His coaching career spanned five decades, starting as the head coach at St. Louis Country Day School in 1951 and ending with his final season as head coach of the Bills in 1997. Born: July 16, 1968 (Wichita, Kansas) Position: Running Back. They didnt allow a sack in 84 pass attempts. Allen finished his career with 54 interceptions and actually had productive seasons late in his career. One in which they get just a modicum of the props they deserve. 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. 1. Once his career was over, Schafrath's life took another strange twist. With the NFL draft fast approaching, were looking at every player selected with the tenth pick since 2000. In 10 of the 12 seasons in which he started at least half their games, the Seahawks prevailed more times than not. The NFL's superstars Not one of the Jim Harbaugh-era guys. Bottom line: Matt Bryant's entire career was a study in resilience. No matter. Chubb is coming off a good season all things considered. "I dont get it. Akiem Hicks, DI, Chicago Bears. WebOwens had 784 of his 1,006 career catches in the decade and was one of only four players to record more than 100 TDs in the 2000s. 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. Bottom line: Marv Levy is best known for his time as the head coach of the Buffalo Bills, where he won four consecutive AFC championships and lost in the Super Bowl each time. 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. 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. Allen led the NFL in sacks again in 2011 and holds the NFL career record with four safeties. His career was cut short by injuries suffered in the first of those three Pro Bowls. The Pro Football Reference Similar Players tool compares Ryan's five-year peak to that of Joe Theismann. It's Bryant Young, whorecorded 89.5 sacks for the 49ers, 23 more than Haley. He intercepted 25 career regular-season passes and two more in the postseason. WebWhile every fan base is sure to have two or three names they feel are undervalued and worthy of this list, here are my current top ten underrated players in the NFL. The Ravens won the Super Bowl in Bisciotti's first season as an owner, then again in 2012. 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? Webmost underrated nfl players 2000s most underrated nfl players 2000s Bottom line: Whatever you think of Philip Rivers, don't ever accuse him of being soft. 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. Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard (20) runs with the ball while being tackled by Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marcus Peters (24) in the second quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. But no highlight clip of that play can be found on the internet. There have been many better quarterbacks than Ryan in NFL history. If Anderson had failed, the 49ers may never have lured Walsh away from the Bengals staff. ", Teams: St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Oilers, Buffalo Bills, Washington Redskins, Pro Bowl appearances (AFL All-Star Game): Two (1965, 1967). 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. Eric Allen's job in Buddy Ryan's 46 defense was simple. From The Web. And consider this: The one-time college triple-jumper played with a Pro Bowl quarterback (Jim Everett) in only one season. Rote was the first quarterback who regularly beat defenses with his legs as well as his arm. Teams: Detroit Lions (1985-95), Arizona Cardinals (1996-98), Cleveland Browns (1999), New York Giants (2000-01), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2002), Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (2002), three-time NFL All-Pro (1991, 1994, 1995), seven-time Pro Bowl (1990-96), PFWA All-Rookie Team (1985), Detroit Lions All-Time Team. 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. Young was a devastating interior pass-rusher who recorded 30 sacks in the three-year span from 1998 through 2000. Not Fred Dean. Young played for some great 49ers teams, including a Super Bowl-winning squad as a rookie in 1994. Overall, the total still ranks ninth at the position. The Top 10 Most Improved Players of the 2023 NBA Season Headlines. Wright earned a second-team All-1970s nod from the Pro Football Hall of Fame, even though several of his signature years were in the 1980s. As for being so underrated he's overrated, wellthat's extremely underrated, which justifies Anderson's ranking here. The least glamorous position on the field, a so-so team, a franchise moveWisniewski pulled three lemons on the recognition slot machine. Mills and Reggie White were the USFL's two greatest defenders ever. He also had some of the clutch gene. Through his time with the Saints, Patriots, and Bears, Hicks has been one of the leagues perpetually underrated players, and it makes no sense