A lot of great quarterbacks have entered the NFL since Johnny Unitas retired in 1973. But has any quarterback played well enough to take the mantle of the greatest of all time?
Not according to NFL.com's readers. Johnny U won our Bracketology competition as the greatest quarterback of all time, surprisingly trouncing Joe Montana with 72 percent of the vote in the final.
Montana reached the finals by besting Tom Brady, the representative of our "Right Now Generation" bracket. But Joe Cool was no match for Unitas, who first defined what it means to be calm under pressure in the NFL. Unitas beat Bob Griese, Roger Staubach, Terry Bradshaw, Donovan McNabb (?!) and Montana on the way to the title.
It's a heartening result to see. In an era where we read every latest player or game is the "greatest ever," the NFL.com readers remember history. And if you want to be remembered in history as a quarterback, you better learn how to win games on the final drive. Brady and Montana are rightfully legends because of that trait, but no one did it better than Johnny U.
