That made Hull one of the first centers to make line adjustments on the fly. 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. 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. One of the big Pro Bowl misses from 2015 is the player I think is the NFL 's Most Underrated. Don Hutson played multiple positions during his time, including defense and on special teams. (Bonus point: Schlereth doesnt suck as a broadcaster on ESPN. He lacked the straight-line speed to be a game-breaker. 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. Joyner, who was beloved by supporters of the Philadelphia Eagles, is a member of the NFL 20/20 club for interceptions and sacks. Butler is all but guaranteed to get lost in the shuffle. His franchises just kept ending up on the wrong side of history. Player B passed for 31,548 yards and 214 touchdowns and ran for 22 touchdowns with below average-to-good teams. The difference between the great and the all-time great is often a matter of timing and luck. But Hadl had to do something to make the Packers think he was worth two armfuls of draft picks. Allen has much in common with many others on this underrated list. 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. Even unspectacular ones manage to rack up a few 1,000-yard seasons and get drafted early in fantasy leagues. And then there is plain old forgotten. The Rams acquired him from the Chargers in 1973 in exchange for defensive end Coy Bacon. Smith wasnt a no-show on third-and-long, either. While Kreig didnt possess fleet feet or a bazooka arm, he could read defenses and throw an accurate ball. 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 started for an offensive line that helped Barry Sanders win two of his four rushing titles. Lomas Brown played left tackle for four Lions playoff teams. 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. The AFL was an eight- to 10-team league, so All-Pro selections were easier to come by. Ohhh-kaaaaay, one of the Hasselbecks then? Ryan needed surgery and was in constant pain for the rest of his career. 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. And none of them produce the numbers he generated in less hospitable systems. And to think, the guy never played in a Pro Bowl game. 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. 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. 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. Young checks in at No. 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. Those who have knowledge of National Football League history are well aware of the more famous individuals who made their names and fame playing pro football. There are certain statistics that one would imagine would immediately pop into the mind of a football fan. Super Bowl championships: Four (1966, 1967, 1972, 1973). Passing wasn't really their thing. 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. For some reason, however, the community has somewhat forgotten that Paul Krause had held the record for most interceptions in NFL history for decades. 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. During that time, he led the league in passer rating four times and passing yards twice. LeRoy Butler, S, Packers. Anderson went on to duel with Walsh and Montana's 49ers in Super Bowl XVI. But this list is all about giving overlooked players their due respect. Eric Allen's job in Buddy Ryan's 46 defense was simple. Jackson finished his career with 11,438 rushing yards (18th all-time) and 15,121 total scrimmage yards (21st all-time). He once threw three touchdowns in a shutout victory in a title game. For a few years, he was not only the best guard in the NFL, but the most important. But Brown was a unique and underappreciated player for over a decade on a team that nearly revolutionized the way football is played. Tomlinson is fifth all-time in rushing yards, and he is third all-time in regular season touchdowns scored for all players and not just for running backs. Lofton was the first player in NFL history to accumulate 14,000 receiving yards. Anderson was the first quarterback to successfully orchestrate the beta version of Bill Walsh's West Coast offense for multiple seasons. A Colts defender delivered some payback in the all-star game. Guards don't make the Hall of Fame unless they win multiple Super Bowls or play forever. Defensive Player of the Year awards? Ellard moved on to Washington in 1994 and enjoyed a late-career renaissance, averaging 61 catches and 18.8 yards per reception over a three-year span in his mid-30s. Overall, the total still ranks ninth at the position. He's not the kind of player a wise organization sheds to cut expenses. Bottom line: Wilber Marshall was the most athletic and versatile linebacker with the legendary 1985 Bears defense he often replaced the celebrated Mike Singletary in pass situations. He has already waited too long for that deserved honor. July 24, 2020July 24, 2020 Koby83 Carson Palmer, Football, Matt Schaub, NFL, Quarterbacks Underrated. Allen made a lot of plays. Teams: Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears, Tennessee Oilers, Pro Bowl appearances: Three (1984, 1988, 1989). It's hard for a running back to be underrated. 