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There are plenty of ways to debate who the best quarterback of all time is. Some would point to the number of Super Bowls, others would look at the most career passing yards or passing touchdowns.
Another stat that fans could look at is passer rating. This metric was developed to measure the efficiency of quarterbacks. The formula uses a combination of completion percentage, yards per attempt, touchdown percentage and interception percentage. The rating ranges from 0 to 158.3. While some quarterbacks have achieved a perfect passer rating in a game, no one has ever maintained a perfect passer rating throughout their entire career.
Here are the quarterbacks in NFL history with the highest career passer ratings.
Note: Passer ratings for active players will be updated at the end of the 2025 season.
MORE: Everything to know about the passer rating metric
T-1 Lamar Jackson, 102.6 (2018-present)
Teams
- Baltimore Ravens
Career
Lamar Jackson was drafted with the 32nd pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He spent his college career playing for Louisville. His dual-threat ability earned him the Heisman Trophy in 2016, and he was also named Sporting News' Player of the Year that season.
When he joined the Ravens, he was backing up Joe Flacco. Jackson took over under center as the starter in 2019 and won his first MVP that season. He added a second MVP for the 2023 season. Jackson has already been named a Pro Bowler four times and a First-team All-Pro three times. He led the NFL in passing touchdowns in 2019 and led in passer rating in 2024.
Best single season passer rating
- 119.6 (2024)
Jackson started all 17 games in 2024 and had a 12-5 record. He completed 66.7% of his passes for 4,172 yards. Jackson threw 41 touchdowns to only four interceptions, his most passing touchdowns and fewest interceptions in a season as the starter. He also had 8.8 yards per attempt, the highest mark of his career so far.
Perfect passer ratings
- 9/8/2019 vs. Dolphins
- 11/10/2019 vs. Bengals
- 12/31/2023 vs. Dolphins
- 11/3/2024 vs. Broncos
In 2019, Jackson torched the Dolphins' defense. He completed 85% of his passes for 324 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions. In Jackson's second career perfect passer rating, he threw for 223 yards with three touchdowns, completing 88.2% of his passes.
In 2023, Jackson was perfect for the third time in his career. It again came at the expense of the Dolphins' defense, as they once again gave up five touchdowns to Jackson along with 321 yards. The most recent perfect passer rating for the Ravens quarterback came in 2024 against Denver when he completed 84.2% of his passes for 14.7 yards per attempt. Jackson finished with 280 yards and three touchdowns.
Jackson didn't throw an interception in any of the games where he finished with a perfect passer rating.
MORE: Ranking the greatest Ravens of all time
T1. Aaron Rodgers, 102.6 (2005-active)
Teams
- Green Bay Packers
- New York Jets
- Pittsburgh Steelers
Career
Aaron Rodgers was drafted with the 24th pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. He was the heir apparent to Brett Favre and took over under center for the Packers in 2008. Since then, he has won one Super Bowl (45), has been named the NFL MVP four times, a four-time First-Team All-Pro, a 10-time Pro Bowler and has led the league in passing touchdowns twice and passer rating four times.
Best single season passer rating
- 122.5 (2011)
Rodgers started 15 games in 2011 and went 14-1. He completed 68.3% of his passes for 4,643 yards with 45 touchdowns and six interceptions. Rodgers averaged 9.2 yards per attempt that season.
Perfect passer ratings
- 10/20/2019 vs. Raiders
Rodgers has finished with a perfect passer rating just one time in his career. Against the Raiders in Week 7 of the 2019 season, the quarterback completed 80.6% of his passes. He had 429 yards, averaging 13.8 per attempt, with five touchdowns and no interceptions. This wasn't even the best touchdown output of his career, as Rodgers threw six touchdown passes on two separate occasions, but had a much lower completion percentage, so missed out on the perfect passer rating.
MORE: Ranking the greatest Packers of all time
3. Patrick Mahomes, 101.8 (2017-active)
Teams
- Kansas City Chiefs
Career
Patrick Mahomes was the 10th player drafted in the 2017 NFL Draft. He was an under-the-radar prospect out of Texas Tech, and the selection was actually criticized when it happened. Mahomes sat behind Alex Smith during his rookie season and took over as the starter in 2018. Since then, he has won three Super Bowls, and two MVP Awards. These metrics already put his career on par with Hall of Famers, despite being in the league fewer than 10 years.
