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

[BigDingus]

7 hours ago, aristocrat said:

 

I'm not saying Brady is bad I'm saying he's overrated. 

 

I completely disagree on this one. I don't think it's possible, regardless of situation, to overrate ANY QB that went on to win 7 x Super Bowls & play in 10... all during the Free Agency Era where it kept being said dynasties like that would never happen again.

 

Brady as an individual has more rings than any franchise in their entire history. The NFL is hard as hell to be successful in, a LOT has to go right, & you have to be damn good to even win 1 x Super Bowl.

 

Combine that with the fact he's now about to be 45 & still putting up 5,000+ yard seasons? There have been old QB's that won SB's, there have been old QB's that have had good seasons, but to be THAT old & have CONSISTENT success on such a high level? Nobody else compares.

 

The only thing I hate is that the Bills didn't get to be the ones to knock him off his perch. Maybe this year can still be that year. I hate Brady, but I want revenge, not him just leaving.

[ControllerOfPlanetX]

Albert Einstein…until that ankle injury forced him into science…he was nothing special on the field.

[BigDingus]

Ok, so since I criticized other takes, here's my (admittedly bad) take:

 

The entire 85' Bears, or more specifically, the Defense...

 

I'm not saying they weren't great, but they're so fondly remembered because 1) Chicago market, 2) personalities, 3) peak 80's music video & 4) they won the SB.

 

Based on actual statistics, there are several defenses ahead of them like the '76 Steelers, 2000 Ravens, or even the '91 Eagles. There's even articles breaking down the offenses each defense faced & their potency, which again place others ahead of them. But if you were to stumble upon any article just ranking "Best Defenses in NFL History," I guarantee the '85 Bears will be ranked #1 almost every time.

 

Again, they were all-time great, but they've been elevated to near myth & legend status. Even the best of the best can be elevated to a point that reaches "overrated."

[Rigby]

Not sure how controversial, but I will also put forth Lynn Swann.

[clayboy54]

My old school vote goes to Merlin Olson. He was a very smart guy, surrounded by incredible talent. The fearsome foursome was great because Deacon Jones was the DL GOAT of his time. Rosie Greer and Lamar Lundy we’re pretty darned great in their own right. Olson was solid, but was the weak link on that line. He certainly was not the key guy people remember him as.

 

My modern era pick has to be Russell Wilson. We will see how he does in Denver. If he single-handedly takes that team to the promised land, I will gladly admit my mistake. However, up to this point he hasn’t consistently lived up to half the accolades he constantly receives. As we can all proudly say, he ain’t no Josh Allen.

[billsfan714]

Franco Harris RB Steelers, guy never ran tough and ran out of bounds at any sign of contact.

[bobobonators]

9 hours ago, Lieutenant Aldo Raine said:

 

They probably wouldn't hence why I think he could be considered overrated.  Someone who is very talented in the system they run, but also limited in their ability based on the system they run.  It's no secret, if you can contain Lamar in the pocket, limit his ability to shred you on the run, and get ahead on the scoreboard you have good odds to beat Jackson and the Ravens.  

If it was that simple and his abilities were that limited, the Ravens would go 5-11/6-11 with him every season. They dont. Im not sure what NFL games you’re watching. You don’t win an MVP by accident. And you don’t win as many games as he has at QB with the limitations you describe. Not in today’s NFL. Clearly you’re a bit biased. 

[bobobonators]

My votes:

 

QB:  Terry Bradshaw. Geno Smith might have squeaked out 1 SB on those teams…

 

RB:  Like others, Emmitt Smith. Nothing about him was great. Nothing. He was the Phillip Rivers of the RB world, except he had great players around him. 
 

WR:  OBJ. Its hard for me to put a WR here that played prior to the current video game era of football. It wouldn’t be fair, so I won’t. On the other hand, OBJ is living off of a couple phenomenal catches and cool looking hair. He’s always a topic of pregame convos. Lots of mystique. Little substance. 

Edited July 21, 2022 by bobobonators

[Lieutenant Aldo Raine]

1 hour ago, bobobonators said:

If it was that simple and his abilities were that limited, the Ravens would go 5-11/6-11 with him every season. They dont. Im not sure what NFL games you’re watching. You don’t win an MVP by accident. And you don’t win as many games as he has at QB with the limitations you describe. Not in today’s NFL. Clearly you’re a bit biased. 

