Ranking Tom Brady's greatest rival QBs over the years
When the annals of quarterbacking in the NFL are written, Tom Brady will sit above them all. He is the greatest quarterback to ever play the game, and his list of records is as impressive as it is unbelievable. He is the ultimate individual player, holding a host of passing records, including the most passing yards and passing touchdowns. In terms of team records, he holds the record for most Super Bowl victories with seven, more than any other franchise.
He has outlasted everyone, but for the purposes of recording for posterity, we must at least endeavor to make a list of people who gave him the toughest fights. Across his career, some quarterbacks have been Brady's biggest rivals.
Quarterbacks who rivaled Tom Brady
#5 - Eli Manning
In terms of pure talent, maybe Eli Manning does not come at the top of any list of quarterbacks, but in terms of being Brady's Super Bowl nemesis, he leads the fray. Eli Manning won two Super Bowls, both against the New England Patriots led by Brady. In both cases, the Giants were less favored than the Patriots, and yet in each case the former ended up trumping the latter.
Eli Manning not only beat Tom Brady twice, he also denied Brady and the Patriots the extremely rare perfect season. I love him for that.
In Super Bowl XLII, the Patriots entered the game as part of a perfect season, and were undefeated coming to the Super Bowl. Eli Manning won the MVP as the Patriots lost 17-14. He repeated the trick again in Super Bowl XLVI as the 9-7 Giants defeated the 13-3 Patriots.
#4 - Ben Roethlisberger
In terms of longevity in this era, no one comes close to Tom Brady. The only person who tried to get mighty close was Ben Roethlisberger. He is possibly retiring aged 39 and after playing for 18 seasons. Brady and Roethlisberger played for the two most successful franchises in NFL history, the New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers, and each contributed to their successes.
The Steelers drafted Ben Roethlisberger in 2004 and never had a losing record in the next 18 seasons.
Third longest streak in NFL history.
Roethlisberger will retire with two Super Bowls if he does so now, and he is a surefire future Hall-of-Famer, where he will certainly join Brady. In terms of clutch performances as well, among compatriots, Roethlisberger alone could pass Brady for game-winning drives, leading the team behind from a deficit to victory with 51 such drives.