A Statistical Approach: 30 Greatest Quarterbacks in NFL History

By
Kyle Eggemeyer
(Correspondent) on January 30, 2011

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TEMPE, AZ - JANUARY 28: NFL legend quarterback Joe Montana who won four super bowls with the San Francisco 49ers poses for a photo on the field after participating in the coin toss prior to Super Bowl XXX between the Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Ste
George Rose/Getty Images

“Sure, luck means a lot in football. Not having a good quarterback is bad luck.”

-Don Shula

Rather than let bias skew my rankings, I created a formula (depicted above) to do the sorting for me.

This formula uses 18 different variables, each weighted in such a way that no one attribute, such as a high quarterback rating or low playoff win average, will cheat a worthy quarterback out of a good score. It looks at a quarterback's entire body of work.

I do not have the time to test every quarterback in NFL history using this formula, so I picked 30 well-known quarterbacks, both from the past and present.  For this reason, this list is not a true "Top 30," however, it gives a rather good indication because most of the NFL's most iconic quarterbacks are included.

Below are the 30 quarterbacks that are included in this list, arranged in alphabetical order:

(NOTE: Is not the ordered list, just an alphabetical overview of the quarterbacks I test.)

Troy Aikman
Drew Bledsoe
Terry Bradshaw
Tom Brady
Drew Brees
Len Dawson
John Elway
Boomer Esiason
Brett Favre
Dan Fouts
Jim Kelly
Peyton Manning
Dan Marino
Donovan McNabb
Steve McNair
Joe Montana
Warren Moon
Joe Namath
Philip Rivers
Aaron Rodgers
Ben Roethlisberger
Phil Simms
Ken Stabler
Bart Starr
Roger Staubach
Fran Tarkenton
Joe Theismann
Johnny Unitas
Kurt Warner
Steve Young

30. Joe Namath

Joe-namath-tall_display_image

Score: 40.351

29. Aaron Rodgers

CHICAGO, IL - JANUARY 23: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers looks to pass against the Chicago Bears in the NFC Championship Game at Soldier Field on January 23, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Score: 40.753

28. Boomer Esiason

Undated: Quarterback Boomer Esiason of the Cincinnati Bengals looks to pass the ball during a game at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Daniel /Allsport
Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Score: 42.664

27. Drew Bledsoe

17 Sep 2000: Quarterback Drew Bledsoe #11 of the New England Patriots moves back with the ball during a game against the Minnesota Vikings at the Foxboro Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The Vikings defeated the Patriots 21-13. Mandatory Credit: Rick St
Rick Stewart/Getty Images

Score: 43.156

26. Dan Fouts

SAN DIEGO, CA - 1983: Quarterback Dan Fouts #14 of the San Diego Chargers drops back to pass during a game at Jack Murphy Stadium during the 1983 NFL season in San Diego, California. (Photo by Tony Duffy/Getty Images)
Tony Duffy/Getty Images

Score: 44.164

25. Warren Moon

19 Sep 1993: Quarterback Warren Moon of the Houston Oilers looks to pass the ball during a game against the San Diego Chargers at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California. The Chargers won the game, 18-17. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Dunn /Allsport
Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Score: 48.490

24. Philip Rivers

DENVER - JANUARY 02: Quarterback Philip Rivers #17 of the San Diego Chargers delivers a pass against the Denver Broncos at INVESCO Field at Mile High on January 2, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. The Chargers defeated the Broncos 33-28. (Photo by Doug Pensing
Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Score: 49.707

23. Drew Brees

SEATTLE, WA - JANUARY 08: Quarterback Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints scrambles against the Seattle Seahawks during the 2011 NFC wild-card playoff game at Qwest Field on January 8, 2011 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Imag
Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

Score: 50.178

22. Phil Simms

24 Sep 1989: Quarterback Phil Simms of the New York Giants prepares to pass the ball during a game against the Phoenix Cardinals at Giants Stadium in the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants won the game 35-7. Mandatory Credit: T. G. H
T.G. Higgins/Getty Images

Score: 54.042

21. Len Dawson

Dawson_display_image_display_image

Score: 56.471

20. Steve McNair

NASHVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 17: Quarterback Steve McNair #9 of the Tennessee Titans drops back to pass during the game against the Houston Texans at The Coliseum on October 2, 2004 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Texans won 20-10. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty I
Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Score: 58.471

19. Troy Aikman

6 Sep 1998: Quarterback Troy Aikman #8 of the Dallas Cowboys in action during the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Texas Stadium in Irving, Texas. The Cowboys defeated the Cardinals 38-10. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Dunn /Allsport
Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Score: 58.676

