Matthew Stafford, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Allen are already among the best NFL QBs of all-time

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Our panel of experts have ranked the best NFL QBs of all-time. Here is part one of our list.

There are several words and phrases to verbally sketch the most important position in sports.

Signal-caller. The man under center. Gunslinger. Game-manager. Game-changer. Captain. Clutch. Conductor. Director. Field general.

Quarterback.

Whether they’re known as a “Magician” or “Mad Bomber”, “Sheriff” or “Snake”, or like their Joe to be “Cool” or from Broadway, there has been no shortage of transcendent quarterbacks who have collectively authored the biggest moments in NFL history.

This brings us to the assembly of a 13-person panel to decide the 30 greatest quarterbacks of the Super Bowl era. 48 quarterbacks received votes for respective placements on the list. Those votes have been tallied, and the list has officially been put together. So, with that said, let’s meet the panel and the 30 greatest quarterbacks of the Super Bowl era.

The panel voting on the best quarterbacks of the Super Bowl era

Here are the 13 voters who participated in the survey listed in alphabetical order:

Jarrett Bailey, SB Nation
Tyler Dunne, Go Long
Eric Edholm, NFL Media
Doug Farrar, Athlon Sports
Arif Hasan, Wide Left
Dan Hanzus, Underdog
Sam Monson, The 33rd Team
Steve Palazzolo, The 33rd Team
Gregg Rosenthal, NFL Media
Aaron Schatz, FTN Fantasy
Marc Sessler, Underdog
Mike Tanier, Too Deep Zone
Matt Verderame, Sports Illustrated

Voting methodology used to determine the best QBs of all-time

Each voter ranked their list of the 30 best quarterbacks of the Super Bowl era which began in 1966. Their rank on each list was added up, then the total score was divided by the number of lists on which they appeared. Then each QB would be penalized one point for every list they didn’t appear on.

If a QB appeared on 9 of the 13 lists, his total score would be added up, divided by 9, and then 4 points would be added to create his final panel score. The quarterbacks with the 30 lowest scores are the ones who made the list.

30. Matthew Stafford

Highest Ranking: 17
Lowest Ranking: Not ranked

Matthew Stafford career stats

Years active: 2008-present (Detroit Lions 2008-2020, Los Angeles Rams 2021-present)
Completions: 5,174 (ninth all-time)
Passing yards: 59,809 (tenth all-time)
Passing touchdowns: 377 (tenth all-time)
Passer rating: 91.2 (T-26th all-time)
Fourth-quarter comebacks: 38 (T-fourth all-time)

Matthew Stafford career accolades

2-time Pro Bowl selection
1-time Super Bowl champion
2011 Comeback Player of the Year

What makes Matthew Stafford one of the best NFL QBs of all-time

“For the longest time, Stafford was a Michelin-star chef in a dive bar. His talents were evident throughout the entirety of his career, but his feet were stuck to the floor known as the Detroit Lions of the late 2000s and 2010s. And despite the organization seemingly attempting to remain in perpetual turmoil, Stafford emerged as one of the best quarterbacks of his era. He topped 5,000 yards in 2011, which marked his first of seven consecutive seasons with at least 4,000 passing yards. As soon as Stafford left Detroit, he won a Super Bowl, despite never winning a playoff game prior to being traded to the Los Angeles Rams. While the prime years of his career likely featured several glasses of scotch, his play has aged like a fine wine as he continues to keep the Rams in the Super Bowl conversation at age 37.” - Jarrett Bailey

29. Bob Griese

Highest Ranking: 19
Lowest Ranking: Not ranked

Bob Griese career stats

Years active: 1967-1980 (Miami Dolphins)
Completions: 1,926 (88th all-time)
Passing yards: 25,092 (82nd all-time)
Passing touchdowns: 192 (T-56th all-time)
Passer rating: 82.7 (T-61st all-time)
Fourth-quarter comebacks: 15 (T-24th all-time)

Bob Griese career accolades

8-time Pro Bowl selection
2-time First-Team All-Pro
2-time Super Bowl champion
1977 Bert Bell Award winner
Pro Football Hall of Fame (1990)

What makes Bob Griese one of the best NFL QBs of all-time

“Imagine Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford were one guy. That’s Bob Griese. Yes, he was a product of a system, a supporting cast, and an era. But Griese also called his own plays. His statistics are ordinary because he knew he didn’t have to throw very often to win. Griese evolved into one of the NFL’s most efficient passers as the 1970s wore on, and Don Shula’s tactics evolved with him, paving the way for Dan Marino and the passing explosion of the 1980s. Griese was always just a little injured, however, and his career ended just as the schedule expanded and the passing-friendly rule changes of 1978 were taking effect. Griese is easy to dismiss when you look at his stat lines, but impossible to ignore once you realize how different pro football was in 1973 than it is today.” - Mike Tanier

28. Len Dawson

Highest Ranking: 17
Lowest Ranking: Not ranked

Len Dawson career stats

Years active: 1957-1975 (Pittsburgh Steelers 1957-1959, Cleveland Browns 1960-1961, Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs 1962-1975)
Completions: 2,136 (72nd all-time)
Passing yards: 28,711 (63rd all-time)
Passing touchdowns: 239 (32nd all-time)
Passer rating: 82.6 (T-59th all-time)
Fourth-quarter comebacks: 15 (T-24th all-time)

