Aaron Rodgers and the 10 Best Quarterbacks in Football

Most of us have our own opinion on who the best players in the NFL are, and some of us like to keep updated lists of who we believe are the top three, top five or top 10 players are at each position.

Many people have different opinions and different arguments as to why they have each player ranked where they do.

This past season showcased some of the best quarterback play that the NFL has ever seen, making this list harder to make.

Featured over the next several slides are the best quarterbacks in the game today.  

10. Matt Ryan

Matt Ryan has led the Atlanta Falcons to three playoffs appearances in his first four seasons as a pro, with an overall record of 43-21.

In those four seasons, Ryan has a quarterback rating of 88.4 and a 60.9 completion percentage.

For now, this puts him ahead of guys like Michael Vick, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh Freeman, but with the addition of Julio Jones last offseason, Ryan will have to continue to improve if he wants to crack the list this time next year.   

9. Matt Schaub

Matt Schaub has been a member of the Houston Texans for five years, but was overshadowed a lot due to having Peyton Manning as his division rival.

Despite not making the playoffs since he’s been in Houston, Schaub has still played well. Over the past three seasons, he has had quarterback ratings of over 90 in each season and passed for over 4,000 yards in both 2009 and 2010.

Schaub made the most of Peyton’s absence this year before getting injured, leading the Texans to a 7-3 record, good enough for first in the division. He put up 2,479 yards, 15 touchdowns and only six interceptions in 10 games.

8. Tony Romo

Love him or hate him, Tony Romo has established himself as one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL.

In six seasons as a starter, Romo has amassed 149 touchdowns to just 72 interceptions, with his lowest quarterback rating being 91.4.

If Romo would play the way he normally does when it counts, then he could go as one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game. But until then he will sitting at home every January.

7. Philip Rivers

Philip Rivers certainly had a rough year in 2011, throwing a career-high 20 interceptions. With that being said, he was still able to throw for over 4,000 yards, making it the fourth consecutive season that he has done so.

In the three seasons prior to this one, Rivers had quarterback rating of 101.8, 104.4 and 105.5. That number dropped to 88.7 this year.

If the San Diego Chargers want to make the playoffs in 2012, Rivers will have to limit the turnovers.

6. Matthew Stafford

A first overall pick of the Lions back in the 2009 NFL draft, Matthew Stafford was bitten by the injury bug in his first two seasons, playing a total of 13 games.

In 2011, however, Stafford was ready right from the get-go, leading the Lions to a 10-6 record and their first playoff berth in what seemed like forever.

Stafford is one of only four quarterbacks to throw for over 5,000 yards, and with one of the best receivers in the game to work with, he may quickly become one of league’s elite players.

5. Eli Manning

Since he first came into the league, Eli Manning, for the most part has been known as “Peyton’s brother.” However, two Super Bowl MVP’s later, Eli has found himself climbing the ladder towards elite status.

There are many people that would expect Eli to be higher on this list. However, after barely sneaking into the playoffs facing one of the weaker schedules in the league, little Manning sits happily at the No. 5 spot... for now.

4. Ben Roethlisberger

Many people believe that Ben Roethlisberger lives off a great rushing attack and an even better defense.

Sure, Pittsburgh has a great defense, but if you believe that the Steelers are still a ground-and-pound team, then you probably have not watched much of their football over the past three years.

The numbers speak for themselves. Over the past three seasons (42 games), Big Ben has over 11,600 yards and quarterback ratings of 90.1, 97.0 and 100.5 respectively.

3. Tom Brady

The New England Patriots have been a powerhouse team in the NFL for years now, thanks in large part to Tom Brady.

Brady has been one of the league’s best players for a while and has led the Patriots to becoming one of the most liked and one of the most hated teams in the league.

When Brady has time, he is nearly unstoppable. With two of the most talented tight ends in the game, along with Wes Welker and Deion Branch, a couple more great seasons are not out of the question.

2. Drew Brees

Since Drew Brees joined the New Orleans Saints in 2006, he has had six straight seasons with over 4,000 passing yards, including two 5,000-yard seasons in 2008 and 2011.

This past season was his best by far as he broke Dan Marino’s record for passing yards in season. Brees also had the most passing touchdowns in the league and was named the Offensive Player of the Year.

If New Orleans defense would have been able to make one stop, Brees would likely be wearing a new ring right now.

1. Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers is without a doubt the best quarterback in the game. The stats are there, but let’s forget about them for a minute.

Starting with the basics, Rodgers makes Green Bay’s offensive line look great, even though they are among the worst in the league. This guy makes jaw-dropping plays every single game, and he is still getting better.

Rodgers is simply amazing. The plays that he has made and the numbers he has put up elevate him ahead of guys like Brees and Brady.