Quarterbacks haven't changed so much as football has changed. Rule changes made it more difficult for defenses to slow the progress of receivers; there have been many rules created to protect the QB; and offensive lines were constructed with the passing game in mind instead of the running game.
Come on Dark! Moon, Namath, and Archie Manning are no even in the discussion.
Montana
Unitas
Marino
Favre
Brady/Manning
/discussion
Right, you put it better than I did. I meant more that the numbers which QBs are measured by are changing. The number of turnovers or completion percentages considered good or all-pro level in the mid 80s are low end stats now. So, you can't purely look at the numbers, but when you see completion percentages of 70%+ I think you have to recognize that.
So to me, Brady and Manning (Peyton lol) are in the discussion. So is Favre and Marino.
To argue that Namath or Archie Manning even belong in the same zip code that this discussion is taking place is laughable. There is no argument, at all.
Moon, maybe he can take a bus and drive past the meeting, he threw for a shitton of yards everywhere and had longevity to boot.
My personal list happens to include everyone you listed. Well, tbh I don't know a ton about Unitas and I know his stats don't hold up, but I feel there likely is a QB in the list that I haven't seen play. You have to throw Elway onto your list as well.
So, finally, its:
Montana
Marino
Favre
Elway
Manning
Brady
And I guess Unitas
In some order.
No discussion.