'Mt Rushmore' All-Time QBs

[conace21]

Montana and Unitas (can't decide on number 1. Never been able to)

The next two would be between Graham, Baugh, Manning and Brady....I can't choose which two.

I have the same 4 as Reaser. I was prepared to add Brady if he had completed a 19-0 season. When the Pats lost, I decided to table adding anyone until their career was over.

[Bob Gill]

Yes, I am biased but also believe Starr is slighted by historians and media.

I think he is, too. It's common to hear people say Brady or Montana is the best because "he has the rings," and then pick Unitas over Starr. The same thing goes for Sid Luckman as compared to Baugh. Though I tend to prefer Baugh and Unitas myself (but then I don't say that about Brady and Montana), I often say Luckman and Starr are the most underappreciated of the top quarterbacks.

[JohnH19]

Montana and Unitas (can't decide on number 1. Never been able to)

The next two would be between Graham, Baugh, Manning and Brady....I can't choose which two.

Those are my six as I've often posted. I think that my top four as of today are Graham, Unitas, Montana and Brady but my Mt. Rushmore would have all six heads on it.

I agree with the comments that Starr and Luckman are tremendously overlooked and it seems to me that Favre is rarely mentioned as one of the all-time greats. Am I imagining that?

The NFL Network just keeps getting worse.

[luckyshow]

I agree on Unitas, but I wonder why. He was only in two championships (three counting the Super Bowl against the Jets). I guess more than Sonny Jurgenson. Were his stats that good? Some had greater longevity and were in championship games fore and aft (such as Tittle or Conerly),

As I say, I don't disagree, I am just asking for the reasons. Mine are just that as a kid he was thought the best, What are the real reasons.

Hell just for historical relevance, I might include Benny Friedman and Sid Luckman, but what do I know...

My number one is Montana. Then again I lived in the Bay Area when he rose to the top.

I thought Brady was meh in last Super Bowl. His receivers kept making great catches on his passes that were off target to open receivers, and every completion seemed to be to a wide open guy. If he had been whistled for illegal grounding he might never have even come close. Just my silly opinion. (also an obvious pass interference by NE might have ended the game, when a guy on the ground grabs the receiver's ankle or he may have gone for a TD rather than forcing a punt from the 10; and how the ref missed it it is amazing).

Anyway, like I say, what do I know.

[JeffreyMiller]

The Colts were almost always good with Unitas, but his inclusion on a Mt Rushmore type monument has as much to do with his image and what it meant for the NFL between 1958 and 1970. Unitas was in essence the face of the league during that period, arguably the its most famous player until the likes of Joe Namath came along. Plus that crew cut and jawline make for a perfect statue figure ...

[rhickok1109]

Frankly, I have my doubts about Baugh being on this list, mainly because he had most of his best seasons when he was still a single wing tailback. He spent the first seven seasons of his career as a tailback and he was named first- or second-team All-Pro in six of those seasons. He spent the last nine years as a quarterback and was named first or second team All-Pro in only three of those seasons ... in fact, three of the first four. During his last five seasons, he received no All-Pro mentions and, in fact, during his last four seasons, he basically QB duties with Harry Gilmer. (In 1950, Gilmer was named to the Pro Bowl and Baugh stayed home.)

If the list were the Mt. Rushmore for Passers, I would certainly include Baugh. But I don't think he belongs there as a QB.

My list would be Graham, Manning, Favre, and Montana.

[Hail Casares]

The Colts were almost always good with Unitas, but his inclusion on a Mt Rushmore type monument has as much to do with his image and what it meant for the NFL between 1958 and 1970. Unitas was in essence the face of the league during that period, arguably the its most famous player until the likes of Joe Namath came along. Plus that crew cut and jawline make for a perfect statue figure ...

And the fact that statistically he was the greatest passer ever until the 1980's came along. You're talking about Unitas here like he was simply the crew cut QB of the best team in football and along for the ride rather than a guy who was routinely leading the NFL in passing yardage and TD's and putting up passer ratings 25% above the league average. Unitas from 1957-1967 was ridiculous.

[Mark L. Ford]

No comment on any of the choices, but I hate the whole concept of a "Mount Rushmore" of anything except for the four statues in South Dakota.... I had hoped that the fad of "Mount Rushmore of _____" lists had gone the same way as spinning hubcap attachments.

[ChrisBabcock]

Frankly, I have my doubts about Baugh being on this list, mainly because he had most of his best seasons when he was still a single wing tailback.

I think Baugh gets often overrated on top quarterback lists because of everything he did as a DB and punter. Those accomplishments definitely push him higher in all time player lists. When were talking about the greatest at a particular position we should probably not consider what that player did at other positions.

[oldecapecod11]

JohnH19 » Wed Feb 18, 2015 11:46 pm
"... Those are my six as I've often posted. I think that my top four as of today are Graham, Unitas, Montana and Brady but my Mt. Rushmore would have all six heads on it..."
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That makes sense. The number is not critical - not even important.
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Mark L. Ford » Thu Feb 19, 2015 11:34 am
"No comment on any of the choices, but I hate the whole concept of a "Mount Rushmore" of anything except for the four statues in South Dakota..."
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Mount Rushmore is a monument to greatness much outside the POTUS role. We have had more than four great men serve in that office.
Neither Washington nor Jefferson were great "presidents." Lincoln led the Nation through our most tumultuous era and his only "Super Bowl" win was Emancipation. TR accomplished some trust-busting; built our Navy and sent it on its tour, but made his "hyphenated Americanism" speech after his presidency.
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I like to think of the "best" QBs as who I would want leading my team if I had to win one game today.

The answer is clear: Johnny U -
to me, Unitas was the Air America of Football: "Anything, Anywhere, Anytime, Professionally"
Next, I'd pick Otto Graham or Bret Favre.

If you needed a fourth pick, any one of Manning or Montana or Brady would do.
I'd like to find a way to put Luckman in there but I never saw him play and have never seen much of him on film.
I'd also like to see Starr but think he is a product of his time and place and system and coach - like Montana and Brady.

And, after all, what does it matter? Who is or was the best player ever is not gonna matter - unless he is on your team - today.
And that is what sells tickets and replica jerseys.

So, while you are shaving or putting on your make-up, take a look: your opinion, my opinion, everyone's opinion
is nothing more than that - the opinion of ONE in a world fast approaching 7-1/2 BILLION opinions.
That's 1/7,500,000,000th -
how's that for a meaningless statistic? .0000000001333 - that's less than John Madden's vertical leap.

P.S. If I had to name a back-up, I'd have the Punter fill that role.
That would be Sammy Baugh and, if need be, we could run a little "Wildcat" at 'em too.