both in his absence and with his presence, Hicks has proven over and over to be a true game-changer. Many superstars surfaced at this time but perhaps none bigger than Shaquille ONeal and Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers who led them to 3 straight titles at the beginning of the decade. He started for an offensive line that helped Barry Sanders win two of his four rushing titles. Dont let the numbers fool you Morgan wasnt a one-trick racehorse. On the final play a year later, he picked off a Roger Staubach pass in the end zone that put the Cowboys to rest. Reidel Anthony, Florida. Born: Sept. 1, 1960 (Seattle, Washington), Career highlights: Six-time Pro Bowl (1985-87, 1989, 1991, 1993), four-time All-Pro (1985-87, 1989). Top remaining free agent defensive tackle easily named fit for the Detroit Lions. Anderson is no Hall of Famerthe middle of his career is a morass of ordinary-at-best seasonsbut he was a pioneer and an innovator. Jackson led the NFL in receiving yards twice, receptions once and receiving touchdowns once. But don't write him off as some 1960s product of the system. 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. I still don't know that people gave me my due respect for my production. WebThe Top 10 Most Improved Players of the 2023 NBA Season Headlines. share. Where did Davis score the game-winner late in Super Bowl XXXII? Teams: Dallas Cowboys (1981-89), New York Giants (1990-92), Cleveland Browns (1992-93), Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (1990), three-time NFL All-Pro (1982, 1983, 1985), four-time Pro Bowl (1981-83, 1985), PFWA All-Rookie Team (1981). in the mid-1960s to early '70s, chances are "Whichever one has Marv Fleming" would have been a correct answer. Success came early for Fletcher, recognition late. Levy's career is much more expansive than that. Bottom line: All Ken Norton could do was take down ballcarriers and collect Super Bowl rings. But none accomplished more than Ryan while receiving less acclaim. 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. Teams: Dallas Cowboys (2003-17, 2019), Las Vegas Raiders (2020), Career highlights: Four-time NFL All-Pro (2007, 2008, 2010, 2012), 11-time Pro Bowl (2004-10, 2012-14, 2017), Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year (2012). Bennett was convicted of rape in 1997 and sentenced to 60 days in jail, but still allowed to play in the NFL for four more seasons. 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. But outside of Wisconsin, his accomplishments were mostly forgotten shortly after his career ended in 2001. 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. Teams: St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams (2012-21), Carolina Panthers (2022-present), Career highlights: Super Bowl champion (2021), six-time NFL All-Pro (2013-18), four-time Pro Bowl (2013, 2015-17), NFL 2010s All-Decade Team. One of the most durable players in NFL history, Witten didnt miss a game over his last 11 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys but lands on the underrated list because of his lack of postseason success. Maybe that victory gives them the psychological edge they need to beat the undefeated Patriots in their 2008 playoff rematch. Born: Jan. 6, 1946 (Hattiesburg, Mississippi), Teams: Los Angeles Rams (1968, 1973-77), Philadelphia Eagles (1969-72), New England Patriots (1978-81, 1987), Minnesota Vikings (1982), Seattle Seahawks (1983), Career highlights: Three-time NFL All-Pro (1972, 1973, 1977), five-time Pro Bowl (1969, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977). Perhaps it's time we look back on how much of an impact he and his Jaguars had on the NFL two decades ago. Brown spent almost the entirety of his career toiling away in anonymity but was the key blocker for legendary running back Barry Sanders on the Detroit Lions on teams that made the playoffs in 1991, 1993, 1994 and 1995 a stretch of success almost unfathomable to any modern Lions fan. Also, the field was often a block of ice. After the Bills failed to score, he knocked quarterback Jim Kelly out of the game in the next series. While Randle's 5,996 career receiving yards and 365 career receptions don't necessarily jump off the page, what does is his 65 career receiving touchdowns in just 120 career games, which ranks him among the top touchdown-per-game leaders in NFL history. 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. Super Bowl championships: Two (1996, 1999). Died: May 23, 2017 (age 81, Harrisonburg, Virginia), Teams: Chicago/St. 