greatest career of all time

[moochman]

I think the greatest career of all time was that of Joe Namath. His career accomplishments could not be measured by statistcis, but that is the natural starting point. He helped his college team, Alabama, win the national title in 1964 and went 29-4 in three seasons. Turning down multiple offers from MLB teams, he was drafted by two pro-football teams. He helped break open the wage scale for players by signing a $400,000 dollar with the AFL NYJ. He started in his third professional game and went on to win AFL ROY. He was the first QB in professional football to throw for over 4,000 yards in He was a 5-time probowler, 2 time MVP, and 1969 Super Bowl MVP. That alone is a HOF career, but his impact on the game went well beyond a stat sheet.

It could be that the first man of many nicknames, most notable Joe Willie Namath and Broadway Joe Namath, was the person most instrumental in creating the popularity that the NFL enjoys today. The charasmatic QB, took the Big Apple by storm with his daring, dashing style both on the field and off. He made it cool to be a football player. He was the party in New York, the city that never sleeps, he stayed out late, and went to bed with women most of us could only dream about. He never shied away from a camera and always spoke what he thought was the truth. Amazingly he not only did the impossible, winning the SuperBowl against heavily favored, Unitis led NFL juggarnaut Baltimore Colts, but he garaunteed it three days before. As could only happen with Broadway Joe, he was encountered by hecklers responded by telling the: "We're gonna win the game. I garauntee it." When the press got word of this, he never backed down. That game alone did more to change the face of the NFL than any other. First, it gave the upstart legitimacy and lead to a merger between the AFL and NFL. Second, his star appeal led to endoresments off the field and introduce televisions advertisers to the powerful appeal of star athletes. The convergence of increased salaries, mediea exposure, and unearthed charisma of star athletes and the game they played, gave birth to the NFL phenomena that would grow to undreampt of heights. Broadway Joe even helped launch MNF with his Jets appearing in the first ever game. All the while having the time to appear in commercials with sexy personalities like Farrah Faucett and appearing in several movies.

This is a story book career that I would take over any other NFL player ever. College star, NFL star, SB winner, playboy partier, lovable media personality, help increase salaries of me and my fellow players, change the face of the NFL and of television. Not a bad career, if you ask me.

[LeBron James]

Joe Namath also appeared on the Brady Bunch.

[Azrael]

Jerry Rice has had the greatest career of all time. No one leads his "area" of statistics by a bigger margin than Rice.

*Only player in history to score 200 TDs.
*Well over 400 more receptions than the next closest guy
*Well over 7,000 more yards receiving than the next closest guy
*49 more receiving TDs than the next closest guy (Moss does have a shot at this but he isn't getting any younger or more motivated). But if you look at other great TD catches like Carter and Harrison, they are around 70 TDs behind Rice.


P.S. Barry Sanders is the greatest RB of all time. No one did more with less. He rushed for 2,000 yards on the Lions for goodness sakes. He AVERAGED 1,500 yards rushing per season, AVERAGED!!! ON THE LIONS!!!

[Warpigs]

I don't know. I'm somewhat fond of Ryan Leaf's career.



Seriously, though, surprised that Peyton Manning wasn't really brought up in this conversation.

[benb18a]

I don't know. I'm somewhat fond of Ryan Leaf's career.



Seriously, though, surprised that Peyton Manning wasn't really brought up in this conversation.

I think if he had won the SB(and not thrown the game losing pick) this year, he would have been boosted up into the no doubt top 5 category. I think one more title + catching up to Favre's numbers will make him arguably the greatest of all time, but that is my opinion. There are too many guys with great numbers and way more titles.

[LS2throwed]

Best QB Of All Time is Joe Montana with no question.
Best RB Of All Time is Walter Payton with no question.

I have to say its between these 2 players and I personally can't decide, but if LdT wins a ring this year and stays health, like someone said previously, he can easily be the best NFL Player in History.

May as well just add Jerry Rice as best WR of all time also.



