Tom Brady is statistically twice the passer Joe Montana was
Tom Brady is the GOAT. And recently, in an interview with ESPN, former San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana said what he felt about Tom Brady.
Tom Brady is a maestro. I almost enjoy watching him as much as I did Montana. Makes everyone better around him.
Here's what Montana had to say about Brady:
"I think Tom has, you know, taken his place on the top up there a long time ago. He's had a tremendous career, is fun to watch. [...] Everybody always contests over that, but I think if you look at what Tom has been able to accomplish in his time that he's played, I think it puts him definitely up there in the top of the list."
The "former" Greatest Of All Time, Montana, earned the title of GOAT by winning four Super Bowls (XVI, XIX, XXIII, and XXIV) and dominating the NFL back in the 1980s. Impressive numbers by almost all accounts, the only time they look non-memorable is when compared to Brady's.
Brady vs. Montana, statistically
After last night's game, Tom Brady now has twice as many career passing yards as Joe Montana.
Brady: 81,268 yards
Montana: 40,551 yards
Montana played 16 years in the NFL, from 1979 to 1994. He spent 14 years with the San Francisco 49ers and played his final two years with the Kansas City Chiefs.
During his career, Montana won 117 games and lost 47. He finished his career with a completion percentage of 63.2. He threw for 40,551 yards, 273 touchdowns and 139 interceptions.
As mentioned above, he won four Super Bowls, and was elected the MVP in three of them. He also was the NFL's MVP twice (1989 and 1990).
In 2000, Montana became an NFL Hall of Famer.
Brady is currently playing his 22nd NFL season. He spent 20 years with the New England Patriots, and is now the quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In 22 seasons, Brady has won the Super Bowl seven times (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLIX, LI, LIII, and LV) — tied with Otto Graham for most wins by a player. He was elected MVP of the game five times (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XLIX, LI, LV) and was the NFL's MVP three times (2007, 2010, 2017).
Brady has 235 wins and only 70 losses, a completion rate of 64.1%. He threw for 81,268 yards, 598 touchdowns and 194 interceptions.
Statistically, Brady is far superior to Montana, and the GOAT title is in good hands. But do the numbers tell the whole story?
The 1980s vs. now
Football was a different sport in the 1980s. Defenses could tee off at quarterbacks, and did it routinely. There was no "strike zone" when hitting quarterbacks — defensive players could hit them anywhere they wanted and as hard as they possibly could.
Plus, defenses could hold wide receivers all the way down the field, which means quarterbacks had to keep the ball longer in the 1980s and take more punishment.
Montana took an absolute beating and injured his back as a result. So he could not play into his 40s — no one could, back then. Injuries caught up to players. Terry Bradshaw won four Super Bowls in his 20s, got injured and retired at 35.
Brady would likely have suffered a similar fate during that era.
It is hard to see Brady having the same longevity had he played in the 1980s. Brady cannot move — he is a statue compared to Montana. That is one of the reasons why Brady suffered a gruesome knee injury when he was 31.
Afterward, the NFL changed its rules to protect quarterbacks when they are in the pocket.
The same did not happen during Montana's time.
Had Brady played in Montana's NFL, it is possible he would have won those three Super Bowl titles he won early in his career. But thanks to yesteryear's less advanced medical facilities and more violence during games, it is also possible he would have injured his knee and probably faded away the way most quarterbacks in their 30s did back then.
Also Checkout: Joe Montana Super Bowl Wins