The modern ‘golden boy’ of the NFL will finally face justice. Tom Brady is a very god quarterback, but modern broadcasters label him one of the ‘greatest of all time.’ That is inaccurate and this adulation is because the “experts” did not see the great quarterbacks of the past perform in their glory days; I was fortunate to watch many of them lead their teams.

I have no malice towards Brady; he is talented and performs his job very well. My complaint is directed at the “experts” who fail to tell the truth. After all, they are part of the media, and their goals are to increase ratings.

Brady has been fortunate to play for Bill Belichick. He is the ‘evil genius’ of professional football. Brady is also lucky that Robert Croft is close friends with Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Belichick designed an offensive line which often allows Brady to complete a game with a clean jersey. No quarterback in history has had more time to complete a pass. Dozens of quarterbacks have come and gone during Brady’s career who would have been extremely successful if they could stand and pick their targets without fear of being crushed by a crazed linebacker.

If you actually watch the games, you must be aware that the officials frequently protect Brady from possible injury. I have witnessed many calls against the defense which were unwarranted. It appeared that the officials were issuing a warning to defensive linemen and linebackers that ‘St. Tom’ was off limits.

The greatest quarterbacks of all time played before Brady began his career. They not only had to be able to throw accurately, they had to read defenses, call their own plays, and operate under different rules when quarterbacks were forced to play with pain. These men did not play when the NFL was a ‘pass first’ league, and during their time statistics meant little to success on the field.

Let’s begin with Bart Starr. The Green Bay Packers’ quarterback not only won the first two Super Bowls, he was the most valuable player in each. At six-feet-one-inch tall and under 190 pounds, Starr played for 15 seasons. He was truly the ‘field general.’ His on-field decisions were the reason the Packers were not only formidable, but feared.

Johnny Unitas should receive the label ‘greatest quarterback of all time.’ He matched Starr’s ability to diagnose defenses and call the ‘right play at the right time.’ He also had one of the greatest arms of all time. He led the Baltimore Colts from 1956 until 1972, winning Super Bowl V. Although he was the same size as Starr, he played much larger. His career stats while playing under pressure, and performing while in pain should impress any NFL fan. He completed 2,830 of 5,186 passes for a percentage of 54.6. He threw for 290 touchdowns, and a total passing yardage of 40,239. His overall passer rating is 78.2 percent.

Although Joe Namath’s statistics trailed those of Starr and Unitas, his accuracy was amazing to behold. His leadership was without question, and he is credited by opposing coaches as the best quarterback ever in his ability to read defenses. His guarantee of a win in Super Bowl III will remain legendary. If his body had served him better, he may have broken all passing records before he was forced to retire in 1977.

One thing to remember is that these men played at a time when a running back was the most important player on the team.

There are others who I was fortunate to watch such as Y.A. Tittle, Terry Bradshaw, Roger Staubach, Jim Kelly, Fran Tarkenton, Joe Montana, Dan Moreno, Troy Aikman, and more recently Peyton Manning.

Considering all requirements of a quarterback, I name Manning as the greatest modern quarterback. He frequently lacked the support of his team while breaking all-time passing records.

I take no joy in knowing that Brady will miss the first four games of the 2016 season, but it’s the right thing to do. If another player can be suspended for four games for possession of marijuana, four games must be the minimum for a player who defiantly breaks the rules.

Op-Ed

By James Turnage

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