Best Quarterback in NFL history

[NaMeaHou]

Suggestions:

Johnny Unitas

Fran Tarkenton

Roger Staubach

More recent:

Brett Favre

Tom Brady

Who's the best? Of course, each team had 10 other players, and played their game based on everyones strengths, but..........

[billbuckhead]

1. Bradshaw or Elway

:)

[NaMeaHou]

6. Bradshaw's a great choice

likes to be thought of as dumb as a stick, but has some neurons firing in there.

Elway too. Who else never gave up like he never gave up? That's one reason I like Brady so much. The same fire for winning.

[1a2b3c]

2. Elway, Montana

[Room101]

28. 1a2b3c - You need a reality check

Montana destroyed Elway in the Super Bowl you need a history lesson.

[VermontDem2004]

33. Elway won back to back super wins

So did Montana but who cares? Montana did have the higher pass completion percentage but Elway had more career wins, passing yardage, pass completions, and touchdown passes then Montana.

[LSdemocrat]

34. Joe Montana

Four Superbowls. Four wins. No interceptions.

clutch (adj)
1 : made or done in a crucial situation <a clutch hit>
2 : successful in a crucial situation <a clutch pitcher>
3 : Joe Montana

[Waistdeep]

3. Joe Montana

has to be at or near the top of anybody's list.

Also favorites of mine:

Ken Stabler
Bart Starr

[Syrinx]

7. I like Ken Stabler and Bart Starr

Again, I may be biased. :)

[ProfessorGAC]

40. I'll Go With Joe, Too!

I always thought that Elway took too long to figure out that a 90mph fastball was not a good way to complete a pass to a tight end who was only 40 feet away. The end of his career, he was great. The first 5 or 6 years, he was "huge potential, few results". (Just my opinion.)
The Professor

[Syrinx]

4. Joe Namath!

But I may be biased!

[NaMeaHou]

8. Who else had a greater moment in SB history?

The right guy at the right time. Too bad about those knees. I'd still be pissed at the line.

[Syrinx]

15. yeah, he *guaranteed* a victory

And delivered. I still have his autograph along with Bear Bryant's around here somewhere.

[Leftist78]

5. Montana.

I hate, I mean really HATE the 49er's, but he was just the total package.

[Catch22Dem]

9. Joe Montana

When the world said he was washed up, he won another Super Bowl. When they said he was washed up and was just embarrassing himself by going to KC, he started in the Pro Bowl. Montana was the shit and he was my idol. He was a magician on the field and a good person off the field.

Let's hear it for JOE!!!

[kodi]

10. Montana

if you were on D who is the last guy you want to see taking the snap from center?

[TahitiNut]

11. Otto Graham

"The test of a quarterback is where his team finishes," said his coach, Paul Brown. "By that standard, Otto was the best of them all."
http://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00014210.html

---

Otto Graham
Born: Dec. 6, 1921
Football QB and basketball All-America at Northwestern

in pro ball, led Cleveland Browns to 7 league titles in 10 years, winning 4 AAFC championships (1946-49) and 3 NFL (1950,54-55); 5-time All-Pro; 2-time NFL MVP (1953,55).
http://www.infoplease.com/ipsa/A0109232.html

---

OTTO GRAHAM
Quarterback
6-1, 196
Cleveland Browns (AAFC, 1946-49; NFL, 1950-55)
Northwestern
Enshrined in 1965

Graham was a tailback in college and was switched to a T-quarterback in the pros. Graham guided the Browns to 10 division or league crowns in 10 years. He topped all AAFC passers four times and was the NFL's leading passer for two seasons. Graham was named All-League nine of 10 years. He threw four touchdown passes in the Browns' 1950 NFL title win. He had three touchdowns running and three passing in the 1954 NFL title game. Graham's career passing totals were 23,584 yards and 174 touchdowns. He scored 276 points on 46 touchdowns in his career. Graham owns the highest single-season completion percentage in team history at 64.73, which he accomplished in 1953. Graham's No. 14 uniform was retired by the Browns. He also wore No. 60 earlier in his career with the Browns. Graham was born on Dec. 6, 1921 in Waukegan, Ill.
http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/history/hof_grahamo.php

---

He went on to coach football at the United States Coast Guard Academy, a relatively small school (about 500 cadets, all male) that had no athletic scholarships or recruiting. He had an undefeated season there in 1963. (I knew him there.)

