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Dave Ventresca's top 15 NFL quarterbacks of all time. Dave's best quarterbacks to ever play in the NFL, including Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, and more.
Quarterback is one of the most important positions in all of sports. They touch the football on nearly every play, and their decisions directly impact games in a way other positions do not.
Throughout the rich history of the NFL, we’ve been fortunate enough to witness some incredible quarterbacks take the field. But have you ever wondered where the game’s greatest signal-callers stack up against each other? If so, then today is your lucky day, as we are going to count down the 15 greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.
Make sure you’re following RotoBaller on X and check out RotoBaller.com for all your NFL and fantasy football needs. Let’s discuss and rank the top 15 greatest quarterbacks of all time.
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Honorable Mentions: Fran Tarkenton, Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers, Otto Graham, Kurt Warner
15.) Lamar Jackson - Baltimore Ravens
The two-time NFL MVP kicks off our list. Jackson has been the best rushing quarterback in the NFL since taking over as Baltimore’s starter in 2018. His 6,173 rushing yards are currently the most all-time for a quarterback.
However, Jackson is not a one-trick pony and is plenty accurate throwing the ball, as evidenced by his career 64.9% completion percentage. The only thing Jackson hasn’t done yet is win a Lombardi Trophy. Once he does, he’ll move up in these rankings quite a bit.
ACTION JACKSON AT IT AGAIN 🔥
LAMAR WITH THE 48-YARD TOUCHDOWN RUN TO CAPITALIZE OFF THE TAKEAWAY 😱pic.twitter.com/qbep8wA2Ma
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 25, 2024
14.) Bart Starr - Green Bay Packers
Starr’s career stats won’t blow you away, but he played during an era much different than today’s NFL. Running the football and playing defense was the preferred style of play, while teams rarely turned to the air.
Still, Starr guided the Packers to victories in Super Bowls I and II and won Super Bowl MVP in both games. He is a Green Bay legend and deserves a spot on our list.
13.) Roger Staubach - Dallas Cowboys
Staubach is a two-time Super Bowl champion for the Dallas Cowboys. He led the team to victories in Super Bowl VI over the Miami Dolphins and Super Bowl XII against the Denver Broncos. Staubach was also named MVP of Super Bowl VI after throwing for 183 yards, one passing touchdown, and posting a quarterback rating of 102.6.
After bringing Dallas its first two Lombardi Trophies, Staubach was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985. He is widely viewed as one of the greatest players in franchise history.
12.) Troy Aikman - Dallas Cowboys
A second Cowboys signal-caller makes our list. At first glance, Aikman’s career stats may leave you feeling a bit underwhelmed. He eclipsed 20 touchdown passes just once during his 12-year career but was instrumental to Dallas’ success during the 1990s.
Aikman did have the luxury of playing behind an elite offensive line as well as arguably the greatest running back of all time in Emmitt Smith. So, he did not have to do much through the air to win games.
Make no mistake about it, though, Aikman was a great player and was instrumental to the team’s three Super Bowl victories in the 1990s. His best postseason performance was in Super Bowl XXVII when he threw four touchdown passes in a 52-17 win over the Buffalo Bills en route to being named Super Bowl MVP.
11.) Johnny Unitas - Baltimore Colts, San Diego Chargers
Unitas won three NFL MVP Awards (1959, 1964, 1967) during his 18-year career. Known for his willingness to air it out, Unitas led the league in passing touchdowns and passing yards four times each. He won NFL championships in 1958 and 1959, to go along with a 16-13 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl V.
At the time of his retirement, Unitas held many NFL records and was the first quarterback to throw for more than 40,000 yards. He also set the record for most consecutive games (47) with a touchdown pass. This record stood for 52 years before Drew Brees broke the mark in 2012.
Unitas was ahead of his time, and it would have been fun to see what he could have accomplished playing in today’s NFL. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979 and is undoubtedly one of the best quarterbacks in the league’s history.
10.) Brett Favre - Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings
Favre won three straight NFL MVPs from 1995-97 and was named a first-team All-Pro three times as well. He also led the NFL in touchdown passes four times during his career. At the time of his retirement, Favre was the all-time NFL leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns.
