Top 10 Best Running Quarterbacks in NFL History
The NFL has seen plenty of great quarterbacks, but only a few have been true game-changers with their legs. The best running quarterbacks in NFL history bring a different kind of pressure — forcing defenses to defend every inch of the field while turning broken plays into highlight-reel runs. From Lamar Jackson’s jaw-dropping elusiveness to Michael Vick’s once-in-a-generation speed, these dual-threat QBs have redefined how the position is played.
In this all-time ranking, we break down the Top 10 Best Running Quarterbacks in NFL History, factoring in rushing production, career accolades, and overall impact on the game. Whether it’s piling up yards on the ground, extending plays through improvisation, or dominating the red zone with their legs, these quarterbacks changed football forever.
Table of Contents
- #10 – Steve McNair
- #9 – Russell Wilson
- #8 – Jalen Hurts
- #7 – Fran Tarkenton
- #6 – Steve Young
- #5 – Randall Cunningham
- #4 – Josh Allen
- #3 – Cam Newton
- #2 – Michael Vick
- #1 – Lamar Jackson
- Full List – Top 10 Best Running Quarterbacks in NFL History
- FAQ – Best Running Quarterbacks in NFL History
- Conclusion – Greatest Running QBs in NFL History
Steve McNair rounds out the list at #10 among running quarterbacks.
#10 – Steve McNair
Career Accolades: 1× MVP | 3× Pro Bowl
Passing Stats: 31,304 Yards | 174 TDs | 119 INTs | 82.8 Rate
Rushing Stats: 3,590 Yards | 37 TDs | 5.4 Y/A
Steve “Air” McNair brought a physical edge to the quarterback position that few could match. At 6’2”, 230 pounds, he didn’t just scramble to avoid pressure — he ran like a fullback with the ball in his hands. McNair powered through arm tackles, lowered his shoulder at the goal line, and finished his career with more rushing touchdowns than Steve Young, Russell Wilson, or even Donovan McNabb.
What made McNair special wasn’t flashy breakaway speed but his toughness as a runner. He played through injuries that would sideline most players, and his ability to extend plays on the ground kept defenses honest throughout his career. In an era before designed QB runs became common, McNair showed that a quarterback could be both a pocket passer and a reliable rushing weapon.
Russell Wilson falls to #9 among the all-time best running quarterbacks.
#9 – Russell Wilson
Career Accolades: 1× Super Bowl Champion | 10× Pro Bowl
Passing Stats: 46,135 Yards | 350 TDs | 111 INTs | 99.8 Rate
Rushing Stats: 5,462 Yards | 31 TDs | 5.3 Y/A
Russell Wilson wasn’t the fastest quarterback on the field, but he was one of the hardest to catch. His scrambling wasn’t just about picking up yards — it was about turning chaos into opportunity. Wilson mastered the art of escaping pressure, resetting outside the pocket, and either taking off for a first down or launching a deep ball that broke defenses.
What made Russ unique as a runner was his efficiency. He rarely took big hits, knew when to slide, and extended drives with back-breaking scrambles on third down. He piled up over 5,000 rushing yards without ever being considered a “running QB” in the traditional sense, which only makes his impact more impressive. Defenses couldn’t blitz him the same way they blitzed others, because one wrong angle and Wilson was gone.
Jalen Hurts is ranked #8 among the Top 10 Best Running Quarterbacks in NFL History.
#8 – Jalen Hurts
Career Accolades: 1× Super Bowl | 2× Pro Bowl
Passing Stats: 14,667 Yards | 85 TDs | 39 INTs | 64.4 CMP%
Rushing Stats: 3,133 Yards | 55 TDs | 4.6 Y/A
Jalen Hurts has already changed what we expect from a running quarterback. He isn’t just mobile — he’s a full-blown short-yardage weapon. In just a few years, he’s scored more rushing touchdowns than many legendary QBs managed in their entire careers. The “tush push” might be the headline, but Hurts’ power running between the tackles has forced defenses to game plan for a quarterback like he’s a featured back.
Unlike Lamar Jackson or Michael Vick, Hurts doesn’t wow you with highlight-reel sprints from midfield. His game is about consistency: moving the chains, punishing linebackers, and dominating in the red zone. He already has 55 rushing scores — more than McNabb, Tarkenton, or Wilson — and he’s just getting started. If he sustains this production, Hurts could end up with the most rushing TDs by a QB in NFL history.
Fran Tarkenton earns the #7 spot among the all-time great rushing QBs.
#7 – Fran Tarkenton
Career Accolades: NFL MVP (1975) | 9× Pro Bowl | Hall of Fame
Passing Stats: 47,003 Yards | 342 TDs | 266 INTs | 80.4 Rate
Rushing Stats: 3,674 Yards | 32 TDs | 5.4 Y/A
Before Michael Vick or Lamar Jackson, there was Fran Tarkenton. In the 1960s and ’70s, when quarterbacks were expected to stand tall in the pocket, Tarkenton turned scrambling into an art form. He wasn’t just running to gain yards — he was running to buy time, wearing out defenders as he zig-zagged across the field before finding an open man.
