Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
If you don't want to select GOAT, or you don't think it's a fair assessment, fine but there will be many who try to normalize the different eras to make that GOAT determination. Some great names have been mentioned here but two that definitely belong in the GOAT discussion have not: Otto Graham and Sammy Baugh. In all, five belong in the discussion: Baugh, Brady, Graham, Montana, and Unitas. And I'll stand behind Brady as #1 and Montana as #2. Then I'll go Unitas, Graham, then Baugh.
Someone mentioned Redskins? But they failed to mention Williams and Rypien. None of the four (incl. Theismann and Schroeder) are even in the second or third tiers, or even fourth tiers of greatness. And Schroeder isn't even close to the other three.
You, of course realize that Sammy Baugh was a Redskins QB?
The only other Redskins QB that could even be in the conversation would be Sonny Jurgensen.. But I wouldn't put him in that top tier. Just below it.. Certainly one of the greats, but not THE greatest.
It's hard to argue with Brady.. And gets harder each year. Consistent over many years. Takes an average team to be a great team. Harder and harder to argue against him each passing year.
I do, however, dislike the idea of pointing out THE greatest. You really have to break it down by era. Just as the argument between Ali and Tyson as to who was the best boxer.. Two different eras.
Elway? Second tier. Peyton? Second, maybe third tier. Eli? Maybe fourth or fifth tier. Favre is second tier. Jim Kelly is third tier. Bart Starr? No way, he 'managed' the game, much like Trent Dilfer did for his Super Bowl - and I'm not equating them. Starr is fourth tier. Dilfer isn't even among any semblance of greatness. Blanda? Fifth tier, maybe. Marino is second tier. Tarkenton is fourth tier.
Peyton and Marino are "second tier"? You must also think Tesla was a "second tier" scientist.
It's hard to argue with Brady.. And gets harder each year. Consistent over many years.
For modern day quarterbacks, I'll always have Peyton Manning ahead of Brady for the sole reason that Manning went to the Super Bowl 4x under 4 different head coaches. That stat is astounding when you really think about it. It takes most teams/qbs years & years to gel & progress. I'm very confident that if Manning got to stay with one coach his entire career that he'd have many more championships (if debaters want to base this on championships.) Manning is Mr. Consistent. That stat shows that it's less about the team & supporting cast & more about Manning's superior QB ability. You can't say that for most other QBs.
Brady fans love to counter with, well Brady never got this chance so we'll never know if he could have done the same. So what. Manning did, & he DID it. I've heard Brady fans say Brady had to play in lousy weather whereas Marino got to play in ideal conditions. Same thing. When speaking of QB alone, it's hard to debate & isolate player vs team, but the stat in the previous paragraph is as good a stat as any to support a player vs the team.
Also worth looking at is his college career in Tennessee, because Manning brought quick success there also. He started 3rd string as a freshman, but by the 4th game he already earned the starting spot & started turning the Tennessee team around & helping them get wins. It took Brady until his 3rd season just to get the starting spot.
For modern day quarterbacks, I'll always have Peyton Manning ahead of Brady for the sole reason that Manning went to the Super Bowl 4x under 4 different head coaches. That stat is astounding when you really think about it. It takes most teams/qbs years & years to gel & progress. I'm very confident that if Manning got to stay with one coach his entire career that he'd have many more championships (if debaters want to base this on championships.) Manning is Mr. Consistent. That stat shows that it's less about the team & supporting cast & more about Manning's superior QB ability. You can't say that for most other QBs.
Brady fans love to counter with, well Brady never got this chance so we'll never know if he could have done the same. So what. Manning did, & he DID it. I've heard Brady fans say Brady had to play in lousy weather whereas Marino got to play in ideal conditions. Same thing. When speaking of QB alone, it's hard to debate & isolate player vs team, but the stat in the previous paragraph is as good a stat as any to support a player vs the team.
Also worth looking at is his college career in Tennessee, because Manning brought quick success there also. He started 3rd string as a freshman, but by the 4th game he already earned the starting spot & started turning the Tennessee team around & helping them get wins. It took Brady until his 3rd season just to get the starting spot.
Wait what?
You lost me at 'Turning the Tennessee team around & helping them get wins' UT was a consistent winner for 20 years before Manning even got there.. a perennial top 10, top 20 team every year.. There is no doubt Manning propelled them to even greater heights.. winning double digit games every year, minus is freshman year.. plus a National Championship a year AFTER he left.. UT certainly became a better football team with Manning but they were not chumps before he got there by a LONG SHOT!
It is amazing that Brady has been so successful for 16 years. That is a long time in the NFL. Other than Coach Belichick, everything else has changed - the players, the coaches, the opponents. Never has had a losing season. Has 14 or more wins in a season 5 times. 24 - 9 in the playoffs. 6 AFC championships. 4 SB wins.
i have to imagine your pulling our legs... but i don't think he's talking about the car..
Think AC without the DC. .
You have a good imagination.
I don't really follow football but I'd have to say that instead of having just one "Greatest" you'd almost have to do it by eras. Who dominated in that particular era.
While a nominal Steeler fan (I've been told it's because of poor hometraining even though I'm from PA) I wouldn't necessarily put Bradshaw in competition for "Greatest". Very good, yes. Very successful but Noll put together almost perfect teams that complemented Bradshaw's abilities.
Trying to decide quarterbacks is similar to greatest boxer.
And I wasn't including Schroeder as "Greatest". I truly misunderstood the thread's theme.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
