All-Time Best: Quarterback (NFL)

In order to evaluate each quarterback in a comprehensive manner, only quarterbacks who have retired are included in these rankings.

1.       Joe Montana (1979-1994), 6-2 200 lbs.
College: Notre Dame
Teams: San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs
Draft: 1979 - #82

Super Bowl Appearances: 4

Super Bowl Wins: 4

Super Bowl MVP Honors: 3

Playoff Winning Percentage: 69.6%

NFL MVP: 2

1^st Team All-NFL: 3

2^nd Team All-NFL: 2

Pro Bowls: 8

Career Stats: 40,551 passing yards; 273 passing TD’s, 139 INT, 63.2 CMP%, 
211.2 yards per game, 92.3 QB Rating

2.       Brett Favre (1991-2010), 6-2 225 lbs.
College: Southern Miss
Teams: Green Bay Packers, N.Y. Jets, Minnesota Vikings
Draft: 1991 - #32

Super Bowl Appearances: 2

Super Bowl Wins: 1

Super Bowl MVP Honors: 0

Playoff Winning Percentage: 54.2%

NFL MVP: 3

1^st Team All-NFL: 3

2^nd Team All-NFL: 3

Pro Bowls: 11

Career Stats: 71,838 passing yards; 508 passing TD’s, 336 INT, 62.0 CMP%, 
237.9 yards per game, 86.0 QB Rating

3.       Steve Young (1985-1999), 6-2 215 lbs.
College: BYU
Teams: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers
Draft: 1984 - #1

Super Bowl Appearances: 3

Super Bowl Wins: 3

Super Bowl MVP Honors: 1

Playoff Winning Percentage: 57.1%

NFL MVP: 2

1^st Team All-NFL: 3

2^nd Team All-NFL: 3

Pro Bowls: 7

Career Stats: 33,124 passing yards; 232 passing TD’s, 107 INT, 64.3 CMP%, 
196.0 yards per game, 96.8 QB Rating; 4,239 rushing yards, 43 rushing TD's

4.       John Elway (1983-1998), 6-3 215 lbs.
College: Stanford
Teams: Denver Broncos
Draft: 1983 - #1

Super Bowl Appearances: 5

Super Bowl Wins: 2

Super Bowl MVP Honors: 1

Playoff Winning Percentage: 66.7%

NFL MVP: 1

1^st Team All-NFL: 4

2^nd Team All-NFL: 1

Pro Bowls: 9

Career Stats: 51,475 passing yards; 300 passing TD’s, 226 INT, 56.9 CMP%, 
220.0 yards per game, 79.9 QB Rating; 3,407 rushing yards, 33 rushing TD's

5.       Otto Graham (1946-1955), 6-1 196 lbs.
College: Northwestern
Teams: Cleveland Browns
Draft: 1944 - #4

Super Bowl Appearances: 10

Super Bowl Wins: 7

Super Bowl MVP Honors: 3

Playoff Winning Percentage: 75.0%

NFL MVP: 3

1^st Team All-NFL: 7

2^nd Team All-NFL: 1

Pro Bowls: 5

Career Stats: 23,584 passing yards; 174 passing TD’s, 135 INT, 55.8 CMP%, 
187.2 yards per game, 86.6 QB Rating

6.       Dan Marino (1983-1999), 6-4 228 lbs.
College: Pittsburgh
Teams: Miami Dolphins
Draft: 1983 - #27

Super Bowl Appearances: 1 

Super Bowl Wins: 0

Super Bowl MVP Honors: 0

Playoff Winning Percentage: 44.4%

NFL MVP: 1

1^st Team All-NFL: 3

2^nd Team All-NFL: 5

Pro Bowls: 9

Career Stats: 61,361 passing yards; 420 passing TD’s, 252 INT, 59.4 CMP%, 
253.6 yards per game, 86.4 QB Rating

7.       Johnny Unitas (1955-1973), 6-1 194 lbs.
College: Louisville
Teams: Baltimore Colts, San Diego Chargers
Draft: 1955 - #102

Super Bowl Appearances: 4

Super Bowl Wins: 3

Super Bowl MVP Honors: 1

Playoff Winning Percentage: 75.0%

NFL MVP: 3

1^st Team All-NFL: 6

2^nd Team All-NFL: 1

Pro Bowls: 10

Career Stats: 40,239 passing yards; 290 passing TD’s, 253 INT, 54.6 CMP%, 
190.7 yards per game, 78.2 QB Rating

8.       Kurt Warner (1998-2009), 6-2 214 lbs.
College: Northern Iowa
Teams: St. Louis Rams, Arizona Cardinals
Draft: 1994 - Undrafted

Super Bowl Appearances: 3

Super Bowl Wins: 1

Super Bowl MVP Honors: 1

Playoff Winning Percentage: 69.2%

NFL MVP: 2

1^st Team All-NFL: 2

2^nd Team All-NFL: 0

Pro Bowls: 4

Career Stats: 32,344 passing yards; 208 passing TD’s, 128 INT, 65.5 CMP%, 
258.8 yards per game, 93.7 QB Rating

9.       Fran Tarkenton (1961-1978), 6-0 190 lbs.
College: Georgia
Teams: Minnesota Vikings, N.Y. Giants
Draft: 1961 - #29

