Perhaps it's similar to how adults don't understand contractions, but kids in third grade do
If they are better than the overall perception, they are underrated. Being in the Hall-of-Fame is only a small part of how accurately people rate a player. Understanding how good a player truly was is worthwhile. Trying to figure out what people on the internet or wherever rank a player is sort of meaningless, so I don't see much point in asking about players being underrated or overrated. . .
Sammy Baugh is underrrated by many fans under 50..
By the time he retired, Baugh set 13 NFL records in three player positions: quarterback, punter, and defensive back. He is considered one of the all-time great football players.
Baugh was the first to play the position of quarterback as it is played today, the first to make of the forward pass an effective weapon rather than an "act of desperation".
He was the last surviving member of the inaugural class inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963, including Bronko Nagurski, Red Grange, Jim Thorpe, Curly Lambeau, Don Hutson, George Halas, Ernie Nevers, and Mel Hein.
Two of his records as quarterback still stand: most seasons leading the league in passing (six; tied with Steve Young) and most seasons leading the league with the lowest interception percentage (five).
He is also third in highest single-season completion percentage (70.33), most seasons leading the league in yards gained (four) and most seasons leading the league in completion percentage (seven).
As a punter, Baugh retired with the NFL record for highest punting average in a career (45.1 yards), and is still second all-time (Shane Lechler 46.5 yards), and has the best (51.4 in 1940) and fourth best (48.7 in 1941) season marks.
As a defensive back, he was the first player in league history to intercept four passes in a game (he also threw 4 TD passes in the same game), and is the only player to lead the league in passing, punting, and interceptions in the same season.
Baugh also led the league in punting from 1940 through 1943.
When comparing Baugh's athletic achievements with modern football greats, consider the actual football he threw then was rounder at the ends and fatter in the middle than the one used today, making it far more difficult to pass well (or even to create a proper spiral).
wil.
By the time he retired, Baugh set 13 NFL records in three player positions: quarterback, punter, and defensive back. He is considered one of the all-time great football players.
Baugh was the first to play the position of quarterback as it is played today, the first to make of the forward pass an effective weapon rather than an "act of desperation".
He was the last surviving member of the inaugural class inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963, including Bronko Nagurski, Red Grange, Jim Thorpe, Curly Lambeau, Don Hutson, George Halas, Ernie Nevers, and Mel Hein.
Two of his records as quarterback still stand: most seasons leading the league in passing (six; tied with Steve Young) and most seasons leading the league with the lowest interception percentage (five).
He is also third in highest single-season completion percentage (70.33), most seasons leading the league in yards gained (four) and most seasons leading the league in completion percentage (seven).
As a punter, Baugh retired with the NFL record for highest punting average in a career (45.1 yards), and is still second all-time (Shane Lechler 46.5 yards), and has the best (51.4 in 1940) and fourth best (48.7 in 1941) season marks.
As a defensive back, he was the first player in league history to intercept four passes in a game (he also threw 4 TD passes in the same game), and is the only player to lead the league in passing, punting, and interceptions in the same season.
Baugh also led the league in punting from 1940 through 1943.
When comparing Baugh's athletic achievements with modern football greats, consider the actual football he threw then was rounder at the ends and fatter in the middle than the one used today, making it far more difficult to pass well (or even to create a proper spiral).
wil.
Slingin Sammy Baugh..
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