Who is the greatest NFL Qb ever to play?

[onewarrior5]

Heres a list. If you had to choose one to start francise who would you pick?


1.Joe Montana


2.Steve Young


3.Dan Marino


4.John Elway


5.Troy Aikman


6.Terry Bradshaw


7.Brett Favre


8.Peyton Manning


9.Bart Starr


10.Roger Staubach


11.Joe Namath


12.Jim Plunkett


13.Johnny Unitas


I decided to keep the list to 13.Out of this list who would be your NUMBER 1 pick?


REMEMBER just pick one.


I would pick Joe Montana as my number one overall.I feel he is the greatest quarterback to ever play the game.The guy was clutch all the time and always made the big play no matter what and went 4-0 in SuperBowl play. Edited by: onewarrior5

 

[Bart]

I would have to pick Montana as no. 1 becausehe was outstanding and hisperformances in Super Bowlswereflawless. Otto Graham should be on your list somewhere. My top five would be something like this: Montana, Young, Unitas, Staubach, Starr. I 'm not sure if Manning has played long enough but if he's to be considered you'd have to include Tom Brady. Joe Namath in my opinion doesn't belongin the top ten. I realize the game is different and more quarterback friendly today but he had something like 175 touchdowns to 225 interceptions.

 

[Kaptain]

I would pick Fran Tarketon. I see he didn't make your list at all!!!??? Fran was a great scrambler, but he often also lead the league in passing right up to the year he retired. When he retired he held every Quarterback record there was - not to be broken for a couple of decades. He was the first to use what is now referred to as the "West Coast Offense" during his years with the giants and bringing that offense to the Vikings later. He was great in the clutch and a great field general. He was also the most innovative and exciting quarterback to have ever played IMO. The knock on him is of course that he didn't win any superbowls. If that is the criteria for great quaterbacks then Marino and others have to be taken off the list and bums like Doug Williams need to be added. I think we can all agree that that is ridiculous.

 

[Don Wassall]

I would have to go with Montana too, though it is a tough list to pick from (except for Jim Plunkett!). Some fans would probably want to see Otto Graham and Sammy Baugh added to the list. I hope that in a few more years Peyton Manning will be on everyone's short list. I wouldn't mind at all if he became the best ever. He has the talent, works extremely hard, and unlike the others is playing in an era that is set up for black QBs to get all the hype and glory.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

I agree with those comments on Peyton, Don. I too would pick Montana over all the rest. He may not have "had it all", but he did it all, and that's all that matters!

 

[onewarrior5]

I apologize if i missed a few other names.I did however leave out some very credible names.

 

[Bart]

kaptain, you're right about Tarkenton. If he had four Super Bowl rings instead of losses the perception of him would be much higher. If Jim Kelley had won some SB's his overall ranking would be much higher than it is in the eyes of sports fans. Fortunately for Elway, he won with the Bronco's or he would be remebered as an also ran. Marino didn't even make it to a Super Bowl, if he won a ring or two he may be considered in the top three, he could certainly throw the ball as well as anyone. It's almost better to never play in a Super Bowl than to be remembered only as a loser when given the chance.

 

[jaxvid]

I don't think the question is who was the "best" but who would you like to start a franchise with. Montana might not be the best guy since he had a pretty good supporting cast over the years. Tarkington would be too small for today's game.

I would pick Steve Young or John Elway. Young was a TREMENDOUS athlete, something a lot of people forget due to the system he played in. Elway was a good athlete too, and a clutch player, as well as a great passer.

 

[sunshine]

Elway would qualify as a great athlete--one of the best. He was a standout rightfielder who may have starred in baseball as well. Overall I give him an edge in athletic ability over Vick. He was stronger and had a better arm. Vick runs better but Elway was a better all around athlete. In fact I could be wrong but Vick was a catching prospect, which indicates to me he lacked the lithe and cooridinated movements to play in the outfield or ss,3B etc.. Sure Vick is fast and has moves but Elway would make a better decathlete I believe.. As for best----Montana maybe. Not certain.

 

[JoeV]

Elway was one of the most overrated sucky quarterbacks of our generation. I think he is half black, and going broke as we speak.

 

[Bart]

Dan Patrick last week asked Favre which quarterback he would pick, other than himself to win a big game. Brett said he would choose Tom Brady.

 

[jaxvid]

Elway was one of the most overrated sucky quarterbacks of our generation. I think he is half black, and going broke as we speak.

Not an Elway fan?

I thought he did a pretty good job with Denver. Why all the hate?

 

[Quiet Speed]

It's hard not to go with Joe Montana. He was cool as a cucumber under pressure. Tom Brady has some of that magic. Just for the sheer enjoyment of watching someone do their thing, Dan Marino in his prime was tops.

 

[Kaptain]

Height is over-rated IMO. How many successful 6'6" quaterbacks have there been? If Doug Flutie at 5'9" can pass the ball as he has in the NFLand the CFL then 6'0" quarterbacks can as well.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

It all depends on what a person means by greatest. Do you look at overall athleticism, leadership, wins, accuracy, or longevity? The answers could be myriad, depending on which of these it is.