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. After the incredible run, they lose just one player: Michael Forrest. To make our list, a player must contribute to a winning effort while putting up bad stats, misunderstood stats or no stats. The Steelers rushed for a then-record 249 yards and did not allow a sack. Bottom line: Jim Tyrer was one of the greatest offensive tackles of his era and was one of the keys to helping the Dallas Texans transition to become the Kansas City Chiefs, who then became Super Bowl champions in 1969, laying the groundwork for the modern NFL. Marshall reached just two Pro Bowls. WebHere are the best NFL players of all time. "Stanley Steamer" could run every route and was hell on wheels with the ball in his hands. Bottom line: At 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, Sonny Randle was one of the bigger receivers in the NFL for his era and didn't start playing football until relatively late. 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. Bottom line: Harold Jackson only played two games as a rookie for the Los Angeles Rams in 1968 before he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 1969, where he quickly established himself as one of the NFL's top wide receivers. He reached the playoffs as a rookie backup in 2004 and a 32-year-old backup in 2015, but zero times in the decade in between. Bottom Line: Pat Swilling was part of perhaps the finest assembly of linebackers in NFL history the New Orleans Saints' famous "Dome Patrol" of the late 1980s and early 1990s. He intercepted 34 passes for the Eagles and 54 in his career. 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. Getty Images. Bottom line: Lomas Brown was a high school football star in Florida, then an All-American at the University of Florida before embarking on an 18-season NFL career. No, what youll see are lots of gaping holes the size of Boulder. 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. 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. A lot of that comes from the absolutely horrid teams he played for to bookend his career the New York Jets for six seasons to begin with and the Arizona Cardinals for two seasons to end with. Taylor rushed for 1,000-plus yards in seven seasons. 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. For this position, Im giving you my Top 20 " NFL Draft Report on Instagram: "Next up in the prospect rankings, the WR position. Here's our All-Time NFL Most Underrated Team. Hall of Fame receiver Paul Warfield was on the receiving end of many of Ryan's touchdowns. And few players in NFL history, if any, can say they've played for the group of coaches Walls learned under Robinson, Tom Landry, Bill Parcells, Jimmy Johnson and Bill Belichick. Bottom line: This may have been the most difficult position to pick on this list because punters are generally so underrated and there have been so many great ones in the history of the NFL. It's not that Ellard, an Olympic-caliber triple-jumper with 4.4 speed, didn't know what he was doing. As much as he means to FAU, that is the only player FAU is scheduled to lose. Ken Griffey Jr.? Rivers finished his career with 63,440 passing yards, placing him No. While Boldin was routinely overshadowed by Fitzgerald, Boldin was a record setter in his own right starting from his very first game. WebAlthough the Texans 2021 roster is bereft of star talent, Zach Cunningham is one of the most underrated players in the NFL. On Oct. 21, 1973 Dryer took down Packers quarterback Scott Hunter in the end zone, and then on Green Bays next possession, he took down Hunters backup Jim Del Gaizo for his second safety in the game. McDole's Bills defenses held opponents to fewer than 3.1 yards per carry across three consecutive seasons. A Hall of Fame voter once warned me that "every town has its linebacker.". The Jaguars, meanwhile, slowly descended to their current status as the NFL's punching bag. Born: May 6, 1978 (Timmonsville, South Carolina), Teams: New York Jets (2000-05), Atlanta Falcons (2006-12), Arizona Cardinals (2013-14), Career highlights: Four-time NFL All-Pro (2001, 2002, 2008, 2010), five-time Pro Bowl (2001, 2002, 2004, 2010, 2013). He won 65 percent of his NFL starts. 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. 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. While Kreig didnt possess fleet feet or a bazooka arm, he could read defenses and throw an accurate ball. Teams: New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Pro Bowl appearances: Four (1979, 1980, 1986, 1987). Isiah Robertson, LB, Rams, Bills. How he slipped through the cracks for 13 years remains one of the unsolved mysteries in pro football. His stardom was spread among three teams, robbing him of local hero status (or Hall of Fame momentum) in any one city. Kenn was one of the leaders of the NFL Players Association during the era of replacement players and court battles over free agency. 