#25: Dan Marino | The Top 100: Nfl's Greatest Players (2010)
- Thread starter DKphin
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It's late, admittedly I didnt watch the video but I would be hard-pressed to name a dozen better players than Dan, let alone 24!!
Greatest pure "passer" in the history of the NFL. I suppose it's debatable, but I'm not sure who you would compare him to. The quick release, and pocket evasiveness was unreal. The velocity, and accuracy was second to none.
Having said that, I don't think he was the best "quarterback". IMO that has to go to Montana, or (I hate to admit it) Brady.
Having said that, I don't think he was the best "quarterback". IMO that has to go to Montana, or (I hate to admit it) Brady.
Thet is true, to some extent, with "casual" fans. A lot of recognition comes with being champion.
The hardcore fan knows that it almost always takes a complete team, or a completely dominant team on one side of the ball to win it all. Those knowledgeable, that saw Dan play (even those that disliked him), realize that as an individual talent, he had few, if any peers. He put balls in windows that most wouldn't even attempt. I don't know, off hand, what his TD/INT ratio was, but I think half his INTs were on the receiver not getting his head around in time.
Aaron Rodgers has surpassed him as greatest pure passer
I loved Marino and if I had to pick one quarterback to start a team, I'd take him, but he's not the best quarterback that ever played. Not winning a Super Bowl is huge when discussing his legacy. Joe Montana imo, is the greatest quarterback of all-time.
Actually that is one of the few QBs that came to mind as I posted. You could make that case, but I will stick with Marino.
Sheer talent you could point to Geoff George, but he was such a cancer, and a-hole, that he is irrelevant.
The game has changed so much that its difficult to compare eras by stats alone. I agree with Montana. Montana/Walsh forever changed the dynamics of the game. The way PI is officiated today has really watered down passing statistics. Montana was a surgeon, and his grasp of offensive football was far beyond his contemporaries.
If Dan played today, with the way DBs aren't allowed any physicality at all, he would have thrown for 6500 yds, and 50 TDs on a regular basis.
Some younger posters who have only seen highlights, don't really get the whole picture of how Marino could shred a defense almost at will. At the time, many had the view that he was too prolific as a scorer, because the d never got to rest during long drives.
He had no running game that the apposing D had to respect. It didn't matter.
Brady, Montana, Unitas, Manning, then I think you get to the next grouping of Marino, Favre, Elway. It is funny how many will consistently discuss how much Brady elevates that team, and there have been years where there is questionable talent on that roster.
Here is the list...
25 - Dan Marino - QB
24 - John Hannah - G
23 - John Elway - QB
22 - Gale Sayers - RB
21 - Tom Brady - QB
20 - Brett Favre - QB
19 - Bronko Nagurski - FB
18 - Ray Lewis - LB
17 - Barry Sanders - RB
16 - Otto Graham - QB
15 - Deacon Jones - DE
14 - Sammy Baugh - QB/DB/P
13 - Joe Greene - DT
12 - Anthony Munoz - LT
11 - Ronnie Lott - S
10 - Dick Butkus - LB
9 - Don Hutson - WR
8 - Peyton Manning - QB
7 - Reggie White - DE
6 - Johnny Unitas - QB
5 - Walter Payton - RB
4 - Joe Montana - QB
3 - Lawrence Taylor - LB
2 - Jim Brown -RB
1 - Jerry Rice - WR
Here is the list...
25 - Dan Marino - QB
24 - John Hannah - G
23 - John Elway - QB
22 - Gale Sayers - RB
21 - Tom Brady - QB
20 - Brett Favre - QB
19 - Bronko Nagurski - FB
18 - Ray Lewis - LB
17 - Barry Sanders - RB
16 - Otto Graham - QB
15 - Deacon Jones - DE
14 - Sammy Baugh - QB/DB/P
13 - Joe Greene - DT
12 - Anthony Munoz - LT
11 - Ronnie Lott - S
10 - Dick Butkus - LB
9 - Don Hutson - WR
8 - Peyton Manning - QB
7 - Reggie White - DE
6 - Johnny Unitas - QB
5 - Walter Payton - RB
4 - Joe Montana - QB
3 - Lawrence Taylor - LB
2 - Jim Brown -RB
1 - Jerry Rice - WR
Manning slipped my mind. I guess because of his collapse in the big games (much like Elway, and Kelly).
I don't know if Johnny U would be successful today.
I guess the other poster was right, in that Championships matter a lot.
Favre? Don't buy it at all. He was a stud, and wasn't afraid to sling it, but not even in my top 15. A guy like Kurt Warner was better.
Dmarino110
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They changed the rules to make QBs better now...it took 20 years for another qb to pass for 5k and he did it when they rarely went over 3k.
He is by far the best qb ever and if he played in these rules he would put up 6k a year
Jerry Rice over Jim Brown? No.