The best NFL MVPs are known for having some of the best seasons ever witnessed in the history of football. They didn’t always go on to win the Super Bowl and they weren’t always on the best team in the league, but that’s not what the Most Valuable Player award is about.
The MVP award debuted in 1957 and has been presented by the Associated Press (AP) every year since. At the regular season’s end, the AP selects a group of 50 prominent and unbiased sportswriters to vote on that year’s MVP. The winner isn’t announced until after the Super Bowl.
Since 2011, the Associated Press stepped their game up with the addition of the annual NFL Honors ceremony – where some of the best NFL MVPs have been presented their trophy. They also present their other year-end awards, including Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year.
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Who Are the Best NFL MVP Winners of All-Time?
The NFL MVP award is one of the most coveted and prestigious regular season awards an NFL player can receive. It strictly means no other player was more valuable to their team. They exemplified what it means to contribute to a team’s success and they did it better than anyone.
As of 2021, only 48 players have ever won the award. Of those 48 players, 29 of them were quarterbacks, 16 were running backs, and there was one kicker, linebacker, and defensive tackle. No receiver, cornerback, safety, punter, or offensive lineman has ever won the award.
Even more impressive are the nine players that won the award multiple times – three players won it twice, five players won it three times, and one player won it five times. Each of those nine players are found on our list of the best NFL MVP winners of all-time – let’s see who they are!
25. Steve McNair
# of MVPs: 1
Years Won: 2003
MVP Season Stats: 14 games, 10-4 record, 3,215 yards, 28 total touchdowns, 7 interceptions
Steve McNair won the MVP award in 2003 when he tied with Peyton Manning in the overall voting. It was McNair’s ninth year in the league and he led the Tennessee Titans to a 10-4 record. He led the league in yards per attempt, yards per completion, and quarterback rating.
24. Barry Sanders
# of MVPs: 1
Years Won: 1997
MVP Season Stats: 16 games, 2,053 rushing yards, 11 rushing touchdowns, 33 receptions, 305 receiving yards, 3 receiving touchdowns
Barry Sanders won the MVP award in 1997 with the Detroit Lions, his ninth and second-to-last season in the league. He set a career-high with 2,053 rushing yards and 2,358 scrimmage yards with the Raiders, leading the league in both categories. He retired after the ‘98 season.
23. Thurman Thomas
# of MVPs: 1
Years Won: 1991
MVP Season Stats: 15 games, 1,407 rushing yards, 7 rushing touchdowns, 62 receptions, 631 receiving yards, 5 receiving touchdowns
Thurman Thomas won the MVP award in 1991 with the Buffalo Bills, his fourth season in the NFL. While he didn’t lead the league in rushing yards or touchdowns, he did lead the league in scrimmage yards thanks to his 631 receiving yards. He also led the NFL in yards per attempt.
22. Marcus Allen
# of MVPs: 1
Years Won: 1985
MVP Season Stats: 16 games, 1,759 rushing yards, 11 rushing touchdowns, 67 receptions, 555 receiving yards, 3 receiving touchdowns
Marcus Allen won the MVP award in 1985 with the Los Angeles Raiders, his fourth year in the league. He led the league in rushing yards and scrimmage yards, setting career-highs in both categories. He rushed for nearly 600 yards more than any of his other seasons in the NFL.
21. Earl Campbell
# of MVPs: 1
Years Won: 1979
MVP Season Stats: 16 games, 1,697 rushing yards, 19 rushing touchdowns, 16 receptions, 94 receiving yards
Earl Campbell won the MVP award in 1979 with the Houston Oilers, his second year in the NFL. He led the league in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns, setting a career-high in the latter. He went on to rush for over 1,900 yards the following season, but failed to repeat as MVP.
20. Marshall Faulk
# of MVPs: 1
Years Won: 2000
MVP Season Stats: 14 games, 1,359 rushing yards, 18 rushing touchdowns, 81 receptions, 830 receiving yards, 8 receiving touchdowns
Marshall Faulk won the MVP award in 2000 with the St. Louis Rams, his seventh year in the NFL. He led the league in rushing touchdowns, rushing yards per attempt, and rushing/receiving touchdowns. His 26 rushing and receiving touchdowns by a single player ranks fourth all-time.
