No matter. He started for an offensive line that helped Barry Sanders win two of his four rushing titles. Defensive Player of the Year awards? WebWhile 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. (Bonus point: Schlereth doesnt suck as a broadcaster on ESPN. Truth is, Norton should have been Super Bowl XXVII Most Valuable Player, not Troy Aikman, who was the obligatory quarterback pick. 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. He is also proficient with his right foot and is a versatile player who can play multiple positions in the attacking third of the pitch. Modern centers don't get the credit they deserve. In Jahri Evans' four All-Pro seasons (2009-12), the Saints ranked first, sixth, first and second in the NFL in total yards. Angel Di Maria. So Anderson cranked out a few 1,000-yard seasons and played in some Pro Bowls, and that was that. 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". Or as astute NBC broadcaster Dick Enberg scored it, "KO for Ken Norton.". 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. Waller was a sixth-round draft pick at wide receiver by the Ravens in 2015 and struggled to find targets early in his career in spite of his 66 frame. Super Bowl championships: Two (1996, 1999). 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. 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. Both of those seasons came, ironically enough, after Allen and Buddy were separated. Maybe Wright wasn't a Blount-level legend, but he deserves better than to be the forgotten man among the Broncos' forgotten men. Actually, theres a simple explanation. He played center, as well, before his career was over. 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. Ron McDole falls into that final category. Steve Atwater. Allen made a lot of plays. Get this: Ten of those seasons were spent with either the Vince Lombardi Packers or Don Shula Dolphins. 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. 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. Theyre the core players who are overshadowed by more well-paid, high-profile teammates and just plain pathetic, shameless self-promoters. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images). He was a Pro Bowler in 1974 and 75, and he was an All-Pro selection from 1976-78. His 42-yarder in the 1990 NFC championship game rates as one of the greatest clutch kicks in league history. A great story off the field and rare talent on it, Waller appears to still be getting better at age 29. Sad to say, Morgan was woefully miscast in a run-first offense in a less pass-friendly time. More than anything, though, Rote was a leader and winner. He intercepted 25 career regular-season passes and two more in the postseason. Nothing screams underappreciated like rumors you're about to be traded to make room for a late first-round pick. There is one football player who could score from literally anywhere, and his name is 2. If ever a geezer was meant to play with George Allens Over The Hill Gang, he was the one. 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. Six All-Pro selections. 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. Super Bowl championships: 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979. Jeff Saturday had to translate Peyton Manning's spur-of-the-moment audibles into protection schemes a split second before the snap. "Because when the ball was thrown, I knew I had better ball skills and would go up and get it.". Waller upped his game in 2020 and hauled in 107 passes and nine touchdowns to earn his first Pro Bowl nod. And you're never going to guess who's No. Dont know about you, but I want Mason on my retro fantasy league team. The Hall of Fame has turned up its nose on all of them. By being overshadowed by Brown, achieving his greatest success just before the dawn of the Super Bowl era and getting stuck behind the Tom Brady and Peyton Manning of your grandfather's generation, Ryan earned the title of the NFL's All-Time Most Underrated Player. Butler was the NFL's most dangerous all-purpose safety for much of the 1990s. He blitzed (20.5 sacks). Ogbah improved against the run while putting up a career-high in both sacks (9) and QB hits (21). To make our list, a player must contribute to a winning effort while putting up bad stats, misunderstood stats or no stats. And because versatility is his calling card, he'll never produce gaudy sack totals or climb any all-time leaderboards. Teams kept doing something special to get their hands on Hadl. His teams averaged 392.0 yards and 34.0 points in those games. The rumors themselves were not surprising. It's Bryant Young, whorecorded 89.5 sacks for the 49ers, 23 more than Haley. Saleh has compared Franklin-Myers to Arik Armstead, whom he coached in SF while registering 10 sacks in 2019. Coaches rave about his work off the field and his dedication to improving his craft. He's rarely mentioned as an all-time great. Rivers' excellence, longevity and ability to barely dodge immortality make him the John Hadl of his era. Craters so big that you could drive a semi through them. Its easy to forget the Seahawks had some pretty good teams way back when, even a few playoff ones. WebA key ingredient of arguably the best back four to grace the game Mauro Tassoti, him, Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini the Milan central defender made more than 450 Mason had seven seasons of at least 70 pass receptions, 1,000 yards and five touchdowns. Steve Atwater. 