Football is King and the NFL is ruling the country. Don’t listen to anything the naysayers might be saying, Sunday’s during football season will always be ruled by men in helmets doing battle on the grid iron. The NFL is the ultimate league for footballer players and over the span of its existence the NFL has fielded some of the greatest talents in the universe. Today we are going to look at the best quarterbacks to ever play the game. While you can surely guess who comes in at #1, what about the top 5?
Terry Bradshaw
Most modern NFL fans know Terry Bradshaw for his loud personality on the NFL pre-games show and for his constant calling out of Michael Strahan needing a strong weight loss diet. Bradshaw is arguably the greatest QB to ever lace up a pair of cleats for the Pittsburgh Steelers and for good reason as he was drafted #1 overall back in 1970. Bradshaw would lead the team to 8 division titles and 4 Super Bowl championships. Now that Bradshaw is retired he could stand to keep losing weight as we expect him to be a TV analyst for years to come.
Terry Bradshaw
Earl Morrall
For 21 seasons, Morrall dominated the field as a punter, starter and reserve player. Today, he is known as one of the greatest backup quarterbacks in NFL history. During the 1968 Baltimore Colts season, he filled in for Johnny Unitas (who was injured) and lead the Colts to a championship shutout victory and Super Bowl III. Then in 1972, he lead the Miami Dolphins (under coach Don Shula) to Super Bowl VII and the ~only~ perfect season in NFL history.
Earl Morrall
Michael Vick
No doubt about it, Michael Vick is an incredibly dynamic QB. His time with the Falcons during 2001 to 2006 was flawless. Vick was named to three Pro Bowls and played four postseason games until he was sent to prison due to his involvement in a dogfighting ring. After watching Tom Brady’s incredible performance at Super Bowl 51, looks like Vick is contemplating not retiring and fighting on. He said, “I would love to play this year, suit up for another run at it. I still feel like I could play, and there is a lot left in the tank.”
Michael Vick
Dak Prescott
Dak Prescott was brought onto the team of the Cowboys with the intention of him serving as backup in his rookie season, however Prescott became the Cowboys’ starting QB after the original starter Tony Romo was injured in the preseason. That year, he quickly earned recognition for his on-field success, including helping the team snatch the top seed in their conference. Prescott also set numerous rookie QB records and was even named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, and earned a Pro Bowl selection.
Dak Prescott
Dan Fouts
This Hall of Famer played his entire career with the San Diego Chargers (1973 to 1987). Fouts was one of the most prolific passing QBs of the 1970s and 1980s, however the Chargers were not able to reach the Super Bowl in his 15 year stint. He led the NFL in passing yards four straight years, and was the first player in history to ever throw for 4,000 yards in three consecutive seasons.
Dan Fouts
Drew Bledsoe
During the 1990s, Drew Bledsoe was considered the face of the Patriots franchise, he was their first overall pick in 1993 NFL Draft. Under his tenure as starting QB, the Patriots ended an embarrassing eight-season postseason drought, qualified for the playoffs six times, and even made one Super Bowl appearance. He was named to the 1995 Pro Bowl and was the youngest quarterback to appear in the NFL’s all-star game at the time (all in his second season with them).
Drew Bledsoe
Jameis Winston
Apart from being a talented quarterback, Jameis Winston is also pretty good at baseball. With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he set impressive franchise rookie records in pass attempts, pass completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns. In the 2016, he broke franchise records for passing yards and passing touchdowns and also became the first QB in NFL history to start with consecutive seasons of 4,000 yards passing.
Jameis Winston
Jim Plunkett
Plunkett played for Stanford University, where he won the Heisman Trophy, and he played professionally for three NFL teams in his career, with the New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers and Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders. He led the Raiders to two Super Bowl victories (XV and XVIII) and is the only eligible QB to start, and win (!), two Super Bowls without an induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Jim Plunkett
Ryan Fitzpatrick
Whenever Fitzpatrick retires, he’s got a shot at doing some incredible things as Sporting News named the Harvard grad the 5th smartest athlete. Currently, he’s a free agent who has played for the St. Louis Rams, Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans and New York Jets. Fitzpatrick finished off the 2016 season with 2,710 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions.
