Sam Darnold: Top 10 Super Bowl QB? Matt Verderame Joins to Rank the Best

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Sam Darnold: Top 10 Super Bowl QB? Matt Verderame Joins to Rank the Best"

The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz — Feb 13, 2026
Recorded at: The Elser Hotel in Downtown Miami
Main segment covered: Discussion led by Dave Damaschek featuring Gino Fuentes, Ethan Badowski, Supe Campbell, Matt Verderame, and Chaz Batch

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Overview:

This episode dives deep into NFL Super Bowl history and quarterback legacies, sparked by Seattle’s recent Super Bowl win. The crew evaluates where the 2025 Seahawks fit among championship teams, debates if Sam Darnold or Matthew Stafford belong among the all-time top 10 Super Bowl QBs, and features Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame for a robust QB ranking exercise. Personal favorites, generational bias, and lively banter abound as the panel mixes football history, myth-making, and plenty of hot takes.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ranking the All-Time Great Super Bowl Teams

(00:06–05:25)

• Dave Damaschek opens with a classic rundown of past Super Bowl champions, placing the 2025 Seahawks outside the top 10 and listing out his own top 10, starting with the 1978 Steelers, 1989 49ers, 1999 Rams, and others.
• Notable Insight: The championship euphoria often leads to hyperbole, with recent champions quickly dubbed the “best ever.”
• Quote: "Declaring we ain't done yet is a weird newish tradition, as is the hyperbole around how good the team that just won is compared to all the other past winners." — Dave Damaschek (00:06)

2. Jersey Number 51: Football or Baseball?

(05:26–06:36)

• Gino and Dave riff about famous athletes who wore #51, landing on Randy Johnson as the baseball standout and Dick Butkus for football.
• Quote: "Randy Johnson is the correct answer here. He is the most forgotten all time great starting pitcher." — Dave Damaschek (05:47)

3. Evaluating the 2025 Seahawks and Super Bowl Winner Bias

(06:36–10:47)

• The panel debates if the current Seahawks deserve the “greatest ever” buzz, comparing them to the 2013 Seahawks (“Legion of Boom”), and past dominant teams. Gino prefers the older Hawks defense; Ethan and Dave recall the dominance of last year’s Eagles against the Chiefs.
• Generational Bias: The cast acknowledges that recency and generational experience heavily shape “greatest ever” debates.
  • Quote: "Stick with the 2017. They won with their backup QB. That's got to stand for something." — Dave Damaschek (09:53)
  • Quote: “Our MVP when Phil Sims got hurt and Jeff Hostetler ran him the rest of the way to the Super Bowl…” — Dave Damaschek (09:58)

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4. Battle of the Quarterbacks: Top 10 of the Super Bowl Era

(12:09–39:04; see timestamps below)

A. Setting the Criteria

• Dave and Matt agree to consider Super Bowl era QBs only (so, post-1966), dismissing stats pre-Super Bowl for fairness.
  • Quote: "If you're a new listener, here's how I know what happened before the Super Bowl era began didn't matter..." — Dave Damaschek (18:48)

B. Consensus and Debates:

• #1: Tom Brady — Unanimous.
• #2: Joe Montana — Still ahead of Mahomes, largely for his league-changing playoff performances and four Super Bowls.
• #3: Patrick Mahomes — "Already on the Mount Rushmore." If he had a three-peat, the debate would shift.
  • Quote: "Montana, people look at his numbers go, wait, oh, he threw for 4,000 yards. Montana was an absurd player." — Matt Verderame (20:25)
• #4: Peyton Manning (Verderame); #4: Aaron Rodgers (Dameshek)
  • Both praised as the best regular season QBs but dinged for so-so playoff showings.
• #5: Aaron Rodgers (Verderame); #5: Dan Marino (Dameshek)
• #6: Elway (Verderame); #6: Peyton (Dameshek)
• #7: Marino (Verderame); #7: Favre (Dameshek)
  • Marino: The greatest to not win a Super Bowl, both agree.
• #8: Aikman (Verderame, for accuracy and leadership); #8: Elway (Dameshek)
• #9: Steve Young (Verderame); #9: Josh Allen (Dameshek, projecting future potential)
• #10: Kurt Warner (Verderame, for unique 3-Super Bowl impact); #10: Bradshaw/Roethlisberger (Dameshek, splitting hairs among 4-ring Steeler QBs)

C. Who’s Missing?

• Drew Brees, Dan Fouts, and Warren Moon are mentioned but viewed as just outside the elite tier.
  • Quote: "If you're talking about substantial QBs doing it in a dome and all of that... yeah, a million times. He was a great player but...his numbers are a little inflated because Sean Payton..." — Dave Damaschek (39:18)
• Josh Allen/Lamar Jackson: Dameshek is bullish on Allen's future; Lamar's transcendent skillset is admired but “the window might be closing.”
  • Quote: “I don't know that [Lamar] will ever win the Super Bowls to get up to into that echelon...” — Ethan Badowski (46:09)

D. Notable Exchanges

• The hosts admit that their Top 10s frequently overlap, lamenting the “lack of drama” but celebrating agreement on football history context and QB mythologies.
• Quote: “This conversation would be better —they always say that what you, if you want good drama, you need some conflict. And Verderam and I park our cars in the same garage over and over…” — Dave Damaschek (32:09)

Timestamps for QB Ranking Segment:

• Start: 17:27 (Conversation about Stafford and the "Top 10" debate)
• Main list building: 18:39–39:04

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5. Marino as a Legend & The Generational Divide

(41:49–44:02)

• Ethan reflects on growing up as a Dolphins fan but never seeing Dan Marino play live. He reminisces about watching Marino highlights and recognizes his unique arm talent despite lacking Super Bowl hardware:
  • Quote: "I'm not sure I've ever seen in my lifetime a passer quite like Marino." — Ethan Badowski (43:32)

6. Quarterbacks of the Future: Mahomes’ Destiny

(44:02–45:29)

• Will Mahomes surpass Brady? The consensus: If Mahomes gets one or two more rings, people will start shifting the GOAT narrative, since Mahomes’ talent is widely considered superior.

7. Current and Rising QBs: Could Anyone Join the List?

(45:29–46:48)

• The panel discusses Burrow, Herbert, Allen, and Lamar as future Hall-of-Fame candidates, but most feel their legacies still hang in the balance, largely dependent on postseason success.

8. Charlie (Chaz) Batch on Role Models, Aaron Rodgers’ Future, and Mentorship

(47:47–53:09)

• In an endearing segment, Damaschek interviews former Steelers QB Chaz Batch about his foundation’s work in Pittsburgh and lessons learned from Dan Marino’s legacy. Batch gives a measured take on Aaron Rodgers’ prospects in Pittsburgh, calling last year’s performance not as bad as outsiders claim, and hints optimism for rookie Will Howard.
  • Quote: "For me, I'm gonna be biased because I've been, I'm a huge, huge Dan Marino fan..." — Chaz Batch (50:25)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dave Damaschek (00:06): “Declaring we ain’t done yet is a weird newish tradition, as is the hyperbole around how good the team that just won is compared to all the other past winners.”
• Matt Verderame (13:13): "They're not the 2000 Ravens. They're not the 2015 Broncos. They're not the 2013 Legion Boom. Right? I mean, they're not the best defense in their own franchise’s history."
• Gino Fuentes (06:36): “I thought the Legion of Doom was a better defense, personally.”
• Damaschek (32:09): "This conversation would be better... you need some conflict. And Verderam and I park our cars in the same garage over and over..."
• Ethan Badowski (43:32): "I'm not sure I've ever seen in my lifetime a passer quite like Marino."
• Chaz Batch (50:25): "For me, I'm gonna be biased because I've been, I'm a huge, huge Dan Marino fan and he was a guy that I followed that I wanted to be like as a kid growing up. So I understand the Super Bowls and those type of things, but man, I'm biased. Dan Marino."

