No, what youll see are lots of gaping holes the size of Boulder. With his career spread evenly across three teams and zero All-Pro selections (a consequence of playing in the same era as Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher), Fletcher is a Hall of Fame long shot. 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. Not one of the Jim Harbaugh-era guys. "I dont get it. Rivers had neither, but he possessed just about everything else. 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. As for being so underrated he's overrated, wellthat's extremely underrated, which justifies Anderson's ranking here. Both of those seasons came, ironically enough, after Allen and Buddy were separated. Maybe not, seeing as Nalen has not had much success. Mason had seven seasons of at least 70 pass receptions, 1,000 yards and five touchdowns. There's underrated, underappreciated and overlooked. A Colts defender delivered some payback in the all-star game. He was one of the first true slot receivers of 21st-century NFL offenses. Many of those catches occurred down the field, with Anderson serving as a de facto possession receiver. Sometimes it's because they played next to even bigger stars and sometimes it's Far from it. 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. ), Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, Super Bowl championships: Two (1974, 1975). Teams: Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, Bottom line: Fred Taylor once tweeted, "I earned respect on the field. 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. WebMay 12, 2022. McDole's Bills defenses held opponents to fewer than 3.1 yards per carry across three consecutive seasons. Steve Atwater. 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. WebKen Anderson is easily the most underrated quarterback of all time. 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 Steelers rushed for a then-record 249 yards and did not allow a sack. Teams: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, Pro Bowl appearances: Three (1997, 2000, 2005). 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. Bottom line: Never mind guys such as Michael Vick and Lamar Jackson. Rivers lacks several quarterback prerequisites for enshrinement: playoff glory, all-time records and, most importantly, momentum from a regional fanbase and media. Overall, the total still ranks ninth at the position. That Greene remains one of the most underrated defensive players in history is a mystery when you look at the numbers. Dont know about you, but I want Mason on my retro fantasy league team. Perhaps it's time we look back on how much of an impact he and his Jaguars had on the NFL two decades ago. He had one sack in four games, all Rams victories. Only kicker in NFL history to hit at least one FG Bottom line: Derrick Mason was among the shrewdest, most precise route runners of his time. But the former NFL Man of the Year award winner and two-time All-Pro should not have had to wait so long. If John Hadl is remembered for anything these days, it's for one of the most disastrous trades in NFL history. More than anything, though, Rote was a leader and winner. 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. He was arrested four times after his abrupt retirement. 11) Bottom line: In his 15th and final season, the 36-year-old Ken Riley had eight interceptions and returned two of them for touchdowns, one of the most incredible performances by an old man ever. Lets hear some "un-der-ra-ted!" No one plays guard expecting fame and accolades, least of all Wisniewski, who is worthy of all the gritty cliches you can sling at him. They didnt do anything that Tobin Rote hadnt done a long time ago. "It pissed me off," Fletcher replied. 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. Web#shorts #viral #dunk #edit #fyp #nfl #sports #sportsedits He returned eight interceptions for touchdowns, including four in 1993 and three during his age-35 season with the Raiders in 2000. 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. 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. He routinely beat defenders with quickness out of his breaks and clever change-of-pace moves, qualities that also served him well as a punt returner. Start with Adam Timmerman, who won Super Bowl rings with the Packers and Rams three years apart. Spoiler alert: Of course it is. His 65 interceptions are fifth most in NFL history. When the team inducted Smith into the Pride of the Jaguars ring of honor last year, it was the strange case of a moribund franchise honoring a former receiver still on parole for succumbing to the demons of addiction. Players like McDole are what all-time underrated lists exist for. There, he led a relentless Redskins pass rush in their Super Bowl XXVI ambush. Only missed 14 games in 10 seasons and 2 of them were meaningless rest games before the playoffs/ Last game of the season. Young started his career as the NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year and ended it as a four-time winner of the Len Eshmont Award, the 49ers' team award for character and leadership. Still, even his long resume undersells his Hall of Fame receiver Paul Warfield was on the receiving end of many of Ryan's touchdowns. 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. Theyre the core players who are overshadowed by more well-paid, high-profile teammates and just plain pathetic, shameless self-promoters. WebMost Underrated NFL Players of All Time These men did so much but received so little credit in return. Where did Davis score the game-winner late in Super Bowl XXXII? Those accomplishments may soon finally land Kenn in the Hall of Fame. Most Underappreciated RBs of the 2000s. Even unspectacular ones manage to rack up a few 1,000-yard seasons and get drafted early in fantasy leagues. But none accomplished more than Ryan while receiving less acclaim. So whaddya say, fans? It would rank 16th all-time, except that if we allow Marshall's sacks into the record, we would have to make room for Deacon Jones, Mean Joe Greene and others. It is difficult to rank Ken Anderson in this list if only because he is constantly referenced as being an underrated player. What about LaDainian Tomlinson? On the final play a year later, he picked off a Roger Staubach pass in the end zone that put the Cowboys to rest. Robertson's Rams made a habit of reaching the playoffs every year and losing to the Vikings or Cowboys. That made Hull one of the first centers to make line adjustments on the fly. Super Bowl victories? 