NFL Legends Page
John Elway
John Albert Elway Jr. (born June 28, 1960) is a former American football quarterback and current executive vice president of football operations and general manager of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL).
Elway played college football at Stanford and his entire 16-year professional career with the Denver Broncos. At the time of his retirement in early 1999, Elway recorded the most victories by a starting quarterback and statistically was the second most prolific passer in NFL history. He was also a prolific rusher of the ball, being one of only two players ever to score a rushing touchdown in four different Super Bowls (the other being Thurman Thomas) and the only quarterback to do so.[1][2]
Elway set several career records for passing attempts and completions while at Stanford and also received All-American honors. He was the first selection in the 1983 NFL Draft, famously known as the quarterback class of 1983, where he was taken by the Baltimore Colts before being traded to the Denver Broncos. In January 1987, Elway embarked on one of the most notable performances in sports and in NFL history, helping engineer a 98-yard, game-tying touchdown drive in the AFC Championship Game against the Cleveland Browns. The moment is known in National Football League lore as "The Drive.
Gary Kubiak
Gary Wayne Kubiak (born August 15, 1961) is a former American football coach and player. He served as head coach for the NFL's Houston Texans from 2006 to 2013 and of the Denver Broncos in 2015 and 2016 before stepping down from the position on January 1, 2017, citing health reasons.[1] He also had jobs as assistant coach at Texas A&M University and with the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos.
Kubiak played quarterback in college at Texas A&M. He was drafted in the 8th round, 197th overall pick, of the 1983 NFL Draft by the Broncos where he played from 1983 to 1991 as the backup to John Elway.
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is a former American football quarterback who played 18 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Indianapolis Colts. Considered to be one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time,[1] he spent 14 seasons with the Colts and was a member of the Denver Broncos in his last four seasons. Manning played college football for the University of Tennessee, leading the Tennessee Volunteers to the 1997 SEC Championship in his senior season. He is the second son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning and older brother of New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning.
Joe Montana
Joseph Clifford Montana Jr. (born June 11, 1956), nicknamed "Joe Cool"[1] and "The Comeback Kid",[2] is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons, primarily with the San Francisco 49ers. He also briefly played for the Kansas City Chiefs.[3] After winning a college national championship at Notre Dame, Montana started his NFL career in 1979 with San Francisco, where he played for the next 14 seasons.[4] Traded before the 1993 season, he spent his final two years in the league with the Kansas City Chiefs. While a member of the 49ers, Montana started and won four Super Bowls and was the first player ever to have been named Super Bowl Most Valuable Player three times. He also holds Super Bowl career records for most passes without an interception (122 in 4 games) and the all-time highest quarterback rating of 127.8. Montana was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000, his first year of eligibility.
Jim Brown
James Nathaniel Brown (born February 17, 1936) is a former professional American football player and actor. He was a fullback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL) from 1957 through 1965. Considered to be among the greatest football players of all time,[1] Brown was a Pro Bowl invitee every season he was in the league, was recognized as the NFL Most Valuable Player several times, and won an NFL championship with the Browns in 1964. He led the league in rushing yards in eight out of his nine seasons, and by the time he retired, he had shattered most major rushing records. In 2002, he was named by The Sporting News as the greatest professional football player ever.
Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Julius Taylor (born February 4, 1959), nicknamed "L.T.", is a Hall of Fame former American football player. Taylor played his entire professional career as a linebacker for the New York Giants (1981–1993) in the National Football League (NFL). He is considered one of the greatest players in the history of football, and has been ranked as the greatest defensive player in league history by former players, coaches, media members, and news outlets such as the NFL Network, and Sporting News.
Ed"Too Tall" Jones
Ed Lee Jones (born February 23, 1951), commonly known as Ed "Too Tall" Jones, is a retired American football player who played 15 seasons (1974–1978, 1980–1989) in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys. In 1979, he briefly left football to attempt a career in professional boxing.
William"The Refrigerator"Perry
William Anthony Perry (born December 16, 1962) is a former American professional football player who was a defensive lineman in the National Football League(NFL) for ten seasons during the 1980s and 1990s. Perry played college football for Clemson University, and was recognized as an All-American. He was selected in the first round of the 1985 NFL Draft, and played professionally for the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL. In reference to his imposing size, he was popularly known as "The Refrigerator" or, abbreviated, "The Fridge." Perry also occasionally played at fullback at the goal line due to his size and power.
Craig Morton
Morton played college football at the University of California in Berkeley under head coach Marv Levy and assistant coach Bill Walsh, both future NFL head coaches and members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Morton became the starter in the sixth game of his sophomore season in 1962. Back then his nickname was "Big Hummer" and his production dominated the Golden Bears offense output.
As a sophomore in 1962, he played in only five games because of a knee injury, but still managed 905 passing yards, a 54% completion rate and nine touchdowns. As a junior in 1963 he already owned most of Cal's all-time quarterback records.