Best single season passer rating
- 113.8 (2018)
Mahomes' first season in the NFL as a starter was his best, at least from a passer rating perspective. He played in 16 games and went 12-4. Mahomes threw for 5,097 yards with 50 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He completed 60% of his passes, and averaged 8.8 yards per attempt.
Perfect passer ratings
Mahomes has yet to achieve a perfect passer rating in a game.
MORE: Ranking the greatest Chiefs players of all time
4. Joe Burrow, 101.0 (2020-active)
Teams
- Cincinnati Bengals
Career
Joe Burrow was selected with the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He has dealt with injuries throughout his career, notably tearing his ACL as a rookie and missing half of the season. In the next draft, there was debate on whether the Bengals should select the best offensive lineman in the class or the best wide receiver for Burrow. Cincinnati went with Ja'Marr Chase, and while Burrow and Chase made it to a Super Bowl, the quarterback continues to get battered and bruised behind his offensive line, leading many to wonder if the organization made the right call for their quarterback's health.
Best single season passer rating
- 108.5 (2024)
Burrow's best passer rating in a single season came in 2024. He played in all 17 games and went 9-8. Burrow completed 70.6% of his passes for a career high 4,918 yards and 43 touchdowns. He had nine interceptions and averaged 7.5 yards per attempt.
Perfect passer ratings
Burrow has not had a perfect passer rating in a game so far in his career.
MORE: Ranking the greatest Steelers of all time
5. Russell Wilson, 99.7 (2012-active)
Teams
- Seattle Seahawks
- Denver Broncos
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- New York Giants
Career
Russell Wilson was a two-sport athlete at NC State, playing football and baseball. He was drafted by the MLB a few times, but ultimately finished out his collegiate career playing football at Wisconsin. Wilson was selected in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Seahawks.
The dual-threat quarterback won Super Bowl 48 and nearly won another Super Bowl against the New England Patriots, but it was the infamous moment when the offense decided to pass on the goal line, and it was intercepted. He has made the Pro Bowl 10 times in his career, led the NFL in passing touchdowns in 2017 and led the league in passer rating in 2015.
Best single season passer rating
- 110.9 (2018)
2018 was Wilson's best season from a passer rating perspective. He played in all 16 games and went 10-6. Wilson completed 65.6% of his passes for 3,448 yards with 35 touchdowns to only seven interceptions. He averaged 8.1 yards per attempt.
Perfect passer ratings
- 10/28/2018 vs. Lions
Wilson has only finished with a perfect passer rating once in his career. He only threw 17 passes, but he completed 14 of them for 248 yards, averaging 14.6 yards per attempt. Wilson had three touchdowns with no interceptions in the 28-14 win.
MORE: Complete list of Super Bowl MVPs through the years
6. Deshaun Watson, 98.8 (2017-active)
Teams
- Houston Texans
- Cleveland Browns
Career
Deshaun Watson was drafted with the 12th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft by Houston. He made the Pro Bowl three times when he was with the Texans and led the league in passing yards in 2020. Watson's career was derailed by off-field issues that resulted in suspensions and injuries. He was traded to Cleveland in a massive deal and was given a record-breaking contract at the time. When Watson could take the field, though, he was never able to recreate the success he had at the start of his career in Houston.
Best single season passer rating
- 112.4 (2020)
Watson's best season for passer rating was 2020. He played in 16 games that year, but the Texans were awful and finished 4-12. Watson completed 70.2% of his passes for 4,823 yards with 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He averaged 8.9 yards per attempt, which was a career high.
Perfect passer ratings
- 10/6/2019 vs. Falcons
Watson has had a perfect passer rating once so far in his career. The Texans beat the Atlanta Falcons 53-32 in 2019. In that game, he completed 84.8% of his passes for 426 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions.
MORE: Looking back at every perfect passer rating game in NFL history
7. Drew Brees, 98.7 (2001-2020)
Teams
- San Diego Chargers
- New Orleans Saints
Career
Drew Brees was drafted with the 32nd pick in the 2001 NFL Draft. Back then, that was a second-round pick. He sat behind Doug Flutie for the 2001 season, but started in 2002 and 2003. The Chargers then brought in Philip Rivers, so once Brees became a free agent following the 2004 season, he was expected to leave, and that was when he signed with the Saints.
