Who do you consider to be the most overrated player(s) at their position in NFL history?

[Nextmanup]

On 7/21/2022 at 4:54 AM, Doc Brown said:

William "The Fridge" Perry.  Cool nickname.  Iconic Super Bowl run on an iconic team.  Never made a pro bowl.  Only 27.5 sacks in 10 seasons.  Joe Namath, Terry Bradshaw, and Troy Aikman if we're going QB's.

In fairness, no one ever accused the Fridge of being an excellent football player.

He was famous for two reasons: he was a huge fat slob over 300 lbs. in an era when those guys didn't exist, and now and again they handed him ball in goal line situations, despite him being a defensive tackle.

 

No one ever said he was some sort of stand out defensive lineman.

 

I would say he is "famous" for sure..but in a different sense.

 

 

[MJS]

12 hours ago, Albany,n.y. said:

Different era.  If you think Namath's stats are awful, take a look at our own Wall of Fame QB Jack Kemp:  

46.7 % completion percentage

TD/INT ratio 114/183, worse than Namath

57.3 career QB rating.

Win percentage:

- Kemp: 62%

- Namath: 48%

 

Namath was also a 5x Pro Bowler and 1x All Pro, versus Kemp who was a 7x Pro Bowler and 2x All-Pro. Namath led the league in INT's four times.

 

I agree you can't compare stats to today's numbers. Namath was a good QB for his time, but I still think he is overrated merely for the fact that he lost more games than he won. He had 6 losing seasons. But he had that iconic Super Bowl win that was important in NFL/AFL history.

[BADOLBILZ]

2 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

In fairness, no one ever accused the Fridge of being an excellent football player.

He was famous for two reasons: he was a huge fat slob over 300 lbs. in an era when those guys didn't exist, and now and again they handed him ball in goal line situations, despite him being a defensive tackle.

 

No one ever said he was some sort of stand out defensive lineman.

 

I would say he is "famous" for sure..but in a different sense.

 

 

 

 

Wrong.

 

William Perry was a beast..........he was a first round pick......those types are generally accused of being excellent..........and he was one of the more impactful LOS controlling players in the NFL in the 1980's......and still put up sacks and even had some seasons with over 80 tackles from the DT position in his career.

 

He wasn't an All Pro like his brother and injuries mid-career lead to some down production years........but he was most certainly an "excellent football player" when healthy.

 

Why am I not surprised that a New England sports teams fan like yourself would say Fridge was just a "fat slob".   I know his TD plunge in the SB wasn't appreciated around Bah-stin.

 

 

 

[Chicken Boo]

For me, Drew Brees.

 

Not that he's terrible or anything, but his stats don't match his standing amongst the all time greats.  

 

He's hovering around 10 for me and I'm not including Unitas, Staubach, etc because I never saw them play.  

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

On 7/21/2022 at 2:41 AM, maddenboy said:

how could it not be Curtis Martin at running back?  His 'rating' is official.

As much as I hate the Jets, Curtis Martin was a beast. Ten straight 1000+ yard seasons with abysmal QB play. Somebody mentioned how Barry Sanders was elite for doing it into his 30s, Curtis did the same thing. 

[Straight Hucklebuck]

On 7/21/2022 at 7:41 AM, BuffaloRebound said:

For the Bills… McGahee and Watkins.  These guys were supposed to be transcendent talents,  Even before the knee injury, I think McGahee’s speed was mostly hype.  And Watkins wasn’t particularly big and couldn’t go up and get the ball in the air.  

Watkins also admitted recently that he got wasted every night in Buffalo and stayed up until all hours of the night. 
 

The guy was all hype.

[Buffalo Junction]

Bryce Paup….

 

He never had more than 7.5 sacks in a season when he wasn’t playing with Bruce Smith or Reggie White. 🤷‍♂️ 

[BIGFOOTspaceman]

On 7/21/2022 at 8:35 AM, Primesinister said:

You must be young. He played baseball full time and football part time! Didn’t show up till October and played roughly 7 or 8 games and still averaged 700 to 900 without being at the top of the depth chart. He was a bigger, faster, stronger Adrian Peterson. 

 

Your just jumping on the band wagon of the hate on this opinion....I'm not that young....I watched him play.  You can hate the opinion but I'll say it again, you have absolute knuckleheads in here saying Tom Brady and Emmitt Smith are overrated....players in the league for a decade plus.  Broke records, won Superbowls and MVPs.  Bo played for 4 years, never a full season yet what is essentially being said, is that Bo was better than Emmitt Smith, Thurman Thomas, Curtis Martin......Thats insane.  I get it, I'm not well liked here so people like to pile on.  Not that I care.  I don't get caught up in an emotional tizzy with how anonymous posters on TBD feel about me. 

 

But just so we are clear;

 

Emmitt Smith = overrated

 

Bo Jackson = One of the best RB's to play the game of Football 

 

 

 

 

On 7/23/2022 at 7:01 PM, Buffalo Junction said:

Bryce Paup….

 

He never had more than 7.5 sacks in a season when he wasn’t playing with Bruce Smith or Reggie White. 🤷‍♂️ 

 

I'd take him over Edmunds

[34-78-83]

Thurman>>>Emmit but it was never really looked at that way across the league.

 

Michael Irvin was also quite good of course but was always thought of as better than Andre Reed nationally which is also false in my opinion.

 

Not being on a team winning the bowl hurts individual players reps way more than it should in what is the ultimate team sport.

 

 

 

 

[Ethan in Cleveland]

On 7/23/2022 at 4:01 PM, Buffalo Junction said:

Bryce Paup….

