has also been a pillar of stability outside of his second season and this past year. 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. Efficient? 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. Evans, the best pass-protecting guard of his era, was charged with making sure pass-rushers didn't get close enough to Brees to bat his passes down, let alone sack him. He once threw three touchdowns in a shutout victory in a title game. Drew Brees endured an average of just 24 sacks per season in Evans' All-Pro seasons, despite typically dropping back to pass over 650 times per year. 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. Robertson is so poorly remembered that it was hard to find a decent photo of him in our archives. As much as there are people who would say that Cunningham remains an underrated quarterback, there are also some out there who would say that people have oversold how great he was during his career. Hes also among a select few to be a four-time Super Bowl champion. 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. The admission probably slams the door of the Hall of Fame on Brown forever. Sam Mills rises above the rest of the gritty linebacker pack, at least when it comes to being underrated, because three of his greatest seasons have been erased from history. He was drafted by the Falcons with the eighth overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, and he was an instant Spoiler alert: Of course it is. There would not be another exchange of current Pro Bowlers in the NFL until the Broncos and Redskins exchanged Champ Bailey and Clinton Portis in 2004. Sad to say, Morgan was woefully miscast in a run-first offense in a less pass-friendly time. Related:Most Overrated NFL Players of All Time. 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. "No one was going to catch no ball.". For some reason, however, the community has somewhat forgotten that Paul Krause had held the record for most interceptions in NFL history for decades. It's hard for a running back to be underrated. He didnt just take up space, either. Evans is still playing at a high level; the Packers hope that he can do for Aaron Rodgers what he did for Brees. Anchoring defenses with catchy names like the "Orange Crush?" Mills looks like just another local hero linebacker in the encyclopedias, albeit a good one. Yes, Marshall amassed that sack total by playing foreverhe started270 games (plus 19 playoff starts) from 1961 through 1979. 44. Success came early for Fletcher, recognition late. Here, we give you every NFL teams most underrated player. 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. If Morgan had played in a pass-happy offense with a Pro Bowl quarterback and hands-off rules, you would find him in Canton right now. July 24, 2020July 24, 2020 Koby83 Carson Palmer, Football, Matt Schaub, NFL, Quarterbacks Underrated. Actually, make that four careers. It doesn't matter: If you are a Broncos defender, you might as well forget about a bust in Canton. Brown did one thing terribly wrong in 18 NFL seasons, but for his teams to win as often as they did, he must have done an awful lot more right. 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. Yet somehow, some way, Kolb never received a Pro Bowl invitation. Anderson also won MVP honors the same year he won Comeback Player of the Year. That may be unfair to players like Robinson, Jerry Kramer and L.C. Much of the Saints' offensive success in Evans' prime years is rightfully credited to Brees. 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. An undrafted quarterback out of the late Milton College (Wisconsin), Krieg got them to the postseason four times and the AFC championship game once. Far from it. Some of the most-talented individuals to ever play particular positions have, at some point or another, gone unappreciated by fans and even by supposed NFL experts. One of the greatest defenders in the history of a storied franchise, Young is just another victim of bad timing when it comes to getting the reputation he deserves. Marshall cant get his name even on the preliminary Hall of Fame ballot. He started for an offensive line that helped Barry Sanders win two of his four rushing titles. You know the type. Outside of the incredible stats that Monk posted during his Hall-of-Fame career, is has to be noted Monk also never had the pleasure of playing with quarterbacks such as Joe Montana, Dan Marino or John Elway. Jim Marshall, DE, Vikings. He is one of the best receivers in history, and he has the stats to back up such claims. Anderson was the first quarterback to successfully orchestrate the beta version of Bill Walsh's West Coast offense for multiple seasons. He enjoyed one of the greatest receiving games in NFL history: 15 catches, 291 yards and three touchdowns against the historic 2000 Ravens defense. Only if a player averages eight interceptions a season for ten consecutive years