Top Five Quarterbacks in NFL History

The quarterback position is absolutely essential to the success of a football team, and no place is that more evident than the NFL. Over the years there have been dozens of quarterbacks labeled as great, but only a few have come through that have truly transformed the sport and proven to be once in a lifetime type players. Who are the top quarterbacks of all time in the NFL?

Top five quarterbacks of all time in the NFL

1. Joe Montana- Montana gets this spot on the list if for no other reason than the fact that he proved he was absolutely a winner. He won while at Notre Dame and he won while in San Francisco. He obviously had a lot of help from Jerry Rice, but he made many plays that other quarterbacks couldn't possibly make. He came out as only a third round pick in the NFL, but he quickly became known as one of the best ever. Montana is the only quarterback to ever win three Super Bowl MVP awards, which is enough to put him at the top of the list.

2. John Elway- John Elway was absolutely as clutch as they come in the National Football League, leading his team back from a late deficit countless times as quarterback of the Denver Broncos. When it seemed Elway was in the twilight of his career he carried his Broncos team to two Super Bowl titles, which earns him this second place.

3. Johnny Unitas- Unitas was always the underdog in his career, both in college and the NFL. More people were proven wrong by him than any other quarterback in NFL history. He constantly showed amazing pure athletic ability and the heart of a champion. He led the Baltimore Colts to a title in 1958 and they proceeded to repeat the following season. He didn't always have the best cast around him after those years, but he continued to put up great numbers.

4. Dan Marino- No doubt Marino would be higher on this list if he had won a Super Bowl title. One cannot deny how amazing of a quarterback Marino was, as his numerous records continue to show. Some of his amazing statistics include 420 touchdown passes, 61,361 passing yards, and 4,967 pass completions. Marino was the prototypical drop back passer with a terrific arm and tremendous football instincts.

5. Terry Bradshaw- Sure Bradshaw had a great cast around him, but he certainly elevated the play of the Steelers by his greatness as well. Bradshaw has four rings from winning the Super Bowl, better than any of the other quarterbacks on this list. Bradshaw was a very elusive quarterback who made something out of nothing more often than not and proved to be nothing but a pure winner.

There are some current NFL quarterbacks who may well go into this list when they retire, but only time will tell. Brett Favre, Tom Brady, and Peyton Manning all appear to be on the path of making a strong case for some of the best quarterbacks in NFL history.