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Additional Highlights with Timestamps

| Timestamp | Highlight | |-----------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:06 | Damaschek’s opening Super Bowl champs monologue and cultural commentary | | 05:26 | Annual “#51 in sports” debate | | 06:36 | Hawks "greatest team" buzz—panel split | | 12:09 | Introduction of Matt Verderame and QB ranking segment | | 17:27 | Stafford as potential "top 10 Super Bowl era QB" question debunked | | 18:39 | Building the QB Top 10: Damaschek vs. Verderame | | 32:09 | Agreement on Marino despite lack of a Super Bowl win | | 39:18 | Brees and Fouts honorable mentions; “system QBs” debate | | 41:49 | Ethan’s reflection on the Marino generation gap | | 47:47 | Chaz Batch on giving back, mentoring QBs, and optimism for Will Howard |

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Tone and Banter

The podcast keeps its signature blend of irreverence, nostalgia, and sharp analysis, with Damaschek delivering playful jabs and self-aware asides ("This conversation would be better...if there was some conflict") while panelists both honor past legends and critique modern fan culture’s hunger for “best ever” anointment.

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Conclusion

This episode offers a sweeping (and occasionally spicy) tour through football’s “GOAT” arguments, the pitfalls of recency bias, and the enduring challenge of ranking QBs across eras. While no absolute consensus emerges, the discussion is laced with expert context, fandom confessions, and a healthy respect for what history—and heartbreak—teach football fans.

For NFL history buffs, ranking junkies, and those debating Mahomes versus Brady, these two hours are pure, well-informed football joy.

Transcript

[Ethan Badowski]

And hey, we not done.

[Matt Verderam]

We coming back next year. Yeah.

[Dave Damaschek]

Sheesh. Leonard Williams, why you doing that, man? Can't you just enjoy the here and now? I don't know. I guess declaring we ain't done yet is a weird newish tradition, as is the hyperbole around how good the team that just won is compared to all the other past winners. But fine, I'll play ball where do the 25 Hawks rank among super bowl champs? Well, to start behind the 2013 Seahawks, the 1973 Dolphins, who are ticked better than the undefeated 72 Fins, the 77 Cowboys, the 2016 Pats, and the odd eight Steelers, who had one of several defenses this century that was better than the 25 Hawks. But none of those teams are even in the top 10. Would you like to know who is good at number 10? The 2019 Chiefs, who only won 12 regular season games but in the postseason. After Dee Ford lined up offside, Casey was down 24 to the Texans with 10 minutes left in the second quarter before rallying to go up 28:20 by halftime, then down 10 to the Titans early in the title game before rallying to blow them out and down 10 late to the Niners in the super bowl before rallying to win by 11 and by the end of it all, Mahomes was already an all time great at number nine, the 17 Eagles. Poor Carson Wentz. Not literally of course. He's quite well off as it happens, but spiritually, I mean he was going to win the MVP. Probably the Lombardi too. Philly went 133 and in Super Bowl 52 beat the Patriots with their backup QB. Not that that should make you feel bad about yourself. Jared stidham at number eight, the 84 Niners. Walsh's crew went 151 and killed Marino's dolphins 3816 in the Super Bowl. I could have put this team up a little higher, but we'll get to another Montana led team in a sec and that one had Jerry Rice on it. Meantime, at number seven the 85 Bears, who went 151 with the most iconic defense ever. They allowed just 12.4 points per game and pitched back to back playoff shutouts before shaming the Pats 4610 in XX super as they were though, I do think they dodged a bullet by not having to see the 46 defenses Aqua Kryptonite named Marino again. Next at number six, the 86 Giants. Yeah, the 142 Big Blue defense, headlined by the greatest defensive player of all time LT in a season of heavyweight teams, hung 49 on the 49ers in a playoff game. Is that rude or is it a neat little tribute to the Niners? Either way, Phil Sims and company had the highest playoff point differential of any super bowl winner and whipped Elway 3920 in the Super Bowl. Next, at number five, the odd four Patriots who beat 151 Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, then dubbed the 13 win Eagles in the Super Bowl 142 the league's second ranked defense. This is the Lombardi that made the Patriots a dynasty. At number four, the inexplicable 91 skins, 14 wins in the regular season, then in the Postseason played the 10 win Falcons, 12 win Lions and 13 win Bills and wrecked them all. Gibbs's gang led the league in scoring and turnover margin. And I know the analytics peaks love them, which is good because this team makes no GD sense to the naked eye. Mark Rippon with Ernest Beiner and old Art Monk. What in hell? Voodoo in D.C. at number three, the 99 Rams who set the super bowl era record for best point differential and scored what was then a record 526points. With all due respect to Mahomes and Lamar Jackson and the 85 Bears, the greatest show on turf is still the most. Oh my God, this is revolutionary. The sport's never going to be the same moment of the super bowl era now. They weren't as dominant in their last two games or they might have been even higher up. Which takes me to number two. Here they are the best San Francisco team of the 80s, the 89ers 142 league's best offense, third ranked defense, wrecked real good Vikes and Rams teams in the NFC playoffs, then humiliated Elway's 11 win Broncos 5510 in the Super Bowl. Niners were so good that year they didn't even need the architect Bill Walsh to run through pro football. And at number one, the 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers. Yeah, yeah, I'm biased. I don't care what you didn't say. But before the season started, the NFL decided Mel Blunt was too good. So they created a rule in his name that made it easier for receivers which favored passing teams which people thought would scuttle the run heavy Steelers. But instead Terry Bradshaw led the league in touchdowns and won the MVP. The 142 Steelers then handled the reigning AFC champion Broncos, the AFC second best team Oilers and the defending champion aka America's a legend team. And here's the best out of them all. Over 19 games, they lost one game by seven points, another game by three points, and that's that. All of this is the same. Enjoy Your Lombardi, Seattle. It counts exactly the same as the other 59. Now with that out of the way, let's start the show. Yes. Hi and hello, my fellow football Americans. Welcome to Football America, presented as ever by our pals over at DraftKings. DraftKings. The Crown is yours. A lot to get to. We have Chaz Batch coming up, plus our pal from Sports Illustrated, Matt Verderam, to talk some super bowl era history. Looking forward to both of those. We'll get in on Aaron Rodgers a little bit at the back of the show with our guy, Chaz Batch. In the meantime, it's episode 51. Who wore that number? Best in sports history, Gino Fuentes.

[Gino Fuentes]

You know, I was surprised by the baseball crop that wore number 51. You would think 51, that sounds like a linebacker number, an offensive lineman number. And you know, Dick Buckus represented that one well. And Randy Cross did as well for the, the 49ers. But, but in baseball, it's Ichiro, it's Randy Johnson, it's Trevor Hoffman, it's Bernie Williams. It's just, it's not a. It's a weird number to have baseball.

[Dave Damaschek]

Be associated but gets beat any of those guys, I'm going to say no. Ichiro is up there. I think the best of that group. And this I. No disrespect to Butkus or Ichiro, but Randy Johnson is the correct answer here. He is the most forgotten all time great starting pitcher. He's in the top five or six starting pitchers since World War II, and he doesn't get mentioned nearly as much as I think he deserves to. So that's who we're honoring. With 51. In football though, it's Butkus, clearly. All right, fellas, you just heard me talk about. I get it. We all want to be able to say we just saw the best thing that's ever happened in the sport that we all love to watch there. Do you think the Seahawks deserve some of the buzz they've been getting as one of the best teams to ever win a Super Bowl? Gino, your house roots for the Hawks. I'll start with you.

[Gino Fuentes]

I mean, I thought the Legion of Doom was a better defense, personally.

[Dave Damaschek]

Agree.

[Chaz Batch]

Maybe.

