So it takes a remarkable streak of hard luck for a running back to make this list. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996. The Pro Football Reference Similar Players tool compares Ryan's five-year peak to that of Joe Theismann. It's hard for a running back to be underrated. Maybe Rivers takes his place among the all-time greats. Top 20 Most Underrated NFL Players Let's hope the fame doesn't go to his head. Rivers' excellence, longevity and ability to barely dodge immortality make him the John Hadl of his era. It doesn't matter: If you are a Broncos defender, you might as well forget about a bust in Canton. No matter. The linebacker ranks 17th in career solo tackles (1,130) and is the only player to be part of three consecutive Super Bowl champions. 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. Robertson is so poorly remembered that it was hard to find a decent photo of him in our archives. McLaurin registered 87 catches in 2020 after 58 during his rookie season in 2019. Mason's 95-catch, 1,200-yard seasons translate to 115-catch monsters in more pass-oriented schemes. As for being so underrated he's overrated, wellthat's extremely underrated, which justifies Anderson's ranking here. 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. Lets not forget they also dominated with cold-blooded efficiency at the other side of the ball, where Keena Turner was rarely out of position at right outside linebacker. Interior defensive linemen: The average height and weight for defensive tackles entering the league is 6-foot-3, 306 pounds. 1 overall pick, NFL coverage map 2021: TV schedule Week 16, Seattle Seahawks: 3 players who wont be back in 2022. Barca star Pedri hails Lionel Messi as the greatest player of all time Mills was a USFL All-Star in all three seasons of the league's existence, and he led the Philadelphia and Baltimore Stars' Doghouse Defense (coached by Jim Mora) to a pair of league titles. 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. By the time the 49ers are great again, Bowman may be in his early 30s or on another team. David was a crucial component of the Bucs defense during their playoff run in 2020 that culminated in a Super Bowl victory. 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. So Anderson cranked out a few 1,000-yard seasons and played in some Pro Bowls, and that was that. 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. Web113 Likes, TikTok video from FootWorld (@lovingfootbal): "The most underrated player of all time #dimaria #football". ), Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, Super Bowl championships: Two (1974, 1975). Robertson was one of the NFL's fastest linebackers in the 1970s. chants for the best players who didnt get their just dues over the years. 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. Most Underrated NFL Players Of All Time - The Onion A great story off the field and rare talent on it, Waller appears to still be getting better at age 29. Steve Atwater. 20 Most Underrated Footballers on the Planet - Bleacher Report Pro Football Reference rates him at near a Pro Bowl level well into his 30s. Ogbah improved against the run while putting up a career-high in both sacks (9) and QB hits (21). Honourable Mentions Hajime Hosogai, Hertha Berlin DM, Age: 27 Bottom line: Few remember Glen Edwards as the fearless strong safety with the Steelers first two Super Bowl teams. Jones is a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro selection. Drew Brees endured an average of just 24 sacks per season in Evans' All-Pro seasons, despite typically dropping back to pass over 650 times per year. And let's not place the full burden of history on his shoulders, as Marty Schottenheimer, Norv Turner, the Chargers front office and Rivers himself had a hand in making the team a playoff also-ran during those peak years. Today we look back at the most underrated Quarterbacks in the history of the NFL, and a few of these should be in Canton. Rivers had neither, but he possessed just about everything else. The Rams acquired him from the Chargers in 1973 in exchange for defensive end Coy Bacon. He is now stuck in a rebuilding cycle that may take a few years. But don't write him off as some 1960s product of the system. Player A was a one-time Most Valuable Player who took part in four Pro Bowl games. By the time Rivers is retired for five years, the "San Diego Chargers" will be as relevant as the Dayton Triangles, and Hall voters will be too busy rubber-stamping Tom Brady and Drew Brees to get to a guy from a lost city who couldn't win the big one. Player A passed for 27,928 yards and 194 touchdowns and ran for four touchdowns with mostly very good teams and one great one. Tom Jackson. And then there is Kent Hull, the first center to achieve greatness in a no-huddle offense. "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. 