Ryan Fitzpatrick
Roman Gabriel
Roman Gabriel is often referred to by many to have been one of the best quarterbacks during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was second overall pick in the 1962 NFL Draft and in his career, he played for the Los Angeles Rams for 11 seasons, then 5 seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Roman Gabriel
Brock Osweiler
Impressively, Brock Osweiler was rated as the sixth best QB during the 2012 NFL Draft by NFLDraftScout.com. In his four years with the Broncos, he was backup to Peyton Manning and earned a Super Bowl ring after they won Super Bowl 50. In 2016, he signed a four year, $72 million contract with the Houston Texans.
Brock Osweiler
Archie Manning
Archie played for 16 seasons in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints, the Houston Oilers and the Minnesota Vikings. In college, he played for the Ole Miss Rebels football team at the University of Mississippi, and was also inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame. And yes, Manning is the father of Cooper Manning, Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, and New York Giants starting quarterback, Eli Manning.
Archie Manning
Marcus Mariota
Mariota played college ball at Oregon, becoming the first Oregon player and Hawaii born athlete to have ever won the Heisman Trophy. In the 2015 draft, he was selected by the Titans. In the 2016 season, following a fibula injured, he still finished with a career high of 3,426 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions.
Dolphins Titans Football
Derek Carr
Carr’s rookie season with the Raiders finished with with 3,270 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He became the first Raiders QB to start all 16 games since Rich Gannon back in 2002.
Derek Carr
Carson Wentz
There’s a lot of talk going around that the Eagles could win a Super Bowl with Carson Wentz so he’s one to keep an eye on! His 2016 rookie season saw him shatter a few franchise records. Including 379 completions in a single season, along with 607 pass attempts, which is the second highest attempts by a rookie in league history.
Carson Wentz
Tyrod Taylor
Taylor was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft, serving as backup to starting QB Joe Flacco, including during the Ravens’ Super Bowl XLVII win. Signed by Buffalo in 2015 as a free agent, Taylor was named starting QB for the Bills at the beginning of the 2015 season. In 2016, he signed a six year contract extension worth $92 million.
Tyrod Taylor
Bernie Kosar
The one and only Bernie Kosar played for the Cleveland Browns from 1985 to 1993, finishing his career with the Dallas Cowboys and the Miami Dolphins. With the Cowboys, he did win Super Bowl XXVIII, beating the Buffalo Bills. He was also Pro Bowl champ in 1987 and National champion few years before in 1983.
Bernie Kosar
Rich Gannon
Currently Gannon is a sports commentator with CBS Sports and Sirius XM NFL Radio but long before this, he was an excellent quarterback. In the 1987 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots selected Gannon in the fourth round, not long after, he was traded to the Minnesota Vikings and started his career as a backup for Wade Wilson. Gannon started his first games in 1990 after Wilson was injured. Then in 1992, he formally became the starting quarterback for the Vikings and led them to an 11-5 season and also the playoffs after two consecutive losing seasons.
Rich Gannon
Ryan Tannehill
With the Dolphins, in Tannehill’s rookie season, he set franchise records for passing yards, attempts, and completions. Since then, he’s only carried on racking up the franchise records with Miami.
Ryan Tannehill
Matthew Stafford
Matthew Stafford is only the fourth QB in NFL history to throw for more than 5,000 yards in a single season, becoming one of only three players to do so in 2011. He’s also the fastest player in NFL history to have reached 30,000 passing yards. Stafford also holds the NFL record for having the most comeback wins in a season, with a record 8 in the 2016 NFL season.
