Tom Brady and the 15 Greatest Playoff QBs of All Time

This coming Sunday, Tom Brady has a chance to join an exclusive group of quarterbacks with four Super Bowl wins. His playoff accomplishments alone could put him at the top of this list.  

Still, there are many other worthy players that belong on the list of greatest playoff QBs of all time—let's take a look at 15 of them.  

15. Jim Kelly

Even though he never won a Super Bowl, Kelly belongs on this list.

It never seemed to work out for the Buffalo Bills, who always fell short despite showing heart and character every year in the playoffs.

Still, the accomplishment of reaching the Super Bowl four times shouldn't be ignored. Kelly was a Hall of Fame talent that had a successful postseason career, but just never finished the job.  

14. Eli Manning

Eli ranks so high because he has accomplished so much and is still at the peak of his career.  No quarterback has had more road wins than Eli (five), which alone makes him worthy of a spot on this list.  

The greatest trait Eli possesses is that when you think he doesn't have a chance to beat you, he makes you pay for it. When you have a quarterback with that special ability, it always make teams underestimate you.

If the Giants could have it their way, they would play every playoff game on the road.

This is why Eli has a very good chance at pulling off his second Super Bowl victory this coming Sunday. 

13. Kurt Warner

Warner is probably the most underrated signal caller on the list. He experienced epic highs and lows during his 10-year NFL career.  

He saw dominance during the "Greatest Show on Turf" era with the St. Louis Rams, winning a Super Bowl in 1999.

After losing to the upstart New England Patriots the next year, Warner fell off the map for a few years as he bounced around the league.  

After many thought his career was finished, Warner found a new home with the Arizona Cardinals and made another run at the Super Bowl in 2008 when he was 37 years old.  

12. Jim Plunkett

Plunkett may have never had the "star power" as some of the other members on this list had, but two Super Bowl victories pretty much speak for themselves.  

Plunkett won Super Bowls in 1980 and 1983. To have the most Super Bowl victories as a quarterback for a storied franchise such as the Raiders can't be ignored.  

He only lost one game in postseason play during his entire career, but is still the only quarterback with two Super Bowl victories not in the Hall of Fame.  

11. Peyton Manning

Peyton may soon be overtaken by his younger brother Eli as the best Manning.

Peyton has still had a great playoff career, winning Super Bowl XLI against the Bears and almost coming away with Super Bowl XLIV.  

The Colts have a 9-10 playoff record with Peyton under center. It took a few years of playoff failure for him to finally break through and win one in the 2006 season.  

His resume may not be the most impressive on this list, but when Manning was at the top of his game in the postseason, he seemed nearly unstoppable.  

10. Brett Favre

It's not hard to figure out who the face of the Packers franchise was for almost two decades.  

The Favre-led Packers had a constant presence in the playoffs in the 1990s, winning a Super Bowl in 1996 and nearly another one in 1997.

He nearly lost as many playoff games as he won, and some feel that his playoff failures outweigh his successes.  

Still, Brett threw 44 career postseason touchdown passes, so it would be safe to say he did his part for the Packers.  

9. Bart Starr

The original Super Bowl champion quarterback, Bart Starr, won Super Bowls I and II. The significance wasn't quite as great at the time as it is now, but Starr was a true champion.  

Even before the Super Bowl, Starr won three NFL championships with the Packers under legendary coach Vince Lombardi.

He holds the record for quarterback win percentage in the playoffs—90 percent of his playoff games!

The Bart Starr-led Packers were the NFL's original dynasty.  

8. Steve Young

Young had big shoes to fill when he took over for Joe Montana in San Francisco, and didn't disappoint.

He took control of the 'Niners in 1991 and never took his foot off the pedal.  

He has three Super Bowls to his name, even though he only participated in one. The one Super Bowl Young did start, he threw for a Super Bowl record of six touchdowns.

The dynasty that was the 49ers in the late '80s and early '90s was in good hands with two of the best quarterbacks to walk the earth.  

7. Ben Roethlisberger

It is a scary thought that Big Ben is mentioned among the greats even though he is only 29 years old. That is where two Super Bowl wins before you turn 30 gets you.  

He won his first Super Bowl at the age of 23, making him the youngest quarterback to win in NFL history. Big Ben proved he was no fluke by winning another three years later, and almost coming away with one again in 2010 against the Packers.  

If Big Ben can stay healthy and keep up his playoff winning pace, you can add him to the Hall of Fame like the many other players on this list.  

6. Roger Staubach

Roger the Dodger was the man under center for Tom Landry's Super Bowl winning teams in the 1970s. He played the position unlike anyone else—a hard-nosed runner and prolific passer combined into one.  

Staubach won the NFC five different times, and came away with two Super Bowls.

His tenure with the Cowboys in the 1970s gave birth to the term "America's Team." The moniker gave the team high expectations that they surely lived up to.  

5. John Elway

During the late '80s and early '90s, the Broncos were consistently the class of the AFC thanks in large part to Elway. "The Drive" that Elway led against the Browns is considered one of the greatest moments in the sport.  

It took some time for Elway to finally break through and win a Super Bowl in 1997, and then another one the next year.

Though he won just two Super Bowls, Elway made it to five total. That record has just been tied by Tom Brady.  

He won the MVP award of Super Bowl XXXIII at the ripe age of 38, making him the oldest Super Bowl MVP ever.  

4. Troy Aikman

Aikman torched defenses on the way to three Super Bowls in the early '90s. He had an 11-4 overall post season record and was 3-0 in Super Bowl appearances.

At the peak of his career, he seemed unstoppable.  

The highlight of his postseason career was garnering MVP honors in Super Bowl XXVII. Aikman threw four touchdowns against Jim Kelly's Buffalo Bills as the Cowboys won 52-17.

He eventually hit his ceiling, but Aikman has been the best postseason quarterback the Cowboys have ever had.  

3. Terry Bradshaw

Bradshaw was the man behind the Steelers four Super Bowl victories in the 1970s. He was a fierce competitor that resembled everything about Steeler Football.  

He and Franco Harris were the culprits of the "Immaculate Reception," a wacky play in a 1972 AFC divisional game that has been known to be greatest play in NFL history.  

At times, he seemed undervalued during his 14 years with the Steelers—he was surrounded by so much talent.

That surely doesn't diminish the accomplishments of Bradshaw, who is one of only two quarterbacks with four Super Bowls.  

2. Tom Brady

Even if Brady doesn't come away with his fourth Super Bowl victory this Sunday, he is already known as an extremely successful playoff quarterback and one of the most clutch performers in playoff history.

Brady's level of intensity and focus is seen through his play, as he rarely makes mistakes. Yes, he may have had some help by the officials (Tuck Rule, anyone?), but Super Bowls aren't just won with luck.  

This Sunday will be Brady's fifth Super Bowl appearance, tied for most all time. I would have a hard time believing the guy has butterflies in his stomach about it either.   

1. Joe Montana

Montana's four Super Bowls during the 49ers heyday cemented his legacy as the best playoff quarterback ever.  

The most composed and clutch performer of his era, Montana was near perfect when it was most important—with the game on the line.

"The Catch" by Dwight Clark in the 1981 NFC championship game was probably the greatest moment in NFL history.

When he wasn't leading comeback drives in the playoffs, he was demolishing teams—like beating the Broncos 55-10 in Super Bowl XXIV.  

Even if Brady wins his fourth Super Bowl this upcoming Sunday, he may need a few more memorable moments to be on Montana's level.