What do Marino, Elway, Montana, and Young all have in common?

[Joker]

even though he only started one game after age 38,I think George Blanda might still be an outlier of a sort here. He did complete 32 out of 59 passes as QB for Oakland when he was 44 and played until he was 49, primarily as a kicker but always a back-up QB...which is quite a feat when you think about it.

George Blanda NFL & AFL Football Statistics - Pro-Football-Reference.com

 

[PatsFanSince74]

even though he only started one game after age 38,I think George Blanda might still be an outlier of a sort here. He did complete 32 out of 59 passes as QB for Oakland when he was 44 and played until he was 49, primarily as a kicker but always a back-up QB...which is quite a feat when you think about it.

George Blanda NFL & AFL Football Statistics - Pro-Football-Reference.com

Good point.

I went back and forth about including him, but in the end I didn't because the point was about longevity as a QB and it's not clear that he would have played that long as a QB. He ended his career as a Kicker, starting only nine games as a QB over his last ten seasons after he turned 39 (and none in his last seven) and the SB era began. And, he wasn't very active as a backup, attempting only 225 passes in total over his last nine years, 58 of which were in the year you mentioned. Daryle Lamonica and Ken ("Roughing the Passer") Stabler weren't shabby in front of him over those last 10 years.

But he is one of my all time favorites, no doubt; no disrespect for one of the Greats was intended.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Wait, I know this... Marino's secretary was named Elway, Elway's secretary was young, and they all came from Montana... hold on I'm thinking of Lincoln Kennedy or something...

 

[borg]

Brady does take hts in the pocket, however during most of the career of the 'other guys' they would have to get out of bounds or take a big hit, Brady usually slides and avoids the hit when he 'runs'.

He also doesn't take the 'late hits' that were legal for most of the time when the 'other guys' played.

One would hope that Brady is Warren Moon in his later years.

Patsfan....great point about the QB slide that benefits today's QB. My cloudy memory, especially when I think of Elway, remembers a QB that would tighten the chin strap during crunch time and just take a pounding in order to advance the ball. I loved that era of football and I loved the way Steve Grogan played the game as well....these guys were men's men...at least in my eyes. Grogan scrambling around behind the pocket....same with Plunket. I guess this is why I enjoy watching Cam Newton....hope the guy can sustain for the long term. We know the little guy QBs can't last a season tucking the ball (Mike Vick).
Thinking about the careers of all these great QBs over the last few decades, when it is all said and done....what Favre accomplished at his age was remarkable. I detested the hype machine that surrounded him up until the end, but you can't deny he put on a great show on the field.
Getting back to Brady....I just keep wondering....can the tall skinny QB survive both the pounding and Father Time. Players like Testeverde and Collins lasted in the league because they were strong sturdy dudes...of course no one will confuse their skill with Brady's. Players like Favre and Moon were just gifted athletes with great genes.
Is there a comparable out there that matches Brady's body type who lasted into his late 30's? I can't think of one.
My one hope that Brady can defy the odds....setting aside 2008... the guy has been more than durable. As QBs drop like flies each season, our guy has gone the distance 10 out of 11 years. That's incredible.

 

[Rob0729]

They all played in eras where you really had to rough the quarterback to get a flag. Today's rules are on Brady's side.

Second today's passing game is out getting the ball out quickly not about the down the field passing game of eras of the past.

All that can change with one blindside hit but I like Brady and other QB's of today's chances of playing later into their careers.

I agree. It may not be Brady, but we aren't far off from seeing at least one QB playing at a high level at around age 45 or so. QBs today are just not getting the hits they did even back when Brady started his career.

 

[Rob0729]

Brady and Montana....comparable in both the sack numbers and rushing attempts each year. Only difference is Joe gained substantially more yards/carry. Bottom line....similar contact.
Elway averaged about 1 carry more/game than Brady and slightly more sacks.
Marino....cleanest jersey of his era.

My point....Brady takes his shots out there...by guys 30 lbs heavier than of from the era the greats of the 80's.

Check out Steve Young's 2nd to last season....48 sacks, 70 carries for 450 yds.....he abused his body that year and lasted only 3 games his final year. The pounding takes its toll as does Father Time. Here's hoping Bill calls more running plays. Preserving Tom must be a huge consideration

I think you are wrong about similar contact between Montana and Brady. Sacks and rushes do not account for all the hits QBs take.

Today there is basically a batter's box for where defenders can hit a QB. You can't hit them below the waist or above the shoulders which you could get away with back in Montana's era. Back in Montana's era, you could get away with slamming a QB on the ground. If you did today, you would get a 15 yard penalty.

Also, medicine and the equipment are better today than they were back in the 1980s. The football gear Brady wears today protects his body much better than the equipment did for Montana because there has been huge advancements in the material and design of the football gear. Also, Brady's career would have been over if he had the injury he had in 2008 back in say 1983. Up until the mid 90s, an ACL tear was pretty much a career ender. Today, players are back to full strength in less than a year in many cases.

You cannot compare the beating a QB in the 80s got compared today. Yes, the defenders are bigger, but they are far more limited in how they can hit the QB. And the technology and medicine also prolongs a QB's career.

As I said in my last post, QBs playing into their 40s at a high level are not going to be uncommon in the next 5-10 years. The rules are designed to protect the QBs at all costs. QBs' bodies won't break down as fast as they did in past eras.

 

[hovis]

I'm predicting Brady will play until he's 43. The new rules will keep his body and head intact, but I think we'll see his start arm wearing down around 38-39. At that point the defense will carry the team and he'll go back to being more of a "game manager" as he was earlier in his career.