Rank the Quarterbacks

[THUMPER]

I've been wanting to do this for a while now and since it is slow I thought I would give it a shot.

I will do a different thread for each position and list 25 or so players who played most of their careers after 1960 (the first year of the Cowboys). The main reason why I am starting with 1960 is because most of us are too young to have seen guys prior to that play and would be going only by what we have heard about them.

I will list them alphabetically and ask you to rank them. I'd like to see some explanation as to why you ranked them the way you did.

This is based on YOUR OPINION so there are no wrong answers. My goal is to see what aspects people value in ranking players, not to come to a consensus of who was the best.

I'll start with the QBs (min of 20000 passing yards):

1. Troy Aikman
2. Ken Anderson
3. Terry Bradshaw
4. Tom Brady
5. Drew Brees
6. Len Dawson
7. John Elway
8. Boomer Esiason
9. Brett Favre
10. Dan Fouts
11. Bob Griese
12. Sonny Jurgensen
13. Jim Kelly
14. Peyton Manning
15. Dan Marino
16. Donovan McNabb
17. Joe Montana
18. Warren Moon
19. Kenny Stabler
20. Bart Starr
21. Roger Staubach
22. Fran Tarkenton
23. Kurt Warner
24. Johnny Unitas
25. Steve Young

For the younger fans, you can list only the guys you actually saw play if you like. As I said, I'm looking for WHY you ranked them the way you did.

 

[Cowboy Brian]

Since 1960, opinion based ranking of QB's... be back soon!

 

[DallasEast]

I took the, “What if I wanted to start a team with a quarterback and what kind of quarterback would he be?” approach.

All-Around: quarterbacks who can succeed under any circumstance
1. John Elway
2. Roger Staubach
3. Joe Montana

Tactician: quarterbacks who can dissect any defense
4. Peyton Manning
5. Johnny Unitas
6. Troy Aikman
7. Tom Brady
8. Dan Fouts
9. Drew Brees

Director: quarterbacks who can manage a game for four quarters
10. Dan Marino
11. Bob Griese
12. Warren Moon
13. Len Dawson
14. Bart Starr
15. Sonny Jurgensen

Gambler: quarterbacks who push the envelope of success and failure during every drive
16. Fran Tarkenton
17. Brett Favre
18. Kenny Stabler
19. Terry Bradshaw
20. Boomer Esiason

Best of the Rest
21. Ken Anderson
22. Steve Young
23. Jim Kelly
24. Kurt Warner
25. Donovan McNabb

 

[Apollo Creed]

I took the, “What if I wanted to start a team with a quarterback and what kind of quarterback would he be?” approach.

All-Around: quarterbacks who can succeed under any circumstance
1. John Elway
2. Roger Staubach
3. Joe Montana

Tactician: quarterbacks who can dissect any defense
4. Peyton Manning
5. Johnny Unitas
6. Troy Aikman
7. Tom Brady
8. Dan Fouts
9. Drew Brees

Director: quarterbacks who can manage a game for four quarters
10. Dan Marino
11. Bob Griese
12. Warren Moon
13. Len Dawson
14. Bart Starr
15. Sonny Jurgensen

Gambler: quarterbacks who push the envelope of success and failure during every drive
16. Fran Tarkenton
17. Brett Favre
18. Kenny Stabler
19. Terry Bradshaw
20. Boomer Esiason

Best of the Rest
21. Ken Anderson
22. Steve Young
23. Jim Kelly
24. Kurt Warner
25. Donovan McNabb

Dan Marino was more than a game manager. I hate that guys like Steve Young, Trent Dilfer, Eli Manning, Brad Johnson, Big Ben, etc have rings while Marino will always have the 'but' factor.

 

[DallasEast]

Dan Marino was more than a game manager. I hate that guys like Steve Young, Trent Dilfer, Eli Manning, Brad Johnson, Big Ben, etc have rings while Marino will always have the 'but' factor.

Your list?

 

[Apollo Creed]

Your list?

I'm not gonna rank those 25, I'll do a quick eight off the top of the noggin.

When its all said and done.

Elway
Brady
Montana
Manning
Staubach
Unitas
Aikman
Bradshaw

 

[Nightshade]

1. Roger Staubach
2. John Elway
3. Joe Montana
4. Johnny Unitas
5. Bart Starr
6. Sonny Jurgensen
7. Troy Aikman
8. Tom Brady
9. Dan Marino
10. Peyton Manning
11. Terry Bradshaw
12. Dan Fouts
13. Len Dawson
14. Jim Kelly
15. Warren Moon
16. Fran Tarkenton
17. Kenny Stabler
18. Drew Brees
19. Boomer Esiason
20. Brett Favre
21. Steve Young
22. Bob Griese
23. Kurt Warner
24. Ken Anderson
25. Donovan McNabb (Why's he on here anyway?)

 

[jterrell]

1. Joe Montana --- Winner who put up big stats and helped the game evolve with his pocket awareness.
2. John Elway --- Best overall athlete if you factor in arm strength.
3. Roger Staubach --- Came in as an older QB but still put amazing career stats. Very clutch player who played hurt.
4. Dan Fouts --- Amazing passing numbers.
5. Brett Favre --- O. G. Original gunslinger. Guy just never gives up on plays and always pushed the ball downfield. Extremely durable a la Emmitt.
6. Peyton Manning --- One of the most accurate Qbs of all-time and a great reader of defenses.
7. Troy Aikman --- Consummate professional and winner. Extremely accurate. Played mistake-free football.
8. Tom Brady --- Winner who uses what little athleticism he has to the maximum. Very heady QB.
9. Dan Marino --- Everyone else will put him higher but Marino put things ahead of winning imho. Can't ignore his numbers though and he deserves in the top 10 somewhere.
10. Steve Young --- Probably the 2nd best athlete to ever play the position behind Elway. I rate him down partly because of how dooshy he is on tv.

