Greatest Catchers/Greatest NFL Quarterbacks

Catchers are the quarterbacks of the baseball world, so this week's thread/poll will address the greatest catchers since WW II, as well as the greatest NFL quarterbacks ever. Some, like myself, privilege those passers who played in passing eras, others may simply value those who were the best of their time. There are no restrictions here. However, it will give us a chance to shine light on those more admirable NFLers during this tumultuous period of Rice, Peterson, and Dwyer.

Greatest Catchers (Buster Posey could eventually shoot to #3)
1. Johnny Bench. The easiest slam dunk number one. The epitome of excellence in catching.
2. Ivan Rodriguez. The sublime defensive catcher and the only other viable number one.
3. Yogi Berra. The workingman's Bench. Great leader, winner, and player. Nothing funny about his game.
4. Gary Carter
5. Carlton Fisk
6. Roy Campanella
7. Yadier Molina
8. Joe Mauer. Injuries marred a possible HOF career. Excellent lefty hitter and defender.
9. Ted Simmons. Lethal hitter, ho-hum defender.
10. Thurman Munson. The Captain. Heart of the great 70's Yankees teams.

Greatest Quarterbacks
1. Joe Montana. Moderate physical skills, but still the greatest leader and defense reader at the position, ever.
2. Peyton Manning. Second to Joe in defense reads, but much more physically gifted.
3. John Elway. Arm, mobility, and smarts...and two SBs
4. Steve Young. Scarily efficient, potent runner, and rifle arm. Montana's shadow still shades his excellence
5. Tom Brady.
6. Drew Brees. Small, but the height of efficient accuracy. Keenly smart winner.
7. Dan Marino Most lethal release from the pocket ever. No SB's are not his fault.
8. Aaron Rodgers. He could finish his career at number 3; he's that efficient and smart.
9. Johnny Unitas. The best of the previous era. Passing stats underwhelming, but undoubted winner.
10. Brett Favre. Never saw multiple coverage he didn't like, but he was still a warrior at the position.

As a Mets fan, my man behind the dish will always be "The Kid".

I'd add somewhere on that QB list Dan Fouts. If Air Coryell had spent more time on D, who knows how many SB's the Bolts could have won.

That '82 playoff game against the Dolphins is by far the best game I've ever seen.

no argument on the catchers I suppose Josh Gibson over Ted Simmons.

QB's Brady is #2 for me.

Why no comment on Brady?
Montana Just the best
Brady 1 SB away
Young The most dangerous QB I have seen
Elway Never out of a game
Unitas Never saw him play going on what I have heard
Favre was a lot fun watching him play
Aikman
Brees
Rodgers
Cunningham one of my all time favs

A few guys who got ignored cause of their lack of SB rings: Jim Kelly, Fran Tarkenton, Warren Moon (do Gray Cups count?)

no argument on the catchers I suppose Josh Gibson over Ted Simmons.

QB's Brady is #2 for me.

Why no comment on Brady?

Gibson would definitely be top 3 if the poll included WW II catchers.

As to Brady, the guy is just so remarkably awesome, I didn't think I could cover it. 6'5, accurate rifle arm, GQ cover boy, fragrance model, Gisele Bundchen's husband, ogled in the shower by Lois Griffin, and 3 SB's.

Some guys are just born under a bad star...

my bad missed the wwII

As to Brady, the guy is just so remarkably awesome, I didn't think I could cover it. 6'5, accurate rifle arm, GQ cover boy, fragrance model, Gisele Bundchen's husband, ogled in the shower by Lois Griffin, and 3 SB's.

that about covers it

A few guys who got ignored cause of their lack of SB rings: Jim Kelly, Fran Tarkenton, Warren Moon (do Gray Cups count?)

Kelly, Tarkenton, and Moon would have been in my top 15, regardless of SB's; they were all excellent qbs. Kelly's amazing performances with the USFL Houston Gamblers have always been included in his career evaluations, so I think Moon's awesome CFL work deserves note as well.

I've never been a Cowboys Fan, but it really surprises me that I seldom see Roger Staubach not mentioned on these lists. I think he had the highest QB rating of all time and he could do it all - Including multiple super bowls - And won maybe 2 or 3. Either way, he makes my top 5. The others - Unitas, Montana, Elway and Brady. Elway is the best ever on raw talent. He could do everything well. Those Denver teams he lost super bowls with were not great teams. It was all big John carrying them. Sorry, but I just can't include Manning in the top 5. He as well as Marino, make the next 5. But to me, you need to at least make the Super bowl 3 times and win at least 2. Manning has a horrible postseason record.

You could say that anyone could have passed to Swann and Stallworth, but Bradshaw still won 4 times. I also like Steve Young, Favre and Jim Kelly.

Bart Starr needs to be in there, it's hard to compare old era QB's w/ new but he won, albeit with a damm good support "system"