QB Mount Rushmore

[No1BroncoFan]

Sammy Baugh:
Punter, kicker and tail back as well as playing QB. 'Nuff said.

Johnny Unitas:
3 NFL championships and re-defined the roll of quarterback.

Fran Tarkenton:
Carried 4 undeserving Viking teams to Superbowls but was never given that complete team. At the time of his retirement, he owned every meaningful QB record and still ranks in the top 10 in many.

John Elway:
Quite simply the best all-round QB. Leadership, passing, evading sacks, scrambling for time/yards, making those around him better... There were/are QBs who could do some of those things better, but no one can/did them all better.

Honorable mentions (in no particular order):
Marino:
Possibly the best pure passer to ever touch a football. He could make any throw and hurt you from anywhere on the field.

Bart Starr:
Three consecutive NFL championships and a 9-1 post-season record. He also had nearly 25,000 yards and an NFL career completion percentage record of 57.4% in a serious run first era.

Otto Graham:
Ten title games in ten years winning seven of them and compiling a career 83.4 winning percentage.

Peyton Manning:
Arguably the best QB in the modern era.

Roger Staubach:
Won just over 74 percent of his starts, including two of four championship games and four passing titles.

Joe Montana? Please. He was a second tier QB who had the fortune to play for the best teams money could buy. The 80s 'Niners were the NY Yankees of the NFL.

[Blueflame]

Originally Posted by Hamrob

Who regards Marino greater than Elway

I don't see that, I don't hear that....that's just not the facts.

Elway...5 AFC Championships, 2 Rings..........and stats right there with Marino...playing with lesser talent around him for most of his career.

I think....there's a pitty party going on out there for Marino...But, I don't think people feel he was a beter all around QB than Elway!

Marino stuck around a couple of years too long, IMHO... physically he wasn't in his prime anymore and Jimmy Johnson seemed to be quite eager for the "post-Marino-era" to begin (didn't really seem to appreciate Marino or his legacy). And some football fans still remember the last game of Marino's career being a lopsided 62-7 playoff loss to the Jags... a game in which Marino was benched for ineffectiveness. Either way, while Marino set a lot of passing records, those records will eventually be broken and the lack of a championship hurts his "stock" in the "Best QB Ever" debates.

[Jay3]

Originally Posted by Hamrob

Who regards Marino greater than Elway

I don't see that, I don't hear that....that's just not the facts.

Elway...5 AFC Championships, 2 Rings..........and stats right there with Marino...playing with lesser talent around him for most of his career.

I think....there's a pitty party going on out there for Marino...But, I don't think people feel he was a beter all around QB than Elway!

Seriously, I think there is a lot of thought that Marino may have been the best ever, certainly Mount Rushmore material. He was extremely gifted. He broke multiple important records in his second year as a pro, and there is no offensive genius like Bill Walsh associated with it.

[extralife]

Originally Posted by rmsanger

Bros I love Elway and all but by the end of this next decade he'll be a tier 2 QB in the public's perception.

Most people today regard Montana & Marino higher than Elway with Favre being on the same level. When it's all said and done likely the current crazy stats will drive the #'s for Brady, Manning, Brees, and Rodgers above what is currently HOF material.

Just sayin!

I haven't seen anyone put Marino ahead of Elway in at least a decade.

[Hamrob]

Originally Posted by Jay3

Seriously, I think there is a lot of thought that Marino may have been the best ever, certainly Mount Rushmore material. He was extremely gifted. He broke multiple important records in his second year as a pro, and there is no offensive genius like Bill Walsh associated with it.

Jay, I'm not sure how old you are...but, watched just about every game Elway played...and many of Dan Marino. Marino is a HOFer....first ballot hands down. But, better than Elway...not a chance. Elway was an all around player...He could pass it, he could run it, and he was a magician when it came to escaping the rush. And, although Marino was no slouch...Elway had an uncanny way of making things happen.