Brees won Super Bowl 44 with the Saints, and was named Super Bowl MVP. He was named the Offensive Player of the Year twice in his career, a 13-time Pro Bowler, and led the league in passing yards seven times and in passing touchdowns four times. Brees led the league in passer rating in 2009 and 2018, and was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame. He still owns the record for the highest completion percentage in a season.
Best single season passer rating
- 116.3 (2019)
Brees showed that age was just a number in his career, as two of his highest passer ratings of his entire career came in two of his last three seasons. In 2019, the quarterback completed 74.3% of his passes for 2,979 yards with 27 touchdowns and four interceptions.
Perfect passer ratings
- 11/30/2009 vs. Patriots
Brees played in 287 regular season games in his career, but finished only one with a perfect passer rating. Against the Patriots in 2009, the quarterback completed 78.3% of his passes for 371 yards. Brees had five touchdowns with no interceptions and averaged 16.1 yards per attempt.
MORE: How does NFL MVP voting work?
8. Dak Prescott, 97.9 (2016-active)
Teams
- Dallas Cowboys
Career
Dak Prescott was a fourth-round draft pick out of Mississippi State in the 2016 NFL Draft. He was the heir to Tony Romo in Dallas and took over as the starter in 2016. Prescott went on to win the Rookie of the Year in 2016 and Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2022. Ahead of the 2024 season, Dallas gave him an extension, making him the highest-paid quarterback in history at the time. Prescott is a three-time Pro Bowler and led the league in passing touchdowns in 2023.
Best single season passer rating
- 105.9 (2023)
Prescott started all 17 Cowboys games in 2023 and went 12-5. He threw 590 passes that season, averaging 7.7 yards per attempt, and completed 69.5% of them. Prescott finished the year with 4,516 yards and 36 touchdowns with nine interceptions.
Perfect passer ratings
- 09/08/2019 vs. Giants
Prescott has had a perfect passer rating once in his career so far. The Dallas quarterback finished a 2019 win over the Giants with 405 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. He completed 78.1% of his passes, averaging 12.7 yards per attempt.
MORE: Best two-way players in NFL history
9. Tua Tagovailoa, 97.7 (2020-active)
Teams
- Miami Dolphins
Career
Tua Tagovailoa spent his college career at Alabama, taking over as the starter from Jalen Hurts. He won the national championship in 2017 and was the Sporting News College Football Player of the Year in 2018. Tagovaloa was eventually drafted fifth overall by Miami in the 2020 NFL Draft. Tagovailoa's career has been thrown off due to coaching changes and his suffering several concussions. Still, he led the NFL in passing yards in 2023, passer rating in 2022 and completion percentage in 2024.
Best single season passer rating
- 105.5 (2022)
Tagovailoa finished the 2022 season with 3,548 yards, 25 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He completed 64.8% of his passes and averaged a career-high 8.9 yards per attempt.
Perfect passer ratings
Tagovailoa has never finished a game with a perfect passer rating.
MORE: Most NFL draft picks by one school in a year
10. Jimmy Garoppolo, 97.6 (2014-active)
Teams
- New England Patriots
- San Francisco 49ers
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Los Angeles Rams
Career
Jimmy Garoppolo played his college ball at Eastern Illinois, the same school that Tony Romo went to. The quarterback was drafted in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He was seen as a backup option for Tom Brady at the time and spent three years with the Patriots. Garoppolo has bounced around the league since, largely serving as a backup, though he did get to start with San Francisco when he was there.
Best single season passer rating
- 113.3 (2016)
This is technically his best passer rating that he finished a season with, but he only played in six games with the Patriots that year. His best passer rating in a season where he played in at least double-digit games was in 2022 and he finished with a 103.0 passer rating. That season, he was with San Francisco and went 7-3 in his 10 starts. Garoppolo threw for 2,437 yards with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions. He completed 67.2% of his passes and averaged 7.9 yards per attempt.
Perfect passer ratings
Garoppolo has never finished a game with a perfect passer rating.