[Gino Fuentes]

Maybe they didn't. No, actually they did play better in the Super Bowl. In their super bowl, they, they destroyed Peyton Manning that year. I think it was 43 to 8, if my memory serves me correctly.

[Supe Campbell]

Correct.

[Dave Damaschek]

Nicely done.

[Gino Fuentes]

They had a better offense too. I mean, Sam Darnold, I mean, it's still.

[Dave Damaschek]

I think that's. I think that's close at least. But I do think, you know, so Sam Darnold at, I guess, the height of his powers versus Russell Wilson.

[Gino Fuentes]

Russell Wilson was a first down machine. I don't know if you remember that he had like 800 yards rushing that year.

[Ethan Badowski]

He was.

[Gino Fuentes]

When he, when he was. He would routinely get to like third and eight, third and nine, and he would get the first down and then you'd have Marshawn running up your ass two plays after that. And he was just. They were impossible to stop. They were impossible to get off the field.

[Dave Damaschek]

Mike Fuentes is out on a cruise. That's what happens when football season ends. In his stead is Ethan Badowski. Ethan, how say you, You're a young fella. You probably have never even heard of some of the teams I mentioned there.

[Ethan Badowski]

No, I've definitely heard of some of them. But to me, you have heard of some of them. The team that stood out, first of all, definitely, you know that the Rams.

[Dave Damaschek]

Used to play in St. Louis.

[Ethan Badowski]

I do know that the Rams used to play in St. Louis. I remember when the Rams moved from St. Louis. Yes. I'm not that young, but they did win the super bowl the year I was born, which we were talking about earlier, which I know I'm sure made a lot of you guys feel old. That Greatest show on Turf team with Kurt Warner and. And all those guys, Marshall Falk, for me, like, certainly the 2013 Seahawks, I think stand out as like one of the greatest teams ever. They certainly have the most dominant Super Bowl.

[Matt Verderam]

Don't do.

[Dave Damaschek]

Ever do in your lifetime.

[Ethan Badowski]

In my lifetime, in my life.

[Dave Damaschek]

I don't weigh in. I don't. You never hear me talk about, about Otto Graham. I mean, because I didn't see him play. So how. How can I have opinion. I don't do that about Bobby or. I barely even know what Bobby or looks like. I've seen all the highlights, but I don't try to place him among NHL guys I've actually watched. So go with that. Use Dave as your guiding light here, Ethan. And the best team of in my.

[Ethan Badowski]

Lifetime, like one of the teams that comes to mind is honestly last year's Eagles to stop the Chiefs from getting to the three peat in that fashion. Like, they were just unbelievable. It was. It was hard to fathom when it was happening, exactly what was happening that they were beating up on this team that to me is still a dynasty, even if they didn't get the three peat. Like they are the team of this decade, of this era, of the National Football league. And the Eagles made quick work of them. Destroyed them what 40 to 16 or something like that. Dave. Like to me I think they have to be in the conversation. If the 2007 Patriots had won the super bowl that would be an absolute no brainer.

[Dave Damaschek]

Well, of course, but I'll also.

[Ethan Badowski]

But they didn't do it.

[Dave Damaschek]

Surprise.

[Ethan Badowski]

But they didn't.

[Dave Damaschek]

You Miami boys didn't come at me exactly $72.

[Ethan Badowski]

I was still though they were. I was still with them. I was so happy when they lost that Super Bowl. That is like one of my earliest super bowl memories is rooting so hard against that team so that the Dolphins could remain the only undefeated team of all time. But the Chiefs in general, I just think you would say like all of those teams pick any one of them would probably be the best team of my lifetime.

[Dave Damaschek]

The takeaway for me is you're a son of a bitch because now I have to go back and, and, and, and I think you just have to remove everything I said at the top because I didn't even put last year's Eagles in my top 15. Yeah, I think you're probably right.

[Ethan Badowski]

I think a lot of people are.

[Dave Damaschek]

Stick with the 2017. They went with their backup QB. That's got to stand for something.

[Ethan Badowski]

It was like that team was.

[Dave Damaschek]

Wait, our mvp. Our MVP when Phil Sims got hurt and Jeff Hostetler ran him the rest of the way to the Super Bowl. But it was Phil Sims, right, we're talking about. I mean that Carson Wentz was going to win the MVP and he got hurt and they didn't skip a beat. That has to stand for something.

[Ethan Badowski]

And they beat Brady at the height of his powers in a game he threw for like 400 yards.

[Gino Fuentes]

He threw not 550466 in that game.

[Ethan Badowski]

Through for almost 500 yards in that game and multiple touchdowns. I can't remember exactly the stats right now. I don't have them in front of me.

[Dave Damaschek]

That Patriot team wasn't that good but.

[Ethan Badowski]

Still offense was incredible and they have a special place in my heart that Eagles team because that game was on my 19th birthday and I was so worried that Brady was going to ruin my 19th birthday. And then the Patriot, the Eagles went out and beat them. So that Eagles team will forever have a special.

[Dave Damaschek]

You know this Badowski makes everything about himself. I like the cut of his J.

[Ethan Badowski]

Don't you know how things work in this show in this world Dave, that we live in this, this metal arc media world?

[Dave Damaschek]

Well, no, the only adjustment I'd like you to make is I appreciate spiritually that you're making it about you, but I'd rather you try to make it all about me because that's, that would be the sweet spot for me. All right. You see, one game's result can change everything because if the Chiefs had beaten the Eagles a year ago, Mahomes would probably be the best quarterback of all time in a lot of people's opinions. Let's dig in on that subject and a whole bunch of other super bowl era history with our guy from Sports Illustrated and beyond, Matt Verderam. All right, here he is, just in time to talk some super bowl era history. And I mean this sincerely. I don't know if there's anybody who does it better than this fella does, even though he's a little younger even than, than Dave Damaschek, if you can believe that. He is the author of a great new piece in Sports Illustrated, the 60 Greatest Moments of the Super Bowl Era. I contributed, I consulted my guy Verderam on this a little bit also. You can hear him on the Matt Verde Rom show on Patreon and that football show on KC Sports Network. It's our guy, Mad Verderom. What's the poop, fella?

[Matt Verderam]

What's going on? How are you?

[Dave Damaschek]

I'm doing fine. I'm doing fine. I hope you're enjoying are the Devils. Are there any New Jersey Devils playing in the Olympics right now? I guess Jack Hughes.

[Matt Verderam]

Jack Hughes. Jasper Brad, Jacob Markstrom. But the Devils, the Devils suck. So we don't, we don't talk about the Devils.

[Dave Damaschek]

You don't want to. I mean, I'm chomping at the bit to get back to NHL action so much I become a curmudgeon about Olympic hockey.

[Matt Verderam]

Go, go. You know, get the Whalers sweatshirt on for you as we moving. We're moving out to West Hartford here in the around Memorial Day. So figured, you know, get a little Hartford Whalers gear to fit in with the locals.

[Dave Damaschek]

Good for you, man. And congratulations on another great season of covering the NFL. Great stuff from you in San Francisco, slash, Santa Clara, all the rest of it. We're talking about where this Seahawks team stands in history. What, what's specifically weigh in on the defense. I, I feel like people are a little over the skis. As good as this Hawks defense was about where it ranks even in the last quarter century.

[Matt Verderam]

Yeah, look, I mean when you look at, at the league and you look at the history of it, if we're talking even to your point, the last quarter century they're not the 2000 Ravens. They're not the 2015 Broncos. They're not the 2013 Legion. Boom. Right? I mean, they're not the best defense in their own franchises.

[Dave Damaschek]

I agree with that. I'd also put the Jags ahead of them. 2017 Jags.