Matthew Stafford
Bobby Layne
This Hall of Famer has an incredible record! Layne was the NFL passing touchdowns leader (1951), a 2× NFL passing yards leader (1950, 1951), a 3× First-team All-Pro (1952, 1956, 1958), an impressive 6× Pro Bowl (1951–1953, 1956, 1958, 1959), and also a 3× NFL champion (1952, 1953, 1957). The Texas Longhorns and Detroit Lions have retired his jersey #22 number.
Bobby Layne
Len Dawson
Dawson had a bit of a slow start with the Pittsburgh Steelers but all that changed when he signed with Dallas in 1962. In his first season at Dallas he led the league in touchdowns and yards per attempt. When Dawson eventually moved to the Chiefs, he lead them to a surprising Super Bowl victory in 1970. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.
Len Dawson
Alex Smith
Smith was selected by the San Francisco 49ers as the the first overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. After the 2012 season, Smith was traded to Kansas City. During his first season with the Chiefs, he led them to a stunning 9–0 start and their first playoffs in just three years. Smith would carry the Chiefs to a 11 game winning streak in 2015 and also their first playoff win since 1994.
Alex Smith
Joe Theismann
Theismann played 12 seasons with the Washington Redskins, during this time he became a two-time Pro Bowler and took the team to consecutive Super Bowl appearances, winning Super Bowl XVII and losing Super Bowl XVIII. We’ll never know what he could have gone on to accomplish as he was forced to retire in 1985 after a devastating career-ending injury.
Joe Theismann
Joe Flacco
Flacco’s rookie season went off with a bang and has only continued to improve since then. He’s well known for having one of the strongest arms in the NFL, making it easy for him to play an aggressive, high-risk deep downfield kind of play. As Baltimore’s starting QB, the Ravens have won the AFC North twice, have appeared in three AFC Championship Games, and also won Super Bowl XLVII. Flacco was then named Super Bowl XLVII’s MVP, thus allowing him to tie Joe Montana’s single postseason record for touchdown passes without an interception. That offseason, he went on to sign a six year contract worth $120 million, which is a record high for a QB, in that time.
Joe Flacco
Vinny Testaverde
Testaverde was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers first overall in the 1987 NFL Draft. He has also played for the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, the New York Jets, the Dallas Cowboys, the New England Patriots, and the Carolina Panthers. His 21 seasons were spent with seven different teams.
Vinny Testaverde
Carson Palmer
Since 2002, Palmer has accomplished a ton. He was Consensus All-American, First-team All-Pac-10, Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year, Sporting News Player of the Year, won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, and the Heisman Trophy. In the NFL, in 2005 he was the NFL passing touchdowns leader, AFC Player of the Year, SN NFL Comeback Player of the Year, Second-team All-Pro, and 3× Pro Bowl (2005, 2006, 2015). USC Trojans also retired his jersey No. 3.
Carson Palmer
Daryle Lamonica (#3)
“The Mad Bomber” is easily remembered for being to throw a long pass in virtually any situation. With Buffalo for four seasons, Lamonica backed up Jack Kemp, winning back-to-back AFL championships. Then he was known as “the Fireman”, coming into games if Kemp was injured or ineffective, and he would pull out victories.
Daryle Lamonica (#3)
Ben Roethlisberger
Roethlisberger is the youngest Super Bowl-winning quarterback in NFL history, he led the Steelers to a 21–10 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL at just 23 years old. He also led the Steelers to a second Super Bowl title in four seasons as they defeated the Arizona Cardinals. He’s one of the most efficient passers in NFL history and ranks 9th all-time in NFL passer rating (94.0), ties for 6th in yards per attempt (7.93), and ties for 10th in completion percentage (63.85%) among QBs with a minimum of 1,500 career attempts. Our favorite fact is that he’s one of six quarterbacks in the history of the NFL to have beaten at least 31 of the current NFL teams.
