The Top Ten Greatest NFL Quarterbacks of All Time

Second only to U.S. President - the NFL Quarterback is the most glamorous, if not important job in the country. In addition to the hopes and dreams of his team, the quarterback carries the flag for entire cities, regions, and ultimately, ways of life. The pressure cooker situation is unreal, considering the fact that sports obsessed Americans look to the gridiron gladiator for strength, controlled violence, and an escape from the routine fare of the daily grind. The quarterback is viewed as the one member of the entourage that combines leadership, intelligence, and strategic thought, alongside brute force to control games and emerge victorious.

NFL ball clubs sell their collective souls to trade up at the draft, or wheel and deal at the free agent marketplace to land that once-in-a-lifetime franchise quarterback. Certainly, 2009 NFL fanatics are privy to the circus atmosphere that has surrounded New York Jets rookie Mark Sanchez and the freshly installed Jay Cutler at Chicago.

The hype has grown astronomically with every passing moment to discover a kid that possesses the tools and the chance to start in the NFL, let alone emerge as a franchise athlete that destroys the shenanigans of all quarterback controversy. Of course, emerging as an all-time great represents yet another level, altogether.

The greatest NFL quarterbacks of all time emerge as icons that define cities, dynasties, and eras. In order to be defined as great, the signal caller must combine top-shelf mechanics with game-time smarts and decision-making. Beyond the nuts and bolts of execution, the quarterback must have "it."

"It" is best described as the ability to win.

"It" is the poise to lead comeback drives, refuse to back down from raging linebackers, and inspire offensive linemen and teammates to lay it on the line and go to war, day in and day out. Further, "it" is a style and flair that matches success on the field, with the mindset of a Nation, off the field.

Indeed, the term "quarterback" captures the imagination to personify all that is right with America. Let's introduce the top-ten greatest NFL quarterbacks of all time.

#10 Greatest NFL Quarterback of All Time: Fran Tarkenton

Fran Tarkenton set the Gold Standard while inventing the term "mobile quarterback." Tarkenton was known to evade rushers in the pocket and scramble to the outside to keep plays alive and drop bombs into the hands of his receivers.

Scramblin' Fran is historically identified with his two separate stints with the Minnesota Vikings and the Purple People Eaters. Of course, the 1970's Vikings and Bud Grant are also defined by losing three separate Super Bowls to Miami, Pittsburgh, and Oakland.

Tarkenton performed miserably at the Big Game, as the talented Vikes were outclassed along all fronts. The Steel Curtain tormented this signal caller - harassing Tarkenton to go 11 for 26 and passing for 102 yards and 3 interceptions, alongside a miserable quarterback rating of 14.

Still, these Super Bowl failures cannot dispute the fact that Fran Tarkenton is one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. Tarkenton retired as the top quarterback in terms of yardage (47,003), completions (3686), and touchdowns (342) of all time. Today, these numbers translate into the fifth, eighth, and third ranked quarterback per yards, completions, and TD passes, respectively.

Of course, Frantic Fran is known for his legs and finished his career with 3,674 rushing yards - trumped today only by Randall Cunningham, Steve Young, and Michael Vick. Tarkenton's antics as a scrambler prevented injury and extended the career of this 6'0 190 pound light weight that lacked the cannon arm of the prototype.

Fran Tarkenton entered the Hall of Fame with the class of 1986.

#9 Greatest NFL Quarterback of All Time: Otto Graham

Otto Graham is arguably the greatest winner of all time in any sport.

This college running back forged the switch to quarterback at the professional level and ran the Wing T to perfection for Paul Brown's eponymous Cleveland Browns. Otto Graham guided the Cleveland franchise to 10 straight title games and four All-America Football Conference and three NFL championships. Graham's staggering feats and gamesmanship dominate the longevity of any dynasty.

Graham silenced his critics that railed against the AAFC as a weak league by claiming 3 titles after the Browns entered the NFL in 1950 - including a 56-10 shellacking of the Detroit Lions. The Paul Brown legacy is punctuated by #60 (#14) outrageously cocking the football backwards and delivering perfect spirals into the back of the end zone.

Despite the accolades, Graham's position at the apex of NFL lore is short circuited by the relatively crude offenses and defensive schemes of the forties and fifties. Although Otto Graham led the AFC and NFL in passing upon 5 separate seasons, his 23,584 passing yards are only 67^th of all time. The Wing T is described as a modern era high school offense - at best.

