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The quarterback is the most crucial position in American football. Also known as the signal-caller, the quarterback is responsible for drawing up the play and making the right plays inside the football field. In the history of the NFL, we’ve seen one too many great quarterbacks throughout the years.
Here are the Top 10 best quarterbacks ever, in the history of the NFL:
10. Otto Graham
Otto Graham’s NFL career is shorter than the careers of the other players on this list. But in the 10 years he played, Automatic Otto was one of the most dominant players in the NFL. Graham led the Cleveland Browns to the league championship game in every season of his career, helping the team win seven of them. With Graham as their starting quarterback, the Browns posted a record of 114-20 with four ties and a 9-3 record in the playoffs. During his time, he set many quarterback records but most have been broken. However, his 8.98 yards gained per pass career average may be one that is almost impossible to break. Graham finished his career with 23,584 yards passing, 174 TDs, 135 interceptions, and an 86.6% passer rating. Graham won three NFL titles and was a three-time UPI NFL MVP.
9. Roger Staubach
When you look at Roger Staubach’s numbers, you’d find out that he wasn’t a very accurate passer. Staubach had a low completion rate of 57% and a 3.7% interception rate but what makes him an all-time great is his ability to deliver in the clutch and his winning legacy. He had a 74.6% winning percentage which is hard to touch. Staubach had the uncanny ability to scramble and pull out late wins. In total Roger, the Dodger had 21 game-winning drives in his 11-year NFL career. After winning the Heisman Trophy in 1963, he served the military in Vietnam and only joined the Dallas Cowboys in 1969, which even makes his feats more impressive. Staubach is the unofficial father of the Hail Mary pass after he connected with Drew Pearson on a 50-yard touchdown pass with 24 seconds left to lead the Cowboys to a 17-14 win in the 1975 playoffs.
8. Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers is on this list for many reasons. First, his accuracy is truly exceptional. Rodgers has 338 career touchdowns versus only 80 interceptions. The other quarterbacks in NFL history who have reached the 300-TD club averaged 170 interceptions when they reached the milestone. When it comes to intangibles, Rodgers may be the best. He is a very poised passer who can detect and evade pressure. His ability to read defenses is spectacular. Rodgers game IQ is among the highest we’ve ever seen. His arm strength is impressive. And don’t forget that his 7.9 yards per pass average ranks only next to Otto Graham in this list. Rodgers is a two-time NFL MVP, the MVP of Super Bowl XLV, Super Bowl XLV champion and 7-time Pro-Bowler as of 2018. Rodgers is one of two active quarterbacks on this list.
7. John Elway
John Elway was ahead of his time. In an era where teams put a premium on a quarterback’s passing, Elway was truly exceptional with running the ball. In fact, he is the only quarterback to score on a rushing touchdown in four different Super Bowls. Overall, he rushed for 3.403 yards with 33 rushing touchdowns during his 16-year career. He is also one of the most clutch quarterbacks in history with a total of four 4th quarter comebacks and six game-winning drives in the postseason. Elway led the Broncos to five trips to the Super Bowl and won two. He was Super Bowl XXXII MVP and the 1987 NFL MVP. Elway was also a two-time AFC Offensive Player of the Year and a 9-time Pro-Bowl selection. At the end of his career, Elway finished with a total of 51,475 yards with 300 touchdowns.
