Top 10 NFL quarterbacks of all-time

With New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady heading to his sixth Super Bowl, the question needs to be asked: who are the greatest field generals throughout history?

Certain positions are held at a higher level of prestige.

For one, the center-fielder of the New York Yankees is one that always comes to mind. Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle made sure to start this tradition, and unintentionally put pressure on all Yankee center-fielders since.

For a long time, the five-man at UCLA was also another prime example. Lew Alcindor dominated the college hoops landscape in the late 60’s right into the dominance of Bill Walton in the early 70’s. Walton though, mysteriously escaped the disco era and turned dead-head.

Running back in Chicago was always held at a higher standard as fans couldn’t think any differently with Gale Sayers and Walter Payton galloping on the turf of Soldier Field.

Certain positions in specific cities always garner more attention.

As far as sports in general is concerned, the quarterback position in the National Football League is and always will be one of the most valuable positions in all of sports.

These are the men who receive all the accolades when their team wins, and all the criticism should they lose.

38 out of the 59 AP NFL MVP awards given out since 1957 have been quarterbacks.

So why is this man who so closely touches another man’s ass when under center so valuable to the success of a team? Well, because the in the game of football very few guys touch the ball. The pure nature of the sport tends to have the player who touches the ball most become the most valuable.

Also, NFL made it this way.

Prior to the new millennium, there was a far greater contrast to the way football teams won games. Coaches could decide to create a defensive team with a strong running game and only have his quarterback chauffeur the rest of the offense to a championship.

Teams, prior to the new “offensive friendly” rule changes, could take on a wide-variety of faces.

Nowadays it’s quite difficult for any team to content without possessing a stud quarterback. Sure the Seattle Seahawks defense is what their team is all about, but Russell Wilson is still needed to make those ridiculously clutch plays when called upon.

There is no two ways around it, a great quarterback, or clutch quarterback is needed to win in today’s league. No further evidence is needed after you look at the teams who did damage in this year’s tournament.

Now that New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has broken the league record for Super Bowl appearances, with six, it only seems fitting to countdown the Top 10 quarterbacks in NFL history.

Admittedly, it’s a tough chore considering how different the game really is today.

But, the prestige and almost myth-like figures that have graced the position in the past deserves a countdown in itself.

Next: Number 10