There is no more important position on an NFL team than quarterback. They operate within a different framework than other positions on the soccer field. The QB must use the intelligence to scan the field for open receivers, the flexibility to change plays when something goes wrong with the plan, and the leadership to calm the other team in the huddle.
However, in team sports, success on the field is essential, so the best quarterbacks are judged by their number of Super Bowl wins. The NFL has a long history of great players at the quarterback position, and while things have changed over the decades, the best of the best still rely on the same constant variables that propel them to the top. I have. These are the 22 greatest NFL quarterbacks of all time!
1. Tom Brady
![tom brady](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/tom-brady-1-SS_MSN.jpg)
He wasn’t the most talented or flashiest player on the field. Even though Tom Brady didn’t pass the eye test compared to some of his competitors, his will to win and insatiable hunger to improve made him the best quarterback in NFL history. In New England, he won six Super Bowls with Bill Belichick, and Brady set a number of passing records that are difficult to surpass in the NFL. Then, when he turned 40, Brady decided to prove he could win with another team and brought the downtrodden Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the promised land!
2. Joe Montana
![joe montana](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0360.jpeg)
![joe montana](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0360.jpeg)
Joe Montana not only operated Bill Walsh’s West Coast offense in innovative ways, but his smooth passing and smooth leadership made him the epitome of the position for many years. There’s a reason Joe Cool was given that nickname. Montana was ice-cold when the game was on the line, but turned up when the stakes were highest and the 49ers seemed to have no more tricks up their sleeve.
3. Peyton Manning
![peyton manning](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0362.jpeg)
![peyton manning](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0362.jpeg)
“Omaha!” The sound of Peyton Manning yelling like a drill sergeant from the line of scrimmage helped build his legend as the ultimate genius at the quarterback position. While everyone else was playing checkers, Manning was playing chess.Payton often felt like the best player in a long line of Mannings, and he won five MVPs, winning both MVPs. colts And the Broncos appeared in multiple Super Bowls, winning each franchise.
4. Johnny Unitas
![Johnny Unitas](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0364.jpeg)
![Johnny Unitas](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0364.jpeg)
Johnny Unitas stood out from other quarterbacks in the 1960s because he showed the world that football could also be a passing game. At a time when franchises and coaches were using their positions to manage the game, Unitas had completely taken over the competition. Unitas’ numbers, which lead the league with four TD passes, are as good as many modern quarterbacks who benefit from a pass-happy structure.
5. Aaron Rodgers
![Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_6961.jpeg)
![Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_6961.jpeg)
There’s nothing better than watching Aaron Rodgers play quarterback in the NFL.from Move the field in just 2 throws against the cardinals Destroy the Dallas Cowboys This is the 10th time A-Rod has pulled a rabbit or two out of a hat at least once per game. The lack of success in the playoffs remains daunting, with just one Super Bowl appearance. Even Tom Brady has said that Aaron Rodgers can do things that other players can’t. Another title would move him further up the list.
6. Drew Brees
![7 best quarterbacks in NFL history Drew Brees](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0365-e1696892368613.jpeg)
![7 best quarterbacks in NFL history Drew Brees](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0365-e1696892368613.jpeg)
Drew Brees demonstrated the power of being a short quarterback in the NFL. Relying solely on his abilities and skills rather than his physical attributes, Brees rapidly broke statistical records and became a fixture on the New Orleans Saints for over a decade. When he tilted his head back and let it fly under pressure, I knew the pass was completed.
7. Dan Marino
![Dan Marino](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0366.jpeg)
![Dan Marino](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0366.jpeg)
Dan Marino’s talent comes from a very different era. The 1980s and his 1990s were longer than previous decades, but they were nowhere near what Marino had envisioned in South Florida. Even if he doesn’t win a Super Bowl, Marino’s magic like his 48-TD season in 1984 shouldn’t be lost.
8. John Elway
![John Elway](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0368.jpeg)
![John Elway](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0368.jpeg)
John Elway’s story in the NFL, for the most part, resembled the plot of a movie story more than reality. After years of leading the Denver Broncos to the Super Bowl and falling just short, Terrell Davis had the edge he needed to overcome the odds by winning back-to-back big games in 1997 and 1998. gave the team a sense of purpose. Elway’s career epitomizes that. Perseverance and effort will eventually show up perfectly.
9. Patrick Mahomes
![Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_6949.jpeg)
![Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_6949.jpeg)
Patrick Mahomes is the toughest guy to put on this list. If you take longevity out of the discussion, Mahomes may already be the best quarterback of all time. His combination of otherworldly talent and championship pedigree is simply unmatched by players under the age of 30. However, given his short career, he will likely have to wait a few more years to move up the ladder. Let’s hope health and other factors work in his favor and he can dazzle us for years to come.
10. Otto Graham
![otto graham](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0370.jpeg)
![otto graham](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0370.jpeg)
Otto Graham accomplished something in the 1950s that still needs to be matched 70 years later. The problem with putting him high on the pile of pass-throwing players is that the football world has changed so much since his retirement that you could say he’s on par with players like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. It’s changing too much. Graham won three NFL championships and was twice the passing yards leader in the pre-Super Bowl era.
