The quarterback position is arguably the hardest (and most important) to play in any sport. Quarterbacks are as indispensable in football as a goaltender is in hockey or a pitcher is in baseball. In the National Football League, the quarterback is the leader on the field and often the face of the franchise.
They are among the most high-profile athletes in the world. The success of an NFL franchise often rests on the shoulders of its signal-caller. Considering the degree of difficulty, it’s no wonder every NFL team has had more bad ones than good ones. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of the best and the worst quarterback in every team’s history.
Chargers’ Best: Dan Fouts
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Most people may think of Philip Rivers as the greatest quarterback in Chargers’ history. Admittedly, Rivers had more Pro Bowl appearances than Fouts. However, his overall resume doesn’t quite stack up, especially since Rivers didn’t have much more success in the postseason than Fouts did.
The two actually had similar careers, putting up big numbers but struggling to win big games. The difference is that Fouts led the NFL four years in a row (1979-1982) in passing yardage. He was also named league Offensive Player of the Year in 1982 and was placed on the NFL’s All-Decade Team in the 1980s.
Chargers’ Worst: Ryan Leaf
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This one couldn’t have been more obvious. Where are we supposed to start with Ryan Leaf’s second season with the Chargers? Was it the fact that he threw five interceptions in his first two games? Or how about the fact that he was benched for backup quarterback Moses Moreno prior to the third game of the season?
Ironically, the piece de resistance wasn’t even the fact that Leaf finished with a 1-8 record as the team’s starter after going back and forth with Moreno all year. The worst part has to be the fact that he allegedly faked a hand injury so he could miss practice and head to the golf course. Between that and his infamous blowup with a reporter, it was clear that Leaf didn’t have what it took to be an NFL quarterback.
Cardinals’ Best: Jim Hart
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The Cardinals franchise has been around for almost an entire century, at least in some capacity. But over that time, the team has had only six quarterbacks ever selected to the Pro Bowl, and only one who was selected to the NFL’s All-Star game more than twice.
That would be Jim Hart, who was the team’s full-time starter between 1967 through 1981. Hart threw 209 touchdowns in that span, which is over 70 touchdown passes more than any other quarterback in franchise history. Kurt Warner and Carson Palmer also accomplished a lot. But the fact that Hart spent 18 seasons with the organization, most of that as the starter, puts him over the top.
Cardinals’ Worst: Ryan Lindley
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Fans of the Cardinals have probably blocked out as much of the Ryan Lindley experience from their collective minds as possible. In his first season in Arizona, Lindley finished the year with a 46.7 passer rating, having thrown seven interceptions and no touchdowns.
After entering the NFL in 2012, Lindley didn’t throw his first official touchdown pass until 2014, when he rejoined the Cardinals after a one-year stint on the practice squad with the Chargers. Thanks to injuries to Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton, Lindley ended up starting a playoff game that season. He threw for just 82 yards and two interceptions in a 16-7 loss, as the Arizona offense mustered just 78 total yards, the fewest in NFL playoff history.
Falcons’ Best: Matt Ryan
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The Falcons have had a few above-average quarterbacks since the start of the 1990s, ranging from guys like Chris Miller (a former Pro Bowl selection) to Michael Vick (once the most exciting player in the NFL). But none of those guys could hold a candle to what Matt Ryan has done for the franchise.
Ryan blows away every other Atlanta quarterback in terms of passing yards and touchdowns. Plus, he is also the only quarterback in franchise history to win MVP. Granted, he was part of the team’s epic Super Bowl collapse. But Ryan led the Falcons for 14 seasons, taking them to the playoffs six times and going to the Pro Bowl four times, before being traded to the Colts in 2022.
Falcons’ Worst: Randy Johnson
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Long before a 6’10’’ baseball pitcher made the name famous, Randy Johnson was a starting quarterback for the Falcons back in the late 1960s. The problem is that he was a terrible quarterback despite the Falcons taking him 16th overall in the 1966 draft.
After winning only three games in his rookie year in 1966 (out of 11 starts), he actually managed to win fewer games the following four years in Atlanta, winning a grand total of five games in 26 starts in the ensuing four years. He managed to stay in the league for a few more years after that, ending his career with 51 touchdown passes compared to 90 interceptions.
Ravens’ Best: Joe Flacco
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In a few years, Lamar Jackson could have a strong case for being the best in Baltimore history. But since his career still has a lot of chapters left to write, Flacco remains the best quarterback the Ravens have had in their brief history. Flacco may not have been an elite quarterback, but he was solid for a long time and did win Super Bowl MVP honors.
For the time being, Flacco owns most of Baltimore’s all-time records, including passing yards, completions, and passing touchdowns. Following the 2021 season, Flacco was still ahead of Jackson in career wins with 98 and playoff wins with 10. Until Jackson starts to take over the franchise record books, Flacco is still the best in team history.
Ravens’ Worst: Kyle Boller
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Before the Ravens were smart enough to draft Flacco, they spent the 19th overall pick in the 2003 draft on Boller. He had the arm strength to play in the NFL and some promising moments during his first two seasons in the league. But he didn’t play well enough to prevent Baltimore from trading for Steve McNair, sending Boller to the bench in his third pro season.