Ben Roethlisberger
George Blanda
George Blanda played for 26 seasons of professional football, which is the most in the sport’s history. He’s also scored more points than anyone else in history, when he retired. He was just one of only two players to have played in four different decades, and he still holds the record for most extra points kicked.
George Blanda
Jay Cutler
We’ll probably get a lot of abuse for including Jay Cutler in this list but come on, guys, you know he’s up for it. Cutler has often been referred to as a composed player, who can make all the throws and plays with a ton of confidence. Since 2009, he’s been with the Chicago Bears, setting franchise records left and right.
Jay Cutler
Colin Kaepernick
Kaepernick might be a tid bit controversial but there’s no denying the guy’s got talent. He did start his professional career as a backup to Alex Smith, but he would became the 49ers’ starter in the middle of the 2012 season after Smith suffered a concussion. Colin Kaepernick then remained the team’s starting QB for the rest of the season and impressively led the 49ers to their first Super Bowl appearance since 1994 before they lost to the Baltimore Ravens. The next season, his first full season as a starter, the 49ers reach the NFC Championship before the team lost to the Seattle Seahawks. In the following seasons, Kaepernick has lost and won back his starting quarterback job as the 49ers have missed the playoffs for three years consecutively.
Colin Kaepernick
Andy Dalton
With the Bengals, Andy Dalton has accomplished an insane amount of accolades. Besides, Dalton and All-Pro wide receiver A.J. Green have turned into a prolific QB/receiver combo. Currently Dalton is just one of six QBs in NFL history to have thrown for over 3,000 yards in each of his first three seasons. He’s also one of just five QBs to have passed for at least 20 TDs in each of his first three seasons. We shoudl mention that Dalton is the only QB to have led the Bengals to four consecutive playoffs, and one of five QBs to lead his team to the playoffs in each of his first four seasons.
Andy Dalton
Matt Ryan
Matty Ice in his rookie year started all 16 games for the Atlanta Falcons, leading them to the playoffs with an 11–5 season record. Ryan went on to earn honors as the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Just in 2016, he was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player and led the Falcons to Super Bowl LI.
Matt Ryan
Doug Flutie
Flutie’s college career was nothing short of breathtaking so when he was selected as the 285th pick in the 11th round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams, this made him the lowest ever drafted Heisman Award winner. Pretty shocking.
Doug Flutie
Jim Kelly
Jim Kelly was a star player in the United States Football League in 1984. Following the USFL’s demise, Kelly signed with the Buffalo Bills in 1986. Together with running back Thurman Thomas and wide receiver Andre Reed, the Bills offense was rousing. Kelly lead a high-octane no-huddle offense which lead the Bills to four straight Super Bowl appearances, from 1991 to 1994.
Jim Kelly
Cam Newton
In just his rookie year, Newton broke all-time the NFL rookie records for passing and rushing yards. He is also the first NFL quarterback to throw for 400 yards in his first game, smashing Peyton Manning’s first-game record by 120 yards. Cam also broke Otto Graham’s 61-year-old record for passing yards by any QB in an NFL debut. He’s also the first rookie quarterback to throw for 4,000 yards in a season. He also broke Steve Grogan’s 35-year-old record and ran for 14 touchdowns, which is more in a single season than any quarterback in NFL history. CAm Newton is also the first QB to throw for at least 30 touchdowns, rush for 10 in the same season, has 300 yards passing, 5 touchdown passes, and over 100 yards rushing in the same game.
Cam Newton
Otto Graham
The casual NFL fan probably wouldn’t know Ottoh Graham from some random guy who slings individual health insurance down the street, but real NFL fans know him. Otto Graham was born and raised in Waukegan, IL before going to college at Northwestern. A few years later Graham was selected 4th overall in the 1944 draft. Graham would go on to play for the Cleveland Browns from 1946 to 1955 where he would go on to become one of the most decorated passers in league history. Graham would win 3 championships, be named to 5 Pro Bowls, and land a pair of AAFC MVP’s while he was at it. Not bad, right?
