Greatest Quarterbacks of All-Time: No. 15: Roger Staubach

In selecting the 25 greatest quarterbacks in the history of the NFL, I took into account QB stats, accolades, (Pro Bowls, All-Pro selections, Offensive Player of the Year honors, MVP's, etc.) as well as regular season and postseason success—making note of the era each signal caller played in and how the game operated at that time. 

15. Roger Staubach

Dallas Cowboys, 1969-1979

(ABC News Photo)

Staubach was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 10^th-round of the 1964 NFL Draft as a future draft pick. The Cowboys were permitted to pick the Navy QB who won the 1963 Heisman Trophy, despite the fact that he was legally bound to serve in the military until June of 1969[1].

            After serving his time in the Naval Academy, Staubach joined the Cowboys prior to the 1969 season. The 29-year-old Staubach did not become the full-time starter until 1971, replacing Charlie Morton. A mobile QB with a cannon arm, Staubach won his final seven starts in the regular season as the Cowboys won the NFC East with an 11-3 record. Behind its tenacious defense—which let up just 18 points in three postseason games—Dallas won its first Super Bowl in franchise history. Staubach was named MVP of Super Bowl VI after completing 12 out of 19 passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-3 win over the Miami Dolphins.

            The Cowboys returned to the Super Bowl four years later but were upended by Terry Bradshaw’s Pittsburgh Steelers. Dallas won their next trip to the Super Bowl, Super Bowl XII, against the Denver Broncos. Staubach tossed a touchdown and 183 yards in the 27-10 victory. The Cowboys repeated as NFC champions the following season but came up short against the Steelers in Super Bowl XIII.

            In Staubach’s final NFL season (1979), the Hall of Famer set career highs in completions (267), passing yards (3,586) and touchdown passes (27).  He ended his storied career with 22,700 passing yards and 153 touchdowns versus 109 interceptions. Staubach also scrambled for 2,264 yards and scored 21 rushing touchdowns on 410 carries. He led the NFC in passer rating six times and retired with the best career passer rating at the time. Appearing in four Super Bowls (winning two), Staubach won roughly 74% of his regular season starts and 64.7% in the postseason.

*All stats courtesy of Pro-Football Reference and NFL.com.

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  [1] “Navy’s Roger Staubach Signs Contract Dallas Contract But Must Wait 4 Years”. Lawrence World-Journal. Associated Press. December 7, 1965.

NFL Week 17 Picks

Buffalo Bills (8-7) at New England Patriots (12-3)

Cleveland Browns (7-8) at Baltimore Ravens (9-6)

New York Jets (3-12) at Miami Dolphins (8-7)

Chicago Bears (5-10) at Minnesota Vikings (6-9)

Dallas Cowboys (11-4) at Washington Redskins (4-11)

Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12) at Houston Texans (8-7)

New Orleans Saints (6-9) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-13)

Indianapolis Colts (10-5) at Tennessee Titans (2-13)

Philadelphia Eagles (9-6) at New York Giants (6-9)

San Diego Chargers (9-6) at Kansas City Chiefs (8-7)

Carolina Panthers (6-8-1) at Atlanta Falcons (6-9)

St. Louis Rams (6-9) at Seattle Seahawks (11-4)

Arizona Cardinals (11-4) at San Francisco 49ers (7-8)

Oakland Raiders (3-12) at Denver Broncos (11-4)

Detroit Lions (11-4) at Green Bay Packers (11-4)

Cincinnati Bengals (10-4-1) at Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5)

Week 1: 8-8

Week 2: 8-8
Week 3: 11-5

Week 4: 4-9 (Byes: Cleveland, Cincinnati, Denver, St. Louis, Arizona, Seattle)
Week 5: 13-2 (Byes: Miami, Oakland)

Week 6: 9-5-1 (Byes: New Orleans, Kansas City)

Week 7: 11-4 (Byes: Philadelphia, Tampa Bay)

Week 8: 12-3 (Byes: New York Giants, San Francisco)

Week 9: 9-4 (Byes: Atlanta, Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, Tennessee)

Week 10: 10-3 (Byes: Indy, Minnesota, New England, San Diego, Washington, Houston)

Week 11: 8-6 (Byes: Dallas, New York Jets, Jacksonville, Baltimore)
Week 12: 12-3 (Byes: Pittsburgh, Carolina)

Week 13: 8-8

Week 14: 11-5

Week 15: 9-7

Week 16: 9-7

Season Record: 152-87-1

Thank You Rajon Rondo

Sending thanks to Rajon Rondo, who was traded to the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night in exchange for Brandan Wright, Jae Crowder, Jameer Nelson, a conditional first-round pick in the 2015 draft and a second-rounder in 2016, as well as a $12.9 million trade exception.

Rajon Rondo,

Thank you for steering the point guard duties for the 2007-2008 Boston Celtics NBA Championship team, who throttled the rival LA Lakers in the Finals.

Thank you for helping the Celtics begin the 2008-2009 season 27-2, the best start in NBA History. Celtics Nation will never forget how you nearly averaged a triple-double that postseason (16.9 ppg, 9.9 apg, 9.7 rpg). It’s a shame Kevin Garnett was sidelined for the entire playoffs with a knee injury because the Celtics were a lock to win the Eastern Conference (they almost did even with KG injured) and may have been able to defeat the Lakers in the Finals.