Boller would eventually get another chance to start, although he didn’t make much of the opportunity. In six seasons with the Ravens, Boller was 20-22 as a starter with 45 touchdown passes and 44 interceptions. Those aren’t numbers you want from a first-round pick. He would get five more starts in his NFL career over the next three years, losing all of them with three touchdowns and 10 picks.
Bills’ Best: Jim Kelly
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Kelly might be tied for third place in most Super Bowl appearances by an NFL quarterback, and he might be one of only seven quarterbacks in NFL history to make it to the Super Bowl four times, but no quarterback in the history of the game has led his team to the Super Bowl four straight years. None, that is, except Kelly.
The maestro of the Buffalo Bills’ K-Gun offense terrorized opposing defenses from 1989 and 1992, making the Bills the most dynamic offensive team in the NFL during that time. He finished his career with over 35,000 passing yards. But for all those Super Bowl appearances and all those passing yards, Kelly will never have a ring to show for them.
Bills’ Worst: Nathan Peterman
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The Bills have had so many failed quarterbacks over the years that it’s almost impossible to pick just one as the worst ever. But Peterman stands out as a colossal failure in such a short period of time. While he didn’t have high expectations as a fifth-round pick, he failed spectacularly when given a chance.
During Peterman’s rookie year, he was inserted into the starting lineup a week after Buffalo lost 47-10. He proceeded to throw five interceptions in the first half of the game, getting benched at halftime. Peterman was then forced into Buffalo’s playoff game later that season when Tyrod Taylor suffered a concussion. He threw the game-ending interception in a 10-3 loss. Yet, he started two more games the following year, throwing one touchdown and seven interceptions on just 81 attempts, finishing his time with the Bills with 12 picks on 130 attempts.
Panthers’ Best: Cam Newton
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Unless you happen to be a relative of Kerry Collins or Jake Delhomme, it’s hard to believe anyone could think this designation would belong to anyone other than Cam Newton. The no. 1 overall pick of the 2011 NFL Draft, Newton is the only quarterback in franchise history to be named to an All-Pro team (2015) and be selected to the Pro Bowl multiple times.
In 2015, Newton ran roughshod through the NFL, throwing 35 touchdowns and running for 10 more, leading the Panthers to Super Bowl 50, and being named MVP. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be long until injuries started to hinder Newton. Including the 2018 season, 2019 season, and his return in 2021 after a year in New England, the Panthers lost the final 13 starts of Newton’s career in Carolina. But everything that came before then makes him the best in franchise history.
Panthers’ Worst: Jimmy Clausen
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Never in Carolina history has there been a player with the combination of breathtaking hype and incredible failure like Jimmy Clausen. The most over-recruited player in NCAA history to date, Clausen’s lackluster career at Notre Dame led him to fall to the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft.
The Panthers decided to throw him to the proverbial wolves in his rookie year, and Clausen got eaten alive. He threw three touchdowns and nine interceptions in 10 games as a starter. He had a huge hand in the Panthers finishing with a 2-14 record. Carolina saw enough of him in that one year to decide to draft his replacement, Cam Newton, so at least there was an upside after Clausen’s disastrous season.
Bears’ Best: Sid Luckman
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Though the Chicago Bears franchise has had some of the most iconic names in NFL history on its roster, including Walter Payton, Dick Butkus, and Mike Singletary, they haven’t had anything close to that at the quarterback position. The franchise forever known for its Monsters of the Midway defense hasn’t boasted a truly elite NFL quarterback since Luckman played under center for them in the 1940s for legendary coach George Halas.
Though Luckman’s passing yardage and touchdown pass totals were eventually surpassed by Jay Cutler, the latter is not — and will never be — a five-time All-Pro selection and Hall of Fame inductee like Luckman. More importantly, the Bears won four NFL championships during the 1940s when Luckman was leading the way. He even made his way onto the NFL All-Decade Team for the 1940s.
Bears’ Worst: Cade McNown
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The Bears have had some poor quarterbacks over the years, but McNown takes the cake. Chicago spent the 12th overall pick in 1999 on him. But with four other quarterbacks taken ahead of him in that draft, they weren’t exactly getting the cream of the crop with McNown. But he entered the league with the expectations of a first-round pick, he just wasn’t able to deliver.
The Bears made McNown the starter as a rookie, giving him every opportunity. But he struggled to keep the job over Jim Miller and Shane Matthews, ultimately starting just six games as a rookie. He was even worse during his second season, making nine starts but failing to solidify the starting job. In two seasons, McNown completed 54.6% of his passes with 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions. While he stayed in the league for two more seasons, he never threw another pass.
Bengals’ Best: Ken Anderson
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Most people might associate Boomer Esiason or Carson Palmer when thinking of the best quarterback in Cincinnati history. But that honor belongs to Anderson, the team’s starting quarterback between 1972 and 1984. Even if Joe Burrow is the future of the franchise, it’s still Anderson who holds all of the franchise records for passing attempts and yards.
During the 1981 season, Anderson had a career-best 3,754 passing yards and 29 touchdowns, leading the Bengals to a 12-4 record and their first-ever Super Bowl appearance. Granted, they lost that Super Bowl and didn’t have any other playoff wins during Anderson’s tenure. However, he led the Bengals for a long time and remains the best in Bengals’ history.
