Football might be the ultimate team sport, but quarterbacks still get more than their share of the glory. Their high profiles lead to lots of love from football card collectors, who have consistently made quarterbacks the most sought after players in the sport.
Of course, not all of the men throwing the football are created equal in the eyes of the hobby. Whether it's due to their talents, their accomplishments or their personalities, these 10 QB's have the most people chasing their cards.
1. Peyton Manning - Indianapolis Colts
Nick Tylwalk
We knew he had the talent, and in February of 2007, he finally got his championship ring. Thanks to his numerous endorsements and his eye-opening turn as host of Saturday Night Live," we now know that Manning has a pretty good sense of humor.
Putting it simply, Manning has everything a collector could want. He's put up record-breaking numbers, he's succeeded on the game's biggest stage and still comes across as the All-American guy. With the Colts looking like a threat to add more titles to his resume before it's all said and done, Manning isn't likely to be giving up the top spot on this list any time soon.
2. Brett Favre - Green Bay Packers
Nick Tylwalk
The quarterback who brings to mind a Wild West gunslinger may not be extinct, but it's certainly a dying breed. Favre is a throwback, the guy who is willing to bet he can beat you simply with the strength of his arm and the audacity to attempt throws others would find unthinkable.
Clearly on the downside of his stellar career, Favre still looks like he's having fun. A spot in Canton awaits him whenever he finally decides to call it quits.
3. Tom Brady - New England Patriots
Nick Tylwalk
If Peyton Manning is the guy next door, Brady is more like a movie star in the form of a football player. He dates models, he appears on the red carpet... and oh yeah, he wins championships.
Brady has eliminated all the doubts about his talent or his leadership, and what he's been able to accomplish with generally average talent catching his passes has been remarkable. Now that the Patriots have made a concerted effort to upgrade his receiving corps, the sky really seems like the limit.
4. Vince Young - Tennessee Titans
Nick Tylwalk
Young is the closest thing the NFL has to Superman. His ability to win games with his arm or his legs seems to have followed him from Texas to Tennessee, where in his first season he almost single-handedly transformed the Titans into a playoff contender.
No one knows what Young will do for an encore, but collectors can't wait to find out. He'll have to continue to impress to displace any of the men above him on this list, though as his opponents know, he just may figure out a way to do it.
5. Ben Roethlisberger - Pittsburgh Steelers
Nick Tylwalk
In just a few short years in the NFL, Big Ben has already seen lofty highs - a Super Bowl victory - and sobering lows - getting badly injured in a motorcycle accident. He hasn't had to carry the Steelers on his back yet, but indications are that he'll be airing it out more in the very near future.
Roethlisberger got a hot start in the hobby with his early success, and Pittsburgh fans are as loyal as they come. He may not have as much national appeal as a few other quarterbacks, but he's easily collectible enough to warrant a spot on this list.
6. Tony Romo - Dallas Cowboys
Nick Tylwalk
Love them or hate them, there's a certain level of fame that automatically gets awarded to the quarterbacks of America's Team. Romo hasn't accomplished much in his short tenure at the helm of the Dallas offense, but thousands of collectors are scooping up his cards in case he is the one to lead the Cowboys back to Super Bowl glory.
The next few seasons will be critical to Romo's status in the hobby. He could very easily rise even higher on this list or disappear completely like every Cowboys QB since Troy Aikman.
7. Carson Palmer - Cincinnati Bengals
Nick Tylwalk
Palmer certainly looks the part of a top-notch QB, and he runs one of the highest-powered offenses in the NFL. Blessed with a solid running game and excellent targets, he's likely to keep putting up numbers for years.
The biggest thing holding Palmer back is that the Bengals are, well, the Bengals. Though they've teased fans with their potential, Palmer's teammates will have to stay off the police blotters and win some playoff games to elevate him to the level of true hobby icon.
8. Brady Quinn - Cleveland Browns
Nick Tylwalk
Can a Cleveland Browns quarterback really have some of the most desired cards out there? It's a strange state of affairs, to be sure, but Quinn brings legions of Notre Dame fans and is playing in his home state, and so far that's been a winning combination.
Whether the Browns actually do any winning - and how soon Quinn takes over as the starter - remains to be seen. Until then, collectors will continue to hold on to his cards in the hopes that he winds up as a golden boy in the NFL.
9. Donovan McNabb - Philadelphia Eagles
Nick Tylwalk
McNabb is one of the most talented and popular players in the league when healthy. Unfortunately, his time on the field has become more and more fleeting over the past few seasons, and interest in his cards has cooled as a result.
A couple of full, productive seasons would go a long way toward restoring McNabb's standing among collectors. And if the Eagles would finally break through and win a Super Bowl, so much the better.
10. Matt Leinart - Arizona Cardinals
Nick Tylwalk
Kind of a poor man's Tom Brady, Leinart has celebrity friends and a Hollywood air about him. The similarities end there though, as Leinart isn't in the same prime position for success in the NFL or the hobby calling signals for the Cardinals.
He certainly has his fans though, and he definitely knows how to win. Leinart has a decent chance to change the losing culture in Arizona, and his cards will be hotter than the desert if he pulls it off.
