Best QB In NFL History?

[Maynard]

The Browns played in a league called the AAFC that was a rival league to the NFL in the 1940's. It was an 8 team league. The NFL absorbed the Browns and the 49ers from that league in 1950. The Browns promptly beat the defending NFL champion Philadelphia Eagles that year 35-0, I believe it was their first regualar season game.

yep. Graham played in the AAFC for 4 years, then the nfl for 6 years. During which time he had 10 championship appearances and won 7 of them

 

[shag773]

But he wasn't even on the list....Marino was (as was Namath and Griese, LOL).

I agree, Favre deserves to be considered as the GOAT. But the poster I quoted stated because Favre owns all these record, it makes him the best. Holding NFL records are great, but his flaws (INT's, laying eggs over and over again in the playoffs this decade) put him a step below some other quarterbacks.

 

[adembroski]

aikman?!?!?! wow. bradshaw > aikman. shit man, elway was betterthan aikman, so was jim kelly.

joe cool or johnny U are always gonna be number 1 and 1-a in my book.

Elway/Young/Aikman/Kelly are all pretty interchangable. Aikman won 3 Superbowls in 4 years, that's why I give him the edge. Yes, I acknowledge that Aikman also had the most talent around him of this group (with the exception of Steve Young's '94 team)... but honestly, I don't care what the team is around you, you get 4 shots at a championship and lose every one? No, you don't get ahead of a 3 time winner on this list.

Elway of the late '90s was not the same QB as Elway of the late '80s. John Elway was, for most of his career, Brett Favre with a lesser arm and an utter inability to read a zone defense. Elway ddin't join the "all time great" category until he started winning Superbowls.

Steve Young was the most physically talented of the four, by a long ways. He was more accurate than Aikman, more mobile than Elway, and as intelligent as Kelly. If it hadn't been for the loss of Ricky Watters... who they took 3 years to replace... I think he'd be the best among these names.

Terry Bradshaw sucked. He should be NOWHERE near this discussion.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

Aikman was one of the most accurate passers i've ever seen.

I'm not backing up any points or taking a particular side, just felt like adding that.

 

[KoRnStARr]

Where's Brady?

 

[Senser81]

Elway/Young/Aikman/Kelly are all pretty interchangable. Aikman won 3 Superbowls in 4 years, that's why I give him the edge. Yes, I acknowledge that Aikman also had the most talent around him of this group (with the exception of Steve Young's '94 team)... but honestly, I don't care what the team is around you, you get 4 shots at a championship and lose every one? No, you don't get ahead of a 3 time winner on this list.

Elway of the late '90s was not the same QB as Elway of the late '80s. John Elway was, for most of his career, Brett Favre with a lesser arm and an utter inability to read a zone defense. Elway ddin't join the "all time great" category until he started winning Superbowls.

Steve Young was the most physically talented of the four, by a long ways. He was more accurate than Aikman, more mobile than Elway, and as intelligent as Kelly. If it hadn't been for the loss of Ricky Watters... who they took 3 years to replace... I think he'd be the best among these names.

John Elway made it to three SBs with his best WR being Vance Johnson, his best RB being Sammy Winder, his best TE being Clarence Kay, and his best lineman being Billy Bryan. I don't think those guys will be confused with Jerry Rice, Michael Irvin, Emmitt Smith, Brent Jones, Jay Novacek, Larry Allen, Erik Williams, etc.

I wouldn't rate Young over Elway, and Aikman and Kelly wouldn't even be in the same discussion as Elway.

 

[ralaw]

The best all-time QB debates annoy me, because you have a group of people who simply look at number of championships won and rank the players, yet they'll rank guys like Favre ahead of a guy like Elway. They'll then downgrade players like Aikmen, because "he played with better talent" or they'll say someting like "Elway didn't win anything until he got Terrell Davis," but they'll ingore the fact that Montana (who is their #1 choice) played with all-time great players throughout his 4 championships.....and Marino just confuses them. It just doesn't make any sense.

 

[dell71]

Uhhh he had over 50,000 passing yards and 300 TD's, as well as a great playoff record (not so much in the Super Bowl). He was in the discussion, or it's a stupid discussion.

I'm not a big Elway guy, but I agree he was in the discussion.

And I'd add, I don't think he had a "lesser arm" than anyone - Farve, included. Anyone who doesn't think so, please look up "the Elway Cross."

 

[Senser81]

The best all-time QB debates annoy me, because you have a group of people who simply look at number of championships won and rank the players, yet they'll rank guys like Favre ahead of a guy like Elway. They'll then downgrade players like Aikmen, because "he played with better talent" or they'll say someting like "Elway didn't win anything until he got Terrell Davis," but they'll ingore the fact that Montana (who is their #1 choice) played with all-time great players throughout his 4 championships.....and Marino just confuses them. It just doesn't make any sense.

The way I look at is...could QB A have done better than QB B in the same situation?

I rate Montana high because I don't think any other QB could have performed better than Montana. I rate Elway high because I don't think any other QB could have gotten the 1986-89 Broncos to 3 Super Bowls. Compare that to Steve Young...I think any decent QB could have won the Super Bowl with the 1994 49ers.

