Earlier today I heard a football pundit says the Super Bowl tends to favor the better quarterback. The problem is that we can't look at it in retrospect. After all, in 2001 Tom Brady wasn't thought of as better than Kurt Warner. In 2013 Russell Wilson wasn't as accomplished as Peyton Manning, though when we look back, we see Brady and Wilson were on Hall of Fame courses.
Reviewing Super Bowl quarterbacks. I'm curious how often the more accomplished quarterback at the time of the game, won the game. By "accomplished" I could mean more playoff experience, more Pro Bowl or MVP seasons, or just more well-regarded overall (remember, at the time of the game.) In the list, a Y says, yes, the more accomplished quarterback won; N says he didin't.
For reference, QBs with asterisks are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame; those with two asterisks are in the Hall of Fame, but likely wouldn't be if not for having won one Super Bowl. ^ means almost certain Hall of Famer but not yet eligible,^^ suggests possible Hall of Famer.
1. Y Starr* over Dawson**
2.Y Starr* over Lamonica
3. N Namath** over Morrall
4. Y Dawson(**over Kapp
5. Y Unitas* over Morton.
6. N Staubach* over Griese*
7. Y Griese* over Kilmer
8. N Griese* over Tarkenton*
9. N Bradshaw* over Tarkenton*
10. N Bradshaw* over Staubach*
11. N Stabler** over Tarkenton*
12. Y Staubach* over Morton
13. Y Bradshaw* over Staubach*
14. Y Bradshaw* over Ferragamo
15. N Plunkett over Jaworski
16. N Montana* over Anderson
17. Y Theismann over Woodley
18. N Plunkett over Theismann
19. Y Montana* over Marino*
20. Y McMahon over Eason
21. N Simms over Elway*
22. N Williams over Elway*
23. Y Montana* over Esiason
24. Y Montana* over Elway*
25. N Hostetler over Kelly*
26. N Rypien over Kelly*
27. N Aikman* over Kelly*
28. Y Aikman* over Kelly*
29. Y Young**(?) over Humphries
30. Y Aikman* over O'Donnell
31. Y Favre* over Bledsoe
32. Y Elway* over Favre*
33. Y Elway* over Chandler
34. Y Warner** over McNair
35. N Dilfer over Collins
36. N Brady^ over Warner**
37. N Johnson over Gannon
38. Y Brady^ over Delhomme
39. Y Brady^ over McNabb
40. N Roethlisberger^ over Hasselbeck
41. Y P. Manning^ over Grossman
42. N E. Manning ^^ over Brady^
43. Y Roethlisberger^overWarner**
44. N Brees^ over P. Manning^
45. N Rodgers^ over Roethlisberger^
46. N E. Manning^^ over Brady^
47. Y Flacco over Kaepernick
48. N Wilson^ over P. Manning^
49. Y Brady ^ over Wilson^
50. Y P. Manning^ over Newton
51. Y Brady^ over Ryan
52. N Foles over Brady^
53. Y Brady ^ over Goff
The more well-regarded quarterback has won just 29 of the 53 games. Often, it turns out that the better quarterback wasn't as well-regarded at the time; we look back and say Joe Montana was better than Ken Anderson. Often, the quarterbacks were roughly equal; there were often Hall of Famers on both sides, even though won was more accomplished than the other.
That's why I wouldn't necesarily favor Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs of Jimmy Garoppolo of the 49ers today; Garoppolo could very well be on a Hall of Fame trajectory himself.
James Leroy Wilson writes from Nebraska. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter. If you find value in his articles, your support through Paypal helps keep him going. Permission to reprint is granted with attribution. You may contact him for your writing, editing, and research needs: jamesleroywilson-at-gmail.com.
Reviewing Super Bowl quarterbacks. I'm curious how often the more accomplished quarterback at the time of the game, won the game. By "accomplished" I could mean more playoff experience, more Pro Bowl or MVP seasons, or just more well-regarded overall (remember, at the time of the game.) In the list, a Y says, yes, the more accomplished quarterback won; N says he didin't.
For reference, QBs with asterisks are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame; those with two asterisks are in the Hall of Fame, but likely wouldn't be if not for having won one Super Bowl. ^ means almost certain Hall of Famer but not yet eligible,^^ suggests possible Hall of Famer.
1. Y Starr* over Dawson**
2.Y Starr* over Lamonica
3. N Namath** over Morrall
4. Y Dawson(**over Kapp
5. Y Unitas* over Morton.
6. N Staubach* over Griese*
7. Y Griese* over Kilmer
8. N Griese* over Tarkenton*
9. N Bradshaw* over Tarkenton*
10. N Bradshaw* over Staubach*
11. N Stabler** over Tarkenton*
12. Y Staubach* over Morton
13. Y Bradshaw* over Staubach*
14. Y Bradshaw* over Ferragamo
15. N Plunkett over Jaworski
16. N Montana* over Anderson
17. Y Theismann over Woodley
18. N Plunkett over Theismann
19. Y Montana* over Marino*
20. Y McMahon over Eason
21. N Simms over Elway*
22. N Williams over Elway*
23. Y Montana* over Esiason
24. Y Montana* over Elway*
25. N Hostetler over Kelly*
26. N Rypien over Kelly*
27. N Aikman* over Kelly*
28. Y Aikman* over Kelly*
29. Y Young**(?) over Humphries
30. Y Aikman* over O'Donnell
31. Y Favre* over Bledsoe
32. Y Elway* over Favre*
33. Y Elway* over Chandler
34. Y Warner** over McNair
35. N Dilfer over Collins
36. N Brady^ over Warner**
37. N Johnson over Gannon
38. Y Brady^ over Delhomme
39. Y Brady^ over McNabb
40. N Roethlisberger^ over Hasselbeck
41. Y P. Manning^ over Grossman
42. N E. Manning ^^ over Brady^
43. Y Roethlisberger^overWarner**
44. N Brees^ over P. Manning^
45. N Rodgers^ over Roethlisberger^
46. N E. Manning^^ over Brady^
47. Y Flacco over Kaepernick
48. N Wilson^ over P. Manning^
49. Y Brady ^ over Wilson^
50. Y P. Manning^ over Newton
51. Y Brady^ over Ryan
52. N Foles over Brady^
53. Y Brady ^ over Goff
The more well-regarded quarterback has won just 29 of the 53 games. Often, it turns out that the better quarterback wasn't as well-regarded at the time; we look back and say Joe Montana was better than Ken Anderson. Often, the quarterbacks were roughly equal; there were often Hall of Famers on both sides, even though won was more accomplished than the other.
That's why I wouldn't necesarily favor Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs of Jimmy Garoppolo of the 49ers today; Garoppolo could very well be on a Hall of Fame trajectory himself.
James Leroy Wilson writes from Nebraska. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter. If you find value in his articles, your support through Paypal helps keep him going. Permission to reprint is granted with attribution. You may contact him for your writing, editing, and research needs: jamesleroywilson-at-gmail.com.
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