Bengals’ Worst: Akili Smith
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Smith was a one-year wonder who parlayed that brief success into being selected no. 3 overall pick in the 1999 draft. His NFL career was an unmitigated disaster. Smith started off his tenure in Cincinnati completely on the wrong foot, missing a substantial portion of the team’s training camp, which many believed irreparably stunted his development in the NFL.
Of course, once he did sign, his off-the-field habits didn’t help either. Smith was later quoted as having given in to the temptations of his high draft selection, flying back and forth between Cincinnati and San Diego to party with his friends and multiple women regularly. He played in 22 NFL games and posted a career passer rating of 52.8. During his only full season as the starter at Oregon, he threw 30 touchdown passes. Yet, in four NFL seasons, he had a total of five.
Browns’ Best: Otto Graham
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The perennial revolving door at quarterback is familiar for Cleveland fans. However, quarterbacks like Frank Ryan and Brian Sipe did bring some stability to the position. But nobody in franchise history has done more than Graham. The Browns took him fourth overall in 1944 and never looked back until Graham retired after the 1955 season.
In 10 seasons, Graham was a five-time Pro Bowler, leading the NFL in passing yards twice and completion percentage four times. He also won MVP honors three times, including his final pro season in 1955. More importantly, Graham led the Browns to three NFL championships, going out as a winner in 1955.
Browns’ Worst: Brandon Weeden
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In 2012, NFL scouts and teams were first learning the drawbacks of drafting a quarterback who played in a spread offense in college. But after watching what Brandon Weeden looked like when he got to the NFL, it made front offices downright terrified of taking quarterbacks from those offenses. There were plenty of analysts who cautioned against taking Weeden with an early draft pick, but true to form, Cleveland threw all wisdom to the wind, selecting him with the 22nd pick in the 2012 draft.
It was clear from the get-go that Weeden wasn’t ready when he finished his first game with a 5.1 passer rating after throwing four interceptions in a loss to the Eagles. That was the sixth-lowest passer rating in a season opener by any quarterback with at least 15 passes since the merger in 1970. Things didn’t get better and Weeden was tossed out after 20 starts in Cleveland, finishing with more interceptions than touchdowns.
Cowboys’ Best: Roger Staubach
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A real-life football version of Captain America himself, Staubach was a Vietnam War veteran, Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback the at U.S. Naval Academy, and the first quarterback in NFL history to lead his team to the Super Bowl five times. He was also the first of four players to ever win the Heisman Trophy and Super Bowl MVP.
He might not have the Super Bowl wins of Troy Aikman or the stat totals of Tony Romo. But Staubach was the one who truly made playing quarterback for the Cowboys one of the most iconic positions in American sports. After all, he’s in the Hall of Fame and was arguably the best quarterback of the 1970s.
Cowboys’ Worst: Chad Hutchinson
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In the era between Troy Aikman and Tony Romo, the Cowboys went through a comedy of errors at the quarterback position (and at head coach, too). Chad Hutchinson was one of those spectacular errors, as we witnessed during the 2002 season after an actual bidding war for his services once Hutchison decided to give up on his pro baseball career.
Despite the fact that he set the NFL record for most passes thrown by a rookie without an interception (95), Hutchinson still finished with a 2-7 record in the nine games he started, throwing only seven touchdowns and eight interceptions. One year later, when the Cowboys hired an actual grown-up to coach the team (Bill Parcells), Hutchison was benched in favor of Quincy Carter. Two years after that, Hutchinson was out of the NFL.
Broncos’ Best: John Elway
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There’s no question that Elway is the best to ever play for the Broncos. He had tons of arm talent, more athleticism than most quarterbacks of his generation, and plenty of moxie. He became famous for his last-minute drives and helped guide the Broncos to the Super Bowl three times in four years during the 80s, albeit losing all three.
But fate smiled on Elway late in his career. In the last two years of his 16-year career, Elway proved that he had plenty left in the tank. While he had some help around him, Elway won back-to-back Super Bowls with the Broncos in his final two seasons, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest of all time.
Broncos’ Worst: Steve Tensi
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When John Elway was merely a child in Northern California, the Broncos were being quarterbacked by a gentleman named Steve Tensi. If that name doesn’t ring a bell, don’t worry; you’re not really missing much by not thinking about him. Desperate for a quarterback in 1967, the Broncos traded away two no. 1 picks for him in a move that turned into a disaster.
Between 1967 and 1970, Tensi spent four years in Denver, and in all four years, he failed to finish with a winning record. During that span, he had a 10-21-1 record as the starter. Injuries are partly to blame for his struggles. But not enough to forgive a career passer rating of 59.
Lions’ Best: Bobby Layne
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Ironically, the guy many people would consider to be the best quarterback in Lions history wasn’t even drafted by the team. The rival Bears selected Layne with the third overall pick in the 1948 draft. But the two-time All-Pro spent most of his career leading the Lions. He was the starter in Detroit for most of the 1950s, guiding the Lions to three NFL championships during that time.
In fairness, Matthew Stafford’s passing numbers indicate that he deserves to be the best in franchise history. But Stafford was never an All-Pro in Detroit and only made the Pro Bowl once. Plus, he never overcame the clown show around him and made the Lions a winning franchise whereas Layne has championships on his resume.
