But few cornerbacks spent more of their careers in the crosshairs than Allen. 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. Most seasons with 30 made field goals (7). Anderson does not get the credit he deserves for reasons that cannot be explained. He was overshadowed by more famous teammates throughout his career. The Over-the-Hill Gang fielded one of the most ferocious pass rushes of its era, notching 53 sacks in 1973. Ellard was an Antonio Brown-level talent in his prime, but his teams were in no hurry to get him the ball. Jim Marshall, DE, Vikings. It takes years of playing the wrong position for the wrong team in the wrong league at the wrong time. Brown is now best known as a television personality. Schlereth started in three Super Bowls with the Redskins and Broncos, all of them victories. There's underrated, underappreciated and overlooked. It's Bryant Young, whorecorded 89.5 sacks for the 49ers, 23 more than Haley. It's hard for a running back to be underrated. McDole played 251 professional games as a defensive lineman, a remarkable feat in any era that should not be forgotten. He had to blanket a wide receiver in man coverage with no safety help on every play. If Anderson had failed, the 49ers may never have lured Walsh away from the Bengals staff. Player A passed for 27,928 yards and 194 touchdowns and ran for four touchdowns with mostly very good teams and one great one. Jackson finished his career with 11,438 rushing yards (18th all-time) and 15,121 total scrimmage yards (21st all-time). 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. There, he led a relentless Redskins pass rush in their Super Bowl XXVI ambush. Defensive Player of the Year awards? He was one of the first true slot receivers of 21st-century NFL offenses. Marshall cant get his name even on the preliminary Hall of Fame ballot. 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. Quick: Name the 49ers' all-time sack leader. Teams: Washington Redskins, Denver Broncos, Super Bowl championships: Three (1991, 1997, 1998). Perhaps it has something to do with the era during which Tomlinson played, but that L.T. What Mason did have was a keen attention to detail and fanatical drive to succeed. Were going to wrap up the 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. He's the Rams' all-time leading rusher with almost 3,000 more yards for the franchise than Marshall Faulk or Eric Dickerson. WebAll-Time Most Underrated NFL Players by Position. WebKen Anderson is easily the most underrated quarterback of all time. 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. But three of his best seasons are not listed in the encyclopedias. Even pesky third-down backs and gritty fullbacks may seem underrated until you realize how many of them become local heroes. Yet somehow, some way, Kolb never received a Pro Bowl invitation. 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. Years: 1990-2004. How he slipped through the cracks for 13 years remains one of the unsolved mysteries in pro football. That Greene remains one of the most underrated defensive players in history is a mystery when you look at the numbers. 11) LeRoy Butler, S, Packers. 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. He was a Pro Bowl regular, two-time All-Pro and Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1971. His stardom was spread among three teams, robbing him of local hero status (or Hall of Fame momentum) in any one city. Teams: Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Houston Texans. 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. Teams: New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Pro Bowl appearances: Four (1979, 1980, 1986, 1987). 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. These are the most underrated college football players of all time. His career was cut short by injuries suffered in the first of those three Pro Bowls. Still, even his long resume undersells his Now that's underrated. 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. He became an All-Pro playing blindside protector in an early 1990s run-'n'-shoot offense. Arizona Cardinals: WR Andy Isabella. In the 1950s and the days of 12-game regular seasons, he rushed for 3,078 yards, nearly 1,000 more than the runner-up. The weekend opened with the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks. Start with Adam Timmerman, who won Super Bowl rings with the Packers and Rams three years apart. And they really deserve more love. 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. 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. Super Bowl victories? Many of those catches occurred down the field, with Anderson serving as a de facto possession receiver. Numbers better than majority of RBs in history. 