will some begin to recognize what Krause achieved during his career. Perhaps Hull would be in the Hall of Fame if the Bills had won even one Super Bowl. Wouldnt you know it? NaVorro Bowman trade rumors surfaced in early spring, only to be quickly squelched by new 49ers general manager John Lynch. That made Hull one of the first centers to make line adjustments on the fly. That's where the politics of Hall voting come in. Bottom line: Never mind guys such as Michael Vick and Lamar Jackson. The system helped make Hall of Famers of Kelly, Reed and Thomas. He has been named to eight Pro Bowl squads. Bowman is coming off an Achilles tear in 2016. Boomer Esiason was a fine player who remains seen on national television throughout the year, but it is Anderson who is, to this day, the greatest quarterback in the history of the Bengals. David Garrard. It is easy to understand why he would come up when the topic is being addressed, but that he is not respected as one of the best to play the position is difficult to understand. So Anderson cranked out a few 1,000-yard seasons and played in some Pro Bowls, and that was that. Hull never lived to see himself make a Hall of Fame semifinalist list, as he died of liver failure at age 50 in 2011. That voter meant every fanbase has a beloved old defender, renowned for his toughness and leadership, that they swear belongs in the Hall of Fame. Arizona Cardinals: WR Andy Isabella. That's its own kind of recognition. 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. Teams: Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears, Tennessee Oilers, Pro Bowl appearances: Three (1984, 1988, 1989). It is difficult to rank Ken Anderson in this list if only because he is constantly referenced as being an underrated player. He is also infamous for admitting on ESPN Radio that he once purposely let Packers defender Sean Jones sack Scott Mitchell so the struggling quarterback would get knocked out of a game. 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? Member PFWA. Maybe Wright wasn't a Blount-level legend, but he deserves better than to be the forgotten man among the Broncos' forgotten men. Kenn was one of the leaders of the NFL Players Association during the era of replacement players and court battles over free agency. We could just trudge onward to the next player right now. Smith produced nine 1,000-yard seasons in 10 years, including two 100-plus-catch seasons in an era when they were still relatively uncommon. The easiest way to be overlooked by history is to replace a legend just after a franchise has peaked. Mason also caught 49 postseason passes and was one of the game's best return men for a few years. Anderson was not Payton, and the later-era Mike Ditka Bears could never approach the heights reached by the 1985 Bears. Hes still a beloved figure in Cincinnati, where he played from 1971 to 1986. Oh, and Norton scored the final touchdown of the game on a 9-yard fumble return. He's the Rams' all-time leading rusher with almost 3,000 more yards for the franchise than Marshall Faulk or Eric Dickerson. "It pissed me off," Fletcher replied. And because versatility is his calling card, he'll never produce gaudy sack totals or climb any all-time leaderboards. does not get the love that is handed to other running backs is something that could make you scratch your head. Finally, at last, the cornerback was selected to play in his first Pro Bowl game as some kind of lifetime achievement award. Bottom line: For 16 seasons, Henry Ellard wreaked havoc as a pass receiver and punt returner. So LeRoy Butler, innovator of the Lambeau Leap, is excluded from his own statue. Ohhh-kaaaaay, one of the Hasselbecks then? New England Patriots wide receiver Stanley Morgan, right, battles for a ball with Most seasons with 30 made field goals (7). Anderson's 1,000-yard seasons came in a primitive offense with a rudimentary passing game. One of the big Pro Bowl misses from 2015 is the player I think is the NFL 's Most Underrated. Harrison's numbers should speak for themselves, and those who would say otherwise are either trying to make a point or are simply ignoring how great Harrison was during his career. He was one of the first true slot receivers of 21st-century NFL offenses. But run defense was king in the era when McDole played, and his 16-year career is littered with big plays: 12 interceptions, 14 fumble recoveries, two touchdowns, three safeties and a pair of sacks in the 1966 AFL Championship Game. He is, however, most remembered, for being a wide receiver who was decades ahead of his time. Cunningham is widely regarded as one of the best running QBs in the history of the NFL, but his ability to make plays with his arm should not be ignored. Robinson was one of those players. 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. Brett Favre may be the player most responsible for bringing spectacle and success back to Titletown, but Butler brought back celebration. 