NFL's greatest quarterbacks of all-time

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Jan 12, 2009

NFL's greatest quarterbacks of all-time

Peyton Manning

In his 11 years with the Colts, the older Manning has passed for 41,626 yards and 306 TDs and led the Colts to a Super Bowl title.

Brett Favre

Everyone's favorite new New York Jet heads to Broadway having completed 61,655 passing yards and 442 TDs in 17 years with the Packers that included a Super Bowl win over the Patriots.

Dan Marino

After becoming the Dolphins starter six weeks into his rookie career, Marino became the most prolific passer in NFL history with 61,361 yards and 420 touchdowns. He was the first player ever to pass for 5,000 yards in a season and, in 1984, threw a then-record 48 TDs. By the time he retired following the 1999 season, he had been selected to nine Pro Bowls.

Joe Montana

Named the Superbowl MVP three times during his career, Montana retired in 1994 with 3,409 completions, 40,441 yards and 273 touchdowns.

John Elway

The comeback kid retired in 1998 after leading Denver to a record-47 fourth quarter comebacks and two Super Bowl titles. His career stats included 51,475 yards, 300 touchdowns and one MVP award from Super Bowl XXXIII.

Johnny Unitas

Unitas may be best known for what many dubbed the best game that ever played, when he led the Colts to a heart-stopping overtime win of the Giants in the 1958 NFL championship. Unitas -- who had been cut from his first team -- ended his career with 40,239 yards and 290 passing touchdowns.

Tom Brady

Brady has led the Patriots to three Super Bowl wins and, in 2007, broke the single-season touchdown passing record previously held by Peyton Manning and Dan Marino as the Patriots made history with a 16-0 in the regular season.

Otto Graham

The Northwestern grad guided the Cleveland Browns to 10 division or league crowns in 10 years from 1946-1955. He retired in 1955 with 23,584 passing yards and 174 TDs.