Brett Favre absolutely SLINGING IT to Sterling Sharpe for the Game Winning Touchdown in the 1993 NFL Playoffs pic.twitter.com/aLJLDWD3bW
— IKE Packers Podcast (@IKE_Packers) April 6, 2022
Despite all his accomplishments, Favre is best known for his NFL “Iron Man” streak and started 297 consecutive games from 1992-2010. Favre is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and helped lead Green Bay to a 35-21 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI.
While he’s become a somewhat controversial figure since his NFL career ended, there’s no denying his place among the NFL’s greats.
9.) Drew Brees - San Diego Chargers, New Orleans Saints
Brees checks in at number nine on our list. His career started slowly during his early days with the Los Angeles Chargers. However, it took off when he signed with the New Orleans Saints in 2006 and helped guide the team to its first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XLIV.
The 2009 season was one to remember for @DrewBrees 🔥
⚜️ 4,388 passing yards
⚜️ 34 passing TDs
⚜️ @Saints first SB title
⚜️ Super Bowl XLIV MVP pic.twitter.com/9V3XjOuetK— NFL (@NFL) June 22, 2024
Saints head coach Sean Payton was the right man to help take Brees' game to new heights. During his 20-year career, Brees led the NFL in passing yards seven times and led the league in passing touchdowns four times as well. He broke Dan Marino’s single-season record for passing yards in 2011 when he threw for 5,476 yards. It was the first of four times Brees would eclipse the 5,000-yard passing mark in his career.
While Brees never won an NFL MVP, he did secure a Super Bowl MVP Award for his efforts in Super Bowl XLIV. His 80,358 passing yards and 571 passing touchdowns both rank second all-time. Brees is one of just two players in NFL history with over 80,000 passing yards and 500 passing touchdowns. What more needs to be said?
8.) Aaron Rodgers - Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers
Rodgers is a four-time league MVP and won a Super Bowl MVP following the Packers' victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV.
As this decade comes to a close... my favorite #Packers memory from 2010-2019, was winning Super Bowl XLV. 🏆
Super Bowl MVP, Aaron Rodgers went 24 of 39, for 304 yards & 3 TD’s; to lead Green Bay to a 31-25 victory. 🙌🧀 #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/Akg6z91RxC
— GBP Daily - Rob Westerman lll (@GBPdaily) January 1, 2020
He currently ranks seventh all-time in passing yards and fifth all-time in passing touchdowns. Rodgers is one of two active players who made our list. If he closes out his final season(s) with Pittsburgh in style, then he could move further up this list.
Either way, Rodgers has one of the best arms we’ve ever seen, and it’s been a joy to watch him play over the years.
7.) Steve Young - Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers
Most casual fans are probably unaware that Young began his career in Tampa Bay. Following two uninspiring seasons with the Buccaneers, Young joined the 49ers and sat behind future Hall of Famer Joe Montana for four seasons before taking over the reins in 1991.
Young and the 49ers initially struggled to get over the hump and win a title when he took over as starter. However, Young finally broke through in 1994 and guided the team to a convincing 49-26 win over the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX. Young would be named Super Bowl MVP, and the performance helped him climb out of Montana’s Shadow.
6.) Dan Marino - Miami Dolphins
The longtime Miami Dolphin comes up just shy of the top five. Marino was the first quarterback to break the 5,000-yard mark when he threw for a then-NFL record 5,084 yards in 1984. He also threw for 48 touchdowns that season and was named NFL MVP for the 1984 season.
Marino would lead the league in passing yards a total of five times during his NFL career. His 61,361 passing yards rank ninth all time, and his 420 touchdown passes rank seventh. Marino’s numbers are even more impressive when you consider the era in which he played.
The NFL was a different game in the 1980s and 1990s. Defenders were given much more leeway in covering defenders and hitting quarterbacks. This made passing extremely difficult compared to today’s game.
Unfortunately for Marino, he never won a Super Bowl trophy. This has caused many fans to overlook him as one of the game’s best signal-callers. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Marino was a generational type of player and was ahead of his time. Had he played under today’s rules, the sky would be the limit.
5.) John Elway - Denver Broncos
Elway played in a total of five Super Bowls during his 16-year career. After losing in his first three attempts, Elway and the Broncos finally broke through with a 31-24 victory over the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXII.
🏈🏆 Ahead of Super Bowl LV - we have picked out our top 10 most memorable of plays in Super Bowl history.
