[ Congrats Tom Brady, yet another sports writer selects you as the greatest QB of all time.
Lowly Marino comes in at #8 ROFL ]
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...m-brady-new-england-patriots-best-nfl-qb-ever
<header class="article-header" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 640px; margin: 0px auto 20px; position: relative; z-index: 1000035; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: BentonSans, -apple-system, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">[h=1]Clayton's GOAT quarterback ranking: Tom Brady is No. 1[/h]</header><figure data-video="native,640,360,18581694" class="iframe-video article-figure video active" data-source="espn" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0; margin: 0px auto 27px; position: relative; clear: both; overflow: hidden; width: inherit; max-width: 640px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: BentonSans, -apple-system, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
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</figure>6:59 AM CT
When Tom Brady and the New England Patriots came away with a last-second victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX, I was ready to proclaim Brady the greatest quarterback of all time.
That win made him 4-2 in Super Bowls. Brady, Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw are the only quarterbacks to win four Super Bowl titles. Though Montana and Bradshaw both went undefeated in Super Bowls, I'm still giving Brady the No. 1 spot.
<aside class="inline editorial float-r" data-behavior="article_related" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: BentonSans, -apple-system, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; border: 1px solid rgb(220, 221, 223); clear: none; margin: 6px 0px 15px 18px; padding: 15px; width: 282.5px; float: right;">[h=1]EDITOR'S PICKS[/h]
And the amazing part is that no one can guess when he will stop. Brady, who will turn 40 before next season, would like to play four or five more years if his body can hold up. There is nothing in his game that shows a decline. He came out of the four-game suspension rested and focused. He threw 28 touchdowns passes and only two interceptions in 12 games. And he did it mostly without injured tight end Rob Gronkowski, who played only eight games and had just three touchdown catches.
Brady is 39, and his numbers are getting better, not worse. Over the past four years, his yards per attempt have increased from 6.9 in 2013 to 7.1 to 7.6 to 8.2 this season. His interceptions have dropped from 11 in 2013 to nine to seven to two. His passer rating has improved each year, and he's staying healthy.
So Brady is my pick for the GOAT. Here's the rest of my list of the top 15 quarterbacks in pro football history:
Note: An asterisk after a Super Bowl title denotes a Super Bowl MVP award, and I'm going by The Associated Press for the tally of regular-season MVPs.
[h=2]2. Joe Montana[/h]
Regular-season record: 117-47 | Regular-season MVPs: 1989, 1990
Super Bowl titles: XVI*, XIX*, XXIII, XXIV*
San Francisco 49ers coach Bill Walsh was ahead of his time. He helped turn a game fixed on running the football and playing stout defense into a sophisticated chess match in which receivers and pass-catching running backs ruled the day. Montana was the perfect quarterback to move the pieces. Montana won four Super Bowl rings -- and never threw an interception in those games -- and showed the NFL you can win championships through the air.
<aside class="inline inline-photo full" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: BentonSans, -apple-system, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(220, 221, 223); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; clear: both; margin: 6px 0px 18px; padding: 0px 0px 15px; width: 565px;"><figure style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<source data-srcset="http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2010%2F0903%2Fnfl_g_pmanning_sy_576.jpg&w=570, http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2010/0903/nfl_g_pmanning_sy_576.jpg&w=1140&cquality=40 2x" media="(min-width: 376px)" srcset="http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2010%2F0903%2Fnfl_g_pmanning_sy_576.jpg&w=570, http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2010/0903/nfl_g_pmanning_sy_576.jpg&w=1140&cquality=40 2x" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><source data-srcset="http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2010%2F0903%2Fnfl_g_pmanning_sy_576.jpg&w=375, http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2010/0903/nfl_g_pmanning_sy_576.jpg&w=750&cquality=40 2x" media="(max-width: 375px)" srcset="http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2010%2F0903%2Fnfl_g_pmanning_sy_576.jpg&w=375, http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2010/0903/nfl_g_pmanning_sy_576.jpg&w=750&cquality=40 2x" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><img class="imageLoaded lazyloaded" data-image-container=".inline-photo" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; vertical-align: top; max-width: 100%; display: block; width: 565px;"></picture><figcaption class="photoCaption" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(72, 73, 74); font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; padding-top: 10px; position: relative;">Peyton Manning won one title apiece with the Colts and Broncos. <cite style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(165, 166, 167); font-style: normal; display: inline-block;">Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images</cite></figcaption></figure></aside>[h=2]3. Peyton Manning[/h]
Regular-season record: 186-79 | Regular-season MVPs: 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2013
Super Bowl titles: XLI*, 50
Manning was the Johnny Unitas of his era. He mastered the fourth-quarter comeback, and the two-minute drive was his specialty. More than anything else, however, he came into the NFL in the late 1990s when quarterback play was down and turned the NFL into a quarterback-driven league. Though he didn't look great in his final year in 2015, Manning did enough in Super Bowl 50 to get his second Super Bowl ring in four trips and slip past Unitas into third place.
[h=2]4. Johnny Unitas[/h]
Regular-season record: 118-63-4 | Regular-season MVPs: 1959, 1964, 1967
Super Bowl titles: V (also won NFL titles in 1958, 1959)
What Brady and Manning were doing in the 2000s, Unitas was doing in the 1950s and 1960s. Unitas mastered the fourth-quarter drive, marching his Baltimore Colts offenses up and down the field to mount comebacks and pick up great wins. With his crew cut and funny-looking shoes, Unitas was the ultimate field general.