Afterwards, as the Head Coach of the Redskins 66-68, his record was 17-22-3.

[NaMeaHou]

13. you knew him?

That is unbelievably special.

The Skins weren't prepared for him, I guess.

Other timely suggestions? I would love to hear more.

[TahitiNut]

17. Yup. We worked out together ...

... mostly on the trampoline. I was on the swim team (breast stroke) and "Commander Otto" was hugely respected and liked by everyone I knew. He decided to coach at the USCGA because football wasn't a 'business' there -- it was relatively unspoiled, with a cadet student body that was entirely in good physical condition and not preparing to go pro. He took guys who'd never played football in high school and made 'stars' out of them. He was amazing -- and wholly likeable.

That's about what Coach Newton (former Olympics swim coach) did for me, too. I never swam competitively before and he had me winning meets. The athletic program there was really good. (Abie Grossfeld was my gymnastics coach in 1962-63. Look him up.)

On edit: Here, about Abie Grossfeld --

In 1979, he was elected to National Gymnastics Hall of Fame and he was named Gymnastics Federation Coach of the Year in 1984. Grossfeld, who established the first gymnastics program at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 1962, is currently (2001) the head coach at Southern Connecticut State. Abie Grossfeld Circle became the name of a street in New Haven, Connecticut in 1979.
http://www.jewsinsports.org/Olympics.asp?sport=olympics&ID=28

And his wife, Muriel, was remarkable (hubba, hubba)! (She coached womens' Olympic Teams.)

[Catch22Dem]

12. Oh and can I just say

Tom Brady????? :puke:

[NaMeaHou]

14. He's one of the comeback kids

not just tonight, but remember the snow game against Oakland? The Super Bowl? He's proven himself to be a step above.

[1a2b3c]

19. Did you not watch the Oakland snow game?

They got robbed by a bullshit call from the officials upstairs, or as i like to call them, the Mafia. The Bucs got the same bullshit call when the Rams beat them to go on to the superbowl. Its not about the players its about the money being made off the games in Vegas.

[VermontDem2004]

25. So is Jake Plummer

21 Fourth Quarter comebacks in a 7 year career, more then any QB in history in their first 7 years. If that is the reason you list Tom Brady then list Plummer as well.

[Hawkeye-X]

16. I reject Tom Brady as the best

He's horrible. He's a cheating bastard.

- A biased Broncos fan - yes, there was several noncalls that should have went against New England.

Hawkeye-X

[Old and In the Way]

18. They had 16 penalties against them HawkeyeX

I dunno, I was really pissed when they traded Bledsoe, but I'm thinking that Brady is flatout a better quarterback than Drew. He is so cool in the clutch.He's been in the league 3 years? If he keeps this up through his career, he's going to be up there with the very best.

I have to give Belicheck credit for taking that safety, smart coaching play, I think.

[NaMeaHou]

23. Well

the officials might have been cheating bastards, but he was only playing the game. Right? It's not like he dragged someone down by their facemask . He took what the officials gave him.

[lpbk2713]

20. Y A Tittle

Probably not the "ultimate" QB but I always enjoyed watching him play. One tough SOB.

[Sheila Samples]

21. Best QB in NFL History

Bart Starr was, and still is, unriviled in calling his own game. Joe Montana was a natural -- the best that ever was. And good ol' Fran Tarkenton -- although he threw for somewhere around 43,000 yards in his career -- I'll bet he racked up more running yards than Frank Gifford by just running from sideline to sideline before he released the ball...LOL

But -- since I'm a rabid Jets and Giants fan, there's nothing wrong with Joey Namath and Y.A. Tittle...

Er...Is there?

[argyl]

22. Unitas.

xx

[VermontDem2004]

24. Easy one Dan Marino and John Elway

Those two have the best stats of any quarterback in NFL history and both of those QBs didn't exactly fade away, they retired when they were still on top of their games. Tom Brady?!? WTF?!?

Brett Farve, I agree
Dante Culpepper is the best QB in the game right now and Peyton Manning is right up there, now how the hell did Tom Brady pop up?

