Quarterback Mount Rushmore: Every NFL Team's 4 Most Iconic QBs

June 12, 2026

Quincy Milton III dives into each NFL team's quarterback Mt. Rushmore. Who are the four best quarterbacks of all time for each franchise?

Quarterback is the most important position in the NFL. Everything starts and ends with how well quarterbacks are playing around the league. Just about every legendary team in league history had a legendary quarterback leading the way. Quarterbacks are what every NFL fan comes to see.

Unfortunately for many NFL franchises, quarterback has not been the easiest position to find. Several teams have gone through decades of subpar quarterback play, all the while their rivals seem always to have a stellar quarterback under center.

Given the lack of equality among NFL franchise quarterback fortunes, not every quarterback Mt. Rushmore is the same. Some players sneak into their respective teams’ Mt. Rushmore by default. Let’s jump in and take a look at the top four quarterbacks to grace the field for each NFL franchise. Some of these players may surprise you.

• 2025 fantasy football rankings
• Running back (RB) rankings
• Wide receiver (WR) rankings
• Quarterback (QB) rankings
• Tight end (TE) rankings
• Defense (D/ST) rankings
• Kicker (K) rankings
• FLEX rankings
• Dynasty rankings

Arizona Cardinals

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Kurt Warner, Carson Palmer, Kyler Murray, Jim Hart

Despite living in mediocrity for much of their existence, the Cardinals have actually had some solid quarterbacks roll through. However, it is worth noting that Warner and Palmer were at the tail end of their careers. Murray could have been a superstar, but injuries and a negative mindset got in his way.

Atlanta Falcons

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Matt Ryan, Michael Vick, Steve Bartkowski, Chris Chandler

Ryan and Vick were both bona fide superstars and galvanized the Falcons for the first time during their respective stints. Bartkowski was Atlanta’s first true franchise quarterback, enjoying solid success in the 1980s. Chandler was a journeyman quarterback who found the best success of his career as a member of the Falcons in the late 1990s.

When Matt Ryan won Offensive Rookie of the Year. @M_Ryan02 (2008)

📺: #NEvsATL-- Thursday 8pm ET on NFLN/FOX/PRIME VIDEO
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/BNI8B9xysa

— NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) November 16, 2021

Baltimore Ravens

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Lamar Jackson, Joe Flacco, Steve McNair, Trent Dilfer

The Ravens have enjoyed solid success with their quarterbacks over the years. Dilfer may be a bit of a surprise here, but it would be difficult to leave off the first quarterback to lead Baltimore to a Super Bowl victory. Even Jackson, who is definitely the best Ravens quarterback of all time, has not done so.

Buffalo Bills

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Jim Kelly, Josh Allen, Jack Kemp, Joe Ferguson

Kelly and Allen are the obvious picks for the Bills. Otherwise, the team has enjoyed a long history of little success. Even with Kelly and Allen having been in the fold, Buffalo is still searching for its first Super Bowl title.

Carolina Panthers

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Cam Newton, Jake Delhomme, Kerry Collins, Steve Beuerlein

The Panthers have enjoyed very little success at quarterback. Newton is the team’s all-time greatest with an MVP and Super Bowl appearance to his name. Otherwise, the road of solid quarterbacks ends at Beuerlein. Perhaps Bryce Young can take up this mantle someday.

Giving us all the feels…

Cam Newton Touchdown!

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/b8u9niQSJt

— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) November 21, 2021

Chicago Bears

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Sid Luckman, Jim McMahon, Jay Cutler, Caleb Williams

The Bears have infamously never had a 4,000-yard passer. Cutler came close, and incumbent starter Caleb Williams is scratching at the possibility. However, aside from McMahon and Luckman, this team has not seen much high-end quarterback play. The fact that Williams is already on Mt. Rushmore in Year 2 of up-and-down play speaks volumes.

Cincinnati Bengals

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Carson Palmer, Joe Burrow, Ken Anderson, Boomer Esiason

Cincinnati has actually watched a handful of high-end quarterbacks come through the franchise. Burrow is the most talented, but each of the other three players on this list has enjoyed solid success. Even so, none of them have been able to deliver a Super Bowl title to Cincinnati.

Cleveland Browns

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Otto Graham, Brian Sipe, Bernie Kosar, Baker Mayfield

As the franchise has perpetually been near the bottom of the league, the Browns have not enjoyed much quarterback success in recent seasons. Mayfield reignited a winning culture for the franchise in the late 2010s before flaming out and finding success elsewhere.

Kosar and Sipe each enjoyed varying degrees of success in the 1970s and 1980s. Graham dominated the NFL in the 1940s and 1950s. Unfortunately, he was the only one on this list to be part of a great team's success.

