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Debating which quarterback is the greatest of all time is one of the most fun NFL arguments to partake in. Is it Tom Brady? Joe Montana? Peyton Manning? John Elway? There's too many greats to choose from, but it doesn't hurt to look at the best of the best to help you form your own opinion.
The most recent Super Bowl winning QB also is one of the best to ever play the game. Tom Brady's won four of the six Super Bowls he's led the Patriots to. In his illustrious career, Brady has won two league MVPs, three Super Bowl MVPs and he's been to the Pro Bowl a ridiculous 10 times.
Tom Terrific shows up when it matters most. He's won the most playoff games (21) by a quarterback.
But is he the best to ever do it?
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Joe Montana led the San Francisco 49ers to four Super Bowls in his reign at quarterback. While Joe Cool was under center in those games, the 49ers never lost and he was named the Super Bowl MVP three times.
The Hall of Fame QB was known for his come-from-behind wins. Montana led a fourth-quarter comeback against the Cowboys in the 1981 NFC Championship that was simply known as "The Catch" after finding Dwight Clark in the back of the end zone. Montana also led the Niners on a 92-yard drive with only 36 seconds left in Super Bowl XXIII.
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Peyton Manning's regular season stats are eye popping. He's been named MVP a league record five times, while making the Pro Bowl 14 times thus far. He's thrown the most touchdown passes ever (530) and the most in a single season (55).
On top of his record-breaking stats, Manning is a surgeon in the pocket. He is regarded as one of the smartest players to ever play the game.
Manning's only perceived flaw is his postseason resume. For a QB to be considered the best ever, he should have a better playoff record than 11-13 with one Super Bowl victory.
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John Elway, like Peyton Manning, suffered from heartbreaking playoff losses that almost derailed the quarterback's legacy. Elway led the Broncos to five Super Bowls, winning the last two to cement his place as one of the best ever.
The former No. 1 pick in 1983 led one of the most famous drives in NFL history. In 1987, Elway marched the Broncos 98 yards down the field in the AFC Championship Game against the Browns, in what is now known as "The Drive."
Elway retired after winning consecutive Super Bowls. He was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.
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Some might remember Brett Favre as the QB who wouldn't retire, but in his prime Favre was the ultimate gunslinger.
Favre amazed with his strong arm, unbelievable durability and improvisational skills out of the pocket.
He's the only player to win the MVP in three consecutive seasons from 1995 to 1997, and was named the Super Bowl MVP in 1996.
Favre leads the league in most passing yards ever, along with the most interceptions of all time. Those records highlight his gunslinger mentality.
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Brett Favre's successor in Green Bay is well on his way to surpassing his mentor.
Aaron Rodgers already has equaled Favre's Super Bowl wins with one, and Rodgers doesn't seem to be slowing down. Rodgers has won the NFL MVP award twice (2011, 2014). He currently has the highest passer rating in NFL regular season history.
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Steve Young was one of the first players to evolve from mobile QB to a pocket passer in his career.
Young's career started off slow in the USFL and with the NFL's Buccaneers, but his career didn't take off until he joined the 49ers. Young took over for Montana and quickly showed he belonged. Young won two MVPs and was named the MVP of Super Bowl XXIX.
In a time before rushing quarterbacks, Young's 43 career rushing touchdowns is most by a signal caller. Young also won inside the pocket with his incredibly accurate passes. Young led the NFL in passer rating six times in his career.
He was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005.
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Dan Marino might be the best QB of all time to never in a Super Bowl. The Dolphins won the AFC Championship in Marino's second season, yet never returned to the Super Bowl in his 17-year career.
Marino won Rookie of the Year in 1983, the same year John Elway and Jim Kelly were first-year players.
The nine-time Pro Bowl QB served as a harbinger for what the NFL would evolve into. Marino held a multitude of passing records decades before the NFL transformed into a pass-happy league.
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Troy Aikman played 12 seasons with the star on his helmet and won three Super Bowls during his tenure, more than any other Cowboys QB.
The former No. 1 overall selection made the Pro Bowl six times. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
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Johnny Unitas was one of the first prototypical QBs the NFL had ever seen. He won MVP three times in his career (1959, 1964, 1967). Unitas was the signal caller for "The Greatest Game Ever Played," a 23-17 overtime win over the Giants. The game was telecast on NBC and is widely credited for helping to popularize the game of football.
He was a member of the 1979 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.
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Before there was Steve Young, Michael Vick and Randall Cunningham there was Fran Tarkenton. The Vikings QB used his arms and legs to gash defenses.
Tarkenton led the Vikings to three Super Bowls in the 1970s, but Minnesota could not come away victorious.
The nine-time Pro Bowl selection ran for a touchdown in 15 different seasons, an NFL record.
Tarkenton was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986.
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Some lifelong Packers fans have been lucky enough to see Favre, Rodgers and Bart Starr all play quarterback for Green Bay.
Starr might be the most winningest QB in football history with five NFL Championships and two Super Bowl wins.
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Terry Bradshaw is one of just three NFL QBs to win four Super Bowls in their career.
With a little help from an all-time great defense, Bradshaw led the Steelers to become the team of the 1970s.
In his 14-year career, Bradshaw went 107-51 and his Steelers reached the playoffs 10 times.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989.
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A former 10th-round pick, Roger Staubach did not enter the NFL until he was 27 because of military commitments.
Staubach won two Super Bowls with the Cowboys and was named to the Pro Bowl squad six times.
Staubach was known for being clutch. He led the Cowboys to 23 game-winning drives in his career. He's also the man to coin the phrase "Hail Mary" after heaving a 50-yard game-winning pass to Drew Pearson.
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From 1991 to 1994, Jim Kelly led the Bills to four consecutive Super Bowls. Unfortunately for Buffalo, the Bills did not win a Lombardi Trophy in those four opportunities.
Kelly's Bills ran a prolific no-huddle offense that was ahead of its time.
Kelly was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002.
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