Most Overrated Player in NFL History.... (1 Viewer)

[TwinTurbo]

Bo was a once in a generation athlete. Better than MJ or Prime Time. Had he been healthy he would have put up huge numbers. Nobody is saying he was the best, but he could have been and if I am ever asked who is the best athlete I have ever seen it's one guy...Bo Jackson

You can thank roids. Sorry had to go there.

I have no doubt that many current and former NFL players took roids. But I don't think Bo was one of them. He had that body since high school. Same with AD. They are just genetic freaks. Mere mortals have to take roids to just get to where these guys started.

This could be true and I am not saying that he did. However, one of the side effects of steroid use is that they are more prone to injury.

As someone who is very familiar with anabolic steroids, I can assure you it doesn't lead to broken hips. Where this rumor comes from is that Bo Jackson suffered from Avascular necrosis (blood loss to the bones) after the hip injury. In addition to post injury trauma, this can be caused by excessive steroid use. But in this case, that's glutocorticoid steroids, not anabolic steroids. There is a huge difference. Without getting into the boring medical details, the former is used for anti-inflammatory purposes (ex: hydrocortisone, etc) and doesn't build muscle. In fact, it reduces muscle mass and increases fat. But people see the word steroid and they think the worst.

 

[Phurfur]

Bo Jackson was as good as any RB I've ever seen on the field. Of course, he can't be considered one of the greats because he simply did not play long enough because of the injuries. But if you throw the stats out the window and recall how he was on the field in the time he did play, I'd put that up against any RB. The guy was a beast.

He did not play long enough because he chose not to play. When he finally decided to play injuries cut what was left of his career short. Longevity is part of being a great RB.

 

[Clayton Gray]

Bo Jackson was so good that one of my friend's claim to fame is that he once tackled Bo Jackson.

 

[proninja]

Most over-rated NFL player: Brian BosworthEven Bo Jackson ran over him.

Bosworth wasn't overrated. Everyone knows he sucked.

 

[proninja]

Overrated or not, I think we can all agree that Bo is the greatest video-game player of all time...

Proof

That was awesome

 

[Pygmy Marmoset]

I'm sorry, I just have a little difficulty taking RB evaluation advice from a guy named "Benson Will Lead The Way."

 

[Deuceman]

Vincent Jackson...aka Bo Jackson.Why does this guy even get mentioned as a great RB?B/c he has great size and speed?B/c of a monday night game vs the Seahawks?Quite frankly, I have never seen his stats before but they disappoint.Never ran for 1000 yards in a season.only 2,782 career yards? Thats only a couple hundred more than Tatum Bell over the same time frame (I had to use a guy you all love...lol)The guy had long runs that awed the crowd and fans....but would do it once Marcus Allen wore down the D. Speaking of....if Bo Jackson was so great...why didnt he beat out Marcus Allen for the job?I know Bo has a small sample size...but so does Terrell Davis.Enlighten me as to why Bo should be talked about as one of the great RB's.

Step away from the pipe.IMO, sans the injured hip, he would have been one of the GREATEST ATHLETES OF ALL TIME. He was a freak of nature that could do anything on the baseball or football field. You need to go look at some film on him. I refuse to waste anymore of my time in this thread typing. My favorites of ALL TIME........Bo and Jerry Rice

 

[massraider]

Bo was a once in a generation athlete. Better than MJ or Prime Time. Had he been healthy he would have put up huge numbers. Nobody is saying he was the best, but he could have been and if I am ever asked who is the best athlete I have ever seen it's one guy...Bo Jackson

You can thank roids. Sorry had to go there.

I have no doubt that many current and former NFL players took roids. But I don't think Bo was one of them. He had that body since high school. Same with AD. They are just genetic freaks. Mere mortals have to take roids to just get to where these guys started.

This could be true and I am not saying that he did. However, one of the side effects of steroid use is that they are more prone to injury.

Bingo. Young but smart.

If you knew anything about Bo's career, injury, and comments regarding steroids, you and the original poster would go back and delete this entire line of conversation.Bo's career ended because of a freak occurence, his hip was dislocated, and it didn't heal properly, the socket around the hip bone started to deteriorate.

I know nothing about which injuries steroids make one more prone to, but I can use common sense, and I am sure "degenerative bone condition" is not on the list. Feel free to provide me a link that proves me wrong.

benson_will_lead_the_way, you can go back and look up every list of overrated players, and Bo always makes the list. You didn't think you were original did you?

The fact that he is mentioned as overrated is a joke, and at this point, the guy is probably underrated.

