Top 20 Quarterbacks To Play the Game (NFL/AFL)

[mraynrand]

Considering he only played 10 years of football 7 championships is quite the accomplishment. Graham was a 5 time Pro Bowler.

He was in the Championship Game of his league every year of his career. There isn't another QB, let alone player at any position that I can think of on any level except maybe high school who can make this claim.

[Patler]

Rushing is still pretty close throughout the years. The running game was a huge part of the offense back in the day. The difference is many teams used both the fullback and halfback when rushing the ball back in the day. Jim Brown was a one man wrecking crew which was rare back then and which makes his stats hold up to today's one back attack.

Somewhat, but not entirely. Early in his career, Jim Brown played with future HOFer Bobby Mitchell, who was a running back with Cleveland. After Mitchell was traded, Brown played with Ernie Green. Both Mitchell and Green would get 500 yards/year running the ball, not much behind the likes of Hornung, Moore or Pitts for the Packers.

Brown often lead the league in carries, but that was a result of his greatness, not the cause of it.

[Deputy Nutz]

sure but you are also talking about way more carries to go around as teams did not pass the ball as often. Brown received those carries because he was a destroyer of men, and then there were carries left over because teams weren't chucking the ball 40 times a game. If the average game back then consisted of 60-65 plays and they threw the ball 20 times to 25 times a game that left 40 carries. That's a lot of carries to go around even if Brown was getting the majority of them.

[Patler]

sure but you are also talking about way more carries to go around as teams did not pass the ball as often. Brown received those carries because he was a destroyer of men, and then there were carries left over because teams weren't chucking the ball 40 times a game. If the average game back then consisted of 60-65 plays and they threw the ball 20 times to 25 times a game that left 40 carries. That's a lot of carries to go around even if Brown was getting the majority of them.

Brown did not average more carries per game over his career than most of the backs who top the all time list today (right around 20/game), but he played far fewer games than many of them. Even after missing a season, Adrian Peterson has already played more games than Brown did (just 2), has 22 more carries than Brown did, but 700 fewer yards than Brown over his career.

It was more of a rushing game in the '50s and '60s than it is today, and defenses were designed to stop the run. Good backs got 4 yards/carry. Brown got 5 yards. If you look at the career rushing leaders, only two have averaged 5 yards/carry or more; Barry Sanders at 5.0 yards and Jim Brown at 5.2 yards. Jim Taylor, generally considered the second best to Brown when both played in the '60s, averaged 4.4 yards.

[Deputy Nutz]

If you are trying to argue that Brown is as talented as the backs today I am in agreement with you. Brown's overall stats maintain over the course of history.

[HarveyWallbangers]

He was in the Championship Game of his league every year of his career. There isn't another QB, let alone player at any position that I can think of on any level except maybe high school who can make this claim.

Every player who graduated from North Dakota State the last two years would qualify, if you are counting high schoolers and college players.

[Deputy Nutz]

UW_Whitewater football program.

[woodbuck27]

#19
Kurt Warner
Rams, Giants, Cardinals

Kurt Warner was a nobody from Iowa. He played for little known Northern Iowa. He was able to get a short stint in training camp with the Packers in 1994. He managed to make the roster for the St. Louis Rams in 1998 under famed coach Dick Vermeil. In 1999 The Rams signed Trent Green to be their starting QB, but he was injured in preseason, and the starting gig was given to Warner. Warner would go on to lead the Rams to victory in the Super Bowl that season running a high speed offense that saw Warner pass for 41 touchdown passes breaking Brett Favre's NFC record of 38. Warner would go on to win the league's MVP that season. Warner would earn 4 trips to the Pro Bowl, the 1999 MVP and the 2001 MVP from the AP. His career with the Rams diminished after their appearance in the 2001 Super Bowl and he eventually became the back up to Eli Manning in New York. a Year later he moved to Arizona and led the Cardinals to the Super Bowl in 2008. He retired after the 2009 season.