Lions’ Worst: Joey Harrington
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There was so much hype around Harrington in college that there was a billboard calling him Joey Heisman in Times Square. The Lions bought into the hype, taking Harrington third overall in the 2002 draft. But Harrington didn’t deliver, barely completing 50% of his passes as a rookie with more interceptions than touchdowns.
The Lions tried to find Harrington a wide receiver in the 2003 draft in Charles Rogers. But the latter’s career was destroyed because of injuries and substance abuse issues. Meanwhile, Harrington struggled under Steve Mariucci’s win-now approach, which culminated in the coach bringing in Jeff Garcia to replace Harrington. He got 55 starts with the Lions, which is plenty of time, but Harrington still failed miserably.
Packers’ Best: Aaron Rodgers
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With apologies to Brett Favre, Rodgers is surely the best quarterback the Packers have ever had. He’s destined to be in Green Bay for his entire career and already has four MVP awards after winning back-to-back in 2020 and 2021. He’s a lock for the Pro Bowl virtually every year and has a decent argument for being the best quarterback of all time.
The only problem with Rodgers is that he has just one Super Bowl win on his resume. The team’s playoff failures with him at the helm don’t sit well with anyone. However, no quarterback in NFL history has posted a better passer rating in a single season than Rodgers did in 2011 or been as good as Rodgers at not throwing interceptions.
Packers’ Worst: Randy Wright
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While Rodgers is the latest in a long line of great Green Bay quarterbacks, Wright was the laughing stock before the Packers became a haven for quarterbacks. Granted, expectations weren’t super high with Wright only being a sixth-round pick in 1984. But Wright was an unmitigated disaster before Don Majkowski came along.
Wright played five miserable seasons for the Packers, finishing his career with a laughable 7-25 record as the starter. In those five seasons, he threw just 31 touchdown passes compared to 57 interceptions. He didn’t play with another team after those five seasons, posting a career QB rating of 61.4.
Texans’ Best: Matt Schaub
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Since Deshaun Watson’s time in Houston was brief and ended so poorly, Schaub is able to barely beat him out as the best quarterback in the brief history of the franchise. They took a chance on Schaub, who was previously a backup with the Falcons, but it worked out for them.
Over the next seven seasons, Schaub would emerge as a steady-if-not-unspectacular quarterback, throwing for at last 22 touchdowns three times, leading the league in passing in 2009, and even going to the Pro Bowl twice.
Texans’ Worst: David Carr
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The first overall selection in the 2002 NFL Draft, and the first pick in the history of the Texans franchise, Carr spent the early part of his NFL career getting his brain beat in behind Houston’s porous offensive line. He was sacked 76 times in his rookie season, fumbling 12 times. Two years later, he was sacked 49 times, which was still the highest in the NFL.
Clearly, Carr’s struggles weren’t entirely his fault. However, questions eventually arose as to whether Carr was getting gun shy in the pocket (who could blame him?). After getting sacked 249 times during his first five years in Houston, the Texans replaced Carr with Schaub, enabling Carr to spend the rest of his career as a little-used backup elsewhere.
Colts’ Best: Peyton Manning
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No quarterback is more befitting of the description of cerebral assassin more Peyton Manning. There’s a great chance that he knew everything about the opposing defensive scheme he was playing against better than the opposing defensive coordinator himself. During his 11-year career with the Colts (plus his four-year stint with the Broncos), Manning piled up yards and touchdown passes like hoarders pile up… well, anything and everything.
Mentioning that Manning led the Colts to their first Super Bowl win in 36 years doesn’t even scratch the surface of his unquestioned Hall of Fame career. We’re talking about a five-time MVP who also owns the NFL record for leading the most game-winning drives with 54.
Colts’ Worst: Jack Trudeau
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How’s this for starting your career? During Trudeau’s rookie year with the Colts, in which he started 11 games, he lost every single one of them. In that same rookie season, he also threw 18 interceptions in those 11 games.
Things didn’t exactly get better for Trudeau after that. Outside of one non-terrible season in 1989, Trudeau was another quarterback that’ll be swept away in the ashes of history. He finished his career with 42 touchdown passes and 69 interceptions. After his time in Indy, he only started two more games, one of which came against the Colts.
Jaguars’ Best: Mark Brunell
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The 1990s represented a proverbial Golden Age of quarterback play in the NFL, which is why it was easy to overlook the accomplishments of someone like Brunell. There’s also the bias against left-handed quarterbacks, of which Brunell was one of the best ever, not to mention the best the Jags have ever had. Acquired in exchange for a couple of draft picks prior to the 1995 season, Brunell was named to the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons in Jacksonville, ultimately taking the Jags to the AFC Championship Game twice.
Throwing the ball to stud wide receivers like Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell, Brunell finished second in the NFL in passing yardage in 1996, throwing for 4,367 yards. He sits atop the franchise record book in nearly every statistical category by a rather sizable margin. Of course, it’s not like the Jags have found anyone who comes anywhere close.
Jaguars’ Worst: Blaine Gabbert
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Gabbert was one of the first cautionary tales of quarterbacks who led a spread offense in college. He was forced into action as a rookie, and the results weren’t pretty. In the three seasons he spent in Jacksonville, he was either injured or made the Jaguars ponder what they saw in him when they drafted him 10th overall.
