Top 10 Best Quarterbacks in NFL History
The NFL has seen countless great quarterbacks, but only a select few stand above the rest. This list of the Top 10 Best Quarterbacks in NFL History looks at everything — championships, MVPs, stats, and the ability to change the game itself. From Tom Brady’s unmatched seven Super Bowl rings to Joe Montana’s legendary clutch performances, and the rocket arms of Dan Marino and Brett Favre, these are the players who defined eras and left legacies that still shape football today.
- #10 – John Elway
- #9 – Brett Favre
- #8 – Johnny Unitas
- #7 – Dan Marino
- #6 – Patrick Mahomes
- #5 – Drew Brees
- #4 – Aaron Rodgers
- #3 – Joe Montana
- #2 – Peyton Manning
- #1 – Tom Brady
- Full Top 10 List – Best Quarterbacks in NFL History
- FAQ – Best Quarterbacks in NFL History
- Conclusion – Best Quarterbacks in NFL History
John Elway ranks #10 with 2 Super Bowl wins, an MVP award, and one of the most iconic arms and comebacks in NFL history.
#10 – John Elway
Key Stats & Accolades:
2× Super Bowl Champion (XXXII, XXXIII)
NFL MVP (1987)
9× Pro Bowl Selection
51,475 passing yards | 300 touchdowns
Few quarterbacks embodied resilience quite like John Elway. For much of his career, he carried Denver teams that were overmatched, dragging the Broncos to three Super Bowl appearances in the 1980s despite being heavy underdogs. His arm strength was otherworldly — the kind of cannon that could flip the field in a single throw — but it was his competitiveness that defined him.
What elevates Elway into this list is how he finished. After years of heartbreak, he finally got the supporting cast he needed and delivered back-to-back Super Bowl wins to close out his career, riding into retirement as a champion. Elway wasn’t just a quarterback; he was a force of belief. Teammates and fans alike knew that as long as he had the ball, the Broncos had a chance.
Brett Favre ranks #9 with 71,838 passing yards, 508 touchdowns, and three straight MVP awards — still unmatched in NFL history.
#9 – Brett Favre
Key Stats & Accolades:
Super Bowl Champion (XXXI)
3× NFL MVP (1995–1997)
11× Pro Bowl Selection
71,838 passing yards | 508 touchdowns
Brett Favre played football the way a kid slings it around in the backyard — with joy, recklessness, and an arm that seemed to never get tired. At his peak in the mid-90s, he became the first and only player to win three straight MVP awards, lifting the Packers back into relevance and bringing a Super Bowl to Green Bay.
He retired as the league’s all-time leader in yards and touchdowns, but just as remarkable was his durability. Favre started 297 consecutive games, a streak that feels almost impossible in today’s NFL. His fearless style led to plenty of interceptions, but it also produced some of the most electrifying plays in football history. Love him or hate him, Favre changed how people thought about the quarterback position — and left behind a legacy of toughness and entertainment that’s hard to match.
Johnny Unitas ranks #8 with 3 MVPs, an NFL Championship, and a legendary run that set the foundation for modern quarterback play.
#8 – Johnny Unitas
Key Stats & Accolades:
3× NFL MVP (1959, 1964, 1967)
NFL Champion (1958, 1959, 1968) & Super Bowl V Champion
10× Pro Bowl Selection
40,239 passing yards | 290 touchdowns
Johnny Unitas was the prototype for the modern quarterback. Before him, most offenses were built to grind games out on the ground. With Unitas under center, suddenly precision passing, timing routes, and fourth-quarter comebacks became part of football’s DNA.
The 1958 NFL Championship — “The Greatest Game Ever Played” — is still remembered largely because of Unitas. He marched the Colts downfield with icy confidence, pulling off the league’s first true two-minute drill and cementing pro football as America’s game.
His 47-game streak with a touchdown pass stood for more than half a century, and his toughness was legendary. Unitas wasn’t just a star of his era — he was a blueprint. Every quarterback who came after, from Montana to Brady to Mahomes, is walking a trail that Unitas carved out with his arm and leadership.
Dan Marino ranks #7 all-time with over 61,000 passing yards, 420 touchdowns, and one of the greatest arms in NFL history.
#7 – Dan Marino
Key Stats & Accolades:
NFL MVP (1984)
9× Pro Bowl Selection
61,361 passing yards | 420 touchdowns
Pro Football Hall of Fame (2005)
Dan Marino was decades ahead of his time. In an NFL still dominated by ground-and-pound offenses, Marino came in and started rewriting the record books with his right arm. His 1984 season — over 5,000 yards and 48 touchdowns — looked like a stat line from the 2010s, not the mid-80s. For years, nobody even came close to matching it.
Marino never won a Super Bowl, and that’s the asterisk critics always bring up. But anyone who watched him knew rings weren’t the whole story. He had the quickest release the league had ever seen, the kind of accuracy that made defenses look helpless, and a swagger that fit perfectly with Miami in the ’80s and ’90s.