[h=2]5. Otto Graham[/h]
Regular-season record: 57-13-1 | Regular-season MVPs: 1951, 1953, 1955
NFL titles: 1950, 1954, 1955
A former running back in a wing-T offense, Graham was a great passer in the 1940s and 1950s when everyone else was running the ball. He guided the Cleveland Browns to four AAFC championships before they joined the NFL in 1950.
<aside class="inline inline-photo full" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: BentonSans, -apple-system, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(220, 221, 223); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; clear: both; margin: 6px 0px 18px; padding: 0px 0px 15px; width: 565px;"><figure style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<source data-srcset="http://a4.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2013%2F0201%2Fnfl_u_elway_b1_576.jpg&w=570, http://a4.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2013/0201/nfl_u_elway_b1_576.jpg&w=1140&cquality=40 2x" media="(min-width: 376px)" srcset="http://a4.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2013%2F0201%2Fnfl_u_elway_b1_576.jpg&w=570, http://a4.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2013/0201/nfl_u_elway_b1_576.jpg&w=1140&cquality=40 2x" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><source data-srcset="http://a4.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2013%2F0201%2Fnfl_u_elway_b1_576.jpg&w=375, http://a4.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2013/0201/nfl_u_elway_b1_576.jpg&w=750&cquality=40 2x" media="(max-width: 375px)" srcset="http://a4.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2013%2F0201%2Fnfl_u_elway_b1_576.jpg&w=375, http://a4.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2013/0201/nfl_u_elway_b1_576.jpg&w=750&cquality=40 2x" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><img class="imageLoaded lazyloaded" data-image-container=".inline-photo" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; vertical-align: top; max-width: 100%; display: block; width: 565px;"></picture><figcaption class="photoCaption" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(72, 73, 74); font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; padding-top: 10px; position: relative;">John Elway had a 14-7 career record in the playoffs, throwing 27 touchdown passes and 21 interceptions. <cite style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(165, 166, 167); font-style: normal; display: inline-block;">AP Photo/John Gaps III</cite></figcaption></figure></aside>[h=2]6. John Elway[/h]
Regular-season record: 148-82-1 | Regular-season MVPs: 1987
Super Bowl titles: XXXII, XXXIII*
Elway was perhaps the most talented of the great class of quarterbacks in the 1983 draft. He was so good that he would take above-average Denver Broncos teams to Super Bowls, even though it took him 15 years to get his first Super Bowl title. He closed his career in the best way -- back-to-back titles.
[h=2]7. Brett Favre[/h]
Regular-season record: 186-112 | Regular-season MVPs: 1995, 1996, 1997
Super Bowl titles: XXXI
A Green Bay Packers team doctor failed Favre on a physical when the Packers traded for him, and then he became the iron man of the sport, starting an NFL-record 297 straight regular-season games. He was a gunslinger who was willing to take chances -- but they didn't always turn out well, as he's the NFL's career leader in interceptions (336).
[h=2]8. Dan Marino[/h]
Regular-season record: 147-93 | Regular-season MVPs: 1984
Marino had one of the best arms in the history of the league. His release was so fast that defenses had trouble sacking him. Unfortunately, Marino didn't have enough of a running game behind him to get to more than one Super Bowl. For 17 years, though, he wowed the NFL.
[h=2]9. Terry Bradshaw[/h]
Regular-season record: 107-51 | Regular-season MVPs: 1978
Super Bowl titles: IX, X, XIII*, XIV*
The Steelers had the Steel Curtain defense, but Bradshaw was the closer for their dynasty. He always came through in the playoffs, helping Pittsburgh win four titles in six years. As the Curtain started slowing down in its final years, Bradshaw got stronger and helped win games with the offense.
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<source data-srcset="http://a2.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2011%2F0207%2Fpg2_g_rogersbelt_576.jpg&w=570, http://a2.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2011/0207/pg2_g_rogersbelt_576.jpg&w=1140&cquality=40 2x" media="(min-width: 376px)" srcset="http://a2.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2011%2F0207%2Fpg2_g_rogersbelt_576.jpg&w=570, http://a2.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2011/0207/pg2_g_rogersbelt_576.jpg&w=1140&cquality=40 2x" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><source data-srcset="http://a2.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2011%2F0207%2Fpg2_g_rogersbelt_576.jpg&w=375, http://a2.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2011/0207/pg2_g_rogersbelt_576.jpg&w=750&cquality=40 2x" media="(max-width: 375px)" srcset="http://a2.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2011%2F0207%2Fpg2_g_rogersbelt_576.jpg&w=375, http://a2.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2011/0207/pg2_g_rogersbelt_576.jpg&w=750&cquality=40 2x" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><img class="imageLoaded lazyloaded" data-image-container=".inline-photo" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; vertical-align: top; max-width: 100%; display: block; width: 565px;"></picture><figcaption class="photoCaption" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(72, 73, 74); font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; padding-top: 10px; position: relative;">Aaron Rodgers won his first and only Super Bowl title in 2010 when the Packers topped the Steelers. <cite style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(165, 166, 167); font-style: normal; display: inline-block;">Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images</cite></figcaption></figure></aside>[h=2]10. Aaron Rodgers[/h]
Regular-season record: 90-45 | Regular-season MVPs: 2011, 2014
Super Bowl titles: XLV*
Rodgers has a rifle for an arm. Over the past year, he hit on three Hail Mary throws. Incredible. His third-and-20 pass to Jared Cook in the fourth quarter of the 2016 NFC divisional-round game against Dallas was one of the greatest throws in playoff history. It's a shame he has only one Super Bowl ring, but he's only 33 years old.
