Editor’s note: As part of NFL’s Greatest Quarterback, fans will decide the best quarterback in team, division, conference and league history.
The people have spoken. We saw some close races among the NFC North teams, and that was to be expected — these are some of the oldest teams in the league’s history.
For the Bears, Sid Luckman beat out Jim McMahon, Ed Brown and Billy Wade. Bobby Layne took the crown for the Lions over second-place finisher Gary Danielson.
The toughest choice was in Green Bay. Aaron Rodgers finished third with 25.57 percent of the vote, Brett Favre finished second with 28.38 percent and Bart Starr came away victorious with 43.79 percent. Fran Tarkenton ran away from the rest of his competition in Minnesota with 89.4 percent. Daunte Culpepper finished second.
Now, let’s decide the greatest quarterback in NFC North history. Check out their credentials below and then vote.
Sid Luckman: Luckman was drafted No. 2 overall out of Columbia in 1939 and went on to have one of the best and most productive careers of his era. The Bears won four NFL Championships during his 12 years with franchise.
Luckman was a five-time All-Pro, the 1943 MVP and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1965. He led the league in passing and touchdowns in 1943, 1945 and 1946.
Bobby Layne: When Layne retired, he was the NFL career leader in passing yards, touchdowns, attempts and completions. He led the Lions to back-to-back NFL Championships in 1953 and 1954.
Layne was a five-time Pro Bowler and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967. After Layne was traded during the 1958 season, he reportedly said the Lions would not win for another 50 years. Since that time, the Lions are one of two NFL teams that have not made the Super Bowl. The Lions are 1-10 in the playoffs since trading Layne. The proclamation is known as “The Curse of Bobby Layne.”
Bart Starr: The way Starr’s career started, you would have no idea he would go on to be one of the league’s all-time great quarterbacks. He was a 17th-round pick out of Alabama in 1956 and wouldn’t become Green Bay’s full-time starter until 1960.
Starr was a four-time All-Pro, five-time NFL champion, two-time Super Bowl champion, two-time Super Bowl MVP and the 1966 NFL MVP. Starr had a 9-1 playoff record and his career completion percentage was an NFL-record 57.4 percent when he retired.
Fran Tarkenton: Tarkenton was an undersized scrambling quarterback who brought mobility back to the position. He ran for 3,674 yards during his 18-year career and threw for another 47,003. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986 and won an MVP award in 1975.
Tarkenton led the Vikings to the Super Bowl in 1973, 1974 and 1976, but Minnesota lost all three games. He was the Vikings’ first starting quarterback after he was drafted in the third round in the team’s inaugural 1961 season. Tarkenton had two stints with Minnesota from 1961 to 1966 and again from 1972 to 1978. He’s the Vikings’ career leader in almost all passing categories.
