Ranking NFL Quarterbacks by Decade: Mahomes, Allen Lead 2020s So Far

No position in sports has changed more over the years than quarterback. A century ago, quarterbacks made their living by running and kicking, essentially doing anything other than throwing the ball. Today's quarterbacks have made 4,000 passing yards -- a total that was basically unfathomable during the league's first 50 years -- a routine feat.

We're living in the most prolific era when it comes to passing quarterbacks. But that doesn't mean that there weren't great quarterbacks in previous eras. In fact, many of today's advancements in the passing game were inspired by quarterbacks who helped revolutionize the position. Along with advancing the position, those quarterbacks also served as inspiration for some of today's elite passers. Just ask Tom Brady, who was in the stands when Joe Montana jumpstarted the 49ers' dynasty with one of the greatest plays in NFL history (more on that later).

Before the 2026 season kicks off, we decided to take a look at the best quarterbacks from each decade. We kick things off by taking a look at the current decade, one that already has had some great performances from the quarterback position.

Here's a quick rundown of the criteria used when coming up with the rankings.

- Individual stats and awards - Impact on the position and pro football - Team success - Inclusion on respective all-decade team

1920s

Best QB:  Jimmy Conzelman Runner-up:  John "Paddy" Driscoll

A Hall of Fame coach, Conzelman began his coaching career when he was still playing. A two-time All-Pro, Conzelman played and coached the Providence Steam Roller to a league title in 1928. While an injury ended his playing career in 1929, Conzelman continued to coach through the 1948 season, winning an NFL title as the Cardinals coach in 1947.

A fellow player/coach, Driscoll was also a Hall of Fame player who earned six All-Pro nods as a member of the Cardinals. He led the NFL in scoring in 1925 while leading the Cardinals to an NFL title. Driscoll famously punted the ball away from Red Grange during Grange's NFL debut in front of a near sellout Wrigley Field crowd on Thanksgiving Day in 1925.

1930s

Best QB:  Dutch Clark  Runner-up:  Arnie Herber  Honorable mention:  Cecil Isbell

The last great quarterback who did nearly all of his damage with his legs, Clark led the Lions to an NFL title in 1935. A six-time All-Pro, Clark led the NFL in scoring on three occasions. He was the main cog in an offense that churned out 2,885 rushing yards in 1936, a record that stood for nearly 40 years.

A two-time NFL champion as the Packers' starting quarterback, Herber led the NFL in passing yards and touchdown passes on three occasions. After serving in World War II, Herbert led the Giants to an NFL title game appearance. Herbert was known for his penchant for deep passes, an aspect of the game that was mostly foreign at the time.

Isbell packed a lot into a short career. In five seasons, he earned four Pro Bowl selections while leading the Packers to an NFL title in 1939. Known more for his versatility during his first three seasons, Isbell blossomed into a prolific passer during his final two seasons, leading the NFL in passing yards and passing touchdowns in consecutive years. Isbell is the first NFL quarterback to throw for over 2,000 yards in a season.

1940s

Best QB:  Sammy Baugh Runner-up:  Sid Luckman Honorable mention:  Bob Waterfield

A passing pioneer, Baugh is regarded as the first quarterback to pile up significant yards through the air. Baugh led the NFL in completion percentage eight times that included a 70.3% completion rate in 1945. Baugh led Washington to NFL titles in 1937 and in 1940. His 335 yards in Washington's win over Chicago in the '37 title game served as the rookie postseason single game record for 75 years until it was broken by Russell Wilson.

Luckman won three titles with the Bears that included Chicago's 73-0 blowout win over Baugh's Washington team in the 1940 NFL title game. The league's MVP in 1943, Luckman led the NFL in passing yards while also throwing 28 touchdowns, a seemingly unfathomable total for that time. Waterfield helped the Rams win NFL titles in 1945 and in 1951. His two touchdown passes in the '45 title game lifted Los Angeles to a 15-14 win over Washington.

1950s

Best QB:  Otto Graham Runner-up:  Bobby Layne  Honorable mention:  Norm Van Brocklin

Graham's career is truly one of a kind. During his decade as the  Browns ' starting quarterback, Graham played for a championship each season. He won seven championships that included NFL titles in 1950, '54 and '55. In his final game, Graham threw two touchdowns and ran for two more in the Browns' 38-14 win over the Rams in the '55 title game. A three-time NFL MVP, Graham led his respective league in passing and completion percentage five times and touchdown passes on three occasions.

The hard-charging Layne led the  Lions  to back-to-back NFL titles in 1952-53. He threw the game-winning score in Detroit's 17-16 win over the Browns in the '53 NFL title game. The following season, when the Lions' dreams of a three-peat came crashing down against the Browns in the '54 title game, Layne famously declared that he  "slept too much"  on the eve of the game. Layne was later traded to Pittsburgh, where he enjoyed considerable success that included Pro Bowl nods in 1958 and '59.

Van Brocklin won championships with both the Rams and  Eagles , winning a title with Philadelphia during his final season. His final touchdown pass, a 35-yard strike to Hall of Fame receiver Tommy McDonald, helped the Eagles edge Vince Lombardi's Packers in the 1960 NFL title game. Van Brocklin's 554 passing yards against the New York Yanks in 1951 is still the single-game NFL record.