 

[Fear & Loathing]

I'm sorry, I just have a little difficulty taking RB evaluation advice from a guy named "Benson Will Lead The Way."

at a 23-year-old Benson fan who never saw Bo Jackson play calling him overrated on the heels of the young turk who never saw Steve Young play questioning his HOF status. I love how Benson fan didn't even mention the baseball career eating into Bo's stats. He missed training camp every year, and then joined the Raiders in October. He hit the field in October of '87 after years away from football and averaged 6.8 YPC the rest of the way.

It's like the baseball geeks of today who want to go back and take DiMaggio's MVPs away from him and retroactively give them to Ted Williams because his stats look better with a 65-year buffer zone.

"Why didn't he beat out Marcus Allen?" Oh, you mean hall of famer Marcus Allen -- the one who was stuck on the bench in favor of Bo as soon as baseball season ended? Go back and look at Marcus Allen's stats from '87-'90 and tell us why you think they're down compared to the rest of his career. Because the Raiders coaches new that Bo was a better RB than their hall of famer and franchise player, Marcus Allen. Pretty impressive when you can render Marcus Allen to the back pages in Raider-land.

Bo was the best pure rusher I'd ever seen until Adrian Peterson. They're close.

 

[Mungo Burrows]

Overrated or not, I think we can all agree that Bo is the greatest video-game player of all time...

Proof

That was awesome

Bo Knows Tecmo!

 

[Maroney=Speed]

Bo was a once in a generation athlete. Better than MJ or Prime Time. Had he been healthy he would have put up huge numbers. Nobody is saying he was the best, but he could have been and if I am ever asked who is the best athlete I have ever seen it's one guy...Bo Jackson

You can thank roids. Sorry had to go there.

I have no doubt that many current and former NFL players took roids. But I don't think Bo was one of them. He had that body since high school. Same with AD. They are just genetic freaks. Mere mortals have to take roids to just get to where these guys started.

This could be true and I am not saying that he did. However, one of the side effects of steroid use is that they are more prone to injury.

Bingo. Young but smart.

If you knew anything about Bo's career, injury, and comments regarding steroids, you and the original poster would go back and delete this entire line of conversation.Bo's career ended because of a freak occurence, his hip was dislocated, and it didn't heal properly, the socket around the hip bone started to deteriorate.

I know nothing about which injuries steroids make one more prone to, but I can use common sense, and I am sure "degenerative bone condition" is not on the list. Feel free to provide me a link that proves me wrong.

benson_will_lead_the_way, you can go back and look up every list of overrated players, and Bo always makes the list. You didn't think you were original did you?

The fact that he is mentioned as overrated is a joke, and at this point, the guy is probably underrated.

Yep, your correct. Bo never did Roids. Nor has any other players(Punters don't count has players).Sorry, that I went there.

 

[Maroney=Speed]

I'm sorry, I just have a little difficulty taking RB evaluation advice from a guy named "Benson Will Lead The Way."

If He changed His name to lets say 'Fear & Loathing'.Would you then?

 

[Footballg]

I thought this thread was about Eli Manning.

 

[massraider]

Bo was a once in a generation athlete. Better than MJ or Prime Time. Had he been healthy he would have put up huge numbers. Nobody is saying he was the best, but he could have been and if I am ever asked who is the best athlete I have ever seen it's one guy...Bo Jackson

You can thank roids. Sorry had to go there.

I have no doubt that many current and former NFL players took roids. But I don't think Bo was one of them. He had that body since high school. Same with AD. They are just genetic freaks. Mere mortals have to take roids to just get to where these guys started.

This could be true and I am not saying that he did. However, one of the side effects of steroid use is that they are more prone to injury.

Bingo. Young but smart.

If you knew anything about Bo's career, injury, and comments regarding steroids, you and the original poster would go back and delete this entire line of conversation.Bo's career ended because of a freak occurence, his hip was dislocated, and it didn't heal properly, the socket around the hip bone started to deteriorate.

I know nothing about which injuries steroids make one more prone to, but I can use common sense, and I am sure "degenerative bone condition" is not on the list. Feel free to provide me a link that proves me wrong.

benson_will_lead_the_way, you can go back and look up every list of overrated players, and Bo always makes the list. You didn't think you were original did you?

The fact that he is mentioned as overrated is a joke, and at this point, the guy is probably underrated.

Yep, your correct. Bo never did Roids. Nor has any other players(Punters don't count has players).Sorry, that I went there.

it's easier to create a strawman than it is to actually own your comments and defend them.

