Who are the most underrated players in Cowboys history?

[csirl]

Tony Hill

 

[Bobhaze]

Tony Hill

“Thrill” Hill. One of the most underrated big play guys in Cowboys history.

 

[Flamma]

Doug Cosby. I'm not sure if he played any role in playoff wins, but I thought he was a damn good TE.

 

[sunalsorises]

Jaylon Smith. Do you have any idea how hard it is to consistently just miss contact or to arrive at the spot where a play is over and a pile has formed and look good doing it?

 

[Flamma]

I'm trying to stay away from star players that may not get the respect they deserve. Players like Robert Newhouse. Dude was a beast! Ron Springs. Could probably be the feature back on many teams during his time. And Harvey Martin, aah, just kidding.

 

[Aven8]

Kevin Smith
James Washington
Dixon Edwards
Robert Jones
Mark Tuinei
Chad Hennings

just to name a few

 

[mrmojo]

Robert Williams #23 was a heck of a ST player.
Kenny Gant
Mike Hegman
Mark Washington
John Gesek

 

[Flamma]

What about Patrick Crayton? Again, I jest!!!

 

[Risen Star]

Andre Gurode deserves a mention.

 

[Western]

Another gem from Jimmy's draft classes.
Special teams gunner, played in the substitution packages in the secondary, & generated decisive &, timely tackles/interceptions/forced fumbles/qb pressures, & sacks during the entire 1992 - 1994 seasons, & playoff victories.

Kenneth Gant:

 

[OmerV]

Tony Hill

I thought of him. Interesting case. Statistically he was at least as good or even slightly better than Drew Pearson, but Drew had so many of clutch plays in key moments he ended up being the one that got the attention and that people remember

 

[CyberB0b]

Terrence Newman. The guy didn’t put up a lot of stats, but he was a solid cover corner his whole career.

 

[maryquality]

Bill Bates
Charlie Waters

 

[Doomsday101]

Emmitt got the yards but the Moose cleared the path. lol

 

[CouchCoach]

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?

Bullet, I don't know about Bates, Madden and Summerall made him a star and the ST position in the Pro Bowl was created because of him.

 

[stuckindc]

What about Patrick Crayton? Again, I jest!!!

Please. He had a chance not once but twice to be a hero. Both times failed in the clutch.

 

[Vtwin]

How can Tony Romo- the team’s all time leading passer- be considered “underrated”? Romo has been idolized by many Cowboys fans. I think Romo was a really good- but not great QB. If anything, I think he’s been overrated.

Romo was seriously underrated by pretty much every non-Cowboys fan I talked to during his career. He was underrated by many on this forum throughout his career. The anti-Romo sentiment was worse than the anti-Dak sentiment, here.

Aikman and Smith were surprisingly underrated in my circles, during those years.
Smith was a product of the line, and Aikman was a product of Smith, was the sentiment.

 

[CouchCoach]

Jay Novacek
Kevin Smith
Robert Newhouse
Ron Springs

And two that we really didn't miss them until they were gone, Stepnowski and Leary. Stepnowski's intelligence at playing the position of Center was sorely missed. Ron Leary's contribution of tough leadership to that OL was completely underrated, he set the tone.

 

[stuckindc]

Please. He had a chance not once but twice to be a hero. Both times failed in the clutch.

Him and Deion’s PI against Irvin still bother me to this day. Even more than the Dez catch. Rogers had 4 minutes and based on what he’s done to us. That would have been a heartbreaker ….although , I would have liked to seen that play out. And had Murray not fumbled, I think we win that game by two scores

 

[Vtwin]

I'm going to throw Doug Free's name into the ring. He was a very solid starter who came up playing next to a bunch of bums, until Jerry started drafting o-line.

Same thing with Greg Ellis. Very solid player who lined up with a bunch of bums until Ware showed up.