NFL Quarterback Rating Calculator
Calculate a QB’s official passer rating using the NFL formula with completions, attempts, yards, touchdowns, and interceptions.
Quarterback Rating Results
How to Calculate Quarterback Rating: The Complete Guide
The quarterback rating (officially called the “passer rating”) is the standard measure of passing performance in the National Football League (NFL). This comprehensive guide explains exactly how the rating is calculated, its components, historical context, and how to interpret the results.
The NFL Quarterback Rating Formula
The official NFL passer rating formula uses four key statistics:
- Completion Percentage (CMP%) – (Completions ÷ Attempts) × 100
- Yards per Attempt (Y/A) – Passing Yards ÷ Attempts
- Touchdown Percentage (TD%) – (Touchdowns ÷ Attempts) × 100
- Interception Percentage (INT%) – (Interceptions ÷ Attempts) × 100
The formula then applies specific calculations to each component:
| Component | Calculation | Maximum Value | Minimum Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Completion Percentage | (CMP% – 30) × 0.05 | 2.375 | 0 |
| Yards per Attempt | (Y/A – 3) × 0.25 | 2.375 | 0 |
| Touchdown Percentage | (TD% × 0.2) | 2.375 | 0 |
| Interception Percentage | 2.375 – (INT% × 0.25) | 2.375 | 0 |
The final rating is calculated by:
- Summing all four components
- Dividing by 6
- Multiplying by 100
The maximum possible rating is 158.3 (perfect game). The formula ensures that:
- 77.5% completion rate = maximum value
- 12.5 yards per attempt = maximum value
- 11.875% touchdown rate = maximum value
- 0% interception rate = maximum value
Historical Context and Evolution
The passer rating system was developed by the NFL in 1973 to provide a standardized way to evaluate quarterback performance. Before this, various media outlets used their own proprietary formulas, leading to inconsistent comparisons.
Key milestones in QB rating history:
- 1973 – NFL officially adopts the passer rating formula
- 1980s – Rating becomes widely used in media coverage
- 2000s – Advanced metrics emerge but rating remains standard
- 2011 – Aaron Rodgers sets single-season record (122.5)
- 2020 – Patrick Mahomes becomes first QB with 50+ TDs and 5000+ yards in same season (113.8 rating)
How to Interpret Quarterback Ratings
| Rating Range | Classification | Example QBs (Career) |
|---|---|---|
| 100.0+ | Elite | Patrick Mahomes (103.6), Aaron Rodgers (103.6), Peyton Manning (96.5) |
| 90.0-99.9 | Pro Bowl Caliber | Russell Wilson (98.8), Deshaun Watson (94.5), Matt Ryan (94.2) |
| 80.0-89.9 | Above Average | Matthew Stafford (89.9), Kirk Cousins (90.5), Ryan Tannehill (88.6) |
| 70.0-79.9 | Average Starter | Derek Carr (90.1), Andy Dalton (87.5), Joe Flacco (84.3) |
| Below 70.0 | Below Average | Early-career QBs, backups, or struggling starters |
Important context for interpreting ratings:
- Era adjustments – Modern QBs benefit from rule changes favoring passing
- System differences – West Coast offenses typically produce higher ratings
- Sample size – Single-game ratings are less meaningful than season-long
- Supporting cast – Great receivers and offensive lines inflate ratings
- Game situations – Garbage-time stats can artificially boost ratings
Limitations of the Passer Rating System
While the quarterback rating is the official NFL metric, it has several well-documented limitations:
- Ignores rushing contribution – Mobile QBs like Lamar Jackson get undervalued
- No account for sacks – Doesn’t penalize QBs for negative plays
- Yards overvalued – A 99-yard TD counts the same as a 1-yard TD
- No game context – Treats all attempts equally regardless of situation
- Arbitrary scaling – The 158.3 maximum is mathematically forced
- No defense adjustment – Playing against weak pass defenses isn’t factored
These limitations led to the development of advanced metrics like:
- ESPN’s Total QBR (includes rushing, sacks, penalties)
- Football Outsiders’ DVOA (defense-adjusted)
- Pro Football Focus’ grading system (play-by-play analysis)
