NFL Legends

The Quarterback Pantheon

No position carries more history. These are the passers who set the standard.

• Tom Brady — the most decorated quarterback ever, with seven Super Bowl championships across a 20-plus-year career; for most fans, the GOAT conversation starts here.
• Joe Montana — "Joe Cool," who led the 1980s 49ers to four titles and never seemed to lose his nerve in the fourth quarter.
• Peyton Manning — a cerebral field general and one of the most productive passers in league history.
• John Elway, Dan Marino, Brett Favre, and Troy Aikman — the faces of an entire era of football, each a Hall of Famer.
• Johnny Unitas — the crew-cut original, who helped invent the modern passing game.

The Ball Carriers and Receivers

• Jim Brown — frequently called the greatest running back of all time, who walked away at the peak of his powers.
• Walter Payton — "Sweetness," the complete back and the heart of the Chicago Bears.
• Barry Sanders — the most electric, untacklable runner the game has ever seen.
• Emmitt Smith — the NFL's all-time leading rusher and the engine of the Cowboys' dynasty.
• Jerry Rice — widely regarded as the greatest wide receiver in history, the holder of essentially every major receiving record.
• Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, and Larry Fitzgerald — the dominant pass-catchers who followed.

The Game-Wreckers on Defense

• Lawrence Taylor — the Giants linebacker who changed how offenses had to be built, full stop.
• Reggie White — the "Minister of Defense," an unstoppable pass rusher.
• Deion Sanders — "Prime Time," the most electrifying cornerback ever and a two-sport star.
• Ray Lewis and Ed Reed — the brains and ballhawks of the great Baltimore defenses.

Today's Stars

• Patrick Mahomes — the era-defining quarterback, already a multiple champion.
• Aaron Donald — a generational interior defensive lineman.
• Travis Kelce and Derrick Henry — a record-setting tight end and a bulldozing back keeping the modern game must-watch.