RADIO
Who have been the best quarterbacks in the National Football League over the last 25 years? John Johnson of RotoBaller dives through history in the NFL and ranks his top 10 quarterbacks since 2000.
The NFL has had no shortage of elite play from quarterbacks in the last 25 years. The best QBs are obviously household names, but there's still plenty of debate on how they rank in comparison to each other. Despite this, there are many that have to be included on this list.
Quarterback play has taken a dip in recent years, and while there was an influx of talent from the 2024 NFL Draft, we still have a ways to go to get back to the glory days. We may see a long stretch where very few QBs that have joined the league since 2015 make it onto the top 10 list here.
But history can't be changed, and below, we'll break down the 10 best quarterbacks to grace NFL playing surfaces since the 2000 season. Only production on or after the year 2000 will be considered, of course.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:- 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
10. Matt Ryan
The sixth-leading passer over the last 25 NFL seasons, former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan has a regular-season Most Valuable Player award to his name, if not a Super Bowl ring to match it. And that really isn't his fault -- you can blame former Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, in part, for that epic collapse.
Matt Ryan’s 2016 MVP Season
• 38 TDs 7 INTs
• 69.9 comp%
• 4,944 Yards
• 117.1 Passer Rating
• 33.7 PPG28-3 tax got y’all forgetting how great that season was pic.twitter.com/s4oEWYECo8 https://t.co/fzj23Nrzfm
— Not Bijan (@InBijanWeTrust) January 25, 2024
He was severely underappreciated during his time with the Falcons by the NFL community as a whole. He was genuinely elite for multiple seasons but was forced to deal with the turmoil that comes with playing for a bad organization such as Atlanta.
Still, he paved the way for the team to build itself into relevance, and though they weren't able to make the playoffs this season, they're in better shape overall than they were before Ryan arrived.
9. Matthew Stafford
It's not unlikely that Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford's time with the Detroit Lions depresses his spot on this list. If he had been part of a less dysfunctional organization, perhaps he'd have had much more playoff success and possibly even another Super Bowl championship.
🚨ELITE QB ALERT🚨
Matthew Stafford was lowkey DEALING in the elements ❄️🏈🎯🎥 pic.twitter.com/N00nC2c6iY
— Chris Cooper (@Call_Me_Coop1) January 22, 2025
To nobody's surprise -- at least after watching him play with the Rams -- he's still playing at an extremely high level. The team did great work in rebuilding their roster, adding some fantastic pieces to the offense and defense in the past two drafts, but it's hard to see him getting another SB any time soon.
He's about to turn 37, so his career is almost over. But his career passing stats (49,995 passing yards, 323 passing touchdowns) are enough to propel him onto this list. And he has that all-important title.
8. Philip Rivers
Former Los Angeles Chargers and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers never had the chance to compete in a Super Bowl, as the team around him didn't have what it took to make it to the big show. But he was great for a long time, and that's what it takes to make it onto this list.
Remember when Philip Rivers played in the ACF Championship game with a torn ACL and meniscus. That was 17 years ago today pic.twitter.com/iZDaaxb3g9
— ChargersMuse (@ChargersMuse) January 21, 2025
His durability and ability to play through severe injuries helped him rack up 63,440 passing yards and 421 touchdowns to just 209 interceptions in 244 games. He was solid in the playoffs but never had an elite supporting cast around him.
7. Eli Manning
Despite clearly being viewed outside of the top five on this list, it's hard to argue with the junior of the Manning brothers' inclusion on this list due to the legendary Super Bowl runs he put together. Knocking off Tom Brady in the biggest sporting event in America is no small feat -- and he did it twice.
Eli: CLUTCH.
Announcing his retirement today...the TOP 10 PLAYS of Eli Manning's career! @Giants | #GiantsPride pic.twitter.com/bd0WCwxkW4
— NFL (@NFL) January 24, 2020
His mercurial play didn't stop him from logging the seventh-most passing yards in the NFL since the year 2000, clocking in at 57,023. He threw 366 touchdowns in that span, though his 244 interceptions led even Brees' 243. To Brees's credit, too, he logged over 2,000 more pass attempts than Manning.
Still, at the end of the season, the most important accomplishment is who wins the Super Bowl. And Manning played a large part in historic upsets of the Patriots in the 2007 and 2011 seasons, improbably elevating his team above fantastic playoff competition.
The biggest Conference Championship upset since 2000:
Eli Manning and the Giants (+7.5) take down Brett Favre and the Packers in the 2007 NFC Championship Game
The Giants would go on to win Super Bowl XLII as 12-point Underdogs 🐶pic.twitter.com/P4vy9fq8B6
— oddschecker (@oddscheckerUS) January 21, 2025
In particular, the stunning upset against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship in 2007 was a historic game that will be remembered in New York Giants lore forever. Manning truly had ice in his veins, and no moment was too big for him.
6. Ben Roethlisberger
While he does have two Super Bowl rings, he slots in below Rodgers on this list because he was essentially carried to those championships by his defenses, at least through the regular season. And he wasn't quite to the level Rodgers was during both of their primes.
Some Ben Roethlisberger highlights on this Monday night of him being him. 7⃣ @_BigBen7 #NFL #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/tfWZQaTa3o
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) January 14, 2025
Still, the lumbering lumberjack of a man threw for 64,088 passing yards (third since 2000) and 418 touchdowns in his 18-season career. He was a bit more prone to turnovers than most and often flamed out poorly in the playoffs, but such is the case for most of the quarterbacks on this list (the second point, that is).
Roethlisberger consistently put the team's offenses on his back and elevated all of the players around him. His unorthodox playstyle and awkward movement didn't prevent him from being masterful at buying extra time to hit his receivers down the field.
