The 32 Best Quarterbacks in the NFL
February 12, 2009
What makes a quarterback great? There are so many things: Statistical accomplishments. Winning—in the regular season and the postseason. Leadership, both on and off the field. The strength of the receiving corps. Intelligence.
This is my attempt to rank the 32 best quarterbacks in the National Football League—right now. Not in 2005. Not for what they did over their career. This is about right now. The NFL, probably more than any other sport, is a “What have you done for me lately?” type of league.
Quarterbacks with a “+” next to their name are on the rise. Guys like Tyler Thigpen, who played much better than most people realized with a pretty pathetic offense around him, will have a “+.” There are also those guys with a “-.” These are the guys with something to prove to me. The 33-year-old quarterbacks coming off multiple injuries. Can they still bring the heat? Are they still in the NFL because of their successful past or because of their actual talent?
So, this list won’t include all 32 starting quarterbacks in the NFL. Buffalo doesn’t have a quarterback on this list. Neither does Detroit (shocking, isn’t it?). However, some teams have two quarterbacks. New England has two quarterbacks, as does Seattle.
Right from the very start to the very end, this list is debatable. Very debatable. But here you go.
32. JaMarcus Russell, Oakland Raiders
Is the former No. 1 draft pick a flop? No, not yet. Not even close. But Russell hasn’t been living up to the expectations people had of him. He threw for 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions during the 2008 season, ranking 26th in the NFL with a 77.1 passer rating. He also fumbled 12 times and failed to help the Raiders improve on a now-NFL record six straight seasons with 11 losses.
31. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens +
Diet Pepsi’s winner for NFL Rookie of the Year, Flacco can best be defined as a “caretaker” quarterback. He plays the game and usually makes the necessary big play or two for the defense to win the game. He led the Ravens into the postseason with an 11-5 record and became the first rookie quarterback to win two playoff games.
Flacco completed 60 percent of his passes and threw for almost 3,000 yards during the season. However, he also threw just 14 touchdown passes, fumbled 12 times, and ranked near the bottom of the league in passer rating. He also played extremely poorly in the postseason, completing 44 percent of his passes with a 50.8 quarterback rating.
30. Jake Delhomme, Carolina Panthers -
Delhomme had an up-and-down season in 2008. All things considered, he gets a passing grade for leading the Panthers to a 12-4 record and their first playoff appearance since 2005. He threw 15 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions and ranked 18th in the NFL in passer rating. He led the NFL with 13.4 yards per completion. However, he self-destructed in the postseason, throwing five interceptions and losing a fumble in a home loss to the eventual NFC-champion Arizona Cardinals.
29. Marc Bulger, St. Louis Rams -
Bulger’s last two seasons have been garbage. Total garbage. In 27 starts, he has exactly four wins. He has thrown for 22 touchdowns and 28 interceptions with a passer rating of 70.8. Bulger was a top eight or top-10 quarterback just a few seasons ago, but has done absolutely nothing since 2006.
28. Kerry Collins, Tennessee Titans
Kerry Collins made the Pro Bowl. I still think he’s a below-average quarterback. He led the Titans to a 13-3 record and home-field advantage in the postseason before—as many people expected of him—struggling against the mighty Baltimore Ravens in the divisional playoffs. Collins threw for only 12 touchdowns and averaged just 160 passing yards per game. He did rank fifth in the NFL in lowest interception percentage and he set a record with a 12-year gap between a player’s first and second Pro Bowl appearances.
27. Kyle Orton, Chicago Bears
Well, he’s better than Rex Grossman. Then again, so am I. Orton did almost lead the Bears into the playoffs, despite ranking 25th in the NFL with a 79.6 passer rating. He tossed 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 15 games of play. Orton is a decent quarterback, but could use a playmaker to expose his talent. What’s the difference between him and a guy like Joe Flacco or Kerry Collins? Nothing, really.
26. Shaun Hill, San Francisco 49ers +
Hill is a productive quarterback with a bright future. He won five of eight games in 2008—including the final two in the fourth quarter—and is the first 49ers quarterback since Steve Young with a winning record. Hill threw 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions, with an 87.2 passer rating. He has a bright future for the 49ers, although he will already be 29 years old next season.