Otto Graham
Tony Romo
While everyone is speculating where Romo will end up in 2017, we’re here to remind you why. Tony Romo wasn’t chosen in the 2003 draft and he ended up signing as a free agent with the Dallas Cowboys (yup, he’s got a looooong history with the club who might be giving him the boot). After two seasons as a holder, Romo then replaced the Cowboys’ previous starting QB Drew Bledsoe during a game against the New York Giants in the 2006 season. He has broken the Cowboys team records, such as most games with at least 300 passing yards and games with three or more TD passes.
Since 2006, Romo has a higher passer rating in the 4th quarter than any other quarterback.
Tony Romo
Sonny Jurgensen
Jurgensen is a Hall of Famer who played his professional career with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Redskins. Some of his honors include: NFL 1960s All-Decade Team, 2× NFL passing touchdowns leader, 5× NFL passing yards leader, 2× First-team All-Pro, 5× Pro Bowl, and NFL champion (1960). When with the Redskins, Vince Lombardi called him the best QB he’s ever seen.
Sonny Jurgensen
Warren Moon
To name a few of Moon’s successes is a must, let’s see, he was NFL Man of the Year (1989), NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1990), NFL MVP (1990), First-team All-Pro (1990), and 9× Pro Bowl (1988–1995, 1997). Moon was the first ever African-American quarterback to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and he was also the first undrafted QB ever to be enshrined there.
Warren Moon
Mark Brunell
Mark Brunell is up next! Brunell was a three-time Pro Bowl selection with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He also played for the Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, and New York Jets. In 2009, he earned a Super Bowl ring as the backup QB and holder for the Saints’ Super Bowl XLIV winning team against the Indianapolis Colts.
Mark Brunell
Roger Staubach
The Dallas Cowboys didn’t become ‘America’s team’ in the ’90s when Troy Aikman was at the helm. It was the work of Roger Staubach, who played for the ‘Boys from 1969 to 1979, that brought the team to prominence. Staubach was a 10th round pick who barely made the Cowboy’s roster back in 1964. Staubach would steal the starting job and go on to land 2 Super Bowl rings, 6 Pro Bowls, and a host of other honors throughout his career. Staubach could have been even greater if he hadn’t taken time off to serve in the U.S. Navy.
Roger Staubach
Kirk Cousins
The 2016 season was perhaps the best for Kirk Cousins who is epically remembered for the Week 11 game against the Packers, where Cousins threw for 375 yards along with three touchdowns, earning him his third NFC Offensive Player of the Week award. After the game, Cousins was caught on camera asking Redskins GM Scot McCloughan, “How you like me now?” Then on Thanksgiving Day, he wound up second on the list of most passing yards in NFL history.
Kirk Cousins
Joe Namath
Namath’s influence in the football world still echoes today. He will always be remembered for boldly guaranteeing that the Jets would beat Don Shula’s Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III (1969), and that’s exactly what happened with a 16–7 upset.
Joe Namath
Sammy Baugh
Up next is good ol’ “Slingin’ Sammy.” This Hall of Famer is well known for his passing prowess and his versatility as a player, he would often play at the highest levels as a punter and a defensive back as well. Baugh led the Redskins to the NFL Championship in 1937 and 1942, winning both times, and was also named NFL Player of the Year by the Washington D.C. Touchdown Club in 1947 and 1948 for his play. He led the league in completions, attempts, completion percentage, yards, passing touchdowns, interception percentage and passer rating. Whew, the man’s a rock star.
Sammy Baugh
Dan Marino
Dan Marino was the prototypical passing QB in an era where the league didn’t really lean on the aerial game. Though people may have mocked Marino for his constant need of a weight loss program, he was untouchable while on the field. Marino is one of the most prolific passers of all time as he won the passing yards award in 5 different seasons. Marino landed 9 Pro Bowls and an MVP award while amassing 61,136 passing yards and 420 touchdowns. The one flaw in Marino’s otherwise storied career is his lack of an NFL championship.
