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";s:4:"text";s:24847:"The Rams acquired him from the Chargers in 1973 in exchange for defensive end Coy Bacon. "Because when the ball was thrown, I knew I had better ball skills and would go up and get it.". Theyre the flat-liners whose drop-dead consistency gets lost with average-to-bad teams, in smaller markets, with brain-challenged organizations that have little, if any, history of success. He's also among the top 100 in games started (83rd), interception return yardage (89th) and interception return touchdowns (31st). Rivers' excellence, longevity and ability to barely dodge immortality make him the John Hadl of his era. Don Hutson played multiple positions during his time, including defense and on special teams. Anderson is a member of the 10,000 rushing yards club. in the mid-1960s to early '70s, chances are "Whichever one has Marv Fleming" would have been a correct answer. He played in the run-'n'-shoot offense, which means he was on an island against the NFL's best pass-rushers on every snap for a half-decadeno tight end flanking him, no blocking back behind him. 30. Jeff Saturday had to translate Peyton Manning's spur-of-the-moment audibles into protection schemes a split second before the snap. "It was tough, but I was happy for those guys," Dunn told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Other than Steve Largent and Kurt Warner, Pro Bowlers were harder to find in the Seahawks offense than a haystack in the Space Needle. The difference between the great and the all-time great is often a matter of timing and luck. Why is it that history has seemingly forgotten about Kevin Greene? From a couple of fairly well-known quarterbacks to the linemen who make a quarterback's job easier, we argue these 32 players deserve more recognition. The Over-the-Hill Gang fielded one of the most ferocious pass rushes of its era, notching 53 sacks in 1973. WebDeAngelo Hall was quietly one of the best defensive backs of the 2000s. Eric Allen's job in Buddy Ryan's 46 defense was simple. Tom Jackson. Overall, the total still ranks ninth at the position. Its a frigging joke that Taylor isnt in the Hall of Fame discussion. Teams: Washington Redskins, Denver Broncos, Super Bowl championships: Three (1991, 1997, 1998). Hence, the Campbell video. 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. Marshall cant get his name even on the preliminary Hall of Fame ballot. Peppers will have to play three more seasons to catch Marshall, and Peppers' starts are non-consecutive. 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. Bottom line: If an inquiring mind had asked "Which team will win the Super Bowl?" One look at the logjam forming outside the entrance to Canton tells you Wisniewski isn't moving up the ladder anytime soon. Try Dave Krieg. For a few years, he was not only the best guard in the NFL, but the most important. But don't write him off as some 1960s product of the system. Bottom line: After eight seasons in Buffalo, where he had been a mainstay with the best defense in AFL history, Ron McDole took his two-bar helmet to Washington. If you guessed both or neither one, youre wrong. And consider this: The one-time college triple-jumper played with a Pro Bowl quarterback (Jim Everett) in only one season. Thats what Krieg did best win football games. Success came early for Fletcher, recognition late. He's not the kind of player a wise organization sheds to cut expenses. No matter. Dont let the numbers fool you Morgan wasnt a one-trick racehorse. That made Hull one of the first centers to make line adjustments on the fly. Allen made a lot of plays. 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. 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? 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. Anchoring defenses with catchy names like the "Orange Crush?" WebMost Underrated NFL Players of All Time These men did so much but received so little credit in return. More than anything, though, Rote was a leader and winner. The AFL was an eight- to 10-team league, so All-Pro selections were easier to come by. 1. He's rarely mentioned as an all-time great. He was arrested four times after his abrupt retirement. LeRoy Butler, S, Packers. 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. The old adage says that there is no such thing as a wrong opinion. WebIts weird to say that a player as celebrated as Jonathan Taylor could be one of the most underrated college football players of all time. He was one of the first true slot receivers of 21st-century NFL offenses. WebJermaine O'Neal, Chauncey Billups and Peja Stojakovic are among the most underrated players of the 2000s. For some reason, however, the community has somewhat forgotten that Paul Krause had held the record for most interceptions in NFL history for decades. The converted all-purpose athlete became one of the fathers of modern quarterbacking. Spoiler alert: Of course it is. Debates about the greatest pass-rushers in the history of the NFL will conjure up mentions of players such as Bruce Smith, Michael Strahan, Reggie White and others. 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. Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content, acquired the 34-year-old Rams quarterback by, Ronald C. Modra/Sports Imagery/Getty Images, Pro Football Reference Similar Players tool, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Here on the All-Time Underrated List, it counts for a lot. 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. Six All-Pro selections. When the Rams finally earned a Super Bowl berth, Robertson was in Buffalo, playing for another playoff also-ran. 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. Hes still a beloved figure in Cincinnati, where he played from 1971 to 1986. Super Bowl championships: Four (1966, 1967, 1972, 1973). The rumors themselves were not surprising. He is one of the best receivers in history, and he has the stats to back up such claims. The linebacker ranks 17th in career solo tackles (1,130) and is the only player to be part of three consecutive Super Bowl champions. He was a Pro Bowl regular, two-time All-Pro and Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1971. On a walk-through between center and left guard, naturally. That Greene remains one of the most underrated defensive players in history is a mystery when you look at the numbers. Seven times, he surpassed 1,000 yards on pass receptions, most of them on slants and corner routes. 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. 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. Only missed 14 games in 10 seasons and 2 of them were meaningless rest games before the playoffs/ Last game of the season. The guy should demand a recount, I tell ya. WebThe 2023 wide receiver class is one of the worst in recent memory, but there are some solid options on Day 2 for teams searching for complementary players. Mostly Schlereth and sidekick Tom Nalen, who were masters of zone-blocking schemes, a major reason why Davis is in the Hall of Fame today. MVP-caliber seasons (1,528 yards, 90 receptions, 16 total touchdowns in 2006) early in his career gave way to annual 1,100-1,200 yard, low-touchdown grinds as the Greatest Show Rams retired one by one and the team fell to 2-14 and 1-15. Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots, Super Bowl championships: Two (1979, 1990). 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. Bottom line: Wilber Marshall was the most athletic and versatile linebacker with the legendary 1985 Bears defense he often replaced the celebrated Mike Singletary in pass situations. Yes, Marshall amassed that sack total by playing foreverhe started270 games (plus 19 playoff starts) from 1961 through 1979. 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. 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. Yet he still led his team to the playoffs three more times. 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. Who do you believe is the most underrated player that played at least one year from Butler is all but guaranteed to get lost in the shuffle. Lofton could stretch the field with his speed, and he also had some of the best hands of his time. The time when Landeta will no longer make such lists will arrive when he is inducted into the Hall of Fame, a day that cannot come soon enough. The trade went how you might expect a lopsided midseason deal for an aging quarterback to go. If the quarterback got rid of the ball before getting crushed, it was up to Allen to make a play. Super Bowl championships: Two (1996, 1999). Player: Emmitt Smith. His career was cut short by injuries suffered in the first of those three Pro Bowls. Dont know about you, but I want Mason on my retro fantasy league team. Mookie The Thief Blaylock made his mark on the defensive end, setting the pace for the steals race in 1996-97 and 1997-98, averaging 2.7 and 2.6, respectively. 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. Much of the Saints' offensive success in Evans' prime years is rightfully credited to Brees. The 49ers drafted linebacker Reuben Foster at the bottom of the first round. It made the Bills of the early 1990s the greatest team to never win a Super Bowl. Harrison's numbers should speak for themselves, and those who would say otherwise are either trying to make a point or are simply ignoring how great Harrison was during his career. Ellard was an Antonio Brown-level talent in his prime, but his teams were in no hurry to get him the ball. Finally, at last, the cornerback was selected to play in his first Pro Bowl game as some kind of lifetime achievement award. Membership on various All-1960s teams. During his final collegiate season at UMass in 2018, second-round rookie Andy Isabella was PFFs highest-graded wide receiver in the entire FBS. This list begins with a quarterback who is preparing to play in the 2015 NFL regular season. 