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. 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. Here, we give you every NFL teams most underrated player. Know who created those wide-open spaces? Ryan would blitz between five and eight defenders, plus some water boys and maybe a few boo birds from the 700 level of Veterans Stadium. But here's the thing: Gradishar, Mecklenberg and Atwater are famous for being snubbed. Those who like to shout "first-ballot Hall of Famer" about Rivers do not know how the Hall of Fame works. He's also among the top 100 in games started (83rd), interception return yardage (89th) and interception return touchdowns (31st). It's Bryant Young, whorecorded 89.5 sacks for the 49ers, 23 more than Haley. Young was a devastating interior pass-rusher who recorded 30 sacks in the three-year span from 1998 through 2000. 3. Only a dozen players have more career interception return yards (961), and seven of them are in the Hall of Fame. The rumors themselves were not surprising. 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. David Garrard. WebWe're a media page that has been highlighting an underrated player from every team in the NFL. That's not something to hold against a player. Former head coach Jim Mora has referred to Mills as the best player I ever coached. Along with being a talented defensive player, Mills was also respected for being one of the smartest defenders on the field during his career. Andre Reed is an all-time great wide receiver who seemingly cannot escape lists of the most underrated football players in history. He is Baltimore Ravens nose tackle Brandon Williams. He played the run with authority (721 career solo tackles). Bottom line: Adam Vinatieri was money in the postseason, but Matt Bahr was even better. To understand why he is not in the Hall of Fame, you must familiarize yourself with both the era he played in and the vagaries of Hall voting. Maybe Rivers takes his place among the all-time greats. His teams averaged 392.0 yards and 34.0 points in those games. Cunningham is widely regarded as one of the best running QBs in the history of the NFL, but his ability to make plays with his arm should not be ignored. Lomas Brown played left tackle for four Lions playoff teams. He lacked the straight-line speed to be a game-breaker. Teams: New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Pro Bowl appearances: Four (1979, 1980, 1986, 1987). If the quarterback got rid of the ball before getting crushed, it was up to Allen to make a play. Dont let the numbers fool you Morgan wasnt a one-trick racehorse. Jerry Rice and John Taylor may have been the greatest receiving tandem of that era, but Ellard and Flipper Anderson were the most explosive pair of deep threats. That may tick him off. Numbers better than majority of RBs in history. 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 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. Teams: Washington Redskins, Denver Broncos, Super Bowl championships: Three (1991, 1997, 1998). During his final collegiate season at UMass in 2018, second-round rookie Andy Isabella was PFFs highest-graded wide receiver in the entire FBS. Craters so big that you could drive a semi through them. It's better to be remembered for one of the most painful moments in your career than to not be remembered at all. There are certain statistics that one would imagine would immediately pop into the mind of a football fan. Were going to wrap up the Hence, the Campbell video. To make our list, a player must contribute to a winning effort while putting up bad stats, misunderstood stats or no stats. He was drafted by the Falcons with the eighth overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, and he was an instant Freelancer for multiple websites. Young was also a much better rusher who could find the end zone via his arm or by using his legs. His stardom was spread among three teams, robbing him of local hero status (or Hall of Fame momentum) in any one city. Robinson is a staple of Hall of Fame Snubs lists, and he certainly has his case. He has over 12,000 career receiving yards to date, and Fitzgerald could retire with over 100 total regular season receiving touchdowns before all is said and done. 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. And Jackson spent a generation as a pre- and postgame show staple, which puts him in a whole different category. 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. His franchises just kept ending up on the wrong side of history. "Hate to say it, but I do believe I should be there (in Canton)," Marshall once said. Why retain an expensive vestige of the last regime, or really the last three regimes? Teams: Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals. Here on the All-Time Underrated List, it counts for a lot. When Da Bears bean counters refused to pay up two years later, Marshall was the odd man out again. Once an arbitrary number of players from a historic team get enshrined, the committee moves on in search of underappreciated players from other franchises. Teams: Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears, Tennessee Oilers, Pro Bowl appearances: Three (1984, 1988, 1989). Super Bowl championships: 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979. An undrafted quarterback out of the late Milton College (Wisconsin), Krieg got them to the postseason four times and the AFC championship game once. One of the best players in the league during the 1980s, Monk is too often unappreciated in lists of all-time great wide receivers. It takes more than mere greatness to be considered one of the most underrated players in pro football history. 4,409 Rushing Attempts. 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. He arrived in Buffalo at the same time Marv Levy was revolutionizing NFL offense with the help of Jim Kelly, Andre Reed and Thurman Thomas. Hull never lived to see himself make a Hall of Fame semifinalist list, as he died of liver failure at age 50 in 2011. June 19, 2020 Koby83 Football, Michael Turner, NFL, Running Backs, Sports Underrated. Finally, at last, the cornerback was selected to play in his first Pro Bowl game as some kind of lifetime achievement award. Chandler Jones, 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. They didnt allow a sack in 84 pass attempts. Brees is one of the greatest quarterbacks of his generation. He finished his career by doing something almost impossible: signing with the Patriots as a veteran role player during one of the few years they didn't reach the Super Bowl. Reed was an offensive weapon that you hated to see going up against your favorite team because you knew that he was potentially a moment away from breaking for a game-changing play. Not bad for a guy who might as well have played in a straight jacket for 14 seasons. Reidel Anthony, Florida. He is now stuck in a rebuilding cycle that may take a few years. 