[h=2]11. Bart Starr[/h]
Regular-season record: 94-57-6 | Regular-season MVPs: 1966
Super Bowl titles: I*, II* (also won NFL titles in 1961, 1962, 1965)
Starr was the perfect leader and quarterback for Vince Lombardi's dynasty with the Packers. Lombardi was a no-nonsense coach who won with a running offense and great execution. Starr was the field general who made plays down the stretch in big games.
[h=2]12. Steve Young[/h]
Regular-season record: 94-49 | Regular-season MVPs: 1992, 1994
Super Bowl titles: XXIII, XXIV, XXIX* (Young backed up Montana in the first two)
The 49ers made the move from Montana to Young and stayed at the dynasty level. Young was much different from Montana -- he was more of a running quarterback who evolved into one of the most efficient QBs in NFL history. His quarterback rating was well over 100 in six of his final nine seasons.
[h=2]13. Jim Kelly[/h]
Regular-season record: 101-59
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</article>Former Penn State coach Joe Paterno wanted Kelly to play linebacker for the Nittany Lions. It's a good thing Kelly went to Miami (Florida) to play quarterback. Kelly, who never won a regular-season MVP, was one of the league's toughest signal-callers. His brain moved much faster than his legs. He ran the Bills' no-huddle K-Gun offense, which was several years ahead of the rest of the NFL, and went to four consecutive Super Bowls from 1990 to 1993.
[h=2]14. Roger Staubach[/h]
Regular-season record: 85-29 | Super Bowl titles: VI*, XII
After Staubach took over the Cowboys' job in 1971, they were annual championship contenders. He led the league in passer rating four times. He makes this list over fellow Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman, whom I have just outside the top 15.
[h=2]15. Fran Tarkenton[/h]
Regular-season record: 124-109-6 | Regular-season MVPs: 1975
Tarkenton was the ultimate running quarterback. He rushed for 3,674 yards in his 18-year career, and his scrambling ability made him one of the most exciting quarterbacks to ever play the game. He was only 6-0 and 190 pounds, but his escapability made him stand tall among the league's best signal-callers.
Lowly Marino comes in at #8 ROFL ]
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...m-brady-new-england-patriots-best-nfl-qb-ever
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</figure>6:59 AM CT
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John ClaytonESPN Senior Writer
When Tom Brady and the New England Patriots came away with a last-second victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX, I was ready to proclaim Brady the greatest quarterback of all time.
That win made him 4-2 in Super Bowls. Brady, Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw are the only quarterbacks to win four Super Bowl titles. Though Montana and Bradshaw both went undefeated in Super Bowls, I'm still giving Brady the No. 1 spot.
<aside class="inline editorial float-r" data-behavior="article_related" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: BentonSans, -apple-system, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; border: 1px solid rgb(220, 221, 223); clear: none; margin: 6px 0px 15px 18px; padding: 15px; width: 282.5px; float: right;">[h=1]EDITOR'S PICKS[/h]
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[h=2]Ranking Tom Brady's top 10 playoff performances[/h]Super Bowl LI will be the 34th playoff start for Tom Brady. Here's a look at some memorable performances for the New England Patriots quarterback.
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[h=2]Ranking Super Bowl-winning coaches: Is Belichick best ever?[/h]Patriots coach Bill Belichick could get his fifth championship soon, cementing his case among the best all time. From 1 to 31, John Clayton ranks every coach who has won a Super Bowl.
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[h=2]Ranking all 50 Super Bowl MVPs[/h]The Super Bowl MVP winners are an eclectic bunch: 20 quarterbacks, 10 defenders, 7 running backs, 6 wide receivers and, yes, 1 return specialist. Here's how their MVP performances stack up against each other.
And the amazing part is that no one can guess when he will stop. Brady, who will turn 40 before next season, would like to play four or five more years if his body can hold up. There is nothing in his game that shows a decline. He came out of the four-game suspension rested and focused. He threw 28 touchdowns passes and only two interceptions in 12 games. And he did it mostly without injured tight end Rob Gronkowski, who played only eight games and had just three touchdown catches.
Brady is 39, and his numbers are getting better, not worse. Over the past four years, his yards per attempt have increased from 6.9 in 2013 to 7.1 to 7.6 to 8.2 this season. His interceptions have dropped from 11 in 2013 to nine to seven to two. His passer rating has improved each year, and he's staying healthy.
So Brady is my pick for the GOAT. Here's the rest of my list of the top 15 quarterbacks in pro football history:
Note: An asterisk after a Super Bowl title denotes a Super Bowl MVP award, and I'm going by The Associated Press for the tally of regular-season MVPs.
[h=2]2. Joe Montana[/h]
Super Bowl titles: XVI*, XIX*, XXIII, XXIV*
San Francisco 49ers coach Bill Walsh was ahead of his time. He helped turn a game fixed on running the football and playing stout defense into a sophisticated chess match in which receivers and pass-catching running backs ruled the day. Montana was the perfect quarterback to move the pieces. Montana won four Super Bowl rings -- and never threw an interception in those games -- and showed the NFL you can win championships through the air.