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. 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. One look at the logjam forming outside the entrance to Canton tells you Wisniewski isn't moving up the ladder anytime soon. Most Underrated NFL Players of All Time | Stadium Talk Oh, and sub-packages were pretty rare in the 1960s and 1970s, so Marshall didn't leave the field much. McDole played 251 professional games as a defensive lineman, a remarkable feat in any era that should not be forgotten. 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 former top ten draft pick looks to be on the verge of breaking out. Seven times, he surpassed 1,000 yards on pass receptions, most of them on slants and corner routes. Ryan needed surgery and was in constant pain for the rest of his career. 100-91). Moton has also committed just 10 penalties in over 50 career starts, an average of less than one penalty every five games. WebDespite being just 20-years-old, Pedri has become a key player for Barcelona The midfielder names his former teammate Lionel Messi as the 'best' ever He hopes to Ron McDole falls into that final category. 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. They say you know an offensive lineman is doing a great job when his name is rarely brought up, but its time Moton is talked about more for his success. 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. 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. Make no mistake about it, Eric Bieniemys exodus from Kansas City to Washington is only one move on the chess board 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. Feyenoord v VVV Venlo - Eredivisie. He's also among the top 100 in games started (83rd), interception return yardage (89th) and interception return touchdowns (31st). Actually, theres a simple explanation. Following a strong start to 2021, McLaurin is slowly beginning to earn the respect his game deserves. Franklin-Myers has the ability to play anywhere on the defensive line and is off to a strong start in the Jets' new 4-3 defense under head coach Robert Saleh. A Hall of Fame voter once warned me that "every town has its linebacker.". Chiesa is a winger who plays for Juventus. Yes, Marshall amassed that sack total by playing foreverhe started270 games (plus 19 playoff starts) from 1961 through 1979. Ronald Koeman. The guy should demand a recount, I tell ya. 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. Gheorghe Hagi, Romania. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. The Top 20 Most Underrated NFL Players - ONE37pm 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 didnt just take up space, either. Despite his incredibly high waist seriously, check out his build Kelvin Beachum has been one of the most underrated tackles in the NFL. And he played in one stinking Pro Bowl game. WebWhile positional drills may be more indicative of a player's success in the NFL, other events like the 40-yard dash, three-cone drill and bench press are less obvious. Two 10-interception seasons, with 57 career interceptions. After making the Pro Bowl twice early in his career, David has failed to make it since 2015 while still playing at a high level. 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. So whaddya say, fans? Off to a fast start in 2021, Sutton is quickly reminding opposing defenses of his talent. That's its own kind of recognition. 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). The rumors themselves were not surprising. Running backs suffer none of the "didn't win the big game" biases that color our perception of quarterbacks. Actually, make that four careers. Henry Ellard spent the first five seasons of his NFL career returning punts and putting up humdrum receiving stats. Yet he still led his team to the playoffs three more times. The top 20 most under-rated footballers of all time - The Telegraph Allen made a lot of plays. More than one scout considered Turner to be too light to play linebacker, too slow to play defensive back. In both New England and Arizona, Jones has wreaked havoc on quarterbacks, demonstrating versatility as a 3-4 OLB and 4-3 DE. Get this: Ten of those seasons were spent with either the Vince Lombardi Packers or Don Shula Dolphins. WebThe Top 10 Most Underrated Football Players of All Time 1. Bottom line: Never mind guys such as Michael Vick and Lamar Jackson. The easiest way to be overlooked by history is to replace a legend just after a franchise has peaked. Know who created those wide-open spaces? In their two Super Bowl seasons that followed, Young was a virtual nonfactor in the matchup. McDole's Bills defenses held opponents to fewer than 3.1 yards per carry across three consecutive seasons. Those who like to shout "first-ballot Hall of Famer" about Rivers do not know how the Hall of Fame works. There may be such a thing as too much blitzing, after all. Randy Gradishar. It takes years of playing the wrong position for the wrong team in the wrong league at the wrong time. He recorded four consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons from 1988 through 1991, a rare feat at the time. Most Underrated 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. And no Hall of Famers allowed. 