News/Commentary

Three Players That Deserve Better Than Their Current NFL Team

April 18, 2025 by Staff

Football is a team game. Yes, one outfit may well have a solitary superstar, but without ample tools to support them, they're never going to reach the Super Bowl. Just take a look at the reigning champion Philadelphia Eagles. 

The Birds had to build the most stacked roster in the entire league last season to reach the Big Game, rather than relying on one single superstar. Admittedly, the acquisition of running back Saquon Barkley via free agency from the Giants was the addition that pushed Philly to another level, but it was far from a solo effort from him. Yes, his 2,000+ rushing yards certainly helped, but he had plenty of support from all over the field.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts had his doubters, but he delivered on the grandest stage of them all when he sliced through the Kansas City Chiefs defense at will at Super Bowl LIX. The wide receiving corps of A.J. Brown and Davonta Smith is as good as anything the NFL has to offer, while a league-best defense that allowed just 303 points also did more than its fair share. And even so, the Eagles headed into their February showdown against Patrick Mahomes and Co. as a betting underdog. 

Well, they're no underdogs anymore. The bookies' odds for the 2026 Super Bowl are already live, and Bovada's live betting odds make them a +600 favorite to retain the Lombardi next season. While that certainly will be pleasant news to the Lincoln Financial Field faithful, plenty of players around the league will be dreaming of such a billing. 

Some superstars have the talent that should, in theory, take them on to championship glory. But unfortunately for them, the supporting cast simply isn't in place for them to thrive, and they instead flounder in the realms of obscurity. Here are three NFL stars who, despite their brilliance, find themselves weighed down by their current teams.

Joe Burrow

We're starting controversially. Yes, the Cincinnati Bengals have plenty of firepower. Wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are perhaps the finest double act in the league, while Trey Hendrickson led the entire NFL in sacks last term. Even so, Cincy's defense was torched week after week, and quite simply, Joe Burrow deserves better. 

The former LSU standout lit up the league last season with staggering stats, tallying 4,918 passing yards and 43 touchdowns, the most of anybody on both accounts. For all his brilliance, however, Cincinnati faltered in mediocrity, finishing 9-8 and missing the playoffs for the second straight season. 

He certainly played well enough to impress the likes of Bovada, judging by their tweet, but it didn’t get the team where they needed to be.

Joey B led the Bengals to the Super Bowl back in 2022 in his sophomore year, before taking them to the conference championship game the following year. Since then though, it has been nothing but pain, and Burrow now finds himself grappling with the team's revolving-door offensive line and inconsistent defense.

His ability to make the Bengals relevant season after season is remarkable, but his prime years should be spent competing for Super Bowls, not mid-tier division finishes. With a more complete supporting cast, Burrow could go from a league superstar to a dynasty-builder. He will be hoping that the Bengals front office provides him with the tools necessary to succeed in his quest at Paycor Stadium, but another disappointing finish next season could see him questioning his future. 

Maxx Crosby

Few defensive players embody relentless dominance like Maxx Crosby. The Raiders defensive end remains a terror for quarterbacks, amassing 7.5 sacks in 2024 despite being sidelined for the final games due to an ankle injury. Over six healthy seasons, the 27-year-old has cemented himself as one of the most consistent pass rushers in the league.

But while Eastern Michigan standout shines, the Raiders languish. Las Vegas stumbled to a paltry 4-13 record last term, the fourth-worst result in the league. As a result, they finished dead last in the AFC West, and their pain was only amplified as all three of their divisional rivals made it into the postseason. Offensively and defensively, the team’s roster holes have made winning an uphill battle, and that struggle was only amplified once Davante Adams departed for the Jets.

Crosby, now inked to a lucrative three-year $106.5m extension, deserves to play for a team where his game-changing presence can tilt the balance of games—not prolong rebuilding phases. However, the fact that he has just penned that new deal to remain at Allegiant Stadium suggests that he is somehow happy where he is... for now. 

Tyreek Hill

If there’s one receiver who makes defensive coordinators lose sleep, it’s Tyreek Hill. "The Cheetah" sped past defenders in 2024 with over 1,700 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns, cementing his place among the league's elite playmakers. On any given play, he can turn a routine route into a game-breaking sprint to the end zone, changing the outlook of a game in an instant.

Yet the Miami Dolphins remain trapped in inconsistency. Constant injury woes for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa derailed any hopes they had of reaching the playoffs last term, and it's beginning to look like an impossible task to keep the former Alabama Crimson Tide star fit for a whole season. Meanwhile, Hill is stuck wasting the prime years of his career.

The excitement was through the roof when it was announced that the wideout would be heading to Hard Rock Stadium in 2022, fresh off helping the Chiefs become the NFL's latest powerhouse. Many hoped that he would be able to do the same in Florida, but unfortunately, that hasn't come to fruition. Now at the age of 31, it's now or never if The Cheetah plans on cementing his legacy as one of the greats, and it's unlikely that he will