Dallas Cowboys

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman, Tony Romo, Dak Prescott

As “America’s team,” the Cowboys are always expected to have a star under center. Fortunately for this fan base, that has largely been the case throughout Dallas’ history. Staubach and Aikman are both Hall of Famers, and Prescott could find himself in that mix if he can capture a Super Bowl title.

Denver Broncos

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: John Elway, Peyton Manning, Craig Morton, Jake Plummer

The Broncos have enjoyed two eras of great success. One led by Elway, and one led by Manning. Otherwise, quarterback play in the Mile High City has lacked throughout history. Morton gave this team a solid run in the 1970s, but he flopped in Super Bowl XII.

Playing against Peyton in Madden be like... pic.twitter.com/bU4MgB31gK

— NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) June 15, 2021

Detroit Lions

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Matthew Stafford, Jared Goff, Bobby Layne, Greg Landry

Stafford and Goff have ignited unbelievable Lions offenses over the last 15 years in Detroit. Neither has been able to lead this team to a Super Bowl, although Goff came close in 2023. Layne was dominant in the 1950s, and Landry is just about the only other quarterback of note in this team’s history.

Green Bay Packers

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Brett Favre, Bart Starr, Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love

The Packers always seem to have a franchise quarterback. This franchise has done an excellent job positioning itself for high-end quarterback talent over the last 35 years. Love is the latest in a long line of Super Bowl-winning Packers quarterbacks. He seems destined to lead this team to a title one day.

Houston Texans

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: C.J. Stroud, Matt Schaub, Deshaun Watson, David Carr

As a product of the 2000s, the Texans have not had enough time to develop a long line of excellent quarterbacks. Schaub was the first quarterback to lead this team to relevance in the late 2000s, while Watson was the team’s first superstar at the position. If Watson had not been embroiled in scandals, his career could have been unbelievable.

Indianapolis Colts

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Peyton Manning, Johnny Unitas, Andrew Luck, Bert Jones

Bert Jones won an MVP with the Colts in 1976, but it was Manning, Unitas, and Luck who delivered excellence for this team during their respective stints. Unitas was considered to be the greatest quarterback of all time at the time of his retirement. Luck’s career was cut short by injury, but he was on his way to being an all-timer as well. Manning’s career goes without saying.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: David Garrard, Trevor Lawrence, Blake Bortles, Mark Brunell

Despite a long history of losing, the Jaguars have had a handful of solid quarterbacks throughout their history. Brunell was a true superstar for this team in the 1990s. In modern day, Lawrence looks like he may have finally found the coach who will unlock his generational potential.

Kansas City Chiefs

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Patrick Mahomes, Len Dawson, Trent Green, Alex Smith

Len Dawson was this team’s first great quarterback, guiding it to a victory in Super Bowl IV. However, Patrick Mahomes is the Chiefs quarterback every NFL fan will remember 100 years from now. Mahomes is the undisputed best quarterback in the league, and he is already on his way to becoming the greatest of all time.

PATRICK MAHOMES TO Hollywood Brown FOR 40 YARDS!!! pic.twitter.com/XyfMd6CWEY

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) November 2, 2025

Las Vegas Raiders

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Derek Carr, Ken Stabler, Rich Gannon, Jim Plunkett

The debate between Carr and Daryle Lamonica is valid. Lamonica was solid in the late 1960s and early 1970s. However, Carr guided the Raiders back to some semblance of relevance in the 2010s after years of dysfunction. Otherwise, Stabler, Gannon, and Plunkett are locks for this list for guiding the Raiders to Super Bowl appearances and titles.

Los Angeles Chargers

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Justin Herbert, Dan Fouts, Philip Rivers, John Hadl

The Chargers enjoyed a long run of quarterback success between Hadl and Fouts in the 1960s and 1970s. In the modern NFL, Herbert and Rivers have managed to put up huge passing numbers. Unfortunately, none of these quarterbacks enjoyed much in the way of postseason success during their careers.

Los Angeles Rams

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Matthew Stafford, Kurt Warner, Norm Van Brocklin, Roman Gabriel

Stafford and Warner are both appearing on this list for the second time, and for good reason. Each player has delivered a Super Bowl title to the Rams, with excellent individual statistics to go along with those titles. Additionally, Stafford, Warner, and Gabriel all captured MVPs while playing for the Rams. Van Brocklin was a do-it-all player back in the 1950s.

Miami Dolphins

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Dan Marino, Bob Griese, Ryan Tannehill, Tua Tagovailoa

Marino and Griese are easy selections for this list. Tannehill and Tagovailoa both enjoyed success at times in Miami, but were ultimately cut loose by the team. Time will tell if Tagovailoa can succeed in Atlanta moving forward.

Minnesota Vikings

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Fran Tarkenton, Tommy Kramer, Kirk Cousins, Daunte Culpepper

The Vikings do not have the richest history of quarterback play, but it is solid. Tarkenton stands above the rest and was the NFL's all-time leading passer when he retired. However, do not sleep on Cousins’ career. Although he did not enjoy great postseason success, he played well enough to consistently place this team in a position to compete in the postseason.

