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

[Deputy Nutz]

^^^^^
Christianity, being a good person.

[mraynrand]

^^^^^
Christianity, being a good person.

Oh, now I see why you hate him.

[pbmax]

Jim Kelly > Aaron Rodgers

I gotta think about that one for a while. But I am pretty sure I don't agree.

[texaspackerbacker]

Where is the top end of the list?

Obviously a lot of people around here can't stand the thought of being labeled a homer - Aaron Rodgers at #17? Come On! If he isn't in the top five all time right now, something is pretty messed up.

Factoring in all items - stats, duration of high level performance, and yes, championships even though I consider that the least of the three, since it is, after all, a team sport, I'd say we Packer fans are blessed to have 3 in the top 7 or 8. I'd put Favre at #1 - whine about homerism if you will, but who is better over duration of his career? Elway? probably not. Montana? definitely not. Unitas? Maybe, probably not. Peyton? Doubtful. Marino? as was stated, in some ways. Brady? not yet anyway. Namath? No Way. Otto Graham? also rated too low on that list, but not on a par with Favre. Sammy Baugh? before even my time/the game was too different then.

I'll put Favre #1, Elway #2, Marino #3, Rodgers #4, Montana #5, Tarkenton #6, Starr #7, Peyton #8, Graham #9, Brady #10.

Oops, I forgot Unitas. Put him at #9 and move Graham and Brady down one.

[Deputy Nutz]

The bottom line with Rodgers is that he isn't finished yet nor is he close to finished. He is not even the best QB of his era and like I have mentioned the tough thing about all this is jumping fro era to era with how the game was played and how the game was called by officials. Rodgers, Manninng, Brady, Brees, Roethlisberger all play in the current era where the passing game is emphasized by the league. We have record setting play currently going on in the NFL and I don't necessarily think it is because the QBs are all that much better than QBs of the past.

To be honest Rodgers wasn't even on my original list. Its just that his stats really jump off the charts, but a lot of QB stats jump out from 2007 on. Don't you think it is weird that Brett Favre had his best statistical season ever at the age of 40 in 2009?

[mraynrand]

Where is the top end of the list?

*SIGH*

[Maxie the Taxi]

Barkeep, I'll have another bourbon and water over here.

[Deputy Nutz]

#15
Len Dawson 6-0 190lbs
Chiefs, Pittsburgh, Browns

Dawson was a first round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers, but did not see the field consistently until his former college coach Hank Stramm picked him up to play for the Dallas Texans of the AFL. He was the AFL MVP in 1962 as the Texans beat the Oilers for the AFL Championship. The next year the Texans moved to Kansas City and became the Chiefs. Dawson would go on to win 4 AFL passing titles, Over the span between 1962-1969 Len Dawson completed more touchdown passes than any other professional QB. In 1966 Dawson lead the Chiefs to another AFL Title and the Chiefs earned the right to face the Green Bay Packers in the first ever Super Bowl. The Chiefs would fall to the Packers but Dawson was able to take the Chiefs back to the Super Bowl in 1969 after missing five games with a knee injury. Dawson and the Chiefs defeated the Vikings to win Super Bowl IV. He was named MVP of the game. Dawson managed to be named to the AFL/NFL pro bowl/all-star team 7 times and the AFL All Pro Team 2 times.

Years Played: 19
Games Started: 159
Regular Season Record: 94-57-8
Playoff Record: 5-3
Completion %: 57.1
Yards per Attempt: 7.7
Yards per Completion: 13.4
Yards per Game: 136
TD to INT ratio: 239-183
QB rating: 82.6
4th Quarter Comebacks: 15
Game Winning Drives: 18
Rushing Yards: 1293
Yards per Carry: 4.4
Rushing TDs: 43

[Deputy Nutz]

#14
Fran Tarkenton 6-0 190lbs
Vikings, Giants

Fran Tarkenton was a 9 time pro bowler for the Vikings and the Giants. His hectic style in the backfield in Minnesota frustrated his coach and led to him being traded to the Giants in 1968. He was then traded back to the Vikings in 1972. It was in the 1970s that Fran took the Vikings to 3 Super Bowls winning NFC Titles in 1973, 1974, and 1976. He was named the NFL's offensive player of the year in 1975, NFL MVP, and also earning All-Pro honors the same year.

Years Played: 18
Games Started: 239
Regular Season Record: 124-109-6
Playoff Record: 6-5
Completion %: 57
Yards per Attempt: 7.3
Yards per Completion: 12.8
Yards per Game: 191
TD to INT ratio: 342-266
QB rating: 80.4
4th Quarter Comebacks: 30
Game Winning Drives: 34
Rushing Yards: 3674
Yards per Carry: 5.4
Rushing TDs: 32

[mraynrand]

#14
Fran Tarkenton 6-0 190lbs

Rushing Yards: 3674
Yards per Carry: 32
Rushing TDs: 5.4

Really? No, it's 32 rushing TDs, 675 attempts, and 5.4 yards/attempt

[Deputy Nutz]

Good catch, hate to have that egg on my face

[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

"There's no way to quantify Warner's commanding pocket presence, his ability to release the ball just before the rush arrives or the amazing array of passes he can throw with chilling accuracy," wrote Sports Illustrated

[Deputy Nutz]

Warner also got shell shocked there for a while and after the Saints' coaching staff put a bounty on his head and knocked him out of the game he decided to retire

[mraynrand]

Warner also got shell shocked there for a while and after the Saints' coaching staff put a bounty on his head and knocked him out of the game he decided to retire

I had forgotten that he was a victim of that too. The shot he took was every bit as hard as Sapp's hit on Clifton. That hit would draw an immediate flag and suspension today.

http://deadspin.com/5890060/the-hit-...-to-injure-him

kinda reminds me of the hit the Spartans delivered on that place kicker from Oregon this past year

[Patler]

Warner had a strange career. Every team he was with seemed anxious to find a replacement for him. The Rams released him in favor of Marc Bulger. The Giants signed him, then sat him after just part of a season to play the rookie Eli Manning, who really wasn't very good at that time. The Cardinals ordained Josh McCown the starter after Warner played a few games and had a minor injury from which he returned in just a couple weeks, yet they stuck with McCown. When that didn't work, Warner started a few more games, then Leinart was ordained the starter for the rest of the year. For several years they kept giving the starting job to Leinart, yet yelded again to Warner each year.

Warner was a very effective starting QB that nobody seemed to have patience with when he had just a couple bad games; and they all tried to make anyone but him their starter.