Tom Brady Didn’t Hesitate When Naming the NFL’s Best Passing QB Ever

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Chris Phelps | Last updated Sep 1, 2025 2:27 PM ET

Tom Brady is widely considered the greatest quarterback the NFL has ever seen. During his 23-year career with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brady won seven Super Bowls, an NFL record, along with three MVP awards. He was also named to two NFL All-Decade teams.

Despite all his accomplishments, Brady doesn’t consider himself the best passer in NFL history. On Sunday, the former Michigan star told PFF’s Chris Collinsworth that he believes Packers legend Aaron Rodgers holds that title.

"Aaron's proven," Brady said to PFF. "He's won a Super Bowl, many championship games. He's a winner and I think what I've always appreciated about him, what everybody does, is his ability to throw a football and pass it... Aaron, in his prime, to me is the greatest passer of the football the league's ever seen. He could get the ball from point A to B faster and more accurate than any player, I think, in the history of the NFL."

Brady continued by mentioning how Rodgers, 41, can continue to play at a high level at his age.

"When you get older, you got to figure out other ways to succeed because you don't have the same 2011 version of Aaron Rodgers," Brady added. "We all have to evolve and grow, and there's other ways to evolve and grow. Some of it's more mental. How do we make the game a little bit more simple for ourselves so that we can execute faster? And then emotionally, you know, how do we connect with our teammates and bring that competitive positive attitude to work every day?

"And sometimes when you go through tough times like he did at the Jets, you know, you get reinvigorated by going to another organization like the Steelers that has had so much consistency in their success, and that could allow Aaron, you know, to achieve what he hopes, you know, to go out on the highest of possible notes."

Like Brady, Rodgers is also considered one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. The former Green Bay Packers star has one Super Bowl win to his name, along with four NFL MVP awards. But his two-year tenure with the New York Jets didn't go as planned. He suffered a torn Achilles in Week 1 of 2023 and missed the playoffs last season.

Rodgers’ 65.1% career completion rate edges Brady’s 64.3%, making the Steelers star statistically the more accurate passer. Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, however, holds the record at 68.6%.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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