New England Patriots

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Tom Brady, Drew Bledsoe, Steve Grogan, Drake Maye

Everyone knows the Patriots for the play of Brady and Bledsoe, but this team does not have a rich history of high-end quarterback play. As such, Drake Maye finds himself in New England’s Mt. Rushmore after just two seasons in the league. His placement in MVP voting and appearance in the Super Bowl in the 2025 season give him enough of an edge over Matt Cassel and Mac Jones.

New Orleans Saints

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Archie Manning, Drew Brees, Aaron Brooks, Bobby Hebert

Manning and Brees are really the only two Saints quarterbacks of note. Brees led the franchise to its first Super Bowl title in 2009. Manning’s career could have been much better than it was had the team provided a better structure around him.

New York Giants

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Eli Manning, Phil Simms, Y.A. Tittle, Charlie Conerly

Manning is the undisputed GOAT in New York. His theatrics in two Super Bowl runs are legendary across the entire NFL. Simms was legendary in his own right, also guiding the Giants to two Super Bowl titles in the 1980s. Conerly and Tittle were both known for putting up serious statistics before the NFL/AFL merger.

New York Jets

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Joe Namath, Chad Pennington, Ken O’Brien, Richard Todd

The only team other than the Jets that may have enjoyed less excellent quarterback play in its existence is the Cleveland Browns. Joe Namath is the standard in New York. Outside of him, Pennington, O’Brien, and Todd all had respectable careers. Although none of them did a whole lot of winning.

Philadelphia Eagles

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Donovan McNabb, Randall Cunningham, Jalen Hurts, Ron Jaworski

The Eagles are a fun team to explore for this list. Chances are, you have heard of each player mentioned above. Hurts is the only one of the bunch to capture a Super Bowl title, but each of these players has their own legend in Philly.

McNabb the magician 🎩 (Nov. 15, 2004)

📺: #PHIvsDAL -- Tonight 8:15pm ET on ESPN
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/eK3yFW3xpx

— NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) September 27, 2021

Pittsburgh Steelers

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Ben Roethlisberger, Terry Bradshaw, Kordell Stewart, Neil O’Donnell

Roethlisberger and Bradshaw are the two names that are synonymous with the Steelers. They are the only quarterbacks who have guided the Steelers to Super Bowl victories.

Despite this being such a storied franchise, it has not had many other household names at the position. Stewart lasted a long time, but his contributions to the team are overshadowed by Roethlisberger’s arrival a couple of years later.

San Francisco 49ers

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Joe Montana, Steve Young, Y.A. Tittle, John Brodie

The 49ers may have the best quarterback Mt. Rushmore in the NFL. Montana and Young stand in a class of their own. Tittle and Brodie are older call-backs, but they played well in their day. Brodie was consistently near the top of the league in statistics in the 1960s. Incumbent starter Brock Purdy has a chance to enter this conversation soon enough as well.

Seattle Seahawks

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Russell Wilson, Matt Hasselbeck, Jim Zorn, Dave Krieg

The Seahawks may only have two titles to show for it, but they have had solid quarterbacks throughout their existence. Krieg racked up serious statistics in the 1980s, while Wilson and Hasselbeck guided the team to Super Bowl appearances. Wilson was an MVP candidate during the mid-2010s and led the team to its first title.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Tom Brady, Jameis Winston, Trent Dilfer, Brad Johnson

It is crazy to say that Brady is on the Buccaneers’ quarterback Mt. Rushmore, considering that he only played for the team for three seasons. However, the Buccaneers do not have a rich history of quarterbacks. Johnson delivered the Buccaneers their first Super Bowl title while Winston and Dilfer both had decent careers in Tampa Bay.

Tom Brady had some signature moments in a red Buccaneers jersey 🔥

👀: https://t.co/XLjBb6U4on pic.twitter.com/w0adfHXvqs

— NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) September 29, 2025

Tennessee Titans

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Warren Moon, Steve McNair, George Blanda, Dan Pastorini

Moon, McNair, and Blanda were all locks for this list. However, the final spot was a toss-up between Tannehill and Pastorini. Pastorini’s longevity with the team gives him the edge, despite Tannehill and Co.’s appearance in an AFC Championship Game.

Washington Commanders

Quarterback Mt. Rushmore: Sammy Baugh, Joe Theismann, Sonny Jurgensen, Mark Rypien

The old-timers lead the way in Washington. Baugh was the ultimate weapon during the early days of the NFL. Theismann will forever live in infamy in Washington, and Rypien led the team to a Super Bowl title in 1991. Jurgensen narrowly edges out Doug Williams on this list because of Williams’ short tenure with the team. However, that tenure did include a Super Bowl title.

More Fantasy Football Analysis