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. Neal Anderson replaced Walter Payton. He was overshadowed by more famous teammates throughout his career. And consider this: The one-time college triple-jumper played with a Pro Bowl quarterback (Jim Everett) in only one season. Ron McDole falls into that final category. Teams: Los Angeles Rams, Washington Redskins. So whaddya say, fans? It didnt help that he had ordinary quarterbacks named Tony Eason and Steve Grogan to throw him the ball. 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. He also doesn't play in the shadow of a legend. The Steelers rushed for a then-record 249 yards and did not allow a sack. Unless you live in Cleveland or are over 50, you probably have never heard of him. 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Hadl played quarterback, halfback, defensive back and punter for the University of Kansas. Lofton could stretch the field with his speed, and he also had some of the best hands of his time. Those accomplishments may soon finally land Kenn in the Hall of Fame. If Marlon McCree hadn't fumbled that interception in the playoffs after the 2006 season, everything might have been different. Fitzgerald has played on some lackluster offenses. List the men you believe to be the greatest running backs in NFL history. Ken Anderson, QB, Bengals. He returned eight interceptions for touchdowns, including four in 1993 and three during his age-35 season with the Raiders in 2000. 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. He was an iron man for a powerhouse franchise that reached four Super Bowls while playing many of their home games in arctic conditions. WebWhile we could have included a few more, here is our list of the 10 most underrated players in NFL history. The 6'2" Wright was renowned as a run-stuffing cornerbackthat's him tackling Walter Payton in the photobut he also intercepted 26 career passes, even though opposing quarterbacks spent much of his career avoiding him. Roberston is the guy getting head-butted in the sternum and knocked backward by Campbell before the running back's jersey gets torn off. Player A passed for 27,928 yards and 194 touchdowns and ran for four touchdowns with mostly very good teams and one great one. Robertson was one of the NFL's fastest linebackers in the 1970s. He won 65 percent of his NFL starts. 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. This list begins with a quarterback who is preparing to play in the 2015 NFL regular season. Terry Porter is another name that isnt remembered despite his He won the Rookie of the Year and the Comeback Player of the Year awards as a professional, and Anderson was named the Most Valuable Player for Super Bowl XXV. Mike Kenn began his career playing left tackle for a lumbering 1970s power-running offense. He then became a staple of trivia questions and All-Time Worst Trades listicles, as the Lawrence Welk trade overshadowed an even more impressive moment in Hadl's transaction history. 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". Player B passed for 31,548 yards and 214 touchdowns and ran for 22 touchdowns with below average-to-good teams. Anderson was named to four Pro Bowl squads during his career, ad he led the Cincinnati Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance that did not go Cincinnati's way because of Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49ers. Both of those seasons came, ironically enough, after Allen and Buddy were separated. That makes sense: Both started their careers late, played with workhorse running backs, won a championship and had their careers curtailed by vicious hits. 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. The Pro Football Reference Similar Players tool compares Ryan's five-year peak to that of Joe Theismann. 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. Mason had seven seasons of at least 70 pass receptions, 1,000 yards and five touchdowns. Time has been hard on both of them. McDole, nicknamed "The Dancing Bear" because of his boogie on the dance floor rather than his on-field footwork, was known as more of a run defender than a pass-rusher. 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. WebDue to the emergence of other superstars like Allen Iverson, Vince Carter, LeBron James, and Tracy McGrady, many other solid players who had massive success in the decade have Only kicker in NFL history to hit at least one FG The best we can offer is a little bit of credit where a lot is due. Looks like just another local hero linebacker in the encyclopedias, albeit good! Past year even one Super Bowl championships: two ( 1996, 1999 ) fourth quarter seal! Give you every NFL teams most underrated players in history, and he has been to... If a player must contribute to a winning effort while putting up bad stats, misunderstood stats no. 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