I've been researching this, compiled data, and started and stopped blog posts several times: which quarterbacks are Hall of Fame-worthy? The difficulty is with current players, particularly because Philip Rivers seems to have had "bad luck" but was maybe better in his draft class of 2004 that included Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, and (undrafted) Tony Romo. The Chargers keep losing games and missing playoffs for reasons that don't seem to be Rivers's fault.
In the modern era (which the Pro Football Hall of Fame seems to demarcate at 1946), 23 quarterbacks are in the Hall of Fame. There will definitely be 4 more within 15 years when retirement and/or the 5 year waiting period sets in: Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers.
Should there be a fifth? Or sixth? or seventh?
I do believe Ben Roethlisberger will get in. Unless I've misread the data, every team's primary passer that has won 3 league championships pre-merger, or at least 3 conference championships post-merger, are in the Hall of Fame.
But do you see what I'm getting at? At what point in his career would you have ranked Big Ben ahead of Manning or Brady, or Brees or Rodgers?
NEVER in the careers of Roethlisberger, Rivers, Eli Manning, or Romo would I have put them in the top 3 of quarterbacks. Top 5? Sometimes. Top 10? Yes, several times. But being really good for several years isn't the same as Hall of Fame-worthy.
From the 1960's, we remember Bart Starr for his Packer championships and Johnny Unitas. Sonny Jurgensen was recognized as just as good or better, even though he never won anything as a starting quarterback. He's in the Hall of Fame. Not because he won championships, which he didn't, but because he was elite.
I put the 2004 qb class as very good, but never elite. Not like Jurgensen, Dan Fouts, or Dan Marino. Never in that top three or four.
In the modern era (which the Pro Football Hall of Fame seems to demarcate at 1946), 23 quarterbacks are in the Hall of Fame. There will definitely be 4 more within 15 years when retirement and/or the 5 year waiting period sets in: Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers.
Should there be a fifth? Or sixth? or seventh?
I do believe Ben Roethlisberger will get in. Unless I've misread the data, every team's primary passer that has won 3 league championships pre-merger, or at least 3 conference championships post-merger, are in the Hall of Fame.
But do you see what I'm getting at? At what point in his career would you have ranked Big Ben ahead of Manning or Brady, or Brees or Rodgers?
NEVER in the careers of Roethlisberger, Rivers, Eli Manning, or Romo would I have put them in the top 3 of quarterbacks. Top 5? Sometimes. Top 10? Yes, several times. But being really good for several years isn't the same as Hall of Fame-worthy.
From the 1960's, we remember Bart Starr for his Packer championships and Johnny Unitas. Sonny Jurgensen was recognized as just as good or better, even though he never won anything as a starting quarterback. He's in the Hall of Fame. Not because he won championships, which he didn't, but because he was elite.
I put the 2004 qb class as very good, but never elite. Not like Jurgensen, Dan Fouts, or Dan Marino. Never in that top three or four.
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