Top 10 Most Overrated NFL Players of All Time
Tom, like Troy Aikman, is a system quarterback. Any competent QB can step into the spot, take orders from Belichick, and the Patriots will not miss a step. It does not matter who the QB is. If you doubt this, remember how many men played QB for the Cowboys in those days and nothing changed.
This is a similar system scenario. As evidence, remember Matt Cassel. The only time he showed any ability as an NFL quarterback was the season Brady was injured. Matt replaced him and led the Patriots to an 11-3 record. More proof that it doesn't matter who is at the helm if the same system is in place. Cassel has not had success since he left New England and the system.
Have you noticed how Tom Brady struggles under pressure when the system does not have the answers?
Tony Romo is the epitome of an overrated athlete. During his time as a starter, he had the best offensive line in the league and still managed to get injured frequently. He had some of the best offensive weapons that the NFL has ever seen, such as Jason Witten, Terrell Owens, Dez Bryant, and DeMarco Murray. He only had good stats because of the talent around him.
He also had one of the best defenses in the league to ensure that the Cowboys could win even if he had a horrible game (which happened often). Even with all that help, he STILL failed to lead his team to the NFC Championship Game. Romo is the definition of a stats-over-wins QB. He threw for a lot of yards and touchdowns and went to four Pro Bowls in his career ONLY because of the team that was around him.
Yet, he is the biggest choke artist the sport has ever seen. I hate Romo with a burning passion, and yet, I'll kind of miss him. With him as the starting quarterback, there was zero chance of the Cowboys winning anything. As an Eagles fan, seeing this overhyped pretty boy fail each year was something I really looked forward to.
In 20 years of watching football, I have never seen a worse starting quarterback who was allowed to play a full season. The guy can't throw. I've seen halfbacks in flea flicker plays throw with more accuracy. His stats pretty much echo this weakness. His completion percentage is the lowest I have ever seen for a starter, and his yards per attempt are low as well (possibly the lowest of any starter in the last 20 years).
He didn't help his team one bit. The team would have done better with literally any #2 quarterback they could have found in free agency.
Recap of Michael Vick: He was having a great career with the Atlanta Falcons, then went to prison for 21 months for killing dogs. While he was in prison, the Falcons released him. He got out of prison, was signed by the Eagles, had a great year in 2010, then just went downhill.
The Eagles released him, the Jets signed him, and he didn't play well for them. He became a free agent. The Steelers signed him as a backup, and he played four games, playing average. Dog fighting ruined the career of a potential Hall of Fame quarterback.
Only one good phase of his game, and that is running the ball. Not much of a passer. He does play hard, though.
Some things need to be edited from my previous comment: He threw 173 TDs, not 175. Also, Johnny Unitas wasn't very instrumental to the Colts in his short playtime. I apologize for the gaffes.
However, I do believe Namath is very overrated. He was popular back then due to his personality and is popular now because he won that game. Had he not, he would've been remembered as an overconfident, egotistical player who choked in the big game. Although he saved the merger, he was not by any means a great quarterback. Probably below average.
Everybody claims he is better than Brett Favre, but Rodgers hasn't thrown over 500 touchdowns, 70,000 yards, 10,000 attempts, or 6,000 completions. Aaron Rodgers also hasn't won three MVP awards in a row, played in 297 games in a row, or played in an NFC Championship game at 40 years old.
He is good because he inherited Favre's old team. Favre inherited a team that hadn't done anything since Lombardi. Rodgers will never be better than Brett Favre.
Should be number 1. People keep saying he's one of the best and never has a good team, while Drew Brees consistently has way worse teams and has only had one Pro Bowl receiver, yet puts up way better numbers.
He threw the pick to Malcolm Butler. He fumbles too much. Russell gets too much credit when Marshawn Lynch runs for 150 yards or when Earl Thomas and Sherman get two picks each. Now that Marshawn has retired, we will see the real Russell Wilson. Once the defense falls apart, which it eventually will, Wilson will not be seen as elite.
Very overrated. Lynch and the Legion of Boom beat a team, and Wilson gets all the credit. With Marshawn gone, Wilson is tying with the Cardinals and losing to the Saints. Ok and mediocre at best. He tried to prove that he was good in the Super Bowl, and instead of giving it to Marshawn, Wilson threw a pick to Malcolm Butler.
