Lombardi’s Sons

Defining success in the NFL should be a relatively easy thing to do. According to the analysts, writers, and the talking heads, it comes down to one thing: Rings…as in Super Bowl wins. Therefore, if every teams goal is to win a championship; then success, legacy, and Canton Ballots should be summarized in 2 lines:

1. Name: ____________________________
2. Championships:______________________

Every year as the regular season dust settles and playoff performances lift or crush entire cities and fan-bases spirits, commentators are busy saturating our collective consciousnesses with stats, records, and historical precedent. The expert opinion on what team will dawn the cap and tee shirt with the printed “Champions” can only be validated before Kickoff.

Therefore, are Super Bowl victories the appropriate measure of success for a players’ career? And more pointedly, are championships the appropriate measure of a quarterback’s success and all time ranking in the NFL record books? Who are Lombardi’s favorite sons?

Over the two week media blitz prior to Super Bowl XLIII, hours of conversation and air time were dedicated to the topic of Steelers starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger place amongst the best should he win his second championship. He was mentioned among current greats Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, in addition to being put up for comparison to other 2-time winners such as John Elway and Roger Staubach.

If Championships are the foundation for the greatness debate, then it is imperative to look at multi-championship quarterbacks. First, it is critical to eliminate the near-sightedness of fandom since modern memory runs as deep as Katrina’s relief budget. With that, the following players are immediately removed from the discourse: Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Brett Favre, and Kurt Warner. Though these players have impressive resumes, their individual Championship total tallies 1. Favre has played in more consecutive games than any QB in history and Peyton Manning will likely surpass many of Favre/Marino’s passing records before he steps away from the game, but individual accolades are not relevant for this conversation.

Therefore the only modern rival for Steeler Nation’s number 7 is New England’s number 12.

Tom Brady is my generation’s Joe Montana. At 31 years old, Brady had achieved the summit 3 times in his career. He has built a fan base of football enthusiast through his skill in the pocket and composure under pressure. For anyone with the final Patriots drive in 2001 fresh in their minds, it is hard to forget Brady’s simple dribble of the football before giving the ball to the referee prior to Vinatieri’s winning kick as time expired. It was about a cool as the other side of the pillow. Not only was Brady about to achieve his first Championship, he was about to officially void the St. Louis’s Rams contender status. After the Rams lost Super Bowl XXXVI they never rebounded as Kurt Warner forgot how to grip a football, Marshall Faulk’s worn frame finally gave in, and Coach Vermeil moved back home to Napa to tend his winery. Though Brady’s performance was not great, his 16/27 passing for 145 and 1 TD were good enough to give him MVP honors, and more importantly the victory.

Brady has gone onto win 2 more Lombardi trophies before losing an epic game in Super Bowl XLII to the New York Giants. Brady’s Super Bowl stats are as follows: 100/156 passing (64.1% completion), 1,001 yards, and 8/1 touchdown to interceptions. He would win MVP in 2 contests while amassing a 3-1 overall record. Now, compare these stats to Joe Montana’s 4 Super Bowl performance where he achieved a 127.8 QB rating. Montana completed 83/122 passes for 1,142 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also ran for 2 touchdowns while never throwing an interception. Montana was also named the games’ MVP 3 times going 4-0 in Super Bowl games. Though Brady never amassed these accomplishments, there is no, nor has there ever been a modern equivalent. No offense to Rice-A-Roni, but Montana is probably San Francisco’s favorite treat.

Even though Steeler Nation has nothing but R-E-S-P-E-C-T for Roethlisberger, his performance is nowhere near Montana’s or Brady’s caliber. In 2 Super Bowls, Big Ben has completed 30/51 for 379 yards with a 62% completion rate. But, he has only thrown 1 touchdown in contrasts to 3 interceptions. As previously mentioned, Roethlisberger had a lowly 22.6 QB rating in his first Super Bowl, but he bested that by 70.6 points when he achieved a 93.2 rating in the final contest of the 2008 season. But despite his lack in offensive production, he has walked away a two-time champion. And if the Super Bowl is the career defining moment for all players, especially quarterback’s, then Roethlisberger has to be elevated in the conversation of greatness. When the Steelers won Super Bowl XL, Roethlisberger was 23 years old, surpassing Brady as the youngest quarterback to win a championship. Though his youthfulness is just one piece of the puzzle, his winning style has been firmly established in his 5 seasons under center.

As a starter, Roethlisberger has achieved a 51-20 regular season record, leading the Steelers to a 23-4 record against the Division; a Division that includes the Baltimore Ravens whom he is 6-2 against. Against the AFC power-houses (Patriots, Colts, Jaguars, and Titans) he is 5-7; the apparent Achilles heel being the Indianapolis Colts who he has not beaten in the regular season. However, he does own a 1-0 record against the Colts in the playoffs. Though the point of this debate is how championships elevate a quarterback in the all time hierarchy, Roethlisberger’s regular season dominance shows that his 2 titles are not a fluke. He has already won two by the age of 26. In comparison, Montana was 26 when he won his first championship.

Looking at the validity of statistical analysis vs. number of championships, it is again vital to move back to “what is the reason the game is played”? Football, in its purest sense, is a team sport. And the point for training year-round, enduring mini-camp, training camp, the preseason, the season, and for those lucky 16 teams- the playoffs; it is about winning championships. And if the argument can been founded on that rationale, then the inclusion of players with average statistical accomplishments are in much better standing should they return home to a parade in their honor.

The best example of statistical dominance is Dan Marino, the bench mark for quarterbacking in the NFL. Until the 2006 and 2007 season’s, Marion held most of the top statistical NFL records: most TD (420), most yards (61,361), most passing yards in one season (5,084), and most 300-yard passing games at a mind boggling 63. But despite all his career success, the one column that Marino never notched was a Super Bowl win. For argument’s sake, Roethlisberger has probably enjoyed a better supporting cast. But, Marino failed to win in his only trip despite throwing over 300 yards.

Therefore, the following will outline my top 10 all-time QB’s because of their success at the highest level:

1. Bart Starr (5) 3 Championships/2 Super Bowls
2. Joe Montana (4-0)
3. Terry Bradshaw (4-0)
4. Troy Aikman (3-0)
5. Tom Brady (3-1)
6. Ben Roethlisberger (2-0)
7. Bob Griese (2-0)
8. Jim Plunkett (2-0)
9. Roger Staubach (2-2)
10. John Elway (2-3)

In the end, a statistically dominated career can compensate for a lack of championships on the career resume. But, for most players, winning a championship is the holy grail of the sport, or more secular, it will validate a career (Warner), cement a legacy (P. Manning), or get the proverbial monkey off one’s back (Young). But, If we can allow the QB debate to be held in the Super Bowl forum, then determining the rankings should be that much easier. NFL fandom stretches multiple generations, across teams both young and old. And while individual pride might not agree with where their quarterback’s ranked, everyone should be able to show a little respect for the accomplishments of those on top. After all, even the players on the losing side of a Sunday afternoon meeting still find a moment congratulate the victors.

Though Roethlisberger has a lot left to prove to the non-believers, what he has done in his 5 short years will give him a great cover letter to his canton application. And while Vince Lombardi would have difficult comprehending a 6’5” 250lb. quarterback, I am sure he would find a roster spot for him come training camp.