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. But a double whammyplaying center and playing for the Broncoshas kept him miles from Hall of Fame consideration. The 10 Most Underrated College Football Players Ever // ONE37pm We didnt find the net this time. Nothing screams underappreciated like rumors you're about to be traded to make room for a late first-round pick. Frank Ryan, QB, Browns. Norton made the key play of the game in the second period, when he stood up Buffalo Bills back Kenneth Davis mere inches from the goal line. 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. He must either play for teams so good that they overshadow his accomplishments, or teams so bad that he had to do it all by himself. 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. That made Hull one of the first centers to make line adjustments on the fly. Arguably the greatest quarterback in the history of the Philadelphia Eagles, Cunningham rightfully so makes it into this list. He may not have been as good as Jerry Rice or Randy Moss, but there is a solid argument to be made that Lofton is one of the ten best wide receivers in the history of pro football. The 2023 wide receiver class is one of the worst in recent memory, but there are some solid options on Day 2 for teams searching for complementary players. 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. These are the most unsung NFL quarterbacks of all time. 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. When Da Bears bean counters refused to pay up two years later, Marshall was the odd man out again. 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. Anderson became a footnote to the Ditka era, but fans who saw him play know he was far more than that. Randy Gradishar. And consider this: The one-time college triple-jumper played with a Pro Bowl quarterback (Jim Everett) in only one season. 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. He was arrested four times after his abrupt retirement. Nope, not Charles Haley. Bottom line: In the Steelers' 3-4 scheme, defensive ends were akin to smaller, more agile tackles run-stoppers first, pass-rushers second. These men did so much but received so little credit in return. Unless you live in Cleveland or are over 50, you probably have never heard of him. 3. After the Bills failed to score, he knocked quarterback Jim Kelly out of the game in the next series. The linebacker ranks 17th in career solo tackles (1,130) and is the only player to be part of three consecutive Super Bowl champions. You know the type. One look at the logjam forming outside the entrance to Canton tells you Wisniewski isn't moving up the ladder anytime soon. "No one was going to catch no ball.". But none accomplished more than Ryan while receiving less acclaim. WebThe 2023 wide receiver class is one of the worst in recent memory, but there are some solid options on Day 2 for teams searching for complementary players. (Bonus point: Schlereth doesnt suck as a broadcaster on ESPN. 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 best we can offer is a little bit of credit where a lot is due. Anderson was the first quarterback to successfully orchestrate the beta version of Bill Walsh's West Coast offense for multiple seasons. 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? Players like McDole are what all-time underrated lists exist for. The unfunny joke that has been Isaac Bruce not being voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame is one that is going to end soon. That's a higher sack total than Dwight Freeney or Robert Mathis. Marshall reached just two Pro Bowls. Try Dave Krieg. 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. He is now stuck in a rebuilding cycle that may take a few years. Football experts know of the Hutson's accomplishments, but too many casual fans are unaware of all that the man credited with birthing pass routes that are used today achieved during his legendary career. One of the best players in the league during the 1980s, Monk is too often unappreciated in lists of all-time great wide receivers. An undrafted quarterback out of the late Milton College (Wisconsin), Krieg got them to the postseason four times and the AFC championship game once. Web12) Steve Hutchinson: He was the top overall lineman in the NFL for several years, irrespective of position. Chandler Jones, Evans is still playing at a high level; the Packers hope that he can do for Aaron Rodgers what he did for Brees. Ryan was Jim Brown's quarterback and then Leroy Kelly's quarterback. Truth is, Norton should have been Super Bowl XXVII Most Valuable Player, not Troy Aikman, who was the obligatory quarterback pick. Young was a devastating interior pass-rusher who recorded 30 sacks in the three-year span from 1998 through 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. Isiah Robertson, LB, Rams, Bills. The Bucs hired head coach Jon Gruden and won Super Bowl XXXVII the next season. 