[Matt Verderam]

That was a. That was a very good defense. I. I mean, your Steelers, when they were winning a couple Super Bowls. Yeah, yeah. With Palomalo and Harrison, everybody. Yeah. I mean, I think. Look, I think the Seahawks defense is a very, very good defense. I don't look at them and say they're a historically great defense. I thought they had one of the best defensive Super Bowls ever, for sure. But, you know, over the course of history. Listen, this year is weird. Like, there's a lot of metrics out there, the analytics that'll tell you this is one of the best teams ever. My argument with that is everybody spent all year saying that nobody's any good. So, yeah, like, they were definitely the best team in the league. I think they were the deserving champions. They are absolutely worthy champion. Do I think they would have beat the Eagles from a year ago? No. Do I think they would have beat the Chiefs from 2022? No. So I. Yeah, they were an excellent football team. I think, though, that it has to be noted, like, the league was pretty horrendous outside of themselves, the Rams and who else would even throw in there, like, after those two teams, it's a cliff to get to the next team.

[Dave Damaschek]

I agree with you. And I do want to say, because Seahawks fans can, like most fan bases, get caught up in their feelings. You're trying to diminish us and whatever. No, but I do think that this is a weird element. I said at the top of the show here. It's. It's sort of a new fangled tradition to. To be gluttonous. If you just won, you have to immediately declare, don't worry, we're coming back for more. Just enjoy that. It's real hard to get just that one. And then it's also everybody, the media and I guess influenced by the fans, they have to weigh in. Because I think we, deep down, as I've said before, and it's why the Nike ads around LeBron were so great way back when. About I am witness, I think we want to be able to say, and it's why everybody puffs their chest out about their eras. Best. I saw Jordan. So he's better than LeBron. No, no. Say the people from the 60s. Bill Russell was better than them all. I think we all want to say we saw the best, but I think we we get a little wild and out of hand with how good the Seahawks were. They were a very good team. Obviously they won 14 games. The other thing that came out of super bowl week that caught my ear and immediately made me think of you because you're dorky like me and you love to try and contextualize. The reason I think I don't want to speak for you. The reason we love history is because it provides context to what otherwise would sit in a vacuum. It's easy to say the Seahawks are the best I've ever seen. Yeah, you have amnesia a little bit. Let's go back in history and actually see where they fit in there.

[Supe Campbell]

You know, people keep asking me about my 2026 resolutions and yeah, I got the usual stuff. You know, watch more games, complain about the power play and pretend like my team's actually going to stay health.

[Dave Damaschek]

Haha.

[Supe Campbell]

But this year the one at the top of my list is simple. Get comfy. That's where Bombas comes in. They bring serious comfort to my everyday essentials. Bombas just dropped their all new sports socks engineered for running, golf, hiking, skiing, snowboarding, basically whatever you're pretending you're about to be really into. And I'm trying to stay active this year by playing hockey. I need these socks. It has cushioning where you need it. It's sweat wicking, solid support, no distractions, just comfortable. And for the everyday stuff, Bombers footwear has you covered. Sunday slippers for staying in, Friday sandals for quick errands and the new Saturday suede slip ons for when you want comfort but still need to leave the house. Premium everyday go tos I don't really think about, which is kind of the point. And for every item you buy, bombers donates one to someone facing housing insecurity. One bought one donated over 150 million items so far. Head over to bombers.com dkn use code dkn for 20% off your first purchase. That's B O M B A S.com dkn code dkn at checkout and our.

[Dave Damaschek]

Guy, one of our favorites here, friend of the show and all the rest of it. Ryan Clark said that if Stafford had won the super bowl, he would be one of the 10 best quarterbacks of the super bowl era. And of course that's easy to throw out there into the vacuum and say, yeah, Matthew Stafford has had a great career and he is a Hall of Famer. It's another thing who you are implying he ranks ahead of. So I thought we would hold, if not his feet to the fire. We would, we would take a look and see where Matthew Stafford and otherwise sort of ranked there. And I have a number of different approaches to this. In fact, I think I really bugged you last night when I was texting you different ways we could have this conversation. Top 10, top 15 or whatever. I did a thing at the NFL like a decade ago by decade. So at Super Bowl 10, here was the best quarterback in, in the history of football and it was Johnny U. I think is who I had. And at Super Bowl 20 it was Bradshaw. And by 30 Montana had jumped past Bradshaw. And so it goes. So let's do right now, shall we? Let's see if we can correctly, between the two of us, Divine who in fact the top 10 QBs are. Is that, is that a simple enough approach to it instead of getting into by decade and all the rest of it? I do want to do something.

[Matt Verderam]

Are we clarifying just like by Super.

[Dave Damaschek]

Bowl E, by Super bowl era again, you know you and I said Lockman.

[Matt Verderam]

And Sammy Ball off this list, right?

[Dave Damaschek]

Well, you know, I should say this too. I know I've said it a million times, but if you're a new, a new listener to it, here's how I know that what happened before the super bowl era began didn't matter. The in 1962, the defending champs, the Green Bay packers, you know, Vince Lombardi and Bart Starr and all the rest of it lost to a team of college all stars. Lost to college players. Imagine that. Who didn't even know each other. College players beat the defending champs, ergo nothing. Matt Pro football had yet to really ripen. Even in the early 60s it was a different matter. By the time we got to to to the Coliseum with the Chiefs and the packers showing down. Okay, so first one is easy. I know we'll have a match here, right? Your number one of all time is Brady Brady. Right. Okay, we can. We don't have to spend time on that. What is interesting immediately is number two, that if you get in the way back machine or not even in the way back, but just go back 13 months. If Mahomes wins the Super Bowl a year ago against the Chiefs, if he.

[Matt Verderam]

Wins that game, he's still.

[Dave Damaschek]

Oh, is that right? You don't think he jumps? I think the conversation to what I just said five minutes ago, witnessing history, people would put him up there.

[Matt Verderam]

Well, listen, if he won that game, they 3 Pete right. So like that's A huge feather in the cap because no one's ever done that. That's a legitimate thing. But for me, as we sit here, look, Mahomes is on the Mount Rushmore. But I would put Montana too. I would put Montana.

[Dave Damaschek]

Oh, saucy. I love that one.

[Matt Verderam]

He won four Super Bowl. And look, I know you know this because we talk all the time like Montana. People look at his numbers go, wait, oh, he threw for 4,000 yards. Montana was an absurd player. Like, if you go back, I would argue the 89niners are as good as any team that's ever walked on a football field. Go get the playoff games that that team played. It was. It was a joke. Like they were playing teams and beating them like they were the worst team in the league every week. Montana, to me is still number. They won four for four in the Super Bowl. I do think that it's an argument with him and Mahomes because Mahomes already been to more Super Bowls and Mahomes is just. He's a transcendent player. But for me, to. Mahomes wins another one, I would, I would put Montana too.

[Dave Damaschek]

I like that. And the, the devil's damage pushback to Montana is. And I think it's a fair point to make is that he never lost a Super Bowl. But also he got. He got knocked out. And the Niners got knocked out.

[Matt Verderam]

Yes.

[Dave Damaschek]

In some games, like the 86 giants beat him 49 to 3. I mean, he got knocked out halfway through that game.

[Matt Verderam]

But yeah, yeah, they lost the way Wilson, that was the one. That's the worst one that game. That team should have walked to the super bowl. And Anthony Carter had the day. He had whatever. But yeah, I would put Montana too.

[Dave Damaschek]

Okay? So at least our top three. And I doubt there would be very many people who would push back real hard on Brady Montana, Mahomes or Brady Mahomes, Montana. That would be the way I go. Okay, now let's get into it here because here's where I think it starts to get spicy and it becomes a lot more subjective about what you like in a guy and how much you're going to involve the numbers. And otherwise at number four, you have.

[Matt Verderam]

I have Peyton Manning, I think. So here's, here's the argument of Manning for and against him.

[Gino Fuentes]

Right?

