Best QBs by franchise

[oochymp 2,393]

I got to thinking about this with the Romo retirement thread, he's arguably the best QB the Cowboys have ever had (it's close among him, Aikman, and Staubach IMO, but I'm probably forgetting someone) but I stand by my comment that he's not a HOFer. So I got to trying to reconcile those and realized that there are a lot of franchises who have had their best QB in franchise history within the past 10 years. I don't really know where I'm going with this, but I'm going to try to slot in a top QB for each franchise and see how many are recent players.

 

Arizona Cardinals - Kurt Warner (yes)

Atlanta Falcons - Matt Ryan (yes) [prior to this season I'd have argued Vick]

Baltimore Ravens - Joe Flacco (yes)

Buffalo Bills - Jim Kelly (no)

Carolina Panthers - Cam Newton (yes)

Chicago Bears - Sid Luckman (no)

Cincinnati Bengals - Boomer Esiason (no)

Cleveland Browns - Bernie Kosar (no)

Dallas Cowboys - Staubach (no)

Denver Broncos - John Elway (no)

Detroit Lions - Matt Stafford (yes)

Green Bay Packers - Bart Starr (no)

Houston Texans - Matt Schaub (yes)

Indianapolis/Baltimore Colts - Johnny Unitas (no)

Jacksonville Jaguars - oof, Mark Brunell I guess? (no)

Kansas City Chiefs - Len Dawson (no)

LA/St. Louis Rams - Kurt Warner (no)

Miami Dolphins - Dan Marino (no)

Minnesota Vikings - Fran Tarkenton (no)

New England Patriots - Tom Brady (yes)

New Orleans Saints - Drew Brees (yes)

New York Giants - Phil Simms (no)

New York Jets - Joe Namath (no)

Oakland/LA/Las Vegas Raiders - Ken Stabler (no)

Philadelphia Eagles - Donovan McNabb (yes)

Pittsburgh Steelers - Ben Roethlisberger (yes)

San Diego/LA Chargers - Dan Fouts (no)

San Francisco 49ers - Steve Young (no)

Seattle Seahawks - Russell Wilson (yes)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Jameis Winston (yes)

Tennessee Titans/Houston Oilers - Warren Moon (no) [i really want this to be McNair]

Washington Redskins - Sonny Jurgenson (no) [maybe Sammy Baugh]

 

So by my count that's 11 teams with their best QB having played in the last ten years, that's over a third of the league. Now I'm sure ya'll will tell me where I'm wrong, but even if that drops a bit it's a huge percentage that are even arguable, and I think there's a pretty good chance we add a couple more, I have Seattle and Tampa in mind right now, you could argue Wilson has already passed Hasselbeck.

 

Also amusing: Kurt Warner tops the list for two teams.

 

EDIT: On further review (and commentary from others) I have changed Peyton to Unitas, Cutler to Luckman, Rodgers to Starr (I've been outvoted on that one) Hasselbeck to Wilson (because sure, we can go ahead and put him there) and I went ahead and plugged Winston in for Tampa because fuck it, why not. That swaps two recent QBs for old guys, but also brings two current QBs back in, which drops the total to 10 teams with their best QB being someone recent (though in fairness, and I meant to point this out initially, one of those is Houston who's only been around for 15 years) that's still a pretty high number

 

EDIT 2: another small oversight, Warner actually did play in Arizona within the past decade, barely, but he makes the cut. That brings the total back to 11.

 

EDIT 3: McNabb too, up to 12

Edited April 6, 2017 by oochymp

[WeaponX20 26]

Untias is the best Colts QB

 

Starr is best Packers QB

Edited April 5, 2017 by WeaponX20

[oochymp 2,393]

Untias is the best Colts QB

 

Starr is best Packers QB

Unitas I'll buy, must have just forgot him, but I'd take Rodgers over Starr

[BC 331]

People would consider Hasselbeck over Wilson?

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Starr is the greatest QB in history, Aaron can't be above him.

Edited April 5, 2017 by Favre4Ever

[RazorStar 4,025]

Sid Luckman was probably better than Cutler. I mean definitely.

[oochymp 2,393]

Sid Luckman was probably better than Cutler. I mean definitely.

you're right, I didn't go back that far, but I absolutely should have, I felt a little bad saying Cutler was the best the Bears have had

[WeaponX20 26]

Ken Anderson took Bengals to there 1st SB and won them there 1st ..SB

 

Detriot Bobby Layne haven't won a championship since he was QB.

 

Rams was not Warner it was Norm Von Brocklin

 

 

Cardinals Jim Hart

[oochymp 2,393]

eh, those guys were good for their era, but I wouldn't take them ahead of the guys I listed

[WeaponX20 26]

eh, those guys were good for their era, but I wouldn't take them ahead of the guys I listed

I would Hart has alot of the Cardinals records, Brock was better than Warner, Layne has Lot of the Detroit records

[Warhorse 132]

Unitas and Manning were both amazing in their own era. Neither could transfer to the others time and obtain what they obtained. They are uniquely special in their own right. Hard to select. Johnny is the reason I began watching the NFL. Believe it or not, the first game I ever watched on TV was SB V.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

I think determining the best Cowboys QB is a really tough call. Maybe it's the old-school in me but I want to say Staubach. Curious as to what other Cowboys fans think.

[GA_Eagle 595]

McNabb went to the skins for the 2010 season, so that's the last 10 years by a year or two.

