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Top 40 QBs of All-Time (Part 2)
Posted on 3/3/22 at 7:20 pm
Posted on 3/3/22 at 7:20 pm
I'm an NFL history nut. Grew up on NFL Films. 12 months ago I posted my list of Top 30 QBs of All-Time. I've since added another year of data (2021) and made some slight tweaks to my model. I used 20 different measures/stats to try and objectively rank the greatest QB careers of all time. Admittedly, the weight given to each of the 20 data points is subjective. Here is the outcome of a lot of work:
40 Greatest QBs of All-Time
1. Tom Brady
2. Peyton Manning (HOF)
3. Johnny Unitas (HOF)
4. Otto Graham (HOF)
5. Joe Montana (HOF)
6. Brett Favre (HOF)
7. Aaron Rodgers (Active - in striking distance of Favre, Montana & Graham)
8. Dan Marino (HOF)
9. Drew Brees
10. John Elway (HOF)
11. Steve Young (HOF)
12. Y.A. Tittle (HOF)
13. Fran Tarkenton (HOF)
14. Sammy Baugh (HOF)
15. Roger Staubach (HOF)
16. Bart Starr (HOF)
17. Dan Fouts (HOF)
18. Len Dawson (HOF)
19. Norm Van Brocklin (HOF)
20. Sonny Jurgensen (HOF)
21. Bobby Layne (HOF)
22. Bob Griese (HOF)
23. Terry Bradshaw (HOF)
24. Russell Wilson (Active)
25. Kurt Warner (HOF)
26. Sid Luckman (HOF)
27. Jim Kelly (HOF)
28. Patrick Mahomes (Active)
29. Ken Anderson
30. Warren Moon (HOF)
31. Ken Stabler (HOF)
32. Joe Namath (HOF)
33. Ben Roethlisberger
34. Rich Gannon
35. Troy Aikman (HOF)
36. Matt Ryan (Active)
37. Daryle Lamonica
38. Bob Waterfield (HOF)
39. Philip Rivers
40. Randall Cunningham
Nearly 200 QBs were ranked in all. HOF is for Hall of Famer. Ken Anderson at #29 is the highest ranked eligible QB not inducted in the Hall of Fame. After two seasons, Joe Burrow comes in at #84.
40 Greatest QBs of All-Time
1. Tom Brady
2. Peyton Manning (HOF)
3. Johnny Unitas (HOF)
4. Otto Graham (HOF)
5. Joe Montana (HOF)
6. Brett Favre (HOF)
7. Aaron Rodgers (Active - in striking distance of Favre, Montana & Graham)
8. Dan Marino (HOF)
9. Drew Brees
10. John Elway (HOF)
11. Steve Young (HOF)
12. Y.A. Tittle (HOF)
13. Fran Tarkenton (HOF)
14. Sammy Baugh (HOF)
15. Roger Staubach (HOF)
16. Bart Starr (HOF)
17. Dan Fouts (HOF)
18. Len Dawson (HOF)
19. Norm Van Brocklin (HOF)
20. Sonny Jurgensen (HOF)
21. Bobby Layne (HOF)
22. Bob Griese (HOF)
23. Terry Bradshaw (HOF)
24. Russell Wilson (Active)
25. Kurt Warner (HOF)
26. Sid Luckman (HOF)
27. Jim Kelly (HOF)
28. Patrick Mahomes (Active)
29. Ken Anderson
30. Warren Moon (HOF)
31. Ken Stabler (HOF)
32. Joe Namath (HOF)
33. Ben Roethlisberger
34. Rich Gannon
35. Troy Aikman (HOF)
36. Matt Ryan (Active)
37. Daryle Lamonica
38. Bob Waterfield (HOF)
39. Philip Rivers
40. Randall Cunningham
Nearly 200 QBs were ranked in all. HOF is for Hall of Famer. Ken Anderson at #29 is the highest ranked eligible QB not inducted in the Hall of Fame. After two seasons, Joe Burrow comes in at #84.
15
Posted on 3/3/22 at 7:25 pm to PetermanFanClub
22. Bob Griese (doesn't belong in the HOF or this list)
34. Rich Gannon (smh)
40. Randall Cunningham (Naah)
34. Rich Gannon (smh)
40. Randall Cunningham (Naah)
Posted on 3/3/22 at 7:25 pm to PetermanFanClub
Oof that’s bad, too many out of order to even list.
