Top Five Quarterbacks in NFL History

This past Super Bowl saw another quarterback cement their legacy in the NFL history books. With Patrick Mahomes’ impressive performance to earn his third Super Bowl ring, where does he rank among the greatest quarterbacks of all time? Here’s my list of the top five quarterbacks in NFL history.

5. Drew Brees

Brees is a player that I feel is constantly overlooked when it comes to lists like these. While the former Saints quarterback never won the league MVP award, he ranks second to Tom Brady in virtually every quarterback stat including passes completed, passing yards and passing touchdowns. Brees brought the city of New Orleans their first Super Bowl win and was always a force to be reckoned with on the field. If he had better talent around him during his time in The Big Easy, he could’ve easily won more Super Bowls.

4. Patrick Mahomes

Coming off his third Super Bowl victory, Mahomes looks primed for a spot in Canton. The former Texas Tech quarterback led the Chiefs to become the first team to win two straight Super Bowls since the 2003-2004 New England Patriots. He has the talent to excel no matter who’s put around him and will be a menace to defenses for years to come. His ability to evade defenders and escape pressure is unmatched and allows him to make incredible throws in the face of defenders.

3. Joe Montana

One of the most legendary names in 49ers or NFL history, Montana won four Super Bowls and was the MVP in three of them. The Pennsylvania native made eight Pro Bowls and at the time of his retirement, had the second-best passer rating in history. Montana was the face of the NFL during his time and had a knack for tearing apart NFL defenses.

2. Peyton Manning

It’s one thing to dominate the league with one team, but it’s a whole other accomplishment to do it with two; and that’s exactly what Peyton Manning did. Along with leading both the Colts and Broncos to one Super Bowl win each, the eldest of the Manning brothers boasts an astounding five league MVP awards. Manning spent his career with NFL legends like Reggie Wayne and Demaryius Thomas, whom he had a great bond with on the field.

Honorable Mention: Dan Marino

I originally wasn’t going to do an honorable mention, but I would be remiss if Marino wasn’t mentioned in an article like this. Marino is arguably the best player in NFL history to never win a Super Bowl (which is part of the reason why he wasn’t in the top five). Marino came in and immediately took the NFL by storm, breaking six records and winning the NFL MVP in his second season. Marino was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005, where his legacy will live forever.

1. The Best Quarterback of All Time: Tom Brady

Obviously, this is no surprise to anyone. Brady holds a multitude of NFL records in his dominant runs with both the Patriots and Buccaneers. While he wasn’t drafted until the sixth round of the draft, Brady made the most of his opportunity. He led the Patriots to six Super Bowl wins and the Buccaneers to one. Out of all quarterbacks, Brady holds records for the most wins, passing yards, completions, passing attempts, touchdown passes and game-winning drives, to name a few. We may never see anyone like Brady ever again, as he truly is the definition of a once-in-a-lifetime type of talent.

Ethan Ellis is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, please email ece5133@psu.edu.