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Best Current NFL Quarterback Honor Creates Controversy

By Erik Lambert

Nov 8, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) with Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) after the game. The Panthers defeated the Packers 37-29 at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 8, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) with Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) after the game. The Panthers defeated the Packers 37-29 at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Ask around the NFL about who the best quarterback in the business is and odds say it won’t be who the top experts just said it is.

Listen, there is no doubt that Tom Brady is a first ballot, slam dunk Hall of Famer who may go down as the best ever. Best in the league right now though? That is up for debate as the man is set to turn 39-years old. His season in 2015 was impressive as always but it’s hard to justify him being a better individual player right now than guys like Aaron Rodgers and Cam Newton. Especially since each of those two have beaten Brady the last time they met.

Yet that is exactly what a panel of experts for NFL.com said when told to cast their votes for the three best quarterbacks in the business. Results were surprising in a big way.

  • #1:  Tom Brady (48 points)
  • #2:  Aaron Rodgers (35 points)
  • #3:  Cam Newton (27 points)

Of the 21 panelists involved, nine of them chose Brady as their top quarterback. It was actually a pretty narrow race between the three but a late run through the list put him on top. Their reasoning for the choice were predictable.

"Shaun O’Hara:  “Brady is the best QB to ever have played the game. His ability is unparalleled.”Solomon Wilcots:  “Brady is the gold standard. Nobody has accomplished what he has — and even at 38 years old, he’s still playing at a high level.”Dave Dameshek:  “As it stands going into the 2016 season, Brady is the GOAT, whether you like it or not.”Brian Baldinger:  “Brady is the best quarterback of all time, and nobody gets more out of wide receivers than he does.”"

No doubt the respect for Tom Brady is widespread across the NFL from executives, to coaches to former players. What makes it so difficult with him is not the leadership or work ethic, which are legendary. It’s figuring out how much of the success is his own and how much is the efficiency of the system put in place by Bill Belichick. Is that fair? Well given the fact the Patriots won 11 games in 2008 with a quarterback who didn’t even play college ball prior to seeing the field after Brady tore his ACL, it leaves that shadow of doubt in ones’ mind

It’s hard to judge a man with four rings, but in a category that is supposed to pinpoint the quarterback at the peak of his powers in the NFL, it just feels like Brady got there on reputation rather than reality.

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