03/07/2008
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Whenever a player of Brett Favre’s stature retires, it sends shockwaves through the league. For much of his career, Favre was one of the most (if not the most) widely liked and respected players in the league. Simply put, #4 is a legend; an icon, if you will. Of course, Favre wasn't the NFL's first iconic quarterback -- far from it, actually -- and he won't be the last. But which current signal callers could follow in Favre's footsteps and become iconic figures themselves? Ah, excellent question.
First, of course, we need to figure out what makes someone an icon. Clearly he needs great numbers, but stats don't tell the whole story. A Super Bowl victory or two also helps, but as Dan Marino proved, you don't need to win it all to be remembered as one of the all-time greats. Beyond the stats and the rings and the highlight reels, though, you've got to have that "it" factor; that swagger, that intangible something that makes someone so much fun to watch and root for. Favre certainly had "it." So did Elway and Montana and every other iconic quarterback the NFL has ever seen. Their greatness transcended the stat sheet and made them the players you talked about and remembered decades after they walked away from the game.
So again, with that established, which current quarterbacks have a chance of becoming iconic figures like Favre? We've got five names below to consider. Two of them are already positioned to become icons. They can pretty much put it in cruise control and call it a career with their places in NFL lore firmly established. Then there are two others that we believe could be on their way. They've got the stats, one of them has a ring and both have plenty of the "it" factor," but they each still have a lot of work to do before achieving iconic status. And finally, there’s our darkhorse. He’s kind of the redheaded stepchild of the bunch. Like Favre, he is both exciting and frustrating. He’s a QB with a ton of talent, but while he's shown serious flashes, we still can’t tell you with any certainty which direction his career will go.
So let’s start with the guys who have already climbed the mountain....
Peyton Manning, Colts
Stats have never been a problem for Peyton Manning. In his illustrious 10-year career, he has averaged 4,163 passing yards and 30.6 TD per year, resulting in a terrific 94.7 QB rating. He has also compiled an impressive 105-55 regular season record as a starter. For a time, his legacy was in question because he had the reputation for choking in the playoffs, but he got the proverbial monkey off his back by leading the Colts to a win in Super Bowl XLI, winning MVP honors in the process. If he stays healthy and decides to play through the 2012 season, he will shatter Favre’s consecutive-games streak as well as his records for total wins, passing yardage and TDs. At times, Manning has been overexposed, shilling in commercial after commercial, and he even appeared at a Sweet 16 party for a $200K fee. While his ads are pretty funny, some may argue that they take a little bit of the luster off his legacy while others will contend that they will only enhance his longevity in the minds of NFL fans. Still, when we look back on the first decade of the 21st century, Peyton Manning will be considered the premier QB of the Oughts.
Tom Brady, Patriots
Really, Tom Brady as an icon? What gave it away? Could it be the three Super Bowl rings, two Super Bowl MVP trophies and one league MVP award? What about the fact that everyone from New England to Bangladesh thinks he’s one of the greatest quarterbacks ever to walk the planet? Or that he can’t even walk into his girlfriend’s apartment (his girlfriend is super model Giselle Bundchen, by the way) without TMZ.com capturing the moment on videotape? Brady epitomizes the word "icon" from his fantastic play on the field to his celebrity fame off it. So why is he listed after Peyton on our list? One word: Spygate. The more information that comes out about this scandal, the more Brady’s Golden Boy reputation takes a hit. Did he have an unfair advantage getting to where he is now because his egomaniacal coach spied on opposing teams? Will he eventually be viewed as a cheater in the public’s eye if the NFL finds more hard evidence damning Bill Belichick and the Patriots? Either way, it’s safe to tab Brady as an icon now, but it’s going to be interesting to see what happens if the ghosts of videotaping past come back to haunt him down the road.
Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers
“Big Ben” made a splash in his rookie season, winning the 2004 Offensive Player of the Year award. Two seasons later, he led the Steelers to a victory in Super Bowl XL, and at the age of 23, he became the youngest quarterback ever to do so. A few months later, it looked like that his bright future might be derailed when he was thrown from his motorcycle and badly injured. After this brush with death, Roethlisberger showed toughness by coming back to play at all, and though he struggled early on, by the end of the 2006 season it looked like the old Ben was back. In 2007, he threw 32 TD and was named to his first Pro Bowl. Big Ben isn’t going to wow anyone with his arm strength or his accuracy; the guy just makes plays. This is the “it” factor that we’re talking about, and Roethlisberger has it in spades. He just turned 26, so he has a long career ahead of him. If he can keep putting together winning seasons and get to another Super Bowl or two, he just might reach iconic status.