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. Fitzgerald has been a mainstay in lists of Top 100 players in the NFL for years. "No one was going to catch no ball.". He intercepted 34 passes for the Eagles and 54 in his career. His .588 win percentage ranks second to Wilson in team history. Then again, the fourth-round draft pick had no choice. There are certain statistics that one would imagine would immediately pop into the mind of a football fan. It's hard for a running back to be underrated. Arizona Cardinals: WR Andy Isabella. If ever a geezer was meant to play with George Allens Over The Hill Gang, he was the one. Since the NFL has turned A Super Bowl ring and two AFL championships. He must either play for teams so good that they overshadow his accomplishments, or teams so bad that he had to do it all by himself. When Da Bears bean counters refused to pay up two years later, Marshall was the odd man out again. Deebo Samuel broke the game open for San Francisco with his 74-yard Teams: New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Pro Bowl appearances: Four (1979, 1980, 1986, 1987). Only kicker in NFL history to hit at least one FG Bottom line: Never mind guys such as Michael Vick and Lamar Jackson. Robinson is a staple of Hall of Fame Snubs lists, and he certainly has his case. C'mon, who doesn't love Darren Sproles and Mike Tolbert? Member PFWA. Player B was a one-time MVP who played in two Pro Bowl games. In Jahri Evans' four All-Pro seasons (2009-12), the Saints ranked first, sixth, first and second in the NFL in total yards. An all-underrated team like this one can get flooded with Zach Thomas, Hardy Nickerson, Tommy Nobis and Tedy Bruschi types if we don't get a little choosy. Only if a player averages eight interceptions a season for ten consecutive years will some begin to recognize what Krause achieved during his career. 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 played 256 career regular-season games, never missing a start due to injury. If John Hadl is remembered for anything these days, it's for one of the most disastrous trades in NFL history. That may tick him off. Teams: Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals. Perhaps it's time we look back on how much of an impact he and his Jaguars had on the NFL two decades ago. Greenwood, but there are dozens of other great old players clamoring for their chance who didn't enjoy the glory of playing for a "team of the decade.". Or as astute NBC broadcaster Dick Enberg scored it, "KO for Ken Norton.". 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. New England Patriots wide receiver Stanley Morgan, right, battles for a ball with Time has been hard on both of them. 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. Mason also caught 49 postseason passes and was one of the game's best return men for a few years. WebDue to the emergence of other superstars like Allen Iverson, Vince Carter, LeBron James, and Tracy McGrady, many other solid players who had massive success in the decade have Ryan made three Pro Bowls, but All-Pro status was blocked by a couple of guys named Johnny Unitas and Bart Starr. The Packers believed they were a veteran quarterback away from a playoff run in 1974, so head coach/GM Dan Devine acquired the 34-year-old Rams quarterback by surrendering a ransom of draft picks huge enough to cause even Ryan Pace to do a spit take: two first-rounders, two second-rounders and a third-rounder. The Pro Football Reference Similar Players tool compares Ryan's five-year peak to that of Joe Theismann. He intercepted 25 career regular-season passes and two more in the postseason. These are the most unsung NFL quarterbacks of all time. Fewer yet realize that he made a crucial play in each victory. Even unspectacular ones manage to rack up a few 1,000-yard seasons and get drafted early in fantasy leagues. Bottom line: All Ken Norton could do was take down ballcarriers and collect Super Bowl rings. Also, the field was often a block of ice. Since Week 13, when he became the starter due to Jimmy Garoppolos broken foot, Purdy has the NFLs best passer rating (112.0), completing 68.3% of his passes for 8.1 yards per attempt, 13 touchdown passes, and just three interceptions. WebKen Anderson is easily the most underrated quarterback of all time. 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. Pro Bowl? Young played for some great 49ers teams, including a Super Bowl-winning squad as a rookie in 1994. That voter meant every fanbase has a beloved old defender, renowned for his toughness and leadership, that they swear belongs in the Hall of Fame. Mark Schlereth. 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. Mills and Reggie White were the USFL's two greatest defenders ever. Checking in at 5-foot-9 (on a good day) and 232 pounds, Sam Mills was one of the best pound-for-pound linebackers of his day, and it remains a surprise that voters have not yet deemed him worthy of being in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 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. There may be such a thing as too much blitzing, after all. Player A was a one-time Most Valuable Player who took part in four Pro Bowl games. Freelancer for multiple websites. 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. Truth is, Norton should have been Super Bowl XXVII Most Valuable Player, not Troy Aikman, who was the obligatory quarterback pick. 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. Tomlinson is fifth all-time in rushing yards, and he is third all-time in regular season touchdowns scored for all players and not just for running backs. That's its own kind of recognition. 