<aside class="inline inline-photo full" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: BentonSans, -apple-system, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(220, 221, 223); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; clear: both; margin: 6px 0px 18px; padding: 0px 0px 15px; width: 565px;"><figure style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<source data-srcset="http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2010%2F0903%2Fnfl_g_pmanning_sy_576.jpg&w=570, http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2010/0903/nfl_g_pmanning_sy_576.jpg&w=1140&cquality=40 2x" media="(min-width: 376px)" srcset="http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2010%2F0903%2Fnfl_g_pmanning_sy_576.jpg&w=570, http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2010/0903/nfl_g_pmanning_sy_576.jpg&w=1140&cquality=40 2x" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><source data-srcset="http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2010%2F0903%2Fnfl_g_pmanning_sy_576.jpg&w=375, http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2010/0903/nfl_g_pmanning_sy_576.jpg&w=750&cquality=40 2x" media="(max-width: 375px)" srcset="http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2010%2F0903%2Fnfl_g_pmanning_sy_576.jpg&w=375, http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2010/0903/nfl_g_pmanning_sy_576.jpg&w=750&cquality=40 2x" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><img class="imageLoaded lazyloaded" data-image-container=".inline-photo" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; vertical-align: top; max-width: 100%; display: block; width: 565px;"></picture><figcaption class="photoCaption" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(72, 73, 74); font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; padding-top: 10px; position: relative;">Peyton Manning won one title apiece with the Colts and Broncos. <cite style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(165, 166, 167); font-style: normal; display: inline-block;">Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images</cite></figcaption></figure></aside>[h=2]3. Peyton Manning[/h]
Super Bowl titles: XLI*, 50
Manning was the Johnny Unitas of his era. He mastered the fourth-quarter comeback, and the two-minute drive was his specialty. More than anything else, however, he came into the NFL in the late 1990s when quarterback play was down and turned the NFL into a quarterback-driven league. Though he didn't look great in his final year in 2015, Manning did enough in Super Bowl 50 to get his second Super Bowl ring in four trips and slip past Unitas into third place.
[h=2]4. Johnny Unitas[/h]
Super Bowl titles: V (also won NFL titles in 1958, 1959)
What Brady and Manning were doing in the 2000s, Unitas was doing in the 1950s and 1960s. Unitas mastered the fourth-quarter drive, marching his Baltimore Colts offenses up and down the field to mount comebacks and pick up great wins. With his crew cut and funny-looking shoes, Unitas was the ultimate field general.
[h=2]5. Otto Graham[/h]
NFL titles: 1950, 1954, 1955
A former running back in a wing-T offense, Graham was a great passer in the 1940s and 1950s when everyone else was running the ball. He guided the Cleveland Browns to four AAFC championships before they joined the NFL in 1950.
<aside class="inline inline-photo full" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: BentonSans, -apple-system, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(220, 221, 223); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; clear: both; margin: 6px 0px 18px; padding: 0px 0px 15px; width: 565px;"><figure style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<source data-srcset="http://a4.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2013%2F0201%2Fnfl_u_elway_b1_576.jpg&w=570, http://a4.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2013/0201/nfl_u_elway_b1_576.jpg&w=1140&cquality=40 2x" media="(min-width: 376px)" srcset="http://a4.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2013%2F0201%2Fnfl_u_elway_b1_576.jpg&w=570, http://a4.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2013/0201/nfl_u_elway_b1_576.jpg&w=1140&cquality=40 2x" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><source data-srcset="http://a4.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2013%2F0201%2Fnfl_u_elway_b1_576.jpg&w=375, http://a4.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2013/0201/nfl_u_elway_b1_576.jpg&w=750&cquality=40 2x" media="(max-width: 375px)" srcset="http://a4.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2013%2F0201%2Fnfl_u_elway_b1_576.jpg&w=375, http://a4.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2013/0201/nfl_u_elway_b1_576.jpg&w=750&cquality=40 2x" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><img class="imageLoaded lazyloaded" data-image-container=".inline-photo" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; vertical-align: top; max-width: 100%; display: block; width: 565px;"></picture><figcaption class="photoCaption" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(72, 73, 74); font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; padding-top: 10px; position: relative;">John Elway had a 14-7 career record in the playoffs, throwing 27 touchdown passes and 21 interceptions. <cite style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(165, 166, 167); font-style: normal; display: inline-block;">AP Photo/John Gaps III</cite></figcaption></figure></aside>[h=2]6. John Elway[/h]
Super Bowl titles: XXXII, XXXIII*
Elway was perhaps the most talented of the great class of quarterbacks in the 1983 draft. He was so good that he would take above-average Denver Broncos teams to Super Bowls, even though it took him 15 years to get his first Super Bowl title. He closed his career in the best way -- back-to-back titles.
[h=2]7. Brett Favre[/h]
Super Bowl titles: XXXI
A Green Bay Packers team doctor failed Favre on a physical when the Packers traded for him, and then he became the iron man of the sport, starting an NFL-record 297 straight regular-season games. He was a gunslinger who was willing to take chances -- but they didn't always turn out well, as he's the NFL's career leader in interceptions (336).
[h=2]8. Dan Marino[/h]
Marino had one of the best arms in the history of the league. His release was so fast that defenses had trouble sacking him. Unfortunately, Marino didn't have enough of a running game behind him to get to more than one Super Bowl. For 17 years, though, he wowed the NFL.