Otto Graham was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1965.

#8 Greatest NFL Quarterback of All Time: Steve Young

Steve Young was given the impossible task of replacing Joe Montana, legend, at San Francisco. Young's interpretation of the Bill Walsh West Coast offense featured a soft-touch left-handed delivery, cocksure decision-making, and the threat of a backbreaking scramble. We highlight the word "threat," because Young at his best transformed his career from that of raw athlete to a pocket passer - more so content to make plays through the air.

Fittingly, the San Francisco leader is the eighth greatest quarterback of all time.

Jon Steven Young was never anointed as the Golden Boy quarterback.

The high school kid ran the option in Connecticut, initially stumbled as a traditional passer at Brigham Young University (Steve Young is a descendant of Brigham Young), toiled in the now defunct USFL for the Los Angeles Express, and was drafted into the NFL by the laughing stock creamsicle Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

In fact, the lowly Buccaneers were prompted to draft Vinny Testeverde and discard Steve Young as a bust, prior to shipping him off to the San Francisco 49'ers for a poo poo platter of draft picks.

Of course, Steve Young was to promptly take his seat on the bench behind eventual 4-time Super Bowl winner Joe Montana. Young carried a clipboard at San Francisco within the 49'ers dynasty for Super Bowls XXIII and XXIV.

Still, the fiery lefty demonstrated his athletic ability during spot duty. Young dazzled the coaching staff with his ability to improvise out of the pocket and deftly facilitate the intricacies of the West Coast offense. The quarterback actually won the 1992 MVP award while Joe Montana recovered from injury.

These fireworks led to a three-way quarterback controversy pitting Young against Joe Montana and the upstart Steve Bono throughout the early nineties.

Still, only the 1993 trade of Joe Montana to Kansas City could slam the door shut upon the drama and hand Steve Young the keys to the car. Despite his staggering statistical output featuring 68% completion rates and 100+ passer ratings, commentators blasted Young for his inability to beat the Dallas Cowboys and win Super Bowls.

Young battled back with an epic 1994 campaign, which is the benchmark per efficiency of any quarterback. Steve Young led the 49'ers to a 13-3 mark, behind 70% passing, 3969 yards, and 35 touchdowns through the air.

Young capped off this magical season by outlasting the hated Cowboys and destroying the San Diego Chargers 49-26 in Super Bowl XXIX by tossing a record 6 touchdown passes at Miami.

The legacy of Steve Young is both elevated and dismissed by the pure beauty of the San Francisco 49'ers offense. The juggernaut listed Jerry Rice, John Taylor, Brent Jones, Ricky Watters, Tom Rathman, and William Floyd as headliners on the roster. Of course, the unit was coached by the likes of Bill Walsh, George Seifert, Mike Holmgren, and Mike Shanahan - hailed as "geniuses" within their own right.

Steve Young is degraded and embraced as the greatest "system" quarterback of all time.

#7 Greatest NFL Quarterback of All Time: Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning has been so good for so long - it's boring.

The "Aww, shucks" American as apple pie Manning is the safe choice to enter the collective living rooms of America and pitch everything from credit cards to television programming. The cerebral playmaker is acknowledged more so for his precise attention to detail, than he is for is equally impressive rocket arm.

Manning is the model of consistency and has facilitated the staggering statistical resumes of assembly line like receivers at Indianapolis. Peyton Manning has aired out the football for over 3,500 yards and 25 touchdowns in each of his 11 NFL seasons. Manning has won 3 AP NFL Player of the Year awards and is a lock for the Pro Bowl every year.

The 33-year old athlete is already seventh, and fourth all time per passing yards and touchdowns. Of course, his 94.7 passer rating is second only to the aforementioned Steve Young. Indeed, Manning's 2004 season of 4,557 yards and then record 49 touchdowns does rank alongside Young's '94 as one of the greatest seasons ever enjoyed by an NFL athlete.

The clean-cut son of NFL Legend Archie Manning is the son that most Americans wish they had.

Still, Manning's claim to The Throne is degraded by his inability to beat Florida, win the Heisman, and out duel Tom Brady. Sportswriter Bill Simmons has introduced critics to "The Manning" face, which is a befuddled, deer-in-headlights look expressing utter confusion upon the precipice of disastrous Big Game meltdowns.

