Brett Favre: Where Does He Rank Among Current NFL QBs?

With the apparent news that Brett Favre is officially returning to the fold in Minnesota, most pundits have moved the Vikings back into the category of "Legitimate Super Bowl Contender."

That's what happens when a team brings back a great quarterback into the fold.

But just how great?

The NFL in 2010 has numerous quarterbacks that could be considered "great."  Where exactly does the 40-year old Favre fit in?

Past successes should be taken into account, but Favre will not be graded on the fact that he holds many of the all-time passing records. 

They will only be used to help gauge his potential for success in this upcoming season, in both the regular season and postseason.

Let's take a quick look at the current elite NFL quarterbacks first, and then try to find a spot for Favre.

Tom Brady

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FOXBORO, MA - AUGUST 12: Tom Brady # 12 of the New England Patriots looks to pass during the preseason game against the New Orleans Saints at Gillette Stadium on August 12, 2010 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Tom Brady is one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in NFL history. Three Super Bowl rings, an NFL MVP trophy, two Super Bowl MVP trophies, and the current record holder for most passing touchdowns in a season.

However, how does Brady rank in 2010?

Coming off a severe knee injury that cost him the entire 2008 season, Brady supposedly had a disappointing season in 2009.

The fact that this "disappointing" season meant a top 10 performance in QB rating, completion percentage, yards, and touchdowns shows how great Brady really is.  Not to mention, he led his Patriots to the AFC East title.

Brady's playoff statistics are stellar as well, and his 14-4 record in the postseason proves that this is one confident quarterback come playoff time.

At age 33, Brady likely does not have many prime years left.  But he still remains an elite QB.

Also, it usually takes about two years to fully recover from a major knee surgery.  Now fully healthy, Brady could be primed to recapture some of the glory of his record-setting 2007 season.

Drew Brees

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FOXBORO, MA - AUGUST 12: Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints looks to pass during pregame of the preseason game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on August 12, 2010 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Drew Brees has been a very good quarterback since his breakout in 2004.

But it took his last two seasons for him to truly enter the elite.

After a 2008 season where Brees finished with a whopping 5069 total passing yards, he stepped his game up even further in 2009.

Last season, he led the NFL in QB rating, completion percentage, and touchdowns, and capped it off with a Super Bowl championship and Super Bowl MVP award.

Without question, Brees was the best QB in the NFL last season.

So what can be expected for 2010?

Brees is 31, and still in the prime of his career.  New Orleans returns almost their entire offense, and barring injury, Brees should put up fantastic numbers yet again.

Brees lacks the physical gifts of some of the other QBs on this list, but he likely gets more out of his talent than any other quarterback in the league.  Once, his unimpressive height of 6 feet was considered his biggest weakness. 

Now, it's barely even discussed.  That's what two straight spectacular seasons will do for a player.

Peyton Manning

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INDIANAPOLIS - JANUARY 24: Quarterback Peyton Manning #18 of the Indianapolis Colts looks to pass the ball against the New York Jets during the AFC Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium on January 24, 2010 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Colts defeated th

Brady has the career accomplishments.  Brees has the recent domination.

Peyton Manning?  He has both.

A four-time NFL MVP, and the MVP of Super Bowl XLI, Manning has set the standard for quarterback consistency over his 12-year career.

He has never missed a game, ever since being named the starting quarterback as a rookie for the Colts in 1998.

Over Manning's last seven seasons, his lowest QB rating has been 95.0.

For comparison's sake, Brees has had only four seasons with a QB rating over 95.  Brady has had only two.

In addition, Manning led his Colts to the Super Bowl last season, where they were defeated by Brees' Saints.

However, Manning has been criticized for disappointing playoff performances in his career, despite the fact that he does have a Super Bowl ring.

His "pick-6" in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLIV did nothing to abate those critics.  Still, Manning has shown the ability to flourish in the postseason, as his historic comeback in the 2007 AFC Championship Game proved.

Manning is 34, and also running out of prime years.  But his durability likely makes him a candidate for a long career, and one capable of putting up monster numbers into his late 30s.

Philip Rivers

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NASHVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 25: Philip Rivers #17 of the San Diego Chargers drops back to pass against the Tennessee Titans on December 25, 2009 at LP Field in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Rex Brown/Getty Images)

Over the past two seasons, Philip Rivers has established himself as one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL.

This comes as a great relief to San Diego GM A.J. Smith, who essentially chose Rivers over Drew Brees in 2006.

After two decent seasons in 2006 and 2007, Rivers finally lived up to his potential in 2008-09, when he led the NFL in passer rating (105.5), yards per attempt, and touchdowns (tied with Brees).

He nearly matched his 105.5 passer rating in 2009, when he posted a still-stellar 104.4.

Unlike the previous three quarterbacks mentioned, Rivers is not yet 30, checking in at a still-young 28.

But also unlike Brady, Brees, and Manning, Rivers has yet to win a Super Bowl.

His postseason record has been a mixed bag thus far, as he has played very well versus Manning and the Colts, struggled against Brady and the Patriots, and is coming off a poor performance against the Jets in 2010.

Rivers is known as a trash talker on the field, and is disliked by many around the league.  However, by all accounts, his teammates love him, so his attitude is not necessarily a negative.

Rivers is a very good quarterback, but his shorter track record and lack of consistent playoff success puts him slightly behind the top tier of QBs.