 

He never had more than 7.5 sacks in a season when he wasn’t playing with Bruce Smith or Reggie White. 🤷‍♂️ 

Neither did Cornelius Bennett 

[Ethan in Cleveland]

26 minutes ago, 34-78-83 said:

Thurman>>>Emmit but it was never really looked at that way across the league.

 

Michael Irvin was also quite good of course but was always thought of as better than Andre Reed nationally which is also false in my opinion.

 

Not being on a team winning the bowl hurts individual players reps way more than it should in what is the ultimate team sport.

 

 

 

 

Irvin was bigger stronger and faster than Reed.  Reed played longer and had more receptions. Irvonus scored more TDs. Both are HOF worthy but slight edge to Irvin.

 

I think Emmitt Smith is both overrated and underrated at the same time. I think backs like Thurman, Tomlinson, and Faulk are so much more dangerous than a more straight ahead guy. But as pure runners go, the guy put up a ton of yards going against NFC defenses. Yes Dickerson was faster and Brown more powerful, but Smith had great vision, very good lower leg power, set up blocks well, and and just enough speed that he rarely if ever was he caught from behind.  That said if Sanders doesn't retire Smith's legacy drops a notch.

[The Jokeman]

Joe Namath.

[34-78-83]

1 hour ago, Ethan in Portland said:

Irvin was bigger stronger and faster than Reed.  Reed played longer and had more receptions. Irvonus scored more TDs. Both are HOF worthy but slight edge to Irvin.

 

I think Emmitt Smith is both overrated and underrated at the same time. I think backs like Thurman, Tomlinson, and Faulk are so much more dangerous than a more straight ahead guy. But as pure runners go, the guy put up a ton of yards going against NFC defenses. Yes Dickerson was faster and Brown more powerful, but Smith had great vision, very good lower leg power, set up blocks well, and and just enough speed that he rarely if ever was he caught from behind.  That said if Sanders doesn't retire Smith's legacy drops a notch.

Fair points... To me, Andre made his living over the middle and revolutionized the position where Wr's didn't dare to go prior too often. And in no way was Irvin stronger than Reed, or tougher. Irvin was very very good for sure and indeed faster! Emmit was great too. The Boys had the best O line in ball too. That helped. Of course the Bills line were no slouches either.

[FilthyBeast]

On 7/20/2022 at 10:11 PM, JayBaller10 said:

Emmitt Smith. He had the luxury of running behind the most physical and athletic OL the NFL had to offer for years.

 

I hate the cowboys as much as the next fan, but those 90's teams were truly special and why the Bills didn't stand a chance against them in the SB's.

 

Smith was a big part of that and it wasn't just because the oline was stellar a good chunk his time there.

[Rico]

1 hour ago, Ethan in Portland said:

Irvin was bigger stronger and faster than Reed.  Reed played longer and had more receptions. Irvonus scored more TDs. Both are HOF worthy but slight edge to Irvin.

 

I think Emmitt Smith is both overrated and underrated at the same time. I think backs like Thurman, Tomlinson, and Faulk are so much more dangerous than a more straight ahead guy. But as pure runners go, the guy put up a ton of yards going against NFC defenses. Yes Dickerson was faster and Brown more powerful, but Smith had great vision, very good lower leg power, set up blocks well, and and just enough speed that he rarely if ever was he caught from behind.  That said if Sanders doesn't retire Smith's legacy drops a notch.

Thanks for mentioning Tomlinson, forgot about him, far and away my pick. What a contrast between him and Rivers in the biggest game of their careers in the 2007 AFC Championship against the Pats.

[Mikie2times]

Some wild responses, but the one that I feel is most accurate is Troy Aikman. Incredible ground game, line, WR's. Very pedestrian stats, even for that era. The SB's are what gave him the perception of a HF QB. 

[Saxum]

On 7/21/2022 at 1:11 AM, JayBaller10 said:

Emmitt Smith. He had the luxury of running behind the most physical and athletic OL the NFL had to offer for years.

 

Emmitt Smith either put on Oscar worthy act on field or has recovery ability which should be bottled.

 

Broadcasting crews were constantly going on him making every play appear like a miracle.

[Ethan in Cleveland]

38 minutes ago, 34-78-83 said:

Fair points... To me, Andre made his living over the middle and revolutionized the position where Wr's didn't dare to go prior too often. And in no way was Irvin stronger than Reed, or tougher. Irvin was very very good for sure and indeed faster! Emmit was great too. The Boys had the best O line in ball too. That helped. Of course the Bills line were no slouches either.

I didn't say tougher. Reed wins that contest hands down. He took shots and kept coming. Also agree he changed how WRs were used..But he didn't muscle away defenders like Irvin did. 

[Reks Ryan]

On 7/21/2022 at 10:49 AM, corta765 said:

 

Jesus christ you people are annoying. He has 3 TDs, 201 yds, 125 ratign 76 QBR 72% completion that SB. People act like he literally laid on the field and didn't move.

 

Just say you hate his guts and move on.

I hate Tom Brady.   He's an annoying pompous SOB. Hope he takes a big hit week 1 and never plays again.   

[Reks Ryan]

On 7/23/2022 at 7:01 PM, Buffalo Junction said:

Bryce Paup….

 

He never had more than 7.5 sacks in a season when he wasn’t playing with Bruce Smith or Reggie White. 🤷‍♂️ 

I was going to respond to this joking that Jerry Rice never had more than 1,000 yards when not playing with Joe Montana or Steve Young.  But then I checked his stats and see that he had a 1,200 yard receiving year at age 40 playing with Rich Gannon.   Man, Jerry Rice was awesome, the opposite of overrated.   All time #1 NFL player at any positon since I have been watching football

 

Anyway to the point about Bryce Paup.  He did take advantage of playing with all time greats, but he still had to execute.  His 1995 season with 17.5 sacks was pretty awesome.