19. Alan Page
# of MVPs: 1
Years Won: 1971
MVP Season Stats: 14 games, 9.0 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries, 2 safeties
To this day, Alan Page is the only defensive lineman and one of two defensive players to win MVP. He won the MVP award in 1971 after recording 9.0 sacks, 2 safeties, and 3 fumble recoveries. He had an even better year in 1970 with 10.5 sacks and 7 fumble recoveries.
18. Adrian Peterson
# of MVPs: 1
Years Won: 2012
MVP Season Stats: 16 games, 2,097 rushing yards, 12 rushing touchdowns, 40 receptions, 217 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown
Adrian Peterson won the MVP award in 2012 with the Minnesota Vikings, his sixth season in the league. He came just nine yards short of breaking Eric Dickerson’s all-time record of 2,105 rushing yards in a season. Peterson led the league in rushing yards and scrimmage yards.
17. O.J. Simpson
# of MVPs: 1
Years Won: 1973
MVP Season Stats: 14 games, 2,003 rushing yards, 12 rushing touchdowns, 6 receptions, 70 receiving yards
O.J. Simpson won the MVP award in 1973 with the Buffalo Bills, his fifth season in the league. It was the year he became the first player to rush for over 2,000 yards in a season. He led the league in rushes, rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, and longest rushing touchdown in 1973.
16. Walter Payton
# of MVPs: 1
Years Won: 1977
MVP Season Stats: 14 games, 1,852 rushing yards, 14 rushing touchdowns, 27 receptions, 269 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns
Walter Payton won the MVP award in 1977 with the Chicago Bears, his third season in the NFL. He led the league in rushes, rushing yards, yards per attempt, rushing touchdowns, and scrimmage yards. He set a career-high with 1,852 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns.
15. Shaun Alexander
# of MVPs: 1
Years Won: 2005
MVP Season Stats: 16 games, 1,880 rushing yards, 27 rushing touchdowns, 15 receptions, 78 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown
Shaun Alexander won the MVP award in 2005 with the Seattle Seahawks, his sixth season in the league. He ran for a then-record 27 rushing touchdowns and also led the league in rushes and rushing yards. It was his fifth consecutive and final season with more than 1,000 yards.
14. Lawrence Taylor
# of MVPs: 1
Years Won: 1986
MVP Season Stats: 16 games, 20.5 sacks
Lawrence Taylor won the MVP award in 1986 with the New York Giants, his sixth season in the NFL. He posted a league-leading 20.5 sacks en route to being the first linebacker to win MVP and the second defensive player to win the award all-time, joining Alan Page (#19 on this list).
13. Terrell Davis
# of MVPs: 1
Years Won: 1998
MVP Season Stats: 16 games, 2,008 rushing yards, 21 rushing touchdowns, 25 receptions, 217 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns
Terrell Davis won the MVP award in 1998 with the Denver Broncos, his fourth season in the league. He led all players in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, and yards per attempt. Only nine other players have rushed for more than 20 touchdowns and only eight had 2,000+ yards.
12. Emmitt Smith
# of MVPs: 1
Years Won: 1993
MVP Season Stats: 14 games, 1,486 rushing yards, 9 rushing touchdowns, 57 receptions, 414 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown
Emmitt Smith won the MVP award in 1993 with the Dallas Cowboys, his fourth season in the NFL. He led the league in rushing yards, yards per attempt, and scrimmage yards, despite holding out the first two games of the season. He currently has the most rushing yards all-time.
11. LaDainian Tomlinson
# of MVPs: 1
Years Won: 2006
MVP Season Stats: 16 games, 1,815 rushing yards, 28 rushing touchdowns, 56 receptions, 508 receiving yards, 3 receiving touchdowns
LaDainian Tomlinson won the MVP award in 2006 with the San Diego Chargers, his sixth season in the league. He became the first and only player to record more than 30 rushing and receiving touchdowns in a single season and set another record with 28 rushing touchdowns.
10. Dan Marino
# of MVPs: 1
Years Won: 1984
MVP Season Stats: 16 games, 14-2 record, 5,084 passing yards, 64.2% completion percentage, 48 touchdowns, 17 interceptions
Dan Marino won the MVP award in 1984 with the Miami Dolphins, just his second year in the NFL. He led the league in completions, yards, touchdowns, and quarterback rating. He led his team to a 14-2 record and would go on to be one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time.
