The NFL rates its passers for statistical purposes against a fixed performance standard based on statistical achievements of all qualified pro passers since 1960. The current passer rating system, which was adopted in 1973, removes inequities that existed in the former method and, at the same time, provides a means of comparing passing performances from one season to the next. According to the 2017 NFL Record & Fact Book, the system is used to rate passers, not quarterbacks. Statistics do not reflect leadership, play-calling, and other intangible factors that go into making a successful professional quarterback.
Four categories are used as a basis for compiling a rating: Percentage of completions per attempt Average yards gained per attempt Percentage of touchdown passes per attempt Percentage of interceptions per attempt The average standard is 1.000. The bottom is .000. To earn a 2.000 rating, a passer must perform at exceptional levels, i.e., 70 percent in completions, 10 percent in touchdowns, 1.5 percent in interceptions, and 11 yards average gain per pass attempt. In order to make the rating more understandable, the point rating is then converted into a scale of 100, with 158.3 being the highest rating a passer can achieve. In cases where statistical performance has been superior, it is possible for a passer to surpass a 100 rating. Quarterbacks are required to throw at least 1,500 passes before their ratings qualify for NFL career statistics for the regular season, and 150 attempts for the postseason.
Regular season
+Key^ Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame* Active player
Quarterbacks must have at least 1,500 career attempts to qualify for this list. Updated through Sunday, Week 4 of the season.NFL Career Passing Rating Leaders Pro-Football-Reference.com
RankQuarterbackRating 1 *102.7 2 *101.83 *101.04 *100.95 99.3 6 *98.97 ^98.78 *98.59 97.61097.21197.1 *13 *96.914 ^96.815 ^96.516 *96.417 *95.918 *95.51995.020 *94.621 *94.122 *93.7 ^24 93.625 93.526 92.827 ^92.328 *92.229 *91.8 30 91.231 *90.9 32 90.33390.1 *
RankQuarterbackRating35 89.537 *89.338 ^88.939 *88.340 *88.041 87.94287.843 *87.7 44 87.5 45 * 87.446 *87.347 86.9 * *50 *86.851 ^86.652 ^86.4 53 86.2 *55 ^86.0 * *59 85.860 85.6 61 85.362 85.263 *85.064 84.7 65 84.5 66 84.4 ^
RankQuarterbackRating68 *84.1Eli Manning70Mark Brunell84.071^ Roger Staubach83.472 *82.973Steve McNair82.874Brian Griese82.7Neil Lomax76^ Len Dawson82.6^ Sonny Jurgensen78Brad Johnson82.579Matt Hasselbeck82.480 Ryan Fitzpatrick82.381 Brian Hoyer82.082Ken Anderson81.983Bernie Kosar81.8Neil O'Donnell85Jason Campbell81.7Danny White87^ Troy Aikman81.688Randall Cunningham81.5Dave Krieg 90Jake Delhomme81.3 91Kyle Orton81.292Boomer Esiason81.193^ Warren Moon80.994 Blake Bortles80.695^ Bart Starr80.5Jeff Hostetler97Jeff George80.4Ken O'Brien^ Fran TarkentonMichael Vick
Postseason Quarterbacks must have at least 150 career postseason attempts to qualify for this list.
Updated through the 2025–26 NFL playoffs.
RankQuarterbackRating1* Baker Mayfield105.92* Patrick Mahomes105.43 ^ Bart Starr104.84 ^ Kurt Warner102.85* Josh Allen101.56 Matt Ryan100.87* Matthew Stafford100.48 Nick Foles98.89* Aaron Rodgers98.110 Alex Smith97.411 ^ Drew Brees 97.112 Russell Wilson96.813 ^ Joe Montana95.614Mark Sanchez94.315 * Joe Burrow 93.816* Kirk Cousins 93.717Ken Anderson93.518* Jalen Hurts93.419Tony Romo93.020* Dak Prescott91.821Joe Theismann91.422Tom Brady89.823* Brock Purdy89.124 ^ Troy Aikman88.325* Joe Flacco87.9
RankQuarterbackRating26 Cam Newton87.727 ^ Peyton Manning87.4Eli Manning29Colin Kaepernick87.330 Ben Roethlisberger86.731 ^ Brett Favre86.332 ^ Steve Young85.833 Philip Rivers85.334* Jared Goff85.135 ^ Warren Moon84.936Rich Gannon84.6* Lamar Jackson38Matt Hasselbeck84.2 ^ Ken Stabler40Bernie Kosar83.541Jake Delhomme83.342 ^ Terry Bradshaw83.043Jim Plunkett81.944Vinny Testaverde81.045* C. J. Stroud80.646Donovan McNabb80.047 ^ John Elway79.748Daryle Lamonica77.949 ^ Len Dawson77.450Chad Pennington77.3
See also Passer rating List of National Football League career passing completions leaders List of National Football League career passing touchdowns leaders List of National Football League career passing yards leaders List of National Football League annual passer rating leaders List of National Football League annual passing touchdowns leaders List of National Football League annual passing yards leaders List of National Football League annual pass completion percentage leaders
References General Brock Purdy stats: How 49ers QB's historic passer rating compares to Aaron Rodgers' NFL record Who's Better, Who's Best in Football? NFL all-time QB passer rating leaders in playoffs history
Citations
External links NFL Single-Season Passer Rating Leaders NFL Active Passer Rating Leaders NFL Year-by-Year Passer Rating Leaders NFL Single Game Passer Rating Leaders