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'The best pure passer I have ever seen' - Peyton Manning makes definitive statement that will have fans arguing with each other

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Zach Ragan | Last updated Jun 5, 2025 12:36 PM ET

If you ask anyone who the greatest quarterback of all time is, the most popular answer will likely be Tom Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl champion.

But what about the best pure passer of all time?

Pro Football Hall of Famer and Tennessee Vols legend Peyton Manning shared his opinion this week on who the best pure passer of all time is — and it's someone who never won a Super Bowl.

Miami Dolphins legend and fellow Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino.

"Dan is the best pure passer I have ever seen," said Manning on the Omaha Productions YouTube channel this week.

Manning recently interviewed Marino and he told the former Dolphin that he was his favorite player growing up (after Manning's father, Archie, of course).

"When people tell me that I'm one of their favorite players, it means a lot to me," said Manning to Marino. "I've always said that you've got to have a favorite player at all times. And [after] my dad retired in 1984, you get here, you were my favorite player."

Marino never won a Super Bowl, but he was undoubtedly one of the best quarterbacks of all time. The nine-time Pro Bowler held numerous NFL passing records at the time of his retirement after the 1999 season (though most of those records have been broken thanks to the NFL now being a pass-heavy league).

Fans around the country will have differing opinions on who the best pure passer of all time is. But Manning, who certainly has the credentials to make grand statements about all-time greats, left no doubt this week that he thinks it's Marino that's the best passer of all time.

Marino's incredibly quick release and uncanny ability to anticipate plays made him a threat to throw a touchdown every time he dropped back for a pass -- regardless of where the Dolphins were on the field.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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