[Matt Verderam]

Like he was in the regular season. You guys, he's the best quarterback of all time. The regular season. Meet more MVPs, you know, all time, single season touchdowns, single season yardage, all that stuff. He was not a great postseason player. He was a very mediocre postseason performer. The two Super Bowls he won the last one, he got carried to in the first one. He. He got a lot of help now in the ASU title game. He played great as that game wore on and he. And he slayed the Brady Dragon and all that. You could go a lot of ways.

[Dave Damaschek]

Here, given that history. I always thought that's the nails performance of Peyton Manning's crew.

[Matt Verderam]

No question. It's a defining.

[Dave Damaschek]

Rosa picks six at home. He has.

[Matt Verderam]

Yeah, yeah, no, I think that's a defining one. I have him in four. I thought about Elway. He went to five Super Bowls. You know, I mean, look, Marino's the weird one, right? Because Marino went to one. But everybody agrees he was spectacular. I. I'll go Peyton Manning.

[Dave Damaschek]

Okay. Peyton is. Is hard to. To argue real hard against for the reasons you just cited. But you also provided the. The other side of it, which is not a small matter how you perform in postseason. And I do think. I mean, the one he gets comes against Rex Grossman and the Bears. And if you go back and watch that game and I'm dorky enough to say I have gone back and watched it, man, that game is hanging in the balance. I. We. I think we remember it differently. Not like Rex Grossman was great that day. I mean, obviously they're. They're the Bears first points come on the opening kickoff. They weren't a world beater, but, man, that game was real tight. And I don't think Peyton Manning even really should have been the MVP of that game.

[Matt Verderam]

Dominic Rhodes should have been.

[Dave Damaschek]

And then he just, you know, you or I would have won that super bowl with the Broncos had we been under center in that in the January of 2016 and. And February of that year. I'm going to go Aaron Rodgers here. And it's funny because they're very different stylistically, but you could say the same thing about. About the two of them. If Peyton isn't the best regular season quarterback of all time, I think Aaron Rodgers is. I think Aaron Rodgers, if you ranked the best individual QB seasons of the super bowl era, I think Rogers has two of the five. I think I'm vp. Yeah. And he's different now. And I think his weirdly sort, not weirdly. I think we would mostly agree with this everybody out there that the last three years have. Have served sort of tarnish his legacy a little bit. No matter that he won 10 games with Pittsburgh. The jet years were. Were a shame and all the rest of it. And even his Departure from Green Bay put a stink on him. He self imposed all that. Still though, I mean those years he had with Green Bay and you know, a lot of, a lot of those seasons, Jordy Nelson's his number one. You know, it's not as though he, he was throwing the ball to Jerry Rice.

[Matt Verderam]

No. Never had a Hall of Fame receiver in the prime his career outside of Adams, who they didn't, they didn't win with, of course, I mean Adams will walk in, but when they won it was Jennings and Driver and Nelson were very good players, but they weren't transcendent. He actually was going to be my number five. So.

[Dave Damaschek]

And I'll also say this as you jump in, I think he is even the evidence of Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. I think not. Raw athlete like man, that guy would win a decathlon. I mean for football, Aaron Rodgers is the most gifted guy I've ever seen.

[Matt Verderam]

No, there's no question that he's one of the most talented. He's right up there. I have him at five because he won four MVPs. He went to a Super Bowl. He won it. He was a Super bowl mvp, was great in the game. Look, you know, the knock on Rogers is obvious. He never got back, you know, and in the playoffs he's had some bad games. But that being said, like to your point of jets and the Steelers years, those years, over the course of history, they're going to fade. They're going to fade like nobody, nobody cares that John United is played for the Chargers. No, nobody, nobody gives a damn. It doesn't matter. Like nobody remembers those years.

[Dave Damaschek]

We can argue that point. I can go, I can go through several chapters that damage the way we regard some legends, some guys.

[Matt Verderam]

I think that's true. But when you're talking about truly all time great, like I don't care that Joe name it sucked on the Rams, you know what I mean? Like I don't and Joe name it had some, I mean whatever. Well, that's a whole other conversation. But look, I have Rogers at 5, 4 MVPs. A, a player that at Brady's apex people argued that is Rogers better than him. And if you're arguing at that point, like to me, if there's an argument, are you better than Tom Brady for a stretch of time, that's something. So I have him at five, right, right behind Manning.

[Dave Damaschek]

Okay. And at number five, I will go with the guy who is one of one. All due respect to Jim Kelly and Fran Tarkenton, he is alone on that Pro football island. Dan Marino, Lombardi less, as I keep saying, Verderam. He's going to get some company within five or 10 years. Some other hall of Fame level guys who. Guys will have gold jackets but no Lombardi to their name. I go, Marino five here. And so that brings us to your number six.

[Matt Verderam]

I have Elway. I've always a weird guy because he's the classic example of you look at his stats in today's day and age and you go, wasn't that good? Look at like, look at his numbers. He didn't have 35 touchdowns in a year. And I caught the back end of Elway's career growing up. But I'm, I'm enough of a freak that I've gone back and watched probably 50 John away games in my life. John Elway was Mahomes before Mahomes. Like the ability to just go to any spot on the field from anywhere. I am going to throw the ball across my body and hit Mark Jackson 55 yards downfield and strike. Like I think because he went 2 and 3 in the Super Bowls. And let's be real, the three Super Bowls he lost, they got annihilated in those games. Those, those Bronco teams had no offense. They nobody. I mean, who's the best player we played?

[Dave Damaschek]

Verderam, I. Johnson. Huge. As you know, I am huge on postseason QB wins. And that they are not a part of the conversation. They are the number one factor. And Elway did it. You know, it's better for where he stands on a list like this to have gotten those two late in his career. But those were Terrell Davis trophies. They were, but he, he was grade in 33 the year. The second year it wasn't 98 but 99. Elway was real good. And that Broncos team was a tick better probably than the 98 edition. But as you said, it's not always going all the way. ELWAY, the, the 89 team was a little bit different. But those first two Broncos teams of the 80s that went to Super Bowls had no GD business anywhere near the game.

[Matt Verderam]

Ridiculous.

[Dave Damaschek]

Sammy Winder was their feature. Fat Sammy Winder. And like you say, Vance Johnson and Steve Watson were catching the Clarence K.

[Matt Verderam]

That team was James like that team. The Browns were a better team both years.

[Dave Damaschek]

Yeah.

[Matt Verderam]

And the Broncos were able to beat them. And listen, you know the Broncos are actually favored over Washington. People forget that. And then Doug Williams went berserk in the second quarter and that was the end of that. But like, I don't hold it against la that they got killed by the Giants and the Niners. They should have gotten killed by the Giants in the Niners. Like those two teams. I just finished talking about the 89ers. In my opinion, I think that might be the best teams ever walked on a field. The team was unbelievable.

[Dave Damaschek]

I just named them number two on my all time.

[Matt Verderam]

Who is number 107? The Pats. No. Okay.

[Dave Damaschek]

No, no. There's another team in there. Take another guess, see if he can get it.

[Matt Verderam]

Really?

[Supe Campbell]

No.

[Matt Verderam]

Well, you're a Steelers. They're 78 Steelers.

[Dave Damaschek]

Yeah.

[Matt Verderam]

Okay. So they were great. They were great. Brad shows your mvp.

[Dave Damaschek]

You understand if I said. If we did a different exercise here, Vertirom and I said name for me the 10 best teams of the Super bowl era. Not one season team. I mean greatest overall collection eras ever.

[Matt Verderam]

Yeah.

[Dave Damaschek]

Out of those 10 you would definitely include the 70s cowboys, the 70s raiders, maybe even the 70s Vikings. And amidst all that on the 70s dolphins too.

[Matt Verderam]

They would definitely be in there. Right. And the Steelers beat all those teams.

[Dave Damaschek]

Amidst all of it. The team that was head and shoulders above them all. Vertirom. That's why they're on the list. And call me biased if you want.

[Matt Verderam]

No. Steelers are the best dynasty of all time.