MORE: 10 most shocking NFL draft slides of all time
11. Kirk Cousins, 97.4 (2012-active)
Teams
- Washington Commanders
- Minnesota Vikings
- Atlanta Falcons
Career
Kirk Cousins' pro career got off to a rocky start. He was drafted by Washington in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. The problem was that the franchise had drafted Robert Griffin III with the second overall pick. Despite this, Cousins was eventually able to take over as the starter and was able to stay a starter throughout his career until his first season with the Falcons when he was benched for then-rookie Michael Penix Jr.
Cousins has been named to the Pro Bowl four times and led the league in completion percentage in 2015.
Best single season passer rating
- 107.4 (2019)
Cousins played in 15 games in 2019 and went 10-5. That season, he threw for 3,603 passing yards with 26 touchdowns and six interceptions. He completed 69.1% of his passes and averaged 8.1 yards per attempt.
Perfect passer ratings
- 12/9/2012 vs. Ravens
- 11/15/2015 vs. Saints
Cousins has technically finished with a perfect passer rating twice. In the first instance from 2012, it was his second career game and he only attempted two passes, completing both with one going for a touchdown.
In the second, Cousins completed 80% of his passes for 324 yards and four touchdowns. He didn't throw any interceptions and averaged 13 yards per attempt. Cousins' four touchdowns in the game tied a career high.
MORE: Most Super Bowl wins in history by player
12. Justin Herbert, 97.3 (2020-active)
Teams
- Los Angeles Chargers
Career
Justin Herbert played collegiately at Oregon. He was selected sixth overall in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Chargers, and went on to win the league's Offensive Rookie of the Year Award that season. Herbert was named a Pro Bowler for the 2021 season, and still holds the records for most passing touchdowns for a rookie (31) and most pass completions by a rookie (396).
Best single season passer rating
- 101.7 (2024)
Herbert played in all 17 games and went 11-6 with the Chargers in 2024. He completed 65.9% of his passes for 3,870 yards with 23 touchdowns and three interceptions. Herbert averaged 9.2 yards per attempt.
Perfect passer ratings
Herbert has not finished a game with a perfect passer rating.
MORE: 16 NFL players you didn't know were drafted into the MLB
13. Tom Brady, 97.2 (2000-2022)
Teams
- New England Patriots
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Career
Tom Brady is considered the greatest quarterback of all time, but his career didn't start that way. He was a sixth-round pick by the Patriots in the 2000 NFL Draft. He only saw action in one game as a rookie, but took over as the starter once Drew Bledsoe went down with an injury in 2001. Once Brady became the starter, he didn't give it back.
The quarterback is a seven-time Super Bowl champion and a five-time Super Bowl MVP. Brady won three MVP Awards, was named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year twice, was named a First-Team All-Pro three times, and a 15-time Pro Bowler. The quarterback led the NFL in passing touchdowns five times, in passing yards four times and in passer rating twice.
Brady holds 13 NFL records including most quarterback wins in a career (251), career passing touchdowns (649) and career passing yards (89,214).
Best single season passer rating
- 117.2 (2007)
Brady started all 16 games for New England in 2007 and they went undefeated in the regular season. The quarterback completed 68.9% of his passes for 4,806 yards with 50 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. He averaged 8.3 yards per attempt.
Perfect passer ratings
- 10/21/2007 vs. Dolphins
- 11/25/2010 vs. Lions
- 12/26/2020 vs. Lions
Brady finished with a perfect passer ratings three times in his career. The first came in Week 7 of the 2007 season. He completed 84% of his passes for 354 yards and six touchdowns, a career high.
Brady's next perfect passer rating came in 2010. The Patriots beat the Lions 45-24 and he finished with 341 yards and four touchdowns, completing 77.8% of his passes. His final perfect game was also against Detroit, but this time he completed 81.5% of his passes for 348 yards and four touchdowns.
MORE: Ranking the greatest Patriots playersof all time
14. Tony Romo, 97.1 (2004-2016)
Teams
- Dallas Cowboys
Career
Tony Romo, like Garoppolo, went to Eastern Illinois for college. He went undrafted in the 2003 NFL Draft, but signed with the Cowboys practice squad. Romo spent the first three seasons of his career buried on the depth chart, finally starting 10 games for Dallas in 2006. He was the starter for 10 years before giving the mantle to Prescott and retiring. Since leaving the field, Romo has remained involved in football as an analyst.
