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

[hondo in seattle]

3 hours ago, Mickey said:

Bob Griese.  An okay system QB on a great team with great coaching.

 

Even as a fellow Purdue alum, I agree Griese was not a great QB.  But, despite his perfect season, I never hear him mentioned as one. 

 

Hard to say he's overrated when most people don't rate or remember him hardly at all.  

[Coastie]

2 hours ago, Logic said:

This. Take him off that Steelers team with the Steel Curtain carrying him to the Super Bowl every year. Put him on any run of the mill team from those years. Give him the same exact stats otherwise. He wouldn't make the Hall of Fame.

51% Career completion percentage. 212 TDs, 210 INTs. Yes, I realize it was a totally different era in terms of QB stats and expectations. Don't care. Bradshaw was lucky to be the quarterback/care taker on a team with a Hall of Fame defense and head coach.

Totally overrated, and a total blowhard to boot.

Ken Anderson is the proof of what you say. Their careers overlapped so no concerns about eras, Anderson completed 59% of his passes for 197 touchdowns and 160 interceptions and he is not in.

[hondo in seattle]

27 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said:

You ever see Namath play? 
 

he absolutely threw one of the best footballs off all time … threw for 4000 yards in 1967 

 

It literally took the bills like 50 years before we had somebody throw for 4000 yards

 

Emmit Smith led the league in rushing four times… Yards per game three times

 

TDs 3 times , average once… yards from scrimmage twice 

 

No matter what way you put it those are absolutely Hall of Fame numbers.. He doesn’t have to be your favorite but he absolutely dominated

 

 

I'm just not a huge Emmit fan.  I watched him play and never thought he was nearly as talented as Gale Sayers, OJ, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders or some of the other elite backs of my lifetime.

 

Yes, he was good.  He also benefited from a good supporting cast.  That, and his longevity, made him the top rusher of all time.  

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

22 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said:

Bettis never Led the league in rushing ,touchdowns or average… Or yards from scrimmage… 3.9 career 

 

Smith led the league in rushing four times, Three times touchdown leader, Average leader, Two-time yards from scrimmage leader

 

Even behind a great line those are asinine numbers.. Do I think Thurman was a better all around back? Yes 

 

But emmit has first ballad HoF numbers too … he was far more than really good

hey, that’s why we are debating this! 
 

I would argue that Smith’s success was directly related to his stud oline (not to mention a pretty powerful passing game).  Bettis played behind some decent lines, but nothing like the cowboys. And he spent his prime with Mike Tomzak and Kordell as his QB’s. 

[Logic]

5 minutes ago, Coastie said:

Ken Anderson is the proof of what you say. Their careers overlapped so no concerns about eras, Anderson completed 59% of his passes for 197 touchdowns and 160 interceptions and he is not in.

Thanks. Exactly the example I was thinking of.

Anderson also had 4 Pro Bowls and 1 All-Pro to Bradshaw's 3 Pro Bowls and 1 All-Pro.

It all comes down to record and championships. Bradshaw was 107-51 in his career, with 4 titles. Anderson was 91-81 in his career, with 0 titles.

If you believe that "QB wins" are a thing, then Bradshaw's HOF selection makes sense. If you believe, as I do, that "QB wins" are not a thing, then Bradshaw's inclusion and Anderson's omission make absolutely no sense.

[TheWeatherMan]

After todays news I vote Kyler Murray.  

[Buffalo716]

Just now, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

hey, that’s why we are debating this! 
 

I would argue that Smith’s success was directly related to his stud oline (not to mention a pretty powerful passing game).  Bettis played behind some decent lines, but nothing like the cowboys. And he spent his prime with Mike Tomzak and Kordell as his QB’s. 

Emmit Smith isn’t the first or last running back to run behind a amazing line 

 

Having an amazing Line doesn’t Make you the four time rushing leader, Or two time yards from scrimmage leader, or 3 time TD champ 

 

Yeah an amazing line can get you started but you need real talent to finish it… The hogs of the Redskins had an amazing line for a long time too… They didn’t have anybody lead the league in rushing or touchdowns or average… let alone 4 times

7 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

 

I'm just not a huge Emmit fan.  I watched him play and never thought he was nearly as talented as Gale Sayers, OJ, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders or some of the other elite backs of my lifetime.