Tony Romo, Cowboys
There will be some who question Romo's inclusion in this group since he’s the only quarterback listed who hasn’t yet won a Super Bowl. Are we overrating him? After all, Romo's only been in the league three years and he hasn’t even won a playoff game. Well, as we discussed, being an icon involves much more than winning playoff games and hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. For better or worse, it’s also about celebrity status and how the public views (and will subsequently remember) a player. A lot like Joe Namath before him, Romo definitely has the off-the-field “it” quality down pat since he's good looking, only seems to date starlets (Jessica Simpson, Carrie Underwood) and has become a minor celebrity as a result. Plus, he's got the stats to back it up, including 4,211 yards, 36 TD and a 97.4 QB rating in his first full season as a starter. But Romo also has something Favre always had, and that’s his enjoyment of the game. Romo smiles on the field. He has fun. He’s confident without being cocky. He doesn’t take himself too seriously, but even so, the guy wants to win. He’s a likeable guy who's fun to watch, and given the Cowboys’ rich tradition, if Romo ever does win a Super Bowl or two (and, at 27, he's got plenty of time), the city of Dallas will embrace him forever. Being an icon means having the whole package, and it sure looks like Romo is on his way.
Eli Manning, Giants
Those of you complaining that we're overrating Romo may now be contending that we're underrating the Super Bowl XLII MVP. Not so fast. In fact, we'd argue that one or two of the guys on our "just missed" list could have just as easily been included over Eli in this spot. After all, Peyton's little bro' may have been the most maligned quarterback in football last season as the Giants headed into their opening-round playoff game against the Buccaneers. The kid whose daddy forced the Chargers to trade him to the Giants on Draft Day in 2004 came into that game in Tampa Bay with a 73.4 career QB rating and 77 TD vs. 64 INT. Not exactly icon material. But then Manning not only led the Giants to the Super Bowl, he helped them pull off what many consider to be the biggest upset in NFL history, beating the undefeated Patriots 17-14 on the biggest stage in sports and delivering one of the most amazing plays you're ever going to see in the process. (He had plenty of help from David Tyree, of course.) So does a great four-game stretch erase the erratic four seasons that preceded it? Hardly. Eli is still developing and we expect some more growing pains along the way. That's not to say this apparent upward career trend won't continue but we're not expecting clear skies and smooth sailing from here on out. Add to that the fact that the soft-spoken Manning isn't nearly as charismatic as everyone else on this list and it's clear that his legacy is very much still a work in progress. Of course, playing in New York and having the name "Manning" stitched across the back of his jersey will help his cause.
Other than their ability to throw the football, there is one common thread that links these five guys: They each play for a good team with a rich football history. This means that they’ll all have the opportunity to shine for the remainder of their careers. Will they all become icons? Doubtful, but only time will tell.
Now, for a few guys that just missed the list....
Drew Brees, Saints
It was tough to leave Brees out of this group, but he just doesn’t play in a big enough market and he’s a pretty quiet guy off the field. (Not that we’re saying there’s anything wrong with that, trust us.) After the great story that was the 2006 New Orleans Saints, both Brees and the team took a step back last year and pretty much fell off the media map in the process. If Brady and the Patriots have a down year next year and don’t make the playoffs, do you think the press would ignore them? Doubtful.
Carson Palmer, Bengals
Palmer came very close to making the list, but much like Brees, he’s a quiet guy off the field and gets overshadowed by more outspoken teammates like Chad Johnson. He’s definitely a great player and Cincinnati has embraced him, but do they embrace him like Indy embraces Peyton? Or even the way Pittsburgh embraced Big Ben after the Steelers won the Super Bowl in 2005?
Donovan McNabb, Eagles
Is the city of Philadelphia even capable of really loving any of their players? If McNabb played in another city, there’s a good chance he’d already be an icon based on his fun-loving attitude and media persona, which not coincidentally are two things Philly has pretty much ruined over the years.
Jay Cutler, Broncos
This is a reach to even insinuate Cutler could one day become an icon, but think about it for a second. John Elway was an icon in Denver. After he rode into the sunset following back-to-back Super Bowl wins in the late '90s, Bronco fans have been dying to embrace another iconic quarterback. Brian Griese couldn’t do it and neither could Jake Plummer, but the youngster Cutler might if he starts winning.