The rumors themselves were not surprising. Jacksonville's all-time leading receiver is now beginning what he calls the "second chapter in his life." A beast in coverage, Jones continues to round out his game as one of the top overall linebackers in football. As the Chargers faded, Rivers kept them in the wild-card picture and became the franchise's only recognizable public figure. But a double whammyplaying center and playing for the Broncoshas kept him miles from Hall of Fame consideration. A lifelong Tampa Bay Buccaneer, Davids 10-year career has been about consistency and productivity. 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. Bates is a ball-hawking safety in coverage with excellent range, intelligence, and athleticism. Brandon Graham is an incredibly underrated defensive lineman and lifelong Philadelphia Eagle. The fullback has become a non-factor in many of todays NFL offenses, but Juszczyk remains an integral part of how the San Francisco 49ers run their offense. He blitzed (20.5 sacks). It is absurd that Jones isnt talked about more with his ability to impact games. Seven times, he surpassed 1,000 yards on pass receptions, most of them on slants and corner routes. He had to blanket a wide receiver in man coverage with no safety help on every play. Super Bowl championships: Two (1996, 1999). When the Rams finally earned a Super Bowl berth, Robertson was in Buffalo, playing for another playoff also-ran. As good as Ellard was at the time, he almost was never mentioned in debates about the best at his position. Hmmm. The Hall of Fame eluded Ellard for several reasons: comparisons to Rice, the Rams' move to St. Louis (it takes hometown writers and buzz to mount a campaign) and those five early seasons in a ground-and-pound offense. 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. His 23 fourth-quarter comebacks (20th overall) are more than Dan Fouts, Jim Kelly, Sonny Jurgensen and Bart Starr, to name a few Hall of Famers at the position. Jerry Hughes has been a consistent pass rusher and important piece to the Buffalo Bills defense. Were talking about the most unsung, underappreciated players in NFL history here. #5. And none of them produce the numbers he generated in less hospitable systems. While under the radar, Bates has emerged as one of the better all-around safeties in football. But here's the thing: Gradishar, Mecklenberg and Atwater are famous for being snubbed. Regardless of the Cardinals struggles, Dierdorf was a star. That's not something to hold against a player. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports By Sam Monson May 13, Top 20 Most Underrated Footballers in 2022 - Top Soccer Blog Quarterback ratings for Washington skyrocket when targeting McLaurin, who has become a nightmare to defend with the ball in his hands after the catch. Top 10 most underrated NFL players: Justin Tucker, Keenan Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. FanDuel NFL 2021: Best lineup for Week 16, Jets HC Robert Saleh tests positive for COVID, could miss Jaguars game, LeVeon Bell fires back on Twitter at fans trolling him for signing with Buccaneers. Matthew Stafford is approaching 50,000 career passing yards, a number only topped by 11 quarterbacks in history. WebA key ingredient of arguably the best back four to grace the game Mauro Tassoti, him, Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini the Milan central defender made more than 450 Still don't understand why the writers don't respect it.". With 4.35 speed, McLaurin can take the top off any defense but has also rounded out the rest of his game since his time at Ohio State. According to Next Gen Stats, Johnson averaged 3.6 yards of separation for each target during his rookie season, the most of any receiver in football. But don't write him off as some 1960s product of the system. Honourable Mentions Hajime Hosogai, Hertha Berlin DM, Age: 27 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. Kenny Anderson may be the most "so underrated that he's overrated" player in NFL historya darling of the stat-head community and common first-guy-mentioned when Hall of Fame snubs come up. Even pesky third-down backs and gritty fullbacks may seem underrated until you realize how many of them become local heroes. He became an All-Pro playing blindside protector in an early 1990s run-'n'-shoot offense. Rivers had neither, but he possessed just about everything else. But McCree did fumble. It's not that Ellard, an Olympic-caliber triple-jumper with 4.4 speed, didn't know what he was doing. Six All-Pro selections. Most Underrated American Football Players of All Time But none accomplished more than Ryan while receiving less acclaim. If you guessed both or neither one, youre wrong. Waller was a sixth-round draft pick at wide receiver by the Ravens in 2015 and struggled to find targets early in his career in spite of his 66 frame. Franklin-Myers went from fourth-round draft choice of the Rams in 2018, to a final roster cut in 2019. Defensive Player of the Year awards? Teammates Alan Page and Carl Ellar were held in higher regard. The Hall of Ogbah improved against the run while putting up a career-high in both sacks (9) and QB hits (21). 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. 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. 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. 