9. Kurt Warner
# of MVPs: 2
Years Won: 1999, 2001
Best MVP Season: 1999 (16 games, 13-3 record, 4,353 yards, 65.1% completion percentage, 42 total touchdowns, 13 interceptions)
Kurt Warner won the MVP award in 1999 and 2001, both with the St. Louis Rams. His first award came in his second season (first as a starter). In 2001, he threw for a career-high 4,830 yards and 68.7% completion percentage. He also added 36 passing touchdowns that season.
8. Steve Young
# of MVPs: 2
Years Won: 1992, 1994
Best MVP Season: 1994 (16 games, 13-3 record, 3,969 yards, 70.3% completion percentage, 42 total touchdowns, 10 interceptions)
Steve Young won the MVP award in 1992 and 1994, both with the San Francisco 49ers. When he won the award in 1994, it was the fourth time a 49ers’ quarterback had won the award in the past six years – in large part thanks to Jerry Rice. Young went 27-5 across both MVP seasons.
7. Joe Montana
# of MVPs: 2
Years Won: 1989, 1990
Best MVP Season: 1989 (13 games, 11-2 record, 3,521 yards, 70.2% completion percentage, 29 total touchdowns, 8 interceptions)
Before Steve Young won his two MVPs with the 49ers, Joe Montana won back-to-back MVPs in 1989 and 1990. He only played in 13 games in 1989 and went 25-3 across both MVP seasons. He was operating at his peak, despite failing to amass 4,000 yards in either season.
6. Jim Brown
# of MVPs: 3
Years Won: 1957, 1958, 1965
Best MVP Season: 1958 (12 games, 1,527 rushing yards, 17 rushing touchdowns, 16 receptions, 138 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown)
Jim Brown won the MVP award in 1957, 1958, and 1965, all three with the Cleveland Browns. He was the inaugural MVP winner when the award began and is just one of four players to win in consecutive years. He’s the only player to win the award in their final season in the league.
5. Johnny Unitas
# of MVPs: 3
Years Won: 1959, 1964, 1967
Best MVP Season: 1959 (12 games, 9-3 record, 2,899 yards, 52.6% completion percentage, 34 total touchdowns, 14 interceptions)
Johnny Unitas won the MVP award in 1959, 1964, and 1967, all three with the Baltimore Colts. He won it for the first time just four years into his career and went 32-6-2 across his three MVP seasons. He also passed for 71 touchdowns in those three years, including 32 in 1959.
4. Brett Favre
# of MVPs: 3
Years Won: 1995, 1996, 1997
Best MVP Season: 1995 (16 games, 11-5 record, 4,413 yards, 63.0% completion percentage, 41 total touchdowns, 13 interceptions)
Brett Favre won the MVP award in 1995, 1996, and 1997, all three with the Green Bay Packers. He’s the only player to win the award three consecutive years in a row. He went 37-11 in that span, throwing for 112 touchdowns and leading the league in touchdowns all three years.
3. Aaron Rodgers
# of MVPs: 3
Years Won: 2011, 2014, 2020
Best MVP Season: 2011 (15 games, 14-1 record, 4,643 yards, 68.3% completion percentage, 48 total touchdowns, 6 interceptions)
Aaron Rodgers won the MVP award in 2011, 2014, and 2020, all three with the Green Bay Packers. He’s the most recent winner and could very well win at least one more by the time he retires. He went 39-8 across his three MVP seasons, throwing for 131 touchdowns in that span.
2. Tom Brady
# of MVPs: 3
Years Won: 2007, 2010, 2017
Best MVP Season: 2007 (16 games, 16-0 record, 4,806 yards, 68.9% completion percentage, 52 total touchdowns, 8 interceptions)
Tom Brady won the MVP award in 2007, 2010, and 2017, all three with the New England Patriots. He’s just one of two players to win the award 10 years apart and could become the second player to win the award with two different teams. He went 43-5 in his MVP seasons.
1. Peyton Manning
# of MVPs: 5
Years Won: 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2013
Best MVP Season: 2013 (16 games, 13-3 record, 5,477 yards, 68.3% completion percentage, 56 total touchdowns, 10 interceptions)
Peyton Manning is the best NFL MVP of all-time. He has won the award a record five times and is the first player to win it back-to-back twice in their career. Along with Brady, he won the award 10 years apart. He’s also the only player to ever win the award with two different teams.
Which NFL MVPs Didn’t We Mention Above?