John Elway's 'helicopter' run makes the cut! 🚁
📺🍿 Tampa Bay Buccaneers take on Kansas City Chiefs live on Sky Sports NFL from 10pm on Sunday! pic.twitter.com/Kt8zGwdcn6
— Sky Sports (@SkySports) February 2, 2021
He would follow up that achievement with a victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII to capture a second straight Lombardi Trophy.
John Elway's 80-yard rollout rainbow to Rod Smith for a #Broncos six in Super Bowl XXXIII — the final touchdown pass of Elway's brilliant NFL career.#BroncosCountry
January 31, 1999 pic.twitter.com/dWVRQckIck— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) January 31, 2025
Known for his dramatic fourth-quarter comebacks, the 1987 NFL MVP deserves a spot in the top five of our list and was a fun player to watch in his prime.
4.) Joe Montana - San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs
Montana is best known for his days playing with the San Francisco 49ers and head coach Bill Walsh. The Hall of Fame signal-caller led San Francisco to a total of four Super Bowl titles during the 1980s. Montana is also a two-time NFL MVP Award winner for his efforts in the 1989 and 1990 NFL seasons.
He was the leader of one of the best dynasties in NFL history. Montana’s four Super Bowl rings and three Super Bowl MVP Awards cement his place as one of the top five quarterbacks of all time.
3.) Peyton Manning - Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos
Taken as the first overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft, Manning is one of a few prospects who justified his status as a number one overall pick. He helped the Colts win their first title in 36 years with a victory over the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI. Manning would be named Super Bowl MVP for his efforts.
An unfortunate neck injury derailed his career in Indianapolis. Manning would get a second act as a starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos, and he did not disappoint. In four seasons as the Broncos starter, he led the team to two AFC Championships as well as a victory over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50.
Manning won an NFL-record five MVP Awards. He currently ranks third in career passing yards and passing touchdowns and holds the record for most passing yards in a single season. His place on this list might be up for debate. What’s not debatable, though, is that he is one of the best quarterbacks to ever step on an NFL field.
Throwback Thursday: In Week 2 of the 2010 season Peyton Manning hit Dallas Clark for the 50-yard touchdown
The #Colts won 38-14 with Peyton having a flawless day: 20/26, 255 yards, and 3 TD’s
He finished his career 3-0 vs Eli winning by an average of 16 points per game pic.twitter.com/nMeu3McJTK
— SleeperColts (@SleeperColts) May 1, 2025
2.) Patrick Mahomes - Kansas City Chiefs
Mahomes has had an unbelievable start to his NFL career. He won the first of two NFL MVP Awards after throwing for 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns in his first season as a starter in 2018.
Kansas City’s signal-caller has made the AFC Championship Game in all seven of his NFL seasons and has already appeared in five Super Bowls to go along with three Lombardi Trophies. He has three Super Bowl MVP Awards to his name as well.
44 yards for no. 4 on this PERFECT Patrick throw 🚀 #TouchdownTuesday@PatrickMahomes x @RiceRashee11 pic.twitter.com/dFw1mhsmOw
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) May 6, 2025
Mahomes’ career is on a trajectory unlike anything we’ve ever witnessed, but it remains to be seen if he’ll experience the same success later in his career. When it’s all said and done, Mahomes could very well end up as the greatest quarterback of all time.
However, there is one man on our list whose career is better than his.
1.) Tom Brady - New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Brady’s story has been well-documented over the years. From a sixth-round pick to a seven-time Super Bowl champion, no one has experienced the success Brady had during his NFL career.
Ring No. 7. Super Bowl MVP No. 5.@TomBrady is your @ESPYS winner for Best Athlete, Men's Sports 🏆 pic.twitter.com/FpYvXpRajt
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 11, 2021
He won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots before venturing out on his own and capturing a seventh title with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV. Brady has won three NFL MVP Awards to go along with an absurd five Super Bowl MVP Awards.
He is the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards, passing touchdowns, pass completions, and pass attempts. Brady has accomplished it all, and it’s truly impressive to look back on all his career accolades.
The only player who currently has any chance of surpassing Brady on our list is Mahomes. His run to begin his career has been special, but he still needs four more Super Bowl rings to tie Brady’s mark of seven. That is a big ask, but it's not something we should put past a player like Mahomes.
For now, though, Brady remains firmly entrenched as the greatest quarterback in NFL history.
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