Waller upped his game in 2020 and hauled in 107 passes and nine touchdowns to earn his first Pro Bowl nod. Raphael Guerreiro of Borussia Dortmund Looks 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. He was one of the first true slot receivers of 21st-century NFL offenses. McDole, nicknamed "The Dancing Bear" because of his boogie on the dance floor rather than his on-field footwork, was known as more of a run defender than a pass-rusher. Jackson finished his career with 11,438 rushing yards (18th all-time) and 15,121 total scrimmage yards (21st all-time). And because versatility is his calling card, he'll never produce gaudy sack totals or climb any all-time leaderboards. 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. Victory propelled Montana to superstardom, while defeat left the 32-year old Anderson to play out the string as a high-percentage passer for a rapidly disintegrating franchise. The trade went how you might expect a lopsided midseason deal for an aging quarterback to go. The Packers were a team with more history than identity when Butler arrived. While coverage is Bates' strength, he can still lay the big hit and be a factor in run support. Anchoring defenses with catchy names like the "Orange Crush?" 100-91). Anderson's 1,000-yard seasons came in a primitive offense with a rudimentary passing game. No matter. "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. Hence, the Campbell video. Ogbah has always been a steady presence rushing the quarterback but broke out in 2020 during his first season with the Dolphins. Taylor rushed for 1,000-plus yards in seven seasons. Here is every NFL teams most underrated player of all time. Two names that are familiar to even casual football fans sit atop the mountaintop of underrated NFL players for the 2015 regular season. 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. Super Bowl victories? He ran a Sonny Jurgensen pass back 59 yards in the fourth quarter to seal a Rams playoff win over the Redskins in 1974. If Anderson had failed, the 49ers may never have lured Walsh away from the Bengals staff. His .588 win percentage ranks second to Wilson in team history. Teams: Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Pro Bowl appearances: Three (1993, 1995, 1997), Super Bowl championships: Three (1992, 1993, 1994). "No one was going to catch no ball.". Brett Favre may be the player most responsible for bringing spectacle and success back to Titletown, but Butler brought back celebration. Whether they were disrespected by the media, or scrappy fan-favorites, every NFL team has had a selection of players that didnt get the attention they deserved. And to think, the guy never played in a Pro Bowl game. Bottom line: Quick, name the winningest Seahawks quarterback before the Russell Wilson era. The problem with Dierdorf is he played for a lot of bad Cardinals teams. He was a participant in four Super Bowls and a member of two All-Pro teams. 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. He enjoyed one of the greatest receiving games in NFL history: 15 catches, 291 yards and three touchdowns against the historic 2000 Ravens defense. Theyre the core players who are overshadowed by more well-paid, high-profile teammates and just plain pathetic, shameless self-promoters. Not Fred Dean. Teammates Alan Page and Carl Ellar were held in higher regard. WebMost Underrated NFL Players of All Time These men did so much but received so little credit in return. 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. WebBUY OUR MERCH: https://www.thegivengo.com/merchTIK TOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@thegivengoSPOTIFY: Brandon Graham is an incredibly underrated defensive lineman and lifelong Philadelphia Eagle. The only lineman to start all four of those games was a workout warrior and routinely bench-pressed 550 pounds in his prime. Its easy to forget the Seahawks had some pretty good teams way back when, even a few playoff ones. Ronald Koeman is a bonafide legend of Dutch football. Membership on various All-1960s teams. Bottom line: If an inquiring mind had asked "Which team will win the Super Bowl?" Evans, the best pass-protecting guard of his era, was charged with making sure pass-rushers didn't get close enough to Brees to bat his passes down, let alone sack him. He 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. And you're never going to guess who's No. Perhaps Hull would be in the Hall of Fame if the Bills had won even one Super Bowl. 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. Still, Allen rarely gets respect as a true number one wideout. Dont let the numbers fool you Morgan wasnt a one-trick racehorse. If you guessed both or neither one, youre wrong. Teams: Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Houston Texans. Bowman makes this list because he has the makings of a player who will be underappreciated historically. Then again, the fourth-round draft pick had no choice. Make no mistake about it, Eric Bieniemys exodus from Kansas City to Washington is only one move on the chess board FEDERICO CHIESA. 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. #5. While Kreig didnt possess fleet feet or a bazooka arm, he could read defenses and throw an accurate ball. If ever a geezer was meant to play with George Allens Over The Hill Gang, he was the one. 1. The Hall of Fame has turned up its nose on all of them. Or as astute NBC broadcaster Dick Enberg scored it, "KO for Ken Norton.". It takes bad timing and bad luck. Six All-Pro selections. On this All-Underrated list, he is in very good company. He then went on to start at left tackle for the playoff-bound Cardinals and 2000 NFC champion Giants. They didnt do anything that Tobin Rote hadnt done a long time ago. Following a strong start to 2021, McLaurin is slowly beginning to earn the respect his game deserves. During his first four seasons, three with the Ravens and one in Oakland, Waller caught just 18 passes on 29 targets while also being suspended all of 2017. Mike Williams is an elite deep threat at wide receiver and has maintained an average YPC of over 15 every year since 2018. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. Nope, not Charles Haley. 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. He was a six-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro. He should be remembered as more than a throwback to the era when Lawrence Welk references were topical. 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. NaVorro Bowman trade rumors surfaced in early spring, only to be quickly squelched by new 49ers general manager John Lynch. Edouard Mendy of Chelsea celebrates after his sides victory in the Premier League match 2. Steve Atwater. McLaurins route running continues to improve while routinely making contested catches look easy. 