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. He has already waited too long for that deserved honor. 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. But outside of Wisconsin, his accomplishments were mostly forgotten shortly after his career ended in 2001. By the time the 49ers are great again, Bowman may be in his early 30s or on another team. 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. "Stanley Steamer" could run every route and was hell on wheels with the ball in his hands. Brown earned seven Pro Bowl berths and an All-Pro selection. It takes years of playing the wrong position for the wrong team in the wrong league at the wrong time. The Bills were among the first teams to frequently operate without a huddle. Were talking about the most unsung, underappreciated players in NFL history here. He also had some of the clutch gene. A mauler of a right guard, Timmerman also was agile enough to escort Marshall Faulk on screens and sweeps. How he slipped through the cracks for 13 years remains one of the unsolved mysteries in pro football. He rose to Pro Bowl status playing left tackle for a single-back, Joe Gibbs-style 1980s offense. Jackson finished his career with 11,438 rushing yards (18th all-time) and 15,121 total scrimmage yards (21st all-time). 25 of 25. Numbers better than majority of RBs in history. It doesn't matter: If you are a Broncos defender, you might as well forget about a bust in Canton. After the Bills failed to score, he knocked quarterback Jim Kelly out of the game in the next series. Is Jerry Rice not the greatest wide receiver in history because he played alongside Joe Montana and Steve Young? NaVorro Bowman trade rumors surfaced in early spring, only to be quickly squelched by new 49ers general manager John Lynch. 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. Anderson does not get the credit he deserves for reasons that cannot be explained. 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. Football experts know of the Hutson's accomplishments, but too many casual fans are unaware of all that the man credited with birthing pass routes that are used today achieved during his legendary career. "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. 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. For years, the team couldn't even harken back to its glory days properly, as Smith's Pride of the Jaguars induction was delayed until he was sober and no longer under house arrest. In 10 of the 12 seasons in which he started at least half their games, the Seahawks prevailed more times than not. June 19, 2020 Koby83 Football, Michael Turner, NFL, Running Backs, Sports Underrated. That theory is tested to the maximum every time that somebody attempts to suggest that Art Monk was a good but not great wide receiver. Incredibly, McDole started 97 of the next 98 games. Let's face it: An entire All-Underrated Team can be assembled using only Broncos defenders. What about LaDainian Tomlinson? Teams: Los Angeles Rams, Washington Redskins. His stardom was spread among three teams, robbing him of local hero status (or Hall of Fame momentum) in any one city. Bruce found the end zone over 90 times in regular season play during his career, and he is one of five players in the history of the NFL to go for over 15,000 total receiving yards. At 5-foot-10, 190 pounds, he didnt wow anyone physically. The Colts accused Ryan of running up the score in the 27-0 championship rout of 1964. He ran a Sonny Jurgensen pass back 59 yards in the fourth quarter to seal a Rams playoff win over the Redskins in 1974. 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. 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. He enjoyed one of the greatest receiving games in NFL history: 15 catches, 291 yards and three touchdowns against the historic 2000 Ravens defense. In an era when 50 percent completion rates and 20-interception seasons were common for Pro Bowl quarterbacks, Anderson's 64.9 percent completion rate and quarterback ratings above 90 look like temporal anomalies. But so were teammates like Len Dawson, Willie Lanier, Buck Buchanan, Bobby Bell, Curley Culp and Jan Stenerud, all of whom are in the Hall of Fame. Bowman is coming off an Achilles tear in 2016. Both of those seasons came, ironically enough, after Allen and Buddy were separated. Some of the hottest takes one will see as it pertains to Drew Brees involve criticisms of his numbers because of the fact that he has played the majority of his home games inside of a dome. He lacked the straight-line speed to be a game-breaker. The career active leader in games started by a defensive lineman is Julius Peppers with 227. He blitzed (20.5 sacks). He recorded four consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons from 1988 through 1991, a rare feat at the time. And no Hall of Famers allowed. Boomer Esiason was a fine player who remains seen on national television throughout the year, but it is Anderson who is, to this day, the greatest quarterback in the history of the Bengals. 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