This list of the greatest quarterbacks of all time only includes the best NFL quarterbacks to ever play professional football. Who are the best quarterbacks of all time? That is a question that experts have been tackling since the NFL first started in the 1920s. Defining who the best quarterback of all time isn't easy since every fan has a different criteria that defines who is the best NFL quarterback. If you like championships, then famous quarterbacks like Joe Montana, Johnny Unitas, Tom Brady, Terry Bradshaw, Peyton Manning, and Bart Starr are clearly top 10 QBs. If you like gaudy numbers then you're more likely to be a fan of Dan Marino and Brett Favre as top ten choices.
The top quarterbacks of all time are known for their excellent skills and leadership on the field. The quarterback position is the most important in football. The position entails being a coach on the field who can call and adjust plays on a whim and being able to dissect the defensive coverage by taking a peek at what they're showing, all while having the ability to avoid the oncoming pass rush and make accurate throws. Sounds easy right? These gentlemen, who are considered the best NFL quarterbacks of all time, have the rare ability to do all of these things in a matter of seconds.
Vote for whoever you think should get the title of best quarterbacks in NFL history. If you see someone who is missing, feel free to add them to this ultimate list of the best NFL quarterbacks of all time.
26
5,3396,337Joe Namath
New York Jets, Los Angeles RamsSuper Bowl champion (III)
Super Bowl MVP (III)
NFL Comeback Player of the Year (1974)
Second-team All-Pro (1972)
Pro Bowl (1972)
NFL passing yards leader (1972)
NFL passing touchdowns leader (1972)
AFL champion (1968)
4× AFL All-Star (1965, 1967–1969)
First-team All-AFL (1968)
3× Second-team All-AFL (1966, 1967, 1969)
2× AFL Most Valuable Player (1968, 1969)
AFL Rookie of the Year (1965)
2× AFL passing yards leader (1966, 1967)
AFL All-Time Team
NFL Hall of Fame27
4,3215,361Dan Fouts
San Diego ChargersNFL Most Valuable Player (1982)
NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1982)
3× First-team All-Pro (1979, 1982, 1985)
6× Pro Bowl (1979–1983, 1985)
4× NFL passing yards leader (1979–1982)
2× NFL passing touchdowns leader (1981, 1982)
NFL 1980s All-Decade Team
NFL Hall of Fame- 283,0443,459
Matt Ryan
Atlanta Falcons4× Pro Bowl (2010, 2012, 2014, 2016)
First-team All-Pro (2016)
NFL Most Valuable Player (2016)
NFL Offensive Player of the Year (2016)
NFL passer rating leader (2016)
NFL completion percentage leader (2012)
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (2008)
PFWA All-Rookie Team (2008) - 293,3493,851
Archie Manning
New Orleans Saints, Houston Oilers2× Pro Bowl (1978, 1979)
- 303,3994,239
Y. A. Tittle
Baltimore Colts, San Francisco 49ers7× Pro Bowl (1953, 1954, 1957, 1959, 1961–1963)
4× First-team All-Pro (1957, 1961–1963)
NFL Most Valuable Player (1963)
3× NFL passing touchdowns leader (1955, 1962, 1963)
NFL passer rating leader (1963)
NFL record 7 touchdown passes in a game (tied)
NFL Hall of Fame - 313,7924,852
Randall Cunningham
Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Ravens4× Pro Bowl (1988–1990, 1998)
2× First-team All-Pro (1990, 1998)
NFL passer rating leader (1998)
NFL Most Valuable Player (1998)
PFWA NFL Most Valuable Player (1990)
NFL Comeback Player of the Year (1992) - 323,1563,813
Andrew Luck
Indianapolis Colts4× Pro Bowl (2012–2014, 2018)
NFL Comeback Player of the Year (2018)
NFL passing touchdowns leader (2014) - 332,7733,491
Jim Plunkett
Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots2× Super Bowl champion (XV, XVIII)
Super Bowl MVP (XV)
NFL Comeback Player of the Year (1980)
Longest touchdown pass: 99 yards (tied) - 342,7163,147
Doug Flutie
Buffalo Bills, New England PatriotsPro Bowl (1998)
NFL Comeback Player of the Year (1998) - 353,1284,079
Phil Simms
