The Top 5 QB of all time?

[Michura]

Mine would be:

1. Elway

- Even as a Niner fans I have to put him above Montana. He didn't as much talent around him as Montana did. Also, his successors did fairly well so one can argue that alot of it was the system. Young did well as did Bono and Grbac when they had to step in. And Garcia did well in the WCO after Young retired.

2. Montana

- The guy has the rings and was clutch. You certainly didn't want to give him time at the end of games to come back and beat you.

3. Marino

- As much as I think his numbers were due to the pass-happy AFC, I still think he is near the top.

4. Brady

- He has won with very little talent around him in at WR and won the SB his second year, first year as starter. His play basically started the Pats into a dynasty.

5. Manning

- Probably the most intelligent QB to ever play the position. He is durable, he puts up the numbers, and has had to deal with not having a good defense. He would be higher if he didn't choke so many times in the playoffs.



Omissions:

Young - Wasn't great long enough due to bad years at TB. And again, he had talent around him and others were able to replace him adequately. Top 10, yes. Top 5, no.

Favre - His numbers are a product of his durability. Yes, he has the career record for TD's but also has it for INT's. And who knows how many games he's lost the Packers because he didn't want to sit out when he should have. And he's also lost many more by the dumb things he does on the field.

Unitas - I simply didn't see him play so I can't really comment. He could very well crack the top 5 but I can't say it with any confidence.

[Skully]

interesting mitch that you put brady over payton, I agree with payton choking in the playoffs but when hes on his day, there is no one that could beat him. for me I just dont think brady makes it into my top 5. Farve would be close but why should he be in the top 5? just because he has the records? yes, but if he had that 2nd ring he would be in my top 3

I think for me the order has to be

Montana
Marino
Elway
P.Manning


the 5th spot is hard to chose, you have slingin sammy, who basicly invented the passing game we have now, Otto Graham, just because you ask a QB today to lead a team to 10 straight championship games. yes I know its a little bit old skool, but you said all time

[Michura]

Brady over Manning:

Manning at his best is better than Brady at his best and I don't think it's that close. However, in the playoffs Brady is much better. Not only that, he makes his receivers look significantly better than they really are. To add to that, it doesn't seem like it takes Brady any time to get acclimated to his receivers like most QB's do. I am confident that you can throw in any set of receivers with him and he will do pretty well. I don't feel that way about Manning. Finally, Brady has proven he isn't as affected by weather as Manning (and yes, I know Manning won the SB in the rain).


Sammy Baugh:

Tough to evaluate a guy like that because he did revolutionized the sport and thus defenses were not accustomed to it. I wonder how he'd have done had he played in a more modern era. It's similar to why I don't have Montana at #1. He played in a fairly unique offense that defenses were not quite prepared for. He may still have been a great QB, but it certainly helped him alot.

[Skully]

Brady over Manning:

Manning at his best is better than Brady at his best and I don't think it's that close. However, in the playoffs Brady is much better. Not only that, he makes his receivers look significantly better than they really are. To add to that, it doesn't seem like it takes Brady any time to get acclimated to his receivers like most QB's do. I am confident that you can throw in any set of receivers with him and he will do pretty well. I don't feel that way about Manning. Finally, Brady has proven he isn't as affected by weather as Manning (and yes, I know Manning won the SB in the rain).


Sammy Baugh:

Tough to evaluate a guy like that because he did revolutionized the sport and thus defenses were not accustomed to it. I wonder how he'd have done had he played in a more modern era. It's similar to why I don't have Montana at #1. He played in a fairly unique offense that defenses were not quite prepared for. He may still have been a great QB, but it certainly helped him alot.

I see what you mean, although I still would take manning over brady. I feel I could argue about the fact brady makes a WR better with the way cassel played, the WR corp he had helped him out....when cassel wasnt running lol

yea, I can understand that about sammy. He once said he would of loved to be playing NFL now because of all the great WR's about

[Michura]

I see what you mean, although I still would take manning over brady. I feel I could argue about the fact brady makes a WR better with the way cassel played, the WR corp he had helped him out....when cassel wasnt running lol

Yeah, NOW he has good WR's. He won 3 SB's without Moss. Let's face it, Deion Branch was never really that good.

[MoneyMo]

It's kind of hard to rank guys based on stats from the 70's and before due to the way offense is played now a days. My top 5 consists of guys I actually saw play so I mean no disrespect towards guys from before the early 80's.
I'll do two rankings, one based on my opinion of the most talented for the type of offense I would run, and one based on my opinion of best career.

Talent:
1. J ELway (In my opinion the perfect quarterback)

2. S Young ( A close second to J Elway but I think Elway had the better arm, and had better all around athletic ability)

3. M Vick (the best athlete of the bunch but probably the worst passer, even though his arm strength is as good as any of these guys)

4. R Cunningham (great athletic ability, second to none arm strength, but not very consistent)

5. J Montana (probably the worst athlete of the 5 but has enough ability to compete. He is the best decision maker though)


career (only including retired players):
1. J Montana

2. J Elway

3. T Aikman (Was originally an option QB at Oklahoma and almost made my other list)

4. B Favre (only including him since he says he's retired. I never was really a fan but cant deny his stats and longevity and he did win one Super Bowl)

5a. D Marino

5b. S Young ( Arguably the best QB in the league during the mid 90's and the league was stacked with good QB's)

As you can see I put more weight in super bowls wins than anything. I cant ignore stats though and Marino would probably be higher in my opinion if he would of won a super bowl. I think Aikman is underrated since he didn't have to do much with E. Smith and the Dallas Oline, but he was still a winner. I think he could of done well in a pass heavy offense given the chance. Manning and Brady will be in my top 5 eventually, If I were to rank them right now I would probably put Brady at 3 and Manning at 5c.

