Tom Brady is widely regarded as the greatest quarterback of all-time among NFL fans, sports reporters and players. That includes one quarterback legend who used to hold that title in the eyes of many.

When Joe Montana was asked Wednesday on ESPN’s ‘First Take,” the Hall of Famer said Brady is alone on the mantle.

“Oh, I think Tom has taken his place on the top up there a long time ago,” Montana said. “So, he's had a tremendous career, he's fun to watch.”

Montana retired after the 1994 NFL season as the gold standard for quarterbacks. He had a perfect record in the Super Bowl, tied with Terry Bradshaw for a then-record four championships. Montana’s three Super Bowl MVP awards were the most in league history.

Brady then came along and blew Montana's quarterback records out of the water. At 43 years old, Brady led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers past the Kansas City Chiefs to win his seventh title and fifth Super Bowl MVP award.

“If you look at what Tom’s been able to accomplish in his time that he’s played, I think it puts him definitely up there [at] the top of the list,” Montana said.

Even before Brady joined the Buccaneers, he had done more than enough to become the most accomplished quarterback the NFL has ever seen. In two decades with the New England Patriots, Brady won three regular-season MVP awards and reached 13 AFC Championship Games.

Brady is first all-time in passing touchdowns and will likely pass Drew Brees for first in passing yards a few games into next season. Brady has made the Pro Bowl 14 times.

Montana won all four of his titles and both of his MVP awards with the San Francisco 49ers. In the 1993 season, the 8-time Pro Bowler led the Chiefs to the AFC Championship Game.

Joe Montana Tom Brady
Tom Brady of the New England Patriots talks with Hall of Famer Joe Montana prior to Super Bowl LIV between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida. Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
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