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Peyton Manning: QB of the decade

At least, that's what Jeff Chadiha thinks:

2000-present

This has been the decade when football coaches have taken a more open-minded approach to what a quarterback should be. More teams now covet mobility in their signal-callers, with Pro Bowlers such as Philadelphia's Donovan McNabb, Tampa Bay's Jeff Garcia and former Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick serving as primary beneficiaries of this change in thinking.

Of course, there's still a place for the classic pocket passer in today's world. Just ask the fans in Indianapolis and New England.

Quarterback of the Decade

PEYTON MANNING, Indianapolis Colts (1998-present):

Manning cemented his status as the best quarterback of his era when Indianapolis beat Chicago in last year's Super Bowl.

True, New England Patriots star Tom Brady has two more Super Bowl wins on his résumé. But he certainly doesn't have Manning's numbers. Manning already has thrown for 41,626 yards and 306 touchdowns in his 10-year career. At the pace he's on, he's likely to hold every major career passing record by the time he's done playing.

Other "best" QBs in Chadiha's article:

1950s: Sammy Baugh, Redskins
1960s: John Unitas, Colts
1970s: Roger Staubach, Cowboys
1980s: Joe Montana, 49ers
1990s: Steve Young, 49ers