Elway was A, whereas Marino was B.

[JCMElway]

Unitas, Elway, Marino, Montana

[Seamus]

Originally Posted by menonite

I would not want to be the dude in charge of chiseling out the forehead.

Or the guy finding that much rock for it, I don't think they will let you chisel up Yosemite's half dome.

[errand]

Originally Posted by No1BroncoFan

Fran Tarkenton:
Carried 4 undeserving Viking teams to Superbowls but was never given that complete team. At the time of his retirement, he owned every meaningful QB record and still ranks in the top 10 in many.

Tarkenton only led the Vikings to 3 SB's...their first one vs. Chiefs was QB'd by Joe Kapp.

[Pontius Pirate]

[razorwire77]

Unitas
Elway
Montana
Brady
Manning

Marino slightly below because of the lack of a SB victory.

[Cito Pelon]

I was looking at the stats for QBs, and I saw Dave Krieg is 12th alltime in yds and 12th alltime in TD passes. Dave Krieg, from Milton College, dude was like a walkon to the Seahawks and ends up 12th alltime in yds and TD passes. Won some playoff games also. Back then people thought Seattle was gonna be a joke forever, but then along came Krieg and Largent.

[No1BroncoFan]

Originally Posted by errand

Tarkenton only led the Vikings to 3 SB's...their first one vs. Chiefs was QB'd by Joe Kapp.

I stand corrected.

Still, he carried teams much the same way Elway did.

[Crushaholic]

Joe Namath - Essentially, he was the first quarterback to put the entertainment value in professional football.

John Elway - As someone else said, he took teams of limited talent to multiple Super Bowls in the 80s.

Bart Starr - The father of Green Bay quarterbacks (Green Bay being a tradition-rich professional football franchise, and the only team that has fan "investors").

Sammy Baugh - He was the first to use the forward pass, consistently.

I actually VOTED for Peyton, instead of Joe Namath. However, I hadn't finalized my reasoning, yet. Joe Namath likely expanded the professional football base, by being outrageous...

[Cito Pelon]

It's hard to choose four, there's been a lot of excellent QB's. Steve Young and Jim Kelly wasted a couple years in the USFL, right? Young rode the pine behind Montana for a few years.

Also, the older guys actually got their asses kicked hanging in the pocket when the headslap was legal and hitting the QB was fair game, and they only played 12-14 games in a season. Those older QB's also had to deal with the goal post being in the middle of the endzone instead of at the back, that kind of disrupts your endzone passing stats.

[FearLanier]

Otto Graham has to be on this list. He was the king of old school.

If it's only 4, I'd say:

Otto Graham: King of old school
John Elway: Comeback kid who had perfect ending
Joe Montana: Most clutch QB ever
Tom Brady: I know I know, but his story is legendary. 6th round to top 5 ever. Has multiple rings and got the best of Peyton almost every time.

Manning is close, but I think his playoff troubles question him. It's so hard to believe he only has 1 SB.

[broncocalijohn]

I am going with my Mount St. Helens tribute and go with Ryan Leaf, JaMarcus Russell, Broydie Croyle and Rick Mirer. All 4 QBs representing the old AFC West.

[maven]

Originally Posted by Blueflame

Marino stuck around a couple of years too long, IMHO... physically he wasn't in his prime anymore and Jimmy Johnson seemed to be quite eager for the "post-Marino-era" to begin (didn't really seem to appreciate Marino or his legacy). And some football fans still remember the last game of Marino's career being a lopsided 62-7 playoff loss to the Jags... a game in which Marino was benched for ineffectiveness. Either way, while Marino set a lot of passing records, those records will eventually be broken and the lack of a championship hurts his "stock" in the "Best QB Ever" debates.

Terrible job of working together. The complete opposite of Shanny/Elway. Jimmy should have dumped Marino instantly if he wasn't going to work with Marino when he became HC. Both Jimmy and Marino were done after that blowout game.