Less than three years after picking Gabbert, the Jaguars traded him for a 6th-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers. During his final season in Jacksonville, he only played started three games, throwing one touchdown and seven interceptions, cementing his legacy with the Jags as their worst quarterback in franchise history.
Chiefs’ Best: Patrick Mahomes
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Sincerest apologies have to be issued to Len Dawson, who had a storied, Hall of Fame, mostly with the Chiefs. But in just a few years, Mahomes has surpassed him as the best quarterback in franchise history. Even if you think Dawson still has a better overall resume, it’s only a matter of time until it happens, so why not accept the inevitable.
Beginning with his first full season as a starter, Mahomes has been an absolute superstar. Keep in mind that he won MVP in 2018 with just one start under his belt heading into the season. Mahomes is on another level and figures to be the most feared quarterback in the NFL for many years to come.
Chiefs’ Worst: Todd Blackledge
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The Chiefs thought so highly of Todd Blackledge that they made him the seventh pick of the 1983 NFL Draft. If that year sounds familiar, it should because it was one of the greatest quarterback classes ever. That means Blackledge was picked ahead of future Hall of Fame quarterbacks like Jim Kelly and Dan Marino. Even Blackledge himself admitted to being surprised that the Chiefs selected him over some of the other quarterbacks in the draft, viewing himself as more of a second-round pick.
He spent most of his career being pulled in and out of games by the Chiefs coaching staff, never throwing for more than 1,707 yards in a season. Including a 2-3 record in Pittsburgh as a backup late in his career, Blackledge was 15-14 as a starter, throwing 29 career touchdown passes and 38 interceptions.
Rams’ Best: Kurt Warner
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It’s the story we’ve heard many times over; in fact, they made a move out of it. Warner was just a guy who went from being an Arena Football League castoff to grocery store bag boy to completely unknown backup quarterback to the starting quarterback of one of the most prolific offenses in NFL history. After Dick Vermeil was forced to turn to Warner, most people feared the worst. Instead, Warner and the Rams set the record for the most productive offense in NFL history in 1999 en route to winning the franchise’s only Super Bowl championship.
While Warner would spend time with other teams later in his career, it was with the Rams that he won his two MVP awards, leading the league in passing touchdowns and passer rating in both 1999 and 2001 while leading the league in completion percentage three straight years from 1999 to 2001. During those three seasons, there was nobody better, and even with Matthew Stafford leading the Rams to a Super Bowl win, they’ve never found anyone better.
Rams’ Worst: Dan Pastorini
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Even though he spent only one year with the Los Angeles Rams (in 1981), Pastorini certainly made his mark on the franchise, just not in a good way. Pastorini threw two touchdown passes but a laughable 14 interceptions that year, giving him an unbelievable 1:7 ratio of touchdown passes to interceptions.
Before joining the Rams, Pastoring actually had a nice run with the Oilers. His career numbers aren’t that bad despite a 50.9% completion rate. But there was nothing left in the tank when he got to Los Angeles, and it’ll be hard for the Rams to find somebody worse.
Dolphins’ Best: Dan Marino
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Truth be told, watching Marino throw the football must have been like watching Beethoven compose a symphony or Michelangelo paint a painting. After egregiously falling to the second-to-last pick of the first round of the famed 1983 NFL Draft (thanks to completely bogus rumors about off-the-field concerns), Marino walked into the NFL and started redefining the way we thought about passing offenses.
At only 22 years old, Marino threw for 5,084 yards (in his second NFL season), which not only set the single-season yardage record but stayed in place for the next 37 years. It’s a shame that he never won a Super Bowl because Marino had a spectacular career and deserved to win the big one at some point. On the bright side, his name is all over the NFL record books. In other words, it’ll take someone extraordinary to knock him off the pedestal as Miami’s best quarterback.
Dolphins’ Worst: Rick Norton
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It has to be brutal on your psyche, as a quarterback, if you don’t win a single game as a starter for your first three seasons in the NFL. Welcome to the life of former Miami quarterback Rick Norton, who went 0-5 during his first three years in the league. He ended up finishing his career with a 1-10 overall record, throwing seven touchdowns but a whopping 30 interceptions.
We’re talking about a guy who the Dolphins drafted second overall in the 1966 AFL Draft. He should have given them a lot more than he did. Yet, he ended up as one of the biggest busts prior to the merger.
Vikings’ Best: Fran Tarkenton
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Tarkenton was the original gangster of dual-threat quarterbacks. NFL players, media, and fans were in awe of his mobility and scrambling ability long before 24/7 media coverage and Internet access made highlights so easy to watch. While many of them have been broken as of today, when Tarkenton retired from the NFL in 1978, he was the owner of virtually every quarterback stat in the book.
Tarkenton finished his career with 47,003 career passing yardage, which remains higher on the all-time list than most people realize. He also ran for 3,674 yards and 32 touchdowns over his career. Those are numbers that would have been almost unimaginable for a quarterback in his era. Tarkenton was a nine-time Pro Bowler, an MVP in 1975, and led the Vikings to three (albeit unsuccessful) Super Bowl appearances.
