The Greatest NFL Quarterbacks of all time

[WHPats]

The list needs to go like this...

1. Patrick Mahomes




























2. Tom Brady
3. Joe Montana

Only if Cris Collinsworth made it

 

[jmt57]

When I first viewed the results, I was wondering how they accounted for generational differences, rule changes, realignment, and the overall different experience.

Due to various rule changes over the years, looking strictly at cumulative career rankings of well known categories for receivers and quarterbacks is almost meaningless when comparing players from different eras.

A perusal of the all time rankings reveals the list is top heavy with current or recent players.

In order to compensate for the rule changes, what I do is compare a player to his peers. Where did Unitas or Otto Graham or Sammy Baugh rank throughout their careers in passing yards, touchdown passes, yards per attempt, etc.? Then compare those rankings in the same categories to a player in another era.

When he retired Vinny Testaverde ranked 6th in career passing yards. Is he a top-six, top-ten, or top-20 quarterback of all time? Of course not. In fact he was in the top 10 in that category just four times; second one, sixth once, and ninth twice. The changes in pass completion percentage are even more dramatic.

If somebody is going to make a meaningful all-time list then the changes in numbers over time have to be accounted for.

 

[Bobsyouruncle]

You could say that there SHOULD be recency bias since QBs today are more important than they were decades ago.

But even still it’s hard for me to believe that the best QB of the 60’s or the 70’s should be behind the third or fourth best QB of the 2000’s.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Due to various rule changes over the years, looking strictly at cumulative career rankings of well known categories for receivers and quarterbacks is almost meaningless when comparing players from different eras.

A perusal of the all time rankings reveals the list is top heavy with current or recent players.

In order to compensate for the rule changes, what I do is compare a player to his peers. Where did Unitas or Otto Graham or Sammy Baugh rank throughout their careers in passing yards, touchdown passes, yards per attempt, etc.? Then compare those rankings in the same categories to a player in another era.

When he retired Vinny Testaverde ranked 6th in career passing yards. Is he a top-six, top-ten, or top-20 quarterback of all time? Of course not. In fact he was in the top 10 in that category just four times; second one, sixth once, and ninth twice. The changes in pass completion percentage are even more dramatic.

If somebody is going to make a meaningful all-time list then the changes in numbers over time have to be accounted for.

Is Drew Bledsoe better than Steve Grogan? Barf.
Is Kerry Collins better than Y.A. Tittle, or Charlie Conerly?
Is Neil Lomax better than Jim Hart, or Charley Trippi?

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

You could say that there SHOULD be recency bias since QBs today are more important than they were decades ago.

Nope.

Since passing took off in the 30's, QB has been the most important position by far.

But even still it’s hard for me to believe that the best QB of the 60’s or the 70’s should be behind the third or fourth best QB of the 2000’s.

Right.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

If nothing else, Staubach was a better passer in absolute terms than Elway, in spite of playing almost entirely in the NFL dead ball era, and he was a arguably a better runner, and he won an equal number of titles, and he was the OG captain comeback. Adjust for era and his passing efficiency destroys Elway's with atomic weapons while everything else is a push but sheer volume. I don't think Staubach had so many multiple interception meltdowns in big games either.

Like I said before, 56.9% career completion percentage to go with a 300/226 TD to INT ratio. Wow.

In case you needed more, he actually threw MORE interceptions than touchdowns in 4/16 seasons, with another season being even, and 2/16 seasons having only 1 more TD than picks. That’s 7/16 or almost half of his seasons where he had one more TD than interceptions—or worse.

I get it that he was scrappy and gritty. I witnessed all of his seasons, but I simply don’t agree with those who somehow put him in the top 10 QBs of all time. I think that’s ridiculous.

Like Bledsoe, Elway was drafted #1, paid a ton of money, given the starting job permanently with no competition, and given the chance to play and get experience. Also, Elway had a defense that was perennially at the top of the league and a well coached team.

Young was given the controls to a Super Bowl team. In those years, he won one.


If Flutie had been given any of these opportunities, he would have been better.

Because he was better than them.

 

[Bobsyouruncle]

Nope.

Since passing took off in the 30's, QB has been the most important position by far.

That doesn’t contradict what I said.

 

[fxmallon]

Young at 5 and Montana at 7. What to hell!!
Brees above Manning. What??
Bart Starr and Johnny Unitas should both be higher.

 

[Deus Irae]

Like Bledsoe, Elway was drafted #1, paid a ton of money, given the starting job permanently with no competition, and given the chance to play and get experience. Also, Elway had a defense that was perennially at the top of the league and a well coached team.

Young was given the controls to a Super Bowl team. In those years, he won one.


If Flutie had been given any of these opportunities, he would have been better.

Because he was better than them.

Your anti-Young argument is terrible, and the Flutie comment is beyond ridiculous. Young took over a declining 49ers team at a time when the Cowboys and Packers were beginning their runs and NFCE was the dominant division in football. He took that SF team to one SB win and 3 NFCCG losses.

 

[sean10mm]

Steve Young should not rank above Joe Montana by any stretch, and I find him personally unlikable, but to be fair his 1992-1993-1994+SB run was insanely good. Flutie could never match that in 1,000 years with any combination of players you can imagine.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Steve Young should not rank above Joe Montana by any stretch, and I find him personally unlikable, but to be fair his 1992-1993-1994+SB run was insanely good. Flutie could never match that in 1,000 years with any combination of players you can imagine.

I disagree, but we'll never know.

Flute's run in the CFL was, well, insanely good.

Besides the running, his passing records may never be broken.

 

[TommyD4207]

I disagree, but we'll never know.

Flute's run in the CFL was, well, insanely good.

Besides the running, his passing records may never be broken.

It's a shame he wasn't good enough to start here...according to Raymond Berry.

 

[Pat the Pats Fan]

shocker, top 12 have one QB that played before 1990

 

[sean10mm]

I disagree, but we'll never know.

Flute's run in the CFL was, well, insanely good.

Besides the running, his passing records may never be broken.

It was the CFL my dude.

 

[mosi]

Rivers in front of Bart Star and Johny U is a joke.