[Westegg]

26. Bradshaw/Steelers

I'm not gonna say that Terry Bradshaw was THE best. I think Montana, or maybe Unitas, gets that honor. But I will say that during my formative years, growing up in Pittsburgh, Bradshaw led the Steelers to FOUR Superbowl victories in SIX years. This will never happen again. The magnificence of that run, orchestrated by Terry (who called all his own plays, mind you), was a wonder to see, and will stay with me 'till my dying day.

[VermontDem2004]

29. Why not Marino?

He completed a career 60% of his passes and is number 1 all time in passing yardage, completions, and attempts and I think touchdowns as well. Unitas didn't played more years then Marino but his stats are not even close to Marino's and niether is Montana's but Montana has an outstanding career 63% completion percentage but Steve Young has the record (with a high minimum of pass attempts) with 64% of his passes completed. I am surprised so many even suggested Terry Bradshaw when he is not even in the top 10 of many all time career records but he was good, but definately not the best.

[mac56]

46. Another vote for Marino.

nm

[Room101]

27. Joe Montana - Mr. Clutch Super Bowl

Hands down 4 Super bowls! The original poster must not know anything about football to put Tom Brady on the list and leave out his child hood idol Joe Montana.

[Catch22Dem]

39. What are you talking about?

I'm the one who said Joe was my childhood idol, not the original poster.

[bluestateguy]

30. JOE MONTANA

That is a non-negotiable answer for me!!!!

You might as well slap me across the face if you snub Joe Montana.

Shame.

[Gato Moteado]

45. yeah man.....

i gotta go with montana as well. the only time i ever rooted for the 49ers was when they played dallas, but if i could take any QB in history for my team, it would be joe.

[tom_paine]

31. Joe Montana -- hands down.

Can't believe you didn't mention him in your short list.

The next tier (I won't even try to rank them, they are all great for different reasons):

Bradshaw, Staubach, Elway

Favre and Brady don't even make the top 10.

[Rooktoven]

32. Montana

Favre in second

[camero]

35. Marino

Just cause my friend say I throw like him.

[Fight_n_back]

36. Benny Friedman

of the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Or Sid Luckman Bears

or Sammy Baugh Redskins

Hey, how about Danny Boryla of the Eagles?

[ChoralScholar]

37. gonna be a tossup here

between Montana and Favre.

Favre seemed to have the scramble game down better than Montana.

[maveric]

38. Elway.

If I had to have any QB in the final minutes of the "big game" I'd pick Elway. He could manage a clock, inspire his teammates, and move the chains like no other.
Absolutely the greatest!

[ProudGerman]

41. Ummmm, I'm thinking of a Super Bowl against the Bengals

Something about a 92 yard drive with 3:10 left on the clock, down 16-13. He was so cool and collected on that last drive that he even pointed out John Candy in the stands to his tackle to get him to loosen up.

Let's see here. Montana and Elway. Montana is a perfect 4 and 0 in the big game, Elway is 2 and 4. Montana's QB rating for the big game is the highest in league history, Elway's is dismal.(except for the last one he was in, his best performance in the big game was pedestrian at best)

Joe Montana is the grestest QB of all time, he played on a whole other level from everybody else.

[dpbrown]

42. Brett Favre

And he's still playing, meaning he could surpass even more of the past greats.

[Ishoutandscream]

43. Staubach for me. The original Captain Comeback

African-American players that played with Roger said if they had to have one white man in a fight with them, it was Roger. He never, ever gave up.

But in all fairness, Johnny Unitas was the greatest ever.

[kodi]

47. having met roger as a kid he was my favorite, but montana played better

it was only with grudging respect that i consider montana better.

i grew up next door to the man who coached roger at annapolis. his wife told me i reminder her of roger when he first arrived at the naval academy....best compliment i ever received.

[VelmaD]

49. If I'm behind with 2 minutes left...

give me Roger Staubach every time.

I grew up in the Dallas area and when I was little I wanted to grow up to be Roger Staubach. :-)

[MissMillie]

44. How do you put Brady over Bledsoe?

Bledsoe was in Hall of Fame league before anyone ever heard of Brady.

[ScreamingMeemie]

48. Brett Favre...Elway should have played with the Colts...

then I might have considered him.

[bif]

50. Bobby Layne

1950s Detroit Lions quarterback.