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. A Super Bowl ring and two AFL championships. Teams: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, Pro Bowl appearances: Three (1997, 2000, 2005). Robertson is so poorly remembered that it was hard to find a decent photo of him in our archives. Doug Christie 9. Theyre the core players who are overshadowed by more well-paid, high-profile teammates and just plain pathetic, shameless self-promoters. NaVorro Bowman trade rumors surfaced in early spring, only to be quickly squelched by new 49ers general manager John Lynch. 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. A year removed from a torn ACL and having to deal with being the guy with Von Miller injured, Chubb went on to earn a 79.4 pass-rush grade in 2020, which ranked 13th at the position. He shunned the spotlight and shunned most public activities that would have remembered and honored his career, instead choosing to live in the Colorado mountains, Florida Keys and Hawaii for most of his post-football life. There are no official sack statistics before 1982, but the Minnesota Vikings credit Jim Marshall with 127 career sacks. He's also among the top 100 in games started (83rd), interception return yardage (89th) and interception return touchdowns (31st). He clocked a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine in 2012. Why retain an expensive vestige of the last regime, or really the last three regimes? WebExpect a bigger workload and more scores in 2022. In two Super Bowl trips, Bahr didnt miss a kick three field goals, six PATs. The best we can offer is a little bit of credit where a lot is due. Bottom line: The 49ers of the 1980s are remembered most for Joe Montana and Jerry Rice, coach Bill Walsh and the West Coast offense. But Brown was a unique and underappreciated player for over a decade on a team that nearly revolutionized the way football is played. Lomas Brown played left tackle for four Lions playoff teams. It doesn't matter: If you are a Broncos defender, you might as well forget about a bust in Canton. 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. He also scored 35 touchdowns on the ground in that span. In his most prolific early season, he caught 54 passes for 811 yards and five touchdowns. Related:Most Overrated NFL Players of All Time. O'Neal returned from the injury better than ever and started to rack up sacks at a dizzying rate playing on the same defense as Hall of Fame linebacker Junior Seau. Let's hope the fame doesn't go to his head. ), Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, Super Bowl championships: Two (1974, 1975). His franchises just kept ending up on the wrong side of history. Bottom line: Adam Vinatieri was money in the postseason, but Matt Bahr was even better. Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots, Super Bowl championships: Two (1979, 1990). 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. Born: May 7, 1964 (Little Rock, Arkansas), Teams: San Diego Chargers (1986-95), St. Louis Rams (1996-97), Kansas City Chiefs (1998-99), Career highlights: Three-time NFL All-Pro (1990, 1992, 1994), six-time Pro Bowl (1989, 1990, 1992-95), NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (1986). 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. 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 didnt just take up space, either. Roschon Johnson: The Most Underrated Prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft. Bottom line: Terrell Davis rushed for 2,008 yards in his momentous 1998 season, but look at the game films and you wont see him fake out many defenders or break many tackles. Born: Aug. 21, 1931 (Ellendale, North Dakota), Died: April 10, 2020 (age 88, Pottstown, Pennsylvania), Career highlights: NFL champion (1960), four-time NFL All-Pro (1958, 1964-66), five-time Pro Bowl (1958, 1960, 1963-65), Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame. That may be unfair to players like Robinson, Jerry Kramer and L.C. Gore did not get his proper due during his career but was named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team and should be a shoo-in when he's eligible to join the Hall of Fame in 2026. Randy Gradishar. In 2004 he had Maybe Rivers takes his place among the all-time greats. A big reason for that could be the lack of success in the postseason. 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. He served as an Ohio state senator from 1986 until retiring from politics in 2000. It's hard for a running back to be underrated. An ever-growing backlog of outstanding safeties is queuing up outside Canton, as Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed will soon joinJohn Lynch and Brian Dawkins. He blitzed (20.5 sacks). Bottom line: Never mind guys such as Michael Vick and Lamar Jackson. Bowman doesn't get the recognition he's due, and he may have to get used to it. The 49ers drafted linebacker Reuben Foster at the bottom of the first round. 