Honorable Mentions: Bradshaw as winner and tough guy, Ken Anderson as WCO East, McNabb as athlete, Warner as winner with accuracy and quick release.


Left off guys Pre-Fouts.
Lots of the list is still evolving so I'd leave guys like Brees off. McNabb to me can't get on this list without winning a Super Bowl. He'll never trump Marino as a non-Bowl winner. Warner came in to the league late then had inconsistent success but with the highest of highs.

 

[Cowboy Brian]

Ill pick two from the major 5 categorys for QBs(stole the way to word it from DallasEast thanks) ill come back later and do a full list, going to taco bell than sat class later today so:


All Around(will put 3 here)-
Roger Stabauch
John Elway
Joe Montana

Tactician-
Troy Aikman
Johnny Unitas

Director-
Dan Marino
Bart Starr

Gambler-
Brett Favre
Terry Bradshaw

 

[DallasEast]

I'm not gonna rank those 25, I'll do a quick eight off the top of the noggin.

When its all said and done.

Elway
Brady
Montana
Manning
Staubach
Unitas
Aikman
Bradshaw

That's a good abbreviated list. Where's Marino?

 

[Apollo Creed]

That's a good abbreviated list. Where's Marino?

Right after Bradshaw, right above Romo. (This is 10 years from now's list)

 

[DallasEast]

Best of the rest: (these two will not be in this category when I do the complete list, but they are the best two QBs not listed.)
Johnny Unitas
Joe Montana

You're kidding, right?



Please tell me you're kidding.

 

[jterrell]

Dan Marino was more than a game manager. I hate that guys like Steve Young, Trent Dilfer, Eli Manning, Brad Johnson, Big Ben, etc have rings while Marino will always have the 'but' factor.

Young doesn't belong in that criticism.
Marino often gets the highest adjusted QB rating by era but Steve Young is usually 2nd. And Steve Young not only could avoid sacks, he ran for 43 TDs as well.

Those other guys are largely jokes though Big Ben is only because he is gonna be big bend over if he can't stop engaging in questionable off-field acts.

 

[Apollo Creed]

Young doesn't belong in that criticism.
Marino often gets the highest adjusted QB rating by era but Steve Young is usually 2nd. And Steve Young not only could avoid sacks, he ran for 43 TDs as well.

Those other guys are largely jokes though Big Ben is only because he is gonna be big bend over if he can't stop engaging in questionable off-field acts.

Oh be careful around here, there are a select few of us that absolutely hate Steve Young.

Take Jerry Rice away from him, and that QB friendly system and he would've been Boomer Esiasonish. I also hate that he took Troy's 4th ring away from him.

 

[Cowboy Brian]

You're kidding, right?



Please tell me you're kidding.

Joe Montana is better than Unitas, I didnt list it in order of greatness just put down two names that fit the category and put leftovers in that, I will be doing a complete 5 person a category tonight @9:15pm EST.

Hypemachine.

 

[THUMPER]

I took the, “What if I wanted to start a team with a quarterback and what kind of quarterback would he be?” approach.

All-Around: quarterbacks who can succeed under any circumstance
1. John Elway
2. Roger Staubach
3. Joe Montana

Tactician: quarterbacks who can dissect any defense
4. Peyton Manning
5. Johnny Unitas
6. Troy Aikman
7. Tom Brady
8. Dan Fouts
9. Drew Brees

Director: quarterbacks who can manage a game for four quarters
10. Dan Marino
11. Bob Griese
12. Warren Moon
13. Len Dawson
14. Bart Starr
15. Sonny Jurgensen

Gambler: quarterbacks who push the envelope of success and failure during every drive
16. Fran Tarkenton
17. Brett Favre
18. Kenny Stabler
19. Terry Bradshaw
20. Boomer Esiason

Best of the Rest
21. Ken Anderson
22. Steve Young
23. Jim Kelly
24. Kurt Warner
25. Donovan McNabb

Great list DallasEast! I like the way you broke it down too, it gives me a good idea of identifying particular skillsets. Nicely done.

 

[DallasEast]

Right after Bradshaw, right above Romo. (This is 10 years from now's list)

In my opinion, the Steelers bailed out Bradshaw on way too many occasions. I would definitely rank Marino over C-A-T man.

 

[THUMPER]

25. Donovan McNabb (Why's he on here anyway?)

I wanted to see how many times he would end up #25.

Seriously, he is one of the higher ranked QBs in terms of Passer Rating and wins. Basically, his numbers qualify him for the list and I wanted 25 guys. Jurgensen never won anything either but he's in the HoF.

Besides, it was either him or Phil Simms.

 

[Doomsday101]

I'm waiting for the listing of the top 25 Arm Chair QB at CZ. :laugh2:

 

[JBS]

You're kidding, right?



Please tell me you're kidding.

Yes, he is a kid. Don't think he's joshin though.