Thread: The GOAT Index: NFL coaches, execs rank best QBs since 1978

Originally Posted by Al Wilson 4 Mayor

Aaron Rogers has been the best player in football for the last 5 years or so.

Yet he isn't consistent. He often has a great first half and dissapears in the second half. I'm a huge Rodgers fan. I enjoy watching him. I like drafting him in fantasy. But, I can't put him in the greatest of all time, because he doesn't do enough to make his team far greater than they would be without him, which is the mark of being a truly great QB. As I said, after the top 4, I think an argument can be made how you rank all the rest.

I would also say Brady is the toughest of all. At one level you can see what he's accomplished and watch him on the field and make a case for him being one of, if not the, greatest of all times. On the other hand, you have to question how much of his success is due to Belicheck and the system.

I can't really argue the list. It's solid.

I liked the more mobile guys. Elway, Rodgers, Steve Young, even Montana had some mobility. Give me those guys over the pure pocket passers like Brady and Manning etc.

Originally Posted by Slick

I can't really argue the list. It's solid.

I liked the more mobile guys. Elway, Rodgers, Steve Young, even Montana had some mobility. Give me those guys over the pure pocket passers like Brady and Manning etc.

Yea, reading the coaches comments that voted on it, and they said similar things. Multiple mentioned the mobility being the hardest thing to defend.

I question QB's who spent the first quarter of their career or so being game managers and then ascend to greatness. Brady got to develop like an infant and Manning had been thrown to the wolves. One of the reasons why it's easy to dismiss Brady as an all-time great is that he had every advantage a QB could have. He sat for a year, he had no expectations as a starter, he was in a friendly system, he had an all-time great coach, he had great defenses early on that led the league in turnovers, etc. etc. etc.

Early guys like Elway, Aikman, Manning, etc got their ******* teeth kicked in. Brady was just there throwing...button hooks and drag routes. A lot of those top guys went to shitty teams. Brady ended up on a team that could have inserted almost any QB and done well. I don't have a lot of respect for a lot of Brady's early accomplishments.

Originally Posted by Von Kinger

I question QB's who spent the first quarter of their career or so being game managers and then ascend to greatness. Brady got to develop like an infant and Manning had been thrown to the wolves. One of the reasons why it's easy to dismiss Brady as an all-time great is that he had every advantage a QB could have. He sat for a year, he had no expectations as a starter, he was in a friendly system, he had an all-time great coach, he had great defenses early on that led the league in turnovers, etc. etc. etc.

Early guys like Elway, Aikman, Manning, etc got their ******* teeth kicked in. Brady was just there throwing...button hooks and drag routes. A lot of those top guys went to shitty teams. Brady ended up on a team that could have inserted almost any QB and done well. I don't have a lot of respect for a lot of Brady's early accomplishments.

Do you mean the "Cassel Effect"?

Cassel and the Chiefs worked out a six-year deal that will pay him in excess of $10 million a season, according to a source. The contract will keep Cassel with the Chiefs until 2014.


The deal is for $63 million, with $28 million guaranteed, according to a source. He's going to make $40.5 million in the first three years of his contract.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=4327067

Originally Posted by Slick

I can't really argue the list. It's solid.

I liked the more mobile guys. Elway, Rodgers, Steve Young, even Montana had some mobility. Give me those guys over the pure pocket passers like Brady and Manning etc.

Young should be higher, but good list.

Originally Posted by Hawgdriver

Young should be higher, but good list.

I'd be hard-pressed to take Young over any of the 7 guys listed ahead of him. I think he's ranked pretty well there.

Manning is my pick for the GOAT!

I will never take off my orange colored glasses.

Elway is the greatest ever. Did more with less, had mobility and a laser-rocket arm, took three teams to the SB that had no business being there other than his will to win.

Retired as the winningist QB in the history of the NFL.

Only one of two QB's to have 300 or more touchdown passes (at his retirement).

Only one of two QB's to have more than 50,000 yards passing (at his retirement).

Elway is the GOAT. I will not debate anyone on this.

Oh, and he was also #2 in QB rushing yards behind Fran Tarkenton when he retired.

He was the total package.

Elway took putrid teams to SB. But finally won it with a HOF RB/TE and a good OL and decent defense.

Brady was always had a solid team around him. Good OL good HC good defense and great targets.

Those are fine arguments, Joe. I might have a predisposition to Manning as he was the truly great one in the era that I really paid attention to. To me, Manning's legacy was that of a guy who was a great scoring and point guard. He carried bad defenses. He made good offensive players great, great ones legendary, bad offensive players good, etc. He seemed to be the only QB who understood the game on a molecular level and made note of it in real time. And he had a solid arm, not a great one. He had a good frame, but he wasn't a hulking beast, nor did he have any mobility. At all. Like dude was slower than Flacco.

He was so good at the Colts only invested in pass rushers because they assumed Manning's offense would be...ahead.

Originally Posted by BroncoJoe

Oh, and he was also #2 in QB rushing yards behind Fran Tarkenton when he retired.

He was the total package.

Joe, Steve Young was ahead of Elway and Tarkenton in rushing yards when Elway retired in '98. Young had ~4100 yards, Elway ~3400.

Originally Posted by Hawgdriver

Joe, Steve Young was ahead of Elway and Tarkenton in rushing yards when Elway retired in '98. Young had ~4100 yards, Elway ~3400.

Oh. So #3 in rushing yards.

Originally Posted by Von Kinger

Those are fine arguments, Joe. I might have a predisposition to Manning as he was the truly great one in the era that I really paid attention to. To me, Manning's legacy was that of a guy who was a great scoring and point guard. He carried bad defenses. He made good offensive players great, great ones legendary, bad offensive players good, etc. He seemed to be the only QB who understood the game on a molecular level and made note of it in real time. And he had a solid arm, not a great one. He had a good frame, but he wasn't a hulking beast, nor did he have any mobility. At all. Like dude was slower than Flacco.

He was so good at the Colts only invested in pass rushers because they assumed Manning's offense would be...ahead.

Yes, but Manning also was free to do those things and had coaches that allowed him to. Unlike Elway, who's primary coach restricted him until the 4th quarter. Imagine if Elway had the likes of Walsh or Shanahan his whole career.