1960s

Best QB:  Johnny Unitas  Runner-up:  Bart Starr  Honorable mention:  Joe Namath

The '60s is unique in that there were two competing leagues in the NFL and the AFL, which began play in 1960. The AFL quickly established itself as a pass-happy, wide-open league that featured some of the era's best quarterbacks. Among the AFL's star quarterbacks were Namath, Kansas City's Len Dawson, Oakland's Daryle Lamonica and Buffalo's Jack Kemp. The AFL's top-two quarterbacks, Namath and Dawson, led their AFL teams to historic Super Bowl upset wins prior to the league merger in 1970. Namath also helped revolutionize the position as pro football's first 4,000-yard passer.

While Namath and his AFL peers drew most of the headlines, the NFL had some great quarterbacks, too. Sonny Jurgensen won five passing titles during the decade while throwing for over 400 yards five times while having two five-touchdown performances. Don Meredith brought professionalism to the position during the first decade of Cowboys football. Y.A. Tittle, one of the league's top passers during the 1950s, enjoyed a late-career resurgence with the Giants in the early '60s that included a league MVP season in 1963. The  Rams  enjoyed stellar QB play from Roman Gabriel, who won 32 games as L.A.'s starter from 1967-69.

Despite competition from the AFL, the two best quarterbacks from this era hailed from the NFL. Considered the greatest quarterback during the season's first half-century, Unitas earned 11 consecutive Pro Bowl nods. A two-time league MVP during the '60s, Unitas' record of 47 consecutive games with a touchdown pass stood for 52 years. In a changing-of-the-guard moment, Unitas and Namath embraced on the field after Unitas' comeback efforts fell short in Super Bowl III.

If Unitas was that era's  Peyton Manning , Starr was the  Tom Brady  of the 1960s. Never flashy but incredibly efficient, Starr led the NFL in completion percentage three times. He won five championships in Green Bay, was the MVP of the first two Super Bowls and remains the most recent quarterback to win three consecutive championships. Starr also authored one of the most famous drives in NFL history. Facing frigid temperatures and the Cowboys' defense, Starr led a game-winning drive in the 1967 NFL Championship that was capped off by his touchdown run in the final seconds.

1970s

Best QB:  Terry Bradshaw Runner-up:  Roger Staubach Honorable mention:  Ken Stabler

Cowboys  fans will certainly disagree with this pick. Staubach, after all, was an All-Decade performer who in 2019 was part of the NFL 100 All-Time Team. He also made two more Pro Bowls than Bradshaw, who threw nearly as many interceptions as touchdown passes during his career.

So why was Bradshaw picked over Staubach? Bradshaw's four Super Bowl wins to Staubach's two doesn't hurt, as well as the fact that Bradshaw was 2-0 over Staubach's teams in Super Bowls. Bradshaw was named MVP following Pittsburgh's second win over Staubach's Cowboys, a 35-31 win in Super Bowl XIII. That year, Bradshaw was also named league MVP, an honor that eluded Staubach during his decorated career.

Staubach was a clutch performer (he's responsible for the first Hail Mary in league history), but Bradshaw was better on the game's biggest stage. During their first Super Bowl matchup, a mistake by Staubach and a brilliant throw by Bradshaw was the difference in the  Steelers ' 21-17 win. With his team trailing 12-10 in the fourth quarter, Staubach threw a costly interception that set up a field goal. Moments later, Bradshaw, with the Cowboys' pass rush bearing down on him, stood tall before firing a perfect pass to Lynn Swann that covered 61 yards while giving Pittsburgh an 11-point lead.

Further adding to Bradshaw's argument is that fact that he called his own plays and was the play-caller in each of the Steelers' four Super Bowl wins. Stabler, who should be in any conversation of the best quarterbacks of the 1970s, also called his own plays while leading the  Raiders  to the franchise's first Super Bowl win, a 32-14 thumping of the  Vikings  in Super Bowl XI. Fran Tarkenton, the QB the Raiders defeated that day, retired after the 1978 season as the NFL's all-time leading passer, a record he held until Dan Marino passed him in 1995. Scrambling Fran led the Vikings to three Super Bowl appearances during the '70s.

1980s

Best QB:  Montana  Runner-up:  Dan Marino Honorable mention: John Elway

Often lost in the story of "Joe Cool" was his ability to overcome adversity. He won just three games during his first two seasons before leading the  49ers  to the franchise's first title in 1981. That championship run included Montana's iconic touchdown pass to Dwight Clark in San Francisco's NFC title game win over the Cowboys.

Questionable officiating cost the 49ers a chance at getting back to the Super Bowl in 1983. The 49ers responded by going 15-1 in 1984 before dismantling the  Giants  and  Bears  in the playoffs. In Super Bowl XIX, Montana outplayed his counterpart, Marino, the NFL's MVP that season after throwing for then-league records 5,084 yards and 48 touchdowns. In what could be considered his magnum opus, Montana riddled the  Dolphins  to the tune of 331 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 