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In an age where quarterbacks command the limelight, it is hard to believe there could be any underrated NFL QBs. But over the years, many quarterbacks have played as well as anybody but have slipped under the radar.
Such NFL QBs range from franchise legends to Super Bowl winners whose exploits have seemingly not been acknowledged by the wider NFL community. Here's our list of the the top 5 underrated quarterbacks in NFL history who deserve more recognition.
The most underrated NFL QBs of all time
#5 - Dave Krieg
Dave Krieg's entire NFL career has been that of being overlooked. He failed to be drafted in 1980 and ended up with the Seattle Seahawks. He played with the Seahawks for 12 seasons and was selected for 3 Pro Bowls. He was responsible for taking the Seahawks to the playoffs for the first time in their history in 1983.
In 1984, he replaced Curt Warner and threw for 3,671 yards and 32 touchdowns, leading his team to a 12-4 record as the Seahawks qualified for the playoffs once more. He still holds the NFL record for the most number of seasons taking every single snap under center, with three. A model of consistency, he is one of the most underrated NFL QBs of all time.
#4 - Randall Cunningham
Randall Cunningham was the ultimate rushing quarterback. His final couple of seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and the Baltimore Ravens were as backups and that made it difficult for people to remember him for the elite quarterback he once was.
He made it to the Pro Bowl four times. Thrice he did it with the Philadelphia Eagles and once he did it with the Minnesota Vikings in what was statistically his best season. When he retired, he held the record for the most rushing yards by a quarterback.
Another reason for people perhaps forgetting his contribution to the sport could be his life post-retirement. Unlike other players, Cunningham chose a life of faith after his playing career and became a Protestant Minister. He returned to the NFL in 2020 not as a coach, but as a team chaplain for the Las Vegas Raiders.
He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2016 but due recognition has eluded him in the NFL. He is certainly at the top of our frame for some of the most underrated NFL QBs of all time.
Top 3 Underrated NFL QBs
#3 - Phil Simms
A two-time Super Bowl champion seems an odd choice as an underrated NFL QB, but a look at his overall career gives us reason to include him on this list. He was a mainstay of the New York Giants for 15 years at a time when they had one of the most vaunted defenses in history, known as the "Big Blue Wrecking Crew.".
The Giants defense featured the likes of Lawrence Taylor, the last defensive NFL MVP to date. As well as Carl Banks, Gary Reasons, Brad van Pelt, Brian Kelly, Pepper Johnson and Harry Carson.
They are widely credited for the New York Giants winning two Super Bowls, however this takes away from the fact that in Super Bowl XXI it was Phil Simms who was named MVP.
In 1986, he was also chosen as the NFL MVP by the NEA and made it to the Pro Bowl twice in his career. With a resume as strong as his coupled with the fact that he is not appreciated more makes him one of the most underrated NFL QBs of all time.
#2 - Ken Anderson
Never mind being an underrated NFL QB, he is perhaps unlucky not to be included in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Not only was Ken Anderson a great quarterback, he was arguably the first proponent of legendary coach Bill Walsh's "West Coast offense" during their time with the Cincinnati Bengals.
In 1981, he was named NFL MVP and was also selected for the Pro Bowl. This is in addition to the three other Pro Bowl nominations he received in 1974, 1975 and 1982.
In each of those four years he was named a Pro Bowler, he was also the league's passer rating leader. Additionally, in 1974 and 1975, he was the NFL's passing yards leader. While in 1974, 1982 and 1983, he also recorded the highest completion percentage in the league.
#1 - Jim Plunkett
Jim Plunkett is a two-time Super Bowl champion, which we now know does not bar someone from being an underrated NFL QB. In 1980 and 1983, he won the Super Bowl with the Raiders, in each case replacing the starter.
The reason Plunkett is largely ignored by many is because of his career outside his two championship seasons. He was selected first overall by the New England Patriots in 1971, yet failed to make an impression with them. In 1976, he joined the San Francisco 49ers but left after two unsuccessful seasons.
But his achievements at the Raiders make the case for him being the most underrated NFL QB of all time. Ignoring him is akin to ignoring Brett Favre for failing with the Atlanta Falcons. Jim Plunkett deserves much more recognition for his achievements on the football field.
