Ability to Avoid Catastrophic Turnovers Puts Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady in Their Own Class of QB

When we debate the greatest quarterback of all time, two names that instantly pop up are Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers -- and for good reason. Both are immensely talented throwers with accolades and silverware to back it up, but there's something else that sets them apart that not many fans immediately recognize -- their abilities to avoid pick-sixes.

Before you call me Captain Obvious and close out of the article -- realize this: the five quarterbacks in NFL history with the most pick-sixes? Hall of Famers and Future Hall of Famers. Brett Favre (31), Dan Marino and Joe Namath (28) and Drew Brees and Peyton Manning (27) round out the top five.

This honestly shouldn't come as a surprise. In order to rack up that many pick-sixes and still have a starting job, you need to be one of the best in the league. If you're not, you'll be out of a job right away. That's what makes the careers of Brady and Rodgers so impressive.

It is immensely difficult to stay in the league for as long as Rodgers and Brady have and still have an astronomically low number of pick-sixes. In 5,492 pass attempts, Rodgers has only had two go for pick-sixes. In Brady's case, just 13 of his 9,375 pass attempts have been taken back for a touchdown.

And it should come as no surprise that these guys are two of the greatest of all time.