Years Played: : 12
Games Started:116
Regular Season Record: 67-49
Playoff Record: 9-4
Completion %: 65.5
Yards per Attempt: 7.9
Yards per Completion: 12.1
Yards per Game: 260
TD to INT ratio: 208-84
QB rating: 93.7
4th Quarter Comebacks: 9
Game Winning Drives: 14
Rushing Yards: 286
Yards per Carry: 1.7
Rushing TDs: 3

Nice choice Deputy.....for a Top 20 pick.

I pay attention to and respect him as an analyst on the NFL Network.

He's as 'down to earth' as you may find as an analyst.

I always considered Kurt Warner ........ 'my kind of a lunch box' guy.

[Deputy Nutz]

I hate Kurt Warner and everything he stands for.

[woodbuck27]

I hate Kurt Warner and everything he stands for.

Bullshit !

He's absolutely your sort of guy.

You can't fool this Ole Dog.....Deputy.

[Pugger]

#17
Aaron Rodgers 6-2 223lbs
Packers

Aaron Rodgers is the youngest player to show up on this list. He is a two time NFL MVP, Super Bowl MVP, a five time Pro Bowler, and a two time All-Pro. Rodgers is the prototypical modern era QB with a high number of touchdowns to a very low number of interceptions. he is one of the most accurate QBs of all time and has the highest QB rating of any quarterback to play the game. Depending on how long Rodgers stays in the game and continues to play at a high level when he retires he could easily be considered a top ten QB of all time. Unlike many on this list Rodgers had to sit and learn the game for three years. It wasn't until Brett Favre was traded that the door to the starting QB job in Green Bay was opened to Rodgers. He took the job and ran with it demonstrating that the Packers could continue one the same path that they were one with Favre.

Years Played: 11
Games Started: 119
Regular Season Record: 80-39
Playoff Record: 7-6
Completion %: 65
Yards per Attempt: 8.0
Yards per Completion: 12.3
Yards per Game: 257
TD to INT ratio: 257-93
QB rating: 104.1
4th Quarter Comebacks: 8
Game Winning Drives: 12
Rushing Yards: 2175
Yards per Carry: 5.0
Rushing TDs: 21

If he returns to playing like we know he can and wins another ring before he retires he'll shoot up this list big time.

[Pugger]

I hate Kurt Warner and everything he stands for.

Because...?

[Deputy Nutz]

#16
Jim Kelly 6-3 217lbs
Bills

Jim Kelly was drafted out of the University of Miami in the famed 1983 Quarterback draft class. He was the third QB taken in that draft by the Buffalo Bills. The only problem was that he didn't want to play for Buffalo and went to play in the USFL in Houston. When the USFL folded he had no choice but to pack his bags for Buffalo. After a rough start with the franchise and teammates Kelly found his calling card in the high pace no huddle offense that was named the "K-Gun". With the no huddle offense Kelly would lead the Bills' high powered offense to four straight Super Bowls, none of which they would actually win. Kelly could never seem to play his best game when it mattered the most. Kelly was a 5 time Pro Bowler, 1991 first team All Pro, lead the NFL in passing Touchdowns and passer rating in 1991.

Years Played: 11
Games Started: 160
Regular Season Record: 101-59
Playoff Record: 9-8
Completion %: 60.1
Yards per Attempt: 7.4
Yards per Completion: 12.3
Yards per Game: 221
TD to INT ratio: 237-175
QB rating: 84.4
4th Quarter Comebacks: 22
Game Winning Drives: 29
Rushing Yards: 1049
Yards per Carry: 3.4
Rushing TDs: 7

[mraynrand]

Every player who graduated from North Dakota State the last two years would qualify, if you are counting high schoolers and college players.

Good call. But Division II is pretty close to high school. I think the hierarchy is: Division I > Division II > U of Minnesota > high school. Not sure about the last two.

[mraynrand]

I hate Kurt Warner and everything he stands for.

I love Kurt Warner. He is one of my all time favorite NFL guys.

What does he stand for?