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The 50 greatest QBs of all time
Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

The 50 greatest QBs of all time

In April 2018, Adam Steele of TheGridFe.com offered a formula for determining the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. If only the process was so easy. The reality of the situation is that analysts, journalists, beat reporters, observers and fans will probably never come to a consensus regarding the topic for different reasons. As much as those individuals may not want to admit it, personal feelings do affect opinions on the matter. 

The men atop the list are either already in the Pro Football Hall of Fame or will have their days in Canton not long after they call time on their legendary careers. Who sits atop your figurative mountain? Is it The Sheriff, The Gunslinger, Joe Cool or the signal-caller whom supporters of the New England Patriots refer to as the G.O.A.T.? Maybe, just maybe, you deem someone else the greatest QB of all time. 

 
Russell Wilson
Joe Nicholson/USA TODAY Sports

Russell Wilson's stock will either rise or fall between the posting of this piece and his last game in the NFL. The one-time Super Bowl champion should have another ring in his personal trophy case (why didn't Pete Carroll feed Marshawn Lynch?!?), and that second championship could have propelled him higher up such lists. He's already the greatest QB to ever play for the Seattle Seahawks

 
Vinny Testaverde
Photo by Jeff Siner/Charlotte Observer/MCT/Sipa USA

In January 2010, Jason Lisk of Pro-Football-Reference argued that journeyman QB Vinny Testaverde enjoyed a better career than some realized. Testaverde remains 13th all time in passing yards despite the fact that he hasn't played since 2007, and he started his career under center for some awful Tampa Bay Buccaneers sides. Whether or not you believe Testaverde peaked later than others or deserved better from the team that drafted him could affect how you rate him. 

 

48. Joe Theismann

Joe Theismann
Brace Hemmelgarn/USA TODAY Sports

In 1978, Joe Theismann earned the keys to the offense of the Washington Redskins when he was 29 years old. His career ended in 1985 following the horrific leg injury he suffered while being sacked by New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor. Between those two moments, Theismann won a Super Bowl, an NFL MVP award and Offensive Player of the Year honors.  

 

47. Daryle Lamonica

Daryle Lamonica
Photo by Tim Culek/Getty Images

The bulk of Daryle Lamonica's time as a starting QB occurred from 1967 through through 1972 with the Oakland Raiders. He twice won AFL MVP featuring for excellent Oakland teams, but he was unable to win a Super Bowl with the club. The Professional Football Researchers Association inducted Lamonica into its "Hall of Very Good" in 2013. 

 

46. Bobby Layne

Bobby Layne
Photo by Robert Riger/Getty Images

Fans of the Detroit Lions know Bobby Layne for the alleged "curse" he brought down upon the franchise after he was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Supernatural occurrences aside, Layne was a dual-threat QB named to six Pro Bowl squads during the 1950s. "Bobby Layne never lost a game," Hall of Famer Doak Walker once said of his former teammate, per the NY Times. "Sometimes, time just ran out on him.'' 

 

45. John Hadl

John Hadl
Denver Post via Getty Images

Routinely mentioned as one of the greatest members of the Chargers franchise not in the Hall of Fame, John Hadl was a four-time AFL All-Star and two-time NFL Pro Bowler 1964. Wide receiver Lance Alworth, the first AFL player elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, owed much of his success to Hadl. Hadl is a member of the Professional Football Researchers Association Hall of Very Good Class of 2006

 

44. Donovan McNabb

Donovan McNabb
Photo by David Maialetti/Philadelphia Daily News/MCT/Sipa USA

Donovan McNabb was largely responsible for the rise of the Philadelphia Eagles during the first half of the 2000s. Statistically, he posted his best passing numbers after the Eagles acquired Hall of Fame wide receiver Terrell Owens. The six-time Pro Bowl signal-caller is one of 10 QBs to accumulate at least 3,000 rushing yards during his career. 

 

43. Roman Gabriel

Roman Gabriel
George Gojkovich/Getty Images

Roman Gabriel evolved into one of the better QBs of the second half of the 1960s after the Los Angeles Rams entrusted him with starting duties in 1966. Gabriel won MVP honors that season, and he was named Comeback Player of the Year in 1973 for his play with the Philadelphia Eagles following a trade. Per the Pro Football Researchers Association, Gabriel's 3.3 career interception percentage was the lowest of all time, among eligible QBs, when he retired. 

