Joe Montana vs Peyton Manning Debate Leads to Fan War on X: “Absolutely Crazy How Many People Don’t Know Ball…”

The draft is over, and Week 1 of the regular season is more than 100 days away, meaning that the dog days of the NFL’s summer have officially begun. With nothing more than the occasional bit of training camp drama and the last remnants of free agency left to fuel the news cycle, football fans have taken up the tried and true method of engaging in all-time quarterback debates to help pass the time.

After a simple post was made to X, formerly known as Twitter, asking fans to choose between Joe Montana and Peyton Manning, the conversation quickly erupted into a frenzy. Within less than 12 hours, thousands of fans took to the comment section to share their thoughts, leading to an all-out war on what would have otherwise been a slow day for the NFL faithful.

Given the recency of Manning’s success, in addition to the fact that he played in a much more competitive era, some thought the conversation should have been a foregone conclusion.

Others found themselves favoring the San Francisco legend. Considering that Montana enjoyed one of the most successful postseason careers in NFL history, many insisted that, for all of the passing records that Manning holds, he’s still nowhere near the three-time Super Bowl MVP.

When comparing their playoff metrics, Montana’s resume seems to win out.

For the locals who were lucky enough to experience the impact that both men had on the northern region, either quarterback seems to be a fair choice. However, it’s hard to beat out the nostalgia that comes along with Montana.

Even though Manning was able to close out his career on a high note by winning the Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos, some suggested that his time spent in the Mile High City wasn’t enough to outdo the legacy of Montana. Ironically enough, it’s still “Montana by a mile,” according to some fans.

The former Indianapolis Colts may have managed to eclipse Montana in Pro Bowls, All-Pro nominations, and regular season MVP awards, but to many, the only hardware that counts goes in favor of the Pennsylvania native.

Others found themselves suggesting that Montana was simply better at handling issues than Manning. Believing that the former 49er had an easier time adapting to things on the fly, one fan went as far as to suggest that Manning was lackluster whenever the trains weren’t running on time.

Although it’s worth noting that Manning has 43 fourth quarter comebacks and 54 game-winning drives, while Montana has 26 fourth quarter comebacks and only 28 game-winning drives, making that last claim a bit of a stretch.

Examining the Manning vs Montana debate

While Manning does lead Montana in nearly every major passing metric, that shouldn’t be surprising on account of him having played in 74 more games than his counterpart. Then again, Montana’s rushing capabilities greatly dwarf that of Manning’s.

The four-time Super Bowl champion has more than 1,000 career rushing yards over the former Bronco. Considering that Montana played in a notably more physical era, that fact can’t be overlooked.

Nevertheless, they are quarterbacks, not running backs, and should be primarily graded on their passing abilities. Where Manning sports a career QB rate of 96.5, Montana shows a 92.3.

Manning’s 7.7 yards per pass attempt slightly edges out Montana’s 7.5, but his 270.5 passing yards per game obliterates Montana’s career average of 211.2 passing yards per game. Simply put, Manning wins in just about every notable category, except for championships.

Seeing as the issue is one of preference more so than skill, it’s understandable to see this become one of the hottest debates in recent history. The conversation is as nuanced as both men’s football skills, making it the perfect way for football fans to entertain themselves during slow news days like these.