Manning must continue to add to his Super Bowl resume in order to elevate his status at The Pantheon, and past another Colts Great.

#6 Greatest NFL Quarterback of All Time: Johnny Unitas

Johnny U. laid down the gauntlet for the modern era quarterback and the forward pass. The crew cut kid from Pennsylvania paved the way for the likes of Peyton Manning at Indianapolis, via Unitas' exploits with the Baltimore Colts. Certainly, old timers will hail Johnny Unitas as the first and foremost great quarterback.

Mr. Clutch accepted the torch from Otto Graham in the late 50's to call his own plays, launch bombs, orchestrate game-winning drives, and shine bar-none upon the Big Stage. Unitas marched his beloved Baltimore Colts towards two NFL crowns and one Super Bowl V ring.

More importantly, Unitas ushered football into television and the modern era by defeating the New York Giants 23-17 in overtime against the backdrop of 45 million American viewers tuning into the NBC broadcast for the Greatest Game Ever Played. Unitas' separate drives to tie and win the Big Game are cited as the first examples of the "2-minute drill."

The former Pittsburgh Steelers roster cut played semi-pro ball for $6 per game, before revolutionizing NFL offense with 40,239 total passing yards and 290 touchdowns. These marks are eleventh and seventh in NFL history; and the team player introduced the world to sidekicks Raymond Berry, Lenny Moore, and Alan Ameche by playing winning football.

#19 could make all the throws, and befuddled opposing defenses per his embrace of the long ball. Unitas will always receive his proper respect as a pioneer. Still, his 1959 NFL leading 2,899-yard, 32-touchdown season would be rather pedestrian compared to the crisp offensive production of today.

Mr. Clutch labored for 18 years at the NFL level and held onto the Dream a bit too long before being brutalized and replaced by Dan Fouts at San Diego. Johnny U. simply refused to call it quits.

Sound familiar?

#5 Greatest NFL Quarterback of All Time: Brett Favre

Prior to the crocodile tears, retirements, un retirements, and Minnesota - New York spectacles, Brett Favre was the face of the Green Bay Packers. The gunslinger is lauded per his joy for the game, Frozen Tundra heroics, and imposing arm strength. Despite today's shenanigans and heartache at Wisconsin, Brett Favre is a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

The Iron Man has started a record 291 consecutive regular-season and playoff games; and also stands as the Top Gun per completions (5,720), yards (65,127), touchdowns (464), and attempts (9,280) at the time of this writing. Favre also carries one Super Bowl chip and three AP NFL MVP awards.

Brett Favre resurrected football at Green Bay and has accomplished everything possible while wearing an NFL uniform. The Good ol' boy has toiled as a disappointment at Atlanta, rocked Wrangler jeans, battled painkillers, hawked coins, operated as The Man, retired, and re appeared into town as the next great savior.

Additionally, Brett Favre is John Madden's Greatest Pet of All-Time, which is a special accomplishment in its very own right.

Favre peaked in 1996 and 1997 to lead his 13-3 Packer clubs to back-to-back Super Bowl appearances. The seasons were punctuated by Favre's deft ability to sense pressure within the pocket and gun appendage breaking spirals into tough coverage. Brett Favre has arguably been blessed with the strongest arm within NFL history.

Still, the tendency to ditch the playbook for improvisation always leads to embarrassing gaffes, turnovers, and "why did he do that?" bloopers. Brett Favre is the Master of the backbreaking interception-touchdown return. Fans must often accept the good with the bad at quarterback; and this risk taking is a function of the man's supreme confidence to make plays.

Remember, Brett Favre has also thrown 310 interceptions - the most by any player in NFL history.

#4 Greatest NFL Quarterback of All Time: Tom Brady

Tom Brady is the coolest NFL Quarterback of All Time. The GQ cover-boy dates and marries models, wins Super Bowls, earns tens of millions of dollars annually, and has accepted the baton from Joe Namath and Dan Marino as football's chapter president of style. On the gridiron, the sixth-round draft pick has already appeared in four Super Bowls - winning three.

Tom Brady is this generation's winner.

The fierce competitor stepped into the limelight following a gruesome hit to Drew Bledsoe and has carried rag tag New England Patriots offensive clubs to the promise land. The California native's early career arc is synonymous with a gym rat after thought, whom contemplated abandoning the Michigan program while languishing as a back up. Tom Brady simply willed himself to the top.

