Another of those CNN.SI stupid features - who is the best #12 of all time? #1 - Tom Brady? Maybe one day, but not yet #2 - Terry Bradshaw - a HOF Player, but not identified with the number the way that #3 - Joe Namath was. Namath is and always will be #12. He and the number are linked in history like no other player in the NFL and their number IMO. After the Super Bowl, EVERYONE wanted to wear a Jets Green #12 jersey. Even today, you don't need to put the name on the jersey to know who you are referring to...
I agree that Namath is the one linked most strongly to #12, and that he inspired a generation of kids to want to wear it, but if the question is "who is the best #12 of all time?" the answer to me has to be Bradshaw.
Bradshaw gets the nod in my opinion. Joe Namath is prolly one of the most iconic QB's ever though. Hes just one of those players with swagger and an identity league-wide. something this teams lacked probably since Namath suited up.
Staubach is not unreasonable, but him losing twice in the SB to Bradshaw and the Steelers gives the edge to Bradshaw IMO. Another very successful #12 was Bob Griese.
It's not even a contest. What Bradsaw and Brady have done so far in their careers outshines Namath's career. I can say that confidently as a Jet fan.
Staubach (1969-1979) passer rating- 83.4 (retired as all time leader) YPA- 7.67 Bradshaw (1970-1983) passer rating- 70.9 YPA- 7.17 Look at Bradshaw's passer rating numbers starting with the 1978 season when passing rules were liberalized- 84.7 77.0 75.0 83.9 81.4 133.9 (that's just in one game in 1983) And Bradshaw didn't play against Staubach in 10 and 13- it was Steelers vs Cowboys.
Loved both of them and Bradshaw was a monster at the big play at the big moment. For years I always rated Bradshaw as the best QB I ever saw play but in retrospect I always hated the Cowboys and Staubach who i looked on as a kind of the anti Namath so I was a bit prejudice against Staubach for years. If I had to pick one QB today for my team Staubach would be the guy. Great passer, very mobil, incredible leadership ability and will. Nothing seemed impossible with Roger.
Growing up in the 70s it seemed like every good QB was #12. I thought you had to earn it when I was a kid.
The Bradshaw-Staubach numbers comparison is very similar to the earlier one about Namath and Dawson - like Namath, Bradshaw was a gunslinger who had far more interceptions, which hurts his QB rating (something NO ONE gave a damn about back in the 60s and 70s). I can certainly see the argument that Staubach would be the prototypical QB for today's game, but that wasn't the question. Of course it was the teams that met in the postseason, but Bradshaw's postseason numbers, including in things like completion percentage and YPA, were better than Staubach's and I think that that matters.
Bradshaw also played with two HOF WR together on the same team. Hayes was done when Roger took over. Pearson was very good but having Swann and Stallworth on both sides for Bradshaw was huge. Both of those guys could get down field and go up and get jump balls. Bradshaw was great but he had more help than Staubach who had the great RB in Dorsett but not the double wide threat that Bradshaw had.
Yeah, but Willie Joe did it all without the help of cheerleaders. That has to count for something!!!!
Drew Pearson, Golden Richards, Billy Joe Dupree, Robert Newhouse & Tony Dorsett, Calvin Hill and that one sprinter dude. Roger had plenty of help not too mention Rogers mobility hence the nickname Roger the Dodger. Those guys may not have been HOF'er but they were all all pro in the 70's. The Cowboys were every bit as good as the Steelers then except that they couldnt beat the Steelers in the big game which is why Terry should be higher than Roger. Swann as a HOF is extremely arguable.
You could make an argument that Pearson was as good as Swann although Swann rate of catches for TD's were almost double Pearsons rate but the combination of Swann and Stallworth was better and much more of a quick strike threat than the Cowboys had. The Steelers also had Blier and Franco Harris to counter the Cowboys great running attack. I loved Bradshaw but I do feel Roger was a better all around QB and the Steelers were a little better on D. I agree based on the SB you can't go wrong giving the nod to Terry but I do think he had the better teams. To Terry's credit he also had to go through Oakland 1 year to get the trophy. The Raiders were a great team in those days and Stabler in his prime during the Steeler runs was arguably as good as both Bradshaw and Staubach.
Raiders were at least able to beat the Steelers in the playoffs. Steelers also had to run through Houston every year as well. With the exception of the Vikings, I never thought that the NFC was that good in the 70's. It took the 49ers to change all that. I might try this later but if you match up those Steeler and Cowboy teams of which players are in the HOF, I think that it would be comparable.
I think the Steelers will have about a 2 to 1 edge if you look at Bradshaws prime years with Staubachs prime years.
Okay Steelers - Blount, Greene, Lambert, Ham, Harris, Bradshaw, Swann, Stallworth, Noll - 9 total Cowboys - Dorsett, Staubach, White, Renfro (retired 77), Wright (retired 79), Landry - 6 Total. I am surprised. I thought the Cowboys would have more.
Bob Lilly also played a couple of years with Staubach but I think you left off Webster on the Steelers?