 

[Maroney=Speed]

Bo was a once in a generation athlete. Better than MJ or Prime Time. Had he been healthy he would have put up huge numbers. Nobody is saying he was the best, but he could have been and if I am ever asked who is the best athlete I have ever seen it's one guy...Bo Jackson

You can thank roids. Sorry had to go there.

I have no doubt that many current and former NFL players took roids. But I don't think Bo was one of them. He had that body since high school. Same with AD. They are just genetic freaks. Mere mortals have to take roids to just get to where these guys started.

This could be true and I am not saying that he did. However, one of the side effects of steroid use is that they are more prone to injury.

Bingo. Young but smart.

If you knew anything about Bo's career, injury, and comments regarding steroids, you and the original poster would go back and delete this entire line of conversation.Bo's career ended because of a freak occurence, his hip was dislocated, and it didn't heal properly, the socket around the hip bone started to deteriorate.

I know nothing about which injuries steroids make one more prone to, but I can use common sense, and I am sure "degenerative bone condition" is not on the list. Feel free to provide me a link that proves me wrong.

benson_will_lead_the_way, you can go back and look up every list of overrated players, and Bo always makes the list. You didn't think you were original did you?

The fact that he is mentioned as overrated is a joke, and at this point, the guy is probably underrated.

Yep, your correct. Bo never did Roids. Nor has any other players(Punters don't count has players).Sorry, that I went there.

it's easier to create a strawman than it is to actually own your commenbts and defend them.

 

[Maroney=Speed]

I thought this thread was about Eli Manning.

Does Eli make Peyton look even better?

 

[Maroney=Speed]

Bo was a once in a generation athlete. Better than MJ or Prime Time. Had he been healthy he would have put up huge numbers. Nobody is saying he was the best, but he could have been and if I am ever asked who is the best athlete I have ever seen it's one guy...Bo Jackson

You can thank roids. Sorry had to go there.

I have no doubt that many current and former NFL players took roids. But I don't think Bo was one of them. He had that body since high school. Same with AD. They are just genetic freaks. Mere mortals have to take roids to just get to where these guys started.

This could be true and I am not saying that he did. However, one of the side effects of steroid use is that they are more prone to injury.

Bingo. Young but smart.

If you knew anything about Bo's career, injury, and comments regarding steroids, you and the original poster would go back and delete this entire line of conversation.Bo's career ended because of a freak occurence, his hip was dislocated, and it didn't heal properly, the socket around the hip bone started to deteriorate.

I know nothing about which injuries steroids make one more prone to, but I can use common sense, and I am sure "degenerative bone condition" is not on the list. Feel free to provide me a link that proves me wrong.

benson_will_lead_the_way, you can go back and look up every list of overrated players, and Bo always makes the list. You didn't think you were original did you?

The fact that he is mentioned as overrated is a joke, and at this point, the guy is probably underrated.

Do you think Sosa did roids?

 

[identikit]

I'm sorry, I just have a little difficulty taking RB evaluation advice from a guy named "Benson Will Lead The Way."

 

[Fear & Loathing]

I'm sorry, I just have a little difficulty taking RB evaluation advice from a guy named "Benson Will Lead The Way."

If He changed His name to lets say 'Fear & Loathing'.Would you then?

 

[Jeff Tefertiller]

Is Cedric Benson the answer to the question?

 

[smackdaddies]

Alright. Bo had amazing talent and split it between sports. He had one magical game vs the Seahawks and several other nice long runs that teased people into thinking he could be one of the best ever. Then he got injured and ended his football career. Leaving the football community "so unsatisfied"(rounders anybody). Is that about it?

Bo Jackson was insanely good. "one" magical game?It is a good topic, but Bo was crazy good.

 

[Maroney=Speed]

I'm sorry, I just have a little difficulty taking RB evaluation advice from a guy named "Benson Will Lead The Way."

If He changed His name to lets say 'Fear & Loathing'.Would you then?

Thanks, my point is the guy is a Bears FAN.He ask a question, if you know the answer, then answer the question.Not kill the guy because of His made up name.So I guess my name means I score when I have too?

 

[smackdaddies]

Is Cedric Benson the answer to the question?

If not him, perhaps Brent Fullwood or, dare I say, Tony Mandarich (sp)

 

[GregR_2]

Overrated or not, I think we can all agree that Bo is the greatest video-game player of all time...

Proof

That was awesome

I don't know. Clearly the only reason he broke that run was holding by his offensive lineman.

 

[massraider]

Do you think Sosa did roids?

yes

 

[GregR_2]

Frankly I think Roy Williams the safety is more overrated than Bo Jackson. I think Bo likely could have lived up to the perception of him at least fairly well. Roy Williams didn't have his career cut short by injuries and he's nowhere near as much a benefit to his team as people treat him. Bo was much more so than he.