Posted on 3/3/22 at 7:25 pm to PetermanFanClub
Drew Brees could carry Elways jock strap.
Posted on 3/3/22 at 7:27 pm to PetermanFanClub
Upvote for the effort
Posted on 3/3/22 at 9:52 pm to mattz1122
Bradshaw is too low.
Called his own plays, didn't need some silly offensive "coordinator".
4 Super Bowls, twice MVP.
That beats a lot of the dudes you have got rated above him.
Called his own plays, didn't need some silly offensive "coordinator".
4 Super Bowls, twice MVP.
That beats a lot of the dudes you have got rated above him.
Posted on 3/3/22 at 10:01 pm to 308
Why do people keep judging individuals by accomplishment of team goals?
Posted on 3/3/22 at 10:12 pm to 308
It hurt to see Bradshaw that low. He was my favorite growing up. I still have every football card of his from 1971 to 1984 Topps.
But other than the 4 Super Bowls (which are amazing), Terry didn’t put together the long decorated career of many of his peers. 1 MVP, 1 1st Team All Pro, 3 Pro Bowls, only 6 seasons with a passer rating in the top 10. To me, he was a great deep ball thrower that really improved his play in the playoffs and Super Bowls. That’s awesome. Top 25 career for sure, but not as accomplished as a passer as so many before and after him.
But other than the 4 Super Bowls (which are amazing), Terry didn’t put together the long decorated career of many of his peers. 1 MVP, 1 1st Team All Pro, 3 Pro Bowls, only 6 seasons with a passer rating in the top 10. To me, he was a great deep ball thrower that really improved his play in the playoffs and Super Bowls. That’s awesome. Top 25 career for sure, but not as accomplished as a passer as so many before and after him.
Posted on 3/3/22 at 10:34 pm to PetermanFanClub
Even as a Chiefs fan I gotta say there's no way Rodgers should be above Elway.
Posted on 3/4/22 at 9:18 am to PetermanFanClub
Philip Rivers seemed a little low at first (#39). But after a long career, he really only has a bunch of yards, TDs and Pro Bowl appearances to show for it. Still, I’d personally bump him up 3-6 spots.
Posted on 3/4/22 at 9:27 am to PetermanFanClub
What were your criteria you used to rank them?
Posted on 3/4/22 at 9:41 am to QJenk
Criteria used in this ranking (each was weighted differently to come up with a total):
1. Super Bowl/Championship game appearances
2. Super Bowl/Championship game wins
3. Super Bowl/Championship game MVP awards
4. All-Pro awards (1st and 2nd team)
5. All-Conference
6. Pro Bowl awards
7. Seasons w/ Top 10 Passer Rating
8. Seasons meeting minimum attempts (this gave preference to longer careers and helped compare young (Mahomes and Watson) vs old (Brees and Brady).
9. MVP awards
10. Offensive POY awards
11. Regular Season Passer Rating
12. Playoff Passer Rating
13. Yds per completion (not accounted for in passer rating and also took a little off the “dink and dunk” QBs versus those that threw deeper downfield)
14. Rookie of the Year awards
15. Comeback Player of the Year awards
16. Rushing yards per game
17. Rushing TDs per game
18. Fourth Quarter Comebacks
19. Named to NFL All Decade Teams
20. Named to NFL 100 All-Time Team
Passing yards and TDs were not directly used. These stats vary significantly from the 1940s to now as the game evolved into a pass heavy league. Of course, they also throw, by in large, shorter passes today. Also, pass yds and pass TDs are factored into the Passer Rating statistic.
1. Super Bowl/Championship game appearances
2. Super Bowl/Championship game wins
3. Super Bowl/Championship game MVP awards
4. All-Pro awards (1st and 2nd team)
5. All-Conference
6. Pro Bowl awards
7. Seasons w/ Top 10 Passer Rating
8. Seasons meeting minimum attempts (this gave preference to longer careers and helped compare young (Mahomes and Watson) vs old (Brees and Brady).
