Colts All-Time Top 5 QBs: The Joy of Passing

Peyton Manning paints masterpieces, Johnny Unitas introduces the world to the NFL, Bert Jones burns brightly and more.

We have the breadth of the last 70 years of pro football history to get to, so let’s get started.

1. Peyton Manning

Watching Manning play was like watching Bob Ross paint.

You’re down with Bob Ross, right? His The Joy of Painting, which featured him turning a blank canvas into an idyllic landscape in 30 minutes or less, was a PBS midday programming staple in the 1980s. The program was later rediscovered by my sons’ generation on YouTube and streaming services. Zoomers appreciate Ross on deeper levels than we did: saturated as they are with media designed to seize their attention spans and wring them dry, they find Ross’ contemplative painting sessions almost rebellious.