 

42. John Brodie

John Brodie
Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images

According to Daniel Brown of the Mercury News , former San Francisco 49ers quarterback John Brodie was third all time in passing yards behind only Johnny Unitas and Fran Tarkenton  when he retired after the 1973 season. The two-time Pro Bowl QB and one-time NFL MVP led the league in passing yards on three occasions. Unfortunately, he also played for some forgettable teams. 

 

41. Ken Anderson

Ken Anderson
Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images

Per KC Joyner of the NY Times , Hall of Fame head coach Bill Walsh once explained how he helped "pad" the stats of quarterback Ken Anderson when Walsh was an assistant with the Cincinnati Bengals. Ironically, Walsh served as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers team that defeated Anderson and the Bengals 26-21 in Super Bowl XVI. In Anderson's defense, he won NFL MVP, Offensive Player of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year in 1981. In July 2018, Boomer Esiason told the official Bengals website Anderson should be a "no-brainer" Hall of Fame inductee. 

 
Cam Newton
Jeremy Brevard/USA TODAY Sports

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton turned 29 years old in April 2018. At that time, he had Offensive Rookie of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, an MVP award and a conference championship on his resume. Newton's inconsistent play frustrates Carolina fans who know what he can achieve when in his top form. His ceiling remains high heading into the second half of his career. 

 

39. Jim Everett

Jim Everett
Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports

Some may immediately think of Jim Everett's infamous altercation with sports talk personality Jim Rome whenever they see or hear the QB's name. As Jason Lisk of The Big Lead pointed out, Everett is relatively underrated for somebody who led the NFL in touchdown passes in back-to-back seasons (1989, 1990). Per Pro-Football-Reference, he's 28th all time in passing yards and 40th in career passing touchdowns. 

 

38. Tony Romo

Tony Romo
Christopher Hanewinckel/USA TODAY Sports

Tony Romo never took good Dallas Cowboys teams past divisional rounds of postseason tournaments, and that could prevent him from entering the Hall of Fame without a ticket. Romo earned four Pro Bowl nods during his lengthy career, and he is fourth all time in career passing rating, per Pro-Football-Reference. Plenty of teams around the NFL would have loved having Romo under center for regular-season games between 2007 and 2014. 

 
George Blanda
Photo by Charles Aqua Viva/Getty Images

Via Pro-Football-Reference, George Blanda is one of eight men to toss seven touchdowns in a single game. The 1961 AFL MVP led that league in pass completions on three occasions, and he twice led that league in passing yards. His kicking skills allowed him to extend his career once he could no longer earn roles as a starting QB. 

 
Randall Cunningham
Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images

Well before the Michael Vick Experience took the NFL by storm, Randall Cunningham electrified fans as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles. As of the end of the 2017 NFL season, Cunningham is second only to Vick in QB career rushing yards, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. He was named to four Pro Bowl squads between 1988 and 1998. 

 

35. Matt Ryan

Matt Ryan
Dale Zanine/USA TODAY Sports

Like the previously mentioned Cam Newton, Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan has several personal pieces of silverware in his trophy case. It's possible Ryan, who should cruise to 50,000-plus career passing yards before he retires, would be higher on the list had the Falcons not blown a 28-3 lead to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI. The 33-year-old one-time MVP needs several additional good seasons, and maybe a ring, to cement his Hall of Fame status. 

 

34. Rich Gannon

Rich Gannon
Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for SiriusXM

The Oakland Raiders acquired QB Rich Gannon before the 1999 regular season. He was 33 years old when he began a run that included four consecutive Pro Bowl nods, first-team All-Pro honors on two occasions and an MVP campaign in 2002. Gannon led the NFL in passing yards that same season. If only he and Jon Gruden found each other sooner. 

 
Boomer Esiason
Aaron Doster/USA TODAY Sports

Former coach Sid Gillman, an offensive mastermind credited for helping make pro football the pass-first game it is today, referred to Boomer Esiason as "technically the most perfect" QB when speaking with Sports Illustrated's Ryan Zimmerman in 1991. The 1988 NFL MVP was named to four Pro Bowl squads between 1986 and 1993. He matched 13 touchdowns with only two interceptions in 1997, his last season with the Bengals and as an active player. 

 
Phil Simms
Photo by David Pokress/Newsday/MCT/Sipa USA

Had Phil Simms not suffered a broken foot late in the 1990 season, he, not Jeff Hostetler, probably would have guided the New York Giants to a Super Bowl XXV win over the Buffalo Bills. Simms may have even won a second Super Bowl MVP award. Imagine how much higher he'd be on such lists in such a scenario. 