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. Super Bowl championships: Two (1996, 1999). It didnt help that he had ordinary quarterbacks named Tony Eason and Steve Grogan to throw him the ball. Let's take a look at the the five most underrated footballers of all time. Players like McDole are what all-time underrated lists exist for. WebFive players made their "Top 100" debuts -- David Montgomery, Jimmie Ward, CeeDee Lamb, Justin Tucker and Kyle Pitts -- in Episode 1 (Nos. Krieg was a career overachiever who survived 19 seasons on modest talent with defense-driven teams. After the Bills failed to score, he knocked quarterback Jim Kelly out of the game in the next series. And few were better at making opposing quarterbacks pay for mistakes. Mills looks like just another local hero linebacker in the encyclopedias, albeit a good one. Dunn left Tampa Bay as a free agent after the 2001 season and headed to Atlanta, largely because of his relationship with Arthur Blank, the Falcons owner. in the mid-1960s to early '70s, chances are "Whichever one has Marv Fleming" would have been a correct answer. But Wright never posted massive interception totals, and his teams ended up on the receiving end of a pair of Super Bowl beatings. He has started every game he has played in since 2014 (with four different franchises). David entered the league as a terrific coverage linebacker and has continued to grow into an all-around complete linebacker and playmaker. Not enough credit is given to Waller who lacks the Shanahan offense or elite QB to help take his game to the next level. Anderson was not Payton, and the later-era Mike Ditka Bears could never approach the heights reached by the 1985 Bears. Raphael Guerreiro of Borussia Dortmund Looks To make our list, a player must contribute to a winning effort while putting up bad stats, misunderstood stats or no stats. 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 headed to Washington and moved from the weak to strong side. But few cornerbacks spent more of their careers in the crosshairs than Allen. Both of those seasons came, ironically enough, after Allen and Buddy were separated. Bowman is coming off an Achilles tear in 2016. Bottom line: If an inquiring mind had asked "Which team will win the Super Bowl?" Deion Jones is one interception away from tying the all-time record for pick 6's by a linebacker, and he's done it in a fraction of the games. This commitment to team defense is perhaps one of the main reasons Buckner is not more recognized as one of the top interior defensive linemen in football. Is Jalen Hurts the Future of the Philadelphia Eagles? Unless you live in Cleveland or are over 50, you probably have never heard of him. WebThe 10 most underrated football players of all time are: Gheorghe Hagi, Michael Laudrup, Gaetano Scirea, Hristo Stoichkov, Matthias Sammer, Davor Suker, Gunter Netzer, Quick: Name the 49ers' all-time sack leader. Quarterback ratings for Washington skyrocket when targeting McLaurin, who has become a nightmare to defend with the ball in his hands after the catch. He was an iron man for a powerhouse franchise that reached four Super Bowls while playing many of their home games in arctic conditions. In Dierdorfs second to last season, the Cardinals were embarrassed by the Packers 41-16 in their playoff opener. Teams: Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, San Diego Chargers, Experience: 13 years (1950-59, 1963-64, 1966), AFL All-Star Game appearances: One (1963). The Bills were among the first teams to frequently operate without a huddle. "Stanley Steamer" could run every route and was hell on wheels with the ball in his hands. The trade went how you might expect a lopsided midseason deal for an aging quarterback to go. Terry McLaurin has played through one of the more unstable quarterback situations in football with Washington since entering the league but continues to emerge as one of the top wideouts in football. 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. WebThis list is for those players the ones who were great football players and did not get the credit they deserve. 