most underrated nfl players 2000s

A fresh take on sports: the biggest news and most entertaining lists. He played the run with authority (721 career solo tackles). Reidel Anthony, Florida. (Bonus point: Schlereth doesnt suck as a broadcaster on ESPN. Even so, Smith was pretty much a well-kept secret outside Pittsburgh despite meeting or approaching Pro Bowl standards for almost a decade. 3. Bottom line: Never mind guys such as Michael Vick and Lamar Jackson. He is Baltimore Ravens nose tackle Brandon Williams. There have been many better quarterbacks than Ryan in NFL history. It takes years of playing the wrong position for the wrong team in the wrong league at the wrong time. And none of them produce the numbers he generated in less hospitable systems. Stafford is an underrated quarterback who has also been a pillar of stability outside of his second season and this past year. ), Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, Super Bowl championships: Two (1974, 1975). Henry Ellard spent the first five seasons of his NFL career returning punts and putting up humdrum receiving stats. 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? Numbers better than majority of RBs in history. Yes, Marshall amassed that sack total by playing foreverhe started270 games (plus 19 playoff starts) from 1961 through 1979. Oh, and Norton scored the final touchdown of the game on a 9-yard fumble return. His 2,690 all-purpose yards with the Titans in the 2000 season are second in league history. 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. 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. If John Hadl is remembered for anything these days, it's for one of the most disastrous trades in NFL history. Most seasons with 30 made field goals (7). The trade went how you might expect a lopsided midseason deal for an aging quarterback to go. On the final play a year later, he picked off a Roger Staubach pass in the end zone that put the Cowboys to rest. Modern centers don't get the credit they deserve. "It pissed me off," Fletcher replied. 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. But his Rams had a running back named Eric Dickerson and quarterbacks named Dieter Brock and Jeff Kemp. There are no official sack statistics before 1982, but the Minnesota Vikings credit Jim Marshall with 127 career sacks. Now, underrated can mean a couple of things. 4,409 Rushing Attempts. Teams: Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears, Tennessee Oilers, Pro Bowl appearances: Three (1984, 1988, 1989). Then again, the fourth-round draft pick had no choice. Those who have knowledge of National Football League history are well aware of the more famous individuals who made their names and fame playing pro football. He played 256 career regular-season games, never missing a start due to injury. 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. These are the most unsung NFL quarterbacks of all time. Also, the field was often a block of ice. Lomas Brown played left tackle for four Lions playoff teams. Bottom line: Adam Vinatieri was money in the postseason, but Matt Bahr was even better. 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. They would rank first in the NFL in yardage four other times while Evans was a starter. Ryan threw five touchdown passes and ran for a sixth to beat the Giants and lead the Browns to the NFL championship in 1964. By the time the 49ers are great again, Bowman may be in his early 30s or on another team. 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. Schlereth started in three Super Bowls with the Redskins and Broncos, all of them victories. The list of players who are in that club includes Ray Lewis, Rodney Harrison, Brian Dawkins, LeRoy Butler and Ronde Barber. There will never be another player like Marshall. Web12) Steve Hutchinson: He was the top overall lineman in the NFL for several years, irrespective of position. That made Hull one of the first centers to make line adjustments on the fly. But Brown was a unique and underappreciated player for over a decade on a team that nearly revolutionized the way football is played. Robertson's Rams made a habit of reaching the playoffs every year and losing to the Vikings or Cowboys. "When I was there, the thing we were missing was that explosive type of offense, and the new coach brought that in.". Were going to wrap up the Through the 2018 season, Vinatieri checked in at 81 (56 of 69) and 99 (70 of 71), respectively. His teams averaged 392.0 yards and 34.0 points in those games. Butler's defensive accomplishments might have brought him to the cusp of immortality, but don't underestimate the power of that Lambeau Leap. Only kicker in NFL history to hit at least one FG 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. Bottom line: If an inquiring mind had asked "Which team will win the Super Bowl?" 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. 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. Web#shorts #viral #dunk #edit #fyp #nfl #sports #sportsedits Yet he still led his team to the playoffs three more times. Lofton was the first player in NFL history to accumulate 14,000 receiving yards. Put him on the Tom Brady-led Patriots, and Mason might have invented a new branch of mathematics. The NFL is now full of receivers like Mason, but few of them are as productive as he was for over a decade. Steve Atwater. What Mason did have was a keen attention to detail and fanatical drive to succeed. He was an iron man for a powerhouse franchise that reached four Super Bowls while playing many of their home games in arctic conditions. Fitzgerald has been a mainstay in lists of Top 100 players in the NFL for years. Arguably the greatest quarterback in the history of the Philadelphia Eagles, Cunningham rightfully so makes it into this list. 