As you’d imagine, we play a fair bit of Madden.  Paul and I particularly enjoy franchise mode and the draft element – especially importing draft classes for future years.  We also love finding the draft classes that contain players from the past which has inspired me to write a series of articles about which players I’d love to turn back the clock for, and see playing in the league again.  

This one I’m looking at the five Quarterbacks I want to see play.  The Hall of Fame is littered with quarterbacks so there’s bound to be conjecture about those I include and those I leave out.  This isn’t an ‘absolute’, this is my opinion and you are welcome to yours! 

Joe Montana

A big chunk of bias here as a 49er fan but Montana is a legend of the game after four Super Bowl wins with the 49ers and a good stint with the Chiefs before retirement.  Known for being the calmest guy in the huddle which was highlighted by Eddie DeBartolo Jr during his HoF enshrinement speech for Montana ‘Whether 15 minutes or 15 seconds, Joe always maintained the same level of composure. He was a leader, the hero you always wanted to emulate and a legend to behold’ 

Peyton Manning

The sheriff.  Watching Manning on his ESPN shows and calling out plays reminded us just how good he was at the mental part of the game.  Manning broke a number of records during his career and still holds MVP awards, quarterback first-team All-Pro selections, 4,000-yard passing seasons, single-season passing yards, and single-season passing touchdowns. He’s third in passing yardage and touchdowns.  Famous for his play adjustments at the line, Manning was the ultimate quarterback for defences to match up against.

Andrew Luck

I know, he’s not in the HoF and likely never will be after an early retirement.  And that’s what gets him on my list.  When it comes to QBs, aside from bringing Joe Montana back, I’d love to turn the clock back and change Luck’s mind about retiring.  Fair to say the Colts franchise has been on a downward spiral since that announcement – what would happen if he’d carried on?  Luck was supremely talented and like his predecessor in Indy, I think he would have eventually have gone on to life the Lombardi and break a few records.

Brett Favre

Favre was pure entertainment.  The original ‘gunslinger’ which many QBs get anointed with and yet never live up to the same billing as the man from Mississippi.  Yes, these days his name is a tarnished with some controversies but on the field, in his day there were few better.  Three league MVP awards, a Superbowl and countless records when he did retire, there’s no doubting that Favre was one of the best of all time and would light up the league again today.

Dan Marino

Probably the greatest QB to never win a Superbowl.  Another one that set records galore and whilst he led his team to the big game, he was unfortunate enough to come up against Joe Montana and a 49ers team in their pomp during the 1980s.  Marino was the first QB to reach 50k and 60k passing yards in a career as well as the first to reach 400 TD passes.  

Honourable mentions for Dan Fouts who along with his coach Don Coryell revolutionised the game with their ‘Air Coryell’ passing game.  Kurt Warner who’s career was one from a storybook and now is an actual film.  Steve Young was emitted because I thought it wouldn’t look great having two 49er legends on the list but is another QB who could happily play in today’s era.  Bart Starr for being a trailblazer in the game and Joe Namath who probably never realised his full potential after injuries in college but still managed to become a legend in his own right.  

Like I said, there’s loads that I didn’t include, nothing personal against them!