What QBs are approaching all-time great status?

[NinerSickness]

So this talk about Eli Manning in the other thread got me thinking about the amazing talent at QB in the NFL right now. For clarification, these are my top 5 QBs of all time (in alphabetical order to avoid the debate of who's better than whom):

Manning (Peyton)
Montana
Unitas
Warner
Young

I'll never put Brady on any list because his legacy is tainted by spygate: Matt stone trey parker interview south park - YouTube

So what QBs currently playing have a chance of sneaking into the top 10 or even 7 of all time? One guy who was well on his way, IMO, was Rivers before his horrible '11 season, but I think he'll bounce back. He's gonna need a lot more postseason succcess to get into the discussion....

Eli Manning, including postseason, has been amazing 2 out of the last 4 seasons. He's proven to be a better postseason QB than Brady (when the Pats aren''t cheating), and a much better postseason QB than Peyton. A few more seasons like he's had lately and you gotta put him in the discussion. On a related note, Tom Coughlin is a HOF coach already IMO. I've been trashing the Jags ever since they fired him.

Brees is in the same boat as Eli IMO, but he's a few years older & only has 1 ring. The dude's been great, but I think he's gonna have to win at least 1 more superbowl to be on this elite list.

Before you mention him, I think it's impossible to cmopare Otto Graham to SB era QBs, but he was amazing too. And I think Elway, Marino & Favre are 3 of the most overrated QBs of all time. I'd take the super-efficient, accurate, quick release of Kurt Warner over them any day.

Any current player I'm forgetting?

 

[Smart]

Brady and Peyton should both be considered top 5 QBs all-time IMO.

Brees is probably somewhere around #12.

Aaron Rodgers (the guy you are forgetting) is probably about #18 and climbing.

I get that Eli has won two SBs, but I still can't put him as an all-time great. He's joined by McNabb, Rivers, and possibly Romo as very good QBs that don't cut in on a top 25 all-time list. I'd expand more on this, but I need to get to sleep.

 

[grayghost668]

you guys will say I'm crazy,,,but




Montana
Bradshaw ( 4 SB wins in 6 years I don't think it will ever be topped }
Brady
Farve

I'm not a fan of Manning

 

[numone9er]

As much as i dislike Brady and the whole spygate thing i have to list him in the top 10 somewhere.

I think Peyton is the greatest QB of all time, but I just can't put him above Montana because Montana's team was more consistently successful and he could always be depended on in crunch situations. Peyton's final drive against the Saints in the Super Bowl is a huge factor in this discussion.

Current QB's would only be Peyton, Brady, Brees, and Eli.

I think when all is said and done Aaron Rodgers will go down as the greatest QB of all time. He's already got 1 ring and I think it's unrealistic to believe he won't get at least 1 more before he retires (especially with the the FO is running that team). I'll leave him out for now though because IMO he needs another couple of seasons under his belt to be included.

Montana
Peyton Manning
Eli Manning
Tom Brady
Unitas
Drew Brees
Steve Young
Bart Starr
Brett Favre
Terry Bradshaw (how can you have 4 Super Bowl Rings and not be on this list?)

 

[NinerSickness]

Tp be clear, if Brady didn't have a giant asterisk, he'd be a top 5 all time QB. However, he's a tainted sample I have to throw away. In other words, I wouldn't put him on a top 100 list of all time QBs because, in my mind, he's disqualified.

I get that Eli has won two SBs, but I still can't put him as an all-time great. He's joined by McNabb, Rivers, and possibly Romo as very good QBs that don't cut in on a top 25 all-time list. I'd expand more on this, but I need to get to sleep.

First of all, Eli didn't just win 2 SBs. He played absolutely phenominally for stretches of like 8 games including the playoffs 2 out of the last 4 seasons. That kind of consistency and high level of play when it matters most is extremely hard to find, and it's more valuable than the regular season stretches like Brady's had for the last few years. His accuracy in the playoffs and ability to make AMAZING throws to pick up first down after first down this last postseason was jaw dropping.

Also, McNabb's name belongs nowhere near the names on this list. He was a slightly above average QB during the course of his career. How he got so much hype is beyind me. Romo's got a LONG way to go before he deserves mention as well....

The one guy I forgot to mention is Roethlisberger. I can't stand the guy, but he's been a pretty amazing, consistent and efficient QB.