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. The Colts accused Ryan of running up the score in the 27-0 championship rout of 1964. Shenault is dynamic after the catch and plays like a running back with the ball in his hands. There have been many better quarterbacks than Ryan in NFL history. WebBUY OUR MERCH: https://www.thegivengo.com/merchTIK TOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@thegivengoSPOTIFY: Web20 most underrated football players of all time 1. The Most Underrated Spanish Player Of All Time? - YouTube C'mon, who doesn't love Darren Sproles and Mike Tolbert? Greenlaw is equally effective against the run and pass, a sure tackler, and brings plenty of energy to theNiners' defense. While Graham's sack numbers have never hit double digits, he remains a complete player and Super Bowl champion. Along with Devin White, David was all over the field making plays around the ball and was one of the more valuable players in shutting down the Chiefs offense in the Super Bowl. He announced his retirement from pro football in 2010, not long after signing with the Arizona Cardinals. Also, the field was often a block of ice. As Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase earn praise for helping bring competitive football back to Cincinnati, safety Jessie Bates is a huge reason for the Bengals turnaround on defense. The NFL is now full of receivers like Mason, but few of them are as productive as he was for over a decade. He once threw three touchdowns in a shutout victory in a title game. Hall of Fame receiver Paul Warfield was on the receiving end of many of Ryan's touchdowns. It was rival 49ers tackle Bryant Young who the Rams were most concerned about before the 1999 season, when they signed Timmerman as a free agent. But Brown was a unique and underappreciated player for over a decade on a team that nearly revolutionized the way football is played. Playing in Detroit can stifle any career. He played center, as well, before his career was over. most underrated player of all time WebThe NFL is increasingly becoming a passing league. Thats what Krieg did best win football games. top 20 "I wasnt the fastest guy, but I didnt mind having the defender at my hip," Ellard said per Yahoo Sports. Its easy to forget the Seahawks had some pretty good teams way back when, even a few playoff ones. Franklin-Myers went from fourth-round draft choice of the Rams in 2018, to a final roster cut in 2019. Here on the All-Time Underrated List, it counts for a lot. In Jahri Evans' four All-Pro seasons (2009-12), the Saints ranked first, sixth, first and second in the NFL in total yards. 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 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. He was an All-Pro for the Orange Crush defenses of the 1970s, and then he stuck around to play for the 1986 Broncos Super Bowl team. And then there is plain old forgotten. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. 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. Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots, Super Bowl championships: Two (1979, 1990). He's not the kind of player a wise organization sheds to cut expenses. The least glamorous position on the field, a so-so team, a franchise moveWisniewski pulled three lemons on the recognition slot machine. 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? Meet every NFL team's all-time most underrated player. Jacksonville's all-time leading receiver is now beginning what he calls the "second chapter in his life." On a walk-through between center and left guard, naturally. In his prime, Wright was often mentioned in the same breath as Hall of Famers Mel Blount and Mike Haynes. Or as astute NBC broadcaster Dick Enberg scored it, "KO for Ken Norton.". No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. Still don't understand why the writers don't respect it.". Web12. Anchoring defenses with catchy names like the "Orange Crush?" Waller upped his game in 2020 and hauled in 107 passes and nine touchdowns to earn his first Pro Bowl nod. Tom Nalen protected John Elway in a pair of Super Bowl victories and helped trigger a zone-blocking revolution as part of Alex Gibbs' influential offensive lines. Dont let the numbers fool you Morgan wasnt a one-trick racehorse. Jordi Alba. "When I was there, the thing we were missing was that explosive type of offense, and the new coach brought that in.". 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. 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. He started for an offensive line that helped Barry Sanders win two of his four rushing titles. Maybe he wasn't the best defender on the field for any one play, but he stayed on that field for an entire generation. (Bonus point: Schlereth doesnt suck as a broadcaster on ESPN. While the 2021 season is still early, Johnson looks to have cleaned up some issues with drops that hindered his 2020 performance and is perhaps the only thing stopping him from gaining more notoriety. Guys who played in Jacksonville repeatedly have been crapped on in Pro Bowl and Hall of Fame votes, none more so than Taylor during and after his 11 seasons there. Arizona Cardinals: Kelvin Beachum, OT. At 5-foot-10, 190 pounds, he didnt wow anyone physically. