Zach Dean
Videos by OutKick
Many consider now-retired (again) QB Tom Brady the GOAT. You can count longtime radio personality Mike Francesa among that majority.
There is one caveat though, at least for Francesa. Well, two.
Brady’s not the greatest regular season quarterback of all time, nor is he the greatest Super Bowl signal-caller, either.
Other than that, though, Tom’s the best to ever do it!
Making a special cameo on ESPN’s First Take alongside longtime partner Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo and Stephen A. Smith, Francesa said that he’d put Peyton Manning and Joe Montana above Brady in those two respective categories.
Mike Francesa says on ESPN that Peyton Manning, Joe Montana have edge over Tom Brady
Bold take from a bold personality on a show that makes a living for it’s sometimes outlandish opinions.
Really, it’s the perfect storm!
So, does Mike have an argument here? While Brady has the seven Super Bowls to Montana’s four, Francesa argues that he’s at times been “lucky” in those games, and his QB rating (97.7) pales in comparison to Montana’s (127.8).
He also correctly points out that Joe Cool was a perfect 4 for 4 in The Big Game, while Brady went a abysmal … 7-3.
And hey, even by the end of it Francesa gets Stephen A. on board!
Francesa’s main point here is that Brady played longer than anyone, and that’s helped him, in part, achieve GOAT status. Again, that’s probably fair, too, although Manning played 18 seasons, which is pretty impressive in any era.
For what it’s worth, I can get on board with the Montana over Brady argument. Not saying I’d take Joe over Tom in the game like Francesa would, but I can see it.
Calling Peyton a better regular season QB, however, is a little tougher for me.
Yes, Brady played longer so his stats are going to be better than everyone’s, but, um, does anyone remember what Peyton Manning looked like at the end?
Here’s a reminder: he basically got benched for Brock Osweiler.
No matter how off Brady looked at times this year, including a pretty horrid final game against Dallas, he was never in danger of getting benched for Blaine Gabbert.
PS: I love Peyton Manning, but there is ZERO shot he’s making this throw during his final season.
We are all dumber for having listened to Mike Francesa. Did this clown watch Manning’s last Super Bowl “win?” The Broncos could have put a barstool in the backfield with the ball on it and done just as well on offense.
And why didn’t Manning go to 10 Super Bowls? Oh, that’s right. HE CONSTANTLY LOST TO BRADY AND THE PATRIOTS
Moron.
I had the same neck injury/surgery that Peyton Manning had. The fact that he even played football after the surgery tells me how large his grapefruits are.
And keep in mind that recovering from an injury to the neck/spine that connects your brain to your body is as much mental as it is physical.
I used to think Peyton was better than Brady. But when the game really mattered and the season was on the line You could always expect Manning to throw a bunch of ints, and Brady to make the big time throws when you needed them. I was a NY Giants fan before I stopped watching football at the start of the 2017 season because of insult of our national anthem by some rebellious players. I remember in the 2007 and 2011 Super Bowls both times when I thought we had the game won and it was Over Brady would make some big time throws to get his team in striking distance and a chance to win the game. Sorry I would take Brady over Manning. Hell I would take Brady over Montana in his Prime. Why did Montana only go to 4 Super Bowls if he was that greatest Super Bowl QB?
By that Logic a Player that had a great game in one Super Bowl could be considered the greatest in that position. Mahomes is going to his 4th SB already, he’s a great player. But YOU DO NOT GET TO 10 SUPER BOWLS WITH THE SAME QB UNLESS THAT QB IS THE GREATEST EVER PERIOD! Greatest Regular Season QB is already implied because he keeps getting to the Super Bowl. And Greatest SB QB because he’s been to the most and won the most as a QB and dammit he has more SB MVP rings than Joe Montana has Super Bowls! Stop it. Brady is the QB GOAT in Just about every category that matters. And Rushing doesnt!
I’ve never considered anything that’s been spewed from Francesa’s pie hole with any credibility.