Throughout much of their careers, the debate raged between fans and pundits.
Who is the best quarterback in the NFL: Tom Brady or Peyton Manning?
Now Hall of Fame quarterbacks (or soon-to-be, in Brady’s case) are the experts. And their job is to rank quarterbacks. Both did so over the weekend on “The Stephen A. Smith Show” at a fan event in New York.
Before the question was asked, Brady made the obvious decision and Three-time Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes was praised as the best quarterback in the game. Smith then asked for a top five.
Brady quickly named Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson as next on his list.
“I think consistently, well, the guys I see. I see Josh Allen as someone who always impresses me as a player,” Brady said. “I see Lamar Jackson, who always impresses me as a player.”
Brady then paused before approaching another player.
“I think every player has his moment, but Joe Burrow is impressive with the way he throws the ball and leads the team,” Brady continued. “Again, another player who has a great connection with his teammates.”
“And then I think: I’ll leave it with those four.”
Smith, not content with Brady limiting his list to four and never afraid of the sound of his own voice, attempted to round out Brady’s top five.
“I’m going to put Aaron Rodgers in there,” Smith said. “It’s just me. It’s just me.”
Brady responded that he is “very interested in seeing how Aaron plays again” with the New York Jets after a torn Achilles tendon in 2023. But he kept his list at four.
The best NFL QBs according to Tom Brady
1: Patrick Mahomes
2: Josh Allen
3: Lamar Jackson
4: Joe Burrow
Smith posed the same question to Manning in another segment. Manning also made the obvious and correct decision to name Mahomes first.
“Quarterbacks need to be coached hard,” Manning said. “Andy Reid coaches Patrick Mahomes hard. And that’s good for Patrick, but it’s also bad for NFL defenses. Patrick Mahomes is No. 1.”
Manning then briefly halted his top-five ranking.
“Qualifying is very difficult,” he continued. “You get into a lot of trouble.”
He then quickly regained his position in the quarterback rankings.
“I’m a big fan of Joe Burrow,” Manning continued. “I’m glad to see him back healthy. I like the way he carries himself. I like his demeanor on the field.”
“He doesn’t sweat or flinch. He’s calm and collected all the time.”
Manning’s third quarterback is one way he clearly differs from Brady’s roster and is probably the most controversial choice between the two. While Mahomes, Burrow, Jackson and Allen have all made deep runs in the postseason and have at least been in the MVP conversation, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is looking for his first career playoff win.
But Herbert’s arm talent is undeniable, earning him a spot on Manning’s roster.
“This Justin Herbert is as talented as anybody,” Manning continued. “He can throw a mile.”
Manning rounded out his roster with two quarterbacks who made Brady’s list.
“Lamar Jackson does things that just don’t seem possible with the ball in his hands. He passes. He runs. And he’s smart when it comes to protecting himself, right? …
“Josh Allen. He’s a cracker, a cracker. He’s tough. I saw him this summer. He’s very motivated to bring a championship to Buffalo.”
The best NFL QBs according to Peyton Manning
1: Patrick Mahomes
2: Joe Burrow
3: Justin Herbert
4: Lamar Jackson
5: Josh Allen
More such conversations are expected between Brady and Manning, who were former rivals on the field, now compete in the analysts’ game.
Manning has had several years to hone his craft since retiring from the NFL in 2015 and has found his niche. Brady is new to the game after taking a year off following his retirement from the NFL after the 2022 season. We’re about to hear a lot more from him as he prepares for his first year as a game analyst on Fox.