Ken Stabler VS Steve Young

[74_75_78_79_]

Two outstanding left-armed SB-winning QBs!

Who’s YOUR pick, and why?

Or do you feel it’s too much an apples/oranges (different eras) debate?

[Brian wolf]

Different eras and teams but Young had the superior talent while Stabler was cooler under pressure. Both QBs lost a number of team conference championship games while getting their lone SB but had paid their dues while being backups. Young was considered by many including myself, as great during the regular season based on statistics but lacking in the playoffs, a mantle now picked up by Aaron Rodgers, while Stabler was thwarted by a great Steelers defense that beat Tarkenton, Jones and Staubach as well.

[Brian wolf]

Though Young was more exciting to watch --including getting hit and sacked-- Stabler was more poised with the game on the line and I still want his games against Miami in the 1974 playoffs, beating the Patriots in the 1976 playoffs, the beatdown of the Steelers in the 1973 playoffs--that forced the Steelers to draft Lambert in 1974-- and of course the Immaculate Reception game that erased his game winning TD ...

[JohnR]

What a contrast. Stabler would have been excommunicated & left wandering in the wilderness of salt lake. Every image of Young should be surrounded by stained glass.

Stabler was my QB throughout my formative years so I'm hopelessly biased. He had the aura of a gunslinger and looked like a pirate to boot. Loved the side-arm delivery and the threading of the ball through traffic. Sometimes he took too many risks. If you like bad boys who live life on the edge, Snake's your man.

[SixtiesFan]

Ken Stabler had bad knees throughout his pro career. I remember him at Alabama before he hurt his knees. The name "Snake" came from his running talent. Stabler ran for yardage more than just scrambling. He would drop back to pass and suddenly take off on a long run swerving through defenders. An example was the 1967 Auburn game in rain and mud where he scored the winning TD.

Stabler did the same thing to put the Raiders ahead of the Steelers in the 1972 AFC playoff game. The Immaculate Reception came after it.

Steve Young made a spectacular game-winning TD run against the Vikings in a 1988 game.

[Bryan]

I think Steve Young maximized his great supporting cast, whereas Stabler at times was the reason his team lost. But...other than his two wacky runs, Young wasn't really a part of 'great moments in NFL history', while Stabler had several great moments.

[Jay Z]

Young had the 1998 comeback against the Packers, that was his one playoff comeback.

Other than that and the 6 TDs in the Super Bowl, his performance in playoff games was underwhelming, disappointing from a rate standpoint.

[sheajets]

Always wondered what becomes of Young if the 49ers don't swoop in and rescue his career? He was about 26 when he got to the 49ers and found his perfect situation. it wasn't going to work out for him in Tampa...but no doubt he would've been picked up by a better franchise (literally every other NFL franchise at the time was better than Tampa) and found some kind of success. Though I doubt he ends up Hall of Fame level

[Brian wolf]

TB should have never given up Young's rights. Maybe they thought Testeverde was a better prospect but they should have let both QBs compete for the job. At least let him go to the AFC instead. Walsh definitely pulled a coup but once he promised the job to Young, the QB was determined to stay with the team till he got it. Montana sort of questioned that aspect of Young's competitive nature in his book but Young knew that he wanted to take the job despite Walsh retiring and letting Seifert decide. Luckily for him after four seasons as a backup and Montana dealing with injuries in 91 and 92, management went his way ...

Had Seifert allowed a fair competition for the job before the 1993 season, would Young have beaten out Joe ?

[Bryan]

Always wondered what becomes of Young if the 49ers don't swoop in and rescue his career? He was about 26 when he got to the 49ers and found his perfect situation. it wasn't going to work out for him in Tampa...but no doubt he would've been picked up by a better franchise (literally every other NFL franchise at the time was better than Tampa) and found some kind of success. Though I doubt he ends up Hall of Fame level

Young was a generational talent coming out of college. I wasn't a huge fan of Young in the NFL, but the numbers he consistently put up were astounding. There was a recent topic about Matt Ryan's HOF worthiness...in 15 seasons Ryan had 1 season with an exceptional Rate+ of >125. After he became the Niners starting QB in 1991, Young had a Rate+ of >125 in 7 of the next 8 seasons. I'm not sure what else Young could have done to convince people of his HOF ability. IMO, Young probably would have had a HOF career with even just a decent team.