Mike Francesa shares ludicrous Brady take following QB's retirement

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Not everyone likes Tom Brady, but he is universally considered the greatest quarterback in NFL history.

Well, almost universally.

Brady’s retirement announcement on Wednesday brought a variety of reactions, from praise to jeers to skepticism. One radio icon proceeded to add another type of response to the mix: a questionable hot take.

Alongside Stephen A. Smith and former radio partner Chris “Mad Dog” Russo on Wednesday’s “First Take,” Mike Francesa put not one, but two quarterbacks above Brady.

“[Brady's] not the best regular season quarterback I've ever seen. Peyton Manning was. He's not the best Super Bowl quarterback who ever lived, Joe Montana is,” Francesa said. “What he is though, is the guy who played the longest and he won the most games."

Francesa’s not wrong … about the last part. He indeed played more games and got more wins than any other NFL quarterback.

The rest of Francesa’s thought process can be backed by particular stats. Manning won five MVPs to Brady’s three and beat the latter’s single-season passing touchdown record. Brady also won 11 of their 17 head-to-head matchups, including nine victories in the regular season.

Brady never got to face Montana, of course. The San Francisco 49ers legend went a perfect 4-0 in Super Bowls and had five touchdowns in a Super Bowl XXIV triumph over the Denver Broncos. 

Taking it a step further from his initial stance, Francesa said if he needed a quarterback for one game, he would choose Montana over everybody.

“Winning all of those Super Bowls matters because that’s how we keep score,” he said. “But if you ask me, you have one game to win, I’m picking Joe Montana.”

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Once again, Francesa is half-right.

Super Bowl titles are how we keep score, and seven is higher than four.

Along with scalding takes about Brady on the field, Francesa added one about the 45-year-old’s potential as a broadcaster, bringing Montana into the mix again.

“I don’t think he’s going to be a great analyst,” Francesa said. “... I think he will find other things he likes more than announcing. I just don’t see that connection.

“I never thought Joe Montana was going to be good at it. I never thought Bill Walsh was going to be good at it.

Brady will get his chance to prove Francesa wrong at FOX, but for now, his accolades can do the talking.

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