 

31. Norm Van Brocklin

Norm Van Brocklin
Bettman/Getty Images

QB Norm Van Brocklin led the Philadelphia Eagles to a victory over the Vince Lombardi-coached Green Bay Packers in the 1960 NFL Championship Game. That, in itself, is enough to earn him a spot here. Van Brocklin was one of the top quarterbacks of the decade beginning in 1950, when he was named to the first of nine Pro Bowl teams. Van Brocklin won the MVP award in 1960. 

 
Philip Rivers
Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports

Unless his fortune changes, Los Angeles Chargers QB Philip Rivers will go down as the greatest QB of the 2000s, to date, to never win a Super Bowl. Rivers has been a fantasy football hero for the bulk of his career, and he's a no-doubt Hall of Famer. Championships, or a lack thereof, matter in these types of discussions and debates. 

 

29. Len Dawson

Len Dawson
Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images

Len Dawson's numbers suggest that he couldn't hang in the NFL and only found success after journeying to the less-talented AFL before the 1962 season. He flourished for the remainder of the decade, as he was named to six All-Star teams, and he guided the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs to three titles. Dawson won MVP honors after Kansas City's 23-7 win over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV.

 

28. Ken Stabler

Ken Stabler
Photo by Robert Riger/Getty Images

Debates about whether or not Ken Stabler deserved a spot in the Hall of Fame continued even after his induction in August 2016. The 1974 Offensive Player of the Year and NFL MVP was named to four Pro Bowl squads between 1973 and 1977, and he quarterbacked the Oakland Raiders to a Super Bowl XI win over the Minnesota Vikings. According to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle , the Snake's .661 winning percentage when he retired trailed only those belonging to Roger Staubach and Terry Bradshaw

 

27. Sonny Jurgensen

Sonny Jurgensen
Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images

According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Vince Lombardi once referred to Sonny Jurgensen as "the best the league has ever seen" and "the best I have seen." Jurgensen was named to five Pro Bowl squads between 1961 and 1969, and he led the NFL in passing yards five times over that period. For roughly a decade, Jurgensen was arguably the league's best passer. 

 

26. Y.A. Tittle

Y.A. Tittle
Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images

According to ESPN Stats & Information, Y.A. Tittle was the all-time leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns when he retired from the game in 1964. Known for his time with the San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants, Tittle led the NFL in touchdown passes on three occasions. The seven-time Pro Bowl QB won the 1963 NFL MVP award. 

 
Eli Manning
Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com via USA TODAY NETWORK

The following QBs have multiple Super Bowl MVP awards to their names: Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw, Bart Starr and Eli Manning. Manning is easily the greatest offensive player in the history of a New York Giants franchise that has existed since 1925. It's baffling some believe he shouldn't enter the Hall of Fame down the road. 

 

24. Dan Fouts

Dan Fouts
Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports

As Derek Togerson of NBC San Diego explained, fans voted QB Dan Fouts as the greatest player in the history of the San Diego Chargers in 2009. The 1982 Offensive Player of the Year and NFL MVP was a six-time Pro Bowler, and he led the NFL in passing yards four straight seasons. When Fouts retired, he was one of only three QBs to have at least 40,000 career passing yards, per the Pro Football Hall of Fame

 

23. Sid Luckman

Sid Luckman
Bettman/Getty Images

As Don Pierson of the Chicago Tribune explained, Sid Luckman mastered the T-formation better than anybody in the 1940s. Luckman guided the Bears to four championships that decade, and he thrice led the league in passing. Per Pro-Football-Reference , Luckman held franchise records in passing touchdowns and passing yards until those marks were topped by Jay Cutler. That's downright remarkable considering Luckman played decades before what became known as the league's modern era. 

 
Ben Roethlisberger
Philip G. Pavely/USA TODAY Sports

Unless Eli Manning wins one more ring before he retires, Ben Roethlisberger will be viewed as the greatest quarterback from a historic 2004 NFL Draft class. Big Ben is a two-time Super Bowl champion responsible for one of the best throws ever made in a championship game, a perfect pass to Santonio Holmes that put the Steelers past the Arizona Cardinals near the end of Super Bowl XLIII. If Roethlisberger hangs around a few more seasons, he should retire with 60,000 career passing yards. 

