Greatest quarterback you have seen?

[D. Bergin]

No, he never won a Super Bowl, but the best pure QB I ever saw was Marino. Never had a ton to work with, never paired with an elite level RB or running game that I can recall and his best receivers were tiny men. Despite this, he put up some mind boggling numbers in an era when the defensive rules were much different then they are now.

All respect to anybody who says Montana, Brady, Manning, Unitas, Steve Young.........as I can see those arguments to.

[Runscott]

Marino in his prime was about as good as anyone.

My favorites to watch were Staubach and Tarkenton. Montana and Marino were almost too perfect to be enjoyable.

[HRBAKER]

No such beast, very dependent on era/rules.
Baugh, Graham, Unitas, Montana, Manning, Brady all in a big group with some others.

There's also a very big championship winner vs. stat accumulator component as well.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by HRBAKER

No such beast, very dependent on era/rules.
Baugh, Graham, Unitas, Montana, Manning, Brady all in a big group with some others.

There's also a very big championship winner vs. stat accumulator component as well.

Agreed that it's impossible to determine who the greatest ever was, because of the reasons you and Steve have pointed out, but I didn't ask that - I asked:

Originally Posted by Runscott

Who do you think is the greatest quarterback out of the ones you've seen?

[HRBAKER]

Don't think I can answer that either. Certainly I think Montana is better than Manning and possibly Brady. I think that Staubach was probably the best of the 70's which is when I really began to watch football and I would give Montana the nod over him as well.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by HRBAKER

Don't think I can answer that either. Certainly I think Montana is better than Manning and possibly Brady. I think that Staubach was probably the best of the 70's which is when I really began to watch football and I would give Montana the nod over him as well.

When I see the size and speed of today's players, I do wonder if you can make comparisons. Linebackers would be impossible. Quarterback might be one where you actually can - it's one position (other than kickers) where physical size has changed the least, for drop-back qb's anyway. Today's qb's have faster, stronger, larger pass rushers to deal with, but they also have much bigger offensive lines in front of them. I think Montana and Staubach would compare favorably or better than today's great drop-back passers.

[freakhappy]

Good question...I'd probably have to go Montana, but Manning is a real close 2nd. I missed the first half of Montana's career, so it's impossible for me, with my own eyes, to understand how great he really was. On the other hand, I've been able to see every other qb since the 90's. A lot of tough and talented players, but these are the top two for me.

I also think it's hard to go off of stats because every team is different and some are pass happy and others like balance...what makes a great qb is precision, consistency and calmness imo.

[HRBAKER]

Something about Manning's average success in the postseason makes me very hesitant to rank him close to the top even though I would agree he has certainly been a great QB. He just lacks the cache to me of some of the ones that were able to figure a way to get the ball over the line with regularity. You just never doubted that Montana would find a way and you really never can say that about Manning. Certainly way way upper echelon, close to greatest - eh, dunno.

[CMIZ5290]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

No, he never won a Super Bowl, but the best pure QB I ever saw was Marino. Never had a ton to work with, never paired with an elite level RB or running game that I can recall and his best receivers were tiny men. Despite this, he put up some mind boggling numbers in an era when the defensive rules were much different then they are now.

All respect to anybody who says Montana, Brady, Manning, Unitas, Steve Young.........as I can see those arguments to.

This too is a great point by Dave. As far as a pure passer, hard to go against Marino....

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by CMIZ5290

This too is a great point by Dave. As far as a pure passer, hard to go against Marino....

I can remember watching Marino and being positive that the other team didn't have a chance - when he was on, he was perfect. The Superbowl ring means nothing to me in terms of evaluating an individual's greatness - it certainly doesn't mean Marino was a choker, and it also doesn't mean that he couldn't have taken his team all the way if he had the kind of defense to go with his offense.

Remember, people were saying the same things about Elway, then he won two when he was near retirement, and he all of a sudden was one of the greatest ever. He arguably wasn't even in his prime when he won the Superbowls.

[Tabe]

For me, right now the best I've ever seen is Steve Young. Super-accurate, strong arm arm, and could run. Much more of a complete package than Montana or Marino.

After that, probably Brady/Montana (tie).

When it's all said and done, though, the best might be Aaron Rodgers. More of a complete package than Brady/Montana/Marino (since he can run) and already a long string of dazzling seasons.

[tedzan]

Besides being a HOF Quarterback (with many records), he was a defensive back, who would often play a dual role of throwing touchdown passes
while also pulling off interceptions in the same game. Plus he was a fine punter.

2nd best is Sonny Jurgensen.

My 3rd best is Johnny Unitas.


TED Z
.

[mrmantlecollector]

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by tedzan

Besides being a HOF Quarterback (with many records), he was a defensive back, who would often play a dual role of throwing touchdown passes
while also pulling off interceptions in the same game. Plus he was a fine punter.

2nd best is Sonny Jurgensen.

My 3rd best is Johnny Unitas.


TED Z
.

Never saw Baugh, but I loved watching Jurgensen throw long - straight overhead. I guess I remember him better than Unitas because he was in the same division as Dallas. Seemed like every time we played Baltimore they were down to Earl Morrall again.

[Orioles1954]

Best all-around quarterback? Steve Young.

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by Runscott

Never saw Baugh, but I loved watching Jurgensen throw long - straight overhead. I guess I remember him better than Unitas because he was in the same division as Dallas. Seemed like every time we played Baltimore they were down to Earl Morrall again.

I forgot about Sonny. Funny, as I just watched the Lombardi HBO documentary a few nights ago, and it talked about how happy he was to get Vince in Washington. They referred to him as Washington's own Bart Starr.

Hell, Sam Huff, who had retired, came out of retirement to coach the linebackers, and play it. He had 3 picks, including a TD. If Lombardi hadn't gotten sick, I wonder if the Steelers would have been the team of the 70s. Look what he did with the Redskins in one season. From 5-9 to 7-5-2, the same record (well, 7-5) he had in his first season in Green Bay.

The Steelers won it all in 1974 and 1975. Lombardi would have been, what, 60, or maybe 61 in 1974? With three more years to coach that team, with Jurgensen at 36 after the 1969 season, I wonder if Lombardi doesn't draft a young quarterback to succeed him. Remember, he was the Head Coach and GM. Might he have taken Terry Bradshaw in 1970?