Brady won Super Bowls in 2001-2002, 2004-2005, and 2005-2006 while playing pitch and catch with teammates named Troy Brown, David Patten, Kevin Faulk, Deion Branch, and Bethel Johnson.

New England signed Wes Welker, Randy Moss, and Donte Stallworth to reload at wide receiver for yet another Super Bowl run. Tom Brady then went ballistic, while taking special pleasure in beating the opposition into the ground towards a 16-0 regular season mark. Brady went 398 for 578, or 69% for 4,806 yards and a record 50 touchdowns.

The video game numbers surpassed the leading 48 and 49 touchdown strikes manufactured by Dan Marino and arch-rival Peyton Manning.

Still, the Dream Team season was derailed at Super Bowl XLII per the ferocious pass rush dialed up by Steve Spagnuolo and his New York Giant defense. Tom Brady was harassed into quick throws all night, and critical outsiders highlighted his spoiled tendencies to break down and blast teammates for mistakes, as opposed to offering solid guidance and tough-love.

Certainly, the season ending 2008 ACL injury has humbled Brady, as he continues to navigate his way up the ladder of the NFL elite.

#3 Greatest NFL Quarterback of All Time: Dan Marino

Dan Marino is the greatest pure passer in the history of football.

Marino is recognized per his quick release and ability to deliver the ball into tight quarters with precision and touch. Dan Marino proved that no scheme exists to defend the perfect pass. This 2005 Hall of Famer spent his 17-year career with the Miami Dolphins and owned every significant passing record upon retirement.

Despite the fact that the Isotoner pitchman performed as a virtual stiff behind center, this quarterback rarely took sacks due to his ability to get the football out with speed. In fact, Marino was sacked only 6 times in 1988. The minimal total is ever more phenomenal considering the fact that Marino dropped back to pass for 606 attempts that season.

This Miami Dolphin signal caller set the sporting world ablaze with his 1984 campaign. Dan Marino threw for 5,084 yards and 48 touchdowns well before the run and shoot, shotgun spread, West Coast gimmicks of this present era had ever been installed into the playbook. In fact, 5,084 passing yards remains the benchmark figure to this very day.

Dan Marino, 27^th overall pick of the vaunted 1983 Draft, landed at the Super Bowl during his second season to match up against Joe Montana. Although the Dolphins were to lose Super Bowl XIX to the 49'ers dynasty - the loss was taken in stride, as knowledgeable commentators agreed that Marino would be back.

Dan Marino never returned to the Big Game - sabotaged by the dearth of a running game, porous defense, and Jim Kelly's K-Gun Buffalo Bills. History may only speculate in reference to the damage that Marino would have inflicted onto the record books to carry the flag beside a Terrell Davis, rather than Bernie Parmalee.

#2 Greatest NFL Quarterback of All Time: John Elway

John Elway is the epitome of the Golden Boy quarterback.

The son of college coach Jack Elway emerged as the top recruit in the Nation after a stellar high school career in Southern California. Elway elected to attend Stanford - starring in football and baseball, as well as majoring in economics at the prestigious institution. The man proved to be a dangerous threat to run or pass, and completed his amateur football career atop every significant Pac 10 record board.

I shudder to imagine the hype that would have surrounded John Elway were he to have matriculated into the NFL during the Internet era.

John Elway is the most physically gifted signal caller to enter and perform at the professional level. The cocksure kid was selected first in the loaded 1983 NFL Draft class by the Baltimore Colts, and refused to report to the Charm City. The threat of a viable professional baseball career allowed Mr. Elway to call the shots, and he was subsequently dealt to the Denver Broncos.

Elway is identified with the fourth quarter comeback and holds the record with 47 drives to tie or win football games within the final stanza. His 15-play, 98-yard touchdown AFC Championship march against Cleveland to tie the game at the final seconds is referred to simply as 'The Drive."

John Elway and his Denver Broncos owned the AFC and Cleveland Browns in the 80's - terrorizing The Dawg Pound with three Championship Game losses in 1986, 1987, and 1989. Of course, Denver provided fodder as the team to get spanked in the Super Bowl - losing to the New York Giants, before facing 10-42 and 10-55 humiliations against Washington and San Francisco.

