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All-time career passer rating leaders
Cold, Hard Football Facts for July 2, 2008
The HOF list includes every quarterback with 1,500 passing attempts (the minimum needed to qualify for official NFL records). A total of 150 quarterbacks make the cut, from No. 1 Steve Young (96.81) to former NFL and AFL passer Frank Tripucka (51.18), at No. 150.
We took the Hall of Fame list and added the career years of every player on the list. This simple addition gives us an illuminating look into the history of pro football and the evolution of the passing game in particular. Simply note that, at the start of the 2008 season, 16 of the Top 20 passer-rating leaders were active in 2007. This statistical anomaly tells us that, thanks to a series of rules favoring offense, it's easier than ever to pass the ball in the NFL.
For proof that it's easier than ever, you'll see much lower passer rating numbers on our lists of Dead Ball Era (to 1977) passer rating leaders and our list of passers whose careers spanned both the Dead Ball and Live Ball (1978-present) Eras.
CAREER PASSER RATING LEADERS (at start of 2008 season)
|
|
Player |
Years |
Rating |
|
1 |
Steve Young |
1985-99 |
96.81 |
|
2 |
Peyton Manning |
1998-present |
94.72 |
|
3 |
Kurt Warner |
1998-present |
93.17 |
|
4 |
Tom Brady |
2000-present |
92.93 |
|
5 |
Joe Montana |
1979-1994 |
92.26 |
|
6 |
Carson Palmer |
2004-present |
90.12 |
|
7 |
Daunte Culpepper |
1999-present |
89.95 |
|
8 |
Chad Pennington |
2000-present |
88.89 |
|
9 |
Marc Bulger |
2002-present |
88.08 |
|
10 |
Drew Brees |
2001-present |
87.94 |
|
11 |
Jeff Garcia |
1999-present |
87.24 |
|
12 |
Trent Green |
1997-present |
86.9 |
|
13 |
Dan Marino |
1983-99 |
86.38 |
|
14 |
Matt Hasselbeck |
1999-present |
86.23 |
|
15 |
Donovan McNabb |
1999-present |
85.78 |
|
16 |
Brett Favre |
1991-2007 |
85.7 |
|
17 |
Jake Delhomme |
1999-present |
85.23 |
|
18 |
Rich Gannon |
1987-2004 |
84.71 |
|
19 |
Jim Kelly |
1986-96 |
84.39 |
|
20 |
Mark Brunell |
1994-2006 |
84.21 |
|
21 |
Brian Griese |
1998-present |
83.64 |
|
22 |
Roger Staubach |
1969-79 |
83.42 |
|
23 |
Brad Johnson |
1994-present |
83.09 |
|
24 |
Steve McNair |
1995-2007 |
82.76 |
|
25 |
Neil Lomax |
1981-88 |
82.68 |
|
26 |
Sonny Jurgensen |
1957-74 |
82.62 |
|
27 |
Len Dawson |
1957-75 |
82.56 |
|
28 |
Ken Anderson |
1971-86 |
81.86 |
|
29 |
Bernie Kosar |
1985-96 |
81.83 |
|
30 |
Neil O'Donnell |
