Clayton's Top 10 All-time QBs

[DFWJC]

Don't shoot the messenger.

Here is a list of John Clayton's all-time top 10 QBs:

Unitas
Montana
Graham
Elway
Favre
Marino
Brady
Manning
Bradshaw
StarrNot terrible, but I would have a different order and maybe a few different names.

What's your list?

[ABQCOWBOY]

Don't shoot the messenger.

Here is a list of John Clayton's all-time top 10 QBs:

Unitas
Montana
Graham
Elway
Favre
Marino
Brady
Manning
Bradshaw
StarrNot terrible, but I would have a different order and maybe a few different names.

What's your list?

Any list I'd put together would start with Staubach. I have seen most of these guys play and I would take Roger over any of them.

[MarionBarberThe4th]

Brady and Favre over Peyton Manning is dumb.

[HoosierCowboy]

Graham
Starr
Montana
Manning
Unitas
elway
Staubach
Favre
Marino
Luckman

hate it when they just look at passing yards because todays guys play with different rules and throw it 3 times as many times and there was once a lot more to being a QB than just throwing

[Scranton Tiger]

Otto Graham has to be at the top of any list like this one. Led his team to 10 Championship games in 10 seasons winning 7 Titles. If he isn't on top, the list has no credibility. JMO

[BeWare94]

Don't shoot the messenger.

Here is a list of John Clayton's all-time top 10 QBs:

Unitas
Montana
Graham
Elway
Favre
Marino
Brady
Manning
Bradshaw
StarrNot terrible, but I would have a different order and maybe a few different names.

What's your list?

Marino, Bradshaw and Starr but no Aikman? BS

[Doomsday101]

Marino, Bradshaw and Starr but no Aikman? BS

I agree and would add Trakenton to the all time list

[Romo 2 Austin]

Aikman > Elway
Aikman > Brady
Aikman > Manning
Aikman > Starr
Aikman > Favre
Staubach > All

[burmafrd]

Trying to compare different eras QBs is futile. No way you can compare Otto Grahams NFL to Peyton Mannings NFL. Graham, Unitas, Staubach, Montana, Elway & Aikman, Peyton Manning. Eachof those the best of their times. I would love to take AIkman over Elway as they played a lot of the same time but I cannot.

[jem88]

I never watched Staubach but from what I've read and the highlights I've seen, I find it very hard to believe that Favre would be above him. Any old-timers care to enlighten?

For what it's worth, I'd have Steve Young and Peyton Manning ahead of Favre as well.

[Romo 2 Austin]

I never watched Staubach but from what I've read and the highlights I've seen, I find it very hard to believe that Favre would be above him. Any old-timers care to enlighten?

For what it's worth, I'd have Steve Young and Peyton Manning ahead of Favre as well.

I would take Staubach over all from what i've seen.


Aikman ranks 4th after Graham and Marino.

[dadymat]

Aikman > Elway
Aikman > Brady
Aikman > Manning
Aikman > Starr
Aikman > Favre
Staubach > All


you take homerism to a whole different level.......:rolleyes:

[Heisenberg]

Aikman > Elway
Aikman > Brady
Aikman > Manning
Aikman > Starr
Aikman > Favre
Staubach > All

I like Aikman, but you're smoking crack.

[Hostile]

Don't shoot the messenger.

Here is a list of John Clayton's all-time top 10 QBs:
Unitas
Montana
Graham
Elway
Favre
Marino
Brady
Manning
Bradshaw
StarrNot terrible, but I would have a different order and maybe a few different names.

What's your list?For me it is entirely about passing ability. I try and think what would happen if they were on the same team. Not what they did in their careers.

1. Peyton Manning
2. John Elway
3. Roger Staubach
4. Joe Montana
5. Johnny Unitas
6. Brett Favre
7. Dan Marino
8. Otto Graham
9. Y. A. Tittle
10. Troy Aikman

[BraveHeartFan]

1. Joe Montana - He was Mr. Clutch when I was growing up and as far as I'm concerned there is no one that I believe would be better in big game situations than him.

2. Peyton Manning - The guy is just flat out brilliant. I'm not sure I've ever seen a QB who just awed me more with his flat out, God given, ability to throw the ball so perfectly.