 

Starr is the best ever. So the outvoting is for good reason.

[oochymp 2,393]

McNabb went to the skins for the 2010 season, so that's the last 10 years by a year or two.

 

Starr is the best ever. So the outvoting is for good reason.

This is what I get for going on memory

[Cherry 1,302]

Unitas over Peyton is stupid as shit. Peyton had how many MVPs? Dude played lights out for a decade in Indy.

 

Starr over Rod or Favre is stupid as shit too. Rod is most talented QB to ever play.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Bart Starr has the highest playoff passer rating in NFL History. Everyone in the Top 25 in that stat played at least an era after him.

 

The best of HIS era? Daryle Lamonica and Len Dawson sitting under 78 while Starr reigns supreme at 104. Bart Starr also won 90% of his playoff games and was the only QB to have 5 titles to his name for FIFTY YEARS until Brady just matched him this last season.

 

Everyone talks about Joe being clutch... Starr invented clutch.

 

Best. QB. Ever.

Edited April 6, 2017 by Favre4Ever

[Omerta+ 1,206]

Unitas over Peyton is stupid as shit. Peyton had how many MVPs? Dude played lights out for a decade in Indy.

 

Starr over Rod or Favre is stupid as shit too. Rod is most talented QB to ever play.

 

Unitas was a monster. I think you are shitting on him for a guy whose defenses carried him to both his superbowls, one did it the whole season the other did it through the playoffs. Johnny U's record of 47 touchdown passes just being broken in the last 5 to 10 is super impressive considering how easy it is to complete a pass these days versus then.

 

Now I am not saying Peyton does not have a case but Johnny U was a beast. and consider he did the one thing no other QB has done before or since has had the balls to do is what makes him a legend. When he told the Irsay's to go fuck themselves, he showed the kind of loyalty most people wish their QB had....like Indianapolis, Pey Pey would never have done it.

[ATL_Predator+ 1,196]

I think Dan Fouts and Phillip Rivers is an interesting debate for the Chargers.

 

It's literally the old school vs new school debate. Not even going to post stats because it's so hard to compare from different eras.

 

But what each of them have meant to the Chargers in their time is pretty impressive.

[BJORN 679]

Fouts and Rivers have so many similarities career wise its crazy. But I give Fouts the nod because he was legitimately the man in the late 70s and early 80s. Like I am talking best QB in the game or damn near close. While Rivers has probably not received all of the credit he deserves especially from the early Norv days where his numbers were insane, you can't say the same for him. Though that could easily be attributed to him sharing an era with Brady, Brees, P.Manning, and more recently Rodgers. Additionally Rivers has consistently been among the best relative to his peers for longer than Fouts was and Rivers has excelled in multiple offensive systems individually.

[ATL_Predator+ 1,196]

Fouts and Rivers have so many similarities career wise its crazy. But I give Fouts the nod because he was legitimately the man in the late 70s and early 80s. Like I am talking best QB in the game or damn near close. While Rivers has probably not received all of the credit he deserves especially from the early Norv days where his numbers were insane, you can't say the same for him. Though that could easily be attributed to him sharing an era with Brady, Brees, P.Manning, and more recently Rodgers. Additionally Rivers has consistently been among the best relative to his peers for longer than Fouts was and Rivers has excelled in multiple offensive systems individually.

 

I think the unique thing about Rivers is that he has done incredibly well with jackshit around him in terms of injuries and lack of a real running game since LT left.

 

I think Rivers is a great QB simply because he made guys like Stevie Johnson, Malcolm Floyd, and Keenan Allen productive players where they most likely wouldn't be in a lot of other places. Rivers when he gets in a rhythm is a scary thing. His accuracy and his will to drive his team down the field makes him a tough out no matter the score or how bad the Chargers are and that's how I'll always remember him.

 

I also give Fouts the nod simply because of how he was in the top 3 QB's of his time frame, Rivers is top 5ish but it makes a difference for sure.

[blotsfan 2,112]

Jameis is really the best qb in Buc's history? Can't we just throw them a bone and count Steve Young?

[oochymp 2,393]

Jameis is really the best qb in Buc's history? Can't we just throw them a bone and count Steve Young?

Steve Young's stats with the Bucs (2 seasons, 19 starts): 267/501 (53.3%) for 3217 yards (169 ypg) 11 TDs and 21 INTs, 3-16 record

 

Jameis Winston (2 seasons, 32 starts): 657/1102 (59.6%) for 8132 yards (254 ypg) 50 TDs and 33 INTs, 15-17 record

 

yeah, I'm going with Jameis

[BJORN 679]

What about Brad Johnson? Decent stats + SB ring. Jameis definitely projects to surpass him though.

[Milla4Prez63 678]

Honestly, the Bucs history at the QB position is so sad that you could actually make the case for Jameis already after two seasons. However, at this moment in time I give the slight nod to Brad. If things go well, Jameis should easily surpass him though.

[seanbrock 1,684]

Jameis is already better than Brad, not that he was bad. He was the perfect QB for that team that won the Super Bowl, but he only played in Tampa Bay for 4 years himself and you put TB's version of Brad Johnson circa 2002-06 I would personally take Jameis over him 10/10. I certainly didn't expect the Bucs to do anything last year and all that was off the back of Jameis Winston. Brad Johnson could never do what he did but put Jameis on that '02 Bucs squad and the defense was so good they win the Super Bowl anyway.