6. Dan Marino
When we talk about the great quarterbacks in the NFL, we look at their stats, intangibles, and wins. Dan Marino has the numbers and the traits of the greats but what hurts him in many All-Time Greats conversation is that he never won an NFL title. But just because he was never able to hoist the Lombardi trophy doesn’t mean that he didn’t win and that he isn’t a winner. Dan Marino reached the playoffs in 10 of his 17 seasons. When he retired, he held nearly all of the NFL’s passing records. He was the NFL’s MVP and the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 1984. Marino was a nine-time Pro-Bowler who finished his career with 61,361 yards with 420 touchdowns and a passer rating of 86.4%
5. Brett Favre
Like the others on this list, Brett Favre wasn’t known for his accuracy. At 336 career interceptions thrown, that’s pretty significant. But when you find out that Favre threw 30+ touchdowns in nine seasons and ended his career with a total of 508 touchdowns, you realize how much he meant to the Packers. He was the heart and soul of the franchise and forget the interceptions. When you’re called the Gunslinger, it means you’re willing to make high rewards by taking the high risks. Definitely, there are more than a handful of signal-callers who have better-throwing mechanics than Brett Favre. However, he was one of a kind and a very special player. Some would argue his greatness because of only one Super Bowl ring. But remember that his 186 regular season wins were a record as with his 6,300 passing completions. He was also second in 71,838 and touchdowns with 508 when he called it a career.
4. Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning is one of the best regular season quarterbacks in the history of the NFL. His five NFL MVP awards are proof of that. When you talk about the regular season, nobody did it better than Peyton Manning. His 65.3% completion rate despite throwing a total of 9,380 passes is remarkable. If I could clone a quarterback, the first thing I would copy would be Manning’s brain. His ability to read coverages and win the mental war versus opposing defensive coordinators is second to none. He made life easy for his offensive line by efficiently avoiding the pressure. Manning’s 303 sacks in 17 seasons are incredibly a low number. Manning finished his career with a total of 71,940 yards and 539 touchdowns. He had a 95.6% passer ratings and was a two-time Super Bowl winner. Super Bowl XLI MVP, 14-time Pro-Bowler and two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
3. Johnny Unitas
Before Joe Montana was “Joe Cool”, Johnny Unitas was that. At 6-1, he was undersized for a passer but he led one of the most formidable passing offenses in the history of the NFL. Not only that, he was a great leader who made his team believe that they could win. They won two NFL championships and a victory at Super Bowl V. Like many of the greats, Unitas had a low completion rate and high interception rate of 54.6 and 4.9. But like the others, his offensive production overshadowed his inaccuracy. He revolutionized the quarterback position during a run-first era. He once held the record for consecutive games with touchdown passes at 52. Unitas retired with a total of 40,239 yards with 290 touchdowns and 253 interceptions. He had a passer rating of 78.2%. Unitas was a 10-time Pro-Bowl selection and a three-time NFL MVP.
2. Joe Montana
Joe Montana was a pure winner. He won four Super Bowls, three Super Bowl MVP awards and two NFL MVP awards. And don’t forget he never lost a Super Bowl. During the San Francisco 49ers’ 1988-89 playoff runs, Montana threw a total of 19 touchdowns with just one interception as the 49ers won back-to-back Super Bowl titles. He was dubbed as “Joe Cool” because of his ability to deliver under pressure. During Super Bowl XXIII, Montana led a 97-yard winning touchdown run as his team came from 13-16 down to win. Joe Cool had a career passer rating of 92.3% and he retired with a total of 40,551 yards passing with 273 touchdowns and 139 interceptions. He had a completion rate of 63.2 and averaged 7.5 yards gained per pass.
1. Tom Brady
Many would agree that Tom Brady is the GOAT, that is the greatest of all-time. Forget Deflate-gate, Brady’s six Super Bowl titles are remarkable and the most by any football player ever. He has won four Super Bowl MVP, the most by any player in history and is also a three-time MVP. Brady is the oldest player to win both awards. In his 17 seasons (and counting) as the Patriots starting quarterback, he’s led them to nine Super Bowl appearances, which is another record. Brady’s 14 Pro-Bowl selections are tied for the most by any player in NFL history. His 16 division titles won are also a record. Brady also ranks 4th all-time in passing yards and 3rd all-time in touchdowns. Only Brady and Brett Favre have ever thrown for 70,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards. He’s never had a losing season in his career and he is the only quarterback to win at least 200 games during the regular season. The scary thing about Tom Brady is that he is still playing at age 41 and is coming off another Super Bowl winning season.
