For the past two decades or so, Joe Montana has been the fashionable choice as Greatest Quarterback of All Time, with opposition coming mostly from old-guard traditionalists who favor high tops and crew cuts and forever champion the cause of John Unitas.
But here’s what I’m proposing now to Tom Brady and Peyton Manning: You want to be celebrated as The Greatest of All Time?
Go win this historic New York-New Jersey Super Bowl.
If Brady beats Manning and the Broncos in the AFC Championship Sunday in Denver, and then beats the Seahawks-49ers NFC Championship survivor in Super Bowl XLVIII, I will anoint him as the Greatest of All Time. And if Manning beats Brady and the Patriots in the AFC Championship, and then beats the Seahawks-49ers NFC Championship survivor in Super Bowl XLVIII, I will anoint him as the Greatest of All Time.
Montana’s four Super Bowl rings and big-game excellence are beyond reproach, but allow me to explain why he is vulnerable to a coup d’état by Brady or Manning.
Let’s start with Brady. If he winds up hoisting the Lombardi Trophy for the fourth time, that would tie him with Joe Cool. It would mark his sixth Super Bowl appearance — two more than Montana and five more than Dan Marino. Sure, he lost twice to Eli Manning and the Giants, but losing a Super Bowl (to Montana) certainly didn’t hurt Marino’s Hall of Fame prospects, and losing four Super Bowls without winning one certainly didn’t keep Jim Kelly from receiving a bust in Canton.
Brady (18-7) already has the most wins in playoff history. Brady would be 20-7 if he wins it all. Montana was 16-7. Brady’s regular-season record is 148-43 (.775). Montana is at 117-47 (.713).
Brady’s points per playoff game average is 25.48. Montana’s is 25.35. The rules, of course, favor the quarterback these days. But that argument in favor of Montana can be mitigated somewhat by the fact he got to throw to Jerry Rice and was coached by Bill Walsh. Prior to the arrivals of Randy Moss, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, Brady was throwing to the likes of Troy Brown, Deion Branch, David Patten and Jabar Gaffney.
Montana threw 312 touchdown passes in 6,125 attempts. Brady has thrown 359 touchdowns in 6,586 attempts. Both missed entire seasons, but I give Brady the edge in toughness and leadership. Montana’s career passer rating: 92.3, Brady’s: 96.0.
Now Manning. He is to the regular season what Montana has been to the postseason. So why would I vault him to Greatest of All Time if he wins these next two games when it would improve his playoff record to a modest 12-11, with two fewer Super Bowl championships than Montana?
For starters, he started 227 consecutive games before his neck fusion surgeries sidelined him for the 2011 season. Durability counts. Being there for your teammates and for your franchise every Sunday, or Monday night, counts. A Super Bowl victory with the Broncos would make Manning the only quarterback to take two franchises to the top of the football world. And beating Brady to get to his second championship would help quiet the He Can’t Win The Big One crowd.
Manning’s remarkable 55-touchdown season at age 37 after concern his neck problems could end his career means he has been better in the twilight with his second team than Montana was with his (Chiefs).
Manning is arguably the smartest quarterback to ever play. He owns a computer brain. He has been a relentless throwing machine — 491 touchdowns in 8,452 attempts — often forced to carry Colts teams with mediocre defenses. Being able to throw to Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark in a dome helped, but having Bill Belichick scheming against him all these years did not. Ask Montana, who can vouch for the genius of the young Belichick, who plotted with Bill Parcells against him in the playoffs during the Giants’ Super Bowl XXI and XXV runs. Manning’s career passer rating: 97.2.
The Current Top Ten
1. Joe Montana: Superman in the Super Bowl (11 TDs, O INTs).
2. John Unitas: See Greatest Game Ever Played. Leadership and toughness off the charts. Just ask Ernie Accorsi.
3. Tom Brady: Always driven to win, just like his coach. So much more than a Pretty Boy with a model wife.
4. John Elway: The NFL’s John Wayne appeared in five Super Bowls and won two … in his final two seasons.
5. Peyton Manning: More football in his arm than football on his phone.
6. Dan Marino: Best pure passer, ring or no ring.
7. Terry Bradshaw: Four rings, thanks to a Louisiana Lightning arm.
8. Roger Staubach:Â Captain America appeared in four Super Bowls and won two.
9. Brett Favre: The NFL’s Cal Ripken, the gunslinger who appeared in two Super Bowls, won one.
10. (tie) Troy Aikman: Three rings, amazing accuracy.
10. (tie) Otto Graham: Seven-time champion who was also a running threat.
The Top Ten with a Brady Super Bowl win:
1. Tom Brady
2. Joe Montana
3. John Unitas
4. John Elway
5. Peyton Manning
6. Dan Marino
7. Terry Bradshaw
8. Roger Staubach
9. Brett Favre
10 (tie). Troy Aikman
10 (tie). Otto Graham
 The Top Ten with a Manning Super Bowl win:
1. Peyton Manning
2. Joe Montana
3. John Unitas
4. Tom Brady
5. John Elway
6. Dan Marino
7. Terry Bradshaw
8. Roger Staubach
9 . Brett Favre
10 (tie). Troy Aikman
10 (tie). Otto Graham