 

Clearly, I am not.  Did I say he sucks no!  Overrated does not mean they suck, just means I perceive his value is a bit overinflated.  And yes, his talent appears limited when he has to throw from the pocket, specifically to the outside.  My point is he thrives in the system he is in, and yet we have seen when teams have been able to keep him contained, he is not as effective. While he wins in the regular season; post season - not so much.  Clearly, you're a bit biased and thinks he can make every throw and would dominate in any system he is in.  

[Southern_Bills]

So many could be nominated here it's unreal.

[the_D]

Ricky Williams 

 

Poor Ditka 

 

Edited July 22, 2022 by the_D

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

There are so many just with the QB position alone. 
 

off the top of my head 

 

T Tebow

K Orton

J Cutler

 

Overinflated 

Tyrod Taylor

Lamar Jackson

Tua T

 

[Brand J]

3 hours ago, BigDingus said:

 

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.

Yeah I didn’t mean that Emmitt wasn’t a very good RB, but I said he was most overrated at his position because at one point the discussion was “who was the greatest RB of all time? Emmitt or Barry?” He’s mentioned among the greats and he wouldn’t even be in my top 5 (Sanders, Brown, Payton, Simpson, Sayers). Top 10? Not sure, but that’s a more debate worthy discussion where he could duke it out with A Peterson, T Thomas, M Faulk, E Dickerson, L Tomlinson, B Jackson, and E Campbell.

[Buffalo03]

I never seen him play because I was born in 86 but just based on stats, how about Lynn Swann? I understand the Steelers teams he played for and how good those teams were but he never had more the 61 catches in a season, only had 336 career catches in 9 seasons and only 5400 career receiving yards and somehow he is in the HOF? Again, maybe someone that watched him play could shed some light onto what kind of player he actually was but seems overrated to me

[Ethan in Cleveland]

QB - Namath and Griese 

WR - Lynn Swann

RB - Curtis Martin 

LB - Willie McGinest

DL - Howie Long, Cortez Kennedy

DB - Ty Law

 

[streetkings01]

Fred Jackson. Average RB with a cool underdog story that Bills fan can relate to.

[GunnerBill]

9 hours ago, Lieutenant Aldo Raine said:

 

Clearly, I am not.  Did I say he sucks no!  Overrated does not mean they suck, just means I perceive his value is a bit overinflated.  And yes, his talent appears limited when he has to throw from the pocket, specifically to the outside.  My point is he thrives in the system he is in, and yet we have seen when teams have been able to keep him contained, he is not as effective. While he wins in the regular season; post season - not so much.  Clearly, you're a bit biased and thinks he can make every throw and would dominate in any system he is in.  

 

I don't know why anyone would judge Lamar Jackson by a standard that doesn't apply to him - i.e. a conventional drop back offense. Especially when nobody, so far as I am aware, has ever made the argument that Lamar would excel in that kind of scheme. Do you do the same with other players? Do you say "well Tre White would not be as effective playing in Bill Belichick's defense that asks its corners to play primarily man and uses more cover 1 and cover 0, so he is a bit overrated"? Or "Derek Henry has never caught more than 19 passes in a season and isn't really a shifty runner so wouldn't be as effective as a complimentary piece in a pass first offense like the Bills so he is a bit overrated"? 

 

Or is it only Lamar to whom we must apply the standard of "how good would they be at doing something that nobody is asking them to do?"

 

6 hours ago, streetkings01 said:

Fred Jackson. Average RB with a cool underdog story that Bills fan can relate to.

 

I don't think Fred Jackson is overrated. I think he, and Fitz actually, are beloved by Bills fans to a level that outstrips their talent.... but I think fans can differentiate between their love for a player and that player's actual abilities. 

Edited July 22, 2022 by GunnerBill

[BritBill]

Jamal Adams

[Whites Bay]

Not a player, but a coach.

 

George Siefert.  He should have just hung it up after San Francisco, and headed straight for Canton.  But he made a detour at Carolina...

[billrooter]

21 hours ago, billybrew1 said:

A Buffalo Bill?

 

Phil Hanson. Maybe he was very good at tying up blockers but Bruce Smith needed more from that position, the NT position and biscuit’s position the whole peak of his career. Bruce was basically alone as an impact player till Bryce Paup got here. Hanson as a blocker tyer upper probably wasn’t as good as Fred Smerlas. Blocker tyer uppers have to be really something, imho, to make the wall…. Ted Washington? Yes. Phil Hanson? No….. he ruins the integrity of the whole wall, imho….

Billy the fat, stouter guys on the defensive line are generally a defensive tackle or nose tackle as in the case of both Ted and Fred. Sometimes the long skinnier guys are a defensive end as in the case of Hansen.