Ranking the Top 10 NFL Quarterbacks of All Time

With Super Bowl 58 around the corner, football’s legends are best remembered for the moments they create in the big game. Few quarterbacks enjoy repeated postseason success, and here is a ranking of the top ten NFL quarterbacks of all time. This list takes into account both talent and accomplishments as well as winning impact.

#10 - Johnny Unitas

3x NFL Champion, 1x Super Bowl Champion, 3x NFL MVP, 10 Pro Bowl selections

This list starts off by paying respect to the quarterbacks pre-Super Bowl era (or in this case, pre-Super Bowl and once the era kicked off) when the game was completely different. The pre-Super Bowl era saw legendary names at the quarterback position like Otto Graham and Sid Luckman, but one name that stands out from the early era of Pro Football is Johnny Unitas. Unitas made the First-Team All-Pro five times, and ended his Hall of Fame career with 40,239 passing touchdowns and 290 passing touchdowns.

#9 - Dan Marino

1x NFL MVP, 9 Pro Bowl selections, Walter Payton Man of the Year

There is no doubt that Dan Marino is one of if not the very best quarterbacks to never win a ring. Marino ended his career with 61,361 passing yards and 420 passing touchdowns. Someone who often delivered in the clutch, Marino is also remembered for his fourth quarter comebacks and moments such as the famous fake spike from 1994.

#8 - Brett Favre

1x Super Bowl Champion, 3x NFL MVP, 11 Pro Bowl selections

Before the Aaron Rodgers era in Green Bay began, Brett Favre was a hero for the Packers. Brett Favre was known for his physical toughness and aggression and he ended up playing in the NFL for 20 years with the Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, and Minnesota Vikings. The Hall of Famer started 297 straight games, highlighting how tough the legend really was.

#7 - Drew Brees

1x Super Bowl Champion, 1x Super Bowl MVP, 13 Pro Bowl selections

Drew Brees had impressive moments over five seasons with the San Diego Chargers, but it is his time with the New Orleans Saints that has made him one of the most beloved athletes in the NFL and in New Orleans. One of the most accurate passers of all time, Brees is near the top of every statistical quarterback category. He has led the NFL in passing yards for a season a record seven times and is also a two-time AP Offensive Player of the year. While no one has seen more recent playoff heartbreak than the Saints, their longtime quarterback’s passing talent and accuracy coupled with winning a ring lands him at seven.

#6 - John Elway

2x Super Bowl Champion, 1x Super Bowl MVP, 1x NFL MVP, 9 Pro Bowl selections

John Elway led the Denver Broncos to five Super Bowls, having many memorable post season moments. Perhaps his most legendary was “The Drive” in the 1986-87 AFC Championship game. This series of plays displayed Elway’s ability to keep drives alive and make difficult plays in the clutch. He was able to complete a huge 20-yard pass on 3rd & 18, eventually throwing a game-winning touchdown for the 23-20 victory, breaking the hearts of every Browns fan in attendance in Cleveland. In his final two seasons, he led the Broncos to their first championships, capping off his career on a high note after losing the Super Bowl his first three trips.

#5 - Aaron Rodgers

1x Super Bowl Champion, 1x Super Bowl MVP, 4x NFL MVP, 10 Pro Bowl selections

Though Aaron Rodgers’ 2023-2024 season ended in early heartbreak, his time spent with the Green Bay Packers throughout his entire career (before signing with the New York Jets last offseason) has warranted serious consideration for the most talented quarterback to ever play the position. Whether it is a series of hail marries to Jeff Janis in the 2015 playoffs, or his pinpoint accuracy displayed in games like the 2016-2017 Divisional Round victory over the number one seed-Dallas Cowboys, Rodgers is must-see TV. His ability to escape the pocket, extend plays, and come through for his team lands him on this list.

#4 - Patrick Mahomes

2x Super Bowl Champion, 2x Super Bowl MVP, 2x NFL MVP, 5 Pro Bowl selections

Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports

At just 28 years old, Patrick Mahomes’s resume is already Hall of Fame-worthy. In his first year as a starter, Mahomes threw for 50 touchdowns, joining fellow all-time greats Peyton Manning and Tom Brady as the only quarterbacks to record such seasons at any point. Since then, Mahomes has led the Kansas City Chiefs to six straight AFC championship appearances and now four Super Bowl trips. From the start of his career, he has quickly become one of the greatest current athletes across all sports. His athletic ability combined with his physical talent is arguably the best seen at the position and his postseason success is just another reason he lands above legends like Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, John Elway, etc. Mahomes is set to participate in his fourth Super Bowl in two weeks in a rematch of Super Bowl 54 against the San Francisco 49ers.

#3 - Peyton MAnning

2x Super Bowl Champion, 1x Super Bowl MVP, 5x NFL MVP, 14 Pro Bowl selections

Few will disagree with the claim that Peyton Manning is a top-three quarterback to ever step foot on the football field. Manning’s illustrious 18-year career saw him appear in four Super Bowls, two with the Indianapolis Colts and two with the Denver Broncos, winning one with each (first quarterback to ever win Super Bowls with different teams). His regular season dominance earned him an NFL record five MVPs, including in 2013 when he threw for 55 touchdowns with the Denver Broncos - the most by a quarterback in NFL history. The Hall of Famer has cemented his name as one of the most iconic in not just football, but all of professional sports.

#2 - Joe Montana

4x Super Bowl Champion, 3x Super Bowl MVP, 2x NFL MVP, 8 Pro Bowl selections

One of the most famous NFL stories about Joe Montana is him pointing out Hollywood legend John Candy in attendance at Super Bowl 22 to his teammates on the field just moments before leading the San Francisco 49ers to a game-winning drive for the 20-16 championship victory. How one can keep cool at that moment is a question many cannot answer, but Joe Cool thrived when the lights shined brightest. Montana made four Super Bowls during his tenure with the San Francisco 49ers, winning each of them. His greatness helped establish the Niners as one of the NFL’s greatest dynasties. When San Francisco handed the team to Steve Young, Montana proved he still had it with the Kansas City Cheifs, leading the team to their first AFC Championship game during his two seasons there.

#1 - TOm Brady

7x Super Bowl Champion, 5x Super Bowl MVP, 3x NFL MVP, 15 Pro Bowl selections

The number one spot on this list goes without explanation. Tom Brady’s 23-year career saw him take over the NFL in a way we may never see again, reaching a mind-boggling 10 Super Bowls and seven championships. Brady ranks first all-time in nearly every major statistical category for quarterbacks including most passing touchdowns, most passing yards, and most completions. His head-to-head post-season battles include victories against the likes of Peyton Manning, Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Russell Wilson, Ben Roethlisberger, Phillip Rivers, and more. Brady is the only quarterback to hold a 3-0 overtime postseason record and has an NFL record 58 game-winning drives. His best moments include taking down the Legion of Boom in Super Bowl 49 down ten in the fourth, as well as the New England Patriots’ iconic overtime 28-3 comeback in Super Bowl 51. Throughout his career, Brady has become one of the most legendary athletes in the country, and his elite play past the age of 40 really separates him. In 2017, Brady became the oldest NFL MVP at age 40, and also won Super Bowls at 41 and 43. In 2020, his first year out of New England saw him transform the culture of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a Super Bowl championship - hard for his career to be topped.