1991-2003 |
81.82 |
|
31 |
Danny White |
1976-88 |
81.71 |
|
32 |
Troy Aikman |
1989-2000 |
81.62 |
|
33 |
Dave Krieg |
1980-98 |
81.5 |
|
34 |
Randall Cunningham |
1985-2001 |
81.47 |
|
35 |
Boomer Esiason |
1984-97 |
81.06 |
|
36 |
Warren Moon |
1984-2000 |
80.9 |
|
37 |
Jeff Hostetler |
1985-97 |
80.48 |
|
38 |
Bart Starr |
1956-71 |
80.47 |
|
39 |
Ken O'Brien |
1984-93 |
80.44 |
|
40 |
Jeff George |
1990-2001 |
80.42 |
|
41 |
Fran Tarkenton |
1961-78 |
80.35 |
|
42 |
Steve Beuerlien |
1988-2003 |
80.32 |
|
43 |
Dan Fouts |
1973-87 |
80.23 |
|
44 |
John Elway |
1983-98 |
79.86 |
|
45 |
Tony Eason |
1983-90 |
79.72 |
|
46 |
Elvis Grbac |
1994-2001 |
79.65 |
|
47 |
Chris Chandler |
1988-2004 |
79.12 |
|
48 |
Mark Rypien |
1988-2001 |
78.93 |
|
49 |
Jim Everett |
1986-97 |
78.59 |
|
50 |
Aaron Brooks |
2000-06 |
78.53 |
|
51 |
Phil Simms |
1979-93 |
78.48 |
|
52 |
Bert Jones |
1973-82 |
78.21 |
|
53 |
Johnny Unitas |
1956-73 |
78.2 |
|
54 |
Jim McMahon |
1982-96 |
78.17 |
|
55 |
Otto Graham |
1946-55 |
78.17 |
|
56 |
Jeff Blake |
1992-2005 |
78.03 |
|
57 |
Bobby Hebert |
1985-96 |
78 |
|
58 |
Frank Ryan |
1958-70 |
77.61 |
|
59 |
Jim Harbaugh |
1987-2000 |
77.6 |
|
60 |
Joe Theismann |
1974-85 |
77.37 |
|
61 |
Bob Griese |
1967-80 |
77.14 |
|
62 |
Jay Fiedler |
1995-2005 |
77.13 |
|
63 |
Drew Bledsoe |
1993-2006 |
77.06 |
|
64 |
Bill Kenney |
1980-88 |
76.98 |
|
65 |
Jon Kitna |
1997-present |
76.75 |
|
66 |
Erik Kramer |
1987-99 |
76.64 |
|
67 |
Gary Danielson |
1976-88 |
76.58 |
|
68 |
Doug Flutie |
1986-2005 |
76.34 |
|
69 |
Stan Humphries |
1989-1997 |
75.83 |
|
70 |
Michael Vick |
2001-06 |
75.75 |
|
71 |
Wade Wilson |
1981-98 |
75.57 |
|
72 |
Steve Bartkowski |
1975-86 |
75.44 |
|
73 |
Ken Stabler |
1970-84 |
75.31 |
|
74 |
Scott Mitchell |
1991-2001 |
75.28 |
|
75 |
Steve Bono |
1985-99 |
75.27 |
|
76 |
Tim Couch |
1999-2003 |
75.14 |
|
77 |
Norm Van Brocklin |
1949-60 |
75.07 |
|
78 |
Sid Luckman |
1939-50 |
75.01 |
|
79 |
Vinny Testaverde |
1987-2007 |
75 |
|
80 |
Chris Miller |
1987-99 |
74.93 |
|
81 |
Don Meredith |
1960-68 |
74.84 |
|
82 |
Brian Sipe |
1974-83 |
74.79 |
|
83 |
Jake Plummer |
1997-2006 |
74.61 |
|
84 |
David Carr |
2002-present |
74.44 |
|
85 |
Gus Frerotte |
1994-present |
74.3 |
|
86 |
Roman Gabriel |
1962-77 |
74.29 |
|
87 |
Steve DeBerg |
1979-98 |
74.24 |
|
88 |
Earl Morrall |
1956-76 |
74.09 |
|
89 |
Y.A. Tittle |
1946-64 |
73.65 |
|
90 |
Craig Morton |
1965-82 |
73.52 |
|
91 |
