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NFL Greatest Unsung Heroes In History of All 32 Teams

By Erik Lambert

TAMPA, FL - DECEMBER 8: Joe Jurevicius #83 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers runs with the ball while pursued by Ray Buchanan #34 of the Atlanta Falcons during the NFL game on December 8, 2002 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers defeated the Falcons 34-10. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - DECEMBER 8: Joe Jurevicius #83 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers runs with the ball while pursued by Ray Buchanan #34 of the Atlanta Falcons during the NFL game on December 8, 2002 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers defeated the Falcons 34-10. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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GLENDALE, AZ – SEPTEMBER 13: Running back Tim Hightower #34 of the Arizona Cardinals rushes with the football during the NFL game against the San Francisco 49ers at the Universtity of Phoenix Stadium on September 13, 2009 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – SEPTEMBER 13: Running back Tim Hightower #34 of the Arizona Cardinals rushes with the football during the NFL game against the San Francisco 49ers at the Universtity of Phoenix Stadium on September 13, 2009 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

It’s always about the superstars and that’s not going to change. This NFL greatest unsung heroes list though is an effort to stick up for the other guy.

Those players who may not have made giant contributions to the sport, but at one moment in time they stepped up to the challenge and delivered a crucial play for their team when they needed it most. These plays often decided the fate of a season and in many cases a championship. Yet today most of them are rarely brought up in conversations.

That’s what this list will be about. Every team has had at least one player like this cross their roster, even if just for a short time. This will be an attempt to give fans a stern reminder that football is a team game and the stars can’t always be the ones to come to the rescue. There always comes at least one point in time where the little guy answers the bell.

Arizona Cardinals

player. 32. . RB. Arizona Cardinals. Tim Hightower . 1

The 2008 season for the Arizona Cardinals was a magical run mostly sparked by two men:  quarterback Kurt Warner and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Every time the team made a big play to win a crucial game, it felt like it was those two who were doing the job. Nowhere was it clearer than in the playoffs. However, that’s not quite the reality.

In truth that run had another hero in the form of rookie running back Tim Hightower. Most people don’t lump him into that picture because of how absurd Fitzgerald was but that Super Bowl trip doesn’t happen without Hightower. It began in the wild card playoff game against Atlanta when he scored a four-yard touchdown in the 4th quarter to put his team up 28-17. Arizona ended up prevailing 30-24, meaning Hightower scored the decisive winning touchdown.

Two weeks later in the NFC championship, the Cardinals were trailing Philadelphia 25-24 late in the game. Again it wasn’t Fitzgerald making the big play, it was Hightower. He caught an eight-yard pass to score with under three minutes left to send Arizona to the Super Bowl.

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