A debate that is never truly settled across the NFL landscape is who the 10 best quarterbacks in the history of the game are. It's a fun debate to have, and while there are a large handful that most of us can agree need to be on the list, the order is always debated.
With the 2026 NFL Offseason in a bit of a lull right now, it is the perfect time to try our hand at ranking the 10 best quarterbacks in the history of the NFL. When you make such a historical list like this, every part of a quarterback has to be considered: raw talent, statistics, overall accomplishments, and everything in between.
So, let's use that criteria to rank the 10 best quarterbacks in the history of the NFL.
Power-ranking the 10 best quarterbacks in the history of the NFL
10. Patrick Mahomes
Sure, you may argue recency bias, or whatever, but the talent cannot be disputed. Not only is Patrick Mahomes already one of the most accomplished quarterbacks of all-time, but he's displayed Hall of Fame talent as well.
The arm strength and talent are nearly perfect. He has elite off-schedule ability to create big-time plays, and his counting stats look marvelous as well. He's also only set to play in his age-31 season, but he's already a three-time Super Bowl champion and two-time MVP. He is the one player who could realistically catch Tom Brady, but his 30s would need to be even more successful than his 20s.
9. Brett Favre
Perhaps the poster boy for what it meant to be a gunslinger, Brett Favre comes in at No. 9 in our list. Primarily playing for the Green Bay Packers, Favre finished his Hall of Fame career with 11 Pro Bowls, three MVPs, a Super Bowl title, and much more.
He finished with just under 72,000 passing yards, a 186-112 regular season record, and 508 passing yards, but his 336 interceptions are the most in NFL history, which was the clear downside of his style of play.
8. Johnny Unitas
You simply have to have Johnny Unitas on this list. He kind of pioneered the quarterback play we see today, having taken the passing part of the job to a new level. Unitas finished with 188 regular season wins, leading the league in passing yards four time, and touchdown passes four times.
7. John Elway
John Elway may have been the first 'franchise quarterback' in NFL history. A two-time Super Bowl champion with the Denver Broncos, some still say that Elway's right arm was the most talented of all-time. Sure, Elway's counting stats weren't great, as he actually finished with a passer rating just below 80, but his talent and almost generational skill set have withstood the test of time, and I am not sure you can find a top-10 all-time quarterback list that does not have Elway on it.
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