In his three seasons as a starter at Cal, he never played on a winning team. Morton completed 185 of 308 passes for 2,121 yards and 13 touchdowns in his senior season in 1964, but even with a losing 3–7 record, he was recognized for his talent and contributions by being named first team All-American over other winning quarterbacks. He also received the W. J. Voit Memorial Trophy, given to the best player on the Pacific Coast and the Pop Warner Trophy, given to the best senior player. In the balloting for the Heisman Trophy won by John Huarte of Notre Dame, Morton was seventh, ahead of Joe Namath of Alabama and Gale Sayers of Kansas.
Brett Frave
Joe Namath
Brett Lorenzo Favre born October 10, 1969) is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons in 1991, Packers from 1992 to 2007, New York Jets in 2008, and Minnesota Vikings from 2009 to 2010. Favre was the first NFL quarterback to pass for 500 touchdowns, throw for 70,000 yards, complete 6,000 passes, and attempt 10,000 passes.
Joseph William Namath born May 31, 1943), nicknamed Broadway Joe, is a former American football quarterback and actor. He played college football for the University of Alabama under coach Paul "Bear" Bryant from 1962 to 1964, and professional football in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) during the 1960s and 1970s. Namath was an AFL icon and played for that league's New York Jets for most of his professional football career. He finished his career with the Los Angeles Rams. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985. He retired after playing 143 games over 13 years in the AFL and NFL, including playoffs. His teams had an overall record is 68 wins, 71 losses, and four ties, 64–64–4 in 132 starts, and 4–7 in relief. He completed 1,886 passes for 27,663 yards, threw 173 touchdowns, and had 220 interceptions, for a career passer rating of 65.5. He played for three division champions (the 1968 and 1969 AFL East Champion Jets and the 1977 NFC West Champion Rams), earned one league championship (1968 AFL Championship), and one Super Bowl victory (Super Bowl III).
Brett Lorenzo Favre (/ˈfɑːrv/ ( listen); born October 10, 1969) is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons in 1991, Packers from 1992 to 2007, New York Jets in 2008, and Minnesota Vikings from 2009 to 2010. Favre was the first NFL quarterback to pass for 500 touchdowns, throw for 70,000 yards, complete 6,000 passes, and attempt 10,000 passes.
Champ Bailey
Roland "Champ" Bailey Jr. (born June 22, 1978) is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Georgia, where he earned consensus All-American honors, and was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He is the brother of former NFL linebacker Boss Bailey.
In 2004, Bailey was traded to the Denver Broncos, who released him in early 2014, following their Super Bowl XLVIII loss. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints shortly afterward, but was released before the start of the regular season. In October 2014, Bailey announced his retirement from the NFL after 15 seasons. He was selected to 12 Pro Bowls in his career, the most ever for a cornerback. He holds the current NFL record for most passes defended, with 203. In 2019, he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
Terry Bradshaw
Terry Paxton Bradshaw (born September 2, 1948) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League (NFL). Since 1994, he has been a television sports analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday. Bradshaw is also an actor and singer, having participated in many television shows and films, most notably starring in the movie Failure to Launch and releasing several country music albums. He played for 14 seasons with Pittsburgh, won four Super Bowl titles in a six-year period (1974, 1975, 1978, and 1979), becoming the first quarterback to win three and four Super Bowls, and led the Steelers to eight AFC Central championships. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989, his first year of eligibility. Bradshaw was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1996.
Eli Manning
Elisha Nelson Manning (born January 3, 1981)[1] is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons with the New York Giants. After playing college football at Ole Miss, he was selected first overall in the 2004 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers and traded to the Giants during the draft. He is the youngest son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning and younger brother of former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning.
Although Manning struggled with consistency throughout much of his career, he is recognized for twice leading the Giants to underdog Super Bowl victories against the New England Patriots' dynasty in Super Bowl XLII and Super Bowl XLVI.[2] The former, which saw the wild card Giants defeat a Patriots team that was the first to win all 16 regular season games, is regarded as one of the greatest sports upsets of all time. Manning was named Most Valuable Player in both championships, making him one of five players to have multiple Super Bowl MVP awards.
Ray Rice
Raymell Mourice Rice (born January 22, 1987) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. He played college football at Rutgers and was drafted by the Ravens in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. During his professional career, Rice was named to three Pro Bowls and was a member of the team that won a Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XLVII. He is second in franchise rushing yards, rushing attempts, and rushing touchdowns and third in franchise combined touchdowns.
Rice became embroiled in controversy amid the 2014 offseason when a video surfaced of him physically attacking his then-fiancée, resulting in him being indicted for aggravated assault. Following the indictment, Rice was released by the Ravens and suspended indefinitely by the NFL. Although Rice would be reinstated after he successfully appealed the league's decision, the controversy surrounding the incident effectively ended his professional career, with no teams signing him during his time in free agency.
Jhon Elway