[Red Tail]

I have not given my 5 so here we go for an old timer.
Elway
Montana
Marino
Bradshaw
Staubach.......I just loved the way he scrambled....(maybe a bit biased:p)

Favre is close but you have to look back and gather up stats after he has gone and i think it's too early to make a descision

[Realism4Me]

1. Elway
2. Montana
3. Marino
4. Brady
5. Aikman

[R-ILLA]

Favorite - Steve Young

Top 5

Montana - His Numbers and SB wins were the same with or without Rice. He won with whatever cast of WR he had.

Brady - I know people bring up the D around him but what about the awful supporting O that he had.

It doesnt really matter to me after those two. Manning - falls apart in playoffs. Farve - kills his team in the playoffs.

I'd probably go with Marino Elway Bradshaw Young or some of the older dudes from the 60's

[Mr. Roberts]

R. Cunningham
W. Moon
J. Montana
B.Farve
Steve Young
No Particular Order
Archie Manning was also pretty good his teams suck though
And how could i forget Broadway Joe Namath

[mightypharaoh]

Ryan Leaf
Quincy Carter
Rick Mirer
Heath Shuler
Akili Smith

:p

[A Disciple]

Ryan Leaf
Quincy Carter
Rick Mirer
Heath Shuler
Akili Smith

:p
i think tim couch or todd maranivich should replace quincy.

[mightypharaoh]

i think tim couch or todd maranivich should replace quincy.

yeah, he's top five fa sho!!!!!!!!

[MoneyMo]

Ryan Leaf
Quincy Carter
Rick Mirer
Heath Shuler
Akili Smith

:p

Jamarcus Russell will top this list eventually. I'm guessing you didn't include him because he doesn't have a complete body of work yet.

[R-ILLA]

Gary Hugaboom. Know the name

[mightypharaoh]

Gary Hugaboom. Know the name

hogeboom was nothing more than a backup. So his scrubbiness was spot on

[bluemagic]

Dan Marino
Joe Montana
Warren Moon
Randall Cunningham
Steve McNair

[A Disciple]

Dan Marino
Joe Montana
Warren Moon
Randall Cunningham
Steve McNair
i'll let the cunningham slide... but the mcnair? CUH-MONE MAN!!! lol

[BK Arsonist]

Dan Marino
Joe Montana
Warren Moon
Randall Cunningham
Steve McNair


LOL....



Montana
Marino
Manning
Elway

[Rylos07]

My only concern with Montana on the list (note that I actually like him), is that the teams he played on ended up being significantly over the Sal Cap and such as I recall. Don't remember the specific details anymore. But that team cheated the finances like no one else ever came close to as far a 'I' know.

Sure, others teams have have cheated here or there. But they did it with impunity!

:)

[AricHennings]

Montana -won all four SB he was in-
Marino -lost one SuperBowl-
hands down i think tied for the #1 spot


*Elway and Jim Kelly lost more than one Superbowl so i think that should be a knock against them*:D

[AricHennings]

My only concern with Montana on the list (note that I actually like him), is that the teams he played on ended up being significantly over the Sal Cap and such as I recall. Don't remember the specific details anymore. But that team cheated the finances like no one else ever came close to as far a 'I' know.

Sure, others teams have have cheated here or there. But they did it with impunity!

:)

All teams cheat-somewhat, its just who gets caught with their hand in the cookie jar

Look at Tom Brady and his SB rings... By the way, his team knew what the other teams singals for plays were... Hmmmmm and when they got caught and handed over their video tapes , The Pats lose a SuperBowl ,,,hmmmmm:D

[A Disciple]

Montana -won all four SB he was in-
Marino -lost one SuperBowl-
hands down i think tied for the #1 spot


*Elway and Jim Kelly lost more than one Superbowl so i think that should be a knock against them*:D
how is a team accomplishment a knock on an individual classification?

[AricHennings]

how is a team accomplishment a knock on an individual classification?

Look at the Bills, for four straight years Kelly couldn't win one SuperBowl ring...
How can that not be a knock against him?

[A Disciple]

Look at the Bills, for four straight years Kelly couldn't win one SuperBowl ring...
How can that not be a knock against him?
so because his TEAM lost the game, its a knock on him??? how does that make sense?

IIRC, didnt Norwood miss a GW FG in one of those? then he lost 2 to the Dynasty of the 90s (the Cowboys) that boasted a team full of future HOFers and a great coach.

i will NEVER understand how a lack of a TEAM accomplishment is a knock on an INDIVIDUAL players legacy.

Karl Malone, John Stockton, Pat Ewing, Gary Payton, Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller and many many more never got a Chip just because of a man named MJ. Does that make any of them any less great?

[bahdbwoy]

im from miami and actually dont think marino was all that great.. #s galore but there was no running game at any point in his career which is why no superbowl appearance after that first year.. jim kelly went to the U so im partial to him but yes 4 SB loses hurt you.. in the end it will be:

peyton - not the best arm by far but he is the best qb
joe cool - # in reg season nothing special but post season king
brett - how can u love football and not love how he plays the game.. best qb to play on emotions.. magical and heartbreaking at the same time/same drive
elway - no SB until running game but prob best arm ever
marino - i think 5 spot could be any # of players and if i had seen the older generations more it would prob be one of them