10 best individual player rivalries in NFL history
By Kinnu Singh
5. Sid Luckman vs. Sammy Baugh
Quarterback rivalries are nothing unique, and in NFL history, there are enough notable ones to fill out a Top 10 list. Although fans of various generations will argue over their favorites, there’s only one answer as to which was the first true quarterback rivalry in the NFL: Sid Luckman versus Sammy Baugh.
Baugh led Washington’s offense from 1937 to 1952, while Luckman quarterbacked for the Chicago Bears from 1939 to 1950. It was “Slingin’ Sammy” who paved the way for modern NFL offenses as he opened up possibilities in the passing game, but Luckman had the edge when it came to the playoffs.
In his postseason career after 1940, Baugh completed 40 of 69 passes for 496 yards, four touchdowns and seven interceptions. By contrast, Luckman completed 45 of 85 passes for 721 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions in the postseason post-1940. Luckman won four NFL championships compared to Baugh’s two titles, and when Baugh and Luckman faced off in the 1940 and 1943 title games, Luckman came away with the win both times. Additionally, Luckman’s passer rating increased during the playoffs while Baugh’s decreased, a testament to the clutch gene Luckman seemed to have.
However, it was Baugh who spoiled an undefeated Bears season in 1942 by defeating his rival in the championship game, meaning that their rivalry did go both ways in title games. But it was Luckman who was on the winning side of their 73-0 rout in the 1940 title game, which remains “the largest margin of defeat in NFL history.”
By most accounts, Baugh was the superior player, evidenced by his regular-season passing numbers and his versatility on the field. Baugh also served as a punter and safety, and in 1943, he led the league in passing, punting and defensive interceptions. But Luckman is considered to be the greatest long-range passer of his era, further supported by the Bears records he holds to this day. Luckman ended his career in 1950 with 8.42 yards per pass attempt and 10.86 yards per pass attempt in the 1943 season.
What ranks Luckman versus Baugh above other rivalries is the precedent it set influences the game in present times. The first major quarterback rivalry in the NFL has replicated itself in various forms over the years, serving as a prototype for later debates as to who reigns supreme. When Dan Marino faced Jim Kelly, it was Kelly who wielded the advantage in their encounters, although neither ever won a championship. Marino remains an all-time great for his historic passing numbers, but Kelly was the one who always managed to have his number. During the 2000s, it seemed that Peyton Manning and Tom Brady were playing out their own version of Luckman versus Baugh, with Brady winning three Super Bowls to Manning’s one.
“Brady is the Sid Luckman of our day,” observed Denver Post’s Mike Klis in 2014. “Manning, meanwhile, is the modern-day Sammy Baugh. And if history repeats, there will be more buzz about Manning 70 years from now than there will be about Brady.”
History didn’t repeat itself, as Manning soon hung up his cleats while Brady went on to win four more Super Bowls and shatter every meaningful passing statistic. But as the 2014 excerpt suggests, the Brady-Manning rivalry once closely resembled its 1940s counterpart.
In Brady’s and Kelly’s case, postseason triumphs won out over individual passing statistics. Baugh may be recognized as the better passer of his generation, but there’s something about Luckman’s grit that allowed him to come alive in championships and bury Baugh’s team for the title — twice.
Like the great quarterback rivalries in the decades since, what Baugh and Luckman accomplished together was advancing the passing game in the NFL and further popularizing the sport, something the clashes between their two teams always achieved.