 

[Maroney=Speed]

Do you think Sosa did roids?

yes

Do you think Bo did Roids?

 

[Tau837]

If you noticed I listed ALL PRO selections, not Pro Bowl selections and there are WAY fewer guys selected to be All Pro than the Pro Bowl.

This depends on the source and the particular year. As for source, I have looked for a good All Pro internet source for a long time, and pro-football-reference.com now has a start on that. However, the pfr info is a mix of multiple sources and first and second team selections. This becomes misleading and renders their current info useless for the purpose you are citing here. For example, in 1991, pfr lists as All Pro: 5 RBs, 7 WRs, 7 LTs, 18 total OL, 13 DL, 14 LBs, 7 CBs, and 7 safeties. Don't those seem like high totals for those positions? To pick a single position for comparison, only 6 CBs made the Pro Bowl that season, and only 3 were named All NFL, which I consider to be the better source for this type of discriminator.All NFL info can be found HERE.

For Bradshaw, pfr shows him as All Pro in 1975, 1978, and 1979. Here are the number of All Pro and Pro Bowl QBs shown at pfr for those seasons:

1975 - 4 All Pro QBs, 7 Pro Bowl QBs

1978 - 4 All Pro QBs, 4 Pro Bowl QBs

1979 - 5 All Pro QBs, 4 Pro Bowl QBs

Not really that much of a discriminator - 13 All Pro QBs to 15 Pro Bowl QBs.

A similar look at Aikman shows more of a disparity:

1993 - 3 All Pro QBs, 9 Pro Bowl QBs

1994 - 4 All Pro QBs, 7 Pro Bowl QBs

1995 - 5 All Pro QBs, 8 Pro Bowl QBs

Even so, 5 All Pro QBs in one season isn't really my idea of the very best. Once pfr gets its data expanded so we can look at, for example, AP first team All Pro, it will be much more helpful. (Doug has said it is on the list.)

Meanwhile, Aikman never made All NFL and Bradshaw made it once, sharing the honor with Jim Zorn in 1978. (Most seasons have only one QB on the All NFL team.)

 

[massraider]

Do you think Sosa did roids?

yes

Do you think Bo did Roids?

No. Could you speed this process up, and get to your point?

 

[Maroney=Speed]

Do you think Sosa did roids?

yes

Do you think Bo did Roids?

No. Could you speed this process up, and get to your point?

Sosa was not on the Mitchell report. Does that mean He didn't do it? Bo and Sosa did Roids, beleive it.

 

[cobalt_27]

Bo Jackson was as good as any RB I've ever seen on the field. Of course, he can't be considered one of the greats because he simply did not play long enough because of the injuries. But if you throw the stats out the window and recall how he was on the field in the time he did play, I'd put that up against any RB. The guy was a beast.

Thread really should have ended here.

 

[Maroney=Speed]

Bo Jackson was as good as any RB I've ever seen on the field. Of course, he can't be considered one of the greats because he simply did not play long enough because of the injuries. But if you throw the stats out the window and recall how he was on the field in the time he did play, I'd put that up against any RB. The guy was a beast.

Thread really should have ended here.

 

[massraider]

Do you think Sosa did roids?

yes

Do you think Bo did Roids?

No. Could you speed this process up, and get to your point?

Sosa was not on the Mitchell report. Does that mean He didn't do it?

Bo and Sosa did Roids, beleive it.

What does Sosa have to do with Bo?Who said not being in the Mitchell report meant that a player didn't do it?

Who are you arguing with? Again, quit trying to assign positions to me, why don't you respond to what I actually post,?

I'm starting to think this is a fishing trip, otherwise, why argue a position that has NOTHING to back it up?

 

[gump]

Howie Long said that when Bo first came to practice for the Raiders, the entire defense was stunned when seeing his talent up close.

I'll take a HOF DL's opinion over anyone on this board.

 

[Maroney=Speed]

Do you think Sosa did roids?

yes

Do you think Bo did Roids?

No. Could you speed this process up, and get to your point?

Sosa was not on the Mitchell report. Does that mean He didn't do it?

Bo and Sosa did Roids, beleive it.

What does Sosa have to do with Bo?Who said not being in the Mitchell report meant that a player didn't do it?

Who are you arguing with? Again, quit trying to assign positions to me, why don't you respond to what I actually post,?

I'm starting to think this is a fishing trip, otherwise, why argue a position that has NOTHING to back it up?

What does Sosa have to do with Bo? Nothing and everything.Bo was Great.

