“That’s why they won the Super Bowl, because he was willing to stand in there in the pocket and push the ball down the field… His arm is still phenomenal…He’s the greatest leader in the history of the sport.” – Simms on No. 10 Tom Brady
“He’s an unbelievable pocket pressure thrower, but he’s got more than that…He’s got it all.” – Simms on No. 9 Dak Prescott
“It’s already one of the five best arms and throwers maybe in football…He’s a rising superstar in our league right now.” – Simms on No. 11 Justin Herbert
Simms’ Top 40 QB Countdown Culminates with the Top Four on Monday, June 21
STAMFORD, Conn. – June 14, 2021 – NBC Sports’ Chris Simms continues to unveil his list of the top 40 quarterbacks in the NFL on the Chris Simms Unbuttoned podcast and “PFT Live” with the QBs ranked 9-12.
Beginning last month and culminating Monday, June 21 with his top five quarterbacks in the league, Simms will unveil his selections on each Chris Simms Unbuttoned episode and discuss his rankings on “PFT Live” with Mike Florio.
Simms, a third-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2003 NFL Draft who played eight NFL seasons, will also offer in-depth player breakdowns and rankings explanations throughout each week on Chris Simms Unbuttoned.
Simms’ quarterbacks ranked 9-40:
| 9. | Dak Prescott, Dallas | 25. | Jameis Winston, New Orleans |
| 10. | Tom Brady, Tampa Bay | 26. | Daniel Jones, NY Giants |
| 11. | Justin Herbert, LA Chargers | 27. | Zach Wilson, NY Jets |
| 12. | Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee | 28. | Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville |
| 13. | Baker Mayfield, Cleveland | 29. | Andy Dalton, Chicago |
| 14. | Derek Carr, Las Vegas | 30. | Mac Jones, New England |
| 15. | Matt Ryan, Atlanta | 31. | Jared Goff, Detroit |
| 16. | Kirk Cousins, Minnesota | 32. | Teddy Bridgewater, Denver |
| 17. | Joe Burrow, Cincinnati | 33. | Drew Lock, Denver |
| 18. | Carson Wentz, Indianapolis | 34. | Tua Tagovailoa, Miami |
| 19. | Sam Darnold, Carolina | 35. | Tyrod Taylor, Houston |
| 20. | Cam Newton, New England | 36. | Marcus Mariota, Las Vegas |
| 21. | Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco | 37. | Kellen Mond, Minnesota |
| 22. | Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh | 38. | Trey Lance, San Francisco |
| 23. | Ryan Fitzpatrick, Washington | 39. | Justin Fields, Chicago |
| 24. | Taysom Hill, New Orleans | 40. | Case Keenum, Cleveland |
The rankings will continue Wednesday, June 16 with numbers and 5-8 on the next episode of Chris Simms Unbuttoned.
The following are highlights from this week’s editions of Chris Simms Unbuttoned:
No. 12: Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans
Simms: “Maximization, never leaving yards out on the field. That’s where Ryan Tannehill is the best to me. He takes advantage of every little big play that’s there to be had in football. I could sit here and argue that I think he’s one of the best deep-ball throwers in football. I could sit here and argue and say that he’s one of the most accurate 10-plus yard throwers…He puts it on the money and it’s touchdowns. Deep crossers going down the field, they don’t have to stop or regather or do anything. They get to go full speed because he puts it on the money…He’s just gotten better and better…We’re talking about a really good football, a guy that you could certainly justify being in the top 10.”
No. 11: Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Simms: “It’s just one unreal throw after another from Justin Herbert. His arm is unreal strong, and he can do it with great ease. That’s the thing that you just have to talk about right away. It’s already one of the five best arms and throwers maybe in football. I think he’s right there in that conversation for what he can do as far as down-the-field throwing, accuracy in the intermediate-short game. It’s a pretty quick release, it’s not the quickest. It’s probably something he can improve on a little bit, but you talk about all of those things – the elite throwing ability, the accuracy – and then also the ability…with people around him, he’s already one of the best in football at that…He’s such a big man, he can throw over pressure like big quarterbacks we’ve seen whether it’s Cam Newton or Tom Brady or Peyton Manning…Just an unbelievable rookie year by him. He’s a rising superstar in our league right now.”
No. 10: Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Simms: “We saw a different Tom Brady last year…Brady’s arm has never been the question. The last few years in New England, unwillingness to stand in there in the pocket, take hits, do things to throw the ball down the field. He had great, great pass protection last year and of course had weapons, but to me that’s where he redefined himself. That’s why they won the Super Bowl, because he was willing to stand in there in the pocket and push the ball down the field…His arm is still phenomenal. His talent, it’s not as good as Ryan Tannehill or Justin Herbert, but I gave a little bit more to leadership and edge and things like that – your team’s belief because of you. That’s where Brady’s special. He’s the greatest leader in the history of the sport…His throwing, his aggressive mindset, he’s still awesome in the pocket, but the big thing to me more than anything was he played tougher (last year)…and that’s when they were dangerous and that’s when they were at their best.”
No. 9: Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Simms: “This is the big soldier, the ultimate leader. You go back and watch Dak Prescott, you don’t realize how awesome he is until you watch…The toughness, we know that. The athleticism, unreal…He’s an unbelievable pocket pressure thrower, but he’s got more than that. You’ve got to have that backyard element and make plays, and he’s got a great blend of both and that’s why they can be deadly on offense…He’s a high-level thrower, he’s got an aggressive mindset, he’s a really good down-the-field thrower….He’s got it all. He’s a great leader…the team loves him. He brings an element to the run game that doesn’t get valued enough.”
To listen to the full player breakdowns on Chris Simms Unbuttoned, click here.
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