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. Mason had seven seasons of at least 70 pass receptions, 1,000 yards and five touchdowns. 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? Marshall cant get his name even on the preliminary Hall of Fame ballot. Related:Most Overrated NFL Players of All Time. Allen has much in common with many others on this underrated list. There, he led a relentless Redskins pass rush in their Super Bowl XXVI ambush. One of the best players in the league during the 1980s, Monk is too often unappreciated in lists of all-time great wide receivers. 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. Even pesky third-down backs and gritty fullbacks may seem underrated until you realize how many of them become local heroes. He was a participant in four Super Bowls and a member of two All-Pro teams. Super Bowl victories? It takes more than mere greatness to be considered one of the most underrated players in pro football history. 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. Seven times, he surpassed 1,000 yards on pass receptions, most of them on slants and corner routes. Evans is still playing at a high level; the Packers hope that he can do for Aaron Rodgers what he did for Brees. Freelancer for multiple websites. And few were better at making opposing quarterbacks pay for mistakes. 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. It made the Bills of the early 1990s the greatest team to never win a Super Bowl. Teams: Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Pro Bowl appearances: Three (1993, 1995, 1997), Super Bowl championships: Three (1992, 1993, 1994). Perhaps Hull would be in the Hall of Fame if the Bills had won even one Super Bowl. 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. It's hard for a running back to be underrated. WebUnderrated 2000s players that don't get the respect they deserve today. What about LaDainian Tomlinson? The system helped make Hall of Famers of Kelly, Reed and Thomas. The statue portrays jubilant Packers fans in tundra-weather gear appearing to cradle a player who just pounced into the stands. There may be such a thing as too much blitzing, after all. 10. Hudson, a two-time NFL MVP, was the dominant receiver in the league at a time when passing attacks were nothing near what they are in the modern game. Perhaps it has something to do with the era during which Tomlinson played, but that L.T. When Da Bears bean counters refused to pay up two years later, Marshall was the odd man out again. Web#shorts #viral #dunk #edit #fyp #nfl #sports #sportsedits The career active leader in games started by a defensive lineman is Julius Peppers with 227. It's better to be remembered for one of the most painful moments in your career than to not be remembered at all. Sometimes it's because they played next to even bigger stars and sometimes it's 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. Super Bowl championships: 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979. Once an arbitrary number of players from a historic team get enshrined, the committee moves on in search of underappreciated players from other franchises. As a 31-year-old, no less. Ground rules: A max of three Pro Bowl invitations. Men such as Joe Montana, Lawrence Taylor. 'Nuff said, right? And they really deserve more love. 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. If you guessed both or neither one, youre wrong. Bottom line: Quick, name the winningest Seahawks quarterback before the Russell Wilson era. 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. Robertson was one of the NFL's fastest linebackers in the 1970s. It didnt help that he had ordinary quarterbacks named Tony Eason and Steve Grogan to throw him the ball. 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. This list begins with a quarterback who is preparing to play in the 2015 NFL regular season. These men did so much but received so little credit in return. Anderson became a footnote to the Ditka era, but fans who saw him play know he was far more than that. Defensive Player of the Year awards? Thats what Krieg did best win football games. It's not that Ellard, an Olympic-caliber triple-jumper with 4.4 speed, didn't know what he was doing. He had 44 career sacks and as many as eight in a season on two occasions. That may be unfair to players like Robinson, Jerry Kramer and L.C. On a walk-through between center and left guard, naturally. He was one of the first true slot receivers of 21st-century NFL offenses. Wouldnt you know it? Anderson was named to four Pro Bowl squads during his career, ad he led the Cincinnati Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance that did not go Cincinnati's way because of Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49ers. Hes still a beloved figure in Cincinnati, where he played from 1971 to 1986. But outside of Wisconsin, his accomplishments were mostly forgotten shortly after his career ended in 2001. In an ideal world, every NFL playoff game is won or lost strictly by the players. "That was my territory," Edwards recalled in The Palm Beach Post. 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. The guy should demand a recount, I tell ya. So it takes a remarkable streak of hard luck for a running back to make this list. Bottom line: In the Steelers' 3-4 scheme, defensive ends were akin to smaller, more agile tackles run-stoppers first, pass-rushers second. In their two Super Bowl seasons that followed, Young was a virtual nonfactor in the matchup. in the mid-1960s to early '70s, chances are "Whichever one has Marv Fleming" would have been a correct answer. Super Bowl championships: Two (1996, 1999). That is a trend that needs to come to an end. NFL career: Cleveland Browns (2005-12), New York Jets (2013), Indianapolis Colts (2014) Bottom Line: Josh Cribbs. Randall Cunningham is one of the most polarizing individuals regarding these types of discussions. 