Greatest quarterback in NFL history? (poll)

[Predicto]

I never think of Aikman as one of the all time greats, Nor Staubach for that matter.

 

They are both Cowboy greats and I guess deserving of being HOF players.

I think their were better QBs during both of their eras though.

 

 

Not too many better than Staubach in the 1970s.   Maybe Tarkenton.  Possibly Stabler, but I don't think so.  Certainly not Bradshaw.  

 

But lots and lots of QBs were better than Aikman in the 90s.  Steve Young.  Marino.  Elway.  Favre.  Jim Kelly.  Even Warren Moon has a case.  

[Kosher Ham]

Not too many better than Staubach in the 1970s.   Maybe Tarkenton.  Possibly Stabler, but I don't think so.  Certainly not Bradshaw.  

  

 

No debate at all as far as Aikman to me.

 

I have always claimed Bradshaw to be the most overrated QB ever ( Second being Favre). I think Fran was better easily. I think Stabler was better also, just not by much.

 

Another one that gets so much acclaim was Manning...Manning must have been who Favre looked up to.  Perhaps Tebow looked up to both of them.

[Vilandil Tasardur]

I REALLY, think there are two different questions. "Who is the best?" and "Who is the greatest?" are different to me. Aaron Rodgers is the BEST quarterback in the league. He can make ALL the throws and way more. He can do anything you need him to. Best arm, best accuracy, can move, amazing pocket presence. But being the best isn't the same as being the greatest. For a guy with as many ridiculous players at WR and some stacked defenses, he's been a little lax in the playoffs.

 

I really think you can only answer this question by breaking guys down into three categories.

 

1) Screw the stats, they got rings

 

2) Screw the rings, they got stats.

 

I eliminate a guy like Elway immediately from the discussion. I don't care how "good" he was. He has a losing record in super bowls and his stats were passed by guys BEFORE the modern pass happy offenses.

 

The winners of category one are Brady and Montana. You can choose either really. I personally choose Brady, but you aren't wrong if you choose Montana.

 

The winner of category two is Peyton, Favre, or Marino. This one is much harder. I personally put Marino at number 3, because he has no ring at all and all of his stats were also passed (and Favre passed them without playing in this 50+ attempts a game league). Peyton is without a doubt the "better" quarterback than Brett. But I think Favre is the greater one. There stats will be almost identical, but Manning will have done them playing in an era where he routinely threw 40+ times a game. Favre spent the first ten years of his career handing it off 30 times and throwing it somewhere between 20 and 30. I remember a 2003 game against Houston where he threw 50 passes and everyone freaked out because it was WAY too many.

 

But ultimately, I don't think that category two matters, because neither category 1 trumps all for me. I can't look at ANY of my three guys in category two and place them over the guys in category one. So I place them at:

 

1) Brady

2) Montana

3) Favre

4) Manning

5) Marino

6) Elway

 

I'd also give a shout out to Warren Moon, who I think is the greatest "what if" in NFL history because of bad luck.

[Kosher Ham]

Warren Moon might have thrown the best passes that I have ever seen.

 

His spiral on the pass was better than anyone.

 

I completely disagree with Favre though.

[Vilandil Tasardur]

Warren Moon might have thrown the best passes that I have ever seen.

 

His spiral on the pass was better than anyone.

 

I completely disagree with Favre though.

I get that. Everybody does. I totally get it.

 

Having watched them both, I think everyone would agree that Manning is better than Favre. I t's just what the eye test tells you. Most don't even have Favre in the top 5, or even top 10.

 

But to me, they're exactly the same player. They're two guys who were the pinnacle of the position for their entire careers. They put up ridiculous gaudy stats and destroyed everyone in their path. But for some reason, neither of them ever did anything in the playoffs. They both routinely had early exits, and even threw tons of picks in those losses. Both got really lucky to win superbowls against vastly inferior teams and both lost tough ones against better teams. For what it's worth, I think it's hilarious that Manning and Favre both threw so many interceptions in playoff losses but Manning gets a pass because he didn't have Favre's interception reputation.