Eli Manning |
2004-present |
73.38 |
|
92 |
Rodney Peete |
1989-2004 |
73.3 |
|
93 |
Kerry Collins |
1995-present |
73.3 |
|
94 |
Don Majkowksi |
1987-96 |
72.95 |
|
95 |
Daryle Lamonica |
1963-74 |
72.94 |
|
96 |
Greg Landry |
1968-84 |
72.94 |
|
97 |
Ron Jaworski |
1974-89 |
72.78 |
|
98 |
Tommy Kramer |
1977-90 |
72.77 |
|
99 |
Tony Banks |
1996-2005 |
72.36 |
|
100 |
Bubby Brister |
1986-2000 |
72.28 |
|
101 |
John Brodie |
1957-73 |
72.27 |
|
102 |
Milt Plum |
1957-69 |
72.22 |
|
103 |
Sammy Baugh |
1937-52 |
72.21 |
|
104 |
Billy Wade |
1954-68 |
72.19 |
|
105 |
Jay Schroeder |
1985-94 |
71.68 |
|
106 |
Billy Kilmer |
1961-78 |
71.56 |
|
107 |
Bill Munson |
1964-79 |
71.49 |
|
108 |
Lynn Dickey |
1971-85 |
70.94 |
|
109 |
Terry Bradshaw |
1970-83 |
70.92 |
|
110 |
Kordell Stewart |
1995-2005 |
70.69 |
|
111 |
Bill Nelsen |
1963-72 |
70.25 |
|
112 |
Trent Dilfer |
1994-2007 |
70.18 |
|
113 |
Vince Ferragamo |
1977-86 |
70.08 |
|
114 |
Steve Grogan |
1975-90 |
69.61 |
|
115 |
Doug Williams |
1978-89 |
69.39 |
|
116 |
Joey Harrington |
2002-present |
69.38 |
|
117 |
Charley Johnson |
1961-75 |
69.21 |
|
118 |
Mike Tomczak |
1985-99 |
68.91 |
|
119 |
Eric Hipple |
1980-89 |
68.68 |
|
120 |
Joe Ferguson |
1973-90 |
68.45 |
|
121 |
Charlie Conerly |
1948-61 |
68.25 |
|
122 |
Dave Brown |
1992-2001 |
67.89 |
|
123 |
Billy Joe Tolliver |
1989-99 |
67.74 |
|
124 |
Marc Wilson |
1980-90 |
67.7 |
|
125 |
Tom Flores |
1960-69 |
67.58 |
|
126 |
Richard Todd |
1976-85 |
67.57 |
|
127 |
Jim Plunkett |
1971-86 |
67.45 |
|
128 |
John Hadl |
1962-77 |
67.41 |
|
129 |
Jim Zorn |
1976-87 |
67.28 |
|
130 |
Archie Manning |
1971-84 |
67.1 |
|
131 |
Jim Hart |
1966-84 |
66.56 |
|
132 |
Norm Snead |
1961-76 |
65.54 |
|
133 |
Joe Namath |
1965-77 |
65.46 |
|
134 |
Rick Mirer |
1993-2003 |
63.53 |
|
135 |
Bobby Layne |
1948-62 |
63.38 |
|
136 |
Jack Trudeau |
1986-95 |
63.32 |
|
137 |
Mike Livingston |
1968-79 |
63.27 |
|
138 |
Mike Pagel |
1982-93 |
63.26 |
|
139 |
Ed Brown |
1954-65 |
62.77 |
|
140 |
Mark Malone |
1980-89 |
61.89 |
|
141 |
Bob Waterfield |
1945-52 |
61.58 |
|
142 |
Eddie LeBaron |
1952-63 |
61.43 |
|
143 |
George Blanda |
1949-75 |
60.65 |
|
144 |
Babe Parilli |
1952-69 |
59.59 |
|
145 |
Dan Pastorini |
1971-83 |
59.06 |
|
146 |
Jack Kemp |
1957-69 |
57.35 |
|
147 |
Tobin Rote |
1950-66 |
56.79 |
|
148 |
Cotton Davidson |
1954-69 |
54.88 |
|
149 |
Mike Phipps |
1970-81 |
52.63 |
|
150 |
Frank Tripucka |
1949-63 |
52.18 |
|