30. How he slipped through the cracks for 13 years remains one of the unsolved mysteries in pro football. Maybe he wasn't the best defender on the field for any one play, but he stayed on that field for an entire generation. In his most prolific early season, he caught 54 passes for 811 yards and five touchdowns. Mills followed Mora to New Orleans and led the Dome Patrol linebacking corps, which brought the Saints franchise its first playoff appearances. Sometimes it's because they played next to even bigger stars and sometimes it's The Bills were among the first teams to frequently operate without a huddle. He is one of the best receivers in history, and he has the stats to back up such claims. Here on the All-Time Underrated List, it counts for a lot. And he played in one stinking Pro Bowl game. Modern centers don't get the credit they deserve. Men such as Joe Montana, Lawrence Taylor, Barry Sanders, Jerry Rice and so many others have all had their days in Canton at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and they are revered as being some of the greatest players to ever wear NFL uniforms. WebUnderrated 2000s players that don't get the respect they deserve today. The 49ers are installing a new system and reshaping their roster. Jerry Rice and John Taylor may have been the greatest receiving tandem of that era, but Ellard and Flipper Anderson were the most explosive pair of deep threats. On a walk-through between center and left guard, naturally. There's a statue outside of Lambeau Field commemorating the Lambeau Leap, perhaps the most recognizable and beloved (except to Packers opponents) end-zone celebration in the NFL. Terry Porter. While you may not put him in your top-tier of all-time great running backs, Anderson deserves more than a mention for a spot in the next tier of that imaginary list. Unless you live in Cleveland or are over 50, you probably have never heard of him. 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. 'Nuff said, right? Fitzgerald has been a mainstay in lists of Top 100 players in the NFL for years. Bowman doesn't get the recognition he's due, and he may have to get used to it. But don't write him off as some 1960s product of the system. According to Pro Football Reference, he was flagged for 14 accepted holding penalties in 187 career games, little more than one per season. A fresh take on sports: the biggest news and most entertaining lists. WebMen such as Joe Montana, Lawrence Taylor, Those who have knowledge of National Football League history are well aware of the more famous individuals who made their He once sacked Dan Marino twice on the first two plays of a gamea remarkable achievement, as Marino was one of the least sacked quarterbacks in NFL history. That may tick him off. In two Super Bowl trips, Bahr didnt miss a kick three field goals, six PATs. Steve Atwater. He found the end zone in three different decades. Hence, the Campbell video. Steven Jackson arrived in St. Louis just as the Greatest Show on Turf was deteriorating into the Most Miserable Slog in the Midwest. Dunn finished his career with 15,655 all-purpose yards, 25th in league history, one of the best players never to be a champion. 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. He also scored 35 touchdowns on the ground in that span. Anderson's 1,000-yard seasons came in a primitive offense with a rudimentary passing game. So LeRoy Butler, innovator of the Lambeau Leap, is excluded from his own statue. The Packers were a team with more history than identity when Butler arrived. Pro Bowl? 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. Sideways. But a double whammyplaying center and playing for the Broncoshas kept him miles from Hall of Fame consideration. He had the speed to get to the edge and beat defenders down the sideline, the power to plow through tackles, the elusiveness to make things happen in the open field and receiving chops to rival contemporaries Roger Craig or Thurman Thomas. That makes sense: Both started their careers late, played with workhorse running backs, won a championship and had their careers curtailed by vicious hits. They were the Yale football of the NFL, their glory years moldering in history books. Bottom line: For 16 seasons, Henry Ellard wreaked havoc as a pass receiver and punt returner. 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". But check out these popular stories. The Lions drafted him as a running back. The rumors themselves were not surprising. Why is it that history has seemingly forgotten about Kevin Greene? With Warfield hurt nearly all of that season, Ryan helped make a Pro Bowler out of receiver/punter Gary Collins. Running backs suffer none of the "didn't win the big game" biases that color our perception of quarterbacks. Those accomplishments may soon finally land Kenn in the Hall of Fame. But the former NFL Man of the Year award winner and two-time All-Pro should not have had to wait so long. Hes also among a select few to be a four-time Super Bowl champion. Young was a devastating interior pass-rusher who recorded 30 sacks in the three-year span from 1998 through 2000. Put Ellard in another era or even the AFC with an accomplished quarterback, and his legacy as The Best Wideout Not Named Jerry Rice would be that much greater. During his final collegiate season at UMass in 2018, second-round rookie Andy Isabella was PFFs highest-graded wide receiver in the entire FBS. Maybe that victory gives them the psychological edge they need to beat the undefeated Patriots in their 2008 playoff rematch. Isiah Robertson, LB, Rams, Bills. 1. That's a higher sack total than Dwight Freeney or Robert Mathis. Then again, the fourth-round draft pick had no choice. Put him on the Tom Brady-led Patriots, and Mason might have invented a new branch of mathematics. At its core, PFF is a player evaluation system play-by-play grading of every player in the NFL and access to some of the same stats, grades and info that all 32 NFL 3. As good as Ellard was at the time, he almost was never mentioned in debates about the best at his position. 