For millennials, Tom Brady is by far and away the greatest quarterback in the history of the National Football League.
For millennials, Tom Brady is by far and away the greatest quarterback in the history of the National Football League. The 199th overall pick from the 2000 NFL Draft has matured into one of the finest talents to grace the sport and he deserves his spot in the record books – and Brady holds plenty of personal achievements. From his five Super Bowl rings to his 210 NFL victories, Brady’s statistics are incredible, to say the least. No matter how you look at it, the New England Patriots star has been, as quoted in an MSN article, a "fantastic servant" at Gillette Stadium since breaking into the team. His close relationship with New England head coach Bill Belichick, also arguably the greatest in NFL history, has no doubt been central to their success over the years.
Manning and Marino Fall Short
If you ignore the postseason, Peyton Manning would arguably just about shade it. Brady and Manning have shared more than a few titanic battles on the pitch over the years but you’d have to put the New England man above Manning when you include Super Bowl efforts and the playoffs. Manning, who led the Denver Broncos to an AFC Championship win against Brady and the Patriots in 2014, holds the record for most regular-season touchdown passes (539) and passing yards (71,940), but records can only get you so far.
Meanwhile, the older generation of NFL fans will claim that Dan Marino deserves to be in the mix. Labelled by some as the greatest quarterback to never win a Super Bowl, Marino was the face of the Miami Dolphins for over 15 years; they fell to a losing record just twice during that timeframe. In addition, Marino held the record for most fourth quarter come-from-behind wins, with 36, before that tally was surpassed by none other than Manning in 2012.
Of The Current Crop, Only Brees and Rodgers Go Close
Aaron Rodgers is one of the hottest quarterbacks in football right now but even he would struggle to emulate Brady at his brilliant best. The Green Bay Packers star is an elite option under center and he is capable of guiding Mike McCarthy’s men all the way back to the Super Bowl – that is how good he is. Per USA Today, he is the fastest quarterback to throw 300 touchdown passes and he is yet to throw 100 career interceptions... not bad, huh?
Aaron Rodgers continues to mask the flaws of the Packers roster pic.twitter.com/f24EGIwcYf— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) September 29, 2017
Meanwhile, it is only a matter of time before Brees breaks Manning’s NFL record for passing yards and the New Orleans Saints signal caller is a sure-fire first-ballot Hall of Famer. With a solid defensive unit, Brees could have at least two Super Bowl wins under his belt but as it is, he will have to be content with one. As of October 3, the Saints are on a two-game win streak and Betway’s odds of 50/1 for a shock Super Bowl win are solid if they maintain their recent defensive prowess. With Brees under center, anything is possible.
If Anyone Beats Brady, It Is Montana
Joe Montana’s legacy will live long in the memory of older American football fans – and rightly so. Brady has been the shining star for almost two decades but Montana was once the National Football League’s main man. In an era where running the football was a clear priority, Montana transformed the role of the quarterback; throwing 273 touchdown passes in 192 regular season games throughout his illustrious career, and he is still advising young hopefuls on how to improve at the quarterback position.
But during the playoffs and in Super Bowl games, he was even better. Montana led the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl on four separate occasions, racking up 11 touchdowns and no interceptions. While Brady’s most recent triumph against the Atlanta Falcons back in February ensured that the New England man passed Montana’s personal tally of four Super Bowl rings, he will never be able to match Montana’s flawless record on the biggest stage of all.
So, Is Brady The Greatest?
If there was any doubt, Brady’s impact and influence in New England’s come-from-behind victory against Atlanta at Super Bowl XLIX should put an end to the debate. Yes, Belichick has played a key role in Brady’s development, as did kicker Adam Vinatieri in a couple of New England's earlier triumphs, and you could even argue that the Patriots star wouldn’t have achieved half as much without the five-time Super Bowl champion as his head coach.
Rodgers has the potential to challenge Brady statistically but with the NFL now at its most competitive, it is hard to back the Green Bay Packers to build a dynasty era to rival that of the New England Patriots. Brady deserves to go down in history as the greatest of all-time and his Super Bowl legacy will forever rank him as one of the very best players to grace a football field.
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