Bow before your gods of football.

Behold the Pyramid of Quarterbacks – the greatest who ever played the game.

The rules of the pyramid are simple. There is one spot at the very top, four spots on the second level, and five spots on the third. If you are on the second level, you are tied for second place; same goes for the third.

Players on each level are ordered chronologically.

THE QUARTERBACKS

#1

Tom Brady (2000-2022)

(“The GOAT”)
University of Michigan
2000 Draft Pick #199 (Round 6)
New England Patriots (2000-19)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2020-22)
7x Super Bowl Champion
5x Super Bowl MVP
15x Pro Bowl
3x All Pro #1
3x All Pro #2
3x MVP
2x Offensive Player of the Year
1x Completion Percentage Leader
4x Passing Yards Leader
5x Passing Touchdowns Leader
2x Passer Rating Leader
Comeback Player of the Year
2000s All Decade Team
2010s All Decade Team
335 Career Reg. Games
7,753 Career Reg. Completions (#1)
89,214 Career Reg. Yards (#1)
649 Career Reg. Touchdowns (#1)
48 Career Playoff Games
1,200 Career Playoff Completions (#1)
13,400 Career Playoff Yards (#1)
88 Career Playoff Touchdowns (#1)

#2

Otto Graham | Johnny Unitas | Joe Montana | Peyton Manning

Otto Graham (1946-1955)
(“Automatic Otto”)
Northwestern University
1944 Draft Pick #4 (Round 1)
Cleveland Browns
5x Pro Bowl
7x All Pro #1
1x All Pro #2
2x AAFC MVP
3x NFL MVP
1x AAFC Completion Percentage Leader
3x AFC Passing Yards Leader
2x AAFC Passing Touchdowns Leader
3x NFL Completion Percentage Leader
2x NFL Passing Yards Leader
1x NFL Passing Touchdowns Leader
2x NFL Passer Rating Leader
1950s All Decade Team
126 Career Reg. Games
1,464 Career Reg. Completions
23,584 Career Reg. Yards
174 Career Reg. Touchdowns
12 Career Playoff Games
159 Career Playoff Completions
2,101 Career Playoff Yards
14 Career Playoff Touchdowns
—

Johnny Unitas (1956-1973)
(“Johnny U”)
University of Louisville
1955 Draft Pick #102 (Round 9)
Baltimore Colts (1956-72)
San Diego Chargers (1973)
3x NFL Champion
1x Super Bowl Champion
10x Pro Bowl
5x All Pro #1
3x All Pro #2
3x MVP
1x Completion Percentage Leader
4x Passing Yards Leader
4x Passing Touchdowns Leader
2x Passer Rating Leader
1960s All Decade Team
211 Career Reg. Games
2,830 Career Reg. Completions
40,239 Career Reg. Yards
290 Career Reg. Touchdowns
9 Career Playoff Games
120 Career Playoff Completions
1,663 Career Playoff Yards
7 Career Playoff Touchdowns
—

Joe Montana (1979-1994)
(“Joe Cool”)
Notre Dame
1979 Draft Pick #87 (Round 3)
San Francisco 49ers (1978-92)
Kansas City Chiefs (1993-94)
4x Super Bowl Champion
3x Super Bowl MVP
8x Pro Bowl
3x All Pro #1
2x All Pro #2
2x MVP
1x Offensive Player of the Year
5x Completion Percentage Leader
2x Passing Touchdowns Leader
2x Passer Rating Leader
Comeback Player of the Year
1980s All Decade Team
192 Career Reg. Games
3,409 Career Reg. Completions
40,551 Career Reg. Yards
273 Career Reg. Touchdowns
23 Career Playoff Games
460 Career Playoff Completions
5,772 Career Playoff Yards
45 Career Playoff Touchdowns (#2)
—

