NFL

Top 15 Quarterbacks of All Time

Fresh Videos

By @Seth_Lassen

Top 15 Quarterbacks of All Time

Peyton Manning Broncos
Ron Chenoy - USA TODAY Sports

When Peyton Manning broke Brett Favre's record for career touchdown passes with his 509th, the what seems like annual discussion of ranking the best quarterbacks of all time sparked up once again. After all, the most important position in all of sports has several all-time greats who could make a case for the No. 1 spot on the list. Where does Peyton Manning fall in the list of the greatest signal-callers of all time?

15. Brett Favre

Brett Favre Packers
Getty Images

15. Brett Favre

Brett Favre Packers
Getty Images

While Favre would rank No. 1 on any “Number Of Times Retired” list, he comes in at No. 15 here. As the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards, completions, attempts, interceptions thrown, fumbles, consecutive starts and victories, it’s hard to open up the NFL record book without seeing Favre’s name. The gunslinger is the only player to ever win three consecutive MVP awards and led the Packers to a Super Bowl XXXI victory.

14. Sammy Baugh

Sammy Baugh
Flickr Creative Commons

14. Sammy Baugh

Sammy Baugh
Flickr Creative Commons

One of the game’s original greats, Sammy Baugh was a quarterback who could do it all. In addition to being the best signal-caller of his time, Baugh was an elite tailback, defensive back and punter. While his overall numbers may not stack up with the rest of this list, Baugh belongs on any list of great quarterbacks for being the best player of his era.

13. Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers Packers
Getty Images

13. Aaron Rodgers

Green Bay Packers v San Diego Chargers
Getty Images

Peyton Manning’s biggest competition for best active quarterback, Aaron Rodgers is not done climbing this list. At 30 years of age, the mustachioed A-Rod still has several elite seasons ahead of him. After sitting behind Brett Favre for three years, Rodgers has gone on to win an NFL MVP, Super Bowl and set the single-season passer rating record.

12. Jim Kelly

Jim Kelly Bills
Getty Images

12. Jim Kelly

Jim Kelly Bills
Getty Images

A Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee in 2002, Jim Kelly would be higher on the list if not for one glaring omission to his resume – a Super Bowl ring. One of the league’s greats in the late-80s and early-90s, Kelly was on the losing end of the Super Bowl for four consecutive seasons.

11. Troy Aikman

Troy Aikman Cowboys
Getty Images

11. Troy Aikman

Troy Aikman Cowboys
Getty Images

The No. 1 overall pick in the 1989 draft, Troy Aikman led “America’s Team” to three Super Bowl victories in the 90s. Before Aikman retired with back issues, he was the NFL’s winningest QB of the 90s and the Cowboys' all-time leader in passing yards.

10. Terry Bradshaw

Terry Bradshaw Steelers
Getty Images

10. Terry Bradshaw

Terry Bradshaw Steelers
Getty Images

The colorful TV analyst has four Super Bowl championships to his name. The Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame signal-caller led his team to eight straight AFC Central championships and won four Super Bowls in a six-year span.

9. Roger Staubach

Roger Staubach Cowboys
Getty Images

9. Roger Staubach

Roger Staubach
Getty Images

The second Dallas Cowboy on the list, Roger Staubach is a Heisman Trophy winner and two-time Super Bowl champion. One of the NFL’s early greats, Staubach had a penchant for extending plays with his legs and coming up clutch when it mattered most.

8. Steve Young

Steve Young 49ers
Getty Images

8. Steve Young

Steve Young 49ers
Getty Images

The NFL’s record holder for career passer rating, Steve Young is undoubtedly one of the game’s all-time greats. After backing up Joe Montana for over four seasons, Young got his chance following a Montana injury and the rest from there is history. Young went on to win three Super Bowls including MVP honors with a six-touchdown performance in Super Bowl XXIX.

7. Bart Starr

Bart Starr Packers
Getty Images

7. Bart Starr

Bart Starr Packers
Getty Images

Bart Starr often is nowhere to be found in the discussion of the greatest of all time and unfairly so. Starr and Vince Lombardi’s Packers won Super Bowls I and II. Even in a rush-first offense, Starr put up big numbers and was the unquestioned leader of the NFL’s first dynasty.

6. Dan Marino

Dan Marino Dolphins
Getty Images

6. Dan Marino

Dan Marino Dolphins
Getty Images

Like Jim Kelly before him, Dan Marino has everything but the Super Bowl rings. Known for his rocket of an arm, the Miami Dolphin was an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and 1984 NFL MVP. Marino held the record for touchdown passes in a season with 48 from 1984-2004 (that Peyton Manning guy).

5. John Elway

John Elway Broncos
Getty Images

5. John Elway

John Elway Broncos
Getty Images

The current general manager of the Denver Broncos, John Elway had maybe the strongest arm the NFL has ever seen. Elway was a two-sport star at Stanford before making the wise decision to head to the NFL. Elway and the Broncos won the Super Bowl in his final two seasons. Talk about going out on a high-note.

4. Johnny Unitas

Johnny Unitas
Getty Images

4. Johnny Unitas

Johnny Unitas
Getty Images

“Johnny U” was a three-time NFL MVP and one of the most popular players the league has ever seen. The Baltimore Colt was a 10-time Pro Bowl selection and a member of the Colts' Super Bowl V championship team. Unitas held the record for most consecutive games with a touchdown pass for 52 years until Drew Brees broke it in 2012.

3. Tom Brady

Tom Brady Patriots
Greg M. Cooper - USA TODAY Sports

3. Tom Brady

Tom Brady Patriots
Greg M. Cooper - USA TODAY Sports

The Patriots' leader and the NFL's golden boy of the 2000s, Tom Brady is one of the most prolific players to ever line up behind center. “Tom Terrific” holds NFL records for career playoff starts and wins for a quarterback and is a three-time Super Bowl champion. Brady is one of two players to win both the NFL MVP and Super Bowl awards multiple times.

2. Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning Broncos
Chris Humphreys - USA TODAY Sports

2. Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning Broncos
Chris Humphreys - USA TODAY Sports

Peyton Manning will hold just about every single-game and career record for quarterbacks when he decides to hang them up. The only thing preventing Manning from holding the top spot on this list? A 1-2 record in the Super Bowl. The most cerebral quarterback of his time, Manning has changed the game forever with his hurry-up offense and frequent audibles at the line of scrimmage.

1. Joe Montana

Joe Montana 49ers
Getty Images

1. Joe Montana

Joe Montana 49ers
Getty Images

A four-time Super Bowl champion, three-time Super Bowl MVP, Hall of Fame inductee, with 11 touchdowns to zero interceptions in the Super Bowl, Joe Montana has done it all. “Joe Cool” was the calm and collected leader of perhaps the greatest dynasty in NFL history. Known for his late-game heroics, the man who came up clutch more than anyone in history may never be topped on the list of the greatest of all time.

Share Tweet
Trending Now on