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. Fred Warner gets a lot of attention at linebacker for the 49ers, but Dre Greenlaw flies under theradar as a young playmaker quickly on the rise. Super Bowl championships: Four (1966, 1967, 1972, 1973). Gheorghe Hagi, Romania. Ellard was an Antonio Brown-level talent in his prime, but his teams were in no hurry to get him the ball. Nothing screams underappreciated like rumors you're about to be traded to make room for a late first-round pick. Player A was a one-time Most Valuable Player who took part in four Pro Bowl games. Actually, theres a simple explanation. Juszczyk knows his role and is a winning player that will always fight to win those tough yards. They would rank first in the NFL in yardage four other times while Evans was a starter. Fletcher intercepted 23 passes and recorded 39 sacks as a do-it-all middle linebacker. 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. Guards don't make the Hall of Fame unless they win multiple Super Bowls or play forever. 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. THE MOST UNDERRATED PLAYERS OF ALL TIME - YouTube Fleming was a reliable backup tight end/wide receiver who played with four Super Bowl-winners (and one NFL champion) in a dozen seasons. But what peak years they were: 14- and 13-win seasons, annual playoff appearances, routine 4,000-yard, 30-touchdown seasons. He isn't the dynamic threat thatTyreek Hill orDavante Adams are, but Allen is an elite route runner that consistently puts up elite production. 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. Young played for the teams that slowly slid from George Seifert to Steve Mariucci to oblivion. Who knows what the NFL might have looked like then? most underrated player With that in mind, NFL 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. Who are the top 20 best left-footed football players as of 2023? Build your customFanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis onAll NFL and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. He was arrested four times after his abrupt retirement. And then there is Kent Hull, the first center to achieve greatness in a no-huddle offense. Old-timers call it the Lawrence Welk trade after a television bandleader of the era who would begin songs by counting off "A one, and a two, and a three". If Marlon McCree hadn't fumbled that interception in the playoffs after the 2006 season, everything might have been different. 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. Passing wasn't really their thing. That's its own kind of recognition. 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. 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. But outside of Wisconsin, his accomplishments were mostly forgotten shortly after his career ended in 2001. The Most Underrated Spanish Player Of All Time? - YouTube If ever a geezer was meant to play with George Allens Over The Hill Gang, he was the one. 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. That may tick him off. The difference between the great and the all-time great is often a matter of timing and luck. 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. The NFL is now full of receivers like Mason, but few of them are as productive as he was for over a decade. 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. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Steve Atwater. In their two Super Bowl seasons that followed, Young was a virtual nonfactor in the matchup. And consider this: The one-time college triple-jumper played with a Pro Bowl quarterback (Jim Everett) in only one season. Those accomplishments may soon finally land Kenn in the Hall of Fame. 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. The most underrated player on all But Wright never posted massive interception totals, and his teams ended up on the receiving end of a pair of Super Bowl beatings. Oh, and Norton scored the final touchdown of the game on a 9-yard fumble return. There are over 120 teams that compete in the FBS, which means that storylines and hidden superstars abound. 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. Kenn was one of the leaders of the NFL Players Association during the era of replacement players and court battles over free agency. When Da Bears bean counters refused to pay up two years later, Marshall was the odd man out again. Dave Meggett -- RB, 1989-1994. Marshall cant get his name even on the preliminary Hall of Fame ballot. The Top 10 Most Underrated Football Players of All Time 1 overall pick, NFL coverage map 2021: TV schedule Week 16, Seattle Seahawks: 3 players who wont be back in 2022. If John Hadl is remembered for anything these days, it's for one of the most disastrous trades in NFL history. Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots, Super Bowl championships: Two (1979, 1990). Numbers better than majority of RBs in history. "When I was there, the thing we were missing was that explosive type of offense, and the new coach brought that in.". Buckner is a smart player and one of the better-run defenders in football. Since 2013, Jones has registered six double-digit sack seasons including a 17 sack season in 2017 that led the NFL, and a career-high of 19 in 2019. But no highlight clip of that play can be found on the internet. 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. 