Best QB

[tryan]

... Well - if I remember correctly - Manning had a $28 MILLION sign-on bonus with the Colts coming Friday ... they let him go Wednesday. Not coincidence ....

 

[Midpack]

... Well - if I remember correctly - Manning had a $28 MILLION sign-on bonus with the Colts coming Friday ... they let him go Wednesday. Not coincidence ....

No one involved ever suggested money wasn't a central issue, even at the time. Neither Manning nor Irsay were considered 'villains' at the time by most people. All parties were saddened by the decision, but they also understood why it had to be.

Although Manning's health can't be discounted, Irsay insists bottom-line economics drove his decision. Re-upping the NFL's only four-time Most Valuable Player would exacerbate the Colts' already serious salary-cap issues.

"There wouldn't have been a Robert Mathis or a Reggie Wayne," Irsay insisted. "There was no way we could have put (Manning) on the field with the type of team we would have fielded."

In the weeks leading up to The Decision, Irsay and Manning talked. They discussed Manning's health and how much arm strength he had regained. At one point, Irsay floated the possibility of Manning restructuring his contract. In lieu of the team paying the $28 million option bonus that would be part of a four-year, $63.6 million deal, Manning would accept an incentive-laden package that would reward him if he made a full recovery.

But Manning had all the leverage and wouldn't restructure his contract. The Colts would have to pay him the roster bonus or cut him and allow him to sign a big contract with another team.

 

[eytonxav]

How did that work out for him? The Cowboys are something like 138-138 over the past 17ish years.

Right, my comment was not intended to represent sound advice

 

[tryan]

Well ... I am glad we settled this debate. Only question is: who is the best QB EVER:

Montana or
Brady

 

[easysurfer]

Well ... I am glad we settled this debate. Only question is: who is the best QB EVER:

Montana or
Brady

I'm going with Johnny Unitas as the best ever.

 

[Car-Guy]

Most successful QB's on the field.... Let's see, in my football watching memory, there's Montana, Brady, Rodgers, Manning, Elway, Bradshaw, Farve, maybe Unitas and a few others. Hard to say, however, "one of the most successful QB's" off the field (measured in dollars) has to be Roger Staubach. He probably belongs on the best on the field too.

 

[easysurfer]

Best ever is very subjective. If counting stats or championships alone, I'm sure that's easier to quantify. But even with that, the game has changed a lot (defenses can't hit anyone, like in the old days) as today is more a passing game. For example, 4 TD's passing in a game today isn't such a big thing as back years ago.

 

[Midpack]

Well ... I am glad we settled this debate. Only question is: who is the best QB EVER:

Montana or
Brady

Though we are diehard Pats fans, I still consider Montana the best ever so far. Both great clutch players (more important than pure stats IMO), but no one was as consistently cool under pressure than Montana IMO. To his credit, Brady hasn't had a lot of marquee players around him during his career (IOW he's been successful with an ever changing supporting cast, to his credit) and he is still playing, so we'll see...

 

[MRG]

Most successful QB's on the fileld.... Let's see, in my football watching memory, there's Montana, Brady, Rodgers, Manning, Elway, Bradshaw, Farve, maybe Unitas and a few others. Hard to say, however, "one of the most successful QB's" off the field (measured in dollars) has to be Roger Staubach. He probably belongs on the best on the field too.

I agree and have much respect for the guys that got paid diddly. Remember the ones where the QB may or may not have a 1 bar facemask. Unitis, Star, Graham, Baugh..and so any more.

A neat thing happened. I was in the UK on business and planned on taking an extra day to go to Stonehenge, when a friend offered up an extra ticket to a game. Montana had been exiled to KC, SF and Young visiting. I figured Stonehenge had been around for a while, I'd never personally get a chance to be at a game with 2 greater QBs on the field.

 

[Corporateburnout]

I don't really care who's the best QB ever. It's a different era and a different game with different rules, salary cap and free agency etc....

I only care about Brady helping my team make it to 6 Superbowls and win 4. He is MY best QB ever........