Jim Kelly wasn't on the list, he's number one. No other quarterback has taken their team to the superbowl 4 consecutive years in a row! Maybe if he would have played on Buffalo's special teams also, they may have won a superbowl. But Joe M. was a close second.
jake - 16 years ago
Graham was good but the caliber of athlete, the talent and skill level, the size, the speed, it was just nowhere near what it is today or in recent years. That was over 50-60 years ago and back then there were about 18-20 teams, that plays some part in the 10 straight title games although its still a very impressive feat. The season wasnt as long and grueling as what it is today either so over 10 years, thats a lot less games a QB has to put his body through and endure physically. Graham was the best of his time and for awhile after.
Fan - 16 years ago
Steve - Montana didn't beat Elway. The 49rs beat the Broncos. Elway's team rode on his back (or arm) to the championship game, which is why Elway is great, but the Broncos, as a team, were no match for the 49rs. Montana has more championships - you can't argue with that - but in my opinion, just looking at the position in isolation, Elway was a better QB. We'll never know how things would have turned out had their roles been reversed - Montana in Denver and Elway in SF.
Jake - 16 years ago
Dan Marino is the definition of a Quarterback. He is arguably the best stand-in-the-pocket, pure-passer of all time. He was as mobile as the life-size bronze statue of him out in front of Land Shark Stadium but could still magically avoid the sack, (Roethlisberger reminds me of this today). He had one of the quickest releases with a rocket arm, maybe not quite Elway or Favre like, but fired with pinpoint accuracy. A true leader on and off the field, never afraid to get in a teammates face when needed or an opponents face. He only had one 1,000 yard back in his 17 year career, (Karim Abdul-Jabbar, 1,116 yards in '96) and the highest single-season rushing-yards ranking his teams ever had was 13th, twice. The offense lived or died on his arm for most of his career. He had at least 531 attempts or more 11 times, and over 600 3 of those times,(played all 16 games). The 6 years he didn't eclipse 500 attempts were years he didn't play the full season. We all know the major passing records he held until Favre and his injury-free iron-man longevity eclipsed them. His 48 TD's in '84 were a record until Manning's 49 in '04 and then Brady's 50 in '07. He still holds the single-season passing yards record with 5,084. His Dolphins only had one losing season in his 17 year career,(6-10 in '88), and his teams made the playoffs 10 times. If he could have had the balance and talent and ground-game like the teams Montana, Bradshaw, Elway, Brady, Favre, Aikman or even Kelly had, then the lack of Super Bowl appearances and rings would be a different story. Championships aren't won by one man anyway, those are team accomplishments, so the, "who has more rings?" comparisons are unfair. He was a 9-time Pro Bowler, 3-time First-Team All-Pro and League MVP. In his only Super Bowl, his team only rushed 9 times for 25 yards, (22nd in rushing yds that year), and Marino was forced to throw 50 times, completing 29 for 318yds, 1TD, 2INTs and 4 sacks. Montana on the other hand had the benefit of 211 rushing yards on 40 carries, (3rd in the League in rushing yds), he threw 35 times and was sacked once. Montana's team defense was 1st in points allowed,(14.2/g), so I don't want to hear, "but Montana beat Marino". Now, not to take anything away from the great Joe Montana, but the 49ers beat the Dolphins that day. In my opinion, Dan Marino's performance and individual accomplishments with the teams he had outweigh all others. He could only do so much with what he had, and what he did was play the Quarterback position the way it's meant to be played... and he did it better than anyone I've ever seen.
Tito - 16 years ago
Montana, Elway, Marino, Manning, all great but Unitas was the best. He called his own plays. Manning comes close now with the play changes he makes at the line of scrimmage, but that's not the same.
Steve - 16 years ago
To the guy that said Elway, was better than Montana. Remember that Montana actually beat Elway in Super Bowl XXIV. Also Elway only had a 73.7 passer rating that year!
Tata - 16 years ago
The reason Joe Montana was the best is because he DID NOT have the same skill set as Elway or Marino. He didn't have the greatest arm or the quickest release. But what Joe had was that intangible thing that makes all the greatest players of all sports great. When the team was in the huddle they believed thet were going to win. All they needed to know is what Joe told them and they did it. Just like the Bulls with Michael Jordan or the Oilers with Wayne Gretzky.....when you have the greatest on your side you just go along for the championship ride.
Fan - 16 years ago
Montana is the popular answer to this, for understandable reasons, but my vote goes to Elway. He could make throws few other QBs would even attempt (backwards across the field and long after running out of the pocket). He carried the Broncos on his back for years, had little offensive talent around him compared to Montana, and got his team to the Super Bowl three times, including two in a row, before they finally won two. That's five superbowls, two victories. Not as many victories as Montana and the 49rs, but the question was best QB, not best QB on a great overall team. The Broncos couldn't win until they got some more high calibre players, but before that it was all Elway.
gus chacon - 16 years ago
montana also won a college national championship while at notre dame and has 4 titles as a 49er.............case closed
PATRICK RAMAGE, DC - 16 years ago
Without a doubt Montana will be remembered for the super bowls wins, but no quarterback could have done so much as Elway with the limited talent that surrounded him.
