Discussing the three best quarterbacks in NFL history

Football is the consummate team game. All eleven players on a given side need to be in sync to reach the ultimate goal, so an argument can be made that no player is markedly more important than another.

That said, the quarterback position gets the most attention for its influence on the game. It’s cliché, but they get all the credit when a team wins, and all the blame when a team loses.

We’ll examine the best quarterbacks in NFL history, who consistently won at the highest level throughout their storied careers.

Tom Brady

Any list, discussion, or mention of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history must start with Brady. He’s the gold standard with seven Super Bowl rings. As if his six championships with the New England Patriots weren’t enough to stamp his case as the best, Brady won another ring for good measure with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That final championship proved that he wasn’t a byproduct of the Patriots’ infrastructure and was the driving force in his team’s success.

Most people know Brady’s unflinching poise during the biggest games, which allowed him to perform as his opposite numbers folded. This will always be a considerable part of his legacy, but one thing that doesn’t usually get top billing is his unselfishness regarding money. NFL teams are always trying to work around the salary cap to fill their rosters with talent, and Brady was a team player in that regard. He took substantially less than he was worth to allow New England to pay other skilled players.

Joe Montana

Montana played when the spectrum of sports coverage – 24-hour broadcasting, social media, NFL game betting markets – wasn’t available to the public en masse. Still, his clutch performances certainly swung games at the very end, and he became a superstar. Like Brady, Montana was known for his supreme calmness, which allowed him to lead game-winning Super Bowl drives. The moment never got too big for him, which also allowed his San Francisco 49ers teammates to feel at ease.

While Montana’s counting statistics like passing yards and touchdowns haven’t withstood the test of time, his commitment to consistency and excellence has. Montana has four Super Bowl titles, winning in 1982, 1985, 1989, and 1990.

Peyton Manning

There are a lot of quarterbacks who could be considered for a third slot in this conversation. Current Kansas City Chiefs signal-caller Patrick Mahomes is undoubtedly making a strong run for it. Still, we’ll give the slight nod to Manning for his prodigious career accomplishments.

Manning won two career Super Bowls and is known for being arguably the most competent quarterback in NFL history. His ability to process what he saw at the line of scrimmage and then ultimately make adjustments to what the defense was trying to take away was second to none. He was also known for his tireless work ethic when it came to watching film to observe things others would never consider.