But that’s not what you said. You said it was surprising that anyone could think he’s the best. Your standard is a bit more ridiculous than mine.
Not even close. Rothlisberger has never ever been considered (outside of Pittsburg) to be the best QB of his generation, he has never won a league MVP, and didn’t carry his team (that was the defense) to his two victories (note: 2 is less than 4) in the Super Bowl.
Joe Montana.
:rolleyes:
You’re joking, right? No way was Joe Montana overrated. He was dominating the game in an era when QBs got rag-dolled every week. And people forget the Montana won two superbowls without Jerry Rice and John Taylor. Heck, Montana won a championship in 1981 with no other stars on offense and no running game. He wasn’t as gifted physically as other QBs (like Elway, Marino, Bradshaw, Brady, etc.) but he was smarter.
Brady is the one who’s overrated. If Brady’s patriots were to play the '60s Packers, '70s Steelers, '80s 49ers, or '90s Cowboys, he’d get his ass handed to him. Brady also has no class. He’s had the media stroke him off for so long he’s become a little bitch.
Forget it, as you can see all he has left is an eyeroll smiley.
Tom Brady is definitely NOT the best ever. He’s not the best of this generation–that’s Peyton Manning–so how could he be the best ever? Tom Brady has consistently had a decent amount of talent around him, offensively and defensively, and has had amazing protection. He is a top tiered QB, and a definite first ballot hall of famer, but absolutely not the best ever.
Even if you did grant that he was the best today, it’s difficult to compare any of them to the greats of the past like Otto Graham and Bart Starr. The game was just so fundamentally different then, especially with the role of the QB, that it’s virtually impossible. If you were to compare based on how much better they are than others in their era, you could plug in Brees, Rodgers, Manning, and perhaps a handful of other QBs, in the Patriots and get similar results; Otto Graham was just so far beyond his competition.
Regardless, if anyone today is the best ever, it’s Peyton Manning but, again, across eras, it just gets too subjective.
Great analysis/summary of the problem with “the best.”
Everybody acts like Rice made Joe great, but Joe had two Super Bowl rings before Rice was drafted.
And I have to wonder whether any of these guys will be in the top 10 in the not so distant future. It looks like the game is changing again, and it won’t be long before rushing stats figure prominently in a QB’s evaluation.
Joe Montana was offered a scholarship to NC State to play basketball, and, according to his HS basketball coach, was able to dunk 2 basketballs from a flat footed jump; perhaps that is urban legend (along with the claim that he high jumped 6’9"), but it seems waaay more believeable than Marino, Bradshaw, or Brady being able to do it.
Well if you are talking athleticism how do you not give the nod to Sammy Baugh?
Baugh was offered a baseball scholarship to Washington State before he hurt his knee and played baseball, where he got the nickname "Slingin’ Sammy, at TCU along with football. He played minor league baseball in the St. louis organization and only switched to pro football when he was made Hall-of-Famer Marty Marion’s backup.
As a pro quarterback he won the NFL Championship in his rookie season of 1937 throwing for 335 yards in the Championship game against the Bears, which is still a record for yardage by a rookie in a Championship game.
Baugh led the league in completion % seven times, a record, in passing 6 times (sharing a record with Steve Young) and one year was over 70%, the third best percentage in history and very best among Hall-of-Famers. On Sammy Baugh Day in 1947 he passed for 355 yards and 6 touchdowns against the Cardinals who won the Championship that year.
As a punter he retired as the number one punter for average in history and is now second. He has the best average for one season, over 50 yards per punt and also the fourth best season in history. He once quick kicked a punt in a Championship game for 85 yards and also had the longest punt at one time, over 90 yards. He led the league in punting 4 times. He also did the punting and passing with a ball that was far less aerodynamic than that used today. The ball was fatter in the middle and did not have pointed ends.
While doing these two things he also played defensive back and was the first DB in NFL history to intercept four passes in a game. He is also the only player ever to lead the league in passing, punting and interceptions in one season.
And he had a sense of humor. When he reported in 1937 the forward pass was an implement of desperation. His coach tried to impress upon him the need for acuracy by telling him he had to hit the receiver in the eye. Said Baugh: “Which eye?”
In 1940 the Redskins lost the Championship to 'Da Bears 73-0. When asked if things would have been different if the Redskins had scored on their opening drive Baugh responded: “Yes. The score would have been 73-7.”
I would really like to see Brady, Montana, Brees or any other modern era player perform as well under those circumstances.
Because I was responding to Richard E Nixon’s post comparing Montana with Brady, Bradshaw, Marino, and Elway.
Montana could run by the standards of the time and was a very good scrambler. What I was trying to say is that Montana didn’t have the size, amount of muscle, or arm strength as Elway or Marino. And the way he played he didn’t need it.
Dan Marino couldn’t run to save his life but his arm was so superior that it didn’t matter. Montana was so good at staying calm and reading defenses that he didn’t need a cannon arm.
Elway was just in another world with his talent. There’s no telling how many SBs Elway would have won with a solid team around him
Joe Montana was better than Tom Brady because Montana played in an era where QBs and receivers could be crucified on the field and there would be no flag. Pass interference calls were less frequent. Blows to head happened all the time. Defenses lead with their helmets without fear of penalty (look up Leonard Marshall knocking out Joe Montana in the 1990 NFCCCC - would be a huge penalty/fine today).
The rules today simply favor the passing game and protecting the quarterback.
Also, Joe never stole a game with a “tuck.” Nor did he need his kicker to bail out his ass. Joe didn’t get so used to the media loving him that he would throw tantrums during the game, either. Brady is one of the greatest of all time. That’s not what I’m arguing. I’m just saying that Joe was better.
Elway, while a very good quarterback, was way too inaccurate and way too inconsistent for me to say he was ever the best. His career passer rating is sub 80 (79.9), which makes him the 63rd ranked all time QB, behind guys like Matt Cassel and Michael Vick. His completion percentage was rarely above 60 (56.7 career), he threw too many interceptions (his int. % is tied with Bledsoe and Kerry Collins), and he threw too few touchdowns (his TD to int ratio is not good). He was average for a good chunk of his career and only once or twice ever led the league in any passing stats.
I like Elway, he had enormous physical gifts and he won a couple championships. But he’s not the best QB ever.