Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers: Which QB Is NFL's Best?

When the discussion of the best quarterback in the NFL comes up, three names immediately come to mind. Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Aaron Rodgers are the three guys who lead the contenders.

These three lead the pack because they are the most well-rounded quarterbacks in the league. Each is elite in their statistics, leadership and experience. But who takes the cake as the best?

Read on to find out who and why.

The Criteria

Usually when people try to have this discussion, they do it vaguely.

No criteria is set for how they are determining who is the best. Not so here, my friends.

Here are our criteria for determining who is the best quarterback in the league.

Statistics

Pretty straightforward here. This area is all about how the player did as an individual. How many yards did he pass for? What percentage of his passes did he complete? Etc.

Leadership

This facet is determined by how well a player leads his team. Oftentimes with the best quarterbacks, this translates to wins. Not always, but usually.

It also is about his rapport with his teammates and how far they would follow him for a win.

Experience

A guy with 10 years experience will have advantages over a guy with just four. Experience is important because it means a guy has seen more and knows how to react and lead in different situations.

Let's get crackin'! But first, honorable mentions, anyone?

Honorable Mentions

4. Ben Roethlisberger

Roethlisberger is high on leadership and experience, as he's led the Steelers to two Super Bowl victories and one other appearance.

His off-the-field issues (a couple rape accusations) bring him down a bit in those areas, and he lacks what the others have in the stats.

5. Eli Manning

Manning is tough to read. His stats are very good (4,933 passing yards and 29 touchdowns), but he and his team can be inconsistent, which isn't the mark of a good leader.

He does have a Super Bowl ring and has been in the league eight years. If he can become more consistent as far as winning goes, he has a shot to climb even higher.

6. Michael Vick

The stats are the thing here. Vick has accounted for more than 23,000 yards of total offense in his 10-year career. That is great for his stats and experience.

He's never been able to win a Super Bowl, making him the highest non-SB winner on this list. Vick's dogfighting doesn't help his leadership, but what he's done since then to rehabilitate his image and character helps.

7. Philip Rivers

In his six seasons as the starter in San Diego, Rivers has averaged 4,048 passing yards and 27 touchdowns per season.

He's led a very impressive offense for the Chargers, but that hasn't translated into wins all the time. They've made the playoffs four of the last six years, but the last two seasons have been the picture of mediocrity.

Rivers is good statistically but has trouble leading his team to wins.

8. Matt Ryan

Ryan has good stats, averaging over 3,500 passing yards per season. He's short on experience, with just four years in the league, but it helps that he's started all those years.

Ryan has gone 43-21 in his four season in Atlanta (67 percent winning percentage)—a big plus on the leadership, especially for his age.

9. Jay Cutler

Cutler is a very good quarterback. He has improved within the last few years in the leadership area, leading the Bears to the NFC championship game last season. He's a good passer who has had solid stats for most of his career.

He does tend to throw too many interceptions, though, and has only been in the league for four years. He has a good chance to move up, especially when some of the guys ahead of him retire.

10. Tony Romo

Romo might be the most controversial inclusion on this list. It seems everyone is either too high on him or too hard on him. Romo's stats have been fine. He's averaged 25 touchdowns each season.

His leadership is in question, but it isn't as bad as most make it out to be. He's won games in Dallas, and lately it has been defensive deficiencies that have killed Dallas more than Romo.

Statistics

Tom Brady

2011-65.6 percent completion rate, 5,235 yards, 39 touchdowns

Career-63.8 percent completion rate, 39,979 yards, 300 touchdowns

Drew Brees

2011-71.2  percent completion rate, 5,476 yards, 46 touchdowns

Career-65.9 percent completion rate, 40,742 yards, 281 touchdowns

Aaron Rodgers

2011-68.3 percent completion rate, 4,643 yards, 45 touchdowns

Career-65.4 percent completion rate, 17,366 yards, 132 touchdowns

The edge here goes to Brees, but just barely. Brady and Rodgers nearly catch him, but ultimately Brees has to be given credited for being better overall in his career and having the best season of his career this season.

Rodgers is very good in this area but doesn't have the career stats. He may get there, but he hasn't yet.

His season this year might have pushed him over the top had Brees not had such a good one as well.

Winner: Brees

Leadership

Tom Brady

Four Super Bowl appearances, three Super Bowl victories, two Super Bowl MVPs, two AP NFL MVPs, fewest starts to reach 100 wins (131), most consecutive wins in the postseason (10), has won 77 percent of games and has 33 game-winning drives after Patriots' fourth-quarter tie or deficit.

Drew Brees

One Super Bowl victory, one Super Bowl MVP, NFC MVP twice, has won 60 percent of games, heavily involved in charities including Hurricane Katrina recovery, anti-bullying campaigns and Brees Dream Foundation.

Aaron Rodgers

One Super Bowl victory, one Super Bowl MVP, 46-23 in four seasons, 66-percent winning percentage

No contest here. Brady wins hands down.

He's been winning at a high level for the better part of a decade. Brees can't say that. Rodgers may be able to some day, but not at this point. He's off to a good start, though.

Winner: Brady

Experience

Tom Brady

12 season in the NFL, 179 games in the NFL, 19 playoff starts

Drew Brees

11 seasons in the NFL, 153 games in the NFL, seven playoff starts

Aaron Rodgers

Seven seasons in the NFL, 89 games in the NFL, five playoff starts

Tom Brady gets the nod yet again in this category. The playoff starts are what push him over the edge. Brees is close, but not in the playoff starts.

Once again, Rodgers' youth hurts him, but he is definitely on the right track.

Winner: Tom Brady

Overall

1. Tom Brady

2. Drew Brees

3. Aaron Rodgers

Brady's experience and leadership clearly make him No. 1. He has played in more games in both the regular season and playoffs and has led his team to greater successes.

Brees' experience gets him the No. 2 spot. His 11 years and ability to lead teams over that stretch is huge.

Rodgers would be second on leadership, since he's already achieved what Brees has in a much smaller time frame. Obviously last on experience, but his stats and leadership point toward a climb very soon.

Winner: Tom Brady