Who are the most underrated players in Cowboys history?

Bobhaze

Bobhaze

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I have a short list of guys for this list. But first my criteria:
  • A guy who was never a star
  • Contributed to teams that won playoff games
  • Is under appreciated outside of Cowboys world. (And maybe in Cowboys world as well)
Here are my three most underrated in no particular order:
  • Larry Cole- DE- 1968-1980- played for 13 seasons and played in a whopping 26 playoff games for Dallas, including 7 NFC championship games and 5 SBs, and has two rings. Made many big plays in huge games. His tackle of John Riggins on 3rd and 3 in that skins game in 1979 saved the game and season. One of Tom Landry’s favorite players.
  • Tom Rafferty- G/C- 1976-1989- played for 14 seasons, mostly at C, and played in 18 playoff games including 2 SBs and 5 NFC championship games. One of only 5 Cowboys to play for BOTH Tom Landry and Jimmy Johnson. In 1989, he started the first 8 games at C, and was succeeded by a young guy named Mark Stepnoski.
  • Bill Bates-S/ST- 1983-1997- played 15 seasons and became a fan favorite as a ST star and backup safety. Played in 14 playoff games, 3 SBs and 4 NFC championship games. Was another of the guys who played for Landry and Jimmy.
Who’s your most underrated Cowboy?
 

Ranched

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Top of my head....
Romo
Johnston
Emmitt
Aikman
Tony Hill
Galloway
Roy Williams....Williams gets a pretty unfair legacy because of Dallas' difficulty in transitioning from the 4-3 defensive scheme, where Williams was highly effective, to the historically awful 3-4 that never stopped the run well. Williams was eventually exposed & became expendable along w/other Dallas defenders that no longer fit. :rolleyes:
 
CowboyRoy

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Bobhaze said:
I have a short list of guys for this list. But first my criteria:
  • A guy who was never a star
  • Contributed to teams that won playoff games
  • Is under appreciated outside of Cowboys world. (And maybe in Cowboys world as well)
Here are my three most underrated in no particular order:
  • Larry Cole- DE- 1968-1980- played for 13 seasons and played in a whopping 26 playoff games for Dallas, including 7 NFC championship games and 5 SBs, and has two rings. Made many big plays in huge games. His tackle of John Riggins on 3rd and 3 in that skins game in 1979 saved the game and season. One of Tom Landry’s favorite players.
  • Tom Rafferty- G/C- 1976-1989- played for 14 seasons, mostly at C, and played in 18 playoff games including 2 SBs and 5 NFC championship games. One of only 5 Cowboys to play for BOTH Tom Landry and Jimmy Johnson. In 1989, he started the first 8 games at C, and was succeeded by a young guy named Mark Stepnoski.
  • Bill Bates-S/ST- 1983-1997- played 15 seasons and became a fan favorite as a ST star and backup safety. Played in 14 playoff games, 3 SBs and 4 NFC championship games. Was another of the guys who played for Landry and Jimmy.
Who’s your most underrated Cowboy?
Click to expand...

Danny White, Romo, Dak

Too many people think these guys arent great QB's because the team around them didnt have the success of other QB's. Its the difference between understanding football and not.
 
john van brocklin

john van brocklin

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Bobhaze said:
I have a short list of guys for this list. But first my criteria:
  • A guy who was never a star
  • Contributed to teams that won playoff games
  • Is under appreciated outside of Cowboys world. (And maybe in Cowboys world as well)
Here are my three most underrated in no particular order:
  • Larry Cole- DE- 1968-1980- played for 13 seasons and played in a whopping 26 playoff games for Dallas, including 7 NFC championship games and 5 SBs, and has two rings. Made many big plays in huge games. His tackle of John Riggins on 3rd and 3 in that skins game in 1979 saved the game and season. One of Tom Landry’s favorite players.
  • Tom Rafferty- G/C- 1976-1989- played for 14 seasons, mostly at C, and played in 18 playoff games including 2 SBs and 5 NFC championship games. One of only 5 Cowboys to play for BOTH Tom Landry and Jimmy Johnson. In 1989, he started the first 8 games at C, and was succeeded by a young guy named Mark Stepnoski.
  • Bill Bates-S/ST- 1983-1997- played 15 seasons and became a fan favorite as a ST star and backup safety. Played in 14 playoff games, 3 SBs and 4 NFC championship games. Was another of the guys who played for Landry and Jimmy.
Who’s your most underrated Cowboy?
Click to expand...
The Zero Club !!!! haha
 