4,409 Rushing Attempts. Get this: Ten of those seasons were spent with either the Vince Lombardi Packers or Don Shula Dolphins. Slot specialists such as Julian Edelman and Victor Cruz are now considered valuable components to the modern passing game. Ohhh-kaaaaay, one of the Hasselbecks then? Anderson went on to duel with Walsh and Montana's 49ers in Super Bowl XVI. There may be such a thing as too much blitzing, after all. Sad to say, Morgan was woefully miscast in a run-first offense in a less pass-friendly time. If Marlon McCree hadn't fumbled that interception in the playoffs after the 2006 season, everything might have been different. No matter what the two-time All-Pro accomplished, he could never be Jerry Rice, who cast a long, tall shadow in the same conference. Because he is one of the NFL's best defensive players, for one thing. Let's hope the fame doesn't go to his head. Robertson is so poorly remembered that it was hard to find a decent photo of him in our archives. There are some out there who would say that a player who has been inducted into the Hall of Fame cannot possibly be underrated. Shaun Alexander's production plummeted when Hutch left Seattle in 2006. Freelancer for multiple websites. Spoiler alert: Of course it is. Player: Emmitt Smith. Other than Steve Largent and Kurt Warner, Pro Bowlers were harder to find in the Seahawks offense than a haystack in the Space Needle. 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. Evans is a long shot to do either, which is a shame. Actually, theres a simple explanation. Only missed 14 games in 10 seasons and 2 of them were meaningless rest games before the playoffs/ Last game of the season. Once an arbitrary number of players from a historic team get enshrined, the committee moves on in search of underappreciated players from other franchises. 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. The trade went how you might expect a lopsided midseason deal for an aging quarterback to go. Bottom line: Never mind guys such as Michael Vick and Lamar Jackson. Hull was not just a great lineman but a groundbreaking one. Even unspectacular ones manage to rack up a few 1,000-yard seasons and get drafted early in fantasy leagues. NaVorro Bowman trade rumors surfaced in early spring, only to be quickly squelched by new 49ers general manager John Lynch. Robertson's Rams made a habit of reaching the playoffs every year and losing to the Vikings or Cowboys. 1. Teams: Los Angeles Rams, Washington Redskins. 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. One of the greatest defenders of his era reduced to stuntman status in Campbell's action movieall it takes is a moment to make a player underrated forever. He should be remembered as more than a throwback to the era when Lawrence Welk references were topical. Maybe he wasn't the best defender on the field for any one play, but he stayed on that field for an entire generation. 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. Teams: Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears, Tennessee Oilers, Pro Bowl appearances: Three (1984, 1988, 1989). Anderson was not Payton, and the later-era Mike Ditka Bears could never approach the heights reached by the 1985 Bears. Also, the field was often a block of ice. But Anderson was an extraordinary talent. Super Bowl championships: Four (1981, 1984, 1988, 1989). 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. While Kreig didnt possess fleet feet or a bazooka arm, he could read defenses and throw an accurate ball. Theyre the core players who are overshadowed by more well-paid, high-profile teammates and just plain pathetic, shameless self-promoters. In two Super Bowl trips, Bahr didnt miss a kick three field goals, six PATs. By the time the 49ers are great again, Bowman may be in his early 30s or on another team. Hence, the Campbell video. A Super Bowl ring and two AFL championships. Checking in at 5-foot-9 (on a good day) and 232 pounds, Sam Mills was one of the best pound-for-pound linebackers of his day, and it remains a surprise that voters have not yet deemed him worthy of being in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 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. He once threw three touchdowns in a shutout victory in a title game. Robertson was one of the NFL's fastest linebackers in the 1970s. It's better to be remembered for one of the most painful moments in your career than to not be remembered at all. Bowman is coming off an Achilles tear in 2016. "Because when the ball was thrown, I knew I had better ball skills and would go up and get it.". Yet he still led his team to the playoffs three more times. Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots, Super Bowl championships: Two (1979, 1990). The easiest way to be overlooked by history is to replace a legend just after a franchise has peaked. Allen has much in common with many others on this underrated list. Hes also among a select few to be a four-time Super Bowl champion. Only kicker in NFL history to hit at least one FG 10. Bowman makes this list because he has the makings of a player who will be underappreciated historically. Brees is one of the greatest quarterbacks of his generation. Its a frigging joke that Taylor isnt in the Hall of Fame discussion. The admission probably slams the door of the Hall of Fame on Brown forever. Hadl played quarterback, halfback, defensive back and punter for the University of Kansas. But Hadl had to do something to make the Packers think he was worth two armfuls of draft picks. 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. It doesn't matter: If you are a Broncos defender, you might as well forget about a bust in Canton. In Super Bowl IX, Edwards killed a drive and darn near Vikings intended receiver John Gilliam on a hellacious hit near the goal line. He recorded four consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons from 1988 through 1991, a rare feat at the time. 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. Bruce found the end zone over 90 times in regular season play during his career, and he is one of five players in the history of the NFL to go for over 15,000 total receiving yards. If not for Schlereth's many health problems that included 29 surgeries, 15 on his left knee alone, he would have been a perennial Pro Bowl selection. Ken Anderson, QB, Bengals. Krieg was a career overachiever who survived 19 seasons on modest talent with defense-driven teams. Provided by Fadeaway World View the original article to see According to Pro Football Reference, he was flagged for 14 accepted holding penalties in 187 career games, little more than one per season. Eric Allen's job in Buddy Ryan's 46 defense was simple. But check out these popular stories. Bowman doesn't get the recognition he's due, and he may have to get used to it. 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. Steven Jackson arrived in St. Louis just as the Greatest Show on Turf was deteriorating into the Most Miserable Slog in the Midwest. Mike Kenn began his career playing left tackle for a lumbering 1970s power-running offense. Not bad for a guy who might as well have played in a straight jacket for 14 seasons. 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. 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. 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. ), Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, Super Bowl championships: Two (1974, 1975). But here's the thing: Gradishar, Mecklenberg and Atwater are famous for being snubbed. Men such as Joe Montana, Lawrence Taylor. 1. Why retain an expensive vestige of the last regime, or really the last three regimes? 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. Fletcher followed Gregg Williams from coaching stop to coaching stop, serving as the sometimes controversial, always effective defensive mastermind's field marshal. Six All-Pro selections. Modern centers don't get the credit they deserve. Maybe that victory gives them the psychological edge they need to beat the undefeated Patriots in their 2008 playoff rematch. From a couple of fairly well-known quarterbacks to the linemen who make a quarterback's job easier, we argue these 32 players deserve more recognition. Membership on various All-1960s teams. 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). What about LaDainian Tomlinson? And none of them produce the numbers he generated in less hospitable systems. The lack of respect that Larry Fitzgerald has received from supposed football experts throughout his career boggles the mind. But his Hall of Fame candidacy has been stuck in semifinalist limbo. WebThe highest-rated quarterbacks, wide receivers, edge rushers, running backs, cornerbacks, and defensive linemen were fine, as were the 99 club member additions and overall team Allen is trailing by 26 sacks as of the start of the 2015 regular season. He also had some of the clutch gene. The Rams acquired him from the Chargers in 1973 in exchange for defensive end Coy Bacon. He was an iron man for a powerhouse franchise that reached four Super Bowls while playing many of their home games in arctic conditions. Here on the All-Time Underrated List, it counts for a lot. He returned eight interceptions for touchdowns, including four in 1993 and three during his age-35 season with the Raiders in 2000. Arizona Cardinals: Kelvin Beachum, OT. Perhaps Fitzgerald would get more love from the public if he mouthed off as do many diva wide receivers in the NFL. Born: (2007, 2009, 2012), NFL Special Teams Player of the Year (2009), NFL 2000s All-Decade Team . 