It’s not uncommon for ESPN to get the people going with the hot-take machine the network’s had running since the early 2010s. That trend remained true on Thursday morning. On First Take, analyst Dan Orlovsky dropped an absolute doozy of a take regarding all-time great NFL quarterbacks.
Orlovsky claimed a few things that were absurd, even for what the network tends to trot out. First, he said that Patrick Mahomes was the second-best quarterback of all time. Granted, Mahomes is excellent and could become a two-time Super Bowl Champion this year. But, clearly, there’s a lot more for him to accomplish. That wasn’t all though, because Orlovsky failed to include an all-time great in his Top 5: Joe Montana, four-time Super Bowl Champion and multitime NFL MVP, perhaps you’ve heard the name.
As Awful Announcing pointed out, Orlovsky didn’t just take this list out for a walk. He went further and went on for several minutes to explain why Montana was omitted. Keyshawn Johnson, longtime ESPN presence, was absolutely fed up with what he was hearing.
“You’re either doing this to troll people and get your Twitter game up and your Instagram game and your TikTok! How the hell you lose Joe Montana off this list?” Johnson irately asked. “What’s wrong with you!? Before there was a Brady, there was a Montana!”
Oh dear god.
Dan Orlovsky is now 5 minutes into trying to explain why Joe Montana isn't on his top 5 QBs list.
He leadoff with that he was too young to have really watched him. https://t.co/32e85EHdTB pic.twitter.com/NIA9NIdH1M
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 2, 2023
Johnson was not the only one to dish out scorn to Orlovsky for this scorching-hot quarterbacks take. Even Sir Mix-A-Lot thought he was talking crazy.
@danorlovsky7 no Joe Montana? Omg 4-0 in Super Bowls? Nuff said
— Sir Mix-A-Lot (@therealmix) February 2, 2023
https://t.co/uKGTGFWpcu pic.twitter.com/6GsRTgirCb
— ThrillHo (@MonsieurJairo88) February 2, 2023
For every time Orlovsky does some legitimately good Xs and Os breakdown, he’ll say something this ridiculous. https://t.co/cR0itjdTFk
— Jerry, Thankful For 37 And 55 (@JDsJustTalking) February 2, 2023
I just don't know how you have Marino here and not Montana. https://t.co/fmnrJiF4Em
— Dave DuFour (@DaveDuFourNBA) February 2, 2023
There is a defensible way to exclude Montana from a top-5 all-time list, but it can't be because he was 'too young to watch him' if Dan Marino is on his list.
Montana won 2 MVP awards *after* Marino's only MVP honor. Their peak years overlapped.
— Shawn Foss (@Shawn_Foss) February 2, 2023
Society if First Take didn't exist. pic.twitter.com/YvwKOQtmTY
— Kyle Speicher 🇺🇸 (@TVKyle) February 2, 2023
He was too young to have watched Montana…but not Marino??
Dan really stepped out of the end zone with that logic.
— Joe 🏰🏐🌳🎥 (@joemessin) February 2, 2023
Dan Orlovsky is 3 months older than Aaron Rodgers, who idolized Joe Montana growing up.
Orlovsky is 11 years older than Jared Goff, who wears No. 16 in honor of Montana.
— Sportswalkthe (@Sportswalkthe) February 2, 2023
Don't tell Dan that Montana beat both Elway and Marino in super bowls and those games weren't even close 🤣🤣
— Sean (@seanie_hoodrat) February 2, 2023