3. Roger Staubach - Captain Comeback. This is the only guy I even consider in the same breath as Joe Cool when it comes to big game, big play, come from behind situations. I know other guys might have done it more often than him but I'd take him over anyone not named Joe Montana in those situations.

4. Otto Graham - There is certainly a case to be made that the guy should be #1 based of Championships and appearances alone but those, to me, are team accomplishments and not just on him. The guy also happened to have one of the best running backs playing at that time with him in Motley so it's not like he did it all on his own or anything. Though there isn't a player who ever does it all on his own anyway.

5. John Elway - He was amazing long before they finally put enough pieces around him to actually win a couple Superbowls. Those just put the final validation on an absolutely amazing career.

6. Johnny Unitas - The guy could flat play. What did he have something like 47 straight games with a TD pass? Think about that folks. He holds the record for most games with a TD pass even when todays NFL is more pass happy they don't come close to this guys record. Pretty dang impressive.

7. Brett Favre - I could probably very easily make a case for him being even higher on the list but anywhere in the top 10 is an appropriate place for this guy. He's just flat been amazing.

8. Tom Brady - He's done as much with as little, around him offensively that is, as any big time QB IMO. He's a great player. He throws the ball great, he's smart, and he has proven, numerous times, that he can be very clutch when they need him to be. I like Tom a whole lot. Great QB.

9. Dan Marino - This guy could easily be higher on the list, I know that, cause of what he was able to do from the QB perspective. My only issue was that he just didn't seem as clutch in the bigger situations. He was very clutch in regular season games and stuff and you never felt it was over in the regular season with him. But when it came to post season I just never got the same feeling that he could lead comebacks the way other QBs could. Still an amazing QB without a doubt.

10. Troy Aikman - Maybe it's a bit of a homer pick on my part. I do believe I can make the case that he's top 10 but there are about a half dozen other guys who I believe I could make strong cases for at this spot as well. Aikman was everything you wanted in a QB though. Big, strong arm, tough, great leader, could be very clutch when needed, extremely smart, and without any doubt, at all, the most accurate QB I've ever had the priveledge of watching play the game.


Some guys who I think just missed the top 10, but you could easily make a case for (Or at least I could):

Terry Bradshaw - The guy is often forgotten cause of all the great players he had around him but the guy could just flat get it done if they needed him too. I liked him. He was a winner.

Bart Starr - I personally probably under-rate him given the era, the way the Packers played football, and all that but if you watch the guy play and you listen to the players who were able to play with him you know that he was the guy who drove that Packer Engine. He was the guy who got it done for them so I could see people putting him in the top 10.

Fran Tarkenton - The guy was the heart and soul, IMO, of the Vikes during his time there. It's a shame the poor guy never got a ring with them cause he was an impressive player.

Sammy Baugh - I am actually surprised that absolutely no one else even mentioned this guy, unless I just happened to over look it. This guy was an amazing player. He was certainly a darn good QB back then and just think of all he did when he played. I'm impressed the most by the fact that one year he led the league in TD passes and also led the league in INTs that same year.

And for those who don't understand that I don't mean he threw the most INT's I mean he actually PICKED OFF the most passes in the league that year playing both ways. Thats so impressive to me. I could make a case for him in the top 10 for sure.

[joseephuss]

Otto Graham has to be at the top of any list like this one. Led his team to 10 Championship games in 10 seasons winning 7 Titles. If he isn't on top, the list has no credibility. JMO

Three of those championships were in the NFL. Before that Cleveland was in the AAFC, which was an inferior league. He definitely deserves consideration as one of the best QBs, but the 7 titles thing is a bit misleading since they were not all in the NFL. If all 7 had been in the NFL, then I would re-consider him being the absolute best.

[Romo 2 Austin]

the most unbiased post I will ever make:
1. Roger Staubach
2. Graham.
3. Unitas
4. Montana
5. John Elway
6. Marino
7. Troy Aikman
8. Peyton Manning
9. Brett Favre
10. Terry Bradshaw

[eightysiX]

the most unbiased post I will ever make:
1. Roger Staubach
2. Graham.
3. Unitas
4. Montana
5. John Elway
6. Marino
7. Troy Aikman
8. Peyton Manning
9. Brett Favre
10. Terry Bradshaw

i would switch 7 and 8.

[Romo 2 Austin]

i would switch 7 and 8.

