The 20 Greatest QBs in the history of the NFL

1.Brady
2.Montana
3.Manning
4.Mahomes
5.Rodgers

 

They have Young, but they don't have Montana? What the...?

 

I'm surprised Kenny Stabler and Dan Fouts aren't in the top 20.

 

They need to switch #s 1 and 2. Imagine how many SBs Montana would have if he'd had a coach that was willing to cheat?

 

I have a hard time including really old QB's. The game was so different. Unitas completed 50% of his passes, threw 24 picks in 12 games and its a PB season. It's just too hard to compare the eras IMO. I'd have Ben a bit higher (I would put him ahead of Bradshaw).

Young is overrated on this list. He was really only a starter for 8 years, though they were really good years. I'd have him a touch lower (behind Marino and probably behind Ben). Warner shouldn't be on the list at all IMO. His career was so short lived (but in a flash of a moment he was elite). He's a hard sell for me to say he's better than Stafford (or really guys like Rivers or Eli Manning too).

 

No BOB GRIESE
WTF

 

Admittedly, I can't stand the kid, but I think Mahomes is just so overrated. And Marino, so underrated.

 

Montana is #2 on the list.

 

A site I came across a few years ago tried to rate QBs using some fancy analysis adjusting for NFL eras.

Not so interested in the rating itself but the trends are fascinating. Brady never peaked during his playing days. Montana didn't either. Contrast that with Marino, Rodgers and Roethlisberger. Rodgers has been the same QB since about middle of 2021 season. Roethlisberger peaked around middle of 2020.



(X-axis is games played including post seasons, Y-axis is 'rating')

 

Very likely. For sure AR is in the top ten.

 

You have to click to see the whole list. The top 5 are cut off in the post here.

 

No Antwaan Randle El?


22of27 for 6TDs and 0INTs

 

Where's Bubby Brister?

 

Warner did win two NFL MVP along with winning a Super Bowl helps him get on the list.

 

for some reason
I now feel like playing
MISSILE COMMAND
or
ETCHASKETCH

 

A fun look at only Steelers QBs.... man those '80s... yoi;

 

He is so highly thought of, they even got his name wrong on this collector pin.

 

I laugh at the whole Idea of a regular season MVP meaning so much to people that complain about winning a Playoff game. Doesn't make a lick of sense.
Also many of the Qbs back in the day would not be so good today, and many of the Qbs today couldn't have survived back then.

 

Ah, thanks.

 

Yeah, I mean... I know why he's on the list. Its just a very weird career. Doesn't get a shot until he's 28, plays 3 crazy good seasons, goes 0-7 in his next starts and is out in Saint Louis. He starts 9 games before Eli Manning gets a shot, goes 8-18 in his next 26 starts in Arizona and then has two really nice seasons to end his career. Its just short and either really good or terrible. Not a lot in between. Hard for me to say he's one of the top 20 QB's that's ever played. Just my opinion though.

 

Both were good at times but for a career neither were great

 

X axis is games? But I don't think that Brady played that many more games than Ben did?

Y axis says it's "era adjust QB rating"...but is it cumulative or moving average (maybe a moving sum since the numbers ar so big?) or something? I've never seen a QB rating in the 10k range.

Odd that N'OD is negative for the entire curve. Which seems odd to me given that he led our best passing attack between Bradshaw and Ben. Dramatically worse than Stewart?

Basically, I don't think I understand what either axis is on your graph.

 

It is so difficult to compare eras just on numbers. You end up with a lot of "eye test" measurements and then we all have to rely on our memories to be accurate.

I think it is also fun to think about guys that either didn't really ever launch their career or didn't have the smoothest career and how they might have been viewed in a different era.

Randall Cunningham if he played now instead of when he did. I think his whole career looks like a better version of what he did at the end with the Vikings.
Doug Flutie if he came out now when people weren't so set about height. I think he makes a mark in the NFL.
Rich Gannon. I think in another era, he doesn't sit on the bench for half his career.

Brain is too slow this morning to add more...but I am sure there are many.

Interesting note about the BR list....many of the QBs on that list mention Aaron Rodgers as the best they have seen play. Interesting to try and determine what the parameters should be...winning....championships..."arm talent"...etc.

Also, Otto Grahamn feels too low

 

Kurt Warner deserve to be in this list.I mean,2 MVP and 3 super bowl apparence including one with the Arizona Cardinals!

And he had the best story of all-time!