Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

If you do think he is the GQBOAT, that is.

Right this very week, I myself have simply reached this conclusion and placed him #1 over Montana. Doing so with just two games into a regular season as opposed to the very end of an umpteenth stellar one? Not the sure why, but it’s a conclusion that I just simply came to at this very moment. All this time prior I serious did opine that Joe was #1. I don’t feel there was any denial; if any, maybe just during this very off-season thru these first two weeks of the season until “surrendering” like Tarkenton said he did after Pats made that insane rally over Atl. Not too long ago, I saw he-vs-Manning as an ‘eternal’ debate, but ended up raising Brady’s fist in victory long enough ago thus placing him in my ‘Rushmore’ of QBs. And now he’s atop of that quartet.

So for all of you who think he’s #1, at what point did he ‘clinch’ it for you?

And when will I finally be able to dare put aside the aura of Lombardi and place Belichick at #1 thus starting a similar thread? Or will Vince always be #1 with me anyway, with or without ‘aura’?

I moved him above Montana on my list after the SB comeback over Atlanta. Me being a 49ers fan, other 49ers fan friends and acquaintances are calling this sacrilege.

I have Unitas as a solid #3.

ChrisBabcock wrote:I moved him above Montana on my list after the SB comeback over Atlanta. Me being a 49ers fan, other 49ers fan friends and acquaintances are calling this sacrilege.

I have Unitas as a solid #3.

I actually have Graham ahead of U, with U on the verge of his #4 becoming '4a' as Starr is on the verge of going from #5 to '4b'! Maybe U will stay at 4 as Bart stays at 5, or maybe both will actually flipflop; but we'll see. U still on my 'Rushmore' for now.

After the win over ATL in SB---that put him up over U and Montana for me

To me, Unitas and Elway are the best ever. Graham, Montana, and Brady are coattail riders. They get more credit for their teams' success than their coaches, and that's wrong.

For example, Otto Graham probably was running a 60's offensive scheme in the 40's and 50's. John Elway was running a 60's offense in the 80's.

7DnBrnc53 wrote:To me, Unitas and Elway are the best ever. Graham, Montana, and Brady are coattail riders. They get more credit for their teams' success than their coaches, and that's wrong.

For example, Otto Graham probably was running a 60's offensive scheme in the 40's and 50's. John Elway was running a 60's offense in the 80's.

The year after Graham retired, Cleveland went from NFL Champions to a losing record.
Montana wouldn't have won 4 Super Bowls if he had gone to a toxic organization like Tampa Bay, or to the other Bay Area team that put an emphasis on the deep ball... but I don't think anyone could have executed Bill Walsh's offense with such precision. His quick feet, his accuracy and his coolness under pressure were second to none.
Brady, with the benefit of 21st Century rules, has almost become automatic in the clutch.

The year after Graham retired, Cleveland went from NFL Champions to a losing record.

Didn't other Browns HOF players retire right around when Graham did?

The only changes in the offensive lineup of the 1955 Browns were Graham, and Fred Morrison being replaced by rookie Preston Carpenter (and it looks like Morrison still started 6 games in 1956.) I didn't check the defense because they were #1 in points in both 1955 and 1956. (They did fall from #1 to #2 in yards allowed.) The Cleveland offense, on the other hand, went from 1st to 11th in points and 3rd to 9th in yards. They did lose their projected starter George Ratterman early on.

You have to examine each player within the context of their times. Doubt that Georges Vezina would be the same goalie today as he was a century ago, but at the time, he was the best in the business.

JeffreyMiller wrote:You have to examine each player within the context of their times. Doubt that Georges Vezina would be the same goalie today as he was a century ago, but at the time, he was the best in the business.

This.