5. Aaron Rodgers
Though many tend to hold him in higher regard than Brees, as the touchdown-to-interception ratio reigns supreme in the minds of many, Rodgers also only has one Super Bowl ring and has thrown for 68 fewer touchdowns and over 17,000 fewer passing yards. And he's 41 now, so it's hard to see him surpassing those marks.
1 minute of Aaron Rodgers throwing dimes🔥 pic.twitter.com/Z4GTXK9ESt
— VintageAaronRodgers (@VentageArod) December 20, 2024
And in his prime, he was perhaps the guy you'd rather have running all your plays. But career accomplishment-wise, Rodgers was one of the greatest to ever do it, clearly. He ranks seventh in passing yards and fifth in passing touchdowns all-time and holds a massive lead in the aforementioned touchdown to interception ratio.
Rodgers was a marvel at producing explosive offensive plays and getting the ball in the end zone while protecting it from the swipes of opposing defenders. That's not up for debate. And in his heyday, he was probably the one player most coaches would choose to lead any team if they could. He was that good.
4. Drew Brees
Former New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Drew Brees ranks second only to Tom Brady in passing yards, passing completions, and passing touchdowns. He flashed elite talent and provided consistency at the position for the Chargers for six seasons to start his career, but it was his Saints tenure that vaulted him into the record books.
𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐖. 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐒.
Yards leader. Touchdowns leader. RECORD-SLAYER. pic.twitter.com/inFCArqQtV
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) December 17, 2019
For a while, he was on top before Brady took his records down. But that shouldn't diminish his accomplishments. He'd also likely have more rings if his team didn't field terrible defenses for long stretches of his career and if he hadn't been robbed in the 2018 NFC Championship by the worst no-call in the history of professional sports.
Still, Brees was the most precise passer to ever step on a football field. He logged six seasons as the league's completion percentage leader, each time completing over 70 percent of his passes. He and former Saints head coach Sean Payton forged an offense that diced up opposing defenses for well over a decade.
He's a cultural icon in the city of New Orleans, and the team will probably never see a better signal-caller in the next 50 years.
3. Patrick Mahomes
While he's only in his eighth season as an NFL quarterback and just his seventh as a full-time starter, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has already ascended to monstrous heights. His Chiefs have already won three Super Bowls and have dominated their division to a degree not seen since the Patriots terrorized the AFC East.
"The pocket starts to collapse on Patrick Mahomes and he drops it in a bucket to DeAndre Hopkins..
The Chiefs are ALWAYS gonna make a play in the MASSIVE moments" ~ @aqshipley #PMSLive https://t.co/lQKCQgnU0l pic.twitter.com/tiYv7Sp0IY
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) November 6, 2024
He always seems to be in complete command of the offense. He regularly makes ridiculous, circus-esque plays like the one above. And in the playoffs, he's constantly clutch. His decision-making skills are elite, and when his team most desperately needs him to deliver, he almost always can.
It's been unprecedented to see what he's done over his career. He already has three Super Bowl rings and was the Super Bowl MVP in all three of those games. And he's knocking on the door of another championship against a Philadelphia Eagles squad with a far inferior quarterback.
He's on pace to smash Brady's total of seven championship wins, and he's showing no signs of slowing down.
2. Peyton Manning
Another player who would likely have won more rings if it weren't for poor defensive play, former Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, was at least able to win two championships. Along the way, he authored some of the most explosive passing attacks in the history of the league, including the literal best.
55 touchdowns in a single season — still an NFL-best. 🤯
Every Peyton Manning TD from 2013 👇 pic.twitter.com/zD36JsrPyY
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) March 24, 2023
The most productive offense in NFL history was the 2013 Denver Broncos, headed by Manning, who broke the single-season records for passing yards (5,477) and passing scores (55). And while they didn't win the Super Bowl that year, Manning has two rings, putting him just a hair above Brees.
He played for 18 seasons, amassing 71,940 passing yards and 539 passing TDs.
1. Tom Brady
There is no debate as to who should be at the top of this list. Through 23 seasons, he smashed the all-time records for passing yards (89,214), touchdown passes (649), and completions (7753) in the regular season. He appeared in a record 10 Super Bowls, winning seven championships and establishing a dynasty in the process.
2007 Tom Brady was amazing to watch
16-0 season rec | 4806 Yards | 50 TDs
HE WAS COOKIN 🔥pic.twitter.com/PNqMKcIgVp
— FanAlert (@FanAlert0) February 3, 2025
The undisputed GOAT has no shortage of career highlights. His preparation against opposing defenses was perhaps the best we'll ever see from a QB. In particular, his legendary performance in the playoffs is almost impossible to believe. The below is an old graphic and doesn't include Mahomes' recent successes, but it's still shocking that it was ever accurate.
It’s playoff time.
So here is a Tom Brady Playoff Thread.
Starting with this one on how far ahead he is of everyone in wins, SBs, SB wins, counting stats: pic.twitter.com/sjSwBmWutj
— Tom Brady Facts (@TB_Facts) January 11, 2023
His playoff numbers are so far ahead of the next closest quarterback that they're almost unbelievable. Only the recent dynastic greatness of Mahomes has presented any possible challenge to Brady's place at the top of the history books, and even he will need much more time to match No. 12's accomplishments.
Brady's move to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and immediate winning of another Super Bowl ring added to his legend even further. It's interesting that Brady is the only thing that kept us from potentially seeing Kansas City winning five SBs and being on their way to a sixth.
Though Brady's reign terrorized many NFL fans, especially those of teams in the AFC East, it's important to recognize him for what he was -- the best player to ever step on an NFL field and one of the greatest sports figures of all time.
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!
More Fantasy Football Analysis