18. Kurt Warner

GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 10: Quarterback Kurt Warner #13 of the Arizona Cardinals warms up prior to the 2010 NFC wild-card playoff game against the Green Bay Packers at University of Phoenix Stadium on January 10, 2010 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Jef
Jeff Gross/Getty Images

Score: 60.801

17. Joe Theismann

22 Jan 1984: Quarterback Joe Theismann of the Washington Redskins prepares to pass during Super Bowl XVIII against the Los Angeles Raiders at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The Raiders won the game, 38-9. Mandatory Credit: Allsport /Allsport
Getty Images/Getty Images

Score: 61.008

16. Jim Kelly

12 Nov 1995: Jim Kelly #12 of the Buffalo Bills gets ready to pass the ball during the game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. The Bills defeated the Falcons 23-17.
Rick Stewart/Getty Images

Score: 61.101

15. Ken Stabler

9 Dec 1979: Quarterback Ken Stabler of the Oakland Raiders prepares to pass the ball during a game against the Cleveland Browns at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California. The Raiders won the game 19-14. Mandatory Credit: Allsport /A
Getty Images/Getty Images

Score: 61.416

14. Bart Starr

Bart_starr_display_image

Score: 61.772

13. Fran Tarkenton

20040917_rvr_se1_036-fran-tarkenton_display_image

Score: 62.026

12. Dan Marino

Quarterback Dan Marino #13 of the Miami Dolphins in action during the game against the Buffalo Bills at the Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. The Bills defeated the Dolphins 30-24.
Rick Stewart/Getty Images

Score: 65.439

11. Donovan McNabb

PHILADELPHIA - DECEMBER 27: Donovan McNabb #5 of the Philadelphia Eagles throws a pass against the Denver Broncos on December 27, 2009 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Eagles defeated the Broncos 30-27. (Photo by Jim McIsaac
Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Score: 65.874

10. Ben Roethlisberger

PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 23: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers drops back against the New York Jets in the 2011 AFC Championship game at Heinz Field on January 23, 2011 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Steelers defeated the Jets 24 to 19.
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Score: 71.612

9. Terry Bradshaw

ATLANTA - NOVEMBER 1: Quarterback Terry Bradshaw #12 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks for an open man during the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Fulton County Stadium on November 1, 1981 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Steelers defeated the Falcons 34-20.
Scott Cunningham/Getty Images

Score: 72.664

8. Johnny Unitas

Johnny-unitas_display_image

Score: 76.071

7. Roger Staubach

1979: Quarterback Roger Staubach #12 of the Dallas Cowboys rolls out of the pocket during a Cowboys game in the 1979 season. Mandatory Credit: Allsport/ALLSPORT
Getty Images/Getty Images

Score: 81.474

6. Steve Young

4 Oct 1998: Quarterback Steve Young #8 of the San Francisco 49ers in action during the game against the Buffalo Bills at the Bills Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. The Bills defeated the 49ers 26-21. Mandatory Credit: Rick Stewart /Allsport
Rick Stewart/Getty Images

Score: 82.831

5. Brett Favre

GREEN BAY, WI - JANUARY 12: Quarterback Brett Favre #4 of the Green Bay Packers throws the ball in the fourth quarter against the Seattle Seahawks during the NFC divisional playoff game on January 12, 2008 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Phot
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Score: 83.973

4. John Elway

13 Dec 1998: Quarterback John Elway #7 of the Denver Broncos in action during the game against the New York Giants at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants defeated the Broncos 21-16.
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Score: 86.174

3. Peyton Manning

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JANUARY 08: Quarterback Peyton Manning #18 of the Indianapolis Colts looks to pass against the New York Jets during their 2011 AFC wild card playoff game at Lucas Oil Stadium on January 8, 2011 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Jets won 17
Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Score: 90.933

2. Joe Montana

SAN FRANCISCO - JANUARY 12: Quarterback Joe Montana #16 of the San Francisco 49ers runs with the ball as he looks down field for a receiver during the 1990 NFC Divisional Playoff game against the Washington Redskins at Candlestick Park on January 12, 199
George Rose/Getty Images

Score: 92.024

1. Tom Brady

FOXBORO, MA - JANUARY 16: Quarterback Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots throws a pass during their 2011 AFC divisional playoff game against the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium on January 16, 2011 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Al Bello/G
Al Bello/Getty Images

Score: 94.451

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