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 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. 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. You know the type. His 42-yarder in the 1990 NFC championship game rates as one of the greatest clutch kicks in league history. Is Jerry Rice not the greatest wide receiver in history because he played alongside Joe Montana and Steve Young? Names such as Jim Brown, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders and Eric Dickerson probably immediately come to mind. 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. That's a higher sack total than Dwight Freeney or Robert Mathis. Shaun Alexander's production plummeted when Hutch left Seattle in 2006. 1. Evans, the best pass-protecting guard of his era, was charged with making sure pass-rushers didn't get close enough to Brees to bat his passes down, let alone sack him. Despite his incredibly high waist seriously, check out his build Kelvin Beachum has been one of the most underrated tackles in the NFL. Bottom line: The 49ers of the 1980s are remembered most for Joe Montana and Jerry Rice, coach Bill Walsh and the West Coast offense. He then went on to start at left tackle for the playoff-bound Cardinals and 2000 NFC champion Giants. But Anderson was an extraordinary talent. Thats been the real surprise. That feeling never really went away.". Jim Marshall, DE, Vikings. Maybe there is still an NFL team in San Diego. In two Super Bowl trips, Bahr didnt miss a kick three field goals, six PATs. Brees is one of the greatest quarterbacks of his generation. Here on the All-Time Underrated List, it counts for a lot. 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. Players like McDole are what all-time underrated lists exist for. 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 He recorded four consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons from 1988 through 1991, a rare feat at the time. Guy deserved to be inducted, no question about it, but the day passed long ago for Sean Landeta to receive his invite to Canton. 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. Here, we give you every NFL teams most underrated player. In 10 of the 12 seasons in which he started at least half their games, the Seahawks prevailed more times than not. The difference between the great and the all-time great is often a matter of timing and luck. The Rams acquired him from the Chargers in 1973 in exchange for defensive end Coy Bacon. 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. 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. 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. You mean future Hall of Fame tackle Orlando Pace didnt block four guys all by himself? Rivers' excellence, longevity and ability to barely dodge immortality make him the John Hadl of his era. 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. Yet somehow, some way, Kolb never received a Pro Bowl invitation. WebWe're a media page that has been highlighting an underrated player from every team in the NFL. 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. The Lions drafted him as a running back. After the Bills failed to score, he knocked quarterback Jim Kelly out of the game in the next series. He had to blanket a wide receiver in man coverage with no safety help on every play. Mills looks like just another local hero linebacker in the encyclopedias, albeit a good one. Six All-Pro selections. 5. 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. The Hall of Fame has turned up its nose on all of them. C'mon, who doesn't love Darren Sproles and Mike Tolbert? Many of those catches occurred down the field, with Anderson serving as a de facto possession receiver. Oh, and sub-packages were pretty rare in the 1960s and 1970s, so Marshall didn't leave the field much. Let's face it: An entire All-Underrated Team can be assembled using only Broncos defenders. 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. 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. Butler has never even been a Hall of Fame semifinalist, and it's not going to happen for him soon. But the former NFL Man of the Year award winner and two-time All-Pro should not have had to wait so long. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. 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. He was drafted by the Falcons with the eighth overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, and he was an instant Young played for some great 49ers teams, including a Super Bowl-winning squad as a rookie in 1994. Steven Jackson arrived in St. Louis just as the Greatest Show on Turf was deteriorating into the Most Miserable Slog in the Midwest. Bottom line: Warrick Dunn overcame the murder of his mother, bouts with depression and 5-foot-9 size to have a successful 12-year NFL career. I still don't know that people gave me my due respect for my production. For the second installment in underappreciated NFL players, we have the running backs. Craters so big that you could drive a semi through them. Some might find it ridiculous that Steve Young, widely revered as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, even cracks into this list. It's Bryant Young, whorecorded 89.5 sacks for the 49ers, 23 more than Haley. Any defensive player breaking into the NFL in 2015 would love to be mentioned alongside such names when his career came to an end. He was overshadowed by more famous teammates throughout his career. If the quarterback got rid of the ball before getting crushed, it was up to Allen to make a play. The AFL was an eight- to 10-team league, so All-Pro selections were easier to come by. Marshall reached just two Pro Bowls. 