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. Also, the field was often a block of ice. His 2,690 all-purpose yards with the Titans in the 2000 season are second in league history. So whaddya say, fans? Frank Ryan, QB, Browns. Teams: Los Angeles Rams, Washington Redskins. Mills looks like just another local hero linebacker in the encyclopedias, albeit a good one. ", Teams: St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Oilers, Buffalo Bills, Washington Redskins, Pro Bowl appearances (AFL All-Star Game): Two (1965, 1967). His 42-yarder in the 1990 NFC championship game rates as one of the greatest clutch kicks in league history. Teams: Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, Bottom line: Fred Taylor once tweeted, "I earned respect on the field. 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 played in the run-'n'-shoot offense, which means he was on an island against the NFL's best pass-rushers on every snap for a half-decadeno tight end flanking him, no blocking back behind him. WebIts weird to say that a player as celebrated as Jonathan Taylor could be one of the most underrated college football players of all time. Not Fred Dean. Thats been the real surprise. 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. Turned out he was skilled and driven enough to be a champion. Fletcher intercepted 23 passes and recorded 39 sacks as a do-it-all middle linebacker. The NFL is now full of receivers like Mason, but few of them are as productive as he was for over a decade. He's rarely mentioned as an all-time great. It's not that Ellard, an Olympic-caliber triple-jumper with 4.4 speed, didn't know what he was doing. The only lineman to start all four of those games was a workout warrior and routinely bench-pressed 550 pounds in his prime. Bottom line: OK, kids, lets play Name That Hall of Famer. Both of those seasons came, ironically enough, after Allen and Buddy were separated. The least glamorous position on the field, a so-so team, a franchise moveWisniewski pulled three lemons on the recognition slot machine. He is now stuck in a rebuilding cycle that may take a few years. C'mon, who doesn't love Darren Sproles and Mike Tolbert? 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. When London Fletcher retired after the 2014 season, Robert Klemko of The MMQBasked him if he was motivated by feeling underappreciated for most of his career. If Marlon McCree hadn't fumbled that interception in the playoffs after the 2006 season, everything might have been different. Both players were Pro Bowlers the previous year. The converted all-purpose athlete became one of the fathers of modern quarterbacking. Actually, theres a simple explanation. Mike Kenn began his career playing left tackle for a lumbering 1970s power-running offense. 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. The Adventures of Grim Reaper J is a Reminder to Do What You Love style | Charlie Kolbrener Johnnie Walker Collaborates With VANDYTHEPINK and 88Rising to Release Special Blue Label Bottle nft | ONE37pm Editors 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. 11) Oh, and Norton scored the final touchdown of the game on a 9-yard fumble return. Rivers' excellence, longevity and ability to barely dodge immortality make him the John Hadl of his era. 2. Membership on various All-1960s teams. Still, even his long resume undersells his does not get the love that is handed to other running backs is something that could make you scratch your head. They didnt do anything that Tobin Rote hadnt done a long time ago. Oh, and sub-packages were pretty rare in the 1960s and 1970s, so Marshall didn't leave the field much. Bottom line: Few remember Glen Edwards as the fearless strong safety with the Steelers first two Super Bowl teams. Seven times, he surpassed 1,000 yards on pass receptions, most of them on slants and corner routes. 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. Finally, at last, the cornerback was selected to play in his first Pro Bowl game as some kind of lifetime achievement award. Start with Adam Timmerman, who won Super Bowl rings with the Packers and Rams three years apart. Jacksonville's all-time leading receiver is now beginning what he calls the "second chapter in his life." The list of players who are in that club includes Ray Lewis, Rodney Harrison, Brian Dawkins, LeRoy Butler and Ronde Barber. Theyre the core players who are overshadowed by more well-paid, high-profile teammates and just plain pathetic, shameless self-promoters. That may be unfair to players like Robinson, Jerry Kramer and L.C. 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. He should be remembered as more than a throwback to the era when Lawrence Welk references were topical. Robertson was one of the NFL's fastest linebackers in the 1970s. But his Rams had a running back named Eric Dickerson and quarterbacks named Dieter Brock and Jeff Kemp. Teams: Chicago Bears, Washington Redskins, Houston Oilers, Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets, Pro Bowl appearances: Three (1986, 1987, 1992), Super Bowl championships: Two (1985, 1991). There are some out there who would say that a player who has been inducted into the Hall of Fame cannot possibly be underrated. 