Chris Simms Says John Elway Better Than Tom Brady
BOSTON (CBS) - I guess you've got to give him credit for never being short on opinion, but Chris Simms really makes no sense sometimes.
The former NFL backup quarterback and current CBS Sports analyst didn't make any friends with Patriots fans back in November, when he proudly proclaimed that Tom Brady was not at present a top five quarterback in the National Football League.
This made headlines around the country, and certainly in New England.
Simms, formerly a quality control coach for the Patriots, even appeared on Felger & Massarotti to clarify his position, basically saying that Tom Brady as a current top five quarterback is essentially a fairytale.
"My kids know that Shrek is not real. What are we going to say, that Tom Brady's the best quarterback in year 25 of his career when he's 50 years old? I mean, the dream has to end at some point."
Simms ranked Aaron Rodgers, Andrew Luck, Ben Roethlisberger, Russell Wilson and Peyton Manning as his 1-5, and said Andrew Luck is better than Brady because "he doesn't have a Jonas Gray" -- the AWOL running back of the New England Patriots that only appeared in five more games (counting the postseason) after exploding for 200 yards and four touchdowns against the Colts.
Let that sink in.
Monday night on the CBS Sports Network, one day after Tom Brady won his fourth Super Bowl and third big game MVP trophy, Simms was complimentary of the quarterback, calling him "the most accomplished" signal caller ever.
But when it came to choosing #1, Simms said this:
"As far as professional sports go, I'm only comfortable with saying one guy is the greatest, and that was #23 for the Chicago Bulls. Michael Jordan not only had the physical ability that was the greatest, but then he had the hardware to back it up."
Moments later, after saying he's only comfortable calling one athlete "the greatest" of his respective sport, he does the exact thing he said he wouldn't do: reveal his choice for greatest all time quarterback.
"To me, I'd probably pick John Elway. John Elway went to five Super Bowls. He's kind of a victim of his own greatness, to a degree. In three of those Super Bowls, I think he's the only quarterback in football that could have brought those Denver Bronco teams to a Super Bowl. His physical ability was unmatched as far as what we've seen. Brady is the most accomplished, and certainly in the conversation, but I'm just not gonna sit there and say he's the greatest of all time."
Andy Gresh and Rich Keefe, who filled in for a traveling Scott Zolak, discussed Simms' latest comments Tuesday morning.
While Gresh understands his overall point, about how it's hard to compare eras, how football is a team sport and how it's a mostly futile exercise, Keefe didn't hold back his feelings towards Simms.
"I think Chris Simms is an idiot," said Keefe.
"First of all, Brady's been to more Super Bowls, and he's almost won as many as Elway has ever been to. Second of all, does he win anything without Terrell Davis in their last two? The John Elway argument is insane. I think he's just trying to stick to his guns. For whatever reason he doesn't like Brady, and that's fine. Your better argument there, Chris, is Joe Montana. Hype up Montana, hype up the 4-0, the no interceptions in the Super Bowl -- that's your best bet.
"Don't sit here and say John Elway is better than Brady. I don't think anybody is even having that conversation."
Listen below for Gresh & Keefe's full conversation:
