10 most clutch NFL Quarterbacks of all time

#6 Tom Brady, New England Patriots/ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tom Brady is still active in the NFL, so his stats would change, as he has at least one season remaining in his career. Brady (39) is currently second on the all-time fourth-quarter comeback list, just four behind Peyton Manning.

Brady led the Patriots to comebacks in four Super Bowls, something the Atlanta Falcons won't forget any time soon.

Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!

In Super Bowl LI, the Patriots were down 3-28 to the Falcons in the third quarter. Brady stepped in and led the Patriots on a 25-0 run, including 19 in the fourth quarter, sending the game to overtime. Brady's pass to James White in overtime then secure his team a 34-28 victory.

#7 John Elway, Denver Broncos

John Elway was known for his fourth-quarter comebacks throughout his NFL career. The 1998 Super Bowl was one instance when Elway used his strength and talent to help the Broncos beat the Green Bay Packers.

Elway made 31 fourth-quarter comebacks in his NFL career, which puts him in seventh place on the all-time list. John Elway is a two-time Super Bowl champion, who played for the Denver Broncos between 1983 and 1998. He retired after winning his second Super Bowl.

Elway is now an executive with the Denver Broncos, the franchise he spent his playing career with. He has since brought another Super Bowl to Denver, the first since Elway did it himself as a player.

#8 Johnny Unitas, Baltimore Colts

Quarterback Johnny Unitas of the Baltimore Colts just gets a pass off in time against the New York Jets during Super Bowl 3. #JohnnyUnitas #Baltimore #Colts #BaltimoreColts #football pic.twitter.com/oJRdMKPpjI
— The Thrill of Victory (@ThrillVictory) February 10, 2021

Expand Tweet

Johnny Unitas is a clutch quarterback for a few reasons. But being a part of the first-ever NFL overtime game in 1958 and the quarterback of the winning team, might just trump them all.

It wasn't Unitas' only thrilling comeback. In a 37-34 win over the Minnesota Vikings in 1963, Unitas led the team to 21 unanswered points in the fourth-quarter.

With all of the accomplishments Unitas earned throughout his career, his start in the NFL was rocky. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers and was cut from the team because he wasn't big enough, and there were quarterbacks ahead of him on the depth chart that were seen as better.

#9 Steve Young, San Francisco 49ers

There were a lot of skeptics when Steve Young took over for Joe Montana with the 49ers. Young had just been traded by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to San Francisco.

Many didn't believe Young could be the next great 49ers' quarterback. But Young's ability to be a hard-nosed quarterback and play till the clock ran out made him that much better. He may have just had 14 fourth-quarter comebacks in his NFL career, but he did what he needed to get his team the win.

Young's biggest clutch play was to Terrell Owens, which is still being talked about today. It was the 1998 NFC WIldcard Game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Green Bay Packers.

Young drove the 49ers in a nine-play, 76-yard series; Owens caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from Young at the end of the drive. The 49ers beat the GreenPackers 30-27, thanks to what is being called the 'Catch II'.

#10 Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers

Terry Bradshaw and the Pittsburgh Steelers were the team to beat in the 1970s and 1980s. But some of those victories came from hard-fought battles.

Bradshaw won four Super Bowls during his stint with Pittsburgh Steelers. One of his 19 fourth-quarter comebacks was against division rivals Cincinnati Bengals in 1982, tying the game and setting up for a game-winning field goal in overtime.

The 1972 'Immaculate Reception' is one of the all-time plays in NFL history. The Steelers were down late in the matchup against the Oakland Raiders. Bradshaw was trying to throw a pass to John Fuqua, but the football was tipped and somehow landed within reach of Franco Harris.

Harris then scored the game-winning touchdown as the Steelers beat the Oakland Raiders 13-7.

About the author

Bethany Cohen is an NFL writer at Sportskeeda, with a rich prior 15-year experience in the sports writing industry, primarily covering the MLB and MiLB. She majored in Communications from the University of South Florida and has previously worked for top companies such as Examiner.com and Legends on Deck.

Bethany owes her NFL allegiance to the Pittsburgh Steelers owing to their long-standing tradition and competitiveness. She is a fan of old stalwarts such as Terry Bradshaw and Franco Harris and would love to watch them in the 1970s if she manages to get her hand on a time machine. She also acknowledges the greatness of modern icons like T.J. Watt for his desire to continuously improve despite being on top. She admires coaches Mike Tomlin and Andy Reid for their longevity and success.

The ace reporter credits her knowledge and love for the sport to be her biggest reporting strengths. Prior fact-checking is a big component of her process and she always scours through additional sources to ensure complete accuracy in her content.

Super Bowl XLIII, when the Steelers won the the grand prize after Santonio Holmes’ epic catch in the end zone with just seconds left on the clock is etched in Bethany’s memory forever. When she is free of her professional commitments, she likes to attend sports events and music concerts.

Know More

College World Series Bracket 2025: Full list of teams heading to Omaha for a chance at national title

Edited by Bhargav