Len Dawson career accolades

7-time Pro Bowl selection
2-time First-Team All-Pro
3-time AFL Champion
1-time Super Bowl champion
Super Bowl IV MVP
Pro Football Hall of Fame (1987)

What makes Len Dawson one of the best NFL QBs of all-time

“Len Dawson isn’t a household name for many younger fans, but he ought to be. Dawson was a star in the American Football League with the Dallas Texans and then the Chiefs, winning three AFL titles along with engineering an upset in Super Bowl IV, beating the Vikings, 23-7. Dawson was a marksman in his day, leading the league in completion rate eight times, including six straight years between 1964-69. Dawson also retired as a four-time All-Pro before earning induction into the Hall of Fame in 1987.” - Matt Verderame

27. Johnny Unitas

Highest Ranking: 2
Lowest Ranking: Not ranked

Johnny Unitas career stats

Years active: 1956-73 (Baltimore Colts 1956-1972, San Diego Chargers 1973)
Completions: 2,830 (38th all-time)
Passing yards: 40,239 (25th all-time)
Passing touchdowns: 290 (17th all-time)
Passer rating: 78.2 (T-83rd all-time)
Fourth-quarter comebacks: 34 (sixth all-time)

Johnny Unitas career accolades

10-time Pro Bowl selection
7-time All-Pro
3-time NFL MVP
3-time NFL champion
1-time Super Bowl champion
Pro Football Hall of Fame (1979)

What makes Johnny Unitas one of the best NFL QBs of all-time

“I’ll be generous and assume that voters forgot about Johnny Unitas because the bulk of his career came before the Super Bowl era. Otherwise, it’s a crime to leave him out of the top five. Unitas was First-Team All-Pro six times, MVP three times, and top three in MVP three more. His passing stats dominated his era in a way no quarterback has since, transforming and growing both the sport and the quarterback position.” - Gregg Rosenthal

26. Ken Stabler

Highest Ranking: 19
Lowest Ranking: Not ranked

Ken Stabler career stats

Years active: 1968-84 (Oakland Raiders 1968-1979, Houston Oilers 1980-1981, New Orleans Saints 1982-1984)
Completions: 2,270 (66th all-time)
Passing yards: 27,938 (68th all-time)
Passing touchdowns: 194 (T-53rd all-time)
Passer rating: 75.3 (T-97th all-time)
Fourth-quarter comebacks: 16 (T-23rd all-time)

Ken Stabler career accolades

4-time Pro Bowl selection
1-time All-Pro selection
1974 NFL MVP
1-time Super Bowl champion
Pro Football Hall of Fame (2016)

Why Ken Stabler is one of the best NFL QBs of all-time

“The ultimate quarterback’s quarterback, Stabler was the leader of a gang of rebels known as the 1970s Oakland Raiders, and the illustrator of some of the most memorable moments of the era. The Holy Roller, the Sea of Hands, Ghost to the Post - all while partying like he was a member of Black Sabbath. If there was ever the perfect encapsulation of what it meant to be a Raider, Ken Stabler was it.” - Jarrett Bailey

25. Ken Anderson

Highest Ranking: 14
Lowest Ranking: Not ranked

Ken Anderson career stats

Years active: 1971-86 (Cincinnati Bengals)
Completions: 2,654 (49th all-time)
Passing yards: 32,838 (46th all-time)
Passing touchdowns: 197 (50th all-time)
Passer rating: 81.9 (64th all-time)
Fourth-quarter comebacks: 10 (T-29th all-time)

Ken Anderson career accolades

4-time Pro Bowl selection
1-Time All-Pro selection
1981 NFL MVP

Why Ken Anderson is one of the best NFL QBs of all-time

“Joe Montana is widely credited with the popularization of the West Coast offense, but it was Anderson who first found success in the system under Bill Walsh. Before the future 49ers head coach became the man in the Bay Area, he was the offensive coordinator for Anderson and the Cincinnati Bengals, where he and Anderson became one of the best duos in the NFL. Anderson led the NFL in passing yards in 1974 and 1975, earning Second-Team All-Pro honors in that 1975 campaign. His best season, though, would come in 1981, when he threw for over 3,700 yards and 29 touchdowns, leading the NFL with a 98.4 passer rating, winning league MVP and leading the Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance.” - Jarrett Bailey

24. Joe Namath

Highest Ranking: 12
Lowest Ranking: Not ranked

Joe Namath career stats

Years active: 1965-1977 (1965-1976 New York Jets, 1977 Los Angeles Rams)
Completions: 1,886 (92nd all-time)
Passing yards: 27,663 (70th all-time)
Passing touchdowns: 173 (T-63rd all-time)
Passer rating: 65.5 (T-142nd all-time)
Fourth-quarter comebacks: 15 (T-24th all-time)