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. What Mason did have was a keen attention to detail and fanatical drive to succeed. The trade went how you might expect a lopsided midseason deal for an aging quarterback to go. Here is every NFL teams most underrated player of all time. Not one of the Jim Harbaugh-era guys. Greenlaw is equally effective against the run and pass, a sure tackler, and brings plenty of energy to theNiners' defense. Young played for the teams that slowly slid from George Seifert to Steve Mariucci to oblivion. He was arrested four times after his abrupt retirement. Antoine Griezmann is known for his excellent left foot and can score and create goals with it; hence, he is one of the best left-footed midfielders. Ryan threw five touchdown passes and ran for a sixth to beat the Giants and lead the Browns to the NFL championship in 1964. Man Utd's double winning Taylor Moton has quietly emerged as a dominant presence at right tackle for the Panthers. But don't write him off as some 1960s product of the system. Teams: New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Pro Bowl appearances: Four (1979, 1980, 1986, 1987). Evans is still playing at a high level; the Packers hope that he can do for Aaron Rodgers what he did for Brees. Web20 most underrated football players of all time 1. Those who like to shout "first-ballot Hall of Famer" about Rivers do not know how the Hall of Fame works. 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. 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. 'Nuff said, right? His 2,690 all-purpose yards with the Titans in the 2000 season are second in league history. He's also among the top 100 in games started (83rd), interception return yardage (89th) and interception return touchdowns (31st). Quarterback ratings for Washington skyrocket when targeting McLaurin, who has become a nightmare to defend with the ball in his hands after the catch. 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? His .588 win percentage ranks second to Wilson in team history. Peppers will have to play three more seasons to catch Marshall, and Peppers' starts are non-consecutive. Naturally, it also guarantees that some of the best players in the country get overshadowed and forgotten in the sport's warp-speed news cycle. Fleming was a reliable backup tight end/wide receiver who played with four Super Bowl-winners (and one NFL champion) in a dozen seasons. Juszczyk has made five Pro Bowl appearances, including each season since joining San Francisco in 2017. Also, the field was often a block of ice. Regardless of the Cardinals struggles, Dierdorf was a star. 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. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. The guy should demand a recount, I tell ya. When the Rams finally earned a Super Bowl berth, Robertson was in Buffalo, playing for another playoff also-ran. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Fifteen years ago, similar receivers were gimmicky undersized role players. Hes on the short list of running back leaders in yards per rush (4.6, 17th), touches (2,824, 25th) and yards from scrimmage (14,079, 35th) in NFL history. Bowman doesn't get the recognition he's due, and he may have to get used to it. Anderson's 1,000-yard seasons came in a primitive offense with a rudimentary passing game. Many of those catches occurred down the field, with Anderson serving as a de facto possession receiver. There will never be another player like Marshall. Teams: Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Houston Texans. A Colts defender delivered some payback in the all-star game. Player A was a one-time Most Valuable Player who took part in four Pro Bowl games. 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. 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. Those accomplishments may soon finally land Kenn in the Hall of Fame. His 65 interceptions are fifth most in NFL history. But the run-'n'-shoot took away more than it provided, and the early 1990s Lions kept getting obliterated by better defenses in the playoffs. Maybe that victory gives them the psychological edge they need to beat the undefeated Patriots in their 2008 playoff rematch. Juszczyk knows his role and is a winning player that will always fight to win those tough yards. 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. Johnson can line up all over the field and consistently find space in the opposing defense. Much of the Saints' offensive success in Evans' prime years is rightfully credited to Brees. 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. But outside of Wisconsin, his accomplishments were mostly forgotten shortly after his career ended in 2001. Bottom line: If an inquiring mind had asked "Which team will win the Super Bowl?" A mauler of a right guard, Timmerman also was agile enough to escort Marshall Faulk on screens and sweeps. WebDuring the next few weeks, we here at NFL.com will unveil our Most Underrated and Overrated Players of All Time for all 32 teams and allow users to determine their Web113 Likes, TikTok video from FootWorld (@lovingfootbal): "The most underrated player of all time #dimaria #football". 