Aikman and Manning are very similar QB's. Both are Ultra-Accurate with a dominate offensive line. Two differences, Manning calls some of his offenses plays, and has no running game the past few season. On the other side of the fence, Aikman has 3 championships so right now I put Aikman above Manning.

[eightysiX]

Aikman and Manning are very similar QB's. Both are Ultra-Accurate with a dominate offensive line. Two differences, Manning calls some of his offenses plays, and has no running game the past few season. On the other side of the fence, Aikman has 3 championships so right now I put Aikman above Manning.

although if your gonna base that on rings what about Elway and Marino?

[Romo 2 Austin]

although if your gonna base that on rings what about Elway and Marino?

I aint, I used it as a tie-breaker. Plus Elway won 2.

[rkell87]

the fact that brady was left off of half the lists yall had warms my heart and gives me hope.

[Zaxor]

Otto Graham has to be at the top of any list like this one. Led his team to 10 Championship games in 10 seasons winning 7 Titles. If he isn't on top, the list has no credibility. JMO

I agree he doesn't get the credit he deserves

[Cochese]

Farve shouldnt be in the top 10, he is a big game choker and it took Drew Bledsoes color blindness and a god like performance from Desmond Howard to get hs only ring.

[burmafrd]

Actually Otto Graham was in I think 6 NFL championship games and won 3. The AAFL only lasted 4 years I believe. Detroit had the Indian sign on them.

[burmafrd]

Montana came in just as they were loosening up the rules to encourage passing and of course Walsh came up with the WCO. So timing was everything there but no one can dispute that he was a master at it. Getting it done when it counted. That is why I put him and Roger at the top of my list. Otto Graham was so incredible during his time you have to consider him as well.

[jimmy40]

I like Aikman, but you're smoking crack.He used to say Romo over Staubach, at least he's not smoking as much crack as he used to.

[Number82]

Because the game has changed so much and I'm fairly young, I'll do my top 10 as the QBs I actually got to see play.

1. Peyton Manning
2. Joe Montana
3. Troy Aikman
4. Tom Brady
5. Brett Favre
6. John Elway
7. Dan Marino
8. Steve Young
9. Kurt Warner
10. Jim Kelly

[HoosierCowboy]

why Bradshaw? just because he played on a good team? his stats are not impressive

[Number82]

why Bradshaw? just because he played on a good team? his stats are not impressive

I never got to see him play, and I know he didn't have many more TDs than INTs. But, my father who is a Steelers fan always says that Bradshaw was average in the beginning and they could have won the first two Super Bowls without him, but the next two we very much because of Bradshaw and they don't even make it without him.

Take that for what it's worth.

[Juke99]

For me it is entirely about passing ability. I try and think what would happen if they were on the same team. Not what they did in their careers.

1. Peyton Manning
2. John Elway
3. Roger Staubach
4. Joe Montana
5. Johnny Unitas
6. Brett Favre
7. Dan Marino
8. Otto Graham
9. Y. A. Tittle
10. Troy Aikman


nice list...like it mucho...I'd boot Favre off of the list though. I think he's one of the more over rated QB's in the history of the NFL.

I'd probably add either Sammy Baugh or Terry Bradshaw to the list instead of Favre and Y A Tittle.

And a guy who never gets any consideration is Len Dawson. If you look at his numbers, in an era where QB's only completed around 50% of their passes, his numbers are great.

[Double Trouble]

Don't shoot the messenger.

Here is a list of John Clayton's all-time top 10 QBs:

Unitas
Montana
Graham
Elway
Favre
Marino
Brady
Manning
Bradshaw
StarrNot terrible, but I would have a different order and maybe a few different names.

What's your list?I did not have the pleasure of seeing all of these guys play, so I'd have to omit half of them.

Peyton Manning is not just the best QB but the best player I've ever seen. Period. For years I would go back and forth between Elway and Lawrence Taylor, but over the last year or so, I'd have to say Manning has moved to the top, and the gap is widening.

I only really recall the last few years of Staubach's career, so though I know he was extraordinary, I can't put him in perspective. I'm probably forgetting someone obvious.

1. Manning
2. Elway
3. Montana
4. Brady
5. Marino
6. Favre
7. Aikman
8. Kelly
9. Warner
10. S. Young

[Joe Rod]

10. S. Young

In that period from 92-94, he played the position about as good as any player I've ever seen. He would have a lot more rings on his fingers if it weren't for Dallas.