 

Yes, he was good.  He also benefited from a good supporting cast.  That, and his longevity, made him the top rusher of all time.  

Again I don’t think we’re debating if he’s the best running back of all time… I think most would say he’s not

 

But his accolades and statistics and yes even talent clearly have him at a Hall of Fame level… even if he isn’t top 5

[corta765]

55 minutes ago, TheWeatherMan said:

After todays news I vote Kyler Murray.  

 

It is funny after the Bills Cardinals game and hail mary I thought he was a true rising star. The subsequent end of that season and last year I think he is very talented but I think he is capped at what he will do. Seems like a lite version of Lamar whose size will eventually catch up to him.

[Old Coot]

Brian Bosworth -- The Boz -- at LB

 

Ryan Leaf at QB

 

[Coach Tuesday]

Duke Williams

[BIGFOOTspaceman]

2 hours ago, Max Fischer said:

 

My fault, I didn't realize you were just a troll. 

 

 

Lol.... Ok

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

1 hour ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

hey, that’s why we are debating this! 
 

I would argue that Smith’s success was directly related to his stud oline (not to mention a pretty powerful passing game).  Bettis played behind some decent lines, but nothing like the cowboys. And he spent his prime with Mike Tomzak and Kordell as his QB’s. 

 

He's never really in the conversation as the best running back ever - but man... the guy gets trashed because his team was good.  I guess its a brady thing too.  

 

Patient runner, elite contact balance, tough as hell, and just a tackle breaking machine.  He wasn't juking guys out of their shoes, but he cut through a LOT of tackles in his career.

[BIGFOOTspaceman]

2 hours ago, Buffalo716 said:

Bettis never Led the league in rushing ,touchdowns or average… Or yards from scrimmage… 3.9 career 

 

Smith led the league in rushing four times, Three times touchdown leader, Average leader, Two-time yards from scrimmage leader

 

Even behind a great line those are asinine numbers.. Do I think Thurman was a better all around back? Yes 

 

But emmit has first ballad HoF numbers too … he was far more than really good

All this is irrelevant..... Read this whole thread, you'll soon realize Bo Jackson is the GOAT RB. 😂

[Buffalo716]

1 minute ago, BIGFOOTspaceman said:

All this is irrelevant..... Read this whole thread, you'll soon realize Bo Jackson is the GOAT RB. 😂

Bo Jackson definitely is undeniably talented 

 

he was a 4-5 tool baseball player too…

 

his health on the other hand never let him reach his potential … greatest to never be maybe

[stuvian]

Boomer Esiason was way over rated. 

[Mickey]

2 hours ago, hondo in seattle said:

 

Even as a fellow Purdue alum, I agree Griese was not a great QB.  But, despite his perfect season, I never hear him mentioned as one. 

 

Hard to say he's overrated when most people don't rate or remember him hardly at all.  

 

I don't know.  1977 UPI AFC Player of the year, 2 x first team all pro,  6 pro bowls, NCAA Hall of Fame, won 2 out of 3 Super Bowls, only undefeated season in NFL history and an NFL Hall of Famer and NFL starter for 13 years.  Seems like he was pretty highly rated. I grew up listening to what a great leader this guy was.

[Bad Things]

RB - Terrell Davis

 

I lived in Colorado during the 90's and watched a lot of Broncos football.

Yeah, he was a good back, but he was blessed by being able to run behind an incredible offensive line.  Anyone could have gained yardage behind those guys.

[Reks Ryan]

Dan Marino.  Excellent passer.  But horrible field general.  

[LeGOATski]

39 minutes ago, Bad Things said:

RB - Terrell Davis

 

I lived in Colorado during the 90's and watched a lot of Broncos football.

Yeah, he was a good back, but he was blessed by being able to run behind an incredible offensive line.  Anyone could have gained yardage behind those guys.

He just happened to be there at the evolution of the zone running scheme under Shanahan, right? I agree that helped a lot.

[BigDingus]

17 hours ago, JayBaller10 said:

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

 

His overall numbers might be "overrated" by some, but he was still 100% worthy of being a first ballot HOFer. He definitely was a great back in his prime, even if not the best.

 

Barry Sanders will always be the best RB I've ever seen, & he would've cruised past all those rushing records had he stuck around.