NFL Throwback List of 100 Greatest Quarterbacks of All Time

[Brian wolf]

An NFL Throwback List of 100 Worst Quaterbacks of All-Time would be worth digging into ... The Bears have three of them themselves.

[Bob Gill]

An NFL Throwback List of 100 Worst Quaterbacks of All-Time would be worth digging into ... The Bears have three of them themselves.

That kind of thing can be fun, but it's harder to do than picking the best, because the worst quarterbacks were probably all cut in training camp. Or if they made a team, they probably threw only 3 passes, or 15 or whatever. You'd need to set some sort of lower limit, like only guys who played at least one season as a starter, or threw a certain minimum number of passes. Wouldn't be impossible, though.

And returning to the original top 100 list, there's no way in hell that George Blanda was in the top 40. I'm not sure he'd qualify for that list at all.

[saturdaysarebetter]

In looking at the list, I have a hard time with 14 quarterbacks better than Roger Staubach. Captain America, Captain Clutch. He led the Cowboys to four Super Bowls losing to the greatest dynasty and football team of all-time giving them all they could handle each time, and winning two Super Bowls, and doing that, in reality, in only eight seasons as a starting quarterback. Plus he was named to the Pro Bowl in six of his eight seasons as a starting quarterback.

Staubach ahead of Marino, Young and Tarkenton in my opinion.

[SeahawkFever]

An NFL Throwback List of 100 Worst Quaterbacks of All-Time would be worth digging into ... The Bears have three of them themselves.

That kind of thing can be fun, but it's harder to do than picking the best, because the worst quarterbacks were probably all cut in training camp. Or if they made a team, they probably threw only 3 passes, or 15 or whatever. You'd need to set some sort of lower limit, like only guys who played at least one season as a starter, or threw a certain minimum number of passes. Wouldn't be impossible, though.

And returning to the original top 100 list, there's no way in hell that George Blanda was in the top 40. I'm not sure he'd qualify for that list at all.

If we are including very small samples, then Ryan Lindley is one of the worst quarterbacks I’ve ever seen, though that’s likely not saying nearly as much as it would coming from many of you.

Also, if we count players in the two way era who happen to have passed poorly, then Eagles tailback Don Jackson who played only in 1936 deserves a mention:

His statline reads 7 completions in 35 pass attempts for 80 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.

As for more significant playing time, off the top of my head I remember seeing poor statlines for Bobby Douglass, Ryan Leaf, and the 80’s Packer quarterback Randy Wright. Also Kim McQuilken’s stats were really bad even for the dead ball era, but the other Falcon quarterbacks in 1974 weren’t much better to be fair.

[SeahawkFever]

In looking at the list, I have a hard time with 14 quarterbacks better than Roger Staubach. Captain America, Captain Clutch. He led the Cowboys to four Super Bowls losing to the greatest dynasty and football team of all-time giving them all they could handle each time, and winning two Super Bowls, and doing that, in reality, in only eight seasons as a starting quarterback. Plus he was named to the Pro Bowl in six of his eight seasons as a starting quarterback.

Staubach ahead of Marino, Young and Tarkenton in my opinion.

I would probably say Staubach and Drew Brees are neck and neck but that’s just me.

[7DnBrnc53]

Brady had the greatest career of any QB. That part is hard to argue with. Him having success away from Belichick helped cement his legacy and I didn't like him but after age 40, I can't help but admire how well he played and at such a high level at 40 and beyond.

Montana to me was so fantastic in the clutch. Four Super Bowls 16 quarters and zero interceptions. The best in my mind for one game.

I'm glad to see Unitas and Graham still ranked high. Recentivism is so rampant nowadays.

I'm also glad to see Marino listed where he is and to me, he's still too high. Playing well in big games to me matters. A quarterback can't win a game on his own, but he certainly can lose them on his own. Making poor decisions, throwing into double coverage, making ill-advised throws, throwing pick sixes. Marino retired as the leader in career pick sixes with 29 if I recall correctly. It's hard to beat good teams when your quarterback is a turnover machine.

You check his big game performances and he often threw two interceptions or more at every level, from high school, college and in the NFL. He threw a pretty pass but did he ever audible to a draw play? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Quarterbacks have won quite a few Super Bowls with far less running games than what Marino had. He played for two HOF Super Bowl winning coaches that both won two Super Bowls without Dan Marino. They knew how to win a big game, Marino did not.

He was good enough to beat the '85 Bears in the regular season, but he couldn't beat the '85 Patriots in the post-season, at home, outplayed by the "great" Tony Eason.

Once you get past the top 15, then to me it becomes more difficult to rank. Glad to see Bradshaw above Roethlisberger. Big game QB and great in the post-season vs. regular season QB. Big games matter.

The top 35 all HOFers or will be? Cam Newton would be my first certain no. I'm not sure I'd vote in Rivers.

Again, there is this over-emphasis by fans on winning to judge a QB.

Yes, the Dolphins didn't get it done at home in 1985. However, Marino wasn't playing Eason head to head. And, there is something else: That Dolphin team didn't get back to the playoffs for five years. They really didn't have the talent in the first place to win.

As for Montana, Terry Bradshaw also won four SB's. And he had more memorable big play throws in big games. Montana dinked and dunked a lot of the time against inferior SB competition, like the 81 Bengals, 84 Dolphins, and 89 Broncos.

Also, with Brady, CCC Productions did a video about him: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_fv85_MV4s

Go to 1:52:09. He talks about seasons that deserve an asterisk, like 1982 and 87. He also said that 2020 needed a big asterisk because of COVID. Also, a lot of QB's could have won with the 2020 Bucs. They had a stacked roster. Kyle Orton would have won a SB with them. Mark Malone would have won a SB with them. Heck, Nathan Peterman may have won a SB with them. Brady just had to come in and not lose the game.

[Brian wolf]

I believe with a list of the worst QBs, you have to first look at the QBs who were drafted much higher, with expectations or projections of success, rather than guys struggling to make a team or get a rare chance to start. Yes, a Nathan Peterman could be terrible playing in a rare start, but also wouldnt be counted upon to start 10 games either, like a Mark Malone or Heath Shuler.

If a coach or fan expected a certain QB to play and start, and that QB had numerous opportunities and still stunk, or was simply on terrible teams he would still get scrutinized more than just some marginal guy that a coach was just trying to fill a backup or scout team with. With those guys, you know they wouldnt make it beyond a year or two, but then there are the guys that seem to be on a roster for 5, 6 or more years? John Maxymuk would have a great grasp of QBs that were futile despite 20 or more starts.

[saturdaysarebetter]

Is there anyone that comes to mind that you thought would have been in that list? For me, it was Bernie Kosar, but then I looked up Kosar's stats, and he played in a majority of games in just seven seasons.

[Brian wolf]

Kosar would to me, be in a best of 100 list more than a worst of 100 list. He never had athleticism to begin with, but could be as accurate as any QB I have seen and elevate his teammates around him with poise and smarts. You dont win playoff games and help your team to three AFC championship games being bad. Unfortunately, injuries and increasing lack of mobility kept his starting days short.

[Bob Gill]

I believe with a list of the worst QBs, you have to first look at the QBs who were drafted much higher, with expectations or projections of success, rather than guys struggling to make a team or get a rare chance to start. Yes, a Nathan Peterman could be terrible playing in a rare start, but also wouldnt be counted upon to start 10 games either, like a Mark Malone or Heath Shuler.

Very good point.