[h=2]9. Terry Bradshaw[/h]
Super Bowl titles: IX, X, XIII*, XIV*
The Steelers had the Steel Curtain defense, but Bradshaw was the closer for their dynasty. He always came through in the playoffs, helping Pittsburgh win four titles in six years. As the Curtain started slowing down in its final years, Bradshaw got stronger and helped win games with the offense.
<aside class="inline inline-photo full" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: BentonSans, -apple-system, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(220, 221, 223); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; clear: both; margin: 6px 0px 18px; padding: 0px 0px 15px; width: 565px;"><figure style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<source data-srcset="http://a2.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2011%2F0207%2Fpg2_g_rogersbelt_576.jpg&w=570, http://a2.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2011/0207/pg2_g_rogersbelt_576.jpg&w=1140&cquality=40 2x" media="(min-width: 376px)" srcset="http://a2.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2011%2F0207%2Fpg2_g_rogersbelt_576.jpg&w=570, http://a2.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2011/0207/pg2_g_rogersbelt_576.jpg&w=1140&cquality=40 2x" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><source data-srcset="http://a2.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2011%2F0207%2Fpg2_g_rogersbelt_576.jpg&w=375, http://a2.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2011/0207/pg2_g_rogersbelt_576.jpg&w=750&cquality=40 2x" media="(max-width: 375px)" srcset="http://a2.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2011%2F0207%2Fpg2_g_rogersbelt_576.jpg&w=375, http://a2.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2011/0207/pg2_g_rogersbelt_576.jpg&w=750&cquality=40 2x" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><img class="imageLoaded lazyloaded" data-image-container=".inline-photo" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; vertical-align: top; max-width: 100%; display: block; width: 565px;"></picture><figcaption class="photoCaption" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(72, 73, 74); font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; padding-top: 10px; position: relative;">Aaron Rodgers won his first and only Super Bowl title in 2010 when the Packers topped the Steelers. <cite style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(165, 166, 167); font-style: normal; display: inline-block;">Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images</cite></figcaption></figure></aside>[h=2]10. Aaron Rodgers[/h]
Super Bowl titles: XLV*
Rodgers has a rifle for an arm. Over the past year, he hit on three Hail Mary throws. Incredible. His third-and-20 pass to Jared Cook in the fourth quarter of the 2016 NFC divisional-round game against Dallas was one of the greatest throws in playoff history. It's a shame he has only one Super Bowl ring, but he's only 33 years old.
[h=2]11. Bart Starr[/h]
Super Bowl titles: I*, II* (also won NFL titles in 1961, 1962, 1965)
Starr was the perfect leader and quarterback for Vince Lombardi's dynasty with the Packers. Lombardi was a no-nonsense coach who won with a running offense and great execution. Starr was the field general who made plays down the stretch in big games.
[h=2]12. Steve Young[/h]
Super Bowl titles: XXIII, XXIV, XXIX* (Young backed up Montana in the first two)
The 49ers made the move from Montana to Young and stayed at the dynasty level. Young was much different from Montana -- he was more of a running quarterback who evolved into one of the most efficient QBs in NFL history. His quarterback rating was well over 100 in six of his final nine seasons.
[h=2]13. Jim Kelly[/h]
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</article>Former Penn State coach Joe Paterno wanted Kelly to play linebacker for the Nittany Lions. It's a good thing Kelly went to Miami (Florida) to play quarterback. Kelly, who never won a regular-season MVP, was one of the league's toughest signal-callers. His brain moved much faster than his legs. He ran the Bills' no-huddle K-Gun offense, which was several years ahead of the rest of the NFL, and went to four consecutive Super Bowls from 1990 to 1993.
[h=2]14. Roger Staubach[/h]
After Staubach took over the Cowboys' job in 1971, they were annual championship contenders. He led the league in passer rating four times. He makes this list over fellow Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman, whom I have just outside the top 15.
[h=2]15. Fran Tarkenton[/h]
Tarkenton was the ultimate running quarterback. He rushed for 3,674 yards in his 18-year career, and his scrambling ability made him one of the most exciting quarterbacks to ever play the game. He was only 6-0 and 190 pounds, but his escapability made him stand tall among the league's best signal-callers.
<
[h=1]The GOAT crown sits on Tom Brady's head, maybe forever[/h]<figure data-video="native,640,360,18628706" class="iframe-video article-figure video active" data-source="espn"><source media="(min-width: 376px)"><source media="(max-width: 375px)"><img class="null imageLoaded lazyloaded" data-image-container=".article-figure">play
</figure><figure data-video="native,640,360,18628706" class="iframe-video article-figure video active" data-source="espn"></figure>7:00 AM CT
HOUSTON -- During the buildup to Super Bowl LI, someone asked Tom Brady what he thought a fifth Super Bowl ring might mean to his personal legacy. He listened politely, making eye contact to convey he was taking the question seriously, then scoffed at the request to mull such a nebulous thing.
"I don't think anything about a personal legacy," the New England Patriots quarterback said. "I mean, those words would never come out of my mouth unless I just repeated them. Those things have never been important to me."
<aside class="inline editorial float-r" data-behavior="article_related">[h=1]Editor's Picks[/h]
He's the greatest of all time. Period. Full stop.