Critics blasted Elway for his disastrous Super Bowl production and inability to win the Big One. Indeed, Elway's 10 for 26, 2 interception outing versus the 49'ers was absolutely abysmal.

Still, the Denver Broncos of the 1980's combined the talents of John Elway with his marginal supporting cast of Sammy Winder and Steve Sewell at running back, and the Three Amigos Ricky Nattiel, Mark Jackson, and Vance Johnson split out wide. Sammy Winder and Mark Jackson emerged as the only Denver Bronco teammates to ever sniff 1,000-yard seasons at Mile High during the period.

Of course, the Comeback Kid reserved his most important last-second drives for the fourth quarter of his own career. Only this time, he had help.

The 1997 and 1998 Broncos were stacked with talent on both sides of the football. Offensively, Elway reserved the option of handing off to Terrell Davis, working the seams to Shannon Sharpe, rocketing flares to Rod Smith, or hitting Ed McCaffrey in-stride to move the chains. Coached by West Coast disciple Mike Shanahan, the offensive juggernaut rolled to first and second in points scored behind Elway.

Elway, the 37-year old elder statesman, achieved Super Bowl glory by going vintage Orange Crush and launching himself airborne, before ricocheting over would-be Packer tacklers to earn clutch first-down yardage per "The Helicopter" at Super Bowl XXXII.

John Elway simply wanted it more.

The loaded Denver Broncos repeated as champions the following season; and John Elway retired by riding into the sweet sunset as the owner of two Super Bowl rings to go alongside his 51,475 total yards passing.

#1 Greatest NFL Quarterback of All Time: Joe Montana

Joe Montana is the greatest NFL quarterback of all time.

Casual fans of football must recognize the fact that Montana has thwarted nearly every modern era's claim to Greatness on the field, while his perfect Big Game Legacy is impossible to overtake by those of any other time frame.

Joe Cool is the ultimate gamer that forced upstart Steve Young to the bench, while dispatching Dan Marino and John Elway to second - class status by blowing these Golden Armed stalwarts out of the Super Bowl.

Montana carried the San Francisco 49'ers into four Super Bowl games - claiming four MVP awards and four separate Lombardi trophies.

Joe Montana lacked the big arm - yet managed to orchestrate the West Coast offense to perfection. The quarterback delivered the ball with timing and touch to blitz defenses for 40,551 career passing yards. Yes, the high-octane 49'ers actually attacked the opposition, offensively.

Before Montana to Rice, there was the calm, cool, and collected 25-year old kid hitting Dwight Clark in the end zone per "The Catch," against America's Team.

The 1981 NFC Championship Game fourth quarter comeback introduced Joe Cool to America. Of course, "The Catch" heroics promptly set up Montana's 15-year career as the ultimate winner, as #16 performed as the portrait of quiet confidence - undaunted by the moment.

Certainly, all of Greater Cincinnati recognized the fact that the Bengals left too much time on the clock for San Francisco to operate from behind at Super Bowl XXIII. Montana went 8 for 9 on the final drive to march his 'Niners 92 yards down the field to connect with John Taylor and outlast Cincinnati 20-16, as the game clock struck 00:34.

The Legend is 83 for 122 to pass for 1,142 yards and eleven touchdowns against zero interceptions in four Super Bowls. These heroics translate into an astronomical 127.8 quarterback rating at the Big Game.

Joe Montana arrived at a middling San Francisco franchise as a scrawny, 1979 third-round pick, and arrived at the forefront of the controls to the greatest offensive dynasty in the history of football.

Joe Montana is the Greatest NFL Quarterback of All Time.

The Top Ten Greatest NFL Quarterbacks of All Time, Sources:

Kofi Bofah, How to List the Greatest NFL Quarterbacks of All Time, http://www.ehow.com/how_7264236_list-greatest-nfl-quarterbacks-time.html

The NFL, http://www.nfl.com/

The Pro Football Hall of Fame, http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PLAYER_ID=77

Pro Football Statistics and History, http://www.pro-football-reference.com/

Wikipedia, Quarterback, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quarterback

Bleacher Report, The NFL's Top 10 Quarterbacks of All Time: By the Numbers, http://bleacherreport.com/articles/193047-top-10-quarterbacks-of-all-time-by-the-numbers#page/11