Thank you for developing into an elite point guard in the 2009-2010 season—a year that you helped guide the fourth-seeded Celtics to a win away from capturing the NBA Championship. Had Kendrick Perkins not torn his ACL in Game 6 of the Finals in what was the most untimely injury in NBA postseason history, Boston likely would have won that infamous Game 7 against LA, and you would have had your second ring.

Thank you for leading the good-but-not-great 2011-2012 Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals. The entire country was rooting for the Celtics in that series against the detested Miami Heat. You emerged into the best player on the Celtics that postseason and were the major reason why they pushed the heavily-favored Heat to the brink of elimination, nearly pulling off one of the greatest upsets in NBA playoff history.

And thank you for keeping the Celtics watchable these past two seasons. It hasn't been easy for Celtics fans after the unceremonious trade of legend Paul Pierce in the summer of 2013, but you kept Celtics Nation entertained as a walking triple-double.

Thanks for all the memories, Mr. Triple-Double. Once a Celtics Legend, Always a Celtics Legend.

Love, Boston Celtics Nation

Rajon Rondo’s message (combing his recent Tweets): pic.twitter.com/DmYdUlDSXn
— Chris Forsberg (@ESPNForsberg) December 19, 2014

NFL Week 16 Picks

  

Tennessee Titans (2-12) at Jacksonville Jaguars (2-12)

Philadelphia Eagles (9-5) at Washington Redskins (3-11)

San Diego Chargers (8-6) at San Francisco 49ers (7-7)

Minnesota Vikings (6-8) at Miami Dolphins (7-7)

Baltimore Ravens (9-5) at Houston Texans (7-7)

Cleveland Browns (7-7) at Carolina Panthers (5-8-1)

Atlanta Falcons (5-9) at New Orleans Saints (6-8)

Detroit Lions (10-4) at Chicago Bears (5-9)

Green Bay Packers (10-4) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-12)

Kansas City Chiefs (8-6) at Pittsburgh Steelers (9-5)

New York Giants (5-9) at St. Louis Rams (6-8)

New England Patriots (11-3) at New York Jets (3-11)

Buffalo Bills (8-6) at Oakland Raiders (2-12)

Indianapolis Colts (10-4) at Dallas Cowboys (10-4)

Seattle Seahawks (10-4) at Arizona Cardinals (11-3)

Denver Broncos (11-3) at Cincinnati Bengals (9-4-1)

Week 1: 8-8

Week 2: 8-8
Week 3: 11-5

Week 4: 4-9 (Byes: Cleveland, Cincinnati, Denver, St. Louis, Arizona, Seattle)
Week 5: 13-2 (Byes: Miami, Oakland)

Week 6: 9-5-1 (Byes: New Orleans, Kansas City)

Week 7: 11-4 (Byes: Philadelphia, Tampa Bay)

Week 8: 12-3 (Byes: New York Giants, San Francisco)

Week 9: 9-4 (Byes: Atlanta, Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, Tennessee)

Week 10: 10-3 (Byes: Indy, Minnesota, New England, San Diego, Washington, Houston)

Week 11: 8-6 (Byes: Dallas, New York Jets, Jacksonville, Baltimore)
Week 12: 12-3 (Byes: Pittsburgh, Carolina)

Week 13: 8-8

Week 14: 11-5

Week 15: 9-7

Season Record: 143-80-1

NFL Week 15 Picks

Arizona Cardinals (10-3) at St. Louis Rams (6-7)

Pittsburgh Steelers (8-5) at Atlanta Falcons (5-8)

Washington Redskins (3-10) at New York Giants (4-9)

Oakland Raiders (2-11) at Kansas City Chiefs (7-6)

Miami Dolphins (7-6) at New England Patriots (10-3)

Cincinnati Bengals (8-4-1) at Cleveland Browns (7-6)

Houston Texans (7-6) at Indianapolis Colts (9-4)

Jacksonville Jaguars (2-11) at Baltimore Ravens (8-5)

Green Bay Packers (10-3) at Buffalo Bills (7-6)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-11) at Carolina Panthers (4-8-1)

New York Jets (2-11) at Tennessee Titans (2-11)

Denver Broncos (10-3) at San Diego Chargers (8-5)

Minnesota Vikings (6-7) at Detroit Lions (9-4)

San Francisco 49ers (7-6) at Seattle Seahawks (9-4)

Dallas Cowboys (9-4) at Philadelphia Eagles (9-4)

New Orleans Saints (5-8) at Chicago Bears (5-8)

Week 1: 8-8

Week 2: 8-8
Week 3: 11-5

Week 4: 4-9 (Byes: Cleveland, Cincinnati, Denver, St. Louis, Arizona, Seattle)
Week 5: 13-2 (Byes: Miami, Oakland)

Week 6: 9-5-1 (Byes: New Orleans, Kansas City)

Week 7: 11-4 (Byes: Philadelphia, Tampa Bay)

Week 8: 12-3 (Byes: New York Giants, San Francisco)

Week 9: 9-4 (Byes: Atlanta, Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, Tennessee)

Week 10: 10-3 (Byes: Indy, Minnesota, New England, San Diego, Washington, Houston)

Week 11: 8-6 (Byes: Dallas, New York Jets, Jacksonville, Baltimore)
Week 12: 12-3 (Byes: Pittsburgh, Carolina)

Week 13: 8-8

Week 14: 11-5

Season Record: 134-73-1