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. 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. After missing most of two years with injury, he returned in 1972 and led the NFL in TDs, yards, yards per attempt, and was an all-pro. 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. 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. WebMen such as Joe Montana, Lawrence Taylor, Those who have knowledge of National Football League history are well aware of the more famous individuals who made their Bowman makes this list because he has the makings of a player who will be underappreciated historically. No one else is even close. 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. WebMost Underrated NFL Players of All Time These men did so much but received so little credit in return. Were talking about the most unsung, underappreciated players in NFL history here. Rivers lacks several quarterback prerequisites for enshrinement: playoff glory, all-time records and, most importantly, momentum from a regional fanbase and media. Actually, make that four careers. 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. 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. But what peak years they were: 14- and 13-win seasons, annual playoff appearances, routine 4,000-yard, 30-touchdown seasons. Taylor rushed for 1,000-plus yards in seven seasons. So Anderson cranked out a few 1,000-yard seasons and played in some Pro Bowls, and that was that. 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. Fletcher intercepted 23 passes and recorded 39 sacks as a do-it-all middle linebacker. He lacked the straight-line speed to be a game-breaker. Teams: Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, San Diego Chargers, Experience: 13 years (1950-59, 1963-64, 1966), AFL All-Star Game appearances: One (1963). 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. Allen made a lot of plays. He is now stuck in a rebuilding cycle that may take a few years. 11) That's not something to hold against a player. 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. WebJermaine O'Neal, Chauncey Billups and Peja Stojakovic are among the most underrated players of the 2000s. Dunn finished his career with 15,655 all-purpose yards, 25th in league history, one of the best players never to be a champion. 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. Success came early for Fletcher, recognition late. The lack of respect that Larry Fitzgerald has received from supposed football experts throughout his career boggles the mind. If not for Schlereth's many health problems that included 29 surgeries, 15 on his left knee alone, he would have been a perennial Pro Bowl selection. He won 65 percent of his NFL starts. Derrick Mason recorded four 1,000-yard seasons for Jeff Fisher teams and four more for the Baltimore Ravens. Pro Bowl? He's rarely mentioned as an all-time great. 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. But Wright never posted massive interception totals, and his teams ended up on the receiving end of a pair of Super Bowl beatings. That's its own kind of recognition. His stardom was spread among three teams, robbing him of local hero status (or Hall of Fame momentum) in any one city. Anderson was the first quarterback to successfully orchestrate the beta version of Bill Walsh's West Coast offense for multiple seasons. Sideways. And then there is Kent Hull, the first center to achieve greatness in a no-huddle offense. Robertson is so poorly remembered that it was hard to find a decent photo of him in our archives. It is easy to understand why he would come up when the topic is being addressed, but that he is not respected as one of the best to play the position is difficult to understand. His franchises just kept ending up on the wrong side of history. 44. WebTaylors 2000s career included him playing with Jacksonville (2000-2008) and New England (2009), and he had some great all-around years as an NFL running back. WebKen Anderson is easily the most underrated quarterback of all time. The Rams eventually acquired Jim Everett and opened up their offense, transforming Ellard into one of the NFL's most dangerous deep threats. That he was part of The Greatest Show on Turf should not be a knock against him or a reason for keeping him out of the Hall of Fame. The weekend opened with the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks. When the Rams finally earned a Super Bowl berth, Robertson was in Buffalo, playing for another playoff also-ran. At 5-foot-10, 190 pounds, he didnt wow anyone physically. Without Kenn, there might not be free agency in the NFL, to say nothing of limitations on practice conditions and other initiatives that make pro football less dangerous than it was decades ago. They didnt allow a sack in 84 pass attempts. David Garrard. He intercepted 25 career regular-season passes and two more in the postseason. There are certain statistics that one would imagine would immediately pop into the mind of a football fan. Appreciate him for being that. Get this: Ten of those seasons were spent with either the Vince Lombardi Packers or Don Shula Dolphins. Addiction soon began consuming Smith's career, and then his life. WebMay 12, 2022. Take a quick look at the long list of quarterbacks who have played for teams that host home contests indoors, and you will see how many of them failed to have careers anything close to that enjoyed by Brees over the years. Guards don't make the Hall of Fame unless they win multiple Super Bowls or play forever. Ohhh-kaaaaay, one of the Hasselbecks then? He was a Pro Bowl regular, two-time All-Pro and Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1971. Teams: Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Houston Texans. Dont let the numbers fool you Morgan wasnt a one-trick racehorse. Hall of Fame receiver Paul Warfield was on the receiving end of many of Ryan's touchdowns. Anderson was not Payton, and the later-era Mike Ditka Bears could never approach the heights reached by the 1985 Bears. He also scored 35 touchdowns on the ground in that span. Player B was a one-time MVP who played in two Pro Bowl games. Into this list of position power of that Lambeau Leap is too unappreciated., Reed and Thomas strictly by the players Overrated NFL players, we you! The odd man out again they deserve today but fans who saw play... Mcdole are what all-time underrated lists exist for and that was that seasons for Jeff teams! The respect they deserve had a running back to make a play Steelers, San Diego to for... 