 

[clyde_carbon]

I'm very offended that Stafford isn't on this list.

 

[clyde_carbon]

you guys will say I'm crazy,,,but




Montana
Bradshaw ( 4 SB wins in 6 years I don't think it will ever be topped }
Brady
Farve

I'm not a fan of Manning

I'm too lazy to look it up, but didn't Bradshaw have more INTs than TDs? Or was that Namath?

Either way no way am I listing Bradshaw that high.

 

[Bemular]

I'm too lazy to look it up, but didn't Bradshaw have more INTs than TDs? Or was that Namath?

Either way no way am I listing Bradshaw that high.

Namath =.....173 TDs & 220 INTs
Bradshaw =...212 TDs & 210 INTs

 

[clyde_carbon]

Namath =.....173 TDs & 220 INTs
Bradshaw =...212 TDs & 210 INTs

Thanks. Both of them blew.

 

[numone9er]

I'm very offended that Stafford isn't on this list.

After 1 season?

 

[NinerSickness]

After 1 season?

Stafford will not make it in the NFL because, based on the uniform he wears, I fully expect him ot get arrested on a regular basis.

Andrew Luck deserves some consideration though.

 

[clyde_carbon]

After 1 season?

Well, he's only the greatest 23 year old QB of all time.

 

[numone9er]

Well, he's only the greatest 23 year old QB of all time.

No argument there. I have the same argument for Stafford as i do for Rodgers. It's just too early to put them on that list.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

No love for Slingin' Sammy or is he too far back.

None for Elway?

 

[fordman84]

Wow, the 49er hatred for Dallas is intense in here. No votes for Aikman?

 

[NinerSickness]

No love for Slingin' Sammy or is he too far back.

None for Elway?

Like with Otto Graham, I think it's impossible to compare pre-SB era QBs to SB era QBs. Sammy Baugh is deservedly a HOFer, and amazingly one of the best (if not THE best) punters of all time.

Elway is one of the most overrated players of all time IMO. Not saying he wasn't a great QB, but he's not even top all time 10 IMO. Great QB, but nowhere near efficient enough to be on the elite list IMO.

I did some pretty in depth analysis to show the numbers of 7 QBs (including Elway) against the average QB play of their respective eras a couple of years ago (which I'll have to update for Brady & Peyton eventually; I also did for McNabb & Boomer Essiason to show how average McNabb was) and found that Elway actually had BELOW average #'s for passer rating, completion percentage and YPA. I'll post it again to show what I got (granted, some of the #'s might be SLIGHTLY off because I was staring at #'s for hours).

 

[TheNinerMind]

Wanna see how overrated John Elway is? Analyze his play with Mike Shanahan in the 80's and then late 90's. Then check out his play without Shanahan in the early and mid-90's.

 

[NinerSickness]

Numbers against the average in their respective eras

Passer Rating:

1. Young + 16.788
2. Montana + 14.316
3. Peyton + 9.827
4. Warner + 8.638
5. Brady* + 7.811 * <----
6. Marino + 6.338
7. Favre + 0.015
8. Elway - 0.007

Yards Per Attempt:

1. Young + .877
2. Warner + .850
3. Manning + .538
4. Montana + .370
5. Marino + .214
6. Brady* +.209 * <---
7. Favre + .007
8. Elway - .031

Completion Percentage:

1. Young + 6.200
2. Montana + 6.068
3. Warner + 4.527
4. Peyton + 3.637
5. Brady* + 1.968 * <---
6. Favre + 1.700
7. Marino + 0.014
8. Elway - 0.012

* Cheater Cheater Pumpkin Eater (Brady)

 

[NinerSickness]

Wow, the 49er hatred for Dallas is intense in here. No votes for Aikman?

Well, the thread is talkin' about current players, but Aikman is deservedly a HOFer. I don't know that he was a top 10 all time QB, but he was certainly a great one who came up big in the postseason.

I actually think Roger Staubach was a better QB than Aikman.

The '90's Cowboys probably had the best & deepest offensive lines of all time though. Those guys were unnaturally big, strong & fast. They had guys like Ron Stone at 4th or 5th on the depth chart.

 

[mem49er]

Wow, the 49er hatred for Dallas is intense in here. No votes for Aikman?

I don't think it's really because of Dallas hatred, I just don't think he was that good. I'm not denying I hate Dallas, mind you. It's just not the reason I wouldn't include Aikman.