75th-100th: QBs

[74_75_78_79_]

That's a tough one. If I did, it would be Baugh, but I wouldn't be totally comfortable with it.

On a strictly-as-a-QB basis, I briefly entertained that as well, but - yes - was not comfortable with that either. However, this is best football players so considering what-else Sammy obviously did (and also did at a very high level) not only should he be the last of these QBs to get boxed-out but pretty much the last to be boxed-out this entire list-period. Peyton and Brady are simply joined-at-the-hip. Far too much an overall argument between who's better between both to pick one and not the other. Either both get in or neither; and IMO both should be included although I place neither above Joe nor those other three who came before. I also feel Dan should join them as well (he should have been "added on" in '94). However, there likely won't be 7 spots at QB so if I have to pick just two to join the 'Mt Rushmore' already in...it'll be Manning/Brady over Dan but by such a skin of a hair.

I know we're changing the subject within this subject, but looking at the two TEs of the 75th team, I'm quite surprised that John Mackey's not in there. It should either be he, Ditka, and Winslow or just he and Ditka; and there's quite a strong argument that he's #1 of the TEs (even if, however, he being '1a' to Mike's '1b'). And the FBs and HBs...curious to see who they add or maybe subtract. Being a Steeler-fan, I'll admit, I was surprised at the time of Rod Woodson's inclusion but only because of how new he was; that's it. What he did the remainder of his career as well ought to tighten things ever further to assure he makes the 100th. Deion? Revis? Could they be added on in three years? And safety...Troy? Ed Reed?...

[JohnH19]

Marino is a notch below the top six. The fact that he only appeared in one SB is a huge black mark on an otherwise brilliant career. Tarkenton, Tittle and Kelly didn't win a championship but they each made multiple appearances in the big game.

Jackie Smith was every bit the TE that Mackey and Ditka were, IMHO.

[JuggernautJ]

I know we're changing the subject within this subject, but looking at the two TEs of the 75th team, I'm quite surprised that John Mackey's not in there. It should either be he, Ditka, and Winslow or just he and Ditka; and there's quite a strong argument that he's #1 of the TEs (even if, however, he being '1a' to Mike's '1b'). And the FBs and HBs...curious to see who they add or maybe subtract. Being a Steeler-fan, I'll admit, I was surprised at the time of Rod Woodson's inclusion but only because of how new he was; that's it. What he did the remainder of his career as well ought to tighten things ever further to assure he makes the 100th. Deion? Revis? Could they be added on in three years? And safety...Troy? Ed Reed?...

Don't jump the gun.
Patience is a virtue!

(I was figuring one position group every day or two...)

[conace21]

I feel that Manning and Brady both deserve a spot on the 100th Anniversary Team. If I had to remove one of the 4...wow, that's tough. In the 75th Anniversary Book, there was also an All Time Two Way team. I might be persuaded to move Baugh from the All Time team to the Two-Way Team to acknowledge his all-around greatness.

But more likely, I would force myself to remove Otto Graham by telling myself that I can only count his 6 NFL years, and discount the AAFC years. (Of course, you then have to boot Marion Motley from the team.) I don't think we should discount Graham's AAFC years, but if I convince myself to, then I could justify removing him from the team.

[JohnH19]

Otto Graham: 6 seasons, 6 Eastern Conference championships, 3 NFL championships. He stays on my team.

[conace21]

Otto Graham: 6 seasons, 6 Eastern Conference championships, 3 NFL championships. He stays on my team.

Brady has 4 championships, 3 Super Bowl MVP awards; Peyton has seven 1st Team All Pro selections and 5 MVP awards. No way I can leave either of them off. Somebody has to go. No way is it Joe Cool or Johnny U. Slinging Sammy Baugh was such a passing pioneer; I can't remove him. That leaves Otto. He was a tremendous winner, and he was named 1st Team All Pro, per PFR, in 5 out of his 6 years. (He was picked as a 2nd team All Pro in 1950.)
But ultimately, 15 years of greatness trumps six years of greatness.

[JuggernautJ]

The guys who made the 75th Anniversary team probably felt the same about Marino/Montana as "we" do about Brady/Manning.
But they had to make a choice.

Baugh represents the best of the "ancient history" passers (not Herber, etc), Graham the 40's-mid-50's (not Luckman, etc), Unitas the late-50's through early 70's (not Jurgensen,etc) and Montana after that.
A LOT of great QBs were left out in that reckoning.

Those who were selected were the absolute best of their era and there can be only one "Best."
I know it is heresy but I would stay with the original four and add (only) Tom Brady.
I believe historical perspective will eventually support me.

[74_75_78_79_]

I know we're changing the subject within this subject, but looking at the two TEs of the 75th team, I'm quite surprised that John Mackey's not in there. It should either be he, Ditka, and Winslow or just he and Ditka; and there's quite a strong argument that he's #1 of the TEs (even if, however, he being '1a' to Mike's '1b'). And the FBs and HBs...curious to see who they add or maybe subtract. Being a Steeler-fan, I'll admit, I was surprised at the time of Rod Woodson's inclusion but only because of how new he was; that's it. What he did the remainder of his career as well ought to tighten things ever further to assure he makes the 100th. Deion? Revis? Could they be added on in three years? And safety...Troy? Ed Reed?...

Don't jump the gun.
Patience is a virtue!

(I was figuring one position group every day or two...)

That's fair. Perhaps I should have simply started a new thread with that.

[Bryan]

I would put in Brady and Manning and remove Unitas and Montana.

10 championship games in 10 years for Otto Graham is more remarkable than anything Unitas accomplished, IMO. I would guess that Unitas' TD streak and his big 1959 season are his greatest achievements, and as great as they were they've been rendered obsolete. I don't think any current/near future QB will be taking his team to 10 straight Super Bowls.

As for Montana, he has rings, good efficiency stats, and legendary status...but he doesn't have the longevity of Brady and Manning. My 4 All-time QBs would be Baugh, Graham, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady.

[conace21]

Unitas and Montana are untouchable for me.
Montana essentially started for 13 seasons. I'm throwing out his rookie year and 1992. Manning started for 17 seasons. Brady is completing his 15th season as a starter (throwing out 2000 and 2008.) Who knows how far he might go, but I'm only considering his career up until now.
That's not a big enough difference for me to discount Montana's other advantages over his 21st century counterparts.
I don't think any QB will take his team to 10 straight Super Bowl, but to be fair, Graham didn't make 10 straight Super Bowl runs. He won his division 10 times and was automatically in the championship game in 8 out of the 10 seasons. (I believe he played in an extra postseason game once in the AAFC and in 1950.) Manning and Brady have both won their division at least 10 times, but they had to play multiple games; that's multiple opportunities to get knocked off on the way to the Super Bowl.

I don't mean to denigrate Otto's accomplishment. He and the Browns did go 10 for 10 in division titles. It's just I don't think it's accurate to compare that to QB's making playoff runs to get to the Super Bowl, any more than it is to compare Graham's passing stats to Trent Green and Brad Johnson.