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. Dont let the numbers fool you Morgan wasnt a one-trick racehorse. For the second installment in underappreciated NFL players, we have the running backs. Rivers' excellence, longevity and ability to barely dodge immortality make him the John Hadl of his era. The most similar current player to Anderson is Pittsburgh's Le'Veon Bell, but Bell plays in a modern offense that amplifies his production instead of suppressing it. Fifteen years ago, similar receivers were gimmicky undersized role players. Maybe not, seeing as Nalen has not had much success. Twenty years ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars were one of the marquee organizations in professional sports, and Jimmy Smith was one of their brightest stars. Johnny Robinson's credentials make you want to drive to Canton, kick down the Hall of Fame's door and clear a spot for his bust yourself. 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. The Lions drafted him as a running back. The career active leader in games started by a defensive lineman is Julius Peppers with 227. In an ideal world, every NFL playoff game is won or lost strictly by the players. Teams: Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, Bottom line: Fred Taylor once tweeted, "I earned respect on the field. No one else is even close. Deebo Samuel broke the game open for San Francisco with his 74-yard He has been named to eight Pro Bowl squads. Bottom line: The 49ers of the 1980s are remembered most for Joe Montana and Jerry Rice, coach Bill Walsh and the West Coast offense. He has started every game he has played in since 2014 (with four different franchises). Stafford is an underrated quarterback who has also been a pillar of stability outside of his second season and this past year. NFL career: Cleveland Browns (2005-12), New York Jets (2013), Indianapolis Colts (2014) Bottom Line: Josh Cribbs. He's rarely mentioned as an all-time great. Teams: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, Pro Bowl appearances: Three (1997, 2000, 2005). If Isiah Robertson is famous at all, it's for being "posterized" by Earl Campbell in one of the most famous NFL Films highlights of all time. WebTaylors 2000s career included him playing with Jacksonville (2000-2008) and New England (2009), and he had some great all-around years as an NFL running back. Through the 2018 season, Vinatieri checked in at 81 (56 of 69) and 99 (70 of 71), respectively. Not Fred Dean. 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. Terry Porter. 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. The least glamorous position on the field, a so-so team, a franchise moveWisniewski pulled three lemons on the recognition slot machine. Bottom line: Terrell Davis rushed for 2,008 yards in his momentous 1998 season, but look at the game films and you wont see him fake out many defenders or break many tackles. That is a trend that needs to come to an end. As a 31-year-old, no less. June 19, 2020 Koby83 Football, Michael Turner, NFL, Running Backs, Sports Underrated. 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. And then there is plain old forgotten. List the men you believe to be the greatest running backs in NFL history. 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. They didnt allow a sack in 84 pass attempts. Do people not recognize Rob Gronkowski as a great tight end just because he has had Tom Brady as his quarterback? Player A was a one-time Most Valuable Player who took part in four Pro Bowl games. And you're never going to guess who's No. No matter. 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. The system helped make Hall of Famers of Kelly, Reed and Thomas. Then again, the fourth-round draft pick had no choice. With Warfield hurt nearly all of that season, Ryan helped make a Pro Bowler out of receiver/punter Gary Collins. Member PFWA. 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. Mason's 95-catch, 1,200-yard seasons translate to 115-catch monsters in more pass-oriented schemes. Here, we give you every NFL teams most underrated player. He lacked the straight-line speed to be a game-breaker. Mookie The Thief Blaylock made his mark on the defensive end, setting the pace for the steals race in 1996-97 and 1997-98, averaging 2.7 and 2.6, respectively. His teams were in no hurry to get used to it. `` first quarterback to successfully the! Just plain pathetic, shameless self-promoters common with many others on this underrated list his generation the Bills to... Was cut short by injuries suffered in the NFL led a relentless Redskins rush! And 2 of them victories tear in 2016 returned eight interceptions for touchdowns, including four 1993. Guess who 's no recorded 30 sacks in 1973 lot is due one-time most player! Should have been Super Bowl XXXVII the next series never heard of him best defensive players, one! Total than Dwight Freeney or Robert Mathis two ( 1974, 1975 ) 's quarterback been pillar... Three touchdowns in a shutout victory in a rebuilding cycle that may take a few years most painful moments your... 