3 Best NFL Quarterbacks to Ever Come out of Alabama

Alabama has seen several elite quarterbacks come through their storied football program, and while more than a few of these signal-callers have led the Crimson Tide to glory at the collegiate level, not all have managed to carry over their success to the NFL.

However, of all the 'Bama quarterbacks to play in the NFL, three in particular stand out as not only the program's best to play professionally, but also as some of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. With that in mind, here are the three best NFL quarterbacks ever to come out of Alabama.

3. Ken Stabler (1970-84)

Regardless of his style on and off the field, Ken Stabler deserves a spot in the argument for the best NFL quarterbacks ever to come out of Alabama. One of the poster boys of the 1970s Oakland Raiders, the Hall-of-Fame signal-caller is responsible for some of the NFL's most iconic plays like "The Sea of Hands" and, most importantly, the "Holy Roller" — which literally changed the NFL rulebook. Iconic moments aside, Stabler was one of the best quarterbacks of his era and earned several personal accolades, including four Pro Bowl selections as well as a First-Team All-Pro selection and NFL MVP Award in 1974. However, Stabler's career-defining achievement is easily leading the Raiders to victory in Super Bowl XI.

2. Joe Namath (1965-77)

Joe Namath will go down in NFL history for his famous victory guarantee before Super Bowl III, but he's done much more than that to deserve a place on this list. Drafted by the New York Jets in 1965, "Broadway Joe" absolutely thrived in the AFL, earning four AFL All-Star selections and a First-Team All-AFL selection in his first five years as a professional QB. Additionally, he became the first QB in the history of professional football to pass for 4,000 yards in a single season. Namath would retire after the 1972 season, but he finished his career as the most accomplished — statistically speaking — Alabama quarterback to play at the next level, accumulating 27,663 passing yards and 173 passing touchdowns in his 13-year career.

1. Bart Starr (1956-71)

Honestly, you'd be incredibly hard-pressed to find anyone that wouldn't put Bart Starr at the very top of this list. A 17th-round draft pick by the Green Bay Packers in 1956, Starr played every single one of his16 years in the NFL in Green Bay, leading Vince Lombardi's Packers to five NFL Championships and two Super Bowl titles. The Hall of Fame signal-caller was more than just a game manager, earning several personal accolades throughout his career, including four Pro Bowl selections and two Super Bowl MVP awards, as well as a First-Team All-Pro selection and NFL MVP Award in 1966. Starr would retire from playing after the 1971 season, and while his individual numbers aren't anywhere close to what Stabler and Namath tallied at the pro level, he remains the winningest Alabama quarterback in NFL history (94 wins) to this very day.

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Mike Esposito is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Mike Esposito also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username espo6891. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.