What makes Marino unforgettable is how much he shaped the future. The pass-heavy NFL we see today? That’s the world Marino foreshadowed. He may not have the jewelry of Brady or Montana, but his influence and production make him one of the most gifted quarterbacks to ever touch the field.
Patrick Mahomes ranks #6 already with 3 Super Bowl wins, 2 MVPs, and one of the best postseason résumés in history.
#6 – Patrick Mahomes
Key Stats & Accolades:
3× Super Bowl Champion (LIV, LVII, LVIII)
3× Super Bowl MVP
2× NFL MVP (2018, 2022)
6× Pro Bowl Selection
32,352 passing yards | 245 touchdowns (through 2024 season)
Patrick Mahomes is still in the middle of his career, but he’s already done enough to sit comfortably in the top ten all-time. In just seven seasons as a starter, he’s racked up three Super Bowls, multiple MVPs, and a highlight reel that feels more like a video game than real life. No quarterback in history has combined arm talent, creativity, and big-game performances quite like him.
What makes Mahomes different is that he wins in every situation. Fall behind double digits in the playoffs? He’s come back time and time again. Force him outside the pocket? He’ll make a throw across his body at impossible angles. Give him a fourth quarter with the game on the line? He’s usually walking away with the win.
Mahomes still has a long way to go in terms of longevity, but the trajectory is frightening. If he keeps stacking rings and MVPs, we’re not just talking about him in the top ten — we’re talking about him chasing Brady for the top spot.
Drew Brees ranks #5 with 80,358 career passing yards, 571 touchdowns, and a Super Bowl XLIV title.
#5 – Drew Brees
Key Stats & Accolades:
Super Bowl Champion (XLIV) & Super Bowl MVP
2× NFL Offensive Player of the Year (2008, 2011)
13× Pro Bowl Selection
80,358 passing yards | 571 touchdowns
Pro Football Hall of Fame (2025 class)
Drew Brees wasn’t the biggest, the fastest, or the strongest — but no quarterback ever threw with more accuracy. At just six feet tall, he was told over and over again that he was too small to thrive in the NFL. Instead, he built one of the greatest careers the game has ever seen.
Brees turned the New Orleans Saints from an afterthought into champions. His Super Bowl XLIV victory, coming just a few years after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city, remains one of the most powerful moments in league history. But beyond that championship, it was his week-to-week consistency that made him special. Brees led the league in passing yards seven times, retired as the all-time leader in yards and completions, and set the gold standard for accuracy with a career 67.7% completion rate.
When you think of quarterbacks who maximized every ounce of their ability, Brees is at the top of the list. He didn’t just play the position; he mastered the art of precision passing, rewriting what people thought was possible for a player who didn’t fit the prototype.
Aaron Rodgers ranks #4 all-time with 4 MVPs, a Super Bowl title, and the highest career passer rating among legends.
#4 – Aaron Rodgers
Key Stats & Accolades:
Super Bowl Champion (XLV) & Super Bowl MVP
4× NFL MVP (2011, 2014, 2020, 2021)
10× Pro Bowl Selection
59,055 passing yards | 475 touchdowns
Aaron Rodgers might be the most naturally talented quarterback the NFL has ever seen. His combination of arm strength, pinpoint accuracy, mobility, and football IQ made him a nightmare for defenses for nearly two decades. There were throws he made — rolling to his left, flicking his wrist, threading a ball between defenders — that looked physically impossible for anyone else. He even snuck on the list for most rushing yards in NFL history by a Quarterback.
Rodgers’ peak was as good as it gets. Four MVP awards, including back-to-back late in his career, prove how long he stayed dominant. He led the Packers to a Super Bowl XLV victory and consistently had Green Bay in the playoff hunt, even when the roster around him wasn’t elite.
What defines Rodgers is efficiency. He owns the best touchdown-to-interception ratio in NFL history, redefining what “protecting the football” looks like while still attacking defenses relentlessly. Critics will point to just one Super Bowl appearance, but his sheer mastery of the position — the throws, the reads, the consistency — puts him among the very best to ever do it.
Joe Montana ranks #3 with 4 Super Bowl wins, 3 Super Bowl MVPs, and legendary clutch playoff performances.
#3 – Joe Montana
Key Stats & Accolades:
4× Super Bowl Champion (XVI, XIX, XXIII, XXIV)
3× Super Bowl MVP
2× NFL MVP (1989, 1990)
40,551 passing yards | 273 touchdowns
Joe Montana wasn’t the flashiest quarterback, but when the lights were brightest, no one was cooler. Nicknamed “Joe Cool” for a reason, Montana mastered the art of clutch football. Four Super Bowl wins, three Super Bowl MVPs, and a perfect 4–0 record on the biggest stage put him in a league of his own for years.
Montana’s genius was precision under pressure. In an era when defenses were brutal and rules didn’t protect quarterbacks, he stood tall in the pocket and delivered darts. The 92-yard drive to beat the Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII remains one of the greatest moments in NFL history — a clinic in poise and execution.