Dan Marino
Johnny Unitas
It’s so incredibly difficult to compare quarterbacks in different eras. So while you can make a case for Johnny Unitas landing in the top 5, he comes in just at #10 for us. Johnny Unitas, or ‘The Golden Arm’, is one of the greatest QBs to ever play the game. Unitas played for the Baltimore Colts from 1956 to 1972 and he spent a year in Pittsburgh and San Diego as well. While on the field there was nobody like Johnny U. He set the record for consecutive games with a TD pass and held it for 52 years, not losing it until Drew Brees stole it in 2012. Unitas isn’t just a great QB, he is one of the best to ever play the game.
Johnny Unitas
Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson was selected by the Seattle Seahawks as the 12th pick in the third round (75th overall) of the 2012 NFL Draft. That same year, he tied Peyton Manning’s record for most passing touchdowns by a rookie (26) and was also named the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year. In 2013, he led the Seahawks to their first ever Super Bowl victory (!), and in 2014, he led them to a second straight Super Bowl berth. Wilson has incredibly won more games (46) than any other NFL quarterback in his first four seasons, and he is still the second highest rated NFL passer of all time.
Russell Wilson
Steve Young
Steve Young had the tough to impossible job of following Joe Montana in San Francisco. So, of course, Young continued Montana’s legacy and became one of the greatest of all time as a result. Young is a Hall of Fame quarterback with 3 Super Bowl rings, 7 Pro Bowl titles, and 2 MVP awards next to his name. Young has a career passer rating of 96.8 and 246 total touchdowns to his name.
Steve Young
Eli Manning
The other Manning brother still holds the Giants franchise records for most passing yards, TD passes, and completed passes in a career, plus the NFL record for most fourth-quarter TD passes in a season. Manning led the Giants to two Super Bowls XLII and XLVI wins, was named Most Valuable Player in each Super Bowl, and became one of five players to have multiple Super Bowl MVP awards. He’s also one of four quarterbacks in the history of the NFL with at least 45,000 career yards, 300 touchdowns, four Pro Bowl appearances and two Super Bowl championships.
Eli Manning
Sid Luckman
Similiar tot hat of Vick, Tarkenton, and Moon, Sid Luckman was an incredibly athletic quarterback. His multi-talented bag of skills lead his coach to play him as a running back at times! Luckman did spend all 11 years of his pro football career with the Chicago Bears. He even lead the Bears to four championships (1940, 1941, 1943, and 1946) and still holds many of their passing records.
Sid Luckman
Kurt Warner
Kurt Warner is a rare specimen in that he could have been the greatest of all time if not for his constant struggle to stay on the field. Warner played for 12 years despite being undrafted and he won a Super Bowl back in 2008, grabbing the Super Bowl MVP along the way. Warner played football for six different teams while scoring a Super Bowl Ring, 2 MVPs, and 4 Pro Bowl nods. Warner will be forever loved for coming out of nowhere to get Arizona a Super Bowl. Hopefully Warner has some low cost health insurance from his time in the league to deal with those injuries, though.
Kurt Warner
Teddy Bridgewater
Bridgewater’s college career with the University of Louisville was nothing short of spectacular so when he was drafted by the Vikings in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft, no one was surprised. In the NFL, he became the first rookie QB to ever complete over 70% of his passes in four straight games but when he injured his left leg in the 2016 season, things took a wrong turn, placing him on the injured list for the remainder of the season and it looks like this season too.