 
Joe Namath
Kevin Jairaj/USA TODAY Sports

Joe Namath became the face of the NFL ahead of his boisterous guarantee that he and the New York Jets would shock the football world and defeat the Baltimore Colts to win Super Bowl III. Broadway Joe and Gang Green then delivered. Most amazing about Namath's career is that we never saw him at his best because of knee injuries that plagued him before the Jets acquired him. A healthy Namath could have been the league's best QB for a decade. 

 
Kurt Warner
Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports

Kurt Warner's journey from stocking shelves to hoisting the Vince Lombardi trophy is the stuff of legend. The leader of the "The Greatest Show on Turf" was the best QB in the league while taking the St. Louis Rams to a Super Bowl title, and the Super Bowl XXXIV MVP played in two other championship games. In January 2017, Tanya Ray Fox of Rams Wire/USA Today argued Warner was an all-time great postseason QB. 

 

19. Jim Kelly

Jim Kelly
Kevin Hoffman/USA TODAY Sports

Those famous four straight Super Bowl defeats obviously must have stung Buffalo Bills QB Jim Kelly and his teammates, but the fact that the Bills won four consecutive conference championships speaks of Kelly's greatness as a QB and a leader. Kelly was voted to five Pro Bowl teams, and he was the era's best no-huddle signal-caller. 

 

18. Terry Bradshaw

Terry Bradshaw
Matthew Emmons/USA TODAY Sports

Opinions on Terry Bradshaw vary, as some believe he was more a product of a Pittsburgh Steelers dynasty than the biggest reason those teams won four Super Bowl championships. The three-time Pro Bowl QB won a pair of Super Bowl MVP awards, and he was named 1978 NFL MVP. He's the greatest QB in Steelers history unless Ben Roethlisberger wins one more title.  

 
Troy Aikman
Matthew Emmons/USA TODAY Sports

Much like Terry Bradshaw, Troy Aikman is disrespected in some circles because he played alongside all-time greats like running back Emmitt Smith and wide receiver Michael Irvin, and also because he was protected by stellar offensive lines. Aikman was more than a game manager. The six-time Pro Bowler won MVP honors for Super Bowl XXVII, and he retired a three-time champion. 

 

16. Warren Moon

Warren Moon
Photo by Jocelyn Williams/Akron Beacon Journal/MCT/Sipa USA

It's possible Warren Moon would be higher on this list had he not been forced to spend five seasons in the CFL before playing a down of NFL football. The master of the "run-and-shoot" offense was voted to nine Pro Bowl teams across 17 seasons and was named the 1990 Offensive Player of the Year. Heading into the 2018 regular season, Moon remains 10th all time in passing yards. 

 

15. Bart Starr

Bart Starr
Photo by James Flores/Getty Images

According to Pro-Football-Reference, former Green Bay Packers QB Bart Starr still holds the highest career postseason passer rating (104.8). The five-time NFL champion won MVP honors for the first two Super Bowl championships, and he was named the 1966 NFL MVP. His career completion percentage of 57.4 percent was a league best when he retired, per the Pro Football Hall of Fame

 

14. Fran Tarkenton

Fran Tarkenton
Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images

Long before mobile quarterbacks were commonplace in the NFL, Fran Tarkenton revolutionized the position as a dual-threat QB who was at least a decade before his time. The nine-time Pro Bowl signal-caller and one-time NFL MVP held league records in pass completions, pass attempts, passing touchdowns, passing yards, QB wins and rushing yards by a QB when he retired, per Bleacher Report's Jeff Robbins

 

13. Roger Staubach

Roger Staubach
Matthew Emmons/USA TODAY Sports

The Dallas Cowboys selected Roger Staubach in the 1964 NFL Draft, but he didn't debut until 1969 due to military commitments that included a stint in Vietnam. Staubach was worth the wait. The two-time Super Bowl champion and one-time Super Bowl MVP led the NFL in passing rating four times, and he was named to six Pro Bowl teams. 

 

12. Sammy Baugh

Sammy Baugh
Photo by Sporting News via Getty Images

Sammy Baugh was so versatile an athlete, he was capable of leading the NFL in completed passes as a QB and interceptions as a defensive back, a feat he accomplished in 1943. The six-time Pro Bowler and two-time champion was also one of the best punters of the 1940s. According to Pro-Football-Reference, Baugh led the NFL in completion percentage eight times between 1940 and 1949. 

