20 most underrated football players of all time

Player A passed for 27,928 yards and 194 touchdowns and ran for four touchdowns with mostly very good teams and one great one. 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. Bottom line: Quick, name the winningest Seahawks quarterback before the Russell Wilson era. Teams: Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, Bottom line: Fred Taylor once tweeted, "I earned respect on the field. Rote was the first quarterback who regularly beat defenses with his legs as well as his arm. Ground rules: A max of three Pro Bowl invitations. Wide receiver Chase Claypool stole headlines as a rookie in 2020, while teammate JuJu Smith-Schuster always seems to attract headlines one way or another. Ten of the most underrated footballers of all time Bowman is a four-time All-Pro and tremendous all-purpose linebacker who emerged as a stalwart leader for teams that otherwise might have packed it in before Labor Day. (Bonus point: Schlereth doesnt suck as a broadcaster on ESPN. He then went on to start at left tackle for the playoff-bound Cardinals and 2000 NFC champion Giants. Or as astute NBC broadcaster Dick Enberg scored it, "KO for Ken Norton.". 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. WebTop 20 Most Underrated Footballers in 2022 1. 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. 10. He lacked the straight-line speed to be a game-breaker. The linebacker ranks 17th in career solo tackles (1,130) and is the only player to be part of three consecutive Super Bowl champions. Marshall reached just two Pro Bowls. If he started his career a decade earlier or a decade later, Young would have anchored the defense for one of history's great teams or helped push the Harbaugh 49ers over the top in the Super Bowl. He had to blanket a wide receiver in man coverage with no safety help on every play. The best teams in the AFL proved to be NFL-caliber, but the bottom of the league was populated with a nearly bankrupt franchise or two, so the best players clumped on the best teams and stood out from the crowd. A lifelong Tampa Bay Buccaneer, Davids 10-year career has been about consistency and productivity. Teams: Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Pro Bowl appearances: Three (1993, 1995, 1997), Super Bowl championships: Three (1992, 1993, 1994). 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? On a walk-through between center and left guard, naturally. Time has been hard on both of them. It takes years of playing the wrong position for the wrong team in the wrong league at the wrong time. Teammates Alan Page and Carl Ellar were held in higher regard. WebOnce called the toughest cornerback in the NFL by Jerry Rice, Lewis would have received much more acclaim in his career if hed played a position that wasnt just following other There's underrated, underappreciated and overlooked. It takes bad timing and bad luck. Mason had seven seasons of at least 70 pass receptions, 1,000 yards and five touchdowns. He's the Rams' all-time leading rusher with almost 3,000 more yards for the franchise than Marshall Faulk or Eric Dickerson. 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. Lets hear some "un-der-ra-ted!" Barca star Pedri hails Lionel Messi as the greatest player of all time 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. During his nine seasons in Buffalo, Hughes has emerged as a leader while registering double-digits in QB hits every season but one. MOST UNDERRATED PLAYERS OF ALL TIME Where did Davis score the game-winner late in Super Bowl XXXII? There are a ton of names in the conversation for best offensive linemen of all time, but Dierdorf Then it was off to Carolina, where he earned an All-Pro selection for leading the Panthers to the NFC Championship Game as a second-year expansion team during his age-37 season. Allen made a lot of plays. At 67 Buckner also has a wide arsenal of pass rush moves to pressure the quarterback. But a double whammyplaying center and playing for the Broncoshas kept him miles from Hall of Fame consideration. Randy Gradishar. There will never be another player like Marshall. Bottom line: Derrick Mason was among the shrewdest, most precise route runners of his time. Web12. It didnt help that he had ordinary quarterbacks named Tony Eason and Steve Grogan to throw him the ball. 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. "No one was going to catch no ball.". But he didn't play for the legendary 49ers teams. Hes the only quarterback with AFL and NFL titles on his resume and he darn near pulled it off in the Canadian Football League as well. 1. Steve Wisniewski played guard on a Raiders team that moved in the middle of his career and was just good enough to remind you it was not in the same class as the great Raiders teams that preceded it. Why retain an expensive vestige of the last regime, or really the last three regimes? Bowman makes this list because he has the makings of a player who will be underappreciated historically. To understand why he is not in the Hall of Fame, you must familiarize yourself with both the era he played in and the vagaries of Hall voting. 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. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. That's where the politics of Hall voting come in. 20 Most Underrated Footballers on the Planet - Bleacher Report Mike Kenn began his career playing left tackle for a lumbering 1970s power-running offense. He was a six-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro. 