Column: Couch’s Corner

When a quarterback jogs into the huddle, it is common for fans to say, “He’s a good quarterback.” Or they may even be generous and say, “that guy’s a great quarterback.” Even more seldom, one may even go as far as to say, “He’s the best quarterback in the game.” 

This presents two questions. How do you define the best? And who is the best?

Not only who is currently the best quarterback in the game but who is the best quarterback of all time?

The majority of NFL fans look at the league as it currently is, and they say that Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers or even New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees are the best. But readers do not need to be bored any further about whether or not these quarterbacks are even worthy of being in the conversation of the NFL’s best current quarterback. 

Neither one is even close to being worthy of being in the discussion. Rodgers and Brees have two Super Bowl rings between them. Granted, Brees typically leads the league in passing yards and Rodgers typically throws the best Hail Mary passes. But what good are passing yards and Hail Mary passes if your team misses the playoffs or at best losses in their first playoff game every season?

So, we have eliminated some of the NFL’s current quarterbacks from the conversation.

Then there are football fans who dig deep into the archives, claiming that Joe Montana, Troy Aikman and Terry Bradshaw are the best. Now we are finally getting warmer. There is a commonality that all three of these quarterbacks share. None of them have ever lost a Super Bowl. Montana and Bradshaw each won four big games while Aikman won three. The argument that can doubtless be made for any one of these old timers being the greatest would be that they have no flaw on their Super Bowl resumes but are instead perfect in the game that matters the most. 

Some may wonder how you can argue with a perfect Super Bowl record. Tom Brady can. Enough said, but for the sake of those who need the obvious explained, an explanation will be given. Championship appearances and championship victories. Going off of this definition it is going to be extremely difficult to argue against Brady being the best of all time. 

In addition, statistics act as a bonus, giving more support for what is already evident on Brady’s Super Bowl resume.

To put it in perspective, Brady has lapped Montana and Bradshaw in Super Bowl appearances. Brady has also surpassed Montana and Bradshaw in Super Bowl wins. 

If we are going to be talking about championship appearances, there are those who may say, what about Jim Kelly? He made it to four Super Bowls but lost them all. Or Dan Marino? He lost the only Super Bowl that he ever played in but had one of the most epic arms that the game of football has ever seen. There is no way that these two quarterbacks and others like them can be in the discussion for the best to ever play the quarterback position in the NFL. Let me explain.

In high school football, it is fairly common to witness a superstar quarterback play with poorly skilled teammates. The colleges who recruit these types of quarterbacks are not looking at the number of wins that the quarterback accumulates, but are rather focusing on the type of player that he is.

The high school quarterback definition of greatness is talent-based.

Due to the vastness of talent in the collegiate football ranks, many excellent quarterbacks lead their teams to mediocre records but are not necessarily viewed in a negative light because of it as long as professional teams view their talents as professional caliber. 

The college football quarterback definition of greatness is potential-based.

In professional football, every team is on an even playing field. Each team drafts players and signs free agents. Every team has the cream of the crop on their side regarding the greatest football players in the world.

The professional football definition of greatness is championship-based.

If it isn’t registering now maybe it never will. 

At the professional football level, every quarterback is incredible. No one makes it to that level and remains there unless they are superior to the majority of planet earth’s quarterbacks. Therefore, after a quarterback has reached the NFL, what he does with his position will affect how he is remembered and ranked.

You may be saying, how is this giving evidence and support for Brady being the greatest quarterback of all time? Everything above gives perfect support for Brady. He has certainly acquired the title “best.” 

Brady can make something out of nothing unlike any other quarterback in the NFL. The prime example transpired in 2006, when Brady led the New England Patriots to the AFC Championship game with no names for receivers. The following year the Patriots traded for the best receiving core in the league. The result was a 16-0 undefeated regular season. Granted, the Patriots fell short in the game that mattered the most that season.

The point is that Brady can go the distance with his best target in the game or out of the game. Brady can come back from 19-point deficit in the Super Bowl and still win with his favorite target sidelined for the entire game. 

Brady has thrown touchdown passes to more than 65 different receivers throughout his career which is nothing short of remarkable. Brady is also 41-years-old and is performing at the highest level. He is the defending league MVP and sits in the driver’s seat to not only repeat that honor but also win his sixth Super Bowl title.

Brady haters often say that if he was not in New England with Bill Belichick as his head coach than he would not be an amazing quarterback. The reality is that, yes, the Patriots have a culture of excellence, but Brady is unarguably the key ingredient to that success. He is without a doubt the most hated athlete in the world, but jealousy closely follows people who find success at what they do.

A friend once pointed out to me that the majority of people you encounter say they want you to succeed, but secretly wish for failure, aiming to feel better about themselves.

I don’t think there is a truer case of this than in Brady’s situation. He is not hated for his rude attitude. On the contrary he is one of the most respectful athletes in front of the media. He is not hated only because he has been voted Gentlemen’s Quarterly man of year multiple years. Brady is in fact hated, despised and resented because he is flat out better than anybody. Period. 

The world hates watching someone succeed at the level of dominance that Brady has succeeded at year after year.

Sure, Rodgers and Brees give fans incredible statistical regular seasons, but Brady ices the best to ever play quarterback cake by rubbing his playoff statistic icing in the world’s face. And he continues to do so year after year. 

I would just say that Brady is the well-earned owner of many a playoff record and leave it at that, but ignorant Brady haters aren’t going to get off that easily. Maybe being reminded of Brady’s accomplishments once more will cement the reality in their minds.

Brady has the most playoff starts and wins of any NFL quarterback, the most playoff passing yards, passing touchdowns, Super Bowl appearances, Super Bowl wins, Super Bowl MVPs, Super Bowl touchdown passes and Super Bowl passing yards. He has also accumulated the most Division titles of any NFL quarterback with 15 and has also won 196 regular season games which (needless to say) is also an all-time record.

Montana was superb. Bradshaw was fantastic. Brees is a machine. Rodgers is electric. But Brady is the closest to flawless that we will ever see. He is the best. The greatest quarterback to ever step between the white lines is the monster who laughs at criticism. He thrives on terrifyingly stressful situations and is energized when he thinks of how every team passed him up almost 20 years ago in the NFL draft. He is the monster who goes by the name, Brady.