Not just the greatest quarterback, but the greatest player in NFL history. Jim Brown was transcendent, Jerry Rice put up numbers that may never be broken and Joe Montana never lost on the game's biggest stage. Peyton Manning might finish with more yards or touchdowns, Aaron Rodgers with more jaw-dropping moments. But after Sunday's 34-28 win over the Atlanta Falcons, the greatest magic trick Brady has pulled off in a career full of them, the imaginary GOAT crown sits on Brady's head for the foreseeable future. Maybe forever.
"If it's possible to be humble and be the greatest of all time, he does it," Patriots defensive lineman Chris Long said. "He's the GOAT. He's the king of the petting zoo. There are other GOATs and other farm animals, but he's like the biggest GOAT. The GOAT that runs the whole petting zoo."
"The guy is the greatest of all time, and this is what he deserves," Patriots safety Devin McCourty said. "He's shown time and time again, you follow his lead, he'll get us to the promised land."
When Brady held up the Lombardi trophy inside NRG Stadium on Sunday and screamed "LET'S GO!" with a mixture of euphoria and rage -- confetti raining down on him and sticking to his face -- it was the exclamation point on arguably his greatest second-half performance. Yes, the Falcons imploded with a turnover and some boneheaded playcalls, but Brady threw for 466 yards during the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history. The GOAT debate has no credible counterargument, and several of his teammates were happy to remind him of as much.
After the final seconds ticked off the clock, New England running back LeGarrette Blount hugged Brady at midfield and pounded on his quarterback's chest with a fist. "You are the f---ing greatest, bro!" Blount yelled.
<aside class="inline inline-photo full"><figure><source data-srcset="http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2017%2F0205%2Fr178410_2_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg&w=570, http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2017/0205/r178410_2_1296x729_16-9.jpg&w=1140&cquality=40 2x" media="(min-width: 376px)"><source data-srcset="http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2017%2F0205%2Fr178410_2_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg&w=375, http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2017/0205/r178410_2_1296x729_16-9.jpg&w=750&cquality=40 2x" media="(max-width: 375px)"><img class=" lazyloaded imageLoaded " data-image-container=".inline-photo"><figcaption class="photoCaption">Patriots players celebrate after defeating the Falcons 34-28 for a fifth Super Bowl win during the Tom Brady era. <cite>Tamir Kalifa for ESPN</cite></figcaption></figure></aside>Later, in the champagne-soaked locker room, as Patriots owner Robert Kraft was handing out victory cigars, one teammate after the next came by Brady's locker to pay homage to the only quarterback in NFL history to win five Super Bowl rings.
"I know we talk about legacy a lot. We get caught up in that in our society," said Patriots wide receiver Matthew Slater, who has been Brady's teammate for nine years. "But come on. He's the best quarterback in history. You put him up against anybody, he's still the best. Someday I'll tell my kids I had the opportunity to share the field with one of the finest men, [the] finest leader of football players, that ever lived."
We've seen so much of Brady's personality over the years, it felt like, prior to this Super Bowl, he'd shown us every aspect of it. Any of the following could accurately describe him: Earnest. Driven. Proud. Arrogant. Defiant. Whiny. Charming. Humble. Bland. He contains multitudes.
But during this Super Bowl run, Brady's seventh, he offered us something unexpected. He let himself be emotionally vulnerable in public. After spending more than a decade constructing a force field, demanding privacy and letting little more than banalities escape, he lowered his shields a bit.
His dad, Tom Brady Sr., whom Brady referred to as his hero, but in particular, his mom, Galynn, who has been undergoing chemotherapy and radiation. Brady choked back tears twice in the lead-up to the game when asked about his parents. He mentioned how difficult his mom's illness had been on his family, and how much it meant to him for her to be at one of his games for the first time this season. When he sprinted onto the field for pregame introductions, he tried to point to her in the stands, knowing she was somewhere in the blur of red, white and blue jerseys. He dedicated the game to her and posted pictures of his parents on Instagram throughout the week.
"I had my wife, my kids, my parents, my sisters, my brothers-in-law and one of my sisters-in-law [at the game]," Brady said. "A lot of friends. It was a full contingent of support."
As devilishly fun as it might have been to watch Brady rub this Lombardi trophy in Roger Goodell's face, almost as a direct rebuke to the Deflategate allegations, his awkward handshake with the commissioner was instead a moment of grace. As Kraft was speaking to the stadium during the trophy presentation, hinting at all the drama of the past two seasons, Goodell tapped Brady lightly on the arm and extended his hand. Brady took it with no visible reluctance, holding the commissioner's grip for an extra beat even as Goodell gently tried to pull away.
If there was any lingering bitterness on Brady's end, it didn't show. He thanked Goodell for the gesture. The two men nodded, then parted. The final chapter of the ridiculous Deflategate saga was finally behind us.
<aside class="inline inline-photo full"><figure><source data-srcset="http://a3.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2017%2F0205%2Fr178350_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg&w=570, http://a3.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2017/0205/r178350_1296x729_16-9.jpg&w=1140&cquality=40 2x" media="(min-width: 376px)"><source data-srcset="http://a3.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2017%2F0205%2Fr178350_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg&w=375, http://a3.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2017/0205/r178350_1296x729_16-9.jpg&w=750&cquality=40 2x" media="(max-width: 375px)"><img class="lazyloaded imageLoaded" data-image-container=".inline-photo"><figcaption class="photoCaption">Brady celebrates a two-point conversion during New England's fourth-quarter comeback. <cite>Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports</cite></figcaption></figure></aside>Brady then scooped up his daughter, Vivian, and tenderly paraded her around the celebration, just as he did with his son Benjamin two years ago after beating the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX.
