When Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers meet Sunday, it will mark only the third time the two quarterbacks have met as starters. Two of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, the duo also rank as the top two signal callers in California history in our look at the Golden State's best ever at that position.
The list, based heavily on NFL accomplishments with a nod to high school and college performance, has Brady at No. 1 and Rodgers at No. 2. Ironically, neither were All-Americans in high school. Rodgers played for a year at the community college level. Both were somewhat overlooked in the draft with Brady falling to the sixth round and Rodgers dropping to No. 24 overall after being identified as the potential No. 1 overall selection.
Both Brady and Rodgers are off to strong starts in 2020. Rodgers is tied for third in the league with 13 touchdowns (and no interceptions) while Brady is fifth with 12 touchdowns. Fireworks could be in store. While the past two meetings between the two quarterbacks have produced only modest results, both have been part of some of the wildest offensive games in NFL history. Rodgers had 469 yards in a game against the Detroit Lions in 2012, which produced the NFL record for most net yards passing in a game for both teams (971). Meanwhile, Brady threw for 505 yards in the Super Bowl against the Eagles in 2018 that produced the most total yards for two teams (1,151) in NFL history.
Top 25 California Quarterbacks
1. Tom BradyHigh school: Serra (San Mateo)Note: Brady's story has been told many times. A second team All-Bay Area selection in high school and a backup quarterback in college until his junior year, he's one of the greats to ever play the game with six Super Bowl victories on his resume.
2. Aaron RodgersHigh school: Pleasant Valley (Chico)Note:
Barely recruited in high school, Rodgers took the community college
route to California and then the Green Bay Packers. Ranks as the NFL's
all-time leader in passer rating at 103.0.
3. John ElwayHigh school: Granada Hills Charter (Granada Hills)Note: A Parade All-American in high school and an All-American in college, Elway reached the Super Bowl five times with two championships.
4. Dan FoutsHigh school: St. Ignatius (San Francisco)Note: A Bay Area native, Fouts guided the San Diego Chargers to some of their best seasons in the early 1980s, becoming the first quarterback to throw for over 4,000 yards in three consecutive seasons.
5. Norm Van BrocklinHigh school: Acalanes (Lafayette)Note: Finally won a NFL championship in his final year (1960) with the Philadelphia Eagles. Still holds the NFL record for passing yardage in a game with 554, set back in 1951.
6. Warren MoonHigh school: Hamilton (Los Angeles)Note: Like Rodgers, Moon played at the community college level before playing at Washington. Spent six years in the Canadian Football League before a Hall of Fame career in the NFL.
7. Randall CunninghamHigh school: Santa BarbaraNote: One of the best rushing quarterbacks in NFL history, Cunningham was a fantasy football owner's dream in 1990 when he threw for 30 touchdowns and rushed for 942 yards.
8. Carson PalmerHigh school: Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita)Note: A Heisman Trophy winner while at USC, Palmer also won a pair of Southern Section championships in football. Made three Pro Bowls in the NFL.
9. Bob WaterfieldHigh school: Van NuysNote: Waterfield led the Rams' explosive offense in the late 1940s and early 1950s, winning two NFL championships and a league MVP award.
10. Jim PlunkettHigh school: James Lick (San Jose)Note: A Heisman Trophy winner at Stanford and the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, Plunkett had a career revival in the 1980s, leading the Raiders to a pair of Super Bowl wins.
11. John BrodieHigh school: Oakland Tech (Oakland)Note: The NFL MVP in 1970, only Johnny Unitas ranked ahead of Brodie in career passing yardage when the Oakland native retired in 1973.
12. Craig MortonHigh school: Campbell (school closed in 1980)
Note: Led the Dallas Cowboys (1970) and Denver Broncos (1977) to the Super Bowl. He was the first NFL quarterback to start a Super Bowl with two different teams.
13. Daryle LamonicaHigh school: ClovisNote: The
"Mad Bomber" led the Raiders to their first Super Bowl, where they lost
to the Packers. He was a two-time AFL Player of the Year.
14. Jeff GarciaHigh school: GilroyNote: Undrafted out of San Jose State, made four Pro Bowls and ranks 29th all-time in passer rating.
15. Ken O'BrienHigh school: Jesuit (Carmichael)Note: Selected in the first round of the same draft that produced John Elway, Dan Marino and Jim Kelly, O'Brien led the NFL in passer rating during his second season with the Jets.
16. Derek CarrHigh school: Bakersfield Christian (Bakersfield)Note: Only in his seventh season, Carr already ranks as the all-time leading passer in Raiders history, moving ahead of Kenny Stabler in 2019.
17. Alex SmithHigh school: Helix (La Mesa)Note: The former No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft by the 49ers has just recently gotten back into action after a leg injury forced him to miss the entire 2019 season.
18. Colin KaepernickHigh school: Pitman (Turlock)Note: One of the more compelling and controversial players of the past decade, Kaepernick led the 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2012 and back to the championship game in 2013. Ranks ahead of the likes of Dan Marino and Brett Favre in career passer rating.
19. Billy KilmerHigh school: AzusaNote: A two-sport star in high school and college (he played basketball for John Wooden at UCLA), Kilmer led the Washington Football Team to the Super Bowl in 1972.
20. Jim HarbaughHigh school: Palo AltoNote: The
son of a college coach, Harbaugh lived in many different states and
attended high school in Michigan and California. Played for five
different teams and made one Pro Bowl.
21. Matt LeinartHigh school: Mater Dei (Santa Ana)Note: An All-American in high school and a Heisman Trophy winner in college, Leinart played just six seasons in the NFL.
22. Brian SipeHigh school: Grossmont (El Cajon)Note: An underrated player, Sipe was the NFL's Most Valuable Player during the 1980 season.
23. Trent DilferHigh school: AptosNote: The No. 6 overall pick in the 1994 NFL Draft, led the Baltimore Ravens to a Super Bowl title.
24. Steve DeBergHigh school: Savanna (Anaheim)Note: A journeyman quarterback in the NFL, DeBerg has the distinction of being replaced by both Joe Montana and John Elway.
25. Jared GoffHigh school: Marin Catholic (Kentfield)Note: Will likely move higher up this list as his career progresses. Only in his fourth season as a full-time starter, Goff already ranks No. 14 all-time in passer rating at 93.2 – one spot above his boyhood idol Joe Montana.
![Jared Goff celebrates a touchdown pass in California's 2012 Division III state championship game.](https://image.maxpreps.io/editorial/article/7/a/8/7a82742d-df5e-494b-8b0c-4db5f4e3f92f/756a8ca3-d70f-eb11-80ce-a444a33a3a97_original.jpg)
Jared Goff celebrates a touchdown pass in California's 2012 Division III state championship game.
Photo by Heston Quan