- Expected Points Added (EPA) per play
Famous Quarterback Rating Records
Some notable passer rating records in NFL history:
- Single Game (Perfect 158.3) – Achieved by 70+ QBs, most recently by Justin Herbert (2021) and Tua Tagovailoa (2022)
- Single Season – 122.5 by Aaron Rodgers (2011)
- Career (Min. 1,500 attempts) – 103.6 by Aaron Rodgers
- Rookie Season – 104.9 by Dak Prescott (2016)
- Super Bowl – 147.9 by Phil Simms (XXI) – perfect in Super Bowl XXV
- Playoff Game – 158.3 by Nick Foles (2018 NFC Championship)
The perfect game requirements (158.3 rating):
- 77.5%+ completion percentage
- 12.5+ yards per attempt
- 11.875%+ touchdown rate
- 0% interception rate
- Minimum 10 pass attempts
How Quarterback Rating Affects Contracts
Passer rating has become a key metric in NFL contract negotiations. Teams frequently use rating thresholds in contract incentives:
- Elite QBs (100+ rating) – Command $40M+ per year (Mahomes, Allen, Burrow)
- Franchise QBs (90-99 rating) – Typically earn $30M-$40M annually
- Solid Starters (80-89 rating) – Usually in $20M-$30M range
- Bridge QBs (70-79 rating) – Often on short-term deals ($10M-$20M)
Recent examples of rating-based contracts:
- Jalen Hurts (101.5 rating in 2022) – 5 years, $255M ($51M/year)
- Joe Burrow (100.8 rating in 2022) – 5 years, $275M ($55M/year)
- Trevor Lawrence (88.5 rating in 2023) – 5 years, $275M extension
- Derek Carr (90.1 career rating) – 4 years, $150M with Raiders (later traded)
Calculating Quarterback Rating Manually
For those who want to calculate the rating without our tool, here’s the step-by-step process:
- Gather the raw stats:
- Completions (C)
- Attempts (A)
- Passing Yards (Y)
- Touchdown Passes (T)
- Interceptions (I)
- Calculate the four components:
- Completion Component = ((C/A) – 0.3) × 5
- Yardage Component = ((Y/A) – 3) × 0.25
- Touchdown Component = (T/A) × 20
- Interception Component = 2.375 – ((I/A) × 25)
- Handle edge cases:
- If any component > 2.375, set to 2.375
- If any component < 0, set to 0
- Sum the components and divide by 6
- Multiply by 100 to get the final rating
Example calculation for a QB with:
- 25 completions
- 35 attempts
- 300 yards
- 3 touchdowns
- 1 interception
- Completion Component = ((25/35) – 0.3) × 5 = 1.7857
- Yardage Component = ((300/35) – 3) × 0.25 = 1.2857
- Touchdown Component = (3/35) × 20 = 1.7143
- Interception Component = 2.375 – ((1/35) × 25) = 1.8929
- Sum = 1.7857 + 1.2857 + 1.7143 + 1.8929 = 6.6786
- Divide by 6 = 1.1131
- Multiply by 100 = 111.31 rating
Quarterback Rating in College Football
College football uses a different passer rating formula that produces higher numbers. The NCAA formula is:
Rating = (8.4 × Yards) + (330 × TDs) + (100 × Completions) – (200 × Interceptions) ÷ Attempts
Key differences from NFL rating:
- No artificial maximum (can exceed 200)
- More weight on yards and touchdowns
- Less emphasis on completion percentage
- Typical college ratings range from 120-180 for good QBs
Notable college rating records:
- Single Season – 203.8 by Tua Tagovailoa (2018)
- Career – 199.4 by Tua Tagovailoa (2017-2019)
- Single Game (Min. 20 att) – 475.3 by Sam Bradford (2007)
The Future of Quarterback Evaluation
The NFL is increasingly moving toward more sophisticated metrics that address the limitations of passer rating:
- Next Gen Stats – Uses player tracking data to evaluate:
- Throw velocity
- Receiver separation
- Expected completion percentage
- Aggressiveness (tight-window throws)
- Computer Vision – AI analysis of:
- Pocket movement
- Pre-snap reads
- Throw accuracy by route type
- Decision-making speed
- Situational Metrics – Contextual evaluation of:
- 3rd down performance
- Red zone efficiency
- Blitz response
- Clutch performance (4th quarter)
While the traditional passer rating will likely remain for historical continuity, these advanced metrics are becoming increasingly important in:
- Draft evaluation
- Contract negotiations
- Game planning
- Coaching decisions