"He is one of my best friends, and we've been together for a long time," Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said. "When we first started, neither one of us was married. Now we're both married, have kids, and we talk about things like being a dad and all the rest of it. I couldn't be more happy for an individual to come through this year the way he did, never complain about anything. He's a special person. He's a great player, but he's a better human being."
As he neared the exit, someone asked him what happened to his game jersey. He reluctantly said it had disappeared, likely stolen out of his bag while he was getting dressed. "It will be on eBay soon, I guess," Brady said.
When he reached the team bus, he bear-hugged McDaniels, seeing his coach and close friend for the first time since the game ended, and plopped down in a seat by himself near the front. He pulled out his phone, the glow of the screen illuminating his face. He didn't say much, even as teammates climbed aboard. Eventually he put his phone away and looked out the window. Even in the darkness, you could tell the GOAT was smiling.
</figure><figure data-video="native,640,360,18628706" class="iframe-video article-figure video active" data-source="espn"></figure>7:00 AM CT
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Kevin Van ValkenburgESPN Senior Writer
HOUSTON -- During the buildup to Super Bowl LI, someone asked Tom Brady what he thought a fifth Super Bowl ring might mean to his personal legacy. He listened politely, making eye contact to convey he was taking the question seriously, then scoffed at the request to mull such a nebulous thing.
"I don't think anything about a personal legacy," the New England Patriots quarterback said. "I mean, those words would never come out of my mouth unless I just repeated them. Those things have never been important to me."
<aside class="inline editorial float-r" data-behavior="article_related">[h=1]Editor's Picks[/h]
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[h=2]Love, not rage, fueled Tom Brady's legendary win[/h]The greatest football player and his family have endured a challenging year. In the end, those challenges lit a fire under him far more than Deflategate ever could.
-
[h=2]Brady named Super Bowl MVP after historic rally[/h]Patriots quarterback Tom Brady showed every bit of his big-game experience in leading his team back from a 28-3 deficit and earning Super Bowl LI MVP honors.
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[h=2]Brady's jersey missing after Super Bowl LI[/h]Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said somebody stole his game jersey from New England's locker room after he won his fifth Super Bowl championship.
He's the greatest of all time. Period. Full stop.
Not just the greatest quarterback, but the greatest player in NFL history. Jim Brown was transcendent, Jerry Rice put up numbers that may never be broken and Joe Montana never lost on the game's biggest stage. Peyton Manning might finish with more yards or touchdowns, Aaron Rodgers with more jaw-dropping moments. But after Sunday's 34-28 win over the Atlanta Falcons, the greatest magic trick Brady has pulled off in a career full of them, the imaginary GOAT crown sits on Brady's head for the foreseeable future. Maybe forever.
"If it's possible to be humble and be the greatest of all time, he does it," Patriots defensive lineman Chris Long said. "He's the GOAT. He's the king of the petting zoo. There are other GOATs and other farm animals, but he's like the biggest GOAT. The GOAT that runs the whole petting zoo."
"He's the king of the petting zoo. There are other GOATs and other farm animals, but he's like the biggest GOAT."
<cite>Patriots defensive lineman Chris Long</cite>
You might find Brady smug, or his milquetoast loyalty to a certain polarizing politician borderline infuriating. You might still be convinced his team repeatedly skirted NFL rules. You might even point to a spreadsheet that insists other quarterbacks are better, or could have been with the right coach or the right kicker. But you can't say you'd rather put the football in someone else's hands if the goal is to win a Super Bowl. He has given his team a chance to win all seven of the Super Bowls he has played in. That's astounding when you think about it.<cite>Patriots defensive lineman Chris Long</cite>
"The guy is the greatest of all time, and this is what he deserves," Patriots safety Devin McCourty said. "He's shown time and time again, you follow his lead, he'll get us to the promised land."
When Brady held up the Lombardi trophy inside NRG Stadium on Sunday and screamed "LET'S GO!" with a mixture of euphoria and rage -- confetti raining down on him and sticking to his face -- it was the exclamation point on arguably his greatest second-half performance. Yes, the Falcons imploded with a turnover and some boneheaded playcalls, but Brady threw for 466 yards during the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history. The GOAT debate has no credible counterargument, and several of his teammates were happy to remind him of as much.
After the final seconds ticked off the clock, New England running back LeGarrette Blount hugged Brady at midfield and pounded on his quarterback's chest with a fist. "You are the f---ing greatest, bro!" Blount yelled.
<aside class="inline inline-photo full"><figure><source data-srcset="http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2017%2F0205%2Fr178410_2_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg&w=570, http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2017/0205/r178410_2_1296x729_16-9.jpg&w=1140&cquality=40 2x" media="(min-width: 376px)"><source data-srcset="http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2017%2F0205%2Fr178410_2_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg&w=375, http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2017/0205/r178410_2_1296x729_16-9.jpg&w=750&cquality=40 2x" media="(max-width: 375px)"><img class=" lazyloaded imageLoaded " data-image-container=".inline-photo"><figcaption class="photoCaption">Patriots players celebrate after defeating the Falcons 34-28 for a fifth Super Bowl win during the Tom Brady era. <cite>Tamir Kalifa for ESPN</cite></figcaption></figure></aside>Later, in the champagne-soaked locker room, as Patriots owner Robert Kraft was handing out victory cigars, one teammate after the next came by Brady's locker to pay homage to the only quarterback in NFL history to win five Super Bowl rings.
