It’s a question that might tick many a sports fan off. Because, seriously. How does one even compare to the G.O.A.T. of professional football? Maybe nobody can. But let’s not forget the mind blowing that John Madden did back in 2002. When he compared a young Tom Brady to Joe Montana. It was almost blasphemy to some Montana fans. Let’s refresh our memories.
When John Madden compared a 25-year-old @TomBrady to Joe Montana. (Sept. 9, 2002) pic.twitter.com/z3GLPW5tdp
— NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) March 30, 2022
Madden said “I hate what I’m going to say, but I’m going to say it anyway, Tom Brady and his calmness reminds me of Joe Montana. I’m not saying Tom Brady is Joe Montana, but I’m saying the way he gets back there and makes everything look so effortlessly and easy, he reminds me of Joe Montana” (cbssports.com).
Madden was reluctant to even suggest someone might compare to Montana. And yet here we are. Rowing the same boat. Saying nobody can compare to Tom Brady. He is truly an amazing athlete. And I’m not saying we will find that guy that will be the new Brady. I’m just saying we shouldn’t rule it out.
AND let’s not forget that Tom Brady was drafted 199th. In the 6th round. His performance at the 2000 NFL Combine was viewed as average by many. His physical prowess during those sprinting and passing rounds weren’t the most impressive. He was called skinny and sluggish. And he set one of the poorest sprinting times of that year, according to sportskeeda.com.
Now, 23 years and seven Super Bowl rings later, he’s considered one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. All this from the kid who was a backup quarterback at Michigan and the seventh quarterback picked at the 2000 NFL draft.
And where are the first six quarterback picks of that same year? Pennington, Carmazzi, Redman, Martin, Bulger, and Wynn. Those names ring a bell? Probably not to the average fan. Not one of those first six draft picks are still playing in the NFL, let alone breaking NFL records.
It just goes to show you, you never know where greatness can come from when it comes to sports. With that being said, here are a few quarterbacks that might just have a chance at being the next NFL G.O.A.T. – Wendy Rush
Patrick Mahomes
Sports greatness runs in Patrick Mahome‘s genes. With his father being a professional baseball player, it was probably inevitable that the younger Patrick would end up in professional sports too. But I’m not sure if anyone saw this kid coming when he was first drafted. On the field, Mahomes almost has an uncanny ability to see things in slow motion. Like he can go full Neo (The Matrix) and slow everything down so he knows exactly what to do with the ball.
He’s been playing for six years, and this season will be the third he’s lead his team to the Super Bowl.
Joe Burrow
“Burrow isn’t just playing quarterback out there — he’s playing against the defense. He knows exactly what is needed at any given moment and how to play against every opponent. With three seasons under his belt, along with a run to last year’s Super Bowl, he sees the field better than anyone in football. And he now has back-to-back years with 34 or more TD throws despite mediocre protection in front of him” (espn.com).
Justin Herbert
“Everyone knows about Herbert‘s huge arm and ability to drive the ball. But I think he is getting better with his eye manipulation, too. That matches the arm talent at this point. He can hold or move defenders very well with his eyes to pick apart the defense and find voids” (espn.com). Justin Herbert is still very young and has a lot of time to develop his craft on an already promising foundation.
Josh Allen
What ESPN‘s Dan Orlovsky said of Josh Allen: “He’s the NFL‘s ultimate playmaker, whether it be with his rushing ability or huge arm. And when Allen is on his game, he’s the hottest quarterback in football. His 29 interceptions over the past two seasons lead the league.”
Trevor Lawrence
Yahoo Sports said of Trevor Lawrence‘s impressive performance this season “The NFL needs star quarterbacks. The 2021 draft class has struggled to live up to the hype, and that included Lawrence until recently. As it turns out, all those personnel men and draft experts were right about Lawrence after all. Before his second season is over, he looks like a surefire star. He looks like a future MVP.”
Jalen Hurts
Hurts is already making postseason history, according to nbcsports.com. “(His) 16th win of the season tied Dan Marino for most in NFL history by a quarterback before his 25th birthday. Hurts is the eighth QB under 25 to win a conference title game.”