Vikings’ Worst: Spergon Wynn
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One of the quarterbacks famously selected before Tom Brady in the 2000 NFL Draft, albeit just 16 picks before the GOAT. Wynn was drafted by the Browns and saw action in seven games as a rookie before he was dumped. After a year in NFL Europe, he was traded to the Vikings. While he came to Minnesota as the third-stringer, he started two games after both Daunte Culpepper and Todd Bouman got hurt.
Even though he only started those two games for the Vikings, they were disastrous. The Vikings lost both games with Wynn throwing six interceptions and completing fewer than 50% of his passes. Needless to say, he never got a chance in the NFL ever again.
Patriots’ Best: Tom Brady
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There’s nothing left to debate on Tom Brady’s résumé. He is without question the GOAT. After all of these years, it’s amazing to think that it all began with the Patriots taking him 199th overall in the 2000 draft. All he did to repay their faith in him was lead them to six Super Bowl victories while also winning three MVP awards for himself.
The only caveat to this story is that Brady left the Patriots after the 2019 season and immediately won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers. Obviously, that doesn’t tarnish what he did in New England, as he will forever be associated with Bill Belichick, the Patriots, and unreal amounts of winning.
Patriots’ Worst: Mike Taliaferro
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Of course, there were some bad quarterbacks in New England before the Pats got to Brady or even Drew Bledsoe for that matter. One of them was Taliaferro, who spent three seasons with the then Boston Patriots from 1968 to 1970.
During those three seasons, Taliaferro played 25 games for the Patriots, only winning eight of them. In his defense, he had three different head coaches during those three seasons, although perhaps coaches kept getting fired because the team didn’t have a suitable quarterback. Overall, the Pats were 8-32 during those three seasons, prompting them to change their name to the New England Patriots in 1971.
Saints’ Best: Drew Brees
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For a franchise that was so bad for so long, this is an easy choice. When Brees arrived in New Orleans and teamed up with Sean Payton, it changed the course of the entire franchise. Brees quickly became one of the most prolific passers in NFL history and will forever be an icon in New Orleans, especially since he was MVP of Super Bowl XLIV.
During his time with the Saints, Brees had a run of 12-straight seasons with more than 4,000 yards passing, including five seasons with more than 5,000 yards passing. He retired after the 2020 season with NFL records for most consecutive games with a touchdown pass, the highest completion percentage in a season, and others. In all likelihood, he’ll never be replaced as the best quarterback in Saints’ history.
Saints’ Worst: Heath Shuler
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There is a ton of competition when it comes to the worst quarterback in franchise history. But Shuler takes the cake for his two disastrous years in New Orleans. Despite having a few years of experience under his belt, Shuler got worse when he went to the Saints.
Even though injuries played a role in his failure, Shuler was called the least valuable quarterback of 1997 by Football Outsiders. The Saints were 6-10 in both seasons that Shuler spent in New Orleans. Including his time with other teams, he finished his career with 15 touchdown passes and 33 interceptions.
Giants’ Best: Eli Manning
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Eli Manning’s place in NFL history, including a future spot in the Hall of Fame, is something of a lightning rod debate. While being the quarterback of two of the Giants’ four Super Bowl wins might sway voters into putting him into Canton one day, critics will tell you that he was the beneficiary of teams that could run the ball and play defense, which was true in both of Manning’s Super Bowl wins.
That being said, Manning finished his career after the 2019 season with over 57,000 passing yards and 366 touchdowns. Keep in mind that he was MVP of both Super Bowl appearances and a four-time Pro Bowler. Phil Simms has a strong argument as well but doesn’t have the individual numbers to stack up to the younger Manning brother.
Giants’ Worst: Scott Brunner
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With quarterback Phil Simms sidelined with severe injuries throughout much of the 1982 and ’83 seasons, the Giants fat was left in the hands of Scott Brunner. Although he led the Giants to the playoffs in 1981, Brunner can’t take any credit for that. He threw 11 interceptions in his 6 starts, and the team relied mostly on its revitalized defense (led by rookie linebacker Lawrence Taylor) to do the heavy lifting.
Brunner was absolutely brutal in the 1983 season, tossing 22 interceptions. His 9 total touchdown passes were just one more than his 8 fumbles. The Giants finished the season a lowly 3-12-1, which nearly cost rookie Head Coach Bill Parcells his job. In 57 games with the Giants, Brunner threw just 28 touchdown passes, compared to 48 interceptions and 22 fumbles.
Jets’ Best: Joe Namath
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His guarantee before Super Bowl III and the fact that the Jets won the game have made Namath a household name decades after his career ended. It also helped to propel Namath into the Hall of Fame and made him unquestionably the best quarterback in franchise history. However, Namath didn’t have all that impressive of a career outside of a few impressive seasons.
The issue is that the Jets don’t have a lot of other options. By comparison, guys like Jake Plummer and Andy Dalton have thrown for more yards than any quarterback the Jets have ever had. Even though Namath finished his career with a losing record and 45 more interceptions than touchdowns, he’s still the best in Jets’ history.
Jets’ Worst: Browning Nagle
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When it comes to bad quarterbacks in Jets’ history, it’s hard to pick just one. There are so many good options, although Nagle gets a slight edge over the rest. He will forever go down in infamy if for nothing else but one fact — that he was selected exactly one pick before a rifle-armed kid from the University of Southern Mississippi named Brett Favre, who could also reserve consideration for the worst quarterback the Jets have ever had.