Aaron Rodgers

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GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 10: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers warms up before the 2010 NFC wild-card playoff game against the Arizona Cardinals at the Universtity of Phoenix Stadium on January 10, 2010 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardi

Is it premature to consider Rodgers a great quarterback?

No, he's earned it.

After spending three years as Brett Favre's understudy in Green Bay, Rodgers took hold of the starting job with authority in 2008.

He finished in the top 10 of every major passing category, and quickly stepped out from behind the towering shadow of his predecessor, Favre.

He improved all of his passing numbers in 2009-10, taking his place as a true elite quarterback and leading the Packers back to the postseason.

Despite losing his first career playoff game to the Arizona Cardinals last season, it is difficult to blame Rodgers. 

He threw for 423 yards and four touchdowns, only to be upstaged by Kurt Warner, who put on one of the greatest quarterback performances in postseason history.

Like Rivers, however, Rodgers does not have the track record of the "Big 3."  He has only had two great seasons.

In addition, Rodgers takes too many sacks.  While some of the sacks can be attributed to his poor offensive line, Rodgers can hold the ball a bit too long.

However, he seemed to rectify this problem a bit in the second half of 2009.

Still, Rodgers has just enough issues to keep him out of the pantheon of truly elite quarterbacks.

Ben Roethlisberger

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CLEVELAND - DECEMBER 10: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers passes during the game against the Cleveland Browns on December 10, 2009 at Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland won the game 13-6. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Gett

After a tumultuous offseason, it's easy to forget that Ben Roethlisberger, on the field, is a standout performer.

A two-time Super Bowl champion, Roethlisberger had found his greatest success in the postseason, where he holds a fantastic 8-2 record as a starter. 

But Roethlisberger has been no slouch in the regular season, either.

He finished in the top five in passer rating and completion percentage in 2009.  This occurred during a season where Roethlisberger was finally given the keys to the offense in Pittsburgh, as his 506 attempts were a career high.

While Roethlisberger is sometimes considered a game manager, his career 91.7 passer rating and 63.3% completion percentage tell otherwise.  While he may not be asked to throw the ball as much as other elite quarterbacks, he makes the most of his opportunities.

Ben's main flaw on the field is his tendency to take too many sacks, as he holds the ball for as long as possible, trying to make a play.  This can also result in injuries, a problem he has dealt with in his career.

However, Roethlisberger brings an issue to the table that has yet to rear its head on this list.

While the other top quarterbacks have been model citizens in their career, trouble seems to find Ben on a regular basis.  His summer escapades in 2010 have earned him a six-game suspension to begin the upcoming season.

In addition, there have been reports that Roethlisberger is less than a model teammate, exhibiting a cocky attitude and mediocre dedication to practice and film study.

These issues, when combined with injury concerns and his proneness to sacks, make Roethlisberger a great but flawed quarterback.

Brett Favre

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MINNEAPOLIS - JANUARY 17: Quarterback Brett Favre #4 of the Minnesota Vikings throws a pass against the Dallas Cowboys during the fourth quarter of the NFC Divisional Playoff Game at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on January 17, 2010 in Minneapolis, Minnes

And now, Brett Favre.

Favre is likely the most accomplished player on the list.  He is a three-time NFL MVP, 11-time Pro Bowler, and holds the records for most career touchdowns, yards, completions, and regular season victories.

He also has a ring.

Favre may be 40 years old, but he is coming off one of his best seasons as an NFL quarterback.  His 107.2 passer rating and 68.4% completion percentage were both career high numbers.

He has been around long enough for football fans to know his flaws.  He has a gunslinger mentality, that can result in interceptions at the worst possible times. 

He also has been criticized for desperately seeking attention through his numerous "retirements" and comebacks.

Last season proved that Favre was still capable of being a great NFL quarterback.  However, in three out of his last five seasons, Favre has posted a passer rating below 82, horrific in the modern NFL.

He also has consistently made key mistakes in playoff games.  His interception at the end of the 2010 NFC Championship Game was just one example.

With Favre, fans must take the good with the bad.  He can carry a team with his stellar passing ability, but also run them into the ground with pivotal mistakes.

Where Favre Ranks

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NEW ORLEANS - JANUARY 24: Brett Favre #4 of the Minnesota Vikings picks himself off the turf against the New Orleans Saints during the NFC Championship Game at the Louisana Superdome on January 24, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Saints won 31-28 in

Currently, Brett Favre sits solidly in the second tier of NFL quarterbacks.

The first tier of Manning-Brady-Brees stands alone for their ability to put up stellar regular season numbers, achieve postseason success, and positively contribute to team chemistry.

The second tier of Rodgers-Rivers-Favre-Roethlisberger have been successful in the regular season, achieved at least some success in the postseason, but have a few flaws that hold them back from being truly elite.

For Favre, it is the uncertainly that comes with being a 40-year old quarterback in a young man's league, and his penchant for killer interceptions.

Despite his consecutive games streak, Favre's age makes him an injury risk. 

In addition, Favre's list of playoff games in which he cost his team the game is extensive:

2010 NFC Championship Game (INT in the 4th quarter)

2008 NFC Championship Game (INT in OT)

2005 NFC Wild Card Game (4 INTs)

2004 NFC Divisional Playoff Game (INT in OT)

While Favre does have a championship ring, he earned it over 13 years ago.  Until he proves capable of leading a team through the playoffs without an epic collapse in this stage of his career, Favre will remain in the second tier of "Great but Flawed NFL QBs."