Had a stacked team. Joe Montana was still one of the greatest of all time, but when you have a team as good as Joe Montana had, and when you have Jerry Rice as your #1 receiver, it's going to be easier for you to perform well.
If he was all that great, he wouldn't need comebacks.
The Newcomers
Awful quarterback who didn't need to come out of his brief retirement. At best, he should have done commentary like Tony Romo is doing. Cutler should be higher for thinking he had anything left in him.
The Bears lose because of their quarterback play. I would trade him to the Browns or the Jets for a draft pick.
Jay Cutler isn't respected much because of his passes and picks. He'll probably do better next year.
Eli is easily overrated because he chokes way too much. He's only made it to 2 Super Bowls, and the only reason is because he had a team around him. He literally had Odell, and it's only 2 bowls, but at least he's beating overrated Baker.
At least Peyton is actually good. Eli chokes, whines, can kinda throw, and won a Super Bowl or two a few years ago. People still talk like he is one of the best in 2013.
Should not be in the Hall of Fame.
Definitely overrated. He had Owens and Westbrook, but McNabb got most of the credit. He got booed when he was drafted. Should be number two or three behind Jay Cutler and Tony Romo.
Longevity made his career, but his 10 best seasons were not that great compared to other quarterbacks. He had one Super Bowl win in 20 years of playing in the NFL. At the end of his career, he was a distraction rather than a player.
He won three MVPs, but he's an interception machine, worse than quarterbacks such as Mark Sanchez, Michael Vick, and JaMarcus Russell. JaMarcus Russell actually had 23 interceptions in his career, and Favre matched or had more interceptions in a season four times than Russell had in his whole career.
His postseason record is decent at 13-11, but that's not great for a QB considered to be a top 10 QB of all time. Romo is overrated as hell, but Favre is considered to be one of the greatest QBs of all time. So, how I did this was basically how "great you're considered to be" versus how good you actually are.
That's all people talk about is RGIII, and I'm sick of it. Look at his stats this year.
Look, I know Johnny Manziel is very overrated, but I can say that he is a mobile QB. However, he doesn't have a great arm or good accuracy. I don't like Johnny Manziel because he is very arrogant and thinks he's better than everybody, but he's not. What he did in college is great, but he is in the NFL now, and there are guys who have more experience, are faster, stronger, and are mentally trained. Manziel does not fit that trait.
And that's all I have to say about Johnny Football.
Manziel is horrible. He has done nothing in the NFL. All he does is flip the bird.
Very overrated. People are saying he is a Hall of Famer, but the only case you can make is against Michael Irvin's stats. He will always be remembered for his antics.
He had Harrison, Wayne, or Thomas his whole career. Yes, Brady had Moss and Gronk, but he made AFC Championships in years where he had little talent around him (2006 and 2013). Manning had two good years (2006 and 2013) and won in 2006, but choked in 2013 despite having DT and Decker.
Those two years were the only ones he should've got MVP, to be honest. Great player, but Brady is way better. By the way, Brady isn't overrated. Watch the beginning of 2017. He carried them at age 40. In 2011, he had one of the worst defenses and still took them to a Super Bowl. If it weren't for a lucky catch and the Pats just missing the Hail Mary, he would've won with a 31st ranked pass defense or something like that.
He's the most consistent and most valuable, and that's why Brady's the GOAT.
Terrell Owens was great, but he did more harm than good to his teams. If he was actually great, Owens wouldn't have played for five teams. Plus, Randy Moss is better than him any day. He is a top 100 player ever, though. I would probably put Terrell at 92 or 93.
I would take Owens over Hines Ward, Chad Ochocinco, Reggie Wayne, Don Maynard, and Roddy White, though.
Only a little overrated. He is still probably one of the top 95 NFL players ever.
He is all talk. I would take Hines Ward before I take him. He cries like a little girl when he doesn't get the ball.
Dick Butkus lacks speed, agility, and raw athleticism. In an age where 4.5 was unheard of, he prospered. In today's game, his signature arm tackle would not work, and his ability to make tackles outside of the tackles would be exploited. He played in the infancy of the game. The offense and defensive schemes were the schemes taught to pee wee football players today. He would get destroyed.