Teddy Bridgewater
Aaron Rodgers
What is it with great QB’s passing the torch to great QBs? Montana went to Young and Brett Favre went to Aaron Rodgers. Aaron Rodgers is our first listed quarterback who is still active in the NFL, playing for the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers has been with the Packers since 2005 and he continues to be listed as one of the best in the game. Rodgers is revered for his incredible accuracy, scrambling ability, and masterful limiting of turnovers. Rodgers has a career 103.5 passer rating, 5 Pro Bowls, 2 MVPs, and a Super Bowl ring to his name — and he’s still going.
Aaron Rodgers
Fran Tarkenton
Good ol’ Fran. Tarkenton played in the NFL for a whopping 18 seasons, with a majority of his career with the Minnesota Vikings. Tarkenton’s time with the Vikings spanned 14 non-consecutive seasons, six seasons from 1961 to 1966, and then another seven from 1972 to 1978. During his in between his years, Tarkenton played for the New York Giants for four seasons. By the time he retired, Tarkenton held every major quarterback record. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986.
Fran Tarkenton
Troy Aikman
Roger Staubach was a great start and Troy Aikman was the next step. Aikman was selected #1 overall back in the 1989 draft and he played his entire career with the Dallas Cowboys, racking up 11 years of service. Aikman was part of the big Dallas show that included Michael Irvin, Emmit Smith and Deion Sanders. Aikman is a 3 time Super Bowl Champ, a 6 time Pro Bowler, and a Hall of Famer. Now you can catch Aikman every Sunday afternoon giving his hot take on the day’s football action.
Troy Aikman
Sam Bradford
In Bradford’s first season in the NFL (in 2010), he set the record for most completions by a rookie in NFL history, earning him the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. During his 2015 campaign with the Philadelphia Eagles, he set career-highs in passing yards, completion percentage, and yards per attempt. After which the Vikings acquired Bradford, following the season ending injury to their starting QB Teddy Bridgewater.
Sam Bradford
Ken Stabler
Ken Stabler’s 15 year career in the NFL was nothing short of exceptional. His best years though were with the Oakland Raiders – ask any Raider fan and they’ll instantly agree. As a Raider, he went to the Pro Bowl four times and won the regular season MVP in 1974. Then in 1977, Stabler lead the Raiders to their first ever Super Bowl victory. “The Snake” left the Raiders for the Houston Oilers and the New Orleans Saints. Before leaving though, he was the Raiders’ all-time leader in completions (1,486), passing yards (19,078), and touchdown passes (150).
Ken Stabler
Brett Favre
Favre is one of the NFL’s most enduring football players. This Hall of Fame gunslinger took over the starting gig in Green Bay back in 1992 and he held the job until 2007. Along the way Brett Favre became an iron man, setting NFL records for consecutive starts, career passing attempts, career completions, and even most sacks taken. Favre is an 11 time Pro Bowler, a Super Bowl Champ, and a yardage leader with 71,838 passing yards to his name.
Brett Favre
Donovan McNabb
During McNabb’s tenure with the Eagles, he led them to five NFC East division championships (2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004, and 2006), five NFC Championship Games (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2008), and one Super Bowl (Super Bowl XXXIX, the Eagles lost to the New England Patriots). He also became the Eagles’ all-time leader in pass attempts, pass completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns. In fact, his 3,469 career yards rushing ranks sixth of all-time for NFL quarterbacks.
Donovan McNabb
John Elway
John Elway steered the ship for the Denver Broncos from his draft selection in 1983 all the way to retirement in 1998. Elway is a 2x Super Bowl Champ, an NFL MVP, a 9x Pro Bowler, and part of the NFL All Decade Team for the 1990s. Now Elway serves as the GM for the Denver Broncos, where he has continued his successful ways.
