In usual football fashion, talks of which players are the best have surrounded water coolers and tailgate gatherings. While every athlete on a team plays a critical role in its success, the quarterback serves a unique function on a team. This star of the show is a crucial figure on the offensive side. They call plays in the huddle, receive directions from the coach, and ensure their fellow players follow suit.
What Makes a Good Quarterback?
According to fans and sports experts, several other factors create a good quarterback. Traits such as leadership, timing, arms strength, and accuracy are all qualities a quarterback must have. Passing is also a significant element that a suitable quarterback needs, considering that quarterbacks are generally the ones who throw forward passes. Being the head of the squad also requires coachability, as they are the direct line of communication between the coach and teammates.
Currently, there are 32 quarterbacks in the league. However, some of these vital players have taken their position extremely seriously, solidifying their names in the history books and putting up some of the most impressive numbers in football history. Whether past or present, here are 11 of the best quarterbacks of all time who have earned every ounce of praise.
Tom Brady
Tom Brady hung up his cleats for good in February 2023, though his impressive career is still considered one of the best. He spent the first twenty seasons of his NFL career with the New England Patriots before ending his professional tenure with the final three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brady has led his teams to seven Super Bowl victories and is regarded as one of the best passers in NFL history. In fact, he ended his career with a passer rating of 97.7. Brady racked up 89,214 and 649 touchdowns.
Aaron Rodgers
NFL veteran Aaron Rodgers is not yet ready to retire, entering 20 seasons for the Green Bay Packers and New York Jets. He has achieved 59,222 passing yards, achieving 475 touchdowns. Despite his incredible stats, Rodgers has only led his team to one Super Bowl. Still, that has not swayed many from deeming him one of the best quarterbacks to exist. He has the highest career passer rating with a staggering 103.6.
Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning dominated the field for 18 seasons, the first 14 were spent with the Indianapolis Colts before his last four with the Denver Broncos. He led his team to two Super Bowl wins while securing himself five MVP awards. Manning retired with a passer rating of 95.71 and 71,940 passing yards. Additionally, he scored 539 career touchdowns, displaying precision in these key qualities that make an iconic QB.
Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson is still a force to be reckoned with on the field. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in 2012 and played ten seasons with them before being drafted in 2021 by the Denver Broncos. He only spent two seasons with the team before settling with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024. In his career, he has won one Super Bowl, leading the Seahawks to victory in the February 2014 match against the Broncos. Wilson currently has 43,653 passing yards and the 2nd-highest career passer rating of 100.3, only second to Aaron Rodgers.
Troy Aikman
Troy Aikman was drafted in 1989 and spent all 12 seasons in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys before retiring in 2000. Throughout his career, he led his team to three Super Bowl victories: 1993, 1994, and 1996. Aikman racked up 32,942 yards and 165 touchdowns. Additionally, he earned an impressive passer rating of 81.6.
Brett Farve
Hall of Famer Brett Favre was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in 1991 before being traded to the Green Bay Packers in 1992. Favre then went to the New York Jets in 2008 and the Minnesota Vikings from 2009 to 2010. Throughout his career, he earned several accolades, including being named the NFL Most Valuable Player three times in a row between 1995 and 1997. While he only won one Super Bowl during his time with the Packers in 1997. He achieved 71,838 passing yards and 508 touchdowns.
Donovan McNabb
After being drafted in 1999, Donovan McNabb played for the Philadelphia Eagles until 2010 before brief stints with the Washington Redskins and then Minnesota Vikings before ending his 13-year career for good. Though he never won a Super Bowl, he is still regarded as one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history. He accumulated 37,276 passing yards and 234 touchdowns. McNabb is also a Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame inductee.
Steve McNair
Stephen LaTreal McNair earned the nickname “Air McNair” for his time as a quarterback with the Houston Oilers prior to their relocation to Tennessee. Steve McNair played for 14 seasons, kicking off with his first round 1995 NLF draft pick. With a passer rating of 82.8 and 38 rushing touchdowns through his career, he was the very first franchise quarterback of the Tennessee Titans. The firsts don’t stop there – he was the first Black quarterback to win AP NFL MVP. He also had a stint playing with the Baltimore Ravens prior to retiring. Though he unfortunately passed away in 2009 at the age of only 36, McNair is still remembered as one of the greats.
Patrick Mahomes
Stacked with awards and only 29, Patrick Mahomes is quickly paving the way for himself to become one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. He’s won two Super Bowl titles, five Pro Bowls, two regular-season MVPs, and two Super Bowl MVPs. His stats are fairly impressive too, with 204 total touchdowns, 24,241 passing yards and 1,547 rushing yards all together. This Chiefs player suffered through a high ankle strain, but didn’t let that stop him from raking in the accolades.
Warren Moon
In 2006, Warren Moon was the first Black quarterback to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and with 313 total touchdowns, 49,325 passing yards, and a 58.4 completion percentage, it’s easy to understand why. He spent 16 years with the NFL, before swapping to the CFL for six more years. Warren Moon is a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and a first team All-Pro. The latter was awarded in 1990, the same year he was awarded NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
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