[Dave Damaschek]

I've got it. Number six, I've got Peyton. And then at number seven I've got Brett Favreau.

[Matt Verderam]

Okay, seven. I had Marino, so we're pretty close. I have Marino at 7. I think Marino is the only quarterback in my opinion who's retired. I mean we'll take out guys who are still playing, who's retired, who didn't win a ring, who. I don't really hold it against him, but that guy was unbelievably. People do not understand the 1984 season that that guy had. That's like if somebody threw for 7,000 yards this year. Right. Like that is other. Our running back ran for 3,000 or something.

[Dave Damaschek]

By the rules. If the rules were the same, you know, go apples to apples comparison. That is still the best.

[Matt Verderam]

It's. Oh, it's unbelievable. Go watch when he played the 85 Bears and just lit them up like a Christmas tree. I mean nobody could score on that team. Yep. Marino was submarine by the fact that shula was about 100 years old and just stopped adjusting the last 10 years of his career and they had no run game and the defense like John offered all his best player on it got hurt. Every year they. I have him at 7 like Marino. Much like I just said about Mahomes a few minutes ago he was a transcendent player. Like Marino was just a dominant force of nature. The worst thing that probably happened to him was that 85ac title game. They should have beat them. And if they. I actually asked not more about this years ago. I think if you win that game. Do you. How do you feel about the Bears? We would have won that game. It was like they blitz non stop and Marino would have just killed him the entire. No, no. They could have got their. Their rear ends beat. But I have Marino at 7. I think Marino has to be in the top 10 even though he didn't want to.

[Dave Damaschek]

I gotta tell you fellas, this conversation would be better. They always say that what you. If you want good drama, you need some conflict. And Verderam and I park our cars in the same garage over and over and over again and make the exact same points about why we think these things. I'll go, I'll just. To round out mine. So wait, I'm at seven with Favre. Then I go Elway at eight. You know, he would a lot of his big rallies and, and all of that. He's a gunslinger him far of Roethlisberger. They very often would throw their teams into trouble and then play hero and get their teams out of trouble with big fourth quarters. But still Elway. And then here's a fun one. You ready? First modern guy, Josh Allen. I'm putting Josh Allen in there. How say you?

[Matt Verderam]

Okay, okay. I'm not putting Josh Allen there. So we're going to be different there. I'll give you. So at 8 I actually have a guy you don't have. I have Troy Aikman. I look underrated. I'm with you, man. I know people love to do. This whole thing was like, well, you know, he had that offensive line and Emmett Smith. That's fine. That's great. Everyone who won a bunch of Super Bowls also had a great team around them, right? Like Mahomes and Brady and Montana weren't doing it by themselves. But Aikman, you can make a real argument. Aikman's the most accurate passer ever. Like Aikman was. Was just a real surgeon out there throwing the ball. He was tough as nails. He was the leader on a team that needed a leader. Like a team that needed somebody to kind of like, hey man, like we got a posting together. I had eight minute eight.

[Dave Damaschek]

Let me just say say this to you real quick about Troy Aikman in support of where you're going here. It's not a small thing that for all the powers that those Dallas Cowboys had on their side offensively, they didn't have a lot of separators. Alvin Harper was. That was right. Right. He was right. He was a combat catch guy and you know, go, go watch big games and watch Troy Aikman put it on Michael Irvin down. I mean 25, 30 yards downfield along the sidelines. Like that ball is a pick or it's out of bounds or it's uncatchable. If 99% of great quarterbacks threw it, he had a remarkable ability to throw dimes to Michael Irvin, who for all of his powers, like I say, was not a separator. So go ahead there, number nine.

[Matt Verderam]

I have Steve Young.

[Dave Damaschek]

I like this one.

[Matt Verderam]

Steve Young is the most underrated player in my opinion of the Super Bowl. You name the position. I think he's the most underrated player. Like the guy won MVPs, won a Super bowl, ran into the Cowboys. If they, I mean the Cowboys, he easily could have won a couple more mobile as he would be great in today's game even more than he was because another guy, super accurate, you know, super tough. I mean really in a lot of ways other than he was much more mobile. Was like Aikman in a lot of ways. I mean it was pinpoint accuracy tough would hang in there. Now listen, he had a great team around him obviously, just like Aikman did. So like all these guys did. But Young for me is number. I think. I think Steve Young gets so overlooked because he came after Montana and he only won one and it wasn't two or three. But Steve Young was. Was a great, great player.

[Dave Damaschek]

I am trying not what I want to be true. I'm talking about the reality of Steve Young. He was great, but because he went to the USFL and the Buccaneers and I think his spiritual, his pigskin doppelganger, Roger Staubach, who had the same thing, you know, he went to the Navy and he was back. He was a backup and all. So he doesn't get going either. I have them tied behind Matthew Stafford. I you know what? I'll put them ahead. That duo goes ahead of Matthew Stafford for me. And I am spicing it up a little bit with Josh Allen because I have to obviously project ahead what's going to be for him. And I don't know that he's ever going to get to a Super bowl and that would ding him. But if he gets and plays in one Super Bowl, I think we're going to look back on that guy and you talk about the ERA and Steve Young could have won more if not for the Cowboys and all of that. But I mean, you know, Josh Allen is in there with Lamar J. You know who he's in the league with. So, you know, the standard is pretty high up there for him. And I'll throw two more names in there that I have tied side by side. And then there are a couple other guys I want to ask you about. I have. It just really, it's splitting hairs. Terry Bradshaw and Ben Roethlisberger. I think you got to put them in there. You get, you go 4 for 4 in the super bowl as Bradshaw did. I don't care what you want to. You want to knock him. He handed the ball off a lot. He also threw a 664 yard game winning touchdown pass to Lynn Swan. A second an instant before he got knocked cold in Super Bowl 10. Then he comes back in Super Bowl 14 and throws a. What was it, a 79 yarder to John Stallard. 73 yarder. Forgive me, I should know that, not you. I mean, he's the only guy to do that up to a point deep into Super Bowl ERA history. And he did it twice, throwing deep balls in fourth quarters to win big games. He was not some passenger along for the ride. And then Roethlisberger. Talk about the standard. He's in the, he's in the AFC with Tom Brady and, and Peyton Manning and he goes to three, three big games.

[Matt Verderam]

All those are legitimate. I. Look, I, I think you could. So for me, for 10. I mean, you could talk about far. If you could talk about. The only problem I ever had before. Just made a million mistakes. Fargo throws so many. He was great. I mean, he won three MVPs in a row.

[Dave Damaschek]

That's why I have to have him in there.

[Matt Verderam]

And that's fair.

[Dave Damaschek]

He was the dominant figure.

[Matt Verderam]

I, I will be fair. If I was just, just. I'd probably put him at 10. But just to be a little. As you. To use your word, if I could speak to be a little spicy. I'll put Kurt Warner on there.

[Dave Damaschek]

I have Kurt Warner listed. That was one of the guys I was going to ask you about.

[Matt Verderam]

Another guy delayed, right? I mean packers and he gets cut and he's Iowa. Barnestorm was all this crap. That guy was as good as anybody for a period of time. And what. And I think it matters. He went to three Super Bowls with the Rams and the Cardinals. The Rams were a tire fire. People forget how atrocious the Rams were in the 90s. They were the Bengals in the NFC and he gets there and they win a Super bowl. And he was along with Falk, like the reason why they won a Super Bowl. They went back two years later, he was the MVP again. Then he goes to the Cardinals and everybody's like, oh, his career's over. He took them to the super bowl and had them in position to win the game.

[Dave Damaschek]

Like if the all time play in super bowl history in my book the St. Antonio catch doesn't happen. The 9 and 7 Arizona Cardinals win Super Bowl 43 because he pulled it out with Larry Fitzgerald defense.