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. Marshall cant get his name even on the preliminary Hall of Fame ballot. Butler was the NFL's most dangerous all-purpose safety for much of the 1990s. The guy should demand a recount, I tell ya. As for being so underrated he's overrated, wellthat's extremely underrated, which justifies Anderson's ranking here. Both players were Pro Bowlers the previous year. He didnt just take up space, either. They would rank first in the NFL in yardage four other times while Evans was a starter. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. Sad to say, Morgan was woefully miscast in a run-first offense in a less pass-friendly time. In addition to the most underrated and overrated Raiders of all time, Adam Rank goes on a mini-tirade about a criminally underrated coach. Sanders was an extremely Teams: Los Angeles Rams, Washington Redskins. 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. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. 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. He finally won a Super Bowl ring as a backup for the Buccaneers. Hence, the Campbell video. The Top 10 Most Underrated Football Players of All Time Matthew Stafford is approaching 50,000 career passing yards, a number only topped by 11 quarterbacks in history. Far from it. Web113 Likes, TikTok video from FootWorld (@lovingfootbal): "The most underrated player of all time #dimaria #football". Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports By Sam Monson May 13, Teams: Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Houston Texans. Super Bowl victories? While coverage is Bates' strength, he can still lay the big hit and be a factor in run support. FEDERICO CHIESA. Steve Atwater. And you're never going to guess who's No. most underrated player of all time Mason's 95-catch, 1,200-yard seasons translate to 115-catch monsters in more pass-oriented schemes. While Kreig didnt possess fleet feet or a bazooka arm, he could read defenses and throw an accurate ball. Sideways. He reached the playoffs as a rookie backup in 2004 and a 32-year-old backup in 2015, but zero times in the decade in between. The Packers were a team with more history than identity when Butler arrived. The Pro Football Reference Similar Players tool compares Ryan's five-year peak to that of Joe Theismann. He was a participant in four Super Bowls and a member of two All-Pro teams. He should be remembered as more than a throwback to the era when Lawrence Welk references were topical. Randy Gradishar. 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. Maybe Rivers takes his place among the all-time greats. Smith wasnt a no-show on third-and-long, either. But so were teammates like Len Dawson, Willie Lanier, Buck Buchanan, Bobby Bell, Curley Culp and Jan Stenerud, all of whom are in the Hall of Fame. As a 31-year-old, no less. Photo by JOHN CAPUTO/AFP via Getty Images, ST. LOUIS, MO CIRCA 1980: Ed Jones #72 of the Dallas Cowboys gets blocked by Dan Dierdorf #72 of the St. Louis Cardinals during an NFL football game circa 1980 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. 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. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. Maybe that victory gives them the psychological edge they need to beat the undefeated Patriots in their 2008 playoff rematch. Bottom line: The 49ers of the 1980s are remembered most for Joe Montana and Jerry Rice, coach Bill Walsh and the West Coast offense. 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. Greenlaw is equally effective against the run and pass, a sure tackler, and brings plenty of energy to theNiners' defense. But Brown was a unique and underappreciated player for over a decade on a team that nearly revolutionized the way football is played. Juszczyk knows his role and is a winning player that will always fight to win those tough yards. Dont know about you, but I want Mason on my retro fantasy league team. You mean future Hall of Fame tackle Orlando Pace didnt block four guys all by himself? And because versatility is his calling card, he'll never produce gaudy sack totals or climb any all-time leaderboards. 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. Graham has only missed one game since 2012 prior to 2021, and similar to Hughes is a winning culture type of player. David entered the league as a terrific coverage linebacker and has continued to grow into an all-around complete linebacker and playmaker. The top 20 most under-rated footballers of all time - The Telegraph Player B was a one-time MVP who played in two Pro Bowl games. After spending a season on the practice squad and injured-reserve with the Jets, Franklin-Myers made the most of his opportunities as a rotational player throughout most of 2020, leading to a starting role in 2021 and a massive $55M extension. Perhaps Hull would be in the Hall of Fame if the Bills had won even one Super Bowl. Fletcher followed Gregg Williams from coaching stop to coaching stop, serving as the sometimes controversial, always effective defensive mastermind's field marshal. At only 510, Johnson lacks the ideal size. Who knows what the NFL might have looked like then? #5. And to think, the guy never played in a Pro Bowl game. Karl Mecklenburg. Bottom line: If an inquiring mind had asked "Which team will win the Super Bowl?" "Even now I still get pissed off. There have been too many players in NFL history to count, so naturally, many of them werent going to get the attention they deserved for their play. They lost to the Vikings 30-14 in the 1974 Wildcard Round, and they were defeated by the Rams 35-23 in the opening round of the playoffs in 1975. Sutton hauled in 72 catches for 1,112 yards during his second season in the league before a knee injury cut short his 2020campaign after 1 game. 