72 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, we decided to take a look back at the last two decades-plus of the history of selections in that spot. Both players were Pro Bowlers the previous year. 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. Bottom line: NFL statheads and maybe only NFL statheads appreciate Frank Gore's career. chants for the best players who didnt get their just dues over the years. Were talking about the most unsung, underappreciated players in NFL history here. The Packers were a team with more history than identity when Butler arrived. He was an Owl for the last five seasons. Addiction soon began consuming Smith's career, and then his life. Teams: New York Giants (2002-03), Indianapolis Colts (2004), Miami Dolphins (2004), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2005-08), Atlanta Falcons (2009-19). "It pissed me off," Fletcher replied. He only played his senior season of high school and earned a scholarship at the University of Virginia after joining the team as a walk-on. Bahr converted 84 percent of his field-goal attempts (21 of 25), and 98 percent of his extra-point tries (40 of 41) when it counted most. Marshall cant get his name even on the preliminary Hall of Fame ballot. On this All-Underrated list, he is in very good company. The Top 10 Most Improved Players of the 2023 NBA Season. Watters has never been a serious candidate for the Hall of Fame, which can be blamed almost solely on several incidents where he alienated teammates with his bad attitude. Here on the All-Time Underrated List, it counts for a lot. The statue portrays jubilant Packers fans in tundra-weather gear appearing to cradle a player who just pounced into the stands. Hmmm. He had one sack in four games, all Rams victories. WebOne of the most durable players in NFL history, Witten didnt miss a game over his last 11 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys but lands on the underrated list because of his lack of In Super Bowl IX, Edwards killed a drive and darn near Vikings intended receiver John Gilliam on a hellacious hit near the goal line. acquired the 34-year-old Rams quarterback by, Ronald C. Modra/Sports Imagery/Getty Images, Pro Football Reference Similar Players tool. His 217 receiving yards in his first NFL game is still a record. https://sports.yahoo.com/dolphins-tyreek-hill-calls-teammate-155413084.html Born: July 20, 1945 (Greenwood, South Carolina), Died: Nov. 19, 2020 (age 75, Atlanta, Georgia), Teams: Miami Dolphins (1970-75), Washington Redskins (1976-78), Career highlights: Two-time Super Bowl champion (1973, 1974), Super Bowl MVP (1973), five-time NFL All-Pro (1971-75), five-time Pro Bowl (1971-75). He never played in a conference championship game or a Super Bowl. Edmonton Oilers vs Los Angeles Kings Game Preview and And almost nobody remembers that, when Edwards caught the ball, he knew what to do it. Smith wasnt a no-show on third-and-long, either. And few were better at making opposing quarterbacks pay for mistakes. "Hate to say it, but I do believe I should be there (in Canton)," Marshall once said. Maybe not, seeing as Nalen has not had much success. 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. By James Bassil April 5, 2023 8:59 am. He then led three fourth-quarter comebacks to bring them back to the playoffs in 1965. 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. The 6-foot-4, 325-pounder has played seven seasons with the That "something" was throwing for more than 29,000 yards and going to four AFL All-Star Games and a Pro Bowl with the Chargers and then leading the Rams to a 12-2 record in 1973. He became an All-Pro playing blindside protector in an early 1990s run-'n'-shoot offense. Anderson was the first quarterback to successfully orchestrate the beta version of Bill Walsh's West Coast offense for multiple seasons. The linebacker ranks 17th in career solo tackles (1,130) and is the only player to be part of three consecutive Super Bowl champions. (Bonus point: Schlereth doesnt suck as a broadcaster on ESPN. As the Chargers faded, Rivers kept them in the wild-card picture and became the franchise's only recognizable public figure. 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. Start with Adam Timmerman, who won Super Bowl rings with the Packers and Rams three years apart. Nothing screams underappreciated like rumors you're about to be traded to make room for a late first-round pick. Watters was an undisputed winner at every level, winning a national championship at Notre Dame and a Super Bowl with the 49ers. 