Pro Football Hall Of Famer Joe Montana Says This NFL Player Is 'One Of The Most Underrated Heroes Of The Game' – His Pick For Best QB In History

Joe Montana, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, solidified his status as the top quarterback of the late 1980s and early 1990s. With an impressive record of four Super Bowl victories, three Super Bowl MVP awards, an iconic touchdown pass in a conference title game, and a career total of 40,551 passing yards, he left an indelible mark on football history.

However, a new era dawned with the arrival of Tom Brady, who not only clinched seven Super Bowl titles but also shattered numerous statistical records.

Although Tom Brady became a legend, the best player isn’t necessarily the one with the most Super Bowl rings. 

Montana’s choice for the “best” quarterback in NFL history may not be who many expected. In an interview with Men’s Health, he said, “People don’t talk enough about him or realize the numbers that he put up during the times that he put them up.”

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The quarterback in question is none other than Pro Football Hall of Famer and Miami Dolphins icon Dan Marino. Montana elaborated on his choice, citing Marino’s unique attributes. 

“He had a quick release, I had to step into a lot of things to get enough [force] on the ball,” Montana said. “He had the perfect torque of his upper body and strength to deliver the ball quickly at a fast release with accuracy.” 

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One of the standout moments in Marino’s career was his 1984 NFL MVP season, which is often regarded as an outlier even in today’s context. In that season, Marino threw for 5,084 yards and 48 touchdowns during a time when defensive players could deliver punishing hits to wide receivers and quarterbacks after they released the ball. 

His performance that year was unprecedented, making him the first player to reach either 5,000 passing yards in a single season or 45 or more passing touchdowns in a single season.

He was selected to nine Pro Bowls during his career, showcasing his consistent excellence. Marino led the league in passing yards five times during his career and in passing touchdowns three times. 

Montana continued to advocate for Marino’s legacy, saying, “Put Marino into today’s game where he gets free release … and his receivers — holy cow — weren’t very big. Nowadays, these guys are towering at 6’4” or 6’5”. Marino, in my view, is one of the most underrated heroes of the game.”

Marino retired with the most career passing yards (61,361) and passing touchdowns (420) of all time after an illustrious 17-season career from 1983 to 1999.