[ThePundit]

How would you rate the top 5 QB's in the last 30 years? I was too young to see Unitas or Namath play in their prime so I have to leave them off the list.

Okay, here it goes:

1) Dan Marino: If he had been on the 49ers, he would have won the same amount of Super Bowls as Joe Montana. Nobody I ever saw could throw the football like him. He was the best I've ever seen.

2) John Elway: Have you ever seen any QB come up so huge in the most pressurized situations? Until Terrell Davis, he never had any good receivers or RB's.

3) Joe Montana: A lot of people rate him as #1. Let's face it: The top few are splitting hairs. But Montana had much better weapons than Marino and Elway and played in a perfect offense suited to his talents.

4) Terry Bradshaw: At the beginning he had some rough years. He also played on a great team. But the bigger the game, the better he played. In those championship years he was phenominal. And he called his own plays to boot.

5) Brett Favre: Has had a rough couple of years because he tried to do too much. But in his prime, he was unreal. He had a quick release that whizzed through the air and landed right in the receivers' hands.

Who are your top 5?

[BigBadBuc]

Wow,

The top five is so tough.

I like them all for different reasons.

1. Dan Marino - Quickest release and best pure passer

2. Terry Bradshaw - Powerful arm and learned to become the perfect field general.

3. Joe Montana - Great mobility and precision passing.

4. John Elway - Had a strong arm with better legs early on in his career.

5. Brett Favre - He really reminds me of Terry Bradshaw. A gun for an arm. His last few seasons are tarnishing things a bit. He just doesn't have a good team around him.


If Miami would have given Marino a running game he would have been the all time best without a question.


BBB

[Lefty Noob]

1. Joe Montana - He was the only modern-era QB to make the NFL's 75th Anniversary team, and he was a 3-time Super Bowl MVP. But the thing that'll always stand out in my mind is during the Super Bowl against Cincy, the story about how he spotted John Candy in the crowd and got his team loosened up before the game winning drive. That's leadership.

2. Dan Marino - 420 career TD passes, first player to have two 40-TD seasons, retired having attempted and completed more passes than any other player in NFL history. Marino also had a 5,000 yard passing season, the first in NFL history, led the NFL in passing yardage five times... the numbers just go on and on. But no rings. Could he have done it with Montana's supporting cast? We'll never know.

3. Steve Young - Yeah, I know some people are going to say this is way too high for Young, and maybe they're right. According to NFL.com, he has the highest passer rating in NFL history. Plus he was one of only two QBs to ever lead the league in passing six times, and the only one to do it in four consecutive seasons. Young also led the NFL in completions five times, and is among the all-time completion percentage leaders.

After that, I've got to cop out. I can't narrow it down anymore, sorry. You've got Favre, Elway, Manning, Staubach, even Kenny Anderson, who led the league in passing four times. I'd probably give the slight not to Elway and then Favre, with an honorable mention to Manning. I know its early, but he's the only NFL QB right now who pretty much runs his own offense. That's got to count for something, right?

[cjg11582]

1) John Elway- Not only did he win two Superbowls, but he carried teams to several others that had no business being there in the first place. I am from Ohio, ask Browns fans who they recognize as the greatest ever.

2) Joe Montana- Four Superbowl rings, three Superbowl MVP's. The best player in three of the four title games he won, no one can ever convince me that Marino, Elway, Favre, Bradshaw or any other quarterback was or is capable of accomplishing that. Well, maybe Tom Brady.

3) Dan Marino- "The man who said he would rather be lucky than good, saw deeply into life." -Match Point
Maybe I am faulting the guy for not being put in the ideal situation and not having the same opportunities as Montana or Elway, but he has to endure so of the responsibility for his teams never reaching that milestone. Unfortunately, he probably was the best ever but history will remember it differently.

4) Brett Favre- I could not stand this guy in his prime because all of my friends epitomized the term bandwagon fans in the mid-late 90's with The Packers. I was inundated with Packer hype for six football seasons because of Brett Favre. Naturally, this was for a reason. I have never seen a more electrifiying player at the QB position. He loses points because he didn't have the same longevity as the aforementioned three.

5) Terry Bradshaw- Four Superbowl titles and great numbers, Really there are about six or seven other people that could place four or five but I am giving Bradshaw the nod for the titles and the Superbowl MVP's. I never really had the opportunity to watch him play.

Honorable mention-
Steve Young
Bart Starr
Troy Aikman
Tom Brady

[Mid-depth_Reporter]

With less than two minutes to play, your team trails by five. Your opponent just sent the kickoff back for a touchback. If you score a field goal, you still need to try the onside kick. Basically, you lose. If you score a touchdown, well, champagne corks pop, you stay on the field, and you receive one of the nicest pieces of hardware in sports. Who do you choose to lead your team? Try these top five.