[Blueflame]

Originally Posted by maven

Terrible job of working together. The complete opposite of Shanny/Elway. Jimmy should have dumped Marino instantly if he wasn't going to work with Marino when he became HC. Both Jimmy and Marino were done after that blowout game.

It was... unfortunate... for Marino's legacy that in his team's last playoff games in '98 and '99, they were outscored 100-10 (38-3 by the Broncos; 62-7 by the Jags).

[Cito Pelon]

Originally Posted by No1BroncoFan

Sammy Baugh:
Punter, kicker and tail back as well as playing QB. 'Nuff said.

Johnny Unitas:
3 NFL championships and re-defined the roll of quarterback.

Fran Tarkenton:
Carried 4 undeserving Viking teams to Superbowls but was never given that complete team. At the time of his retirement, he owned every meaningful QB record and still ranks in the top 10 in many.

John Elway:
Quite simply the best all-round QB. Leadership, passing, evading sacks, scrambling for time/yards, making those around him better... There were/are QBs who could do some of those things better, but no one can/did them all better.

Honorable mentions (in no particular order):
Marino:
Possibly the best pure passer to ever touch a football. He could make any throw and hurt you from anywhere on the field.

Bart Starr:
Three consecutive NFL championships and a 9-1 post-season record. He also had nearly 25,000 yards and an NFL career completion percentage record of 57.4% in a serious run first era.

Otto Graham:
Ten title games in ten years winning seven of them and compiling a career 83.4 winning percentage.

Peyton Manning:
Arguably the best QB in the modern era.

Roger Staubach:
Won just over 74 percent of his starts, including two of four championship games and four passing titles.

Joe Montana? Please. He was a second tier QB who had the fortune to play for the best teams money could buy. The 80s 'Niners were the NY Yankees of the NFL.

Staubach was different/special. Naval Academy, spent 5 years in the Navy before he played in the NFL. Might have led the league in concussions during his time in the NFL. Dude was 27 yrs old his rookie year in the NFL.

[bowtown]

Elway
Manning
Unitas
Montana

That's the correct answer. Any other variations are wrong and will not be considered by this governing body. Thanks for your suggestions.

[Meck77]

It was tough watching Elway walk away from the game but he did it like KING. There is no doubt Marino marched up and down the field but for what? Some of you younger pups probably don't remember his last game but I'll never forget it. It was painful and sad.

http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/st...g_2405857.html

[fwf]

Its hard to put Brady without Peyton or vice versa.

[errand]

Originally Posted by No1BroncoFan

I stand corrected.

Still, he carried teams much the same way Elway did.

Yes, he did carry them.....add in he was only 6'0" 190 he was very durable as well. Fran was a great QB in his day. He went up against many big time QB's and dominant teams as well....there's no denying it. Hall of Fame career, record setting QB....I really wished he would have won at least one of those SB's.


Once he was being interviewed by a chump rookie reporter who asked him "So you never won the big one, huh?"

He replied, "No, I only won 130 little ones...."

[errand]

Originally Posted by fwf

Its hard to put Brady without Peyton or vice versa.

I agree...however given the rules of today compared to those that had to play say, in the 40's thru early 80's, I doubt Brady would have held up or had as much success. Manning I think would have been great regardless of the era as he's the epitome of "student of the game".

His lack of multiple titles is why he doesn't make my list.....which is sad cuz it's like saying the other 49 girls in the miss USA pageant are ugly, when they're really very beautiful as well.....they're just not the pick of the litter.

[errand]

Originally Posted by Meck77

It was tough watching Elway walk away from the game but he did it like KING. There is no doubt Marino marched up and down the field but for what? Some of you younger pups probably don't remember his last game but I'll never forget it. It was painful and sad.

http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/st...g_2405857.html

The truth is Marino carried those Dolphin teams the last few years of his career...much like Elway did his Broncos.