Joe Namath career accolades

5-time Pro Bowl selection
1-time First-Team All-Pro selection
1-time AFL champion
1-time Super Bowl champion
Super Bowl III MVP
Pro Football Hall of Fame (1985)

Why Joe Namath is one of the best NFL QBs of all-time

“Never mind the underwhelming counting stats or the brevity of his prime compared to others at his position. Namath is an enormous figure in the history of professional football – the man who put the old guard on notice and invented a cerebral style of gunslinger that has endured for five decades beyond his final snap. (Did you know Namath ran the offense from the line of scrimmage in the Jets’ titanic Super Bowl III upset of the Colts?) The most charismatic and bankable star of his era, Namath was a fixture in pop culture who served as an eventual prototype of the multi-hyphenate modern pro athlete. One can only wonder where the oft-hobbled Namath might reside on this particular list if given access to the medical advancements and rules of protection for today’s passing stars. Even given the star-crossed nature of his playing career, his legend persists. Broadway Joe forever.” - Dan Hanzus

23. Lamar Jackson

Highest Ranking: 15
Lowest Ranking: Not ranked

Lamar Jackson career stats

Years active: 2018-present (Baltimore Ravens)
Completions: 1,678 (113th all-time)
Passing yards: 20,059 (120th all-time)
Passing touchdowns: 166 (T-67th all-time)
Passer rating: 102.0 (third all-time)
Fourth-quarter comebacks: 10 (T-29th all-time)

Lamar Jackson career accolades

4-time Pro Bowl selection
3-time First-Team All-Pro selection
2-time NFL MVP

What makes Lamar Jackson one of the best NFL QBs of all-time

“For years, the NFL was waiting for a player like Lamar Jackson to come along - a true dual-threat quarterback that could dominate both on the ground and through the air. Players like Michael Vick hinted at what was possible, and Cam Newton was able to put together one elite MVP season, but Lamar Jackson is the first player to sustain it. Already a two-time league MVP and a three-time All-Pro, Jackson also has over 6,000 rushing yards, overtaking Vick for the most in league history for a quarterback. Special athletes have played the quarterback position before, but none have been as effective and efficient at passing the football as Jackson.” - Sam Monson

22. Philip Rivers

Highest Ranking: 11
Lowest Ranking: 30

Philip Rivers career stats

Years active: 2004-2020 (2004-2019 San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers, 2020 Indianapolis Colts)
Completions: 5,277 (eighth all-time)
Passing yards: 63,440 (sixth all-time)
Passing touchdowns: 421 (sixth all-time)
Passer rating: 95.2 (18th all-time)
Fourth-quarter comebacks: 29 (T-11th all-time)

Philip Rivers career accolades

8-time Pro Bowl Selection
2013 NFL Comeback Player of the Year

What makes Philip Rivers one of the best NFL QBs of all-time

“One of the more hotly debated careers of his era, Rivers was an incredibly efficient passer who could attack all levels of the field, but just five playoff wins and one trip to a conference championship game loom large when his legacy is discussed.

Using a funky throwing motion, Rivers thrived in a downfield passing attack, leading the league in yards per attempt for three straight years from 2008-2010 and his 7.8 career mark is one of the best of the modern era. He remained efficient in his later years across multiple scheme changes and offensive line woes, and he was incredibly durable as he started all 16 games every year from 2006 to his final year in 2020. Rivers’ toughness was on display in the 2007 AFC Championship as he played on a torn ACL, perhaps leading to the disappointing showing in his only attempt at a Super Bowl appearance.

Rivers started out playing with well-rounded teams, but as the talent level dropped around him, so did the team’s record, and he finished with just seven playoff appearances and only four years playing more than one playoff game. Even with the lack of playoff success, Rivers will be remembered as a fearless, tough competitor who could stretch the field as well as any quarterback in his era.” - Steve Palazzolo

21. Josh Allen

Highest Ranking: 13
Lowest Ranking: Not ranked

Josh Allen career stats

Years active: 2018-present (Buffalo Bills)
Completions: 2,296 (64th all-time)
Passing yards: 26,434 (75th all-time)
Passing touchdowns: 195 (54th all-time)
Passer rating: 93.4 (22nd all-time)
Fourth-quarter comebacks: 13 (T-26th all-time)

Josh Allen career accolades

3-time Pro Bowl Selection
2024 NFL MVP

Why Josh Allen is already one of the best QBs in NFL history

“There is no comp because no quarterback in NFL history remotely resembles the force of nature cannon-blasting through defenses in Western New York. You’d need to go full Dr. Frankenstein, piecing together Ben Roethlisberger’s size, Brett Favre’s right arm with an A-level mix of brains and elusiveness and athleticism. But the greatest trait Allen possesses is an abundance of fearlessness. The kid that no D-I school would touch out of high school willed himself into the position to resurrect one of the league’s saddest teams. Now? He’s the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 reason these Buffalo Bills are in perennial title contention. Teammates en masse would run through the nearest cement wall for Allen. When it’s all said and done — if he can hoist a Lombardi or two — we may all discuss Allen with the very best who’ve ever played the position.” - Tyler Dunne

Stay tuned for spots 20 through 1.