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.
Dan Marino
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.
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.
Tom Brady
Last but not least, you already knew who was going to be our number-one pick for the best NFL quarterback of all time… Despite being 45 years old, Tom Brady continues to dominate the NFL as its most successful and accomplished quarterback of all time. This seven-time Super Bowl champion has won more awards and achieved more accomplishments than the first half of our list combined. Brady is unanimously considered to be the greatest NFL quarterback of all time.
Brady is one of the only two players in NFL history to amass almost 90,000 passing yards and 1,123 rushing yards. He also backs this up with an amazing passer rating of 97 and continues to amaze us to this day. Brady is everything that a top-level athlete is supposed to be. He’s strategic, talented, disciplined, never gives up, and can reinvent himself year after year, despite mounting obstacles in his path. By this point, Brady has basically made himself synonymous with the sport and is likely the first name any new fan ever hears. If you want to win the next Super Bowl game, there’s simply no better choice than the legendary Tom Brady.
Jimmy Gurappolo
Jimmy Garoppolo earned the nickname "Jimmy G," playing for the NFL's San Fransisco 49ers. Already in college, he set the Eastern Illinois record for career passing yards and passing touchdowns and even won the Walter Payton Award in his senior year.
His current win-loss record is 53-21, with 14,289 career passing yards, 94 touchdowns, and two super bowl rings. He's still pushing the boundaries and has many more years to go in the NFL, so there are sure to be more surprises from Jimmy G.