NFL: Top 10 Quarterbacks of the NFL Today

Throughout the history of the NFL, we've seen some quarterbacks rise to greatness(ex. Tom Brady) and some become the biggest draft bust ever (ex. Ryan Leaf).

We've seen plenty draft-and-trade steals such as the draft day trade of 2004 between Eli Manning and Philip Rivers.

We've seen the Colts making a smart pick to go with Peyton Manning instead of one of the biggest busts to date, Ryan Leaf.

This slideshow will show the Top 10 greatest quarterbacks of the modern era who are still in the NFL.

10. Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers replaced Brett Favre in Green Bay and is proving that Green Bay made a good decision. Rodgers led the Packers to an 8-4 start to the 2009-2010 NFL season.

In that same season, Rodgers threw for over 280 yards per game, 30 touchdowns, only seven interceptions, and a high passing rate of 103.2.

9. Tony Romo

After getting his starting position for the Dallas Cowboys, Romo has been a decent quarterback who had great success with future Hall of Fame wide receiver, Terrell Owens.

He has broken Cowboys' records with most 300+ passing yards game in his career, passing TDs, passing yards, and completions, but can't seem to add a ring to his milestones.

Will things be different for Romo this season, or will America's football team choke in the playoffs again?

8. Philip Rivers

After starting Chargers quarterback Drew Brees went to the New Orleans Saints following the 2005 season, Rivers was named the starter and led the Chargers to a 14-2 record in his first season.

In 2007, he helped the Chargers win their first playoff game since 1994 by beating the Tennessee Titans in the divisional round of the 2007 playoffs. He eventually led them to the AFC Championship game.

He has a career total of 11 fourth quarter comebacks.

With the draft class of '04's QBs such as Eli Manning and Big Ben adding rings to their collection, will Rivers finally come out victorious and be able to celebrate with them, or will he continuously struggle in San Diego to make it past the AFC championship game?

7. Brett Favre

What is there that this guy has not done?

At age 40 (and being a grandfather), Brett Favre still runs around the field throwing deep passes to his receivers like the Favre that won Super Bowl XXXI.

The reason that a legend is so low on this list is because of the maturing other young quarterbacks—many of whom are able to put up better or same numbers as an old quarterback whose time has passed.

Brett Favre has shown this season that, at age 40, he is still a top NFL quarterback.

Favre improved his touchdown-to-interception statistics in 2009-2010—he had 33 touchdowns to only seven interceptions. Favre has a QB rating of 108.5.

It is hard to believe that at his age, Brett Favre is still in the discussion of the top quarterbacks in the NFL.

6. Donovan McNabb

The second overall pick from the 1998 NFL draft, Donovan McNabb has proved to be one of the best Eagles and perhaps one of the best quarterbacks ever to not be able to win a Super Bowl ring.

McNabb led the Eagles to four consecutive NFC East division championships (2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004), five NFC Championship Games (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2008), and one Super Bowl—which they lost.

Also how can anyone forget the "4th-and-26" play in the final minutes of a 2003 NFC Divisional playoff game. Check it below:

5. Eli Manning

Just by his last name, he was deemed to be a great quarterback.

He's maybe not as great as his brother, but he has done enough to help the New York Giants to land him in the Top Five.

Drafted by Chargers but traded to Giants for Rivers, it's clear that the Giants got the better end of the deal. Manning has led them to multiple playoffs and, ultimately, Super Bowl XLII, where they beat the undefeated New England Patriots. Eli also won the MVP.

Who can forget this play, which had Giants as well as Patriots fans clinging to their seats? It is dubbed "David and Eliath":

4. Ben Roethlisberger

He became the youngest Super Bowl-winning quarterback in NFL history, helping lead the Steelers, in his second professional season, to a 21-10 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL at the age of 23.

What more is there to say?

Roethlisberger led the Steelers to a second Super Bowl title in four seasons, as they defeated the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII.

Roethlisberger has been one of the most efficient passers in NFL history. He currently ranks ninth all-time in NFL passer rating (91.7), fifth in yards per attempt (8.01), and eighth in completion percentage (63.29 percent) among quarterbacks with a minimum of 1,500 career attempts.

He has the fifth highest winning percentage (.698) as a starter in the regular season among quarterbacks with a minimum of 80 starts. All of that alone proves the greatness of Big Ben.

3. Drew Brees

Drew Brees remarkably led his team to a 13-3 record in the 2009-2010 season. Brees led the NFL in touchdowns (29) thrown through 12 games.

Since 2006, Drew Brees has thrown for over 4,000 yards for four consecutive years.

In 2008, he met his career high with 5,069 passing yards.

After an almost perfect 2009-10 year, Brees met NFL QB great Peyton Manning in Super Bowl XLIV. It was an upset which some say was rigged, but we may have seen Brees at his best.

He also went on to win Super Bowl MVP. With his perfect passing percent averages and his high passing yards, Brees may have written his name on a ticket to a future Hall of Fame spot.

2. Tom Brady

The man that everybody hates (if your not a Patriots fan), Tom Brady.

Through their 2007 season, it was torture watching Brady and the Patriots go undefeated, while every game you would see Moss make a one-handed catch or Wes Welker outrun the whole defense.

Brady has played in four Super Bowls, winning three of them (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX). He has also won two Super Bowl MVPs (XXXVI and XXXVIII).

Brady has the sixth-highest career passer rating of all-time (93.3) among quarterbacks with at least 1,500 career passing attempts.

These are a few of the many awards that one of the greatest QBs to play the sport has earned.

Did I mention that this dynamite quarterback was selected in the sixth round?

No. 1: JaMarcus Russell!

This was a joke to see if you all were still paying attention.

But I mean, seriously, No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 draft? He is one of the worst QB's in the NFL right now and currently on his way of becoming a HUGE draft bust. Turn page for the No. 1 QB.

1. Peyton Manning

No one can argue with the fact that Peyton Manning is just simply the best quarterback in the NFL right now.

The Colts are not known for making wise draft choices, but on that faithful 1998 draft day, the Colts made an exceptional move to take Peyton instead of Leaf.

Manning holds NFL records for consecutive seasons with over 4,000 yards passing and the most total seasons with 4,000 or more yards passing in a career.

He is the all-time Colts franchise leader in career wins, career passing yards, pass attempts, pass completions, and passing touchdowns.

Since the Colts drafted Manning in 1998, the team has the highest conversion rate on third down (44.6 percent) and fourth down (61.1 percent) plays in the NFL.

While leading the Colts to their Super Bowl XLI victory in 2007, Manning helped the team to an NFL record by converting 56.1 percent of its third downs.

Peyton Manning is generally called the ideal example of the perfect quarterback. At only 34 years old, we can watch Peyton Manning win at least four more rings, if not more.