A lack of winning as a team could lend itself to a long list of candidates, but here are the five most underrated Detroit Lions players of all-time.
Given the lack of team success, with no championships since 1957 and no playoff wins since the 1991 season, the Detroit Lions are easily dismissed and overlooked.
Unfortunately, that being overlooked often extends to the good players the Lions have had through their history. Sure Barry Sanders, Calvin Johnson are Hall of Famers and others have gotten league-wide recognition in terms of Pro Bowls and the like, but beyond those stars broader recognition has been hard to earn for a lot of individuals.
Here are the five most underrated Detroit Lions of all-time.
The 5 most underrated Detroit Lions of all-time
Credit: George Rose/Getty Images
5. DT Doug English
Huge hat-tip to Kory Woods of Woodward Sports here.
English is a College Football Hall of Famer from his time at the University of Texas, which may make it a easy to forget about what he did as a pro. Spending your entire NFL career with the Lions might help in being forgotten or overlooked too.
Over 11 seasons as a Lion (1975-1985), and as a key part of the “Silver Rush” defensive line of the late 1970’s and 80s, English was a four-time Pro Bowler (1978, 1981-1983) and a one-time First Team All-Pro (1982). Pro Football Reference went back tallied sack data from before sacks were an official NFL stat in 1982, and with that English is credited with 55.5 career sacks (with a high of 13 in 1983).
Notably, English is tied for first in NFL history in safeties registered for a career (four) and for a season (two in 1983)