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. 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. He also doesn't play in the shadow of a legend. Unless you live in Cleveland or are over 50, you probably have never heard of him. His career was cut short by injuries suffered in the first of those three Pro Bowls. Still don't understand why the writers don't respect it.". Fletcher intercepted 23 passes and recorded 39 sacks as a do-it-all middle linebacker. He had one sack in four games, all Rams victories. Coughlin gave Smith a tryout, then kickoff return duties, and then teamed him with Mark Brunell and Keenan McCardell to create one of the most dangerous passing attacks of the late '90s and early 2000s. David was a crucial component of the Bucs defense during their playoff run in 2020 that culminated in a Super Bowl victory. But what peak years they were: 14- and 13-win seasons, annual playoff appearances, routine 4,000-yard, 30-touchdown seasons. Evans is a long shot to do either, which is a shame. 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. in the mid-1960s to early '70s, chances are "Whichever one has Marv Fleming" would have been a correct answer. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. WebThe Top 10 Most Underrated Football Players of All Time 1. They're the working stiffs who bust their butts at so-called lesser positions, on teams that are seldom seen on highlights shows, let alone national television. Roberston is the guy getting head-butted in the sternum and knocked backward by Campbell before the running back's jersey gets torn off. chants for the best players who didnt get their just dues over the years. And no Hall of Famers allowed. It's not that Ellard, an Olympic-caliber triple-jumper with 4.4 speed, didn't know what he was doing. He played 256 career regular-season games, never missing a start due to injury. But Hadl had to do something to make the Packers think he was worth two armfuls of draft picks. Saleh has compared Franklin-Myers to Arik Armstead, whom he coached in SF while registering 10 sacks in 2019. With Warfield hurt nearly all of that season, Ryan helped make a Pro Bowler out of receiver/punter Gary Collins. Finally, at last, the cornerback was selected to play in his first Pro Bowl game as some kind of lifetime achievement award. Teams: Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, San Diego Chargers, Experience: 13 years (1950-59, 1963-64, 1966), AFL All-Star Game appearances: One (1963). And none of them produce the numbers he generated in less hospitable systems. 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. 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. 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. They never had any playoff success, even when they did make it into the postseason. Playing in Detroit can stifle any career. 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 A bit more well-known after recently signing a four-year contract extension, John Franklin Myers is an easy player to root for and deserving of the success he has achieved. Along with the legendary Johnny Unitas, Rote probably did more to change the quarterback position than anyone in the pre-merger era even if so few know it. Shenault is dynamic after the catch and plays like a running back with the ball in his hands. 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 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. The best we can offer is a little bit of credit where a lot is due. Buckner plays within the defense, often allowing others to make plays, but remains a nightmare trying to block one on one. Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images. 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. A longtime semifinalist, his case is about to be handed over to the Veterans Committee, which has done a fine job recently of correcting oversights from Kenn's era. New England Patriots wide receiver Stanley Morgan, right, battles for We look at the 10 most underrated players in football at the moment. The system helped make Hall of Famers of Kelly, Reed and Thomas. A mauler of a right guard, Timmerman also was agile enough to escort Marshall Faulk on screens and sweeps. He returned eight interceptions for touchdowns, including four in 1993 and three during his age-35 season with the Raiders in 2000. The 49ers drafted linebacker Reuben Foster at the bottom of the first round. 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. And then there is plain old forgotten. At only 510, Johnson lacks the ideal size. But he didn't play for the legendary 49ers teams. Truth is, Norton should have been Super Bowl XXVII Most Valuable Player, not Troy Aikman, who was the obligatory quarterback pick. Schlereth started in three Super Bowls with the Redskins and Broncos, all of them victories. The NFL is a star-driven league. Mike Kenn began his career playing left tackle for a lumbering 1970s power-running offense. McLaurins numbers through two-plus seasons are very similar to Stefon Diggs, who went through a similar quarterback situation early during his career in Minnesota. 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. Running backs suffer none of the "didn't win the big game" biases that color our perception of quarterbacks. His teams averaged 392.0 yards and 34.0 points in those games. That feeling never really went away.". Poor Louis Wright has a hard time even making the Broncos' overcrowded All-Snub Team. So LeRoy Butler, innovator of the Lambeau Leap, is excluded from his own statue. 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. Jones is a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro selection. Buckner earned his first All-Pro honors in 2020 and still has plenty of untapped potential to take his game to another level at just 27 years old. 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. Ogbah improved against the run while putting up a career-high in both sacks (9) and QB hits (21). But outside of Wisconsin, his accomplishments were mostly forgotten shortly after his career ended in 2001. An undrafted quarterback out of the late Milton College (Wisconsin), Krieg got them to the postseason four times and the AFC championship game once. It made the Bills of the early 1990s the greatest team to never win a Super Bowl. Even pesky third-down backs and gritty fullbacks may seem underrated until you realize how many of them become local heroes. He took over as the Bears' featured offensive weapon after the Super Bowl Shuffle years. But three of his best seasons are not listed in the encyclopedias. But this list is all about giving overlooked players their due respect.

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