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. Schlereth started in three Super Bowls with the Redskins and Broncos, all of them victories. That's a higher sack total than Dwight Freeney or Robert Mathis. And because versatility is his calling card, he'll never produce gaudy sack totals or climb any all-time leaderboards. 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. Incredibly, McDole started 97 of the next 98 games. 2023 Fantasy Baseball Draft Prep Guide: Rankings, tiers, sleepers And none of them produce the numbers he generated in less hospitable systems. Two names that are familiar to even casual football fans sit atop the mountaintop of underrated NFL players for the 2015 regular season. Young played for the teams that slowly slid from George Seifert to Steve Mariucci to oblivion. Nope, not Charles Haley. 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. The problem with Dierdorf is he played for a lot of bad Cardinals teams. Mike Williams is an elite deep threat at wide receiver and has maintained an average YPC of over 15 every year since 2018. If the quarterback got rid of the ball before getting crushed, it was up to Allen to make a play. As a pass blocker, Moton has developed into a steady presence capable of holding his own, and at times even dominating top pass rushers that include Joey Bosa and Cameron Jordan. He's the Rams' all-time leading rusher with almost 3,000 more yards for the franchise than Marshall Faulk or Eric Dickerson. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. 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. 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. Efficient? Jones played for the Cowboys from 1974-78 and 1980-89. When the Rams finally earned a Super Bowl berth, Robertson was in Buffalo, playing for another playoff also-ran. It takes bad timing and bad luck. Mason had seven seasons of at least 70 pass receptions, 1,000 yards and five touchdowns. Allen has much in common with many others on this underrated list. 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. The NFL is a star-driven league. NFL Nostalgia: Ranking the Most Underrated Players in NFL History Even unspectacular ones manage to rack up a few 1,000-yard seasons and get drafted early in fantasy leagues. Full name: Jordi Alba Ramos Date of birth: March 21, 1989 Age: 33 years old (as of 2023) Place of birth: L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain Height: 1.70 m Current team: 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. But the diminutive Brees would not have been able to lead the Saints to a Super Bowl and several seasons as top contenders without a clean pocket, particularly right in front of him. On the field, it is Diontae Johnson that has emerged as a favorite target of Big Ben. Lambeau Field was an icy outpost; the Packers still played a handful of home games in Milwaukee back then. The Hall of If the soft-spoken scatback had been in the right place at the right time, he would have filled his one nagging void a Super Bowl title and the exposure that accompanied it. His franchises just kept ending up on the wrong side of history. 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. "No one was going to catch no ball.". Twenty years ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars were one of the marquee organizations in professional sports, and Jimmy Smith was one of their brightest stars. While most Giants fans remember Meggett, he is still one of the most underrated players of all time. If Anderson had failed, the 49ers may never have lured Walsh away from the Bengals staff. Sad to say, Morgan was woefully miscast in a run-first offense in a less pass-friendly time. The best we can offer is a little bit of credit where a lot is due. He lacked the straight-line speed to be a game-breaker. Those accomplishments may soon finally land Kenn in the Hall of Fame. Teams: Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Pro Bowl appearances: Three (1993, 1995, 1997), Super Bowl championships: Three (1992, 1993, 1994). Hadl signed with the Chargers instead, and Sid Gilman built him into the trigger man for an offense from which all modern offenses descended. Maybe there is still an NFL team in San Diego. Angel Di Maria. It made the Bills of the early 1990s the greatest team to never win a Super Bowl. They never had any playoff success, even when they did make it into the postseason. 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.

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