And the Legend of Elway remains safe and secure

I’m not going to lie: My vehement disdain for latter-career Brett Favre has been motivated by a simple desire. That desire, of course, was to protect my sporting hero John Elway’s status (at or nearly) atop the historial QBing heap. I was worried a Super Bowl win by the Vikings would set up an Elway/Favre showdown that, quite frankly, could knock Elway’s two-Super-Bowls-and-off-into-sunset legend down a few pegs.
As you’d expect, back in November when I interviewed Sports Illustrated’s Peter King for a Q&A about his book Monday Morning Quarterback, I asked him to breakdown the Elway vs. Favre comparison since — let’s face it — his writing has done much to elevate Favre, and brush over his on-the-team off-the-team shenanigans.
My case for Elway: Not only did he beat Favre as an underdog, in a Super Bowl that would have given Brett two consecutive championships, but Elway would go on to close his career with back-to-back titles. He left without carrying on (for too long), and without needing a rehab stint to be rulebook ready. And, despite multiple championship meltdowns early on in his career, he bounced back. (Plus, he sent a letter of concern after I got run over in ’08, so that doesn’t hurt.)
King’s case for Favre, verbatim:

There have been so many discussions about that. (He makes a point about how football is distinct in how it puts a high price on the value of getting rings). I never once heard anybody say Ted Williams didn’t win it all. That’s absolutely a category that history will look at for Favre. People don’t remember that the year before he won the (first of his) Super Bowl(s); [then coach Mike Shanahan] was asking ‘Can we get anything for Elway?’ He won two straight, after some horrible playoff losses.
One of the things is (how people have come to view) Elway in retirement is better than player. He’s Top 10 all-time QBs, and he ought to be considered (in the conversation) in my own mind.
It’s become pretty fashionable now to talk about Favre as a waffler. But, he’s truly a great player in NFL history. That 300th straight game is more remarkable than [Cal] Ripken. I’m not trying to call him some Hercules. But, I’m not big on one category being how you judge players. Sometimes, we forget to look at body of work.

Valid points, sure. But I’ll still go with Elway — about whom King wrote an eloquent post-victory scene piece — over any QB, or any era. And that’s that.
Feel free to disagree. Just be prepared for vengeance to rain down upon thee before I declare “Case closed.”
Go Saints!!!