Who are the best and least liked players in the NFL?
A recent Nielsen poll asked NFL fans which players they find most appealing. The results form a list of the most and least liked players in the league.
Based on the results, here are the two prototypes:
The ideal NFL player: A curly-haired, Super Bowl MVP quarterback who wins Dancing With the Stars and is totally fiesta.
The imperfect NFL player: A smirky, cigarette-dangling ex-con who stomps on opponents on national holidays while beer bonging and demanding to be paid in straight cash, homey.
Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu is the most-liked player in the league, with a positive rating of 63%. Drew Brees (62%), Charles Woodson (62%), Peyton Manning (59%) and Aaron Rodgers (58%) rounded out the top five. Overall, seven of the top 10 most-liked players are quarterbacks. Three are Green Bay Packers.
The least liked player in the league is Ndamukong Suh (19%). His Monday night wrestling partner, Jay Cutler, was close behind with 21%. Michael Vick (23%), Randy Moss (24%) and Matt Leinart (26%). The top two quarterbacks on the Dallas Cowboys depth chart -- Tony Romo and Kyle Orton -- were in the bottom 10.
Some thoughts:
-- Kyle Orton? What did Kyle Orton ever do to America?
-- Where's Tim Tebow? WE MUST KNOW WHERE TIM TEBOW FALLS ON THE RANKINGS.
-- Robert Griffin III is already in the top 10, which is no surprise. He's getting so much hype that I think he's polling at 8% in the presidential election and is threatening to carry D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
-- Polamalu at No. 1 and Suh in last place aren't surprising in the least. Head and Shoulders commercials work wonders.
-- Tom Brady isn't in the top 10. For real? Matthew Stafford is more liked than a guy who won three Super Bowls and plays on national TV 10 times a year? Are people still mad at him for running out on Bridget Moynahan?
-- People dislike Jay Cutler more than Michael Vick? Apathetic, full-faced and coupled with a reality TV star makes him worse than a convicted felon who wasn't exactly universally beloved before his downfall?
-- Seriously, where's Tebow?