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. 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. 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. Matthew Stafford is approaching 50,000 career passing yards, a number only topped by 11 quarterbacks in history. McDole was known as "The Dancing Bear" because of his nimble feet, one of the coolest nicknames ever. 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 headed to Washington and moved from the weak to strong side. Measurables. But Hadl had to do something to make the Packers think he was worth two armfuls of draft picks. It's hard for a running back to be underrated. On the final play a year later, he picked off a Roger Staubach pass in the end zone that put the Cowboys to rest. McLaurin registered 87 catches in 2020 after 58 during his rookie season in 2019. Interior defensive linemen: The average height and weight for defensive tackles entering the league is 6-foot-3, 306 pounds. 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. WebTop 20 Most Underrated NFL Players of All Time 20 Drew Brees. He has started every game he has played in since 2014 (with four different franchises). 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 played 256 career regular-season games, never missing a start due to injury. "No one was going to catch no ball.". Start with Adam Timmerman, who won Super Bowl rings with the Packers and Rams three years apart. 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 Ronald Koeman. Unless you live in Cleveland or are over 50, you probably have never heard of him. Krieg was a career overachiever who survived 19 seasons on modest talent with defense-driven teams. Player A passed for 27,928 yards and 194 touchdowns and ran for four touchdowns with mostly very good teams and one great one. 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. He led his team to an NFL championship. Robertson was one of the NFL's fastest linebackers in the 1970s. He's not the kind of player a wise organization sheds to cut expenses. He had one sack in four games, all Rams victories. And no Hall of Famers allowed. During his time at Fiorentina, he was the best player, 2. At age 25, Franklin-Myers seems to be just scratching the surface of his potential and should benefit from some additional pieces being added to a young rebuilding Jets defense. Quarterback is the most important position in organized football and maybe in all of sports, so it should be no surprise that men who play QB dominate the top spots of this list. Super Bowl victories? Who knows what the NFL might have looked like then? But Brown was a unique and underappreciated player for over a decade on a team that nearly revolutionized the way football is played. They didnt allow a sack in 84 pass attempts. Teams: Los Angeles Rams, Washington Redskins. Ryan made three Pro Bowls, but All-Pro status was blocked by a couple of guys named Johnny Unitas and Bart Starr. Brown is now best known as a television personality. Jones is a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro selection. The Colts accused Ryan of running up the score in the 27-0 championship rout of 1964. Hull was not just a great lineman but a groundbreaking one. He finally won a Super Bowl ring as a backup for the Buccaneers. He was a Pro Bowl regular, two-time All-Pro and Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1971. It takes bad timing and bad luck. Nope, not Charles Haley. Wouldnt you know it? The fullback has become a non-factor in many of todays NFL offenses, but Juszczyk remains an integral part of how the San Francisco 49ers run their offense. He returned eight interceptions for touchdowns, including four in 1993 and three during his age-35 season with the Raiders in 2000. Maybe there is still an NFL team in San Diego. But the former NFL Man of the Year award winner and two-time All-Pro should not have had to wait so long. Today we look back at the most underrated Quarterbacks in the history of the NFL, and a few of these should be in Canton. If Marlon McCree hadn't fumbled that interception in the playoffs after the 2006 season, everything might have been different. 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. The Bucs hired head coach Jon Gruden and won Super Bowl XXXVII the next season. Although it is tough to put a second-year player on this list as underrated when he is still relatively unproven, Laviska Shenault has such a unique skill set at wide receiver that will quickly start to garner more attention. 