The 25 NFL MVP winners listed above will forever be remembered for their season-long dominance – some of them multiple times. With that said, there were 23 players that we didn’t get to mention and they deserve to be credited with their impressive accomplishment.
Other NFL MVP winners include Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, Matt Ryan, Cam Newton, Rich Gannon, Boomer Esiason, John Elway, Joe Theismann, Mark Moseley, Ken Anderson, Brian Snipe, Bert Jones, Fran Tarkenton, Ken Stabler, Larry Brown, Jim Taylor, Roman Gabriel, Earl Morall, Bart Starr, Y.A. Tittle, Paul Hournung, and Norm Van Brocklin.
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There are also several players that we fully expect to win at least one MVP award in the near future. Some of those players include Derrick Henry, Josh Allen, Alvin Kamara, Christian McCaffrey, Justin Herbert, Stefon Diggs, Jonathan Taylor, Kyler Murray, T.J. Watt, and more.
The Best NFL QBs of All Time and When They Were Drafted
If you take a look at the landscape of fantasy football today, quarterbacks aren’t nearly valued as high as other positions – unless you’re one of the best NFL QBs in the league. The truth is most fantasy owners would rather draft a running back or wide receiver – they’re more valuable.
There are several reasons why, but the two most prominent reasons are that you only have one quarterback in your starting rotation – compared to 5+ running backs and wide receivers – and quarterbacks have a harder time accumulating points – unless they’re a dual-threat quarterback.
The best NFL QBs in fantasy football are the ones that are just as dominant on the ground. When they combine their rushing stats with their throwing stats, they can accumulate points quickly. Quarterbacks that don’t run often are normally drafted in a later round in fantasy drafts.
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Who Are the Best NFL QBs of All-Time?
Of all the quarterbacks today, the only ones worth reaching for in your fantasy draft this year are Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson, and maybe Kyler Murray. If you’re lucky, you might see these players drop to the second, third, or even fourth round.
Three of those players – Allen, Mahomes, and Herbert – are in the midst of creating a legacy that’ll be remembered forever. It doesn’t matter where they land in a fantasy football draft, they’re going to have a great season regardless and will likely continue that success for years to come.
The question is whether or not they can sustain the success long enough to be considered one of the best NFL QBs of all-time. They’re certainly at the top of the food chain in today’s game, but how do they compare to some of the all-time greats? Well, let’s go ahead and meet them!
20. Warren Moon
Warren Moon went undrafted in the 1978 NFL Draft after spending three years at the University of Washington. He didn’t make his NFL debut until 1984 – by this time, he had already led the Edmonton Eskimos to five consecutive Grey Cup titles in the CFL between 1978 and 1982.
Moon went on to spend 17 years in the NFL. During that time, he accumulated a 102-101 record as starting quarterback – throwing for 49,325 yards, 291 touchdowns, and 233 interceptions. He was a nine-time Pro Bowler who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
19. Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 11th overall draft pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. He went on to play 18 seasons in the league, all of which with the Steelers. He decided to retire at the end of last season, bringing another Steelers’ era to a sudden close.
During his time in the NFL, Roethlisberger threw for 64,088 yards, 418 touchdowns, and 211 interceptions. He had a 165-81-1 record as a starter and was the 2004 Rookie of the Year, a two-time Super Bowl champion, and six-time Pro Bowl player. The NFL will certainly miss him.
18. Kurt Warner
Kurt Warner went undrafted in 1994 after attending the University of Northern Iowa, where he didn’t receive a lot of playing time. After failing to make an NFL roster, he started working at a grocery store until joining the Arena Football League – where he finally made a name for himself.
Warner eventually joined the NFL in 1998, playing one game with the Arizona Cardinals. He earned the starting gig the following year and went on to lead them to a Super Bowl win during the 1999 season. He retired a two-time MVP, Super Bowl MVP, and Hall of Fame quarterback.
17. Jim Kelly
Jim Kelly was drafted by the Buffalo Bills with the 14th overall draft pick in 1983, but he would spend a couple of seasons in the USFL – where he found instant success. He later joined the Bills in 1986 and spent his entire 11-year NFL career with the team – putting them on the map.
During his time in the NFL, Kelly had a 101-59 record as a starter and threw for 35,467 yards, 237 touchdowns, and 175 interceptions. He was a five-time Pro Bowler and while he never won a title, he did lead the Bills to four-straight Super Bowl appearances. He’s now in the HOF.