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. In Super Bowl IX, Edwards killed a drive and darn near Vikings intended receiver John Gilliam on a hellacious hit near the goal line. WebLet's face it: An entire All-Underrated Team can be assembled using only Broncos defenders. Jones is a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro selection. most underrated player of all time He recorded four consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons from 1988 through 1991, a rare feat at the time. Brown is now best known as a television personality. Most Underrated NFL Players of All Time by Team | Stadium Talk If Morgan had played in a pass-happy offense with a Pro Bowl quarterback and hands-off rules, you would find him in Canton right now. The Hall of Fame has turned up its nose on all of them. Schlereth started in three Super Bowls with the Redskins and Broncos, all of them victories. Hence, the Campbell video. WebThe NFL is increasingly becoming a passing league. 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. The system helped make Hall of Famers of Kelly, Reed and Thomas. Lomas Brown played left tackle for four Lions playoff teams. Jeff Saturday had to translate Peyton Manning's spur-of-the-moment audibles into protection schemes a split second before the snap. 100-91). 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. Those who like to shout "first-ballot Hall of Famer" about Rivers do not know how the Hall of Fame works. Maybe there is still an NFL team in San Diego. Greenlaw is equally effective against the run and pass, a sure tackler, and brings plenty of energy to theNiners' defense. But his Hall of Fame candidacy has been stuck in semifinalist limbo. Ryan was Jim Brown's quarterback and then Leroy Kelly's quarterback. WebTop 20 Most Underrated Footballers in 2022 1. The USFL may not have been the NFL in terms of quality, but being the Luke Kuechly of a league that featured Herschel Walker, Jim Kelly and Steve Young should count for something. Bowman makes this list because he has the makings of a player who will be underappreciated historically. Put him on the Tom Brady-led Patriots, and Mason might have invented a new branch of mathematics. 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. Both players were Pro Bowlers the previous year. Web113 Likes, TikTok video from FootWorld (@lovingfootbal): "The most underrated player of all time #dimaria #football". Saleh has compared Franklin-Myers to Arik Armstead, whom he coached in SF while registering 10 sacks in 2019. 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. 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. We could just trudge onward to the next player right now. Year after year, Chandler Jones is one of the best pure pass rushers in football. ), Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, Super Bowl championships: Two (1974, 1975). Kolb set the Super Bowl standard for left tackles in Super Bowl IV, when he smoked undersized Minnesota Vikings end Jim Marshall like a bad cigar. But Hadl had to do something to make the Packers think he was worth two armfuls of draft picks. 'Nuff said, right? 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. Bottom line: For 16 seasons, Henry Ellard wreaked havoc as a pass receiver and punt returner. Anderson went on to duel with Walsh and Montana's 49ers in Super Bowl XVI. One of the most underrated players in AM Football, Brodie Croyle was drafted into the NFL by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2006 after being a college football standout with the University of Alabama. David entered the league as a terrific coverage linebacker and has continued to grow into an all-around complete linebacker and playmaker. Maybe Wright wasn't a Blount-level legend, but he deserves better than to be the forgotten man among the Broncos' forgotten men. Bottom line: Adam Vinatieri was money in the postseason, but Matt Bahr was even better. in the mid-1960s to early '70s, chances are "Whichever one has Marv Fleming" would have been a correct answer. A dominant presence as a run blocker, Moton uses his athleticism to get to the next level of the defense in a hurry. "Because when the ball was thrown, I knew I had better ball skills and would go up and get it.". 20 Most Underrated Footballers on the Planet - Bleacher Report DeForest Buckner plays great team defense and has done so successfully for two franchises. Maybe he wasn't the best defender on the field for any one play, but he stayed on that field for an entire generation. So LeRoy Butler, innovator of the Lambeau Leap, is excluded from his own statue. NaVorro Bowman trade rumors surfaced in early spring, only to be quickly squelched by new 49ers general manager John Lynch. 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. Player B was a one-time MVP who played in two Pro Bowl games. Most Underrated NFL Players Of All Time - The Onion That feeling never really went away.". Bottom line: If an inquiring mind had asked "Which team will win the Super Bowl?" 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. 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. He then led three fourth-quarter comebacks to bring them back to the playoffs in 1965. Off to a fast start in 2021, Sutton is quickly reminding opposing defenses of his talent. Here are ten of the most underrated college football players of all time. Oakland Raiders. Peppers will have to play three more seasons to catch Marshall, and Peppers' starts are non-consecutive. Let's hope the fame doesn't go to his head. Teams: Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Pro Bowl appearances: Three (1993, 1995, 1997), Super Bowl championships: Three (1992, 1993, 1994). 