He was named to the Pro Bowl four times, led the NFL in passer rating and completion percentage in 2014.
Best single season passer rating
- 113.2 (2014)
Technically, Romo's best single-season passer rating was 134.4 in 2016, but he only played in one game and attempted four total passes. In 2014 he started 15 games, going 12-3 in them. He completed 69.9% of his passes that year, throwing for 3,705 yards with 34 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Romo averaged 8.5 yards per attempt in 2014.
Perfect passer ratings
- 10/15/2006
It depends on how specific you want to get, whether Romo has a game with a perfect passer rating. In Week 6 of the 2006 season, he completed just two passes for 35 yards and a touchdown. Technically, that qualifies Romo for a perfect passer rating, but he only threw the ball twice. He did not have any other perfect passer ratings in his career.
MORE: Who are the greatest Dallas Cowboys of all time?
15. Steve Young, 96.8 (1985-1999)
Teams
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- San Francisco 49ers
Career
When Steve Young was coming out of BYU he had a decision to make. He was expected to be a top pick in the NFL Draft, but the USFL was seriously competing with the league at the time. Young decided to join the USFL and was the first overall pick, getting paid a massive (at the time) 10-year, $40 million deal, which he allowed to be paid out over 40 years to help the team's financials. As the USFL fell apart, Young agreed to a few revised contracts, and ended up suspending it, allowing him to join the Buccaneers in 1985.
The quarterback spent two seasons with Tampa Bay before signing with San Francisco ahead of the 1987 season. He finally hit his stride and played like the quarterback he was expected to be out of college. Young won three Super Bowls, two MVPs and was named to the Pro Bowl seven times. He led the NFL in passing touchdowns four times, in passer rating six times and in completion percentage five times.
Young has been inducted into both the College Football Hall of Fame and the NFL Hall of Fame.
Best single season passer rating
- 112.8 (1994)
Young technically had two seasons with a better passer rating, but he didn't attempt more than 92 passes in either of them. In 1994, he started all 16 games and led San Francisco to a 13-3 record. Young completed 70.3% of his passes for 3,969 yards with 35 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He averaged 8.6 yards per attempt.
Perfect passer ratings
- 11/15/1987 vs. Saints
- 10/22/1989 vs. Patriots
Young finished with a perfect passer rating twice in his career. The first time was in 1987 against the Saints. The quarterback only attempted six passes, but completed five of them for 80 yards and a score. In the second, Young connected on 11 of his 12 pass attempts for 188 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. He averaged 15.7 yards per attempt.
MORE: Ranking the greatest Bills players of all time
16. Peyton Manning, 96.5 (1998-2015)
Teams
- Indianapolis Colts
- Denver Broncos
Career
Despite his father and brother playing at Ole Miss, Peyton Manning decided to play his college football at Tennessee. He was drafted with the first overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft by the Colts. He spent 13 years with the organization before finishing his career with four years with the Broncos.
Manning is a two-time Super Bowl champion, and has the record for most MVP Awards with five. He was named Offensive Player of the Year twice, was a seven-time All-Pro, a 14-time Pro Bowler, led the league in passing yards three times, in passing touchdowns four times, in passer rating three times and completion percentage twice.
Manning has been inducted into both the College Football and NFL Hall of Fame. He holds the record for most passing touchdowns in a single season (55) and most passing yards in a single season (5,477).
Best single season passer rating
- 121.4 (2004)
Manning played in all 16 games in 2004 and helped the Colts to a 12-4 record. He finished the year completing 67.6% of his passes with 49 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He averaged a career-high 9.2 yards per attempt.
Perfect passer ratings
- 10/22/2000 vs. Patriots
- 11/10/2002 vs. Eagles
- 09/23/2003 vs. Saints
- 12/28/2008 vs. Titans
Manning finished four games in his career with a perfect passer rating. In the first, he completed 16 of his 20 passes for 268 yards with three touchdowns. In 2002, he completed 78.3% of his passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns.
Manning torched the Saints defense in 2003 to the tune of 314 yards and six touchdowns, while completing 80% of his passes. The six touchdown passes weren't a career-high as he threw seven against the Ravens in Week 1 of the 2013 season. Manning's final perfect passer rating came in 2008, but he only threw seven passes. He completed all of them for 95 yards with a touchdown.
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