16. Terry Bradshaw
Terry Bradshaw was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the first overall draft pick in 1970. While he didn’t have as long of a career as Ben Roethlisberger, he did spend his entire 14-year career with the team. During that time, he won four Super Bowls and two Super Bowl MVPs.
Bradshaw finished his career with a 107-51 record as a starter – throwing for 27,989 yards, 212 touchdowns, and 210 interceptions. In addition to his success in the Super Bowl, he was a three-time Pro Bowler, 1978 MVP, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989.
15. Bart Starr
Bart Starr was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 17th round (200th overall) of the 1956 NFL Draft. He spent his entire 16-year career with the Packers, leading them to a 94-57-6 record as a starter. He won the MVP in 1966, throwing for 2,227 yards, 14 TDs, and three INTs.
Starr finished his illustrious career with 24,718 yards, 152 touchdowns, and 138 interceptions. He was a four-time Pro Bowler, five-time NFL champion, two-time Super Bowl champion, two-time Super Bowl MVP, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977.
14. Troy Aikman
Troy Aikman was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys with the first overall draft pick in 1989 and he spent his entire 12-year career with the team. He had his best season in 1993, throwing for 3,100 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions en route to his second Super Bowl victory.
Aikman finished his career with 32,942 yards, 165 touchdowns, and 141 interceptions – leading the Cowboys to a 94-71 record in 165 games. He was a three-time Super Bowl champion, one-time Super Bowl MVP, six-time Pro Bowler, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.
13. Sammy Baugh
Sammy Baugh was drafted by the Washington Commanders (then-Redskins) with the sixth overall pick in 1937. He went on to spend 16 seasons in the NFL, all of which in Washington. While he threw a lot of interceptions, he consistently got the job done and knew how to sling it.
Baugh finished his career with 21,886 yards, 187 touchdowns, and 203 interceptions. He was a six-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro quarterback who won two NFL championships and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963. His nickname was Slingin’ Sammy.
12. Steve Young
Steve Young was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the first overall pick in the 1984 NFL Supplemental Draft. He spent two years in Tampa, but didn’t play well and was shipped to the San Francisco 49ers. He had 10 starts over the next four years as Joe Montana’s backup.
Young finally became the starting quarterback in 1991 and eventually pushed Montana out of the way – winning MVP in 1992. He also won MVP in 1994, the same year he won his third Super Bowl with the team (first as a starter). He led the 49ers to a 91-33 record in 13 seasons.
11. Brett Favre
Brett Favre was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round (33rd overall) of the 1991 draft. He only played two games as a backup his rookie year and was eventually traded to the Green Bay Packers, where he was named starting quarterback for the 1992 season.
Favre ended up spending the next 16 seasons in Green Bay before a three-year farewell tour with the Vikings and Jets. He won three-straight MVPs in 1995, 1996, and 1997. He was also a one-time Super Bowl champion, 11-time Pro Bowler, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
10. Roger Staubach
Roger Staubach was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the 10th round of the 1964 draft – he was also drafted by the Chiefs in the AFL draft, but chose the Cowboys. He spent his entire 11-year career in Dallas and led the team to an impressive 85-29 record during that span.
Staubach finished his Hall of Fame career with 22,700 yards, 153 touchdowns, and 109 interceptions. He was a six-time Pro Bowler who won two Super Bowls and one Super Bowl MVP with Dallas. Not only that, but he won the Bell Art Award and Walter Payton Man of the Year.
9. John Elway
John Elway was drafted by the Baltimore Colts with the first overall draft pick in 1983, but sparked controversy when he refused to play for the team. They later traded him to the Denver Broncos, where he embarked on a legendary 16-year career in the NFL – all with the Broncos.
Elway finished his career with 51,475 yards, 300 touchdowns, and 226 interceptions. He won the MVP award in 1987, was a two-time Super Bowl champion, and was the Super Bowl XXXIII MVP. The nine-time Pro Bowler was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.
8. Dan Marino
Dan Marino was drafted by the Miami Dolphins with the 27th overall pick in 1983, where he enjoyed instant success. He was named MVP his second season, throwing for 5,084 yards, 48 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions. He went on to spend his entire 17-year career with Miami.