While Tom Brady eventually passed him in rings and numbers, Montana’s legacy is untouchable. He defined the quarterback position in the 1980s, turned the 49ers into a dynasty, and became the standard for what it meant to be a winner. For many old-school fans, he’s still the greatest to ever play.
Peyton Manning ranks #2 all-time with 5 MVPs, 2 Super Bowls, and over 71,000 career passing yards.
#2 – Peyton Manning
Key Stats & Accolades:
2× Super Bowl Champion (XLI, 50)
5× NFL MVP (2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2013)
14× Pro Bowl Selection
71,940 passing yards | 539 touchdowns
Peyton Manning was the ultimate field general. No quarterback ever controlled a game at the line of scrimmage like he did — dissecting defenses before the snap, changing plays with his famous “Omaha” calls, and always staying one step ahead. His football IQ and preparation were unmatched, and it showed in the record books.
Manning’s five MVP awards are the most in NFL history, a testament to how dominant he was across different stages of his career. His 2013 season with Denver — 5,477 yards and 55 touchdowns — is still the greatest statistical season ever by a quarterback. More than numbers, though, Manning elevated entire franchises. He turned the Colts into perennial contenders and finished his career by helping the Broncos win a Super Bowl in his final game.
What set him apart wasn’t just his production, but the way he changed the sport. Manning essentially became an offensive coordinator in pads, revolutionizing how quarterbacks read and attacked defenses. He may not have Brady’s ring count, but at his peak, Peyton was as close to unstoppable as the position has ever seen.
Tom Brady ranks #1 on the Best Quarterbacks in NFL History list with 7 Super Bowls, 3 MVPs, and the most wins of all time.
#1 – Tom Brady
Key Stats & Accolades:
7× Super Bowl Champion
3× NFL MVP (2007, 2010, 2017)
5× Super Bowl MVP
15× Pro Bowl Selection
89,214 passing yards | 649 touchdowns | 251 career wins
Tom Brady’s story is football mythology. Picked 199th overall in the 2000 draft, he went from overlooked backup to the greatest winner the sport has ever seen. Seven Super Bowl rings — more than any franchise — and three MVP awards only scratch the surface of what made his career remarkable.
Brady built his legend on longevity, adaptability, and relentless competitiveness. In New England, he ran the most disciplined dynasty in NFL history, thriving for two decades in Bill Belichick’s system. When people thought he was done, he left at age 43 and immediately won another Super Bowl in Tampa Bay, proving it wasn’t just the Patriots — it was him.
What set Brady apart wasn’t just the records or the rings. It was his ability to reinvent himself, from a game manager in the early 2000s, to a statistical monster in the late 2000s, to an ageless wonder in his 40s. Every era had stars, but Brady outlasted them all. For two decades, he was the quarterback everyone else was chasing — and the one defenses feared most with the game on the line.
Full Top 10 List – Best Quarterbacks in NFL History
The full Top 10 Best Quarterbacks in NFL History, featuring Tom Brady at #1, Peyton Manning at #2, and Joe Montana at #3.
FAQ – Best Quarterbacks in NFL History
Who is considered the best quarterback in NFL history?
Tom Brady is the best Quarterback ever with seven Super Bowl championships, three MVP awards, and nearly every major career record.
Which quarterbacks have won the most MVP awards?
Peyton Manning leads with five MVPs, the most in NFL history. Aaron Rodgers is close behind with four.
Who has the most passing yards in NFL history?
Drew Brees retired as the all-time leader with 80,358 passing yards. Tom Brady later passed him, finishing with 89,214 — the current record.
Did Dan Marino ever win a Super Bowl?
No. Despite rewriting the passing record books, Marino never won a Super Bowl — a common debate point in his legacy.
Which modern quarterback has the best chance to climb higher on the all-time list?
Patrick Mahomes already has three Super Bowl wins and two MVPs before turning 30. If he stays healthy, he could eventually challenge Brady’s place at the top.
Conclusion – Best Quarterbacks in NFL History
Ranking the greatest quarterbacks of all time is never simple — eras are different, styles are different, and the game itself has evolved. But whether it’s Johnny Unitas laying the foundation, Dan Marino changing the way football was played, or Patrick Mahomes rewriting the record book in real time, each quarterback on this list left a lasting impact.
Tom Brady sits at the top with seven rings, Peyton Manning redefined preparation, Joe Montana set the standard for clutch, and legends like Favre, Brees, and Rodgers filled highlight reels for decades. These ten names represent the very best blend of talent, leadership, and winning that the NFL has ever seen.
Of course, lists like these are made to be debated — and that’s half the fun. Who would you move up? Who got left out?
For the most up-to-date NFL content, follow me on Instagram: @sogfootball — always open for debate.
👉 Want more? Check out more of our NFL Records and NFL Tier Lists to keep the conversation going.