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. Not Fred Dean. Some of the 19 There are over 120 teams that compete in the FBS, which means that storylines and hidden superstars abound. WebWho are the most underrated players of all time? Angel Di Maria. But here's the thing: Gradishar, Mecklenberg and Atwater are famous for being snubbed. Here are ten of the most underrated college football players of all time. He has started every game he has played in since 2014 (with four different franchises). Craters so big that you could drive a semi through them. 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. TGT Tips! The converted all-purpose athlete became one of the fathers of modern quarterbacking. Mills followed Mora to New Orleans and led the Dome Patrol linebacking corps, which brought the Saints franchise its first playoff appearances. Oakland Raiders. Its a frigging joke that Taylor isnt in the Hall of Fame discussion. Robinson was one of those players. Yet he still led his team to the playoffs three more times. McLaurins route running continues to improve while routinely making contested catches look easy. How he slipped through the cracks for 13 years remains one of the unsolved mysteries in pro football. 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. No, what youll see are lots of gaping holes the size of Boulder. Fewer yet realize that he made a crucial play in each victory. There are no official sack statistics before 1982, but the Minnesota Vikings credit Jim Marshall with 127 career sacks. Hadl played quarterback, halfback, defensive back and punter for the University of Kansas. The Lions drafted him as a running back. In Jahri Evans' four All-Pro seasons (2009-12), the Saints ranked first, sixth, first and second in the NFL in total yards. David was a crucial component of the Bucs defense during their playoff run in 2020 that culminated in a Super Bowl victory. Kolb set the Super Bowl standard for left tackles in Super Bowl IV, when he smoked undersized Minnesota Vikings end Jim Marshall like a bad cigar. It was a motivating factor for a number of years in my career. 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. Jones topped the 100 career sack total in week one of 2021, a five-sack day that tied a Cardinals franchise record and set a personal career-best. The start to his career is Hall of Fame worthy and includes a Super Bowl championship while with the New England Patriots. Rivers had neither, but he possessed just about everything else. The trade went how you might expect a lopsided midseason deal for an aging quarterback to go. WebThis list is for those players the ones who were great football players and did not get the credit they deserve. Efficient? 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. Teams: Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, San Diego Chargers, Experience: 13 years (1950-59, 1963-64, 1966), AFL All-Star Game appearances: One (1963). Krieg was a career overachiever who survived 19 seasons on modest talent with defense-driven teams. Kenn is one of the NFL's all-time great players and leaders, and his impact ranges far beyond his playing career. He blitzed (20.5 sacks). White: 12 underrated players; White: 12 overrated players; Towers: Generic vs. Name Brand; Prospect hunting . Tom Jackson. One of the most well-traveled quarterbacks in NFL history, Vinny Testaverde hung around long enough to register the seventh-most passing yards ever in his 20-year career. 10 Most Underrated Promising Football Players In The World Bottom line: In the Steelers' 3-4 scheme, defensive ends were akin to smaller, more agile tackles run-stoppers first, pass-rushers second. The Hall of 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. Ellard was an Antonio Brown-level talent in his prime, but his teams were in no hurry to get him the ball. But no one remembers the Greatest Show on Turf for its defense, and Fletcher spent the prime of his career playing for mediocre Bills teams. A dominant presence as a run blocker, Moton uses his athleticism to get to the next level of the defense in a hurry. It takes more than mere greatness to be considered one of the most underrated players in pro football history. On the final play a year later, he picked off a Roger Staubach pass in the end zone that put the Cowboys to rest. On the field, it is Diontae Johnson that has emerged as a favorite target of Big Ben. 2023 NFL Scouting Combine: Day 2 Recap (Fantasy Football) THE MOST UNDERRATED PLAYERS OF ALL TIME - YouTube Running backs suffer none of the "didn't win the big game" biases that color our perception of quarterbacks. Lets not forget they also dominated with cold-blooded efficiency at the other side of the ball, where Keena Turner was rarely out of position at right outside linebacker. He started for an offensive line that helped Barry Sanders win two of his four rushing titles. The most underrated player on all 32 NFL teams Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard (20) runs with the ball while being tackled by Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marcus Peters (24) in the second quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. But don't write him off as some 1960s product of the system. Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images. Membership on various All-1960s teams. Bottom line: All Ken Norton could do was take down ballcarriers and collect Super Bowl rings. Jackson finished his career with 11,438 rushing yards (18th all-time) and 15,121 total scrimmage yards (21st all-time). Fletcher intercepted 23 passes and recorded 39 sacks as a do-it-all middle linebacker. Who are the top 20 best left-footed football players as of 2023? Anderson was the first quarterback to successfully orchestrate the beta version of Bill Walsh's West Coast offense for multiple seasons. Buckner plays within the defense, often allowing others to make plays, but remains a nightmare trying to block one on one. The statue portrays jubilant Packers fans in tundra-weather gear appearing to cradle a player who just pounced into the stands. McDole's Bills defenses held opponents to fewer than 3.1 yards per carry across three consecutive seasons. Quarterback ratings for Washington skyrocket when targeting McLaurin, who has become a nightmare to defend with the ball in his hands after the catch. The 49ers are installing a new system and reshaping their roster. NFL Nostalgia: Ranking the Most Underrated Players in NFL History "It pissed me off," Fletcher replied. 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. Nothing screams underappreciated like rumors you're about to be traded to make room for a late first-round pick. Let's hope the fame doesn't go to his head. Buckner is a smart player and one of the better-run defenders in football. Robinson is a staple of Hall of Fame Snubs lists, and he certainly has his case. 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. 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. 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. It made the Bills of the early 1990s the greatest team to never win a Super Bowl. "That was my territory," Edwards recalled in The Palm Beach Post. 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. Super Bowl championships: Four (1981, 1984, 1988, 1989). 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. We could just trudge onward to the next player right now. Bottom line: OK, kids, lets play Name That Hall of Famer. WebThe Top 10 Most Underrated Football Players of All Time 1. He played left tackle in 1972 and moved to right tackle in 1974. It's hard for a running back to be underrated. Franklin-Myers went from fourth-round draft choice of the Rams in 2018, to a final roster cut in 2019. He's not the kind of player a wise organization sheds to cut expenses. The Packers believed they were a veteran quarterback away from a playoff run in 1974, so head coach/GM Dan Devine acquired the 34-year-old Rams quarterback by surrendering a ransom of draft picks huge enough to cause even Ryan Pace to do a spit take: two first-rounders, two second-rounders and a third-rounder. Buckner is rarely discussed with the likes of Cameron Heyward, Fletcher Cox, or Grady Jarrett among the top interior defensive linemen (next tier behind Aaron Donald), but he is every bit as talented. Saleh has compared Franklin-Myers to Arik Armstead, whom he coached in SF while registering 10 sacks in 2019. But this list is all about giving overlooked players their due respect. Super Bowl championships: 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979. McDole played 251 professional games as a defensive lineman, a remarkable feat in any era that should not be forgotten. Juszczyk has made five Pro Bowl appearances, including each season since joining San Francisco in 2017. Anderson was not Payton, and the later-era Mike Ditka Bears could never approach the heights reached by the 1985 Bears. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996. If you guessed both or neither one, youre wrong. The Bills were among the first teams to frequently operate without a huddle. But the diminutive Brees would not have been able to lead the Saints to a Super Bowl and several seasons as top contenders without a clean pocket, particularly right in front of him. Turned out he was skilled and driven enough to be a champion. Still don't understand why the writers don't respect it.". Moton started all 16 games each of the last four years, gradually improving and joining the conversation of best right tackles in football. I still don't know that people gave me my due respect for my production. Guards don't make the Hall of Fame unless they win multiple Super Bowls or play forever. That's a higher sack total than Dwight Freeney or Robert Mathis. Player B passed for 31,548 yards and 214 touchdowns and ran for 22 touchdowns with below average-to-good teams. Hall of Fame receiver Paul Warfield was on the receiving end of many of Ryan's touchdowns. In Dierdorfs second to last season, the Cardinals were embarrassed by the Packers 41-16 in their playoff opener. Dierdorf started his career with the Cardinals in 1971 as a guard. Many of those catches occurred down the field, with Anderson serving as a de facto possession receiver. "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. Super Bowl championships: Four (1966, 1967, 1972, 1973). Most underrated NFL players on all 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. Know who created those wide-open spaces? But McCree did fumble. So it takes a remarkable streak of hard luck for a running back to make this list. Top 20 Most Underrated NFL Players of All Time | TheRichest

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