 

[Maroney=Speed]

Howie Long said that when Bo first came to practice for the Raiders, the entire defense was stunned when seeing his talent up close. I'll take a HOF DL's opinion over anyone on this board.

So Howie agree's with us.

 

[Hammerage]

Did you ever see him play?

He was Adrian Peterson before Adrian Peterson - there were more powerful backs, faster backs, backs with better moves - but no one had the devastating combo of power, speed and moves that Bo had until AD came along.

Bo broke the mold and I don't think there has ever been a back with as much power and speed since. He ran a 4.12 40 at the combine. That is beyond sick. AD is one of the best modern examples of a back similar to Bo but still falls short of Bo's overall physical talent. Who runs a freaking sub 4.2 at the combine and is a 230 lb freight train?

 

[BelichicksRevenge]

Did you ever see him play?

He was Adrian Peterson before Adrian Peterson - there were faster backs

Not sure i ever saw one.People say Bo could have been a great baseball player or football player if he only concentrated on one. I'm not sure he ever would have become a great baseball player. But I am pretty sure he would have been a great football player. I do'nt ever consider him to be one of the best running backs ever because he did'nt play long enough but he will always get consideration as one of the most physically gifted backs i have ever seen.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Bo is probably the best RB I actually ever watched. Wish I'd gotten to watch him longer.

I'll never understand people who argue that QBs on Superbowl winning teams are better than guys with better stats who didn't play on good teams.

Ken Anderson was twice the QB Terry Bradshaw ever dreamed of being, but played for a far inferior team.

 

[Sea Bass]

Joseph William Namath

 

[Colin Dowling]

The premise of this thread is ridiculous.

 

[identikit]

The premise of this thread is ridiculous.

 

[RaiderBones]

I think the reason why Bo Jackson was injured so often was because his body never had time to heal properly. He would go from baseball to football and then from football back to baseball with minnimal time off in between. Also I would like to point out that the reason why Bo Jackson never was a 1,000 yard rusher was because he waited until the baseball season was over and if his team made the playoffs that delayed his return to football as well, so a few seasons he was lucky to get 10-12 games in. I looked it up he played 7-10-11-10 games in the four seasons he played, because he had to wait for baseball to be over before he played football. He may never have been a 1,000 yard rusher but in his third season he played only 11 games and had 950 yds. Just think what he could of had that year with a full 16 games.

 

[Koya]

I agree that Bo is an overated RB.

Perhaps the best athlete we have seen? Certain in that conversation. Best athlete I saw. He was unreal.

Had he not been hurt would he have become one of the greatest RBs ever? Good chance.

Had he focused only on Football (and because of it had a longer career) would he have been one of the greatest RBs of all time? Almost certainly imo.

That said, it didnt happen. I still believe he is one of the all time great talents but I do believe the legend has filled in the rest of his career in a way that inflates the myth just a bit.

His sickness in Techmo Bowl is about as good as it gets for a video game player.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

Troy Aikman is the most overrated ever.

Terry Bradshaw? Guy has the same career rating as Rex Grossman.

What is Joe Namath's rating

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

I try to stir things up on a saturday morning with something that I thought was good. Made some mad....some agreed.

I know he has a small sample size.

But here is the question. How important is longtivity vs dominance?

Take his counterpart Marcus Allen....only 3 career 1,000 yard seasons.....but lasted a long time in the NFL=HOF.

This could be said of many other players. Same with Baseball....is 3,000 hits more important than a few great seasons.

Well that was my rant for the day. I'll talk to you boys after my return trip from L.A. Yeh I'm going to the Rose Bowl....ILL........INI!!!!!!

 

[burd]

if Bo was overated, no one would have given a squat over him back then, let alone 15+ years later. ok, if it were only journalists kissing his behind, you might have a point. but when hardcore football fans talk about his feats so many years later in awe, you outta know he was something far more special than a collection of stats.

you want overrated? .... two words, The Fridge!

Also, Tony Boselli .. not because he stunk, he was good, but not nearly as great as the media made him out to be.

 

[Neil Beaufort Zod]

Overrated or not, I think we can all agree that Bo is the greatest video-game player of all time...

Proof

 

[Couch Potato]

Please.

If you think Bo is the most overrated ever then you are too young to have seen him play. And if that's the case, you ought to just stick to things you know and not try to start noise over things you know nothing about. Bo was awesome.

 

[j ViLLA x PE]

what would you be saying about Adrian Peterson, if when he had his torn PCL, he had something different that ended his career.

We'd all be living in what ifs and what not.

HE played in limited action and had broke several rushing records during his time