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It’s time for 49ers fans to crown Patriots quarterback Tom Brady the GOAT

By Peter Panacy

FOXBOROUGH, MA - JANUARY 21: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots reacts after winning the AFC Championship Game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Gillette Stadium on January 21, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MA - JANUARY 21: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots reacts after winning the AFC Championship Game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Gillette Stadium on January 21, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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After yet another trip to the Super Bowl, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady deserves recognition from San Francisco 49ers fans as the greatest of all time.

I hate to do this, but it’s time to give up on the argument San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana being the best signal-caller to ever play the game.

That accolade goes to Tom Brady of the New England Patriots now, if it hasn’t gone already. Perhaps us Niners fans are the only ones clinging to the idea Montana was the best ever. After all, Montana never lost a Super Bowl, never tossed a Super Bowl interception and took down a slew of Hall of Fame quarterbacks in the process.

OK, there’s enough of the comparisons to create a traffic jam on Highway 101. If you need more, just check out Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman’s 10 Point Stance on the subject.

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But after Brady and the Pats hung 14 points in the fourth quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars, winning the AFC Championship game 24-20 on Sunday, there isn’t much more of an argument.

It would have been one thing if a 40-year-old Brady limped into a Super Bowl, being carried by a stout defense or something, not unlike former Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning did back in Super Bowl 50.

Yet Brady looked great doing so, passing for 290 yards and posting a 108.4 passer rating against arguably the best defense in the league this season.

Interestingly enough, that game marked only the third time an opposing quarterback posted a 100-plus passer rating against the Jags this season — the only other times were against Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Divisional Round and Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers in Week 16. So there’s that to chew on.

But another stat to chew on regarding Brady’s dominance is this, per ESPN:

Is there really an argument anymore here?

Brady will be appearing in his eighth Super Bowl, holding a serious chance to win his sixth. Yes, there are the statistical differences. Remember, Montana’s passer rating in the big game is an astounding 127.4, whereas Brady’s is 95.3. And Montana played during an era where defense could, you know, play defense.

Still, even the holdout argument grows weaker with every Brady-Patriots trip to the Super Bowl. And I’m not sure even the most die-hard Montana GOAT supporters will have the willingness to cling to the argument if Brady walks away with ring No. 6 two weeks from now.

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There is plenty of solace for 49ers fans, though. Aside from the aforementioned stat comparison, Montana was Brady’s idol as a kid. There likely wouldn’t be a Brady era of dominance without No. 16 paving the way.

And Niners fans can feel pretty good about having the No. 2 all-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback, tied with Terry Bradshaw of the Steelers.

It’s still a pretty elite fraternity.

But as far as who holds the top spot, Brady’s the guy. It’s time we let him be such.

Next: 5 moves the 49ers can make to help Jimmy Garoppolo in 2018

At least he was a 49ers fan, though.