Nagle really only played one true season with the Jets after being drafted in 1991. In 1992, Nagle won only three of the 13 starts he made, throwing 17 interceptions and just seven interceptions. He didn’t play much after that, as no other team was willing to give him a chance to start after a disastrous tenure with the Jets.
Raiders’ Best: Ken Stabler
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The Raiders are still looking for someone who can give them what Stabler did during the 1960s and 1970s. After Daryle Lamonica, there was Ken The Snake Stabler, one of the greatest quarterbacks of the 1970s. He was the leader of the team that went to five-straight AFC Championship games and won Super Bowl XI.
Stabler was named the NFL’s MVP and a First-Team All-Pro selection in 1974. That was one of the two years that he led the league in passing touchdowns. Stabler also went to four Pro Bowls and also led the NFL in completion percentage in 1976, cementing his legacy as one of the best quarterbacks of the 1970s and the best to ever wear silver and black.
Raiders’ Worst: Jamarcus Russell
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Who can forget the fact that heralded NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper raved about Jamarcus Russell’s private workout? Kiper went so far as to compare Russell’s passing ability to that of John Elway? He had one of the strongest arms ever seen from an NFL prospect, not to mention great size and athleticism.
But after drafting him, the Raiders found out Russell didn’t have the work ethic to be an NFL quarterback. Assistant coach David Diehl used to send Russell home with blank tapes, only for the young quarterback to come to practice the next day claiming that he watched the tapes and studied blitz packages. Russell also had problems maintaining his weight and had problems with codeine, all of which contributed to him being out of the league just three years after the Raiders drafted him first overall.
Eagles’ Best: Donovan McNabb
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Fans of the Eagles had something of a love-hate relationship with McNabb during his time in Philadelphia between 1998 and 2009. Somehow, going to the playoffs eight times in 10 years with McNabb as the team’s starter wasn’t enough, even if that period included four straight trips to the NFC Championship game and one Super Bowl appearance. Not bad for a guy who got booed when he was drafted.
Regardless of how anyone feels about his tenure with the Eagles, McNabb smashed all the passing records set by Ron Jaworski. He was also a six-time Pro Bowler and ultimately had his number retired by the Eagles. With Carson Wentz faltering, it’s a safe bet that McNabb will remain the greatest Philadelphia quarterback for a long time to come.
Eagles’ Worst: Bobby Hoying
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Despite being a third-round selection in the 1996 draft, Hoying really had no business playing in the NFL. While he was a decorated player coming out of Ohio State, he was a disaster in the NFL, getting benched midway through his second season after failing to lead the Eagles to a single win.
In addition to not winning a game as a starter, Hoying didn’t even have a touchdown pass. He was a major reason why the Eagles finished 3-13 in 1998. Of course, that ended up being a good thing because the Eagles then hired Andy Reid and drafted McNabb, turning the franchise around.
Steelers’ Best: Terry Bradshaw
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The list of quarterbacks who have won at least four Super Bowls comprises Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw… and that’s it. At the end of the day, it’s all about winning, which is why Terry Bradshaw remains ahead of Ben Roethlisberger despite his long and distinguished career in Pittsburgh.
Keep in mind that Bradshaw wasn’t just a winner. He earned MVP honors in 1978 and was Super Bowl MVP twice. He also led the league in passing touchdowns twice. Even if those numbers don’t quite measure up to Roethlisberger, the extra Super Bowl wins help to make up the difference.
Steelers’ Worst: Mark Malone
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Riding the fumes of Pittsburgh’s dynasty during the 1970s, the Steelers drafted Malone in the first round of the 1980 draft. He was anointed as the successor to Bradshaw, who played just one game in 1983 before calling it quits. While he had his moments, Malone was ultimately a failure.
After not playing in his rookie season, Malone would go on to throw more interceptions than touchdowns in each of his first three seasons. By 1986, the Steelers had fallen from the ranks of the elite, finishing 6-10. It may not have been all Malone’s fault, but he failed to help the Steelers build on their success, becoming a scapegoat for the team’s lack of success in the late 80s.
49ers’ Best: Joe Montana
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When you look back, it seems ridiculous that 81 players were taken in the 1979 NFL Draft before Joe Montana. But after winning a national championship at Notre Dame, Montana went on to become the most decorated quarterback of his generation. As the starting quarterback of the 49ers, Montana won four Super Bowls, went to eight Pro Bowls, and was named to the NFL’s All-Pro Team five times.
He fell so far in the draft because Montana was never the most talented quarterback. But he knew how to play the game, and more importantly, he knew how to win. Even though his successor Steve Young and a few other San Francisco quarterbacks had plenty of success with the 49ers, none of them come close to touching Montana.
49ers’ Worst: Steve Spurrier
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Before he became the head ball coach at Florida and South Carolina, Stephen Orr Spurrier won the 1966 Heisman Trophy and became the third overall pick of the 1967 NFL Draft. But when Spurrier got to see the field as the team’s quarterback (in admittedly limited and infrequent fashion), he flat out stunk.
