The 10 greatest Super Bowl quarterbacks of all-time

For NFL quarterbacks, the road to greatness often runs right through the sport's biggest game.

Fair or not, the best players at the game's most important position are often judged on accolades and hardware -- Super Bowl rings included.

So which quarterbacks played their best when it mattered the most?

There are some obvious candidates, many of them the familiar stars who made multiple appearances in the big game with dynastic franchises.

There are also a few under-the-radar signal-callers who punched their tickets to Disney World with standout performances in relatively fewer opportunities.

Here's a look back at Super Bowl history as Patrick Mahomes prepares for his second big game, while Tom Brady readies for his record 10th appearance.

Favre's two Super Bowl appearances came in consecutive seasons, at the height of the Packers' mini-dynasty in the mid-90s. Green Bay comfortably dispatched New England in Super Bowl XXXI in January 1997, then got upset by the Denver Broncos the following year in Super Bowl XXXII. Favre played well in both games, tallying five touchdowns to just one interception on 502 yards. He also punched in a rushing score against the Patriots.

It's hard to believe now, but Elway was once considered the epitome of the star QB who couldn't win the big game. The Hall of Famer's cumulative stats across his five appearances aren't pretty, but he retired on the ultimate high, going out after getting the proverbial monkey off his back by capturing the Lombardi Trophy in both of his final two seasons. Statistically speaking, Elway played best in his first and last Super Bowl appearances, surpassing 300 yards in both games, but his place on this list is mostly a nod to the impressive feat of reaching the Super Bowl five times.

Like Elway, Manning is an all-time great who never authored a signature performance in the big game, despite having several opportunities. The Colts and Broncos legend took both franchises to the big game twice each, going 1-1 in Indy as well as Denver. The Colts ran the ball more than they threw it in Manning's first appearance, a rainy affair in Miami against the overmatched Bears. His best statistical output in a Super Bowl came against the Saints -- a game New Orleans sealed thanks to a late pick-six thrown by Manning.

Later, Manning's incredible return from a career-threatening neck injury was spoiled in a drubbing at the hands of the Seahawks, but he rebounded to knock off the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl L, marking his last game in the league. On balance, though, he threw more picks than touchdowns in his Super Bowl career, and eclipsed 300 yards only once in the four games.

Warner's improbable rise from the Arena Football League to three-time Super Bowl quarterback remains one of the game's most improbable perseverance stories. The unheralded journeyman seemingly came out of nowhere to reach the game's biggest stage, and he left his mark in a relatively small sample. Warner threw for 400-plus yards and two scores in a thriller against Tennessee in Super Bowl XXXIV, but the Patriots turned the tables two years later on the Rams, who were by then a juggernaut. Warner was pedestrian in the upset and appeared to be finished as a viable starter soon after, but he resurfaced in the big game eight years later with the Arizona Cardinals, and played superbly in a loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII. Warner surpassed 350 yards in each of his three appearances, and tossed a total of six touchdowns and three picks.

Troy Aikman may be the face of the Cowboys' most recent dynasty, but Roger Staubach did it first. Roger the Dodger won two Super Bowls in his four appearances, and he might have gone 3-for-4 if not for a famous miscue by tight end Jackie Smith in Super Bowl X against the Steelers. That performance was the only relative blemish on Staubach's otherwise decorated career in the big game. The Cowboys legend completed 62 percent of his passes across the four appearances, throwing eight touchdowns to four interceptions. He also tallied 83 yards rushing on 17 carries.

Manning may not boast the personal statistical accolades of big brother Peyton, but his winning percentage in the Super Bowl might be his trump card. Eli etched his name into football lore with the historic upset of the previously undefeated Patriots in Super Bowl XLII -- then knocked off New England again three years later, in case there was any doubt he was in fact kryptonite to Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. Manning's numbers were solid but unspectacular in both games, but he made several huge and improbable plays to extend drives and stave off certain doom.

The man who led America's Team to greatness was a Super Bowl fixture for a time, appearing three times in a span of four years. The Dallas legend was a perfect 3-for-3 in those games, with his most notable statistical performance coming in his first shot at the Buffalo Bills, in Super Bowl XXVII. Aikman completed 22-of-30 attempts for four touchdowns, no picks, and 273 yards in the blowout. He was pedestrian in a rematch against the Bills the following year, but on those stacked Cowboys teams, it didn't matter. He capped his career hat trick with a solid outing against the Steelers in Super Bowl XXX, bringing his career marks to an efficient 70 percent completion rate, 689 yards, and five touchdowns to just one pick.

Bradshaw has been knocked on occasion as the junior partner to Pittsburgh's vaunted Steel Curtain defense, but his outstanding career numbers in four Super Bowl appearances say otherwise. The Louisiana native never lost in the big game, and while it's true the Steelers were a run-heavy team, especially in the early days, Bradshaw was effective regardless of what was asked of him. He eclipsed 300 yards twice, threw nine total touchdowns to four picks, and connected on game-breaking scoring strikes of 64, 75 and 73 yards.

Tom Terrific already has the most Super Bowl titles in league history -- and he could tie Jim Kelly for the most losses if the Bucs are defeated by the Chiefs. Such is the rub for the quarterback who is on the verge of appearing in his record 10th Super Bowl. Wins and losses aside, Brady has claimed for himself the majority of the league's career passing records in the big game, and it's unlikely they'll be in jeopardy anytime soon. Some performances were better than others, and the losses to the Giants, in particular, will always sting, but statistically Brady's only dud came against the stingy Rams defense in Super Bowl LIII. All the rest of his outings ranged from decent to superlative.

Before Tom Terrific, there was Joe Cool. Montana personified the unshakeable crunch-time leader for the 49ers dynasty of the 1980s, guiding the franchise to four Super Bowl titles in as many appearances. The league icon always seemed to be a little extra precise on the game's biggest stage, and the numbers bear it out. Montana threw 11 touchdowns and zero picks on 122 career attempts in the Super Bowl, completing 83 of those passes for 1,142 yards. He also ran for two scores and 105 yards on 17 attempts.

The NFL's QB GOAT debate presently centers on Brady vs. Montana, and while we won't argue with anyone who prefers Brady over Joe Cool, it may be a three-man debate before long if Mahomes maintains his current trajectory.

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