 
Dan Marino
Mark Konezny/USA TODAY Sports

The greatest quarterback who never won a Super Bowl, Marino is one of only five players to tally at least 60,000 career passing yards in the NFL. Numbers aside, the product of the 1983 NFL Draft class may have been the greatest thrower of the football anyone has ever witnessed. The nine-time Pro Bowler won every personal honor available except those handed out immediately after the final game of every season.  

 
Aaron Rodgers
Adam Wesley/USA TODAY NETWORK/Wisconsin via USA TODAY NETWORK

As a total package, Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers may be the most skilled individual to ever play the position. Rodgers can launch the ball downfield seemingly with the flick of a wrist. His football IQ is equaled by few, if any. He can make plays with his legs. The Packers will have plenty of regrets if the franchise only wins a single title with the two-time NFL MVP on the roster. 

 

9. Steve Young

Steve Young
Stew Milne/USA TODAY Sports

Following the footsteps of a living legend is an impossible task for some. Steve Young replaced Joe Montana in 1991, and he went on to win three Super Bowl titles, a Super Bowl MVP and a pair of regular-season MVP awards. In 2009, Bleacher Report's Ryan Michael compared the careers of Young and Montana. Meanwhile, some fans can only dream of their favorite team having a single franchise QB in a generation.

 
Drew Brees
Derick E. Hingle/USA TODAY Sports

The biggest knock one could make about Drew Brees is that he's played the majority of his home games inside of a dome. Big deal. The 11-time Pro Bowler who owns a Super Bowl MVP award is on the cusp of passing Peyton Manning for the most career passing yards in history. His 66.9 career completion percentage is the highest among eligible candidates. 

 
John Elway
Ron Chenoy/USA TODAY Sports

John Elway only featured for the NFL's best teams in the final years of his career. Well before that, he was responsible for memorable moments such as "The Drive." The nine-time Pro Bowl QB walked away from the NFL a two-time reigning Super Bowl champion, the reigning Super Bowl MVP and a one-time, regular-season MVP. 

 
Otto Graham
Photo by Vic Stein/Getty Images

Cleveland Browns icon Otto Graham still holds the all-time career record for yards per pass attempt. Graham last played in 1955. The best QB of his era, Graham guided the Cleveland Browns to three championships from 1950-55, and he won three MVP awards during his illustrious career. 

 

5. Johnny Unitas

Johnny Unitas
Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images

In April 2014, Johnny Unitas won NFL.com's version of a "Bracketology" tournament to name the greatest QB of all time. Johnny U was undoubtedly the best of the so-called "deadball era" QBs, and he was a three-time NFL MVP and four-time champion signal-caller who set the standard for those who would come long after him. He held numerous records upon his retirement, and he's widely seen as the first modern QB. 

 
Brett Favre
Benny Sieu/USA TODAY Sports

Sure, Brett Favre was a gunslinger who often took unnecessary risks in the pocket. The 11-time Pro Bowl QB and one-time Super Bowl champion was, in his prime, must-see TV and as fun to watch as any other signal-caller. Favre was also a warrior who started 297 straight games, a record that will never be approached, let alone broken. 

 

3. Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning
Catalina Fragoso/USA TODAY Sports

Peyton Manning is the greatest regular-season QB of all time. The stats back that claim, and there's no debate necessary. The Sheriff is short at least one ring to be any higher than third overall on this list. Manning actually had a losing playoff record until he helped the Denver Broncos win Super Bowl 50. 

 

2. Joe Montana

Joe Montana
Photo by Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group/TNS

Joe Montana retired after the 1994 season as the greatest QB of all time. A four-time Super Bowl champion, Joe Cool won three Super Bowl MVP awards as the leader and face of the San Francisco 49ers when the Niners were the NFL's dynasty during the 1980s. In 2006, Sports Illustrated named Montana one of the top clutch QBs in NFL history. 

 

1. Tom Brady

Tom Brady
Brian Fluharty/USA TODAY Sports

You are either biased against Tom Brady or you don't rate championships all that highly if you still don't see Brady as the greatest QB of all time. Five Super Bowl titles. Eight Super Bowl appearances. Four Super Bowl MVP awards. Passing records will come and go. Brady's resume may remain unmatched as long as the NFL exists. 

Zac Wassink is a football and futbol aficionado who is a PFWA member and is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment. Erik Lamela and Eli Manning apologist. Chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. Whoops. You can find him on Twitter at @ZacWassink

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