To be fair, he didn’t get a lot of opportunities during his first few years while waiting in the wings behind John Brodie. But when those chances came, Spurrier never made them count, failing to throw a touchdown pass until his third year in the league. In the end, most of his career was spent as a backup with Spurrier accomplishing more as a punter than as a quarterback, which isn’t ideal for the third overall pick.
Seahawks’ Best: Russell Wilson
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While his time in Seattle ended after 10 seasons, Wilson did more than enough to make himself the greatest quarterback in franchise history. It started when he won the starting job as a rookie over Matt Flynn. Just one year later, he helped the Seahawks in a Super Bowl, coming one poor pass away from winning back-to-back Super Bowls.
In 10 seasons in Seattle, Wilson was selected to the Pro Bowl nine times. He led the league in passer rating n 2015 and touchdown passes in 2017. There were more than a few times when he was a legitimate MVP candidate, setting the bar high for Seattle quarterbacks of the future.
Seahawks’ Worst: Rick Mirer
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In defense of Mirer, he was a victim of high expectations. He was the no. 2 overall pick in 1993, and because he came out of Notre Dame, people thought he would be the next Joe Montana. That set him up for failure right from the start because he was never going to meet those expectations.
As a rookie, Mirer threw more interceptions than touchdowns. He would repeat that in his third and fourth seasons with the Seahawks as well. Over his four years in Seattle, he threw 41 touchdown passes and 56 interceptions. He got a few more opportunities after the Seahawks gave up on him but ultimately went 24-44 as a starter in the NFL.
Buccaneers’ Best: Brad Johnson
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If you look back through the history of Tampa quarterbacks, it’s uninspiring. After just two seasons, Tom Brady makes a compelling argument. But will give Johnson the benefit of the doubt because he spent more seasons with the Bucs, and much like Brady, helped them win a Super Bowl.
Granted, his final season in Tampa was a disaster. But Johnson was 26-19 as a starter in the previous three years. The year the Bucs won the Super Bowl, he threw 22 touchdown passes and just six interceptions, earning a Pro Bowl invitation. That’s barely enough to keep him ahead of Brady, at least for now.
Buccaneers’ Worst: Vinny Testaverde
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The Bucs have a lot of choices when it comes to the worst quarterback in franchise history. But with six years in Tampa under his belt, Testaverde is the only choice, mainly because he was so bad for the Bucs for so long. If we’re being fair, it was the Bucs who ruined the 1986 Heisman winner and not the other way around. But we can’t argue with the numbers.
Testaverde was winless in four starts as a rookie before becoming the main starter for the next five years. In each of those five seasons, he threw at least 15 interceptions, including 35 interceptions compared to just 13 touchdowns in his second season. His career lasted for a long time after leaving Tampa. However, during Testaverde’s six years with the Bucs, he threw 112 interceptions with just 77 touchdown passes, putting together a record of 24-48.
Titans’ Best: Warren Moon
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If we include the history of the Houston Oilers as part of the Titans’ history, there’s no doubt Moon is the best ever. While Steve McNair makes a compelling argument, Moon was a Pro Bowler in each of his final six years in Houston. He orchestrated some top-notch offensive teams during the late 80s and early 90s.
Moon led the NFL in passing in both 1990 and 1991, winning Offensive Player of the Year honors in 1990. Frankly, he’s one of the most underrated quarterbacks in NFL history. In the history of the Oilers/Titans, he’s surely the best quarterback the franchise has known.
Titans’ Worst: Billy Joe Tolliver
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The longtime journeyman backup quarterback who spent time on six NFL teams in 13 seasons, Tolliver saved his worst for his one year with the Oilers. He finished his career with more interceptions than touchdowns, so he was never that great. But he was particularly bad during his year in Houston in 1994.
That season, Tolliver went 0-7 as the team’s starter, tossing only six touchdowns compared to seven interceptions in seven games. He averaged a rather pitiful and career-low 5.4 yards attempt. After leaving the Oilers, Tolliver went 2-11 as a starter for the rest of his career.
Commanders’ Best: Sammy Baugh
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The Washington franchise has won three Super Bowls but did so with three different starting quarterbacks. That means we have to travel back in time to find the best quarterback in franchise history. Baugh played for Washington between 1937 and 1952 and was one of the great yet forgotten quarterbacks of his generation.
As a rookie in 1937, Baugh led Washington to an NFL championship, doing the same in 1942. For what it’s worth, Baugh played other positions, excelling all over the field. But if we’re talking about him as a quarterback, he led the NFL in completion percentage eight times and passing yards four times, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg with him.
Commanders’ Worst: Heath Shuler
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This isn’t a typo, Shuler really is the worst quarterback ever in both New Orleans and Washington. In fact, his worst years were probably in Washington, the team that drafted him third overall in 1994. Shuler had the nerve to hold out as a rookie, only to lead the team to a 1-7 record as a starter.
Somehow, things got worse from there, as Shuler’s time in Washington was largely spent battling with Gus Frerotte for the starting job. Keep in mind Frerotte was drafted by Washington the same year as Shuler but in the seventh round. In his third pro season, injuries and on-field struggles limited Shuler to just one start with Washington before he was traded after the season. To add insult to injury, Frerotte made the Pro Bowl that year after permanently taking the starting job.
