Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Brian wolf wrote: ↑Tue Sep 15, 2026 8:57 pm 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 wrote: ↑Tue Sep 15, 2026 9:51 pm

Brian wolf wrote: ↑Tue Sep 15, 2026 8:57 pm 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 wrote: ↑Tue Sep 15, 2026 11:47 pm 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.

saturdaysarebetter wrote: ↑Tue Sep 15, 2026 11:35 am 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.

Brian wolf wrote: ↑Wed Sep 16, 2026 8:07 am 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.