1 - Terry Bradshaw. Huh? Why not Montana or Elway? Well, Bradshaw won three Super Bowls. Yes, Franco Harris ran the ball. Yes, John Stallworth and Lynn Swann caught Bradshaw's passes. However, who helped make those guys good? Bradshaw. And, a little vise versa. Either way, Bradshaw delivered.

2 - Joe Montana. Everyone picks him. It seems cliché. Look at the facts though. Sure, he had super stars around him, but he helped them and they helped him. Plus, he won four Super Bowls. Just because you have stars around you, doesn't mean you'll win the big game, or any game.

3 - Brett Favre. He owns second on the all-time list in passing attempts, completions, yards and touchdowns. He also appeared in two consecutive Super Bowls, winning one of them. He keeps a team contending almost the whole game. Plus, he's started every game since taking over the helm of the Packers and he plays through injuries.

4 - Dan Marino. Sure, he never won the big game. Of course, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective gives an intriguing, if not somewhat disturbing, look into why he never won that game - a missed field goal. He posted numbers galore, made receivers better and posted many seasons with winning records. Numbers wise, and playing ability, he would be number one. However, he had a few years with a good running back. It's tough to place him this low, but he had chances.

5 - John Elway. He made it to the Super Bowl five times. Finished his career by winning two straight. Had help from the best offensive line in the NFL both years, as well as Terrell Davis. Put Marino on his team and Marino would have won more. Especially with Jason Elam kicking.

---

There's my five. That was tough. However, one quarterback that gets left in the dust is Jim Kelly. Four straight Super Bowl appearances, without the best talent around him. That's tough. Name another team to make four straight?

[CRMartin]

This question poses difficulties for various reasons. I mean, what are the criteria that make a quarteback "Great"? Is it total yards passed, touchdown passes, wins, come-from-behind wins, completion percentages, Superbowls won? The question just has so many choices. The measure of a quarterbacks greatness should be reflected in his value to the team which, incidentally can "almost" be measured by championships won. So, here are mine:

1. Terry Bradshaw: 4 Superbowl rings. There are few quarterbacks who can boast such a claim. One other, in fact. Bradshaw was tough as nails, an accurate deep passer who stood in the face of danger. (And this is coming from a Cowboy fan)

2. Joe Montana: 4 Superbowl rings. Another great quarterback who was there in crunch time. Joe had an almost supernatural ability to bring his team from the mouth of defeat. A true great.

3. Troy Aikman: 3 Superbowl rings. One of the geat Post-season quarterbacks of all time. Tough and accurate. And the most winningest quarterback in a single decade.

4. Tom Brady: 3 Superbowl rings. Aikman like in his efficiency, Brady has the very real chance to surpass these top three on my list with more Superbowl rings. A true assett to his team.

5. John Elway: 2 Superbowl rings. Okay, Elway was magical. His comebacks, legendary. Besides, I just loved watching him play. He was a great quarterback who got subpar teams to the Superbowl. Imagine his legacy if the talent pool around him had been greater.

Well, that's my top 5. Agree or disagree. That's what football is all about, remembering the great ones.

[legend]

No one hated the Cowboys more than I did folks. I was a Vikings fan growing up and lived and died with Fran Tarkenton. But when a team I was rooting for beat Staubach's Cowboys, I still didn't believe it until I read it in the paper the next day, and even then I would check it twice.
There was nobody tougher or better with the game on the line. Nobody.

Marino was a great thrower of the ball, but there has never been a quarterback that threw the ball like Joe Namath. His passes just looked different from everyone else's. Hard to explain, but this is how I felt. They would go downfield like guided missles. Marino, to me, never got it done when he absolutely had to, like an Elway, Bradshaw, Montana, or Staubach. You know how I feel about Staubach, of the other three I just mentioned, how can you really pick one? Force me to and I will choose Elway. When you think of the other two, you also immediately think of their receivers, one in particular for each QB. But with Elway, you just picture his rifle arm and running ability.

[xdavidwattsx]

Originally Posted by legend

Marino, to me, never got it done when he absolutely had to, like an Elway, Bradshaw, Montana, or Staubach.

How can you say that when he had 37 4th quarter comebacks, second only to John Elway? Bringing your team from behind (with many years of a terrible Miami D) is certainly getting it done when it counts.

Dan Marino is THE greatest quarterback of the last thirty years, easily. Super Bowl rings shouldn't even be a factor because TEAMS win Super Bowls, not QB's.

Trent Dilfer has more Super Bowl rings than Marino does. Does that make him great? Ben Rothlisburger won a Super Bowl game with a passer rating of 22.6. Both of those guys have rings because they were members of great teams. One man can't carry a team to a Super Bowl victory. Just ask Manning and Marino.

[Mid-depth_Reporter]

Marino was definitely great. Probably the most talented of any quarterback to play, simply because he did so much with so little. But, the problem about fourth quarter comebacks is that in order to bring a team back, you have to be losing first. Even Jake Plummer has a lot of come backs going for his young career.

