@Ice_Ice_Brady whats your updated top 10?
I wonder if it's just a coincidence that most of the shortlist QBs named are members of the NFL All-Decades teams (ADT): bolded are locks imo, not sure if #10 is one of the old guys or Staubach. Don't think any of the non-ADT guys on the bottom get in.
Sammy Baugh (1940s ADT): 2 NFL Titles
Sid Luckman (1940s ADT): 4 NFL Titles
Otto Graham (1950s ADT): 3 NFL Titles
Bobby Lane (1950s ADT): 3 NFL Titles
Norm Van Brocklin (1950s ADT): 2 NFL Titles
Bart Starr (1960s ADT): 3 NFL Titles + 2 SBs
Johnny Unitas (1960s ADT): 2 NFL Titles + 1 SB
Terry Bradshaw (1970s ADT): 4 SBs
Roger Staubach (1970s ADT): 2 SBs
Joe Montana (1980s ADT): 4 SBs
Dan Fouts (1980s ADT)
John Elway (1990s ADT): 2 SBs
Brett Favre (1990s ADT): 1 SB
Tom Brady (2000s ADT): 6 SBs
Peyton Manning (2000s ADT): 2 SBs
Joe Namath (1-0 SB)
Fran Tarkenton (0-3 SB)
Dan Marino (0-1 SB)
Troy Aikman (3-0 SB)
Steve Young (1-0 SB)
Drew Brees (1-0 SB)
Aaron Rodgers (1-0 SB)
I'm kind of on the same track as
@venecol on who I think the top 10 will be, and I also used the All-Decade teams and 75th Anniversary teams as huge factors.
Confirmed
1. Brady
2. Montana
Other 75th Anniversary Team (virtually confirmed)
3. Graham
4. Baugh
5. Unitas
These 5 have to be absolute locks.
After that, I think the next two, based on a combination of individual awards, championships, iconic moments, etc, are making it without question.
6. Starr
7. Manning
----Lock Line--- 1-7 are locks, IMO; 8-10 are Wild Cards
Wild Card Favorites (Final Three)
I'm going with Bradshaw, Luckman and Elway, but I think for overall strength all five the next guys are extremely close and I think it's really a toss-up.
8. Bradshaw. I didn't have him on my first list, but due to his easy inclusion as 70s all-decade first team, I've changed my mind. Though many would pick Staubach as the better QB than Bradshaw, consider that Bradshaw has a regular season MVP and two all-pros (Staubach was never all-pro or MVP); that's before you get into the postseason head to head advantage.
9. Luckman. 4 championships, 6 all-pros, MVP. He was arguably the first superstar quarterback and not that far from Baugh, who is a top 4.
10. Elway. He is the most volatile QB in terms of ranking position. I expect he runs the gamut from top 4 to lower than 15. It may have to do with how the voting is tabulated. His career is filled with alternative takes; gutsy winner, weak conference sacrificial lamb; amazing talent, crappy passer; champion, can't win it on his own.
Other Wild Cards (Final 3) In the Mix
Alternative 1. Layne. He is extremely deserving; to put in perspective, he won one less championship than Bradshaw but didn't have the Steel Curtain defense and was all-pro 6 times. Along with Graham's Browns, Layne was big for popularizing football as a major sport in the 1950s.
Alternative 2. Staubach. I originally had him in my top 6 or so. I think he belongs, but I don't think he'll get top 10. He never was an all-pro (bizarre considering he was largely regarded as most talented QB or his era.) His career was pretty short as well. The big concern I have is he wasn't just crushed by Bradshaw in the all-70s team first team voted; he also tied with Stabler with 3 votes. He is on my top 10; I don't think he makes this one, though. Hope I'm wrong and he gets in over Bradshaw.
Parity Era Alternates 3/4. Brees/Rodgers. It will be interesting to see how much Rodgers and Brees get for their lack of postseason dominance. Now we are into 1X champion territory, and you take your pick of the most efficient QB of the the modern era (and default all-time) or the most prolific one. Both are SB MVPs playing in the salary cap era where multiple championships are a lot more difficult.
The argument against Brees is that had this list been done 20 years ago, Favre (king of cumulative stats at the time) would have made it and now looked like a bad pick; the argument against Rodgers is had this list been done done years ago, Young (king of efficiency stats at the time) would have made it and now looked like a bad pick. Both are torch bearers, record holders, who are really just waiting to be surpassed. I wonder if voters will see it that way.
Alternative 5. Marino. There are a lot of people who feel he is the greatest pure passer of all-time. It would be surprising if Marino makes it but not shocking.
Will Not Make Top 10
- Aikman
- Favre
- Fouts
- Namath
- Tarkenton
- Van Brocklin
- Young