11. Roger Staubach
![Roger Staubach](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0372.jpeg)
![Roger Staubach](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0372.jpeg)
Roger Stback set the bar so high for Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks that no one could match it. His 17 game-winning drive in the final two minutes of Staubach’s game helped cement his reputation as the most feared clutch athlete of his era, making him the most feared quarterback of the 1970s. The Cowboys would never have been known as America’s team.
12. Brett Favre
![Brett Favre](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IMG_1671.jpeg)
![Brett Favre](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IMG_1671.jpeg)
Brett Favre’s style of backyard football didn’t always seem smart, but it kept defenses on alert and led the Green Bay Packers to their only Super Bowl in the past 35 years. Favre was a statistical wonder, fearlessly taking chances that often benefited his team immensely. His stint with the Minnesota Vikings late in his career showed he could still compete at the highest level at age 40.
13. Bart Starr
![14 Best Quarterbacks in NFL History bart starr](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0373-e1696897525253.jpeg)
![14 Best Quarterbacks in NFL History bart starr](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0373-e1696897525253.jpeg)
Bart Starr’s heyday with the Green Bay Packers established the city of Wisconsin as one of the gold standards in the NFL. He is the second highest rated passer in league history, and his puck attack won him two Super Bowls. His greatness propelled Green and his Bay to a place it had yet to match since his 1960s.
14. Steve Young
![steve young](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0375.jpeg)
![steve young](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0375.jpeg)
Steve Young looked goofy when he popped out of the pocket, but his rushing exploits proved the quarterback was capable Exercise capacity You must do so to move. He also didn’t bow to the pressure of waiting behind Joe Montana, continuing Joe Cool’s legacy and leading the 49ers to their fifth Super Bowl in franchise history and their only title won in the last 30 years.
15. Ben Roethlisberger
![ben roethlisberger](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0377.jpeg)
![ben roethlisberger](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0377.jpeg)
Big Ben didn’t always have the best record in the NFL, but in an era of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, and Aaron Rodgers, Roethlisberger was more than adequate in the QB hierarchy. was occupied. The Steelers won two Super Bowls with Roethlisberger, but he could have gone even higher here if the team had been able to capitalize on his late-career success with Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell. unknown.
16. Troy Aikman
![troy aikman](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0379.jpeg)
![troy aikman](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0379.jpeg)
Troy Aikman is the greatest game manager in football history. This may sound like an insult, but when he’s running the ball to Emmitt Smith, he doesn’t need as many passes. Aikman did exactly what was needed to help the Cowboys win three Super Bowls and solidify their status as the hippest team in football history. Meanwhile, his Monday Night Football commentary. . .
17. Russell Wilson
![Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_7017.jpeg)
![Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_7017.jpeg)
Russell Wilson’s struggles in Denver shouldn’t overshadow years of pure magic in Seattle. Tasked with controlling an undermanned offense with a run-first style honed by Pete Carroll, Wilson became the best two-way quarterback of this era. When he was able to run 30 yards down the field, it was hard to tell whether he was going to throw a Hail Mary or bolt down the sideline for a touchdown.
18. Jim Kelly
![jim kelly](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0381.jpeg)
![jim kelly](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0381.jpeg)
Four Super Bowl losses defined Jim Kelly’s career, but true football fans will remember the unstoppable force of the Buffalo Bills’ offense in the 1990s. Kelly has perfected a no-huddle formation that keeps defenses going backwards for days on end. His battle with cancer in his personal life after his retirement has served to once again demonstrate his indomitable spirit.
19. Kurt Warner
![The 20 best quarterbacks in NFL history kurt warner](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0382-scaled-e1696899059835.jpeg)
![The 20 best quarterbacks in NFL history kurt warner](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0382-scaled-e1696899059835.jpeg)
Kurt Warner’s underdog story speaks for itself. He is the only undrafted quarterback to win a Super Bowl, but these accomplishments are only half the story. Warner always seemed to inexplicably come up with a way to win, and he forced his way into the best quarterback conversation long after he was supposed to retire in the late 2000s.
20. Fran Tarkenton
![Fran Tarkenton](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0385.jpeg)
![Fran Tarkenton](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0385.jpeg)
Fran Tarkenton was one of the first running quarterbacks in NFL history, often running in circles and twisting defenses like pretzels during a more physical era of football. He wasn’t a middling passer either, leading the league in touchdowns and passing yards in various seasons throughout his career.
21. Terry Bradshaw
![22 Best Quarterbacks in NFL History terry bradshaw](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0387-e1696900085905.jpeg)
![22 Best Quarterbacks in NFL History terry bradshaw](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0387-e1696900085905.jpeg)
Terry Bradshaw’s inclusion on this list is entirely due to his four Super Bowl rings. The Pittsburgh Steelers dominated the 1970s with Chuck Noll’s famous defense and ground game, and Bradshaw played error-free football in his wake. Bradshaw should be praised for making far more passes when the lights were brightest in the postseason.
22. Sammy Bo
![23 Best Quarterbacks in NFL History sammy bo](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0388-e1696900237151.jpeg)
![23 Best Quarterbacks in NFL History sammy bo](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0388-e1696900237151.jpeg)
Sammy Baugh is the ultimate pioneer at the QB position, but just because he’s innovative doesn’t mean he should be ranked higher. Nearly 90 years ago, Bo was the best player in the business, leading the league in passing yards four times. Still, if you played in an era when forward passes were becoming part of the game, you’d be playing a completely different sport than what we see today.