Joe Montana needs no introduction as one of the greatest NFL quarterbacks of all time.
So when the San Francisco 49ers legend names his choice for the greatest quarterback of all time, his opinion carries some weight.
Men’s Health recently popped the question to Montana: Who’s the greatest?
Montana’s choice: Legendary Miami Dolphins QB Dan Marino
“Put Marino into today’s game where he gets free release … and his receivers, holy cow, weren’t very big,” Montana told Men’s Health. “Now these guys are 6-foot-4, 6-foot-5. I think [Marino] is probably one of the most unsung heroes of the game. People don’t talk enough about him or realize the numbers that he put up during the times that he put them up.”
Marino, a Hall of Famer, has seen his record passing numbers eclipsed in this pass-happy era. For example he retired as the NFL’s career leader in passing yardage (63,361 yards) but now ranks eighth, one spot behind Matt Ryan.
Montana said that Marino’s release in particular made him special.
“He had a quick release. I had to step into a lot of things to get enough [force] on the ball,” Montana said. “He had the perfect torque of his upper body and strength to deliver the ball quickly at a fast release with accuracy.”