Also LDT cannot and should not be considered best of all-time, he's never rushed for 2000 yards, and Chris Johnson did alot of things last year LDT was never able to do. He was a model of consistency, a TD machine, but best player in history regardless of position? I'd have a huge problem with that. Jerry Rice dominated everything WR period, and for a much longer period.

That post was 3 and a half years ago after LdT was running for 20 TDs a year. How can you possibly argue against me 3 and a half years later after we just clearly saw the tremendous decline in stats. If you were looking for me to say "Oh, I'm wrong", here ya go, I'm wrong.

I had no idea the thread was from 3 years ago, didn't think someone had bumped something 3-4 years old....Even then I would of had a problem saying he was the GOAT regardless of position, especially knowing what Jerry Rice had accomplished, but I wasn't looking for you to say "oh I'm wrong", I was just responding to a post which is kinda what goes on around here.

[Kareighuis]

Hmm, some good arguments-

Namath, Favre, Rice seem to be the top 3. Sanders, Walter Payton and Hornung deserve mention but they either weren't as dominant (or dominant enough) on the field or didn't have enough off-field presence. Peyton Manning and Tomlinson haven't performed in the playoffs to the same level they usually did in the regular season. Oftentimes, their failures led to their teams' defeat.

Which brings us to Favre. Despite what Madden (and DrewBledsoeRox89) says, Favre's repeated game-ending picks that force his team out of the playoffs knocks him off the list.

While Rice was undoubtedly one of the most statistically dominant players at his position for an entire career, his personality prevented him from capitalizing on his dominance the way Manning has. Namath, however, did that very well. I won't rehash everything moochman explained in great detail, but his argument convinced me.

Oh, and I love when old threads are reborn- like jumping in the way-back sauna. C'mon, one poster had a sig saying Alex Smith was "returning the Niners to Glory", while another trumpeted Cutler as the future... of the Broncos franchise. Too funny.

[Ek]

Jerry Rice, for all of the reasons people have said (and I am a Bears fan). Even with the statistical inflation (especially with passing numbers) currently going on, nobody is touching his records, he won three rings and went to the the SB a fourth time, was rarely (if ever) on a non-winning team, performed well against top competition (over 1,000 yards in 10 games against Deion Sanders, for example), succeeded with multiple teams and QBs, and, unlike many stud WRs, was a great teammate.

Walter Payton was great and I will always have a soft spot for him, but he only has one ring, his records have since been eclipsed, and there's at least an argument that Barry Sanders or Jim Brown was a better player at his position. There's not any reasonable argument that another WR was better than Rice.

Favre's longevity and continued high level of play is very impressive, but he does lead everyone in picks and has only one ring in 19 seasons, mostly playing on contending teams. This has to count against him in a "greatest of all time" argument, especially when many of his playoff losses were due to his own bad decision-making late in games. (We also might need to check back on how beloved he is in Wisconsin now).

As for Namath, while I agree that statistics don't tell the whole story, there's not another HoF player with worse statistics out there (sub .500 record as a starter and more picks than TDs). That doesn't DQ him as a great, or even Hall of Fame, player, but I think it does as the top all time, when there are so many other guys that have winning records and better statistics and also have a ring (or more than one). I don't think the NY hype helps his case...although it might have been more FUN to be Namath than any of those other guys.

[irish158]

Rice had the greatest career of all time. BUT!!!! Taking everything into account it is Joe Montana, period. Personally I may be biased as he is my favorite of all time(SO FAR)!!!

4 Rings and considered by many the best of all time. If you listen to radio or t.v. he is talked about as if he is mythical. The hot wife thing works well to!

[bagobonez]

Emmitt Smith. Yeah, a homer pick, but he's the NFL's all time leading rusher, the NFL's all time leader in rushing TD's, and oh yeah, those 3 rings he wears doesn't hurt. But what sends him over the top for me is that he did all of those at the RB position, the most punishing position in football, and his toughness and durability made him a rock the Cowboys could lean on. No one will ever break his all time rushing record. Players just aren't as durable and teams use too many RBBC's. Tomlinson had the best look at it and he didn't even come close.