 

But I just don't think you can discount the fact that he has every record in NFL history. Or rather, he did until Manning started passing some of them. But Manning passed them in an era where everyone passes the ball crazy amounts. And Manning did it throwing to two hall of fame receivers and played with 1, possibly 2 hall of fame running backs. 

 

Favre on the other, played with some real nobodies. Like, almost Brady bad (but not quite). And he didn't have a Don Shula building the team either. When you factor in playing 297 consecutive games, I think he should get way more attention than he does. I think he gets a really bad rap for the retiring thing.

 

I'm not saying he's the GOAT. I'm just saying that, objectively, I don't see any reason to put Manning ahead of him. And based on that, I think he's the best of my second category. That still doesn't get him far for me though, because I still like my first category better.

[Dont Taze Me Bro]

I loved watching all of them play and I can only imagine Moon being top 2-3 all-time if he didn't start so late in the NFL and lose all those years/stats in the CFL (6 total).  

 

Favre, one of my all time favorites to watch.  Unorthodox, gunslinger, fun as hell to watch.  Broke tons of records, won a Super Bowl, should have made it to one with the Vikes at age 40.  Games started, Iron Man, nuff said.  I think his biggest knock was the fact that he was a gunslinger and most INTs ever by a QB. 

 

Manning's ability to break down defenses and adjustments at the line along with basically running the entire offense is art happening right before our eyes.  Everything is precision with him, perfection, calculated.  He's not going to scramble around and beat you, he never was or could.  Play calls, changing them, changing protection schemes, etc. that is his art.  Adjusting everything to protect himself, allow time for receivers to get open, execute.  

 

Favre, he was not a dumb QB by any means.  But he had that ability to take shots from defenders and get right back up, unrattled.  He would avoid a sack, scramble some, then fire the **** out of the ball 60 yards down field to a receiver in double coverage and put it on the money.  

 

When I think of Peyton, I think "executive", "white collar".  When I think of Favre, I think "good ole boy", "blue collar".  Both get the job done, just in different ways.

[JoeWolf990]

For a guy with as many ridiculous players at WR and some stacked defenses, he's been a little lax in the playoffs.

Are we talking about Aaron Rodgers or someone else. None of this is true.

Shoot, this is the first season he has had a decent offensive line.

The only time they he had a great defense, they won the Super Bowl.

And his WR core is not stacked. He makes those guys look a lot better than they are.

Brett Favre was not an idiot at QB, but he threw some of the most back breaking interceptions ever. Some how that is forgotten when speaking on his legacy.

Favre had some great Packers teams in the 90s and the one super bowl he won, he wasnt MVP.

[Sacks 'n' Stuff]

Difficult to say who is actually the greatest player but the player who has had the greatest career is Tom Brady.

[s0crates]

If the measure is championships, then the answer is Otto Graham. His Browns had 10 straight title game appearances, seven of which he won.

[Kosher Ham]

If the measure is championships, then the answer is Otto Graham. His Browns had 10 straight title game appearances, seven of which he won.

 

I do not measure by championships especially when in an era that did not include some of the most talent in the country.

Not to mention how rarely they even passed the ball back then.

 

What did he average 13 pass attempts per game ? I recall it being something like that.

[Dont Taze Me Bro]

I think only the era after the merger should be considered.  

[PeterMP]

For the most part, the only reason Farve is in the record books for positive reasons is pass attempts.

 

In terms of efficiency numbers, he isn't that great.  He has the same TD% as Marino and is well behind Manning.

 

He has a slightly better completion percentage, but fewer yards per an attempt and per a completion (so yes he completed a higher percentage of passes than Marino, but even given the more incompletions by Marino for every time he did throw a pass, he threw for more yards).

 

And Manning beats him in all 3 categories.

 

When you look at the stats in those terms, the only places that really stand out for Favre are interception percentage (he was more likely to throw an INT then either Manning or Marino) and sack % (he was more likely to be sacked Manning and Marino).

 

The only reason Favre is where he is in the record books is because his ability to stay healthy (which is a remarkable ability).

 

And Ron Wolf built those Green Bay teams and everybody that knows anything about football knows that Wolf was a great builder of teams.