Modern Day GOAT Final Rankings!

The confetti has flown, the trophy hoisted high and in my opinion the modern day GOAT has officially been crowned.

Tom Brady cemented his legacy with a 4th Super Bowl ring, a feat very rarely reached by any other quarterback let alone any NFL athlete. All of this with no Steel Curtain as his defense, no hall of fame WR( IE; Jerry Rice, Lynn Swann etc) and no star RB, (IE; Marshall Faulk, Emmit Smith etc.) Although he did have arguably the smartest coach choosing the calls, one cannot deny the greatness Brady exudes.

Rankings are based on Regular season play, postseason wins/stats and most importantly the ability to win CLUTCH games. My final standings for the modern day GOAT, the QBs in order that I would choose as my starter come September 2015 are as follows;

5) Joe Flacco

A former first round pick, Joe has solidified himself as the #1 guy in Baltimore for years to come. A proven playoff performer, his name is in good company alongside the likes of Joe Montana for most Tds in the postseason with no interceptions. “Clutch” should be his middle name as the 7th year quarterback has won numerous games in January, most being road victories. Inconsistent regular seasons though keep him ranked at 5 for me. If he produces in the following years and brings another Lombardi back to Baltimore than he jumps up the rankings, until than he is a perfect fit where he is.

4) Andrew Luck

Though he has made early exits from the postseason in his rather young career, he still is a solid #4 on my list.

Similar to Tom Brady’s tenure, Luck has had little to no help in the run game and WR core. An over the hill Reggie Wayne is not someone who can help propel a quarterback to star status, 5-6 years ago it’d make an enormous impact on Luck’s stats and legacy. Regardless of the names or lack thereof to throw to, Andrew has quietly reserved a spot high on many quarterback ranking lists across the country. Give that man more that TY Hilton to target, a half decent Running Back and he definitely moves up the list.

3) Aaron Rodgers

Playing on an injured calf basically the entire season and playoffs, Rodgers posted ridiculous numbers and brought his team to the conference finals. After questionable calls towards the end of the game, the injury seemed to have caught up to him, bringing him down to 3rd place on my list. Having two outrageous WR’s plus a hard nosed RB in Lacy, Rodgers and crew should have easily won the conference and subsequently the league. What stands out most to me is the calm and collected aura #12 for the Packers displays game in, game out. A changing of targets in this upcoming offseason leaves many to wonder if Aaron Rodgers will continue his torrid abuse of DBs or slide into a Peyton Manning-esque downfall.

2) Russell Wilson

This 26 year old star athlete from Virginia made everyone including myself, place him in the top 3 overall this season. He holds down the second spot due to his uncanny ability to straight up win games. The comeback against the Packers in the aforementioned conference showdown was a prime example of what this superstar can do. Not only did he become the youngest QB to start back to back SuperBowls, he also has a staggering 10-1 record vs elite play callers with a ring, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning among his casualties for those who don’t know. With “pedestrian” WR’s, Wilson and Lynch split most of the offensive playbook throughout the year causing chaos for opposing defenses. Accomplishing so much in such little time creates immense positivity in the Seahawks organization and fanbase alike. Wilson will continue to excel and will no doubt be top of the food chain for the rest of his career.

1) Tom Brady

Last but not least is the man I would choose to lead my team come fall of 2015, Mr. Tom Brady.  Like most QBs of my generation, Tom has played most of his career with different WRs every season. The day of having a super duo such as Montana/Rice Peyton/Harrison+Wayne and even Brees/Graham are few and far between. Brady has an astonishing 392 touchdown passes in the regular season, placing 5th all time. The number of receivers who have caught a touchdown pass is over 50, a stat no other quarterback can claim. With little to no help anywhere else on the team minus the creative genius that is Bill Belichick, Brady has most certainly solidified his spot atop my rankings board. I’m a firm believer that if you place any of the elite WR’s (Dez Bryant, Calvin Johnson, Brandon Marshall) on this Patriots squad, Tom wins back to back rings and surpasses Joe Montana with ease. You can’t compare eras, but you also can’t deny greatness, something Tom Brady is full of.

So there you have it, after much deliberation and careful thoughts my list is complete. Many will argue my opinions and it is greatly appreciated, that’s why I write these articles. To discuss the great game that is football.

Until next year, or next article I bid farewell!