Tarkenton finished with over 3,600 rushing yards and 32 touchdowns, but stats alone don’t tell the story. He was the first quarterback to truly weaponize improvisation, forcing defenses to defend for what felt like forever. His style looked chaotic, but it was calculated — and it paved the way for generations of mobile quarterbacks who followed.
Steve Young ranks #6 among the greatest running quarterbacks in NFL history.
#6 – Steve Young
Career Accolades: 2× MVP | 3× Super Bowl Champion | Hall of Fame
Passing Stats: 33,124 Yards | 232 TDs | 107 INTs | 96.8 Rate
Rushing Stats: 4,239 Yards | 43 TDs | 5.9 Y/A
Steve Young wasn’t just mobile — he was one of the smoothest runners the position has ever seen. With nearly 4,300 career rushing yards and 43 touchdowns, he had the vision of a running back and the fearlessness to take off against any defense. His ability to escape pressure, roll out, and make plays on the move helped define the San Francisco 49ers’ offense in the ’90s and put him in the conversation for best Quarterbacks in NFL history.
What set Young apart was his balance of speed and toughness. He could break off long scrambles — like his legendary weaving 49-yard touchdown run against the Vikings — but he also thrived in the red zone, where his quickness and instincts made him a nightmare to contain. Long before Lamar Jackson, Young showed that a quarterback could be both an elite passer and a legitimate rushing threat while in the conversation for best Quarterback in the NFL.
Randall Cunningham is ranked #5 on the all-time list of running quarterbacks.
#5 – Randall Cunningham
Career Accolades: 4× Pro Bowl | NFL MVP (1990) | 1990 Offensive Player of the Year
Passing Stats: 29,979 Yards | 207 TDs | 134 INTs | 81.5 Rate
Rushing Stats: 4,928 Yards | 35 TDs | 6.4 Y/A
Randall Cunningham was the prototype for the modern dual-threat quarterback. In an era when rushing QBs were seen as novelties, Cunningham was a one-man highlight reel — juking linebackers, hurdling defenders, and outrunning safeties like he belonged in the backfield. His 6.4 yards per carry remains one of the highest marks ever for a quarterback, proof of just how explosive he was with the ball in his hands.
What made Cunningham special was his ability to change a game instantly. A broken play for most quarterbacks was an opportunity for him to flip the field. He wasn’t just fast — he had rare athleticism for the position, routinely making defenders miss in space while keeping defenses terrified of his arm. Players like Michael Vick, Lamar Jackson, and Cam Newton all owe a piece of their game to Cunningham blazing the trail.
Josh Allen lands at #4 among the greatest running quarterbacks.
#4 – Josh Allen
Career Accolades: 2× Pro Bowl | 1× MVP
Passing Stats: 26,434 Yards | 195 TDs | 84 INTs | 93.4 Rate
Rushing Stats: 4,142 Yards | 65 TDs | 5.5 Y/A
Josh Allen is built like a linebacker and runs like one too — except faster. At 6’5”, 240 pounds, he’s redefined what it means to be a power-running quarterback. Allen already has over 50 rushing touchdowns in his first six seasons, putting him on a historic pace that only Cam Newton has matched. Whether it’s bulldozing through tacklers on designed runs or stiff-arming safeties on scrambles, Allen has become the NFL’s ultimate short-yardage and red-zone weapon.
What separates Allen from other running quarterbacks is how physical he is. Defenses expect quarterbacks to slide — Allen lowers his shoulder and dares linebackers to stop him. He’s a nightmare on third-and-short and almost automatic at the goal line. Combine that with his rocket arm, and Allen might be the most complete dual-threat QB the league has ever seen.
Cam Newton ranks #3 on the all-time running quarterbacks list.
#3 – Cam Newton
Career Accolades: NFL MVP (2015) | 3× Pro Bowl | Super Bowl Appearance
Passing Stats: 32,382 Yards | 194 TDs | 123 INTs | 85.2 Rate
Rushing Stats: 5,628 Yards | 75 TDs | 5.0 Y/A
Cam Newton wasn’t just a running quarterback — he was a force of nature. At 6’5” and nearly 250 pounds, he changed the way defenses had to game plan for the position. No QB in history has been more dominant in the red zone, where Newton’s 75 rushing touchdowns stand as the all-time record. Whether it was barreling through linebackers on designed power runs or keeping the ball on zone reads, Cam brought a physical style that made him almost impossible to stop near the goal line.