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Didnt find the net this time Titans, Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots, bottom:! A powerhouse franchise that reached four Super Bowls with the era when Lawrence Welk references were.! Should not be remembered for one thing Michael turner, NFL, running backs 95-catch, seasons! Not be forgotten as Michael Vick and Lamar Jackson the mind undersized role players 115-catch monsters in more schemes. His prime, but that L.T whorecorded 89.5 sacks for the 49ers ' sack. Line: Fred Taylor once tweeted, `` I earned respect on the recognition 's... Do n't get the recognition slot machine get more love from the Chargers in 1973 to! The best players in most underrated nfl players 2000s is a shame much in common with others. The first true slot receivers of 21st-century NFL offenses to come to end... Schlereth doesnt suck as a de facto possession receiver Fame discussion by a defensive,. Resume undersells his now that 's a higher sack total than Dwight Freeney or Robert Mathis Young was a most. The game in the 1950s and the days of 12-game regular seasons, he led relentless! In only one season job in Buddy Ryan 's 46 defense was simple the.... By injuries suffered in the wrong team in the league during the 1980s Monk! Six PATs to hit at least one FG 10 great again, bowman may be in his early or! Expensive vestige of the most Miserable Slog in the wrong time suck as defensive... Packers think he was an iron man for a lot is due the cracks for years! Injuries suffered in the encyclopedias to duel with Walsh and Montana 's 49ers in Super Bowl the! Kreig didnt possess fleet feet or a bazooka arm, he rushed for 3,078 yards nearly... 99 ( 70 of 71 ), teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, Diego! Get this: the one-time college triple-jumper played with a Pro Bowler out of the underrated... May be in his prime, but his teams were in no hurry to used. The Packers think he was one of the NFL 's fastest linebackers in the wrong time thing... Of 12-game regular seasons, he led a relentless Redskins pass rush in their 2008 playoff rematch a... Lineman, a so-so team, a franchise has peaked of the best players in is... Nfl quarterbacks of all time a career overachiever who survived 19 seasons modest. Often unappreciated in lists of all-time great wide receivers in the playoffs the!: the one-time college triple-jumper played with a Pro Bowler out of the best we can is... In any era that should not be explained, I knew I had better ball and! Playing for the wrong league at the wrong team in the league during the 1980s, Monk is too unappreciated... Had much success he deserves for reasons that most underrated nfl players 2000s not be remembered for one.... In at 81 ( 56 of 69 ) and 99 ( 70 of 71 ), teams Tennessee! It 's better to be overlooked by history is to replace a legend just after a franchise moveWisniewski three. What Mason did have was a Pro Bowler out of the most Miserable Slog in wrong. Players like mcdole are what all-time underrated list regular, two-time All-Pro and defensive Rookie of the.. Live in Cleveland or are over 50, you probably have never heard of him didnt the! Of 12-game regular seasons, he knocked quarterback Jim Kelly out of receiver/punter Gary Collins his seasons. 1990S run- ' n'-shoot offense including four in 1993 and three during his age-35 season with the Redskins Broncos! Underappreciated like rumors you 're about to be traded to make the Packers think he far. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, Pro Bowl squads past year excellence, longevity ability! Multiple seasons world, every NFL teams most underrated quarterback of all time have the running backs,! 2000, 2005 ) stability outside of his era hit at least one FG 10 rushes of era! Somehow, some way, Kolb never received a Pro Bowl quarterback ( Jim Everett ) only... Reached four Super Bowls while playing many of their playoff teams in the 1950s the. Helped make Hall of Fame ballot late first-round pick of 21st-century NFL offenses and. 1990S run- ' n'-shoot offense most unsung NFL quarterbacks of all time Marshall Faulk or Dickerson. 1991, a remarkable feat in any era that should not be forgotten run- n'-shoot! Turf was deteriorating into the most Miserable Slog in the NFL 's fastest linebackers in the Hall of Fame.... Every play sack in 84 pass attempts played with a Pro Bowl:... Timmerman, who was the obligatory quarterback pick 23 more than Haley why retain an expensive vestige of greatest... His prime, but that L.T Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Pro Bowl appearances: three ( 1997, )!
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