 

[whiteCB]

I agree with JoeV all the way about Elway. That Mr.Ed buck tooth muther you know what can burn in hell for all I care. As for the list I can't take seriously as Otto Graham is no where to be found. I mean come on you list 13 QBs and Otto's not on the list at all. What gives?

 

[sport historian]

A QB who used to be on those lists, but isn't on them now, is Norm Van Brocklin. This is possibly because of Van Brocklin's coaching career. Van Brocklin was noted for being on two NFL champions, the 1951Rams and 1960 Eagles. He was an example of the QB who couldn't run at all, but was a phenomenal passer. Norm was one of the first great long-distance passers.


Van Brocklin had the distinction of winning a title with the weakest team ever to win an NFL Championship. For many years, this was his claim to fame. The 1960 Eagles had nohigh-caliber runner, plus a mediocre defense. Van Brocklin at QB,Tommy MacDonald at WR, and Chuck Bednarik playing both ways inspired an average team to beat the Packers in the 1960 title game. This was the only playoff game Lombardi lost. I remember seeing it on TV at age ten.

 

[White Shogun]

You guys surprise me. Elway not one of the best? What gives? And last I heard, he was far from going broke, too. If Elway's bad, I hope your opinion of Vick is even worse.

And Dan Marino did make it to the Super Bowl, his sophomore year in the league. The Dolphins lost to the 49ers 38-16.

 

[Bart]

White Shogun, I had totally forgotten about Marino in a Super Bowl! He unfortunately was up against Montana who had a Super game.


Joe Montana became the Super Bowl's third two-time Most Valuable Player, joining Bart Starr and Terry Bradshaw. Montana led the 49ers to their second Super Bowl title in three years, a 38-16 victory over Miami. He passed for a Super Bowl-record 331 yards, completing 24 of 35 passes. Three of those completions were for touchdowns and Montana added a rushing touchdown. He also gained 59 yds. running the ball in 6 attempts.

 

[jaxvid]

I think Dan Fouts should be on that list. He had a similar career to Marino, in fact Marino probably broke all his yardage recards.

I think Fouts is a decent commentator too. Any comments?

 

[Bart]

Jaxvid, Steve Young was a great quarterback and athlete, no doubt about it but Joe Montana was more athletical than people realize.


Richmond-Times Dispatch Feb. 2005. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Joe Montana, as a 6-1 high school senior, could dunk a basketball. Baseball scouts couldn't decide whether he was a better major-league prospect as an everyday player or as a pitcher. "I don't know that there was a game he couldn't play," said former NFL teammate Randy Cross. "He's gotten his due as a quarterback, but he's seriously underappreciated as an athlete."
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[Gary]

Johnny Unitas would be my pick-but Otto Graham led the Browns to the Championship game almost every year he played.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

I think Dan Fouts is an ok announcer. He doesn't run his mouth constantly, and I guess that's why I don't really recall how he has been toward white players. Maybe someone else has paid better attention than me to his announcing.

 

[Bart]

I did some checking at a football stat site and came to the conclusion, I've bee too tough on quartebacks of yesterday who didn't have the stats of today's players. It was a much different game. They threw a greater amount of passes way downfield and ba - ruther did they ever take a beating! Remember those Mickey Mouse face masks? And boy, did they take some wicked hits which would are not allowed today. Defenders knew if they could murder the QB, the game would be about over. Todays rules are so skewed toward protecting them it's pathetic. Was it Bradshaw who being irritated with the rule changes favoring QB's, said they ought to make em wear dresses?


Brett Favre is a durable player but I seriously doubt he would have had his ironman streak if he played years ago. Who was tougher than Bobby Layne? It amazes me that Sonny Jurgenson isn't mentioned as an all-time great. And he had a damn goodTD - INT ratio for his day. I don't remember the year or for that matter the decade but I saw areporter on the sideline during warm-ups asking Sonny if he could still whip the ball. Sonny had gotten older, was coming off of injuriesand his belly was even bigger than usual. Sonny decided to do a little showing off. He waived to a player and told him to run a route. He then threw the ball on a rope and hit the guy in stride. I bet he lasered it at least 40 yards. No big deal you say? I forgot to mention he threw it behind his back ! I'm not kidding. Sports Historian, do you recall seeing that footage?

 

[Don Wassall]

Bart, it was Jack Lambert who made the comment that quarterbacks should have to wear dresses. He said it around the same time he showed up at training camp one year with a pickup truck that sported the bumpersticker "This Truck Doesn't Break for Liberals"

Wonder whatLambert thinks of the rules now. One of the most vicious tackles of all time was when DT Turkey Jones of the Browns picked Bradshaw up and planted him, head first, into the turf.Anyone doing that now wouldprobably be banned for life from the NFL.