[Matt Verderam]

Warner gets kind of overlooked. Like Warner, he's got a weird career because like the middle of it, it's almost like a donut. Like the middle of. It's nothing. But he was spectacular with the Rams and he was great with the cart like I. And it's the fact that he took those teams there.

[Dave Damaschek]

I've got him ahead of. I've got him a tick ahead of. In the name we didn't mention that I think people get raw about is Drew Brees. But if you're talking about circumst, substantial QBs doing it in a dome and all of that, yeah, a million times.

[Matt Verderam]

Like he was a great player but like yeah, his numbers are a little.

[Dave Damaschek]

Inflated because Sean seven and nine, three straight years.

[Ethan Badowski]

He is that.

[Dave Damaschek]

That's bad.

[Matt Verderam]

He's a little bit Dan Fouts ish where you're like, yeah, great numbers, great player, great player, hall of Famer, all that deserved. But like not quite to me, the other guys we talked about.

[Dave Damaschek]

Yeah, not. Not especially rugged obviously. And the other guy we should shout out since you did Fouts, I'll say Warren Moon should be involved in these conversations. Another late start guy. All right, listen, I. We're late in getting you out of here. I could do this for another four and a half hours. Whenever you want to sit here and just chop.

[Matt Verderam]

Let's circle back. We could do it ahead of us.

[Dave Damaschek]

Oh, yeah. Oh, we could go over this a million different ways. In the meantime, Mount Verde, as good as it gets. If you love pro football, make sure Matt Verde rom's a part of your life and your football watching and consumption schedule. Until next time, pally.

[Matt Verderam]

Take care.

[Dave Damaschek]

All right. There he goes. Verderom, your thoughts? Geno and Ethan. Ethan and Geno. How say you? A lot of information there.

[Gino Fuentes]

I didn't remember the 1989 49ers because my. My intro to football really started around the. The Dallas Cowboys. Those 92 90. So I went back and started Googling and Wikipedia while you guys were talking about it. And man, they were fucking good. They destroyed people in that playoff run. 55, 10 was the. The Super bowl, but they beat someone 30 to 3. I think they beat someone.

[Dave Damaschek]

They beat the Rams who, who had. I, if I, if I remember correctly, had 11 wins that year. They were not jive. It was Montana versus Jim Everett. Otherwise the. The roster side by side were pretty comparable. And they also whipped the Vikings, who were real good that year too. And by the way, Verderam mentioned that the Chiefs almost are you actually mentioned that, Gino, that. That the Chiefs would have three peded, which would put them on a different plateau, a different plane in, in. In super bowl era history. But that was also true of the 1990 Broncos. Montana gets knocked out late in the stick and the Giants then go on to the super bowl and Scott Norwood happens and all the rest of it. But the Niners very likely would have won. I mean, the Bills were a real good team too, but I think the Niners win that super bowl and they would have been the 3P team then. Then I don't think the Niners could trade at that point. I don't think they could have traded Joe Montana if they. If they'd won three Super Bowls during his time there. Anyway, Ethan, what stood out to you?

[Ethan Badowski]

Yeah, the concept of trading Joe Montana is just so insane to me. Just like trading Wayne Gretzky or trading, you know, God for if the Patriots have had traded Tom Brady. I mean, look, when you talk quarterbacks, like in my lifetime, my lifetime is basically Tom Brady. Like, I was born in 99, Brady took over in 2000. So growing up, it was always Brady, Brady, Brady just being the most dominant guy. Me being a Dolphin fan, I always hated him. And I was always the guy that would say, Rogers is better, Rogers is better. It was me and Dan.

[Gino Fuentes]

That's Michael Jordan.

[Ethan Badowski]

One of the reasons I loved the show so much growing up is because Dan was the only guy that was out there saying Rogers is better than Brady talent wise. But obviously when he wins seven Super Bowls, that's. There's not really much you can say, Dave. Like, there's not really.

[Dave Damaschek]

You are. You have grown up. You've spent all your time on the big blue marble as a Dolphins fan, but you've never seen Dan Marino play.

[Ethan Badowski]

I have watched Dan Marino highlights, and let me tell you something, I'm not sure I've ever seen anything like that. There's one game that stands out to me.

[Matt Verderam]

Me.

[Ethan Badowski]

It's the game his first game back after the Achilles injury, Patriots against the Patriots in the mud like the dog the Marlins had just to. Yeah, go ahead, Dave.

[Dave Damaschek]

I think there are a lot of people who, you know, talk about how great Marino was and where he belongs in history. That is an important note you just dropped there, Ethan. He, I think it's year four, five, somewhere around there of his career. He, he could run. He was not a, you know, he wasn't Michael Vick, but he could take off and burn you until he had the Achilles injury. After that, the next time you see him and for the rest of his career, he's kind of fat. You know, he has those big hip pads and he, you know, he's got those big childbearing hips.

[Ethan Badowski]

Dave, he threw five touchdown passes in there.

[Dave Damaschek]

That game was awesome.

[Ethan Badowski]

In that game, each one of them is. Has more of a laser than the last one. Like it's just on a freaking blitzer.

[Gino Fuentes]

Right?

[Ethan Badowski]

It must have. It is.

[Dave Damaschek]

Yeah. It was like, I want to say.

[Ethan Badowski]

It was like 94, so it must have been bled. So. Yeah, but him just ripping these in there and so. Yeah, I'm not sure I've ever seen in my lifetime a passer quite like Marino. But I think when all is said and done, like Mahomes, he's not going to stop winning anytime soon. I'm sure they're probably just going to win again.

[Dave Damaschek]

We already stopped winning. I know people, people get, people get cavalier. Well, right, the people get cavalier about like, ah, he'll get his will. He definitely.

[Ethan Badowski]

I don't know, I think he'll be back. Like, it would not surprise me at all if he's healthy by mid season this year. Back to 100% and they just take off, pick up right where they left off.

[Dave Damaschek]

Okay, so just, so do. So do just project ahead.

[Ethan Badowski]

Yeah.

[Dave Damaschek]

Eight, ten years for us. Is Mahomes the greatest quarterback of all time?

[Ethan Badowski]

I would say so. Like, I think once he wins, one or two more people will start putting him in because he's so much. He's so clearly, like, maybe not so clearly, but I think people recognize he's more talented than Brady and in terms of an athlete and a passer, that once he gets close to him in terms of the amount of Super Bowls, I think like people already say that Jordan is better than, or LeBron is better than Jordan. He's got, you know, two less rings or whatever if we get in that territory.

[Dave Damaschek]

That's because people want to witness it and they want to support there and.

[Ethan Badowski]

They want to say they saw the.

[Gino Fuentes]

Greatest I think finally did it with Brady for me was when he won that Tampa Bay Super Bowl. I was like I can't deny.

[Ethan Badowski]

Undeniable. Yeah, undeniable.

[Dave Damaschek]

It's.

[Gino Fuentes]

You'd be stupid to argue against it.

[Matt Verderam]

That team is so good.

[Ethan Badowski]

Like we, we didn't realize how good that team was until they won and you were like oh my God, kind of like the Seahawks team like you didn't realize until they won. Like that was the best team in the NFL all season long dominant. Do you have to bottom.

[Dave Damaschek]

I kind of lost the thread there towards the end about where I have Stafford. I guess I have Stafford still behind and the tide group of Young and Starbuck is. I think I have them nine and then Roethlisberger, Bradshaw ten and then that kick Stafford right on cusp though not as far out as a lot of people had. Is there any current player court QB that I didn't mention? I said Josh Allen, Verter. I'm just sort of dismissed that Lamar Burrow.

[Ethan Badowski]

Yeah, I don't think Burrow and Herbert will end up in that range but Lamar is so transcendent in terms of his skill set of him though I agree with that.

[Gino Fuentes]

I think Lamar, I don't think he's ever going to use leg his legs.

[Ethan Badowski]

The way he used to and I don't know that he'll ever win the Super Bowls to get up to into that echelon, you know.

