Throughout much of their careers, the debate raged among fans and pundits.
Who's the best quarterback in the NFL: Tom Brady or Peyton Manning?
Now the Hall of Fame quarterbacks (or soon to be, in Brady's case) are the pundits. And it's their job to rank the quarterbacks. Both did over the weekend on "The Stephen A. Smith Show" at a fan event in New York.
Before being asked the question, Brady made the no-brainer call and lauded three-time Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes as the game's best quarterback. Smith then asked for a top 5.
Brady quickly named Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson next on his list.
Brady then paused before coming up with another player.
Smith, not satisfied with Brady capping his list at four and never afraid of the sound of his own voice, then attempted to complete Brady's top 5.
"I'm gonna throw Aaron Rodgers in there," Smith said. "It's just me. It's just me."
Brady responded that he's "very interested to see how Aaron comes back to perform" with the New York Jets after an Achilles tendon tear in 2023. But he kept his list at four.
NFL's best QBs according to Tom Brady:
1: Patrick Mahomes
2: Josh Allen
3: Lamar Jackson
4: Joe Burrow
Smith posed the same question to Manning in a different segment. Manning also made the obvious and correct decision of naming Mahomes first.
Manning then briefly pumped the brakes on ranking a top 5.
"Rankings are so hard," he continued. "You get in so much trouble."
He then quickly picked back up with his quarterback rankings.
Manning's third quarterback is where he differed distinctly from Brady's list and is probably the most controversial selection between the two. While Mahomes, Burrow, Jackson and Allen have all advanced deep in the postseason and been at a minimum in the MVP conversation, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is seeking his first career playoff win.
But Herbert's arm talent is undeniable, earning him a spot on Manning's list.
"This Justin Herbert is as talented as anybody," Manning continued. "He can throw it a mile."
Manning wrapped his list with two quarterbacks that made Brady's list.
NFL's best QBs according to Peyton Manning:
1: Patrick Mahomes
2: Joe Burrow
3: Justin Herbert
4: Lamar Jackson
5: Josh Allen
More of this kind of conversation featuring Brady and Manning should be expected. Former rivals on the field, they're now competing in the analyst game.
Manning's had several years to hone his craft since retiring from the NFL in 2015 and has found his niche. Brady's new to the game after taking a year off following his NFL retirement after the 2022 season. We're about to hear a lot more from him as he prepares for his first year as a game analyst on Fox.
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