Peyton Manning (1998-2015)
(“The Sheriff”)
University of Tennessee
1998 Draft Pick #1 (Round 1)
Indianapolis Colts (1998-2010)
Denver Broncos (2012-15)
2x Super Bowl Champion
1x Super Bowl MVP
14x Pro Bowl
7x All Pro #1
3x All Pro #2
5x MVP
2x Offensive Player of the Year
2x Completion Percentage Leader
3x Passing Yards Leader
4x Passing Touchdowns Leader
Comeback Player of the Year
2000s All Decade Team
266 Career Reg. Games
6,125 Career Reg. Completions
71,940 Career Reg. Yards
539 Career Reg. Touchdowns
27 Career Playoff Games
649 Career Playoff Completions (#2)
7,339 Career Playoff Yards (#2)
40 Career Playoff Touchdowns

#3

Bart Starr | Roger Staubach | John Elway | Dan Marino | Drew Brees

Bart Starr (1956-1971)
University of Alabama
1956 Draft Pick #100 (Round 17)
Green Bay Packers
5x NFL Champion
2x Super Bowl Champion
4x Pro Bowl
1x All Pro #1
3x All Pro #2
1x MVP
4x Completion Percentage Leader
5x Passer Rating Leader
1960s All Decade Team
196 Career Reg. Games
1,808 Career Reg. Completions
24,718 Career Reg. Yards
152 Career Reg. Touchdowns
10 Career Playoff Games
130 Career Playoff Completions
1,753 Career Playoff Yards
15 Career Playoff Touchdowns
—

Roger Staubach (1960-79)
United States Naval Academy
1964 Draft Pick #129 (NFL); 1964 Draft Pick #122 (AFL)
Dallas Cowboys
2x Super Bowl Champion
1x Super Bowl MVP
6x Pro Bowl
1x All Pro #2
1x Passing Touchdowns Leader
4x Passer Rating Leader
1970s All Decade Team
131 Career Reg. Games
1,685 Career Reg. Completions
22,700 Career Reg. Yards
153 Career Reg. Touchdowns
20 Career Playoff Games
223 Career Playoff Completions
2,791 Career Playoff Yards
24 Career Playoff Touchdowns
—

John Elway (1983-1998)
Stanford University
1983 Draft Pick #1 (Round 1)
Denver Broncos
2x Super Bowl Champion
1x Super Bowl MVP
9x Pro Bowl
3x All Pro #2
1x MVP
1x Passing Yards Leader
1990s All Decade Team
234 Career Reg. Games
4,123 Career Reg. Completions
51,475 Career Reg. Yards
300 Career Reg. Touchdowns
22 Career Playoff Games
355 Career Playoff Completions
4,964 Career Playoff Yards
27 Career Playoff Touchdowns
—

Dan Marino (1983-1999)
University of Pittsburgh
1983 Draft Pick #27 (Round 1)
Miami Dolphins
9x Pro Bowl
3x All Pro #1
3x All Pro #2
1x MVP
1x Offensive Player of the Year
5x Passing Yards Leader
3x Passing Touchdowns Leader
1x Passer Rating Leader
Comeback Player of the Year
242 Career Reg. Games
4,967 Career Reg. Completions
61,361 Career Reg. Yards
420 Career Reg. Touchdowns
18 Career Playoff Games
385 Career Playoff Completions
4,510 Career Playoff Yards
32 Career Playoff Touchdowns
—

Drew Brees (2001-2020)
Purdue University
2001 Draft Pick #32 (Round 2)
San Diego Chargers (2001-05)
New Orleans Saints (2006-20)
1x Super Bowl Champion
1x Super Bowl MVP
2x Offensive Player of the Year
13x Pro Bowl
1x All Pro #1
4x All Pro #2
6x Completion Percentage Leader
7x Passing Yards Leader
4x Passing Touchdowns Leader
2x Passer Rating Leader
Comeback Player of the Year
287 Career Reg. Games
7,142 Career Reg. Completions
80,358 Career Reg. Yards
571 Career Reg. Touchdowns
18 Career Playoff Games
481 Career Playoff Completions
5,366 Career Playoff Yards
37 Career Playoff Touchdowns