NFL schedulers couldn't have been luckier than they were on Monday night. I mean, I'm sure they sat and mapped out the moment and hoped for it to happen but they couldn't have drawn it up any better. Monday Night Football fans were treated to a rare treat when Drew Brees accomplished an amazing feat in terms of career accomplishments in the NFL. With 2:36 left in the first half of the game against the Washington Redskins, Drew Brees unleashed a 62-yard touchdown pass that not only gave his team a commanding 26-6 lead in the game but also marched him straight into the NFL record books.
<grammarly-btn>The 62-yard Tre'Quan Smith touchdown propelled Brees ahead of Peyton Manning making him the all-time leader in career passing yards for NFL quarterbacks. Manning had held the record since he passed Brett Farve back in November of 2015. This record is a testament not only to how long Brees has been able to stay healthy and play the position but also to how extremely consistent he is. In fact, Brees is the only quarterback in NFL history to pass for more than 5000 yards in a season more than once. He has accomplished that feat 5 times. The short-statured gunslinger has spent his career proving to the football world over and over again that he is more than his size and if things continue on the pace he is on right now he could very well be the owner of another career NFL record by the end of the season, most career TD passes.
<grammarly-btn>At this moment Drew Brees thrust himself into the ultimate conversation in sports. Brees now has to be considered int he discussion of the greatest of all time at the quarterback position. This is an argument that has long been dominated by Tom Brady and Peyton Manning but with Brees putting his name on top of the NFL records lists, he can't be ignored anymore. The question of who it the GOAT has long been argued over water coolers. Fans have many different opinions about who the greatest players of all time are and what the requirement of being the greatest should be. That is what makes this discussion such an intriguing one.
There are so many different parts that can go into naming or recognizing a player as the greatest. Being the die-hard sports fan that I am, I have been involved in many a heated debate about who the greatest players are in many different sports and positions. The one argument that seems to come up most often is the greatest quarterback debate. What makes the debate fun is that everyone has their own criteria when putting a player up on that pedestal. For some people, it comes down to pure statistics. What players have put up the best numbers over time. The number of passing yards, touchdowns, passer rating and interceptions is all that matter to those people when looking at the who the greatest players are.
Then there is the camp that believes that a players success is the best way to judge their performance. How many wins and championships have the player accomplished? How many Super Bowl rings does the quarterback and how many awards have they won? Being named league MVP certainly adds to a players credentials and should be considered when determining who the greatest players are. The quarterback position seems to headline the GOAT discussion when it comes to NFL football because the quarterback has such a big impact on the outcome of games.
Another fun component of the argument is that the idea is very subjective. We all have our own opinions and sometimes they can be influenced by other factors. Your favourite teams or the era that you grew up watching the game can have a big impact on the players you throw into the ring for this discussion. I personally can't have this discussion without bringing John Elway's name into the fold. I have several valid arguments about why he deserves to be on the list from his great statistics and his 2 Super Bowl wins, not to mention his history of big comebacks. Realistically, I know there are other quarterbacks that belong up on that mantle over him though.
As mentioned earlier, the two players that get debated most often are Brady and Manning and both deserve their name up there in that discussion. If it came down to championships alone, there is nobody that can match what Tom Brady has done and Manning has put up incredible statistical numbers while also securing himself two rings. Montana was another player who put up good numbers but when it came to the big game he was almost automatic and his 4 Super Bowls prove that. On the flip side, there is Dan Marino. Marino is one of the best statistical quarterbacks to ever play the game and he was unable to accomplish the dream of winning a Super Bowl. He is widely recognized as the best player ever to not win.
There is a generation of fans that will argue that quarterbacks like Roger Staubach and Terry Bradshaw should be right up there with the greatest of all-time. These guys were the greatest in their era by a long shot but when compared to some of our more recent quarterbacks, their statistical numbers are far behind.
This brings me all the way back to where we started. Monday night Drew Brees made a statement. He deserves to be part of the GOAT discussion. It is funny, his name rarely comes up when we are having this debate but that is going to have to change. Not only is he part of the discussion, but he is very close to being the only discussion. Once he takes over the lead for TD passes, he will be the most prolific passer in NFL history. He already has one championship under his belt and the only thing keeping him from being anointed as the GOAT might be that second Super Bowl win. I know that my opinions are starting to change and it would be negligent to not have Brees brought up each and every time the water cooler banter gets going.
How do you decide who the greatest quarterback of all time is? What are the most important factors when making your argument and how much does personal bias influence you?
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