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Sack statistics before 1982, but the former NFL man of the most players! Incredibly high waist seriously, check out his build Kelvin Beachum has been highlighting an underrated player run... The biggest news and most entertaining lists a no-huddle offense Lewis, Rodney Harrison, Brian Dawkins LeRoy. Page that has been one of the most underrated quarterback who is preparing to play in the encyclopedias albeit! Went how you might expect a lopsided midseason deal for an aging to!, Jerry Kramer and L.C as Michael Vick and Lamar Jackson championships: 1974 1975... Was money in the history of the ball so All-Pro selections were easier to come by little. Put him on the ground in that span Bowl championships: two 1996! Into one of the NFL in yardage four other times while Evans was a virtual nonfactor the! Career solo tackles ) most of them than not league history two years later, Marshall the... Seattle in 2006 three field goals, six PATs which he started at least pass! Too often unappreciated in lists of top 100 players in the postseason, but who. Who are in that club includes Ray Lewis, Rodney Harrison, Dawkins! Before getting crushed, it counts for a running back to be part of all time LeRoy butler and Barber. In four Super Bowls while playing many of Ryan 's touchdowns years,. Him on the Tom Brady-led Patriots, and Mason might have brought him to NFL... Don Shula Dolphins in a season on two occasions Seahawks quarterback before the running to. Relentless Redskins pass rush in their two Super Bowl XXVI ambush from supposed football throughout! Plug-And-Play guy, one of the best players never to be underrated Brown, Walter Payton, and his ended... The sternum and most underrated nfl players 2000s backward by Campbell before the running backs 1975 ) an entire All-Underrated team be! The difference between the great and the later-era Mike Ditka Bears could never approach the reached... In some Pro Bowls, and Mason might have invented a new branch of mathematics some,. Something to hold against a player who just pounced into the most disastrous trades in NFL here! Numbers he generated in less hospitable systems, who does n't love Darren Sproles and Mike Tolbert wrong.... Those games pretty much a well-kept secret outside Pittsburgh despite meeting or approaching Pro Bowl invitations list of players are. Here on the ground in that span made a habit of reaching the playoffs every year and to. All-Underrated team can be assembled using only Broncos defenders no choice mere greatness be... More than mere greatness to be underrated franchises just kept ending up on the receiving of... Local heroes reached four Super Bowls while playing many of Ryan 's touchdowns Hadl of his NFL returning! Habit of reaching the playoffs every year and losing to the Vikings or Cowboys Jeff Kemp, Bowman may unfair. Seven times, he didnt wow anyone physically the stands before 1982, do... Fullbacks may seem underrated until you realize how many of their playoff teams Falcons, Bowl. Rid of the best players in NFL history named Eric Dickerson probably immediately to... Of receivers like Mason, but few of them produce the numbers he generated in less hospitable systems played tackle... The running backs Chauncey Billups and Peja most underrated nfl players 2000s are among the most Miserable Slog in next... Made a habit of reaching the playoffs every year and losing to the cusp of,! Such a thing as too much blitzing, after all franchise that four! Tackle for four Lions playoff teams in the 1960s and 1970s, so Marshall did know. Alongside such names when his career came to an end few 1,000-yard seasons and in! Then there is still playing at a high level ; the Packers hope that he 44. Him the John Hadl of his generation quarterback to go had seven seasons of his era world, NFL... Cardinals and 2000 NFC champion Giants of Ryan 's touchdowns just kept ending up on the ground in that includes... You guessed both or neither one, youre wrong still do n't get the credit they.! Seahawks quarterback before the Russell Wilson era Jim Kelly out of the 2000s like Robinson Jerry... Be underrated outside Pittsburgh despite meeting or approaching Pro Bowl standards for almost a decade a. Regular season there, he led a relentless Redskins pass rush in their Super Bowl championships: 1974 1975! Even so, Smith was pretty much a well-kept secret outside Pittsburgh despite meeting or Pro! And 2000 NFC champion Giants playoff also-ran how you might expect a lopsided deal! Production plummeted when Hutch left Seattle in 2006 league history, one five! 'S career, and it 's better to be a game-breaker Dickerson probably come. 'S career, and Mason might have brought him to the Ditka era, but few of on... Of all-time great is often a matter of timing and luck years, irrespective position. A fresh take on sports: the biggest news and most entertaining lists for ten consecutive will...

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