The Greatest QB of All Time

Who is the greatest quarterback of all time? How do we compare the great quarterbacks to each other? Surely different defensive schemes and rule changes have an effect on the stats of quarterbacks that play at different times.
I have gathered stats for every pass thrown in the last 28 years (and further if needed) in order to try to find out definitively, who is the greatest. I have compared Joe Montana, Dan Marino, and Brett Favre. I am aware that many will argue that the greatest QB of all time is not in this small group. Leave a comment suggesting who you would like to see compared.

Note: I have excluded each quarterbacks rookie season. Most quarterbacks don't get much playing time in their rookie season, so I found it unfair to compare their rookie stats to the rest of the league.
Note: All stats current to week 5, 2007


League.......... 1980-1994..........Comp........Att......Pct.......Yd.........YPA.......TD......Int......Rate
.......................4067........7266...55.9....50435.....6.9........291.....283.....74.8

Joe Montana.1980-1994..Comp.......Att......Pct.......Yd.........YPA.......TD......Int......Rate
...........................3396........5368...63.3....40455......7.5........272.....139......92.3

Leaders...1980-1994...Mia..........Mia....Joe....Mia........Joe........Mia.....Joe......Joe

Joe Montana didn't throw many passes in his career. In fact, no team threw fewer passes than the teams Joe Montana was on from 1980-1994. He was extremely accurate with his passes. His 63.3% completion rate is 4.7% above the cowboys percentage, which is the next best percentage for these years. His 139 interceptions is nearly 100 fewer than the Chiefs, who threw the fewest amount during this period. His QB rating is astronomical. Deadly accurate, but Montana was definitely benefiting off of teams honoring the run.




League Avg. 1984-1999.........Comp.......Att......Pct.......Yd.........YPA........TD......Int......Rate
.....................4591........8118...56.6...55681.......6.9.........322.....292.....76.0

Dan Marino. 1984-1999...Comp.......Att......Pct.......Yd.........YPA........TD......Int......Rate
...............4794........8062..59.5....61151.......7.6.........400.....246.....87.1

Leaders.... 1984-1999....S.F.........G.B......S.F......S.F..........S.F.........S.F.......S.F......S.F.

Dan Marino shows stats better than average in every category. However, he doesn't top the list in any category. He is very close to the top in every category.




League Avg. 1992-2007..........Comp......Att......Pct.......Yd........YPA..........TD......Int.....Rate
......................4632......8011...57.9....53790.....6.7...........310.....256.....78.0

Brett Favre. 1992-2007.....Comp......Att......Pct.......Yd........YPA..........TD......Int.....Rate
......................5162......8433...61.2....59027.....7.0...........423.....277.....85.3

Leaders... 1992-2007.........Favre......N.E......S.F......STL.......Den.........Favre...K.C.....S.F.

Brett Favre Holds a multitude of career records. Does this make him the greatest Quarterback of all time? He is above average in all categories, except protecting the football. His Career Interception record is a smudge on his record. However, when compared to the rest of the league during his career, he has thrown 5th most interceptions. Arizona has thrown the most, at a staggering 318.

Who do you think is the greatest QB of all time? Leave a comment, and cast your vote on our poll to the right.