[Dave Damaschek]

Well, well same same goes for Alan and. And that's exactly right. I think that it is going to be. Lamar is a. A spectacular sort of as I said at the very top of the show, like what the hell are we looking at? How are you ever going to play traditional football again after you see that is available to you in football. I think we've seen that from Lamar now and I don't know how much more we're going to see of it, especially given the.

[Gino Fuentes]

I'm not saying he's having.

[Dave Damaschek]

He keeps getting hurt.

[Gino Fuentes]

I'm not saying he's going to be horrible.

[Dave Damaschek]

I say I hear he's just going.

[Gino Fuentes]

To have to play is more like an example.

[Dave Damaschek]

Yeah, that's right. I think that's what you're going to need from him if you want to succeed. You're going to have to say Lamar, take the foot off the gas here and there. All right, good times. Now let's talk about another guy who I think still counts as active, at least that's the word on the street is that he's going to come back for yet another season to the Pittsburgh Steelers. I'm talking about Aaron Rodgers, of course. A guy who used to play quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers is a guy, Chaz Batch, who has some thoughts about Aaron Rodgers and beyond. One of the great human beings out there. Here he is. My conversation from media row last week at the super bowl with our pouch as Batch. Look who we have. Here he is. You know, by the way, before I introduce you, you know what I would love to do? I know this is a big ask, but can you pull some strings for old Dave here? Me, Chaz Batch, Bob Pompiani, three man booth in August for the Steelers preseason game.

[Chaz Batch]

Even though I don't have final decision. I like where you're going with that thought.

[Dave Damaschek]

Look Yoi and double yoi. The terrible Tao is poised to strike and so are the Steele. Look, Cope Junior.

[Matt Verderam]

Right?

[Chaz Batch]

Hey, that's it. No, I'll leave that to you. You know, we'll add a little other twist to it. So I look forward to. That's a nice idea, Chaz Batch.

[Dave Damaschek]

I don't like to do it because I think sincerely, you get a little embarrassed when people point this out about you, but you are one of the great human beings to ever be a part of the NFL or being in public life for all you do, for all the kids in Pittsburgh and otherwise. Man, what a mention you are.

[Chaz Batch]

Oh, I appreciate you. Thank you very much. And it's exciting, you know, for the best of the Batch foundation, we now celebrated 26 years of being around and we're an educational foundation and we actually serve over 3, 800 kids in nine counties throughout southwestern PA. So we're an educational based foundation. We focus on our STEAM program when we say STEAM instead of stem because we include the A for art. So super excited about it. And we just went from 5,300 square feet to 33,000 square feet, so. So when you come back home, you got to come or tour to see everything that we're doing and figuring out ways that we can collaborate. But if anybody wants to learn what we do, they can go to batchfoundation.org Love it.

[Dave Damaschek]

Congratulations on that and continued success. I mean, I really did maybe a decade or so ago when I first got wind of what you were doing in front of Christmas time and going around with a big truck and trying to ask sporting goods companies, can they spare back basketballs or anything else? And I said to the bosses at NFL Network, I'd like to go and cover this. And I looked into it and was told, oh, no, Charlie doesn't like cameras following him around when he does that, that he's not doing it for attention.

[Chaz Batch]

And one thing, the reason why we didn't follow on delivery day because the one thing we do is collect the toys we wrap and then deliver on Christmas Eve. And the one thing we know don't want to do is be intrusive on the families with cameras showing it. We're not publisher clearing house, you know, like hey, here's you go. So we try to be respectful that way. But that process ultimately, you know, is something that we cherish because this year as we celebrated 20 years of batch of toys is what we call it, we impacted 411 families. It was 1811 kids to be able to now wrap presents for and to make that program work. It took over 1700 volunteers to make that happen. So when you see all of the support, we were truly humbled and grateful for all the, the support that we truly receive. And we wouldn't be able to do it without the help of others.

[Dave Damaschek]

Man, oh man, look at you. Look at what you did. Look at what you built. Good for you. I just talked to Matt Hasselbeck. Now I ask you, whose career would you rather have had? Eli Mannings or Tom Brady or. I'm sorry, let me do that again. Whose career would you rather have had, Dan Marino's or Eli Manning's?

[Chaz Batch]

Oh man, for me I'm gonna be biased because I've been, I'm a huge, huge Dan Marino fan and he was a guy that I followed that I wanted to be like as a kid growing up. So I understand the Super Bowls and those type of things, but man, I'm biased. Dan Marino.

[Dave Damaschek]

All right, you're a front runner then. I mean, I get it. He's. He was pretty good. Let's talk about another one of the all time great quarterbacks, Aaron Rodgers. Do you like the idea of 43 year old Rodgers as, as QB1 for Mike McCarthy?

[Chaz Batch]

I like the idea. Number one, last year I didn't think he had a bad season. I know he, there was a 27 touchdowns, maybe seven or eight interceptions. But now as we fast forward and he did that with limited help on the offensive side of the ball. But now being able to add those pieces, you're bringing an offense that he's very familiar with that he spent 18 years with. And what better way for him to come in and help the young guy? If Will Howard is that guy, what better way for him to now follow and emulate what somebody in that system is doing? And I Just want to see the transition happen the way that Brett Favre did to Aaron Rodgers. Aaron did that to Jordan Love. Now can Aaron do that with Will Howard?

[Dave Damaschek]

Wait, whoa, whoa. There is a lot of buzz on the banks of the Three Rivers about 6th round pick will Howard. You think that he really could ascend to being a viable option a QB one in the NFL.

[Chaz Batch]

Well, right now degrade is incomplete. So I'm not sitting here saying this guy going to be a Hall of Fame. What I'm saying is based off what I saw in practice, I think he can. Those are the intangibles. The problem is he got hurt at the wrong time right before the preseason game. So we don't have a chance to evaluate him enduring those three games. Obviously the Steelers have seen enough of him, number one to draft him in the sixth round and obviously what they saw the second half of the season in practice to say that they're now willing to now make that move. You add offensive man like Mike McCarthy and now you implement that and then whip better way for Mike to help set him up possibly for the quarterback of the future as that franchise quarterback. So I'm saying it's a long way of saying it's incomplete. I don't know. But there is a strong possibility that things could be better than it is now.

[Dave Damaschek]

Well, I don't want to push back too hard on you and be glass half empty. The thing I didn't love about Rogers past season was any team with a pass rush, he clearly was getting rid of the ball. That was. He was prioritizing that. That which by the way, when you're in your 40s, you understand your mortality better than when you're 22. And I assume that's what it has a lot to do with. I think you make the glass half full argument that there is a lot of loot now and draft picks and otherwise to try and build up that offense a bit. Is that, is that the trick?

[Chaz Batch]

Yes, build up the offense and you can do that with the six rounder because you still have him under a rookie contract. What I'm looking at in this particular perspective, trying to judge Aaron out of the last system that he was in versus one that he won four MVPs with. I'll take the latter on that.

[Dave Damaschek]

There he is, everybody. Chaz Batch, one of the good guys, one of the great guys in pro football and otherwise. Congratulations Pittsburgh, he's all yours. Chaz Batch, legitimately one of the great guys in pro football that I've met, not just in pro football, in fact, a great human being, as I say. All right, there he goes. Here we go to out the door. And we will not be back for the first time in what, what, 20 something weeks, something like that. We will not be with you on Monday because there is no football weekend to react to. We will be back on Friday. Be on the lookout for me on the Dan LeBatard show as well. We'll continue to try and get as much football content in front of you throughout the springtime. We'll continue to buzz about the draft and free agency and all the rest of it. And for now, for Gino and Supe Campbell and Ethan Badowski, thanks to you for filling in. Good luck watching the Olympic hockey there. We'll talk to you next week. Until then, my fellow football Americans, thanks so much. It's been a thin slice of heaven.