The best quarterback to ever play in the NFL is:

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

I never know what to do with Otto Graham in these polls. The guy won, like, eleventy billion championships, but that was also before I think all of the teams even knew that the forward pass was legal.

With that caveat, I would have to pick Unitas or Montana.

I honestly have Otto Graham as the best QB to my mind, period. Winning matters. Winning championships matters. That guy won. A lot.


EDIT - and it's not like he can't pass the ball. He still leads the NFL is career passing yards per attempt at 9 yards a toss. That's basically a first down every time he throws a ball.

[kingfc22]

Montana/Brady

Then everyone else.

[Edward64]

I vote Montana.

I think Brady is worthy of contention but the scandals leave a bad taste.

[Vince, Pt. II]

It's weird. I'm not in any way, shape or form a Patriots fan, but the scandals absolutely do nothing to tarnish Brady's legacy in my mind.

As a point of reference, despite being a huge Giants fan, Barry Bonds and his steroids leave a larger taint in my mind than Brady's (or the Patriots') "cheating."

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by dubb93

Whenever this gets brought up all I can think about is:

Why is Tom Brady the best QB ever?



Why is Peyton Manning not the best QB ever?



In all seriousness, Vanderjagt makes a few more kicks and Peyton may not have the choker label. Vinatieri misses a few more and Brady may get the label.

It's also interesting that Peyton's one super bowl ring had more to do with Super Bob Sanders than with Peyton Manning. I think for all the numbers and talk that QB's get in today's NFL that come playoff time success is MUCH more about defensive coaching and talent than how well a QB plays.

Hell, you could point to a bunch of crap. Rahim Moore having a brain fart causes the Broncos to lose to the Ravens, so Manning is a choker. I think the last time I looked it up the Patriots defense was, on average, 10 places better in total yards and a full TD better than the Indy Manning defense was. The year Manning won it? Sanders came back from injury and the Colts defense peaked at the perfect time.

The Pittsburgh loss a lot of people want to talk about. . . Manning threw for 290 yards and 0 int's against a team that gave up an average of 284 yards of TOTAL offense the entire year. That overrated wild card went on to win the Super Bowl.

But, onto the debate. Two ways to look at it from my perspective. Which QB based on the system they played in and their results? My choice would be Montana.

A QB who could play in any system, any era and be a star?

I'm biased as hell. I'd go Elway.