Peter King's Top 12 QBs of All Time

SI Staff | Sep 24, 2009

Peter King's Top 12 QBs of All Time

Otto Graham

AP

In Peter King's upcoming book, Monday Morning Quarterback, he writes, "If I'm building a team for a three- or five-year window, whom would I choose?" Here are the top 12 quarterbacks from his list and his skinny on each, beginning with Otto Graham. "He won seven league titles and seven passing titles in a legendary 10-year career."

Sammy Baugh

AP

Incredible three-way player: In '43 he led the NFL in passing, punting and interceptions.

Joe Montana

Andy Hayt/SI

Mr. Cool, Mr. Clutch, Mr. Accurate won three Super Bowl MVP awards.

Johnny Unitas

Malcolm Emmons/TSN/Icon SMI

He piloted the Colts on late tying and winning drives in the greatest game ever: the '58 title tilt.

Brett Favre

John Biever/SI

Imagine playing 291 straight games at quarterback. That's the record he's most proud of.

Peyton Manning

David E. Klutho/SI

Entering '09 he was 131 TD passes behind Favre. Isn't breaking every QB record inevitable?

John Elway

Heinz Kluetmeier/SI

Always 1, 1a with Marino. Elway gets the edge, two championships to none.

Dan Marino

John Biever/SI

No one threw it more beautifully, ever. He was the first man to reach 400 TD passes.

Roger Staubach

Walter Iooss Jr./SI

Bill Belichick's boyhood idol, a Navy man, didn't take his first NFL snap till age 27.

Tom Brady

David Bergman/SI

Tough call after starting for just seven years, but three rings in those first four seasons clinches it.

Bart Starr

Marvin E. Newman/SI

A pedestrian guy till Lombardi arrived, then boom: five NFL titles in a seven--year span.

Terry Bradshaw

Walter Iooss Jr./SI

Four rings later, I have one question: How dumb is he now, Hollywood?