25. Tarvaris Jackson, Minnesota Vikings +
Jackson played well in limited action, throwing for nine touchdowns and just two interceptions. He led the Vikings to the postseason before throwing an interception that was returned for a touchdown in a home loss to the Eagles. With a 95.4 passer rating, Jackson will be the Vikings’ starter next season.
24. David Garrard, Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars did nothing in 2008, but Garrard actually had a decent season. He ranked in the top 10 in the league in completions (335), attempts (535), and yards (3,620). A lot of his troubles came from an offensive line that allowed Garrard to be sacked for the most lost yards (288) of any quarterback in the NFL. Despite a career-high 13 interceptions, Garrard ranks as the second-least intercepted quarterback in NFL history (tied with Donovan McNabb) and looks to rebound from a disappointing season.
23. Derek Anderson, Cleveland Browns
Derek Anderson lost out to Charlie Frye for the starting job before the start of the 2007 season thanks to a coin toss—yes, a coin toss. After Frye was ineffective in the first quarter of Week 1, Anderson took over. He proceeded to throw for 29 touchdowns and 3,787 yards. He led the Browns to a 10-6 record, just missing the playoffs.
However, he was largely ineffective throughout the 2008 season, throwing for five touchdowns and eight interceptions in limited action. He will have to compete with Brady Quinn for the starting job in the 2009 season.
22. Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle Seahawks -
Just a few years ago, Hasselbeck was the best quarterback in the NFC. Maybe even in 2007. Now his future in football is in jeopardy. He was injured throughout most of the 2008 season, and threw for just five touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His passer rating (57.8) was worse than the NFL average for completion percentage.
However, he not only suffered from a bulging disk in his back that started during the preseason, but he also hurt his knee in the season opener, and even suffered minor brain damage after a helmet-to-helmet hit against the Arizona Cardinals. Hasselbeck may never play in the NFL again.
21. Matt Schaub, Houston Texans +
Schaub played much better than many people realized in the 2008 season. Despite playing in only 11 games, he tossed 15 touchdowns and threw for 3,043 yards. He ranked second in yards per passing attempt (8.0) and seventh in passer rating (92.7). He also completed 66 percent of his passes while helping the Houston Texans post back-to-back non-losing seasons for the first time in team history.
20. Tyler Thigpen, Kansas City Chiefs +
Everything considered, Thigpen played well for the Chiefs in 2008. Originally a third-string quarterback, Thigpen was unexpectedly thrust into action following injuries to Damon Huard and Brodie Croyle. Thigpen tossed 18 touchdowns against only 12 interceptions. He threw for over 2,600 yards, although his quarterback rating was only 76.0. Thigpen set a single-season franchise record for quarterbacks with 386 rushing yards (6.2 yards per carry, three touchdowns) and will be the starting quarterback for the Chiefs next season.
19. Jeff Garcia, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Garcia is one of the more underrated quarterbacks in the NFL. Despite being 38 years old, he completes his passes, doesn’t throw interceptions, and even makes plays with his feet. The Buccaneers almost made the postseason, until a late-season record-setting collapse. Garcia tossed 12 touchdowns and had only six interceptions, ranking fourth in the NFL in lowest-interception percentage. Garcia ranked ninth in passer rating (90.2) and completion percentage (64.2). He came within one win (or tie) of leading his third team to the postseason.
18. Jason Campbell, Washington Redskins +
I bet you didn’t know that Jason Campbell is the least intercepted quarterback in the history of the NFL. He doesn’t have enough attempts to officially qualify, but Campbell is intercepted just one out of every 50 pass attempts. His 1.2 percent interception percentage led the NFL in 2008 and is the fourth-lowest total of all time.
However, 13 touchdown passes in over 500 attempts is ridiculous, and is the reason his quarterback rating (84.8) ranked only 19th in the NFL. Campbell is a slightly above-average quarterback, and easily could have quarterbacked teams like the Ravens or the Titans into the postseason.
17. Seneca Wallace, Seattle Seahawks +
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