9. MVP awards
10. Offensive POY awards
11. Regular Season Passer Rating
12. Playoff Passer Rating
13. Yds per completion (not accounted for in passer rating and also took a little off the “dink and dunk” QBs versus those that threw deeper downfield)
14. Rookie of the Year awards
15. Comeback Player of the Year awards
16. Rushing yards per game
17. Rushing TDs per game
18. Fourth Quarter Comebacks
19. Named to NFL All Decade Teams
20. Named to NFL 100 All-Time Team
Passing yards and TDs were not directly used. These stats vary significantly from the 1940s to now as the game evolved into a pass heavy league. Of course, they also throw, by in large, shorter passes today. Also, pass yds and pass TDs are factored into the Passer Rating statistic.
Posted on 3/4/22 at 10:53 am to PetermanFanClub
I would love to hear an argument for Rodgers over Brees or Elway for that matter. He's an all-time great but in no way is he ahead of those 2. He has more MVP's? Just because he wins in years there were no other great options doesn't make him more accomplished. Brees had 4 or 5 better seasons than Rodgers had this year but has 0 MVP's.
Posted on 3/4/22 at 11:17 am to StrongOffer
Rodgers vs Brees:
Rodgers collected more MVPs (4 vs 0) and 1st Team All-Pros.
He was selected over Brees for the 2010s All Decade Team (voted on by Hall of Fame selection committee)
Brees has more Pro Bowls and more Top 10 rated seasons (15 vs 11).
So, Brees has done it at a high level for longer than Rodgers. Period. But Rodgers has played slightly better (see passer rating) and collected many more accolades.
Although very accurate, I think Drew became a dink and dunk passer over the last 6 or 7 years of his career. In the final analysis that may have hurt him. He’s still an all time great for sure.
Rodgers collected more MVPs (4 vs 0) and 1st Team All-Pros.
He was selected over Brees for the 2010s All Decade Team (voted on by Hall of Fame selection committee)
Brees has more Pro Bowls and more Top 10 rated seasons (15 vs 11).
So, Brees has done it at a high level for longer than Rodgers. Period. But Rodgers has played slightly better (see passer rating) and collected many more accolades.
Although very accurate, I think Drew became a dink and dunk passer over the last 6 or 7 years of his career. In the final analysis that may have hurt him. He’s still an all time great for sure.
Posted on 3/4/22 at 11:39 am to StrongOffer
Another thing that separates Rodgers from all others is how few interceptions he throws. In 14 seasons as a starter he has thrown 93 ints. That’s an average of 6.6 per season. Crazy low! Brees threw 243 ints in 19 seasons as a starter. That’s an average of 12.8 per season.
Posted on 3/4/22 at 11:42 am to PetermanFanClub
I would swap Rodgers for Graham, Brees for Favre, Staubach for YA Title and Mahomes for Norm Van Brocklin.
But an otherwise solid list.
Posted on 3/4/22 at 11:46 am to PetermanFanClub
quote:
Drew became a dink and dunk passer over the last 6 or 7 years of his career
I don’t have a problem with Rodgers over Brees but 6-7 years is an overestimate. Considering he retired after 2020, 7 years prior would be 2013 when he threw for over 5100 yards. He led the NFL in passing from 2014-16 as well. He was among the best deep ball passers in those years.
Again not arguing about him against Rodgers here. Just disputing that he became a dink and dunk QB over the last SIX to SEVEN years. It was more last 2-3 years.
Posted on 3/4/22 at 11:53 am to AUFANATL
Not bad suggestions. But Mahomes at #28 after only 4 seasons of play is still really fantastic. One more stellar season and he could be Top 20. Maybe the best 4 year span of any QB ever.
Posted on 3/4/22 at 1:26 pm to PetermanFanClub
quote:
36. Matt Ryan (Active)
Too high
quote:
After two seasons, Joe Burrow comes in at #84.
Too high.
Posted on 3/4/22 at 1:32 pm to 1BamaRTR
quote:
I don’t have a problem with Rodgers over Brees but 6-7 years is an overestimate. Considering he retired after 2020, 7 years prior would be 2013 when he threw for over 5100 yards. He led the NFL in passing from 2014-16 as well. He was among the best deep ball passers in those years. Again not arguing about him against Rodgers here. Just disputing that he became a dink and dunk QB over the last SIX to SEVEN years. It was more last 2-3 years.
I 100% agree with this take. People who think Brees was a dink and dunk passer for his last 7 years clearly weren’t watching Drew between 2013-2016... Defense was the biggest issue for saints back then
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