John Elway
Randall Cunningham
Randall Cunningham was known as “The Ultimate Weapon,” he played in the NFL from 1985 to 2001. Cunningham played for the Philadelphia Eagles, the Minnesota Vikings, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Baltimore Ravens during his career. While playing for the Eagles, Cunningham lead in passing yards and rushing yards from 1987-1990. In 1998, Cunningham and other incredibly talented players, lead the Vikings to the NFC championship game. Currently, Cunningham is an ordained Protestant minister and a coach at Silverado High School
Randall Cunningham
Y.A. Tittle
Y.A. Tittle was the greatest athlete to ever step foot onto the field, he was a star QB in the 50s and 60s. By the time he retired, he was the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards, passing touchdowns, attempts, completions, and games played. In 1971 he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and his jersey number 14 was retired by the Giants. Tittle will be remembered for leading the Giants to three straight NFL championship games (1961-1963). He also won the MVP four times and was the first profession football player to ever be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
Y.A. Tittle
Steve McNair
Together with running back Eddie George, McNair turned the Tennessee Titans into contenders. “Air McNair” would lead the Titans to four playoff appearances and the 1999 Super Bowl, where they disappointingly suffered a dramatic (understatement) last-second loss to the St. Louis Rams. McNair, as a Titan, was selected to the Pro Bowl three times, was All-Pro and Co-MVP in 2003. Tragically though in 2009 McNair was fatally shot by his mistress, Sahel Kazemi, in a murder–suicide.
Steve McNair
Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning could easily be #1 overall if he had just a little bit more luck in the postseason. Manning just retired from the NFL after winning a Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos, the second of his career, and the New Orleans native had a chance for 3 total ‘chips. Manning played for the Colts from ’98 to 2011 before going to the Broncos from ’12 to 2015. Manning is a 14x Pro Bowler, a 5x NFL MVP, and a 2x Super Bowl Champion. He currently holds the record for most passing yards and passing touchdowns ever.
Peyton Manning
Drew Brees
Brees has done a lot since starting his professional career with the San Diego Chargers. However nine months after a bad dislocation in his shoulder joint and a 360 degree tear of his labrum and rotator cuff, Brees would sign with the New Orleans Saints as a free agent. He had immediate success, earning nine trips to the Pro Bowl and impressively, he lead the Saints to their first Super Bowl in Super Bowl XLIV against the Indianapolis Colts. Since he joined the Saints in 2006, Brees has led all NFL quarterbacks in touchdowns, passing yards, and 300-yard games. Brees has also passed for over 5,000 yards in a season five times (no other NFL QB has done so more than once). He also has led the NFL in passing touchdowns four times and in passing yards a record seven times. He was the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year in 2004, the Offensive Player of the Year in 2008 and 2011, and the MVP of Super Bowl XLIV.
Drew Brees
Bart Starr
If you don’t know the name Bart Starr then you’re about to get schooled. Starr is one of just two quarterbacks in NFL history, the other being Tom Brady, to have lead a team to five league championships (1961–62, 1965–67), as well as Super Bowls I and II (!). Starr was named the MVP of the first two Super Bowls and earned four Pro Bowl selections. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Packers Hall of Fame in 1977. He has the highest playoff passer rating (104.8) of any QB in the history of the NFL and a playoff record of 9–1. The man’s a darn legend.
Bart Starr
Joe Montana
Winning is everything and nobody (except the next guy on our list) did it better than Joe Montana. Montana won 4x Super Bowls and landed 8x Pro Bowls in his career. However, what makes Montana special is his performance under pressure — leading the NFL in fourth quarter comebacks during his time on the field. Montana is considered the most clutch QB to ever play the game.
Joe Montana
Tom Brady
Love him or hate him, Tom Brady is one of the best players of all time and probably the best QB to ever touch a football. Brady’s story has been trod out numerous times: he went from a 6th round draft pick to a 5x Super Bowl Champion to 4x Super Bowl MVP. After his historic win at Super Bowl LI, Brady told SiriusXM NFL Radio that Gisele Bundchen, the Brazilian supermodel and wife of eight years, pleaded with him to retire “three times” but he said, ‘Too bad, babe, I’m having too much fun right now.'” Brady is one of the most successful quarterbacks of all time and is still one of the most potent.
Tom Brady