25 Feb/23. 10. Buckner plays within the defense, often allowing others to make plays, but remains a nightmare trying to block one on one. Arizona Cardinals: Dan Dierdorf. The Jaguars, meanwhile, slowly descended to their current status as the NFL's punching bag. The Top 20 Most Underrated NFL Players - ONE37pm 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. Randy Gradishar. But Brown was a unique and underappreciated player for over a decade on a team that nearly revolutionized the way football is played. 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. Allen made a lot of plays. Bottom line: The Greatest Show On Turf boasted so much star power you couldnt tell the other Rams without a program. Moton has also committed just 10 penalties in over 50 career starts, an average of less than one penalty every five games. Anderson was the first quarterback to successfully orchestrate the beta version of Bill Walsh's West Coast offense for multiple seasons. 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? Maybe that victory gives them the psychological edge they need to beat the undefeated Patriots in their 2008 playoff rematch. Rivers lacks several quarterback prerequisites for enshrinement: playoff glory, all-time records and, most importantly, momentum from a regional fanbase and media. Teams: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, Pro Bowl appearances: Three (1997, 2000, 2005). The AFL was an eight- to 10-team league, so All-Pro selections were easier to come by. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. Robertson was one of the NFL's fastest linebackers in the 1970s. top 20 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. Super Bowl championships: 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979. Quick: Name the 49ers' all-time sack leader. 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. His 65 interceptions are fifth most in NFL history. McDole was a starting defensive end for two of history's legendary defenses: the AFL champion Buffalo Bills of 1964 and '65 and Washington's "Over-the-Hill Gang" of the early 1970s. In Dierdorfs second to last season, the Cardinals were embarrassed by the Packers 41-16 in their playoff opener. Theyre the core players who are overshadowed by more well-paid, high-profile teammates and just plain pathetic, shameless self-promoters. While every fan base is sure to have two or three names they feel are undervalued and worthy of this list, here are my current top ten underrated players in the NFL. 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. And few were better at making opposing quarterbacks pay for mistakes. Ronald Koeman is a bonafide legend of Dutch football. The Over-the-Hill Gang fielded one of the most ferocious pass rushes of its era, notching 53 sacks in 1973. Butler's defensive accomplishments might have brought him to the cusp of immortality, but don't underestimate the power of that Lambeau Leap. He has started every game he has played in since 2014 (with four different franchises). Raphael Guerreiro of Borussia Dortmund Looks Oh, and sub-packages were pretty rare in the 1960s and 1970s, so Marshall didn't leave the field much. He had 44 career sacks and as many as eight in a season on two occasions. The best we can offer is a little bit of credit where a lot is due. Ryan threw five touchdown passes and ran for a sixth to beat the Giants and lead the Browns to the NFL championship in 1964. Johnny Robinson's credentials make you want to drive to Canton, kick down the Hall of Fame's door and clear a spot for his bust yourself. He was a eight-time Pro Bowler and one-time Super Bowl champion. But there is no player; fans themselves get to "leap" into the statue for photo ops. The Pro Football Reference Similar Players tool compares Ryan's five-year peak to that of Joe Theismann. Most Underrated Truth is, Norton should have been Super Bowl XXVII Most Valuable Player, not Troy Aikman, who was the obligatory quarterback pick. So whaddya say, fans? That's where the politics of Hall voting come in. There are a ton of names in the conversation for best offensive linemen of all time, but Dierdorf never seems to have his name mentioned. 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. He's not the kind of player a wise organization sheds to cut expenses. McDole played 251 professional games as a defensive lineman, a remarkable feat in any era that should not be forgotten. But Anderson was an extraordinary talent. Naturally, it also guarantees that some of the best players in the country get overshadowed and forgotten in the sport's warp-speed news cycle. most underrated nfl players At 5-foot-10, 190 pounds, he didnt wow anyone physically. Poor Louis Wright has a hard time even making the Broncos' overcrowded All-Snub Team. Two 10-interception seasons, with 57 career interceptions. 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. Start with Adam Timmerman, who won Super Bowl rings with the Packers and Rams three years apart. He covered receivers (38 career interceptions). Edouard Mendy of Chelsea celebrates after his sides victory in the Premier League match 2. Or as astute NBC broadcaster Dick Enberg scored it, "KO for Ken Norton.". "Hate to say it, but I do believe I should be there (in Canton)," Marshall once said. 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. He intercepted 34 passes for the Eagles and 54 in his career.