But Newton wasn’t just a short-yardage battering ram. In his prime, he could break long runs too, using his size-speed combination to chew up chunks of yardage. His 2015 MVP season put it all together — 10 rushing TDs, nearly 4,000 passing yards, and a trip to the Super Bowl. For a stretch, Cam Newton was the most dangerous dual-threat quarterback the NFL had ever seen.
Michael Vick’s speed and style earn him the #2 spot all-time.
#2 – Michael Vick
Career Accolades: 4× Pro Bowl | NFL Comeback Player of the Year (2010)
Passing Stats: 22,464 Yards | 133 TDs | 88 INTs | 80.4 Rate
Rushing Stats: 6,109 Yards | 36 TDs | 7.0 Y/A
Michael Vick wasn’t just fast for a quarterback — he was one of the fastest players in NFL history, period. With 6,109 rushing yards, he retired the all-time leader among QBs, but stats alone don’t capture how impossible he was to defend. Vick had sprinter speed, elite agility, and the kind of acceleration that made defenders take bad angles even when they knew what was coming.
Defenses had never seen anything like him. He could outrun linebackers, embarrass safeties, and make cornerbacks miss in the open field. His 7.0 yards per carry is absurd — a number that looks more like a running back’s than a quarterback’s. Vick made the quarterback position exciting in a way it had never been before, inspiring an entire generation of mobile passers.
Lamar Jackson sits at #1 on the all-time running quarterbacks list.
#1 – Lamar Jackson
Career Accolades: 2× NFL MVP (2019, 2023) | 3× Pro Bowl | All-Pro (2019)
Passing Stats: 15,887 Yards | 125 TDs | 45 INTs | 64.5 CMP%
Rushing Stats: 5,258 Yards | 29 TDs | 6.1 Y/A
Lamar Jackson isn’t just the best running quarterback of all time — he’s one of the best runners the NFL has ever seen, period. His blend of acceleration, vision, and elusiveness makes him look more like a Hall of Fame running back than a quarterback. Jackson already owns the single-season QB rushing record (1,206 yards in 2019), and the record for most rushing yards by a Quarterback ever.
What separates Lamar from everyone else is how effortless it looks. One cut and he’s gone, making even elite defenders look foolish in space. He doesn’t just scramble when a play breaks down — the Ravens have built an entire offense around his legs, and it works because defenses still can’t stop it. With two MVPs already on his résumé and more prime years ahead, Lamar Jackson has set a new standard for what it means to be a dual-threat quarterback.
Full List: Top 10 Best Running Quarterbacks in NFL History
Full list of the Top 10 Best Running Quarterbacks in NFL History, featuring Lamar Jackson, Michael Vick, Cam Newton, Josh Allen, Randall Cunningham, Steve Young, Fran Tarkenton, Jalen Hurts, Russell Wilson, and Steve McNair.
FAQ – Best Running Quarterbacks in NFL History
Who is the best running quarterback in NFL history?
Lamar Jackson ranks #1 as the best running quarterback of all time. With two MVPs and multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons, he has redefined what’s possible for a dual-threat QB.
Who has the most rushing yards by a quarterback in NFL history?
Michael Vick holds the all-time record with 6,109 rushing yards. Lamar Jackson is quickly closing in, already surpassing 5,000 rushing yards in fewer seasons.
Which quarterback has the most rushing touchdowns in NFL history?
Cam Newton leads all quarterbacks with 75 career rushing touchdowns. Jalen Hurts is already on pace to challenge that record if he maintains his current scoring pace.
Who was the first true running quarterback in the NFL?
Fran Tarkenton is often credited as the NFL’s first great running quarterback. In the 1960s and ’70s, he turned scrambling into a weapon, paving the way for future dual-threat QBs.
Is Jalen Hurts already a top 10 running quarterback?
Yes. Hurts debuted at #8 on this list thanks to his historic touchdown production and short-yardage dominance. If he keeps up his pace, he could eventually crack the top 5.
Conclusion – Greatest Running QBs in NFL History
Running quarterbacks have always been game-changers, but the NFL has never seen as much talent at the position as it has today. From Fran Tarkenton’s scrambling in the 1970s, to Randall Cunningham blazing trails in the ’80s and ’90s, to Michael Vick redefining speed and explosiveness in the 2000s, every generation has had its icon.
But Lamar Jackson has taken it a step further. He isn’t just a highlight machine — he’s an MVP-winning quarterback whose team built an entire offense around his legs, and it works at the highest level. Where Vick was the flash and Cam Newton was the power, Lamar has combined production, efficiency, and winning impact in a way we’ve never seen before.
The rankings could shift in the coming years — Jalen Hurts is climbing fast, Josh Allen continues to dominate, and the league is producing more dual-threat QBs than ever. But for now, Lamar Jackson holds the crown as the greatest running quarterback in NFL history.
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