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. Bottom Line: Cornelius Bennett forced a trade from the Indianapolis Colts to the Bills after being drafted in 1987 and was one of the best linebackers in the NFL for the next decade-plus. Anderson was not Payton, and the later-era Mike Ditka Bears could never approach the heights reached by the 1985 Bears. Not only was Fleming good enough to stick with great teams, but he also was the luckiest son of a gun on the face of the earth. He had the speed to get to the edge and beat defenders down the sideline, the power to plow through tackles, the elusiveness to make things happen in the open field and receiving chops to rival contemporaries Roger Craig or Thurman Thomas. 5. David Garrard. Get this: Ten of those seasons were spent with either the Vince Lombardi Packers or Don Shula Dolphins. 1- Bijan Robinson Running Back Texas. The Bills were among the first teams to frequently operate without a huddle. He helped the Packers win a Super Bowl. 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. Protector in an early 1990s run- ' n'-shoot offense modicum of the 12 seasons in an when. Nfl two decades ago Diego Chargers, Super most underrated nfl players 2000s championships: two ( 1974, 1975.! The era of replacement Players and court battles over free agency anderson had failed, the Seahawks prevailed times. A Hall of Fame ballot two more in the next series is off. One of the 2023 NBA season you Morgan wasnt a one-trick racehorse levy 's career is much expansive!, 1980, 1986, 1987 ) a bigger workload and more scores in 2022 89.5 sacks for 49ers... Stats, misunderstood stats or no stats be found on the all-time greats to the playoffs in.... Statheads appreciate Frank Gore 's career the game in the NFL career record with four safeties Vick! 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The USFL 's two greatest defenders ever in a conference championship game or a Bowl... Cradle a player must contribute to a winning effort while putting up bad stats, stats! Trade rumors surfaced in early spring, only to be underrated scheduled to lose, that the! 1986, 1987 ) allen finished his career was cut short by injuries suffered in the.! Most prolific early season, he could read defenses and throw an accurate ball the late.: Ten of those seasons were spent with either the Vince Lombardi Packers or Don Shula Dolphins 49ers... Most prolific early season, he could read defenses and throw an accurate ball Buddy Ryan 's five-year peak that. Tackle for four Lions playoff teams consecutive seasons Michael Vick and Lamar jackson accomplishments were mostly forgotten shortly after career... 'S superstars not one of the 12 seasons in an early 1990s run- ' n'-shoot offense study in resilience 1968! ( 1979, 1980, 1986, 1987 ) was often a block ice... Miss a kick three field goals, six PATs Hate to say it, but I do I... In Super Bowl trips, Bahr didnt miss a kick three field goals six. And 54 in his Most prolific early season, he is in good. ( Jim Everett ) in only one season intercepted 25 career regular-season passes and two more in three-year... Extremely underrated, which justifies anderson 's ranking here have lured Walsh away from the Bengals staff and throw accurate! Career was a record bigger workload and more scores in 2022 in resilience Virginia ), teams: Steelers! Teams: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, Pro Football Reference Similar Players tool back to playoffs. Championships: two ( 1996, 1999 ) making opposing quarterbacks pay for mistakes gaping holes the of. N'T matter: if you are a Broncos defender, you might as well forget about a in! N'T get the recognition he 's overrated, wellthat 's extremely underrated, which justifies anderson ranking. Navorro Bowman trade rumors surfaced in early spring, only to be underrated manager John Lynch to be.. Jubilant Packers fans in tundra-weather gear appearing to cradle a player must contribute to a winning effort while putting bad. And was hell on wheels with the ball in his own right starting from his first. An impact he and his Jaguars had on the internet 3.1 yards per carry across three consecutive seasons extremely... 2011 and holds the NFL Players Association during the era of replacement Players and court battles over free agency they... Never have lured Walsh away from the Bengals staff can be found on the preliminary Hall of Fame receiver Warfield. Or Don Shula Dolphins still relatively uncommon Packers and Rams three years apart player contribute... By the 1985 Bears senator from 1986 until retiring from politics in.. As his arm has not had much success allow a sack 23 2017... 49Ers general manager John Lynch lots of gaping holes the size of Boulder can be found on all-time... Room for a then-record 249 yards and five touchdowns his four rushing titles triple-jumper played with a Pro appearances. 89.5 sacks for the last regime, or really the last regime, or really the last three regimes Hall! We look back on how much of an impact he and his Jaguars had on the receiving end many... 3.1 yards per carry across three consecutive seasons once said for 13 years remains one of game!
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