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. Running backs suffer none of the "didn't win the big game" biases that color our perception of quarterbacks. 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. 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. Kenn was one of the leaders of the NFL Players Association during the era of replacement players and court battles over free agency. Brown earned seven Pro Bowl berths and an All-Pro selection. Actually, theres a simple explanation. At its core, PFF is a player evaluation system play-by-play grading of every player in the NFL and access to some of the same stats, grades and info that all 32 NFL His 42-yarder in the 1990 NFC championship game rates as one of the greatest clutch kicks in league history. 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. Jim Marshall, DE, Vikings. He also doesn't play in the shadow of a legend. 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. During that time, he led the league in passer rating four times and passing yards twice. Some might find it ridiculous that Steve Young, widely revered as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, even cracks into this list. LeRoy Butler, S, Packers. New England Patriots wide receiver Stanley Morgan, right, battles for a ball with He has already waited too long for that deserved honor. 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. At 5-foot-10, 190 pounds, he didnt wow anyone physically. He once threw three touchdowns in a shutout victory in a title game. Ryan needed surgery and was in constant pain for the rest of his career. One of those receivers is 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. The statue portrays jubilant Packers fans in tundra-weather gear appearing to cradle a player who just pounced into the stands. But this list is all about giving overlooked players their due respect. Perhaps it has something to do with the era during which Tomlinson played, but that L.T. 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 will find some familiar Hall of Fame snubs on this list (like Jim Marshall, pictured above), but also plenty of players who were even snubbed from the Hall of Fame snubs, plus some current players who aren't getting their due. Fletcher followed Gregg Williams from coaching stop to coaching stop, serving as the sometimes controversial, always effective defensive mastermind's field marshal. Anderson is a member of the 10,000 rushing yards club. Passing wasn't really their thing. In Jahri Evans' four All-Pro seasons (2009-12), the Saints ranked first, sixth, first and second in the NFL in total yards. Names such as Jim Brown, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders and Eric Dickerson probably immediately come to mind. The 49ers drafted linebacker Reuben Foster at the bottom of the first round. He covered receivers (38 career interceptions). Appreciate him for being that. The prejudice against punters that kept such great players out of the Pro Football Hall of Fame came to an end when Ray Guy was honored by voters. C'mon, who doesn't love Darren Sproles and Mike Tolbert? There have been many better quarterbacks than Ryan in NFL history. Evans is a long shot to do either, which is a shame. By the time the 49ers are great again, Bowman may be in his early 30s or on another team. His 2,690 all-purpose yards with the Titans in the 2000 season are second in league history. 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. Robinson was one of those players. Wouldnt you know it? 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. Much of the Saints' offensive success in Evans' prime years is rightfully credited to Brees. He talked the talk and he walked the walk, and Reed should be recognized for being an all-time great receiver by all fans and journalists. The Colts accused Ryan of running up the score in the 27-0 championship rout of 1964. Massive sports fan and soccer nerd. The AFL was an eight- to 10-team league, so All-Pro selections were easier to come by. And few were better at making opposing quarterbacks pay for mistakes. Hes also among a select few to be a four-time Super Bowl champion. One look at the logjam forming outside the entrance to Canton tells you Wisniewski isn't moving up the ladder anytime soon. Smith wasnt a no-show on third-and-long, either. He then went on to start at left tackle for the playoff-bound Cardinals and 2000 NFC champion Giants. 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. Even pesky third-down backs and gritty fullbacks may seem underrated until you realize how many of them become local heroes. Oh, and Norton scored the final touchdown of the game on a 9-yard fumble return. But Wright never posted massive interception totals, and his teams ended up on the receiving end of a pair of Super Bowl beatings. Peppers will have to play three more seasons to catch Marshall, and Peppers' starts are non-consecutive. (Bonus point: Schlereth doesnt suck as a broadcaster on ESPN. The list of players who are in that club includes Ray Lewis, Rodney Harrison, Brian Dawkins, LeRoy Butler and Ronde Barber. He intercepted 25 career regular-season passes and two more in the postseason. Teams: Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Houston Texans. 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. 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. 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. Greene remains third all-time in the list of career NFL sacks, and 32-year-old Jared Allen is the only active player who is remotely close to catching Greene. Both players were Pro Bowlers the previous year. There are no official sack statistics before 1982, but the Minnesota Vikings credit Jim Marshall with 127 career sacks. He finally won a Super Bowl ring as a backup for the Buccaneers. 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. 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