Football is one of the most popular sports in the world. It is a highly competitive sport and the top players are often highly praised and recognized. However, there are many players who are often overlooked and underrated despite their hard work and dedication to the game. These underrated players often go unrecognized and therefore do not receive the recognition they deserve. In this article, we will be highlighting the ten most underrated football players of all time.
1. John Elway: John Elway is often considered to be one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. He was a nine-time Pro Bowler and two-time Super Bowl champion. However, Elway has often been overlooked due to his lack of regular season statistics, despite his impressive postseason performance. Elway was not only a talented passer but also a great leader who could motivate his team to success.
2. Emmitt Smith: Emmitt Smith is one of the greatest running backs of all time and holds the all-time rushing record with 18,355 yards. He was an eight-time Pro Bowler and three-time Super Bowl champion. Despite his impressive numbers, Smith is often overlooked due to the fact that he played in the same era as Barry Sanders who is viewed as the superior running back.
3. Steve Young: Steve Young is one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the NFL. Despite being a seven-time Pro Bowler and two-time Super Bowl champion, Young is often overlooked due to the fact that he was the successor to Joe Montana. He also had to compete with Brett Favre for media attention. Young was an extremely talented passer and was also a great leader who could get the best out of his teammates.
4. Randall Cunningham: Randall Cunningham is one of the most athletic quarterbacks to ever play the game. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and one-time Super Bowl champion. However, he is often overlooked due to the fact that he played the majority of his career in Philadelphia and did not have the same level of success as his contemporaries such as John Elway and Dan Marino.
5. Warren Moon: Warren Moon is one of the most underrated quarterbacks of all time. He was a nine-time Pro Bowler and one-time Super Bowl champion. Moon was an extremely talented passer who also had the ability to make plays with his legs. He often flew under the radar due to the fact that he played in the same era as Dan Marino and John Elway.
6. Jerome Bettis: Jerome Bettis is one of the most underrated running backs of all time. He was a six-time Pro Bowler and a one-time Super Bowl champion. Bettis was a powerful runner who was able to break tackles and make defenders miss. He was often overlooked due to the fact that he played in the same era as Emmitt Smith and Barry Sanders.
7. Terrell Davis: Terrell Davis is one of the most underrated running backs of all time. He was a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time Super Bowl champion. Davis was an explosive runner who could break off big plays. He was often overlooked due to the fact that he played in the same era as Emmitt Smith and Barry Sanders.
8. Thurman Thomas: Thurman Thomas is one of the most underrated running backs of all time. He was a five-time Pro Bowler and four-time Super Bowl champion. Thomas was a powerful runner who could also make plays with his legs. He was often overlooked due to the fact that he played in the same era as Emmitt Smith and Barry Sanders.
9. Joe Montana: Joe Montana is often considered to be one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and four-time Super Bowl champion. Despite his accomplishments, Montana is often overlooked due to the fact that he played in the same era as John Elway and Dan Marino.
10. Deion Sanders: Deion Sanders is one of the most underrated players of all time. He was a eight-time Pro Bowler and one-time Super Bowl champion. Sanders was an extremely talented player who could make plays on both sides of the ball. He was often overlooked due to the fact that he played in the same era as Jerry Rice and Barry Sanders.
These ten players are some of the most underrated football players of all time. While they may have not received the same recognition as their peers, they are still some of the best players to ever play the game. They have all made tremendous contributions to the game and should be remembered for their hard work and dedication.