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Thursday, January 7, 2016

Ranking the Super Bowl Champion Quarterbacks

With Super Bowl 50 just around the corner and the constant debate on all-time great quarterbacks of all-time, I thought it would be interesting to rank the quarterbacks that have won a Super Bowl.  This eliminates Dan Marino, Jim Kelly and Fran Tarkenton who are all considered amongst the Top 20 QBs of all-time (and Top 10 by some) and definitely above many of the slappies that have won the Super Bowl *cough Trent Dilfer cough* but this isn't about them, it's about those that have won it.  There have only been 31 Super Bowl Winning QBs with 11 QBs winning multiple titles.  So without further ado from worst to first:


31. Trent Dilfer (Baltimore)-Thank you Baltimore Defense and insane Jamaal Lewis running game for making this guy have a long career with ESPN even though he is awful.


30. Doug Williams (Washington)-No one would know who Doug Williams was if the Broncos didn't suck so bad during their 80s Super Bowl runs.


29. Brad Johnson (Tampa Bay)-The Buccaneers won it much like Baltimore did but at least Johnson was a decent QB throughout his career.


28. Mark Rypien (Washington)-Journeyman QB but was solid in the playoffs.


27. Jeff Hostetler (New York Giants)-He had a great defense and team that was doing well before he played mop up duties once Simms got injured.  Solid but


26. Jim McMahon (Chicago)-Maybe one of the most overrated Super Bowl Champs that lives off a one year great in the Chicago Bears of '85.  Had a swagger that people loved.  Did you know he got a ring as Brett Favre's back-up?!


25. Jim Plunkett (Oakland)-Really pulling straws around this area.  Not much better or worse than McMahon.


24. Phil Simms (New York Giants)-Awful color commentator and won with the greatest defensive player of all-time, but he has to be above his back-up.


23. Joe Flacco (Baltimore)-His 2012 Super Bowl run was fueled by an over the hill defense, but his rocket arm and  playoff experience helped get him there.  First average QB to get ridiculously overpaid and cause the NFL to overpay every starting QB.


22. Russell Wilson (Seattle)-Too early but two Super Bowl appearances already?  He had a great defense when the Seahawks destroyed the Broncos but he doesn't get discouraged and fights to the bitter end.


21. Joe Theismann (Washington)-A career ended by Lawrence Taylor folding him.   His playoff record is very solid and he may have had more numbers if he had not started off in the Canadian Football League.


20. Joe Namath (New York Jets)-Broadway Joe was another McMahon but he knocked off the mighty NFL as an AFL member.  Helped give the AFL respect.  Helped earn him a Hall of Fame
honor which probably makes me put  him higher than I want.


19. Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh)-His first Super Bowl can be attributed to just not being stupid and leading the Steelers.  He is a smart passer.  He reminds me of


18.Eli Manning (New York)-Little brother owns big brother in Super Bowl wins but Eli should be 1-1 at best in the Super Bowl.  The Giants got hot at the right time in both of his marches.  He is a 10 Win QB that has never been great, but is very good.


17. Bob Griese (Miami)-I have him too highly rated on here, but Hall of Fame, 2 Super Bowls and an undefeated season is tough to argue against.  I believe he is the middle of the pack of Super Bowl winning QBs for a reason, I'd take every guy below him on the Dolphins and probably a few above him.


16. Terry Bradshaw (Pittsburgh)-Two Hall of Fame WRs, A HOF RB, the Steel Curtain.  He kind of is in Griese territory.  A great career but would he even be considered a Top 30 QB if he had played for the Broncos of the 70s instead?  4-0 in Super Bowl makes it tough not to move him higher, but really no one considers him a Top 20 QB of all-time unless they wave a Terrible Towel.


15. Kurt Warner (St. Louis)-Greatest show on turf almost got it done with Arizona which would have been the only QB to win a Super Bowl with 2 different teams.  Close but not enough.  Hall of Famer that really got hosed in not getting a chance earlier in his career. 


14. Drew Brees (New Orleans)-Barely made this list because he edged Peyton Manning out and robbed  him of his 2nd Super Bowl.  He has thrown for 4000 yards over and over again and has been a breath of fresh air in New Orleans.  Did San Diego make the right decision? No!


13. Kenny Stabler (Oakland)-Underappreciated because he put up average numbers but he should  be in the Hall of Fame.  His 3x finalist will probably end up being voted in about 10 years.


12. Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay)-Rodgers is a threat with his feet and stepping up in the pocket.  He was thought to be a better QB than Tom Brady or Peyton Manning for most of the past 3-4 years.  Tough to argue but aided by a great


11. Len Dawson (Kansas City)-A great player and Hall of Famer.  Knocked off NFL in last year of AFL-NFL Super Bowl.  Won two titles in the AFL before his AFL/Super Bowl title of 1969.


10. Brett Favre (Green Bay)-He was the central figure on back to back super bowl teams but he also was known for costly interceptions to end his playoff runs for 3 teams.  Held on a year too long.  Hopefully Manning doesn't play at age 40 like Favre did.  Favre was a gunslinger.


9. Troy Aikman (Dallas)-Probably rated too high because he had some of the greatest two way teams ever, but tough to argue his 3-0 Super Bowl record.


8. Roger Staubach (Dallas)-Would he not be higher up in the chain if the didn't serve in Vietnam and be the last truly great service academy Quarterback.  Won the Heisman.  Hall of Fame.  Maybe under appreciated also because the Cowboys were so good.


7. Peyton Manning (Indy)-Was only second QB to be a Super Bowl starter for two teams.  He is the best regular season quarterback of all-time.  Smart, just amazing to watch pick apart defenses.  The thing keeping him from being amongst the top of all-times lies solely in his playoff record.  Nine 1 and done playoffs and 11-13 overall.  For a QB that has been as good as he has in the regular season every year, he should have more than 3 Super Bowl appearances.


6. Steve Young (SF 49ers)-A true all around beast of a QB.  Could kill you scrambling or launching the ball downfield.  He was so good a Hall of Fame and best QB of all time was told to please exit stage right.


5. Johnny Unitas (Indy)-Two AFL titles early in his career.  He won one at the end of his career in Indy.  He did suit up elsewhere but no one wants to remember that image.  He was the Peyton Manning of football early on.  When the NFL was a heavy running league he was slinging the ball around in the AFL.  Helped change football.


4. Bart Starr (Green Bay)-A leader.  A true man that was the perfect leader for a great coached NFL team. 


3. John Elway (Denver)-Carried 3 average offenses to Super Bowl appearances before a free agent heavy and great running game carried him off to the sunset with 2 Super Bowl Rings.  Fearless and right at the top of Mt. Rushmore of football.  Second most Super Bowl apperances ever.


T-1. Joe Montana & Tom Brady (San Fran and New England)-4-0 Super Bowl record and 4-2 Super Bowl record respectively.  Montana had better all around teams.  Both benefited from amazing coaches.  Leadership and respect from teammates helped earn them both 4 rings.  Brady has a chance to add to his legacy.



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