Ralph Mango - 16 years ago
While I am a die-hard Montana fan, in truth, the 3 best are him, Unitas, and Graham. Few people are aware that Graham took his team into the championship game 10 years in a row. I think other than Wooden's teams and the Yankees in the 50's no one is close to that. Joe and John do not need an explanantion.
Jim Kelly wasn't on the list, he's number one. No other quarterback has taken their team to the superbowl 4 consecutive years in a row! Maybe if he would have played on Buffalo's special teams also, they may have won a superbowl. But Joe M. was a close second.
Graham was good but the caliber of athlete, the talent and skill level, the size, the speed, it was just nowhere near what it is today or in recent years. That was over 50-60 years ago and back then there were about 18-20 teams, that plays some part in the 10 straight title games although its still a very impressive feat. The season wasnt as long and grueling as what it is today either so over 10 years, thats a lot less games a QB has to put his body through and endure physically. Graham was the best of his time and for awhile after.
Steve - Montana didn't beat Elway. The 49rs beat the Broncos. Elway's team rode on his back (or arm) to the championship game, which is why Elway is great, but the Broncos, as a team, were no match for the 49rs. Montana has more championships - you can't argue with that - but in my opinion, just looking at the position in isolation, Elway was a better QB. We'll never know how things would have turned out had their roles been reversed - Montana in Denver and Elway in SF.
Dan Marino is the definition of a Quarterback. He is arguably the best stand-in-the-pocket, pure-passer of all time. He was as mobile as the life-size bronze statue of him out in front of Land Shark Stadium but could still magically avoid the sack, (Roethlisberger reminds me of this today). He had one of the quickest releases with a rocket arm, maybe not quite Elway or Favre like, but fired with pinpoint accuracy. A true leader on and off the field, never afraid to get in a teammates face when needed or an opponents face. He only had one 1,000 yard back in his 17 year career, (Karim Abdul-Jabbar, 1,116 yards in '96) and the highest single-season rushing-yards ranking his teams ever had was 13th, twice. The offense lived or died on his arm for most of his career. He had at least 531 attempts or more 11 times, and over 600 3 of those times,(played all 16 games). The 6 years he didn't eclipse 500 attempts were years he didn't play the full season. We all know the major passing records he held until Favre and his injury-free iron-man longevity eclipsed them. His 48 TD's in '84 were a record until Manning's 49 in '04 and then Brady's 50 in '07. He still holds the single-season passing yards record with 5,084. His Dolphins only had one losing season in his 17 year career,(6-10 in '88), and his teams made the playoffs 10 times. If he could have had the balance and talent and ground-game like the teams Montana, Bradshaw, Elway, Brady, Favre, Aikman or even Kelly had, then the lack of Super Bowl appearances and rings would be a different story. Championships aren't won by one man anyway, those are team accomplishments, so the, "who has more rings?" comparisons are unfair. He was a 9-time Pro Bowler, 3-time First-Team All-Pro and League MVP. In his only Super Bowl, his team only rushed 9 times for 25 yards, (22nd in rushing yds that year), and Marino was forced to throw 50 times, completing 29 for 318yds, 1TD, 2INTs and 4 sacks. Montana on the other hand had the benefit of 211 rushing yards on 40 carries, (3rd in the League in rushing yds), he threw 35 times and was sacked once. Montana's team defense was 1st in points allowed,(14.2/g), so I don't want to hear, "but Montana beat Marino". Now, not to take anything away from the great Joe Montana, but the 49ers beat the Dolphins that day. In my opinion, Dan Marino's performance and individual accomplishments with the teams he had outweigh all others. He could only do so much with what he had, and what he did was play the Quarterback position the way it's meant to be played... and he did it better than anyone I've ever seen.
Montana, Elway, Marino, Manning, all great but Unitas was the best. He called his own plays. Manning comes close now with the play changes he makes at the line of scrimmage, but that's not the same.
To the guy that said Elway, was better than Montana. Remember that Montana actually beat Elway in Super Bowl XXIV. Also Elway only had a 73.7 passer rating that year!
The reason Joe Montana was the best is because he DID NOT have the same skill set as Elway or Marino. He didn't have the greatest arm or the quickest release. But what Joe had was that intangible thing that makes all the greatest players of all sports great. When the team was in the huddle they believed thet were going to win. All they needed to know is what Joe told them and they did it. Just like the Bulls with Michael Jordan or the Oilers with Wayne Gretzky.....when you have the greatest on your side you just go along for the championship ride.
Montana is the popular answer to this, for understandable reasons, but my vote goes to Elway. He could make throws few other QBs would even attempt (backwards across the field and long after running out of the pocket). He carried the Broncos on his back for years, had little offensive talent around him compared to Montana, and got his team to the Super Bowl three times, including two in a row, before they finally won two. That's five superbowls, two victories. Not as many victories as Montana and the 49rs, but the question was best QB, not best QB on a great overall team. The Broncos couldn't win until they got some more high calibre players, but before that it was all Elway.
montana also won a college national championship while at notre dame and has 4 titles as a 49er.............case closed
Without a doubt Montana will be remembered for the super bowls wins, but no quarterback could have done so much as Elway with the limited talent that surrounded him.
While I am a die-hard Montana fan, in truth, the 3 best are him, Unitas, and Graham. Few people are aware that Graham took his team into the championship game 10 years in a row. I think other than Wooden's teams and the Yankees in the 50's no one is close to that. Joe and John do not need an explanantion.