Name a former Dallas Cowboy player you believe is the most underrated

[TNCowboy]

Underrated by fans, or by media?

If by non-Cowboy fans, then 2 guys standout, Harvey Martin & Chuck Howley.

Howley is arguably the most decorated player in NFL history to not be in the HOF (other than perhaps Jim Tyrer, who murdered his wife before killing himself).

 

[Rockport]

Yep. The owner has criminally underrated Jimmy’s impact for 28 years.

Oh now you’re moving the goal posts and say it’s only the owner who underrated JJ. The same owner who put him in the ring of honor. Wher are you moving the goal post next?

 

[MoistMayonnaise]

Bill Bates and Jeff Heath. Both jags, both great leaders on the field

 

[Gangsta Spanksta]

Terrence Newman.

Fans didn’t like him because he didn’t get picks but the guy was shutdown for years.

He was too slow.

 

[McKDaddy]

So true. Tough call, pre- injury Kevin Smith or pre- crash Erik Williams. I go with Williams - he was just nasty. He gets it for all those games against Reggie White. Those were something to see.

Oh yeah. Erik was a beast.

But Erik gets some mentions amongst fans. Rarely hear Kevin.

 

[mrmojo]

Donovan, Scott, Rafferty. Fitzgerald.....along with HOFER Wright and Ralph Neely they made those mid to late 70s teams hummm.....very underrated OL.

 

[TNCowboy]

He was too slow.

The only player I ever saw chase down Randy Moss.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

Sean Lee. When he was healthy.

 

[RoboQB]

"The Goat" Jeff Heath
Daryl "Moose" Johnston
Darren (no nickname) Woodson

 

[john van brocklin]

Underrated by fans, or by media?

If by non-Cowboy fans, then 2 guys standout, Harvey Martin & Chuck Howley.

Howley is arguably the most decorated player in NFL history to not be in the HOF (other than perhaps Jim Tyrer, who murdered his wife before killing himself).

Chuck got inducted recently.
Way to late.
But better late than never.

 

[Big D]

Too many underrated players to name. From my early years I would say Preston Pearson, Robert Newhouse,

 

[beware_d-ware]

Roy Williams

Williams is a weird one. I thought about him.

In his prime, he was overrated. He literally invented Jacked Up, but he couldn't cover at all. 20 years later though, the memories of him have faded, and people forget that he WAS the one of the scariest DBs in the league.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

he WAS the one of the scariest DBs in the league.

True but he was never a student of he game, lacked fundamentals ........ always looking for the big hit. Never seen a player lose passion for the game as quickly as he did. But remember back then there was no rookie wage scale so he was paid a lot upfront money on his rookie deal.

 

[Diehardblues]

It's a toss-up between Everson Walls and Harvey Martin but I am going with Harvey. Oddly, his name is barely mentioned among some of the all-time greats. I read his profile about 12 years ago and had no idea how he was.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_Martin

If you lived thru that era neither were underrated. Beautiful Harvey Martin as he was coined was one of our most visible and popular players. And Walls was our best CB while he was here. Was he as great as Renfro , no.

 

[Rayman70]

Clay Shriver. JUST KIDDING. In 2024, I think if we are talking in present terms, I give you Charvarius Ward. DB now with the Chiefs. He showed he belonged here as an undrafted free agent, then I think we traded him to KC and hes been an underrated stud. In past terms, I give you Kevin Smith. Nobody talks about him at all. But until he had a career ending injury, he was all pro. He was replaced with Deion Sanders, and nobody ever talked about him again. But the guy was a shutdown cb. He had elite cover skills.

 

[DuncanIso]

True but he was never a student of he game, lacked fundamentals ........ always looking for the big hit. Never seen a player lose passion for the game as quickly as he did. But remember back then there was no rookie wage scale so he was paid a lot upfront money on his rookie deal.

In his prime, he was an elite S.

The broken arms didn’t help.

 

[DuncanIso]

He was too slow.

TNewman ran a 4.37 40

He ran track in NCAA.

To be fair, he just played way too long.

I’d be slow after all that football too.

 

[Rayman70]

Bill Bates and Jeff Heath. Both jags, both great leaders on the field

Bill Bates was no Jag. He played for like 15 seasons and played wherever they asked him to. But yes, he was a leader. Heath was an Oliver Twist version of Bates and no leader.

 

[Jarv]

Donovan, Scott, Rafferty. Fitzgerald.....along with HOFER Wright and Ralph Neely they made those mid to late 70s teams hummm.....very underrated OL.

Kings of the Landry pre snap shift.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

If you lived thru that era neither were underrated. Beautiful Harvey Martin as he was coined was one of our most visible and popular players. And Walls was our best CB while he was here. Was he as great as Renfro , no.

Op question who IS the most underrated.......not was. I take that as a former fans/media don't appreciate today. Shoot if we are talking during their playing days, Darren Woodson ( who OP chose ) was very much appreciated......ask John Madden (lol).
BTW....I did live through that era. Like you said Harvey was a well-respected player, especially playing on the same DLine with Randy White. If I remember correctly, he even had his own radio show. But today his name is hardly mentioned among former Cowboy legends.