Editor's note: This story originally aired in August 2017.
MINNEAPOLIS - Tom Brady turns 40 today. That’s like 104 in football years, but the MVP shows few signs of slowing down. He’s already got five Super Bowl titles with the potential for more, so we’ve got to at least start the conversation, is he the greatest quarterback of all time? Holy Hannah, do people have an opinion about this.
“I think the facts alone prove it. The Super Bowls, the victories, the seasons,” says KARE 11 intern Benton Johnson.
I know what you’re thinking...why did we ask the intern? Well, he does have a little inside knowledge. He’s Tom Brady’s cousin and not like his 6th cousin, seven times removed.
“He and my dad are first cousins, so we’re real close,” says Benton.
To be fair, as family, Benton is probably legally required to put Tom Brady in the top QB spot, but not everyone feels the same way. We put the question on Facebook and sat back and watched. A lot of you agree Tom Brady is aces. The numbers are hard to deny. He’s got five Super Bowl wins--more than any other quarterback. Heck, he’s been to the big game seven times. But, for many, numbers or not, Tom Brady is not number one. We went to a more “impartial” source for an answer.
KFAN’s Paul Lambert was on board the Brady train, well, for a nanosecond.
“You have to say yes, it’s almost by default because of the Super Bowls, but if I had to win one game, I think I would take Joe Montana,” says Lambert.
“Brady is 1a, 1b, it’s such thin margin, but I think it’s Montana,” he goes on before throwing out another name.
“I like Bret Favre, personally, but Favre won one Super Bowl. Little do the Packers know, they think he won like 15, but he won one. Then I think about my take on Montana, because my take on Montana was genius, and I came up with it on the spot. I think if Montana played in this era he’d be the greatest of all time,” Lambert finally settles on his answer.
Okay, so Joe Montana is number one. Tom Brady is 1a or 1b and Favre is in there somewhere too. Just don’t ask him about Troy Aikman. Trust me on this one.
“Aikman is maybe the most handsome man I’ve ever seen,” says Lambert. “I’m not kidding you, stunning.”