5 Best Pro Football Quarterbacks For 2008

By: KJ Constance

Break Studios Contributing Writer

In a season where the Detroit Lions went 0-16 and perennial star quarterback Tom Brady was injured in the first game, the list of five best pro quarterbacks for the 2008-2009 season might look a little unusual. While Indianapolis’s Peyton Manning is there as you might expect, even one of the oldest quarterbacks and one of the very youngest have surprisingly made this elite list.

Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints. It’s hard to argue against this former Purdue star as being the best pro quarterback in the 2008-2009 NFL Season. With an unreal 5069 total yards passing (only 15 yards shy of Dan Marino’s 1984 record) and 34 touchdown passes, Brees ran away with the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year award. Boasting a 96.2 passer rating and a 65 percent completion rate, Brees was not surprisingly named to his third Pro Bowl and second All-Pro selection (he achieved both in 2009 in addition) as well.
Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts. This former Tennessee Volunteers quarterback has simply owned the past decade, statistics-wise. While the Colts did not win their division (thanks to the Tennessee Titan’s 13-3 season) and lost to the San Diego Chargers in the Wild Card round, Manning had an impressive season in his own right. Passing for just over 4000 yards with a 66.8 percent completion percentage, with 27 touchdowns, Manning earned his third NFL MVP Award, (he won his fourth in 2009) ninth Pro Bowl selection and fourth first-team All-Pro selection.
Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers. This former North Carolina State quarterback lit up the scoreboard for 34 touchdowns, leading the Chargers to the AFC West title and a first round bye in the playoffs. Once in the playoffs, they beat the Indianapolis Colts before losing to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers. Rivers amassed the highest passer rating in the league at a whopping 105.5, with a league-best 8.4 yards per pass attempt and 4009 total yards passing.
Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons. Drafted third in the NFL draft out of Boston College, Matt Ryan excelled in his rookie season, earning him the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. He completed his first professional pass in his first game by going 62 yards to Michael Jenkins for a touchdown. Ryan ended up with 3440 total yards at a 61.1 percent completion percentage, awesome statistics for any quarterback, let alone a rookie. He led the Falcons to an 11-5 record and a Wild Card berth in the playoffs, where they lost to the eventual NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals.
Kurt Warner, Arizona Cardinals. Age certainly didn't slow down the former Northern Iowa quarterback during the 2008-2009 season. At 37, Warner passed for 4,583 yards and 30 touchdowns, with a 67.1 percent completion percentage and 96.9 passer rating. He led one of the most explosive offenses in the league with 30 touchdown passes, guiding the Cardinals to their first Super Bowl appearance in team history, where they lost a nail biter to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The quarterback did his part, throwing for 377 yards, completing 72 percent of his passes and achieving a rating of 112.3. Warner was also named the starting quarterback for the NFC’s Pro Bowl team.