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. Bottom line: After eight seasons in Buffalo, where he had been a mainstay with the best defense in AFL history, Ron McDole took his two-bar helmet to Washington. The correct answer is Player A (Ken Stabler), and if youre Player B (Brodie), you have to wonder if one Super Bowl should make that much difference. The statue portrays jubilant Packers fans in tundra-weather gear appearing to cradle a player who just pounced into the stands. Lets hear some "un-der-ra-ted!" What Mason did have was a keen attention to detail and fanatical drive to succeed. Its a frigging joke that Taylor isnt in the Hall of Fame discussion. ), Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, Super Bowl championships: Two (1974, 1975). 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? It made the Bills of the early 1990s the greatest team to never win a Super Bowl. Teams: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, Pro Bowl appearances: Three (1997, 2000, 2005). Efficient? He became an All-Pro playing blindside protector in an early 1990s run-'n'-shoot offense. No modern coach suppressed passing offenses quite like Fisher, and no team produces offensive stats that look like they come from the early 1930s quite like the Ravens. "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. But none accomplished more than Ryan while receiving less acclaim. Mason also caught 49 postseason passes and was one of the game's best return men for a few years. 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. Nothing screams underappreciated like rumors you're about to be traded to make room for a late first-round pick. 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. 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. He played 256 career regular-season games, never missing a start due to injury. Roberston is the guy getting head-butted in the sternum and knocked backward by Campbell before the running back's jersey gets torn off. Ryan was Jim Brown's quarterback and then Leroy Kelly's quarterback. It takes bad timing and bad luck. 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. But few cornerbacks spent more of their careers in the crosshairs than Allen. Now that's underrated. He was drafted by the Falcons with the eighth overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, and he was an instant Massive sports fan and soccer nerd. Teams: Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Pro Bowl appearances: Three (1993, 1995, 1997), Super Bowl championships: Three (1992, 1993, 1994). 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. WebNFL Nostalgia: Ranking the Most Underrated Players in NFL History. Wouldnt you know it? Web#shorts #viral #dunk #edit #fyp #nfl #sports #sportsedits The system helped make Hall of Famers of Kelly, Reed and Thomas. But outside of Wisconsin, his accomplishments were mostly forgotten shortly after his career ended in 2001. Rivers lacks several quarterback prerequisites for enshrinement: playoff glory, all-time records and, most importantly, momentum from a regional fanbase and media. He won 65 percent of his NFL starts. We could just trudge onward to the next player right now. Yes, Marshall amassed that sack total by playing foreverhe started270 games (plus 19 playoff starts) from 1961 through 1979. But no highlight clip of that play can be found on the internet. Theyre the flat-liners whose drop-dead consistency gets lost with average-to-bad teams, in smaller markets, with brain-challenged organizations that have little, if any, history of success. Slot specialists such as Julian Edelman and Victor Cruz are now considered valuable components to the modern passing game. NaVorro Bowman trade rumors surfaced in early spring, only to be quickly squelched by new 49ers general manager John Lynch. Let's hope the fame doesn't go to his head. Allen is trailing by 26 sacks as of the start of the 2015 regular season. Perhaps Hull would be in the Hall of Fame if the Bills had won even one Super Bowl. Lofton could stretch the field with his speed, and he also had some of the best hands of his time. Not every NFL star gets the love they deserve. There's underrated, underappreciated and overlooked. He has been named to eight Pro Bowl squads. For the second installment in underappreciated NFL players, we have the running backs. Robertson is so poorly remembered that it was hard to find a decent photo of him in our archives. Six All-Pro selections. 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.". Bottom line: Adam Vinatieri was money in the postseason, but Matt Bahr was even better. He is, however, most remembered, for being a wide receiver who was decades ahead of his time. Robinson is a staple of Hall of Fame Snubs lists, and he certainly has his case. Bottom line: In the Steelers' 3-4 scheme, defensive ends were akin to smaller, more agile tackles run-stoppers first, pass-rushers second. 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. He then went on to start at left tackle for the playoff-bound Cardinals and 2000 NFC champion Giants. A new generation of superstar left tackles entered the league as Brown was peaking, and he spent the latter half of his career bouncing from team to team as Tony Boselli, Willie Roaf, Orlando Pace, Jonathan Ogden and Walter Jones turned the blindside protector into an almost glamorous position. One of the best players in the league during the 1980s, Monk is too often unappreciated in lists of all-time great wide receivers.
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