Marino finished his career with 61,361 yards, 420 touchdowns, and 252 interceptions – leading the Dolphins to a 147-93 record as starting quarterback. He was a nine-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro quarterback who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005.
7. Otto Graham
Otto Graham was drafted by the Detroit Lions with the fourth overall pick in 1944, but never played with the team because of World War II. He eventually signed a contract with the Cleveland Browns and made his NFL debut in 1946 – it didn’t take long for him to settle in.
Graham spent his entire 10-year career with the Browns, throwing for 23,584 yards, 174 touchdowns, and 135 interceptions. He was a five-time Pro Bowler, three-time NFL champion, four-time AAFC champion, and three-time MVP. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1965.
6. Johnny Unitas
Johnny Unitas was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the ninth round of the 1955 draft, but was released before the season began. He eventually signed with the Baltimore Colts and made his NFL debut in 1956. Things started off rocky, but he settled in by his second season.
Unitas spent the next 17 seasons with the Colts before playing one season with the Chargers. He finished his career with a 118-63-4 record as starter, throwing for 40,239 yards, 290 TDs, and 253 interceptions. He won three NFL championships, one Super Bowl, and three MVPs.
5. Drew Brees
Drew Brees was drafted by the San Diego Chargers with the in the second round (32nd overall) of the 2001 draft. He played five seasons with the team before joining the New Orleans Saints, where he spent the final 15 years of his career. He had a 172-114 record as a starter in the NFL.
Brees finished his career with 80,358 yards, 571 touchdowns, and 243 interceptions. He’s a 13-time Pro Bowler, one-time Super Bowl champion, one-time Super Bowl MVP, two-time Offensive Player of the Year, 2004 Comeback Player of the Year, and future Hall of Famer.
4. Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers was drafted by the Green Bay Packers with the 24th overall pick in 2005. He spent the next three seasons as a backup to Brett Favre, but earned the starting role in 2008. Rodgers has been the team’s starting quarterback ever since – entering his 18th season.
Rodgers currently has 55,360 yards, 449 touchdowns, and just 93 interceptions in 213 games played. He’s a four-time MVP, including the past two seasons, and won the 2011 Super Bowl – he was named Super Bowl MVP. The 10-time Pro Bowler is definitely a future Hall of Famer.
3. Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts with the first overall pick in 1998. He spent the next 13 seasons with the team before missing the 2011 season due to injury. Instead of returning to the Colts, he decided to spend the final four years of his career with the Broncos.
Manning finished his career with 71,940 yards, 539 touchdowns, and 251 interceptions. He was a 14-time Pro Bowler, two-time Super Bowl champion, five-time MVP, one-time Super Bowl MVP, 2012 Comeback Player of the Year, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012.
2. Joe Montana
Joe Montana was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round (82nd overall) of the 1979 draft. He spent the next 14 seasons with the team – though he missed the entire 1991 season due to an injury. In 1993 and 1994, he finished his career with the Kansas City Chiefs.
As a starting quarterback, Montana led his teams to a 117-47 record in 164 games. He had 40,551 yards, 273 touchdowns, and 139 interceptions throughout his career, and was a two-time MVP, four-time champion, three-time Super Bowl MVP, and Hall of Fame quarterback.
1. Tom Brady
Tom Brady was drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. Despite being passed on 198 times in that draft, he went on to win seven Super Bowl titles – not just more than any other player, but more than any other franchise in NFL history. That’s crazy!
Brady might not be done, either. Despite retiring earlier this year, he eventually decided to return for his third season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – and 23rd season overall. He’ll have a chance to build on his career numbers – 84,520 yards, 624 touchdowns, and 243 total wins.
Who Are the Best NFL QBs Right Now?
Whereas quarterbacks used to be some of the first players taken in a fantasy draft, that’s simply not the case today. In fact, the same can be said about the NFL Draft in real life – teams aren’t willing to reach for a quarterback unless they’re a one-of-a-kind talent, which is quite rare today.
Just look at the 2022 NFL Draft – we had to wait until the 20th pick in the first round for the first quarterback to be taken. The next one didn’t come until the third round, where there were three. That’s different from the previous few years, which has seen several QBs taken in the top ten.
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It’s unclear what the future holds for the quarterback position, but some of the best NFL QBs today are Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Matthew Stafford, Justin Herbert, Joe Burrow, Russell Wilson, Dak Prescott, Lamar Jackson, and more.
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