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. But few cornerbacks spent more of their careers in the crosshairs than Allen. He covered receivers (38 career interceptions). Hmmm. The best we can offer is a little bit of credit where a lot is due. Dierdorf started his career with the Cardinals in 1971 as a guard. At 5-foot-10, 190 pounds, he didnt wow anyone physically. Some might say it's a stretch to put Allen on this list after four straight Pro Bowl seasons and 95+ catch seasons. The converted all-purpose athlete became one of the fathers of modern quarterbacking. He ran a Sonny Jurgensen pass back 59 yards in the fourth quarter to seal a Rams playoff win over the Redskins in 1974. Bottom line: OK, kids, lets play Name That Hall of Famer. If Anderson had failed, the 49ers may never have lured Walsh away from the Bengals staff. He was a participant in four Super Bowls and a member of two All-Pro teams. The 49ers drafted linebacker Reuben Foster at the bottom of the first round. His 23 fourth-quarter comebacks (20th overall) are more than Dan Fouts, Jim Kelly, Sonny Jurgensen and Bart Starr, to name a few Hall of Famers at the position. While Kreig didnt possess fleet feet or a bazooka arm, he could read defenses and throw an accurate ball. Both players were Pro Bowlers the previous year. 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. His career was cut short by injuries suffered in the first of those three Pro Bowls. Mills and Reggie White were the USFL's two greatest defenders ever. He was overshadowed by more famous teammates throughout his career. 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. Roberston is the guy getting head-butted in the sternum and knocked backward by Campbell before the running back's jersey gets torn off. 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. Marshall reached just two Pro Bowls. Jordi Alba. In their two Super Bowl seasons that followed, Young was a virtual nonfactor in the matchup. 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. Ken Griffey Jr.? Let's face it: An entire All-Underrated Team can be assembled using only Broncos defenders. 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. 10. One look at the logjam forming outside the entrance to Canton tells you Wisniewski isn't moving up the ladder anytime soon. WebBUY OUR MERCH: https://www.thegivengo.com/merchTIK TOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@thegivengoSPOTIFY: Not bad for a guy who might as well have played in a straight jacket for 14 seasons. 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. He announced his retirement from pro football in 2010, not long after signing with the Arizona Cardinals. In 10 of the 12 seasons in which he started at least half their games, the Seahawks prevailed more times than not. But this list is all about giving overlooked players their due respect. TGT Play! Odds Deals Podcasts US USA Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Florida Georgia Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Louisiana Maryland Michigan New Jersey New York North Carolina Ohio Fewer yet realize that he made a crucial play in each victory. The Packers were a team with more history than identity when Butler arrived. Put him on the Tom Brady-led Patriots, and Mason might have invented a new branch of mathematics. Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. A Hall of Fame voter once warned me that "every town has its linebacker.". All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. According to Next Gen Stats, Johnson averaged 3.6 yards of separation for each target during his rookie season, the most of any receiver in football. 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. Related:Most Overrated NFL Players of All Time. Allen has much in common with many others on this underrated list. 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 was an iron man for a powerhouse franchise that reached four Super Bowls while playing many of their home games in arctic conditions. Membership on various All-1960s teams. It didnt help that he had ordinary quarterbacks named Tony Eason and Steve Grogan to throw him the ball. He intercepted 34 passes for the Eagles and 54 in his career. The start to his career is Hall of Fame worthy and includes a Super Bowl championship while with the New England Patriots. 25 Feb/23. Build your customFanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis onAll NFL and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. The Pro Football Reference Similar Players tool compares Ryan's five-year peak to that of Joe Theismann. Mills looks like just another local hero linebacker in the encyclopedias, albeit a good one. Ellard was an Antonio Brown-level talent in his prime, but his teams were in no hurry to get him the ball. Jacksonville's all-time leading receiver is now beginning what he calls the "second chapter in his life." ), Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, Super Bowl championships: Two (1974, 1975). That "something" was throwing for more than 29,000 yards and going to four AFL All-Star Games and a Pro Bowl with the Chargers and then leading the Rams to a 12-2 record in 1973. The Bills were among the first teams to frequently operate without a huddle. Arizona Cardinals: Dan Dierdorf. Efficient? Ryan was Jim Brown's quarterback and then Leroy Kelly's quarterback. Perhaps Hull would be in the Hall of Fame if the Bills had won even one Super Bowl. Ohhh-kaaaaay, one of the Hasselbecks then? Fred Warner gets a lot of attention at linebacker for the 49ers, but Dre Greenlaw flies under theradar as a young playmaker quickly on the rise. Kenn was one of the leaders of the NFL Players Association during the era of replacement players and court battles over free agency. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+.

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