3 NFL stars who have named someone other than Tom Brady as the GOAT

By most people's estimates, Tom Brady is the greatest of all time (GOAT) in the NFL. Whether you ask pundits, players or fans, most people have developed a consensus that Tom Brady is the best there ever has been.

The case for him is easy; seven Super Bowls point to an excellence that no franchise can match, never mind an individual. He has the most passing yards and touchdowns of all time and is still playing at an elite level at the age of 44.

But there are some players who do not agree with the general consensus. Here is a look at three NFL players who do not believe Brady is the GOAT.

Hall of Fame quarterback - Terry Bradshaw

#1 - Terry Bradshaw

Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw is a former quarterback and a four-time Super Bowl winner. Bradshaw doesn't believe that Tom Brady is the GOAT because he believes that comparisons over eras are improper. He believes that no one can be called the GOAT. He said a couple of years back,

“I don’t think (Brady’s) the greatest quarterback of all time. It’s hard to say — he may be the best quarterback we’ve had in the last 30 years. Is he better than Staubach? No. Is he better than Dan Fouts? No. Dan Marino? No."

He continued:

"I’m talking talent-wise when you put all of this together. Does he have more Super Bowls than anybody? Yes. Therefore, he’s the best. And I absolutely have no problem saying if you’ve got the most Super Bowls, and he’s done it, you can be in there. But I don’t put anybody as the greatest of all time. I would never do that.”

The issue in the GOAT argument is that there is a difference between career value and peak value. This is more or less what Bradshaw was saying on the matter.

While Brady has had the most successful career of any quarterback in NFL history, it is highly debatable as to whether peak Brady is better than peak Dan Marino or peak Aaron Rodgers.

New Orleans Saints Defensive End - Cam Jordan

#2 - Cam Jordan

New Orleans Saints defensive end Cam Jordan does not believe Tom Brady is the GOAT. In fact, he barely hides his disdain for the quarterback position, realizing its importance but saying it is not the most athletic.

According to him, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback is the most accomplished, but the apellation of GOAT should be saved for athletes like Deion Sanders. By this he means amazing athletes that were great at more than one sport. He even mentioned the great Bo Jackson, who remains an enigma having played and become an All-Star in both football and baseball.

Former NFL Defensive End - Marcellus Wiley

#3 - Marcellus Wiley

For Marcellus Wiley, a former Pro Bowler defensive end from the San Diego Chargers, Peyton Manning is the GOAT.

He puts this down to both Manning's individual MVP awards being higher than anybody else (five for Manning, three for Brady), and his own personal experience playing against them both.

Here's what he said:

"I always say Tom Brady’s the GOAT because I just don’t want to argue, but if you ask me who’s the best quarterback of all time, it’s Peyton Manning."

He continued:

"It’s not even a conversation for me. I played against both guys, and that’s just my opinion. But to save myself my voice and my argument time, and being in the barbershop all night, I just go with the flow and say, Tom Brady."

He concluded by saying:

"Peyton Manning has multiple championships; Aaron Rodgers does not, but he’s in the GOAT conversation, and Peyton Manning’s not? Peyton Manning has [five] MVPs. Who else has five MVPs in the entire NFL’s history? No one.”

The matter is almost certainly going to be argued over for many, many years. Rather than being put to bed, younger quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow could all have analysts and former players fighting their corners if the future works out in their favor.

Debating the unprovable is one of the many things that makes the NFL so popular today and will undoubtedly be a huge feature of the upcoming 2022 season later this year.

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