The NFL is full of legends whose names echo through time—your Montanas, your Bradys, your Rices. But for every household name, there’s a star who once lit up Sundays and then quietly faded from the spotlight, lost to the churn of time and highlight reels that only seem to start in the 2000s.
This list is for the guys who were once that dude—Pro Bowlers, record holders, team leaders—who now barely get a mention in barbershop debates or throwback features. Some were victims of bad timing, others of bad teams, and a few never got flowers. Let’s give them a little overdue love.
30. Ricky Watters
Ricky Watters was a five-time Pro Bowler who ran with style and attitude across three teams. But today, he’s remembered more for a soundbite than his 10,000 rushing yards.
29. Ken Anderson
Ken Anderson won an MVP, took the Bengals to a Super Bowl, and invented the West Coast offense. Somehow, he’s still not in the Hall of Fame or widely remembered.
28. Roy Williams (Safety)
For a few years in the early 2000s, Roy Williams was the most feared hitter in the league. Then offenses adjusted, and he quietly disappeared from the national conversation.
27. Drew Bledsoe
Before Tom Brady took over, Bledsoe was the guy in New England—and a good one at that. He had a cannon arm and put up big numbers, but now he’s mostly remembered as the guy Brady replaced.
26. Clinton Portis
Portis was a beast in Denver and Washington, racking up over 1,500 yards multiple times. His career fizzled fast, and now he feels more like a trivia answer than a remembered star.
25. Mark Brunell
Brunell helped make the Jaguars relevant in the ’90s with his dual-threat game and playoff success. Now, people mostly remember Jacksonville for teal jerseys and misery.
24. Aeneas Williams
Aeneas was a lockdown corner and later an elite safety who could play with the best of them. He made eight Pro Bowls, but his name rarely appears in DB debates.
23. Daryl Johnston
Moose was the heart of Dallas’s blocking scheme and a key to Emmitt Smith’s success. Fullbacks never get love, and Johnston’s greatness is almost entirely forgotten.
22. Eric Moulds
Moulds was one of the most productive receivers of the early 2000s, especially considering the quarterbacks he had. He quietly piled up nearly 10,000 yards with barely any spotlight.
21. Fred Taylor
Fred Taylor ran with power, vision, and grace—yet somehow never made a Pro Bowl until late in his career. He’s one of the most disrespected 11,000-yard rushers of all time.
20. Joey Galloway
Galloway was lightning in cleats and a deep threat before it was trendy. He bounced around teams and quietly put up over 10,000 yards without much fanfare.
19. Neil Smith
A key part of Kansas City’s and later Denver’s dominant defenses, Smith was a sack machine with a signature elbow brace. Reggie White wasn’t, but he was still dominant in his own right.
18. Trent Green
Green created monster numbers in the early 2000s with the Rams and Chiefs. He was one of his era’s most efficient QBs, but he gets overshadowed by flashier names.
17. Terry Metcalf
Before guys like Darren Sproles and Christian McCaffrey were doing it all, he was a dual-threat weapon in the ’70s who never got the credit his versatility deserved.
16. Corey Dillon
Dillon toiled in Cincinnati before finally getting a ring with New England. Despite over 11,000 rushing yards, he never cracked the star tier in public memory.
15. Henry Ellard
Ellard quietly amassed more than 13,000 receiving yards during his career. He was a technician with hands and speed, but few outside Rams and Redskins fans still talk about him.
14. Garrison Hearst
Hearst had one of the best comeback stories in NFL history and was electric when healthy. But injuries and timing made him an almost forgotten name in NFL lore.
13. Brad Johnson
He won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers and made multiple Pro Bowls. Still, when people list top quarterbacks of the 2000s, Johnson is usually nowhere to be found.
12. Rod Smith
Smith was undrafted, underappreciated, and unbelievably productive. He was John Elway’s favorite target and remains one of the most overlooked wideouts ever.
11. Jimmy Smith
Smith was putting up 1,000-yard seasons like clockwork in Jacksonville. He was consistent, elite, and entirely off the radar in most NFL history convos.
10. Ken Norton Jr.
Norton was a rock at linebacker and one of the few players to win three Super Bowls. Yet his coaching career weirdly drowned out his player legacy.
9. Matt Forte
Forte was a fantasy football darling and a do-it-all back for years in Chicago. But without playoff runs or viral moments, his greatness faded into the background.
8. Pat Swilling
Swilling was part of the terrifying Dome Patrol in New Orleans and once led the league in sacks. He was a Defensive Player of the Year who barely gets mentioned now.
7. Ricky Williams
He was controversial, dominant, and uniquely himself, even with a rushing title. People remember the weed more than the yards.
6. Harold Jackson
With over 10,000 career receiving yards in the ’70s, Jackson was elite in an era that didn’t feature many pass-happy offenses. He should be in more Hall of Fame conversations than he is.
5. James Brooks
A four-time Pro Bowler and all-purpose threat, Brooks was Cincinnati’s answer to Roger Craig. He was efficient, exciting, and mostly forgotten by modern fans.
4. Chris Chandler
He led the Falcons to a Super Bowl and had a long, productive career. But without a lasting highlight moment, Chandler’s name barely comes up anymore.
3. Ernest Givins
The Oilers’ offense was explosive, and Givins was one of its primary weapons. His electric celebrations and route-running made him a standout, but he has now mostly been erased.
Read More: 15 Forgotten Wide Receivers Who Deserved More Love
2. Don McNabb
McNabb was the face of Philly football for nearly a decade, taking the team to five NFC title games, and still gets disrespected. He was a star, plain and simple, even if revisionist history says otherwise.
Read More: The 50 Most Underrated NFL Players Ever
1. Priest Holmes
Holmes had a three-year stretch that was as dominant as any RB in history, yet he’s barely mentioned today. Injuries shortened his reign, but his prime was pure fireworks.
Read More: 15 Athletes Whose Nicknames Were Better Than Their Careers
