"Who is the NFL's best quarterback of all-time?"

I know that opinions vary on this topic for many different reasons. I have my opinion, but I'll start off with a few names, and then statistics for those names.

Let's start with one of the most obvious.... Johnny Unitas. Unitas was the Professional football record holder for consecutive games with a touchdown pass until this season when New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees surpassed that mark, which stood for 52 years! Unitas played at Louisville in college, and played professionally from the 1950's through the 1970's. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers where Coach Walt Kiesley didn't think he was smart enough to quarterback a NFL team, so he cut him... I'm sure he regrets that decision. Unitas played the majority of his career for the Baltimore Colts, appearing in the Championship game multiple times, and winning 3 MVPs. He spent the last year of his career with the Chargers, far after his prime.

Later in history a young man named Warren Moon came along, playing at the University of Washington, going un-noticed by most, and it was in a time when race was a major issue in sports and society. Moon went un-drafted in the NFL, so he spent some time in the CFL(Canadian Football League) playing for the Edmonton Eskimos. He completed about 70% of his passes, throwing for 21,228 yards, 144 touchdowns, and 77 interceptions... winning Grey Cups and MVPs in under 5 seasons. He finally got an opportunity to be in the NFL where he played mostly for the Houston Oilers, also spending time with the Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks, and Kansas City Chiefs late in his career. He completed 58% of his passes, for 49,325 yards, 291 touchdowns, and 233 interceptions with a 80.9 QBR(Quarterback Rating) winning one NEA MVP. Moon faced and overcame many trials and even more adversity in his pursuit of being a NFL quarterback, and still achieved a great deal of success.

Next I come to Joe Montana, who played three years and won a National Title at the University of Notre Dame. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers and spent all but his last two years there, ending his career in Kansas City with the Chiefs. He played 16 seasons in the NFL, winning all four Super Bowls he played in while winning the MVP of the game three times to go along with his season MVPs in 1989 and 1990. He completed 63.2% of his passes, for 40,551 yards, 273 touchdowns, 139 interceptions, with a 92.3 QBR. He was a comeback artist, and is widely considered the best to play the position in the NFL.

Next we have Dan Marino, who played at the University of Pittsburgh, and was drafted by the Miami Dolphins, playing his entire career there. Marino is considered to have the strongest arm ever, breaking some players fingers with his passes before...ouch. Though Marino never won a Super Bowl, he did play in a couple, which is thought to be the only blemish of his career. He held many NFL passing records for a while. He completed 59.4% of his passes, for 61,361 yards, 420 touchdowns, 252 interceptions, with a QBR of 86.4, and winning one MVP.

Moving along I come to John Elway, who played at Stanford University, and spent his whole career with the Denver Broncos. Elway played in five Super Bowls, winning two in the late 1990's. He orchestrated game-winning drives, and is considered one of the most "clutch" players ever, and was named the "Comeback Kid". Elway threw for 51,475 yards, 300 touchdowns, 226 interceptions, with a 79.9 QBR, and winning one MVP.

We now come to Troy Aikman, who played at UCLA, drafted #1 overall by the Dallas Cowboys, and played his entire career there. Aikman led the Cowboys to three Super Bowls and was the game's MVP once. He completed 61.5% of his passes, for 32,942 yards, 165 touchdowns, 141 interceptions, with a QBR of 81.6. Aikman's career was somewhat shortened due to injuries.

Then the league saw Brett Favre, who was one of the most exciting players ever to watch. Favre played at the University of Southern Mississippi, and was drafted in 1991 by the Atlanta Falcons. He was traded to the Green Bay Packers where he spent most of his career, spending his last few years with the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings. Favre was the most popular football player for most of the 90's, playing in two Super Bowls, winning one in 1996. He threw for 71,838 yards, 508 touchdowns, 336 interceptions, with a QBR of 86.0, winning three MVPs in consecutive seasons. He has the most passing yards and TD passes in history, but also the most interceptions, being well-known as a "gun-slinger".

In today's league there are two guys that may go on to be #1 and #2 all-time when they retire, the first being Tom Brady.

Brady played at the University of Michigan and was drafted #199 by the New England Patriots. He has played in five Super Bowls, winning three, and the game's MVP twice. He and Montana are the only two players in history to win multiple season MVPs as well as multiple Super Bowl MVPs. Brady has completed 63.8% of his passes, for 300 touchdowns, 115 interceptions, with a QBR of 96.4, and has won two season MVPs. He holds the single-season record for passing TDs with 50 in 2007, which he led the Patriots to a 16-0 regular season record.

And finally we have Peyton Manning, who played at the University of Tennessee, and was drafted #1 overall by the Indianapolis Colts. Manning spent all but this season with the Colts. He is currently with the Denver Broncos, with the Broncos front office being headed up by John Elway. Manning has four season MVPs, which is the most ever. He has played in two Super Bowls, winning one in 2006. Manning has completed 64.9% of his passes, for 55,081 yards, 401 touchdowns, 198 interceptions, with a QBR of 92.3.

Brady's and Manning's statistics do not include this season(2012).

With the numbers in place, it's hard to believe that none of these players won the Heisman Trophy in college, only one(Montana) won a National Title in college, and yet they all have had tremendous success at the highest level.

There are others that I feel I should mention, such as Bart Starr, Len Dawson, Fran Tarkenton, Jim Plunkett, Jim Kelly, and maybe even Drew Brees.

If Super Bowl rings are the credential then Montana, Brady, Aikman, or Elway is the best.

If statistics are it, Favre, Marino, Moon, or Manning is the best.

Whoever you may think is the best of all-time is surely a justified opinion.

You must understand that the league has changed since the 1950's and I don't feel that statistics nor Super Bowl rings should tell the entire story. I feel that the length of a career, with consistency of winning, put together with playoff performances along with the rings and stats should be the deciding factors.

In that case, my finalists are Brady, Elway, and Montana.

All-around.... Career Length+Wins+Playoff+Performance=Joe Montana.

Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are still active in the NFL, with a long running and splendid rivalry versus each other.

I think at the end of it all Tom Brady and Peyton Manning could still end up as "Second-best" to Joe Montana.