Bobhaze

Bobhaze

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Ranched said:
Top of my head....
Romo
Johnston
Emmitt
Aikman
Tony Hill
Galloway
Roy Williams....Williams gets a pretty unfair legacy because of Dallas' difficulty in transitioning from the 4-3 defensive scheme, where Williams was highly effective, to the historically awful 3-4 that never stopped the run well. Williams was eventually exposed & became expendable along w/other Dallas defenders that no longer fit. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
All those guys were stars. Not very underrated. Except Moose maybe.
 
blueblood70

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Ranched said:
Top of my head....
Romo
Johnston
Emmitt
Aikman
Tony Hill
Galloway
Roy Williams....Williams gets a pretty unfair legacy because of Dallas' difficulty in transitioning from the 4-3 defensive scheme, where Williams was highly effective, to the historically awful 3-4 that never stopped the run well. Williams was eventually exposed & became expendable along w/other Dallas defenders that no longer fit. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
hows ES22 underrated lmao..
 
OmerV

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Bobhaze said:
I have a short list of guys for this list. But first my criteria:
  • A guy who was never a star
  • Contributed to teams that won playoff games
  • Is under appreciated outside of Cowboys world. (And maybe in Cowboys world as well)
Here are my three most underrated in no particular order:
  • Larry Cole- DE- 1968-1980- played for 13 seasons and played in a whopping 26 playoff games for Dallas, including 7 NFC championship games and 5 SBs, and has two rings. Made many big plays in huge games. His tackle of John Riggins on 3rd and 3 in that skins game in 1979 saved the game and season. One of Tom Landry’s favorite players.
  • Tom Rafferty- G/C- 1976-1989- played for 14 seasons, mostly at C, and played in 18 playoff games including 2 SBs and 5 NFC championship games. One of only 5 Cowboys to play for BOTH Tom Landry and Jimmy Johnson. In 1989, he started the first 8 games at C, and was succeeded by a young guy named Mark Stepnoski.
  • Bill Bates-S/ST- 1983-1997- played 15 seasons and became a fan favorite as a ST star and backup safety. Played in 14 playoff games, 3 SBs and 4 NFC championship games. Was another of the guys who played for Landry and Jimmy.
Who’s your most underrated Cowboy?
Click to expand...
Larry Cole is a great choice for this. Bates I feel was very appreciated at the time he played, but over time and with new generations that has been lost.

Others that come to mind ...

Everson Walls
John Niland
Dexter Coakley
Doug Cosbie
Mark Tuinei
 

Swagger

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blueblood70 said:
Tony Romo never appreciated as much as he should have been,
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Yep, clearly Tony Romo. Similar to a QB like Stafford. A Superbowl calibre QB playing for inferior teams with poor coaching. Shame Romo never had a genuine chance to win a Superbowl without having to catch his own pass to reach one. The lack of respect from some supposed Dallas Cowboy fans on here is nothing short of disgusting.
 
Western

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CowboyRoy said:
Aikman should be on the overrated list in my opinion.
Click to expand...
In the superb bowl era of over 55 years, only Tom Brady (7), Joe Montana (4), and Terry Bradshaw (4) have more super bowl trophies than Troy (3)--by logical extension are Brady, Montana, & Bradshaw overrated?

The intensity, pressure, and execution in playoff football games is extreme -- especially for the most important player on the team -- the QB.
Troy excelled in the playoffs, & in championship games -- when the games mattered the most, & precision discipline in the passing game becomes a heightened & fierce obstacle to overcome.
Labeling Troy as "overrated" is completely absurd.
 
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