Super Bowl Appearances: 3

Super Bowl Wins: 0

Super Bowl MVP Honors: 0

Playoff Winning Percentage: 54.5%

NFL MVP: 1

1^st Team All-NFL: 2

2^nd Team All-NFL: 1

Pro Bowls: 9

Career Stats: 47,003 passing yards; 342 passing TD’s, 266 INT, 57.0 CMP%, 
191.1 yards per game, 80.4 QB Rating

10.       Bart Starr (1956-1971), 6-1 190 lbs.
College: Alabama
Teams: Green Bay Packers
Draft: 1956 - #200

Super Bowl Appearances: 6

Super Bowl Wins: 5

Super Bowl MVP Honors: 2

Playoff Winning Percentage: 90.0%

NFL MVP: 1

1^st Team All-NFL: 2

2^nd Team All-NFL: 2

Pro Bowls: 4

Career Stats: 24,718 passing yards; 152 passing TD’s, 138 INT, 57.4 CMP%, 126.1 yards per game, 80.5 QB Rating

11.       Jim Kelly (1986-1996), 6-3 217 lbs.
College: Miami
Teams: Buffalo Bills
Draft: 1983 - #14

Super Bowl Appearances: 4

Super Bowl Wins: 0

Super Bowl MVP Honors: 0

Playoff Winning Percentage: 52.9%

NFL MVP: 0

1^st Team All-NFL: 1

2^nd Team All-NFL: 2

Pro Bowls: 4
Career Stats: 35,467 passing yards; 237 passing TD’s, 175 INT, 60.1 CMP%, 
221.7 yards per game, 84.4 QB Rating

12.       Troy Aikman (1989-2000), 6-4 220 lbs.
College: UCLA
Teams: Dallas Cowboys
Draft: 1989 - #1

Super Bowl Appearances: 3

Super Bowl Wins: 3

Super Bowl MVP Honors: 1

Playoff Winning Percentage: 73.3%

NFL MVP: 0

1^st Team All-NFL: 1

2^nd Team All-NFL: 0

Pro Bowls: 6

Career Stats: 32,942 passing yards; 165 passing TD’s, 141 INT, 61.5 CMP%, 
199.6 yards per game, 81.6 QB Rating

13.       Len Dawson (1957-1975), 6-0 190 lbs.
College: Purdue
Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs
Draft: 1957 - #5

Super Bowl Appearances: 3

Super Bowl Wins: 2

Super Bowl MVP Honors: 1

Playoff Winning Percentage: 62.5%

NFL MVP: 1

1^st Team All-NFL: 2

2^nd Team All-NFL: 2

Pro Bowls: 7

Career Stats: 28,711 passing yards; 239 passing TD’s, 183 INT, 57.1 CMP%, 
136.1 yards per game, 82.6 QB Rating

14.       Roger Staubach (1969-1979), 6-3 195 lbs.
College: Navy
Teams: Dallas Cowboys
Draft: 1964 - #129

Super Bowl Appearances: 4

Super Bowl Wins: 2

Super Bowl MVP Honors: 1

Playoff Winning Percentage: 64.7%

NFL MVP: 0

1^st Team All-NFL: 2

2^nd Team All-NFL: 0

Pro Bowls: 6

Career Stats: 30,700 passing yards; 153 passing TD’s, 109 INT, 57.0 CMP%, 
173.3 yards per game, 83.4 QB Rating

15.       Donovan McNabb (1999-2011), 6-2 240 lbs.
College: Syracuse
Teams: Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Minnesota Vikings
Draft: 1999

Super Bowl Appearances: 1

Super Bowl Wins: 0

Super Bowl MVP Honors: 0

Playoff Winning Percentage: 56.3%

NFL MVP: 0

1^st Team All-NFL: 0

2^nd Team All-NFL: 0

Pro Bowls: 6
Career Stats: 37,276 passing yards; 234 passing TD’s, 117 INT, 59.0 CMP%, 223.2 yards per game, 85.6 QB Rating; 3,459 rushing yards, 29 rushing TD’s

Best of the Rest

16.   Boomer Esiason (1984-97)

17.   Warren Moon (1984-2000)

18.   Rich Gannon (1987-2004)

19.   Dan Fouts (1973-87)

20.   Sammy Baugh (1937-52)

21.   Steve McNair (1995-2007)

22.   Terry Bradshaw (1970-83)

23.   Bobby Layne (1948-62)

24.   Y.A. Tittle (1948-64)

25.   Ken Anderson (1971-86)

26.   Norman Van Brocklin (1949-60)

27.   Drew Bledsoe (1993-2006)

28.   Joe Namath (1965-77)

29.   Phil Simms (1979-83)

30.   Jeff Garcia (1999-2011)

31.   Bob Griese (1967-80)

32.   Sonny Jurgenson (1957-74)

33.   Mark Brunell (1993-2011)

34.   Randall Cunningham (1985-2001)

35.   Ken Stabler (1968-84)

36.   Joe Theismann (1971-85)

37.   George Blanda (1949-75)

38.   Trent Green (1993-2008)

39.   Jim Plunkett (1971-86)

40.   Bert Jones (1973-82)

Prior to the 1966-1967 NFL season, the “Super Bowl” was known as “NFL Championship” or “AFL Championship.” In order to keep comparisons between quarterbacks consistent, players who won NFL or AFL Championships prior to the Super Bowl coming into existence are credited with “Super Bowl Wins” in this analysis.