New York Giants2× Super Bowl champion (XXI, XXV)
Super Bowl MVP (XXI)
2× Pro Bowl (1985, 1993)
First-team All-Pro (1986)
NFL Most Valuable Player (1986) - 362,2412,858
George Blanda
Baltimore Colts, Chicago BearsNFL Man of the Year (1974)
3× AFL champion (1960, 1961, 1967)
4× AFL All-Star (1961–1963, 1967)
First-team All-AFL (1961)
AFL Most Valuable Player (1961)
2× AFL passing yards leader (1961, 1963)
AFL passing touchdowns leader (1961)
AFL All-Time Team
7 touchdown passes in a game (tied)
NFL Hall of Fame - 372,4042,812
Matthew Stafford
Los Angeles Rams, Detroit LionsNFL Comeback Player of the Year (2011)
Pro Bowl (2014)
Most passing attempts in a single season: 727 (2012)
First player in NFL history to complete 60% or more of all passes in each game in a season (2015)
Most 4th quarter comebacks in a single season: 8 (2016) - 381,7382,038
Craig Morton
Dallas Cowboys, New York GiantsSuper Bowl champion (VI)
NFL Comeback Player of the Year (1977) - 392,7053,754
Len Dawson
Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland BrownsSuper Bowl champion (IV)
Super Bowl MVP (IV)
Pro Bowl (1971)
NFL Man of the Year (1973)
3× AFL champion (1962, 1966, 1969)
6× AFL All-Star (1962, 1964, 1966–1969)
2× First-team All-AFL (1962, 1966)
AFL Most Valuable Player (1962)
4× AFL passing touchdowns leader (1962, 1963, 1966, 1967)
6× AFL passer rating leader (1962, 1964–1968)
American Football League All-Time Team
NFL Hall of Fame - 401,9812,628
Bobby Layne
Pittsburgh Steelers, Detroit Lions3× NFL champion (1952, 1953, 1957)
6× Pro Bowl (1951–1953, 1956, 1958, 1959)
3× First-team All-Pro (1952, 1956, 1958)
2× NFL passing yards leader (1950, 1951)
NFL passing touchdowns leader (1951)
NFL completion percentage leader (1955)
NFL 1950s All-Decade Team
NFL Hall of Fame - 412,6663,478
Steve McNair
Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens3× Pro Bowl (2000, 2003, 2005)
NFL Most Valuable Player (2003)
NFL passer rating leader (2003) - 423,3824,533
Michael Vick
Atlanta Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles4× Pro Bowl (2002, 2004, 2005, 2010)
NFL Comeback Player of the Year (2010)
Career yards per carry by a quarterback (7.0)
Career rushing yards by a quarterback (6,109) - 432,8313,982
Joe Theismann
Washington RedskinsSuper Bowl champion (XVII)
NFL Most Valuable Player (1983)
2× Pro Bowl (1982, 1983)
First-team All-Pro (1983)
NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1983)
NFL Man of the Year (1982) - 442,2873,224
Norm Van Brocklin
Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams2× NFL champion (1951, 1960)
9× Pro Bowl (1950–1955, 1958–1960)
First-team All-Pro (1960)
NFL Most Valuable Player (1960)
NFL passing yards leader (1954)
Most passing yards in a game (554)
NFL Hall of Fame - 452,5103,638
Sonny Jurgensen
Washington Redskins, Philadelphia EaglesNFL champion (1960)
5× Pro Bowl (1961, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1969)
2× First-team All-Pro (1961, 1969)
5× NFL passing yards leader (1961, 1962, 1966, 1967, 1969)
2× NFL passing touchdowns leader (1961, 1967)
NFL passer rating leader (1967)
NFL 1960s All-Decade Team
Longest touchdown pass: 99 yards (tied)
NFL Hall of Fame - 46177145
Curly Lambeau
Green Bay Packers6× NFL champion (1929–1931, 1936, 1939, 1944)
NFL 1920s All-Decade Team
NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team - 475,0117,397
Eli Manning
New York Giants2× Super Bowl champion (XLII, XLVI)
2× Super Bowl MVP (XLII, XLVI)
4× Pro Bowl (2008, 2011, 2012, 2015)
Most passing yards in a single postseason: 1,219 yards (2011)
Longest touchdown pass: 99 yards (tied) - 481,6412,237
Don Meredith
Dallas Cowboys3× Pro Bowl (1966–1968)
- 49191197
DeShaun Watson
Houston Texans3× Pro Bowl (2018–2020)
NFL passing yards leader (2020)
PFWA All-Rookie Team (2017) - 503,0394,336
Tony Romo
Dallas Cowboys4× Pro Bowl (2006, 2007, 2009, 2014)
NFL passer rating leader (2014)NFL completion percentage leader (2014)