 

[KINGOFOOTBALL]

Elway-- Was always in the discussion as one of the greatest. No clue what NFL games Adem was watching. Him having a lesser arm then ANYONE is downright ridiculous. Strongest arm on that list period.

Young-Nowhere near as physically talented as Aikman/Favre/Elway. He had the weakest arm of the GOAT guys. He was very accurate and did have great running ability. Consistently had the most or narely second most talented team int he league and the best WR for years yet consistently lost to Favre/Aikman in the playoffs. Hes an all time great but in no way can get listed above those 2.

Kelly-- Again 0-4 on an elitely talented team.

Aikman-- Most accurate passer on the list. Only Marino could match that release and accuracy.

Young/Aikman/Kelly are all below Elway.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

John Elway made it to three SBs with his best WR being Vance Johnson, his best RB being Sammy Winder, his best TE being Clarence Kay, and his best lineman being Billy Bryan. I don't think those guys will be confused with Jerry Rice, Michael Irvin, Emmitt Smith, Brent Jones, Jay Novacek, Larry Allen, Erik Williams, etc.

I wouldn't rate Young over Elway, and Aikman and Kelly wouldn't even be in the same discussion as Elway.

Ricky Nattiel! Mark Jackson! Steve Watson!

The Three Amigos, and a slow white guy.

Hey, remember when Vance Johnson sued "Inside The NFL", because they showed his wang? I remember it vividly....it was clip of Dan Reeves giving a locker room speech, and there was Johnson's johnson, in all it's i'm-not-exactly-doing-the-black-man-stereotype-justice "glory".

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Montana for me.

I think Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, when they are both all done, will be rated quite highly. I'd put both ahead of Marino, who was a great passer, but he was never able to get his team over the hump. Elway is Top 5, might be in that Top 3.

 

[ralaw]

The way I look at is...could QB A have done better than QB B in the same situation?

I rate Montana high because I don't think any other QB could have performed better than Montana. I rate Elway high because I don't think any other QB could have gotten the 1986-89 Broncos to 3 Super Bowls. Compare that to Steve Young...I think any decent QB could have won the Super Bowl with the 1994 49ers.

I have no issues with that, because you're grading a player based on what they did with what they had to work with. My main issue comes with actually figuring the criteria for who is the best. Obviously, stats combined with championships won have to come into play, but to what extent? Is Tom Brady a better QB than Peyton Manning simply because he has 3 superbowls to Manning’s one? I just don’t think its that simple of a comparison. Before the superbowls we all know Elway was an all-time great talent, yet after the superbowls he “cemented his legacy”, but did it cement his career, because his stats didn’t change? After 2 superbowls did he become a better player or just have a better team, better coach and a better matchup then what he had in his 3 prior superbowl appearances? I don’t recall Dan Marino being surrounded by a lot of talent either. Who was his best runningback (you would know better than me)…Karim Abdul-Jabbar?

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

I have no issues with that, because you're grading a player based on what they did with what they had to work with. My main issue comes with actually figuring the criteria for who is the best. Obviously, stats combined with championships won have to come into play, but to what extent? Is Tom Brady a better QB than Peyton Manning simply because he has 3 superbowls to Manning’s one? I just don’t think its that simple of a comparison. Before the superbowls we all know Elway was an all-time great talent, yet after the superbowls he “cemented his legacy”, but did it cement his career, because his stats didn’t change? After 2 superbowls did he become a better player or just have a better team, better coach and a better matchup then what he had in his 3 prior superbowl appearances? I don’t recall Dan Marino being surrounded by a lot of talent either. Who was his best runningback (you would know better than me)…Karim Abdul-Jabbar?

Early on, Shula was primarily using FB's to run the ball, like Andra Franklin and Tony Nathan.

Later, it was mediocre bum after mediocre bum like Sammy Smith, Bernie Parmalee, and Abdul Jabar.

 

[KINGOFOOTBALL]

Peyton No doubt about it

PS the people who say brett favre should be on the list are retarded. The only reason he has those records cause he's been in the league for 19 years. Peyton has been in th eleague for 12 years an dhas 336 TDs. Brett=4something. Peytons all ready almost has that but would be 4 years earlier then brett

He's right you guys. NFL awards passing TDs based strictly on seniority.

 

[Pitty]

It's Marino.

 

[Esjay]

Can't believe Bob Griese and Joe Namath are on this list without Peyton, Brady ...

OP didn't even know who Fran Tarkenton was? How are you gonna make a poll like this if you don't know who Fran Tarkenton is.

Anyway, I'll take Elway.

 

[MrBill]

Peyton No doubt about it

PS the people who say brett favre should be on the list are retarded. The only reason he has those records cause he's been in the league for 19 years. Peyton has been in th eleague for 12 years an dhas 336 TDs. Brett=4something. Peytons all ready almost has that but would be 4 years earlier then brett

I'm pretty sure that Favre broke ever major record in fewer games than had been played by the original owner.

 

[Nukleopatra]

Whoa! I didn't even see Griese's name until right now. Seriously, WTF?

''We did it......... we did it.''

 

[Cryolemon]

Homer pick: Marino
Non-homer pick: Baugh, Graham or Elway.