So, here’s the deal. Yesterday in the comments for TMA I brought you possibly the stupidest sports-related link I’ve seen in a very long time, Sports Illustrated’s list of the eight best QB’s of all time. I’ll give you a second to peruse the list if you haven’t, and another couple of seconds to get over your laughter…

Now, all team biases aside, Peyton Manning is not the greatest QB of all time. Statistically, by the time he retires (assuming Brett Favre is not still playing) Peyton will probably hold every major record in the books. Moreso, he will most likely have done it all in fewer games than Favre, and with fewer mistakes. I might root for a direct Peyton rival, but I respect his game.

The important thing to keep in mind here is that the list is The Greatest QB of All Time… as of right now. Sorry Peyton – you’re not top on that list. Neither are Tom Brady, Brett Favre, Dan Marino or Joe Montana. The top of that list belongs to one man – Johnny Unitas. A man that revolutionized the QB position once again before the AFL/NFL Merger seems to have gotten points deducted by SI for only playing in two “Super Bowls”… and only winning one of them. But for the better part of this century of football, Johnny Unitas owned the NFL Quarterback Record Books.

Immediately following Unitas, at least in my book, is Joe Montana. He didn’t set records. He wasn’t a flashy guy. But he won Super Bowls, and he won them at an alarming rate. One of only two quarterbacks with a 4-0 Super Bowl record along with Terry Bradshaw, Montana did not have the easy road that Bradshaw had to his rings. The NFC in the 80’s was a back and forth with San Francisco, Dallas and Washington whereas in the 70’s, the AFC was pretty much Pittsburgh… and everyone else.

Behind Montana (please, don’t strike me down with lightning…), yes, I have Brett Favre. The sheer numbers have him ahead of everyone else on the list, and the Super Bowl Ring and 3 MVP trophies keep him ahead of the pack. Even if he should have retired three years ago. Let’s just move on.

Following Favre – now it’s time for Peyton. He’s climbing up all the charts (although it’s surprising how high Kerry Collins ranks all time in some of these categories), he has the ring and his 3 MVPs are just further testament to his position among the all-time greats.

Fifth – Dan Marino, hands down. The only thing that detracts from his stature on the list is the lack of shine on his hand. He owned every record in the books until Favre hung on to take them all away. He won an MVP, made 9 Pro Bowls in 16 years, and if he’d ever had a running game behind him would probably have a ring or two. Of course, if he had the rings, he might not have played all 16 years, lowering his overall stats.

Sixth seems like the place for John Elway. He was never the dominant QB of his era, and until his final two seasons he was the definition of Championship Futility (a title that is now 100% owned and copyrighted by Jim Kelly). Elway always put up the type of numbers that could carry a team throughout a regular season, but never get them over the top. Once he got a ground game behind him (and a pretty damned good defense too – let’s not forget that) he got his rings to go with his numbers.

Seventh – call me a homer if you want, but Tom Brady belongs on this list. Three rings in four years. Leading a team to only the second undefeated regular season in NFL history (not a word out of you Sparty…). 50 TD passes in sixteen games (that really seems comical). But more importantly, just look at how much the team suffered when he went down for the season (and possibly next).

Finally, the eighth spot on the list. This is a toss-up for many reasons. You could keep Otto Graham there for his stats at a time when football was more like glorified rugby and the QB position didn’t matter nearly as much. You could add Sammy Baugh for revolutionizing the position (and sport as a whole), but his stats don’t hold up against modern-day numbers (sorry GITC). As strange as it sounds, guys like Warren Moon and Steve Young make a case with outstanding numbers and in Young’s case a Super Bowl win. But I’m going to go off the beaten path a bit and put in a name that we’ve discussed as a borderline Hall of Famer, let alone one of the eight best QBs ever…

Kurt Warner. Hang on a second, I’ll back it up. He’s already got one Super Bowl ring and appeared in a second. He’s one week away from leading his second team to the Super Bowl as a starting QB. He has two NFL MVPs under his belt and, truth be told, should have gotten more consideration this past season. He’s authored some of the most prolific passing seasons in NFL history while playing for the Greatest Show On Turf. And while he doesn’t rank among the all-time leaders in any of the major QB categories (Yards, TDs, Completions, etc.), consider that in his ten year career (shorter than most) he hasn’t been a starter the entire time. The Giants used him as a placeholder for Eli, and the Cardinals brought him in with the idea of being a backup and mentor for Matt Leinart. Now some might say that fact detracts from his worthiness, but I say for him to put up the career numbers he has (28k+ yards, 182 TDs / 114 INTs, a 65% career completion percentage and over 2300 career completions) in only 109 games is even more impressive. From 2002–2007 – a time that could be considered the end of a QB’s prime from age 30-36 – he only averaged 7 games played per year. Think of all the wasted stats to go along with the accolades.

So if my #8 selection makes my list as laughable as the people over at SI, then so be it. But I’m sticking with it, at least until Brett Favre hangs on for another five years and falls farther down the list.

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