[xdavidwattsx]

Originally Posted by Mid-depth_Reporter

Marino was definitely great. Probably the most talented of any quarterback to play, simply because he did so much with so little. But, the problem about fourth quarter comebacks is that in order to bring a team back, you have to be losing first. Even Jake Plummer has a lot of come backs going for his young career.

Valid point, but if you consider how porous the Miami D was in the 80's, the team couldn't ever hold a lead. If you remember back to those high flying shootouts with Ken O'Brien and the Jets, Eason and the Patsis and of course, Jim Kelly and the Bills. Dan Marino was doing his thing long before Jason Taylor, Zach Thomas, Junior Seau, Sam Madison and Patrick Surtain came into the mix.

[j-rod]

Originally Posted by xdavidwattsx

Valid point, but if you consider how porous the Miami D was in the 80's, the team couldn't ever hold a lead. If you remember back to those high flying shootouts with Ken O'Brien and the Jets, Eason and the Patsis and of course, Jim Kelly and the Bills. Dan Marino was doing his thing long before Jason Taylor, Zach Thomas, Junior Seau, Sam Madison and Patrick Surtain came into the mix.

I'm just going with Joe Montana cause he is the best so I just pick the G.O.A.T. If I had to pick one for toughness it would have to ba Troy Aikman and had the most wins in a decade

[Wizard of Os]

O, do i love Top 5s...

Okay, in alphabetical order, i'll go with:

1. Terry Bradshaw. The man under center for an unbelievable run of dominance by a fully working machine of a team. Bradshaw was at the heart of a squad that was simply complete unlike any other team since or before, period.

2. John Elway. As a former resident of Albuquerque, the Broncos were my home team for some time and damn did i used to rail on Elway. Until he shut me up when he won two Bowls after Bronco management decided to supply him with a running game. Plus, he retired properly. Plus, he's the butt of one of my favorite jokes: "Hey, did you hear that Elway landed a part in the film of O.J. Simpson's life? Yeah, they needed someone to play the part of a slow white Bronco." (Rimshot.)

3. Joe Montana! No explanation necessary.

4. Johnny Unitas. The first QB to throw for 40,000 yards (in 12-game seasons mostly, mind you) and still a member of any all-time NFL team. Unitas retired in 1973...so what's a year or three between forummates?

5. Another protest vote: Otto Graham. This pick is partly my reaction to the insane amount of crafted stats ("Peyton Manning is the greatest QB of the Seattle-in-the-NFC Era") and hyperbole ("That messed up wild card game between the Giants and 49ers in 2002 was the greatest NFC playoff game ever."), but man, check out the stats. Graham's teams racked up a gaudy 105-17-4 record, and shouldn't a QB's worth be at least partially measured by his winning percentage? It doesn't matter at what level or in what era you're playing, .833 is pretty good for a career and, while you and i may have been too young to see him, this statistic doesn't lie. Otto also has a lifetime rating of 86.6. Plus, i put him with Ricky Williams on the Amsterdam Admirals in Madden 2003 and he was unstoppable.

Favre's on the bubble and probably makes an honest "last thirty years" list. Marino? Sorry. No ring, no great QB status.

[desertrat]

My list:
1) John Elway
2) Joe Montana
3) Roger Staubach
4) Terry Bradshaw
5) Dan Marino

[rave20]

Glad to see Marino get so many accolades. Man if he had EVER had a defense and a running game at the same time that would have been deadly! I still wonder how different history would be if the 17 or so teams that passed on him would have drafted him, especially Pittsburgh. Really glad they didn't get him but sure wish he would have gotten at least one ring. Thanks for the memories Dan.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by ThePundit

How would you rate the top 5 QB's in the last 30 years? I was too young to see Unitas or Namath play in their prime so I have to leave them off the list.

Okay, here it goes:

1) Dan Marino: If he had been on the 49ers, he would have won the same amount of Super Bowls as Joe Montana. Nobody I ever saw could throw the football like him. He was the best I've ever seen.

2) John Elway: Have you ever seen any QB come up so huge in the most pressurized situations? Until Terrell Davis, he never had any good receivers or RB's.

3) Joe Montana: A lot of people rate him as #1. Let's face it: The top few are splitting hairs. But Montana had much better weapons than Marino and Elway and played in a perfect offense suited to his talents.

4) Terry Bradshaw: At the beginning he had some rough years. He also played on a great team. But the bigger the game, the better he played. In those championship years he was phenominal. And he called his own plays to boot.

5) Brett Favre: Has had a rough couple of years because he tried to do too much. But in his prime, he was unreal. He had a quick release that whizzed through the air and landed right in the receivers' hands.

Who are your top 5?

come, come pundit Staubach was a better quarterback than Bradshaw...and Archie Manning was in both of thier company...minus the team he played on...and where is the Snake (Kenny Sabler)...these guys did it when defenses were able to hang all over the receivers....