"I know we talk about legacy a lot. We get caught up in that in our society," said Patriots wide receiver Matthew Slater, who has been Brady's teammate for nine years. "But come on. He's the best quarterback in history. You put him up against anybody, he's still the best. Someday I'll tell my kids I had the opportunity to share the field with one of the finest men, [the] finest leader of football players, that ever lived."
We've seen so much of Brady's personality over the years, it felt like, prior to this Super Bowl, he'd shown us every aspect of it. Any of the following could accurately describe him: Earnest. Driven. Proud. Arrogant. Defiant. Whiny. Charming. Humble. Bland. He contains multitudes.
But during this Super Bowl run, Brady's seventh, he offered us something unexpected. He let himself be emotionally vulnerable in public. After spending more than a decade constructing a force field, demanding privacy and letting little more than banalities escape, he lowered his shields a bit.
"He's shown time and time again, you follow his lead, he'll get us to the promised land."
<cite>Patriots safety Devin McCourty</cite>
It wasn't Deflategate that did it, and it wasn't the desire to stick it to the people who questioned his integrity. It turned out, instead, to be something much more personal. It was his parents.<cite>Patriots safety Devin McCourty</cite>
His dad, Tom Brady Sr., whom Brady referred to as his hero, but in particular, his mom, Galynn, who has been undergoing chemotherapy and radiation. Brady choked back tears twice in the lead-up to the game when asked about his parents. He mentioned how difficult his mom's illness had been on his family, and how much it meant to him for her to be at one of his games for the first time this season. When he sprinted onto the field for pregame introductions, he tried to point to her in the stands, knowing she was somewhere in the blur of red, white and blue jerseys. He dedicated the game to her and posted pictures of his parents on Instagram throughout the week.
"I had my wife, my kids, my parents, my sisters, my brothers-in-law and one of my sisters-in-law [at the game]," Brady said. "A lot of friends. It was a full contingent of support."
As devilishly fun as it might have been to watch Brady rub this Lombardi trophy in Roger Goodell's face, almost as a direct rebuke to the Deflategate allegations, his awkward handshake with the commissioner was instead a moment of grace. As Kraft was speaking to the stadium during the trophy presentation, hinting at all the drama of the past two seasons, Goodell tapped Brady lightly on the arm and extended his hand. Brady took it with no visible reluctance, holding the commissioner's grip for an extra beat even as Goodell gently tried to pull away.
If there was any lingering bitterness on Brady's end, it didn't show. He thanked Goodell for the gesture. The two men nodded, then parted. The final chapter of the ridiculous Deflategate saga was finally behind us.
<aside class="inline inline-photo full"><figure><source data-srcset="http://a3.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2017%2F0205%2Fr178350_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg&w=570, http://a3.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2017/0205/r178350_1296x729_16-9.jpg&w=1140&cquality=40 2x" media="(min-width: 376px)"><source data-srcset="http://a3.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2017%2F0205%2Fr178350_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg&w=375, http://a3.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2017/0205/r178350_1296x729_16-9.jpg&w=750&cquality=40 2x" media="(max-width: 375px)"><img class="lazyloaded imageLoaded" data-image-container=".inline-photo"><figcaption class="photoCaption">Brady celebrates a two-point conversion during New England's fourth-quarter comeback. <cite>Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports</cite></figcaption></figure></aside>Brady then scooped up his daughter, Vivian, and tenderly paraded her around the celebration, just as he did with his son Benjamin two years ago after beating the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX.
"He is one of my best friends, and we've been together for a long time," Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said. "When we first started, neither one of us was married. Now we're both married, have kids, and we talk about things like being a dad and all the rest of it. I couldn't be more happy for an individual to come through this year the way he did, never complain about anything. He's a special person. He's a great player, but he's a better human being."
"I couldn't be more happy for an individual to come through this year the way he did, never complain about anything."
<cite>Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels</cite>
<article class="ad-300"></article>After Brady showered and put a suit on Sunday night, he walked into the long corridor of NRG Stadium and made his way toward the team bus. His close friend and personal trainer, Alex Guerrero, the man who helped remake Brady's body, walked with him. Every few feet, someone tried to get a picture of Brady with a phone or offer up a congratulatory fist bump, and for the most part he obliged. Everyone, including a camera crew frantically trailing him, wanted the moment to slow down, but Brady kept moving. He will turn 40 in August and has vowed to play another five years, but it was impossible to avoid wondering, in that moment: What if this is peak Brady? What if this is the last time we see him reach the summit?<cite>Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels</cite>
As he neared the exit, someone asked him what happened to his game jersey. He reluctantly said it had disappeared, likely stolen out of his bag while he was getting dressed. "It will be on eBay soon, I guess," Brady said.
When he reached the team bus, he bear-hugged McDaniels, seeing his coach and close friend for the first time since the game ended, and plopped down in a seat by himself near the front. He pulled out his phone, the glow of the screen illuminating his face. He didn't say much, even as teammates climbed aboard. Eventually he put his phone away and looked out the window. Even in the darkness, you could tell the GOAT was smiling.
