Dan Marino is the most successful NFL quarterback of all time to have never actually won a Super Bowl. The quarterback was the lead player for the Dolphins from 1983 to 1999 and helped turn the team into one of the NFL’s most serious contenders. Marino won his team 9 Pro Bowls over the years and has amassed an impressive record of over 61,000 passing yards in just sixteen years.
The legendary Dolphins quarterback was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2003 and inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005. Although Marino never secured a Super Bowl victory, he remains one of the most beloved figures in the NFL and continues to stay relevant through various ventures in the NFL, NASCAR, and the Dan Marino Foundation.
Aaron Rodgers
It's not easy to follow the footsteps of Brett Favre for three years and somehow manage to shine yourself, but that's exactly what Aaron Rodgers did when he became the lead quarterback of the Green Bay Packers in 2005. Since then, the talented quarterback has led his team to a Super Bowl championship and was named Associated Press Athlete of the Year in 2011.
Rodgers holds a leading career passer rating of 104.93 and reached as high as 122.5 in the 2011 season. Rodgers also holds the record for most consecutive passes without an interception, which currently stands at a whopping 402 passes. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, with still some record-breaking time to go before the end of his career.
Steve Young
Starting off our top 5 pick list, we have Steve Young. Young was one of the NFL's best passers of all time. With a passer rating of 96.8 and a high amount of pass attempts, Young is the second-best passer amongst retired players, falling just short of Tony Romo. He is a three-time Super Bowl champion and won seven consecutive Pro Bowls from 1992 to 1998.
Despite going through a rough start. Young found his place as Montana's backup with the San Francisco 49ers in 1987 before becoming their main quarterback in 1990. Young eventually became a two-time Hall of Famer after 12 seasons with the team. He is currently both an ESPN broadcaster and a business owner. As an avid philanthropist, Young continues his incredible legacy by inspiring younger generations.
Peyton Manning
There is no quarterback who was more beloved and successful than Peyton Manning when he was in his prime. This fierce NFL player is considered one of the greatest of all time and played for both the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos. Manning won 14 Pro Bowls and two Super Bowls throughout his career and currently holds the record for most passing touchdowns and most passing yards in one season.
By 2009, Manning was one of the most recognizable figures in sports and continued on to become the oldest quarterback to start and win a Super Bowl until Tom Brady surpassed this record. Manning has been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and will likely find himself in the NFL's as-well.
Drew Brees
You only need to look at the stats to realize why Drew Brees is the world's second-best NFL quarterback of all time. As of 2018, he remains the Big Ten record-holder in several passing categories, including completions, attempts, and yards. This Super Bowl champion and thirteen times Pro Bowl winner has been a dominant force in the NFL since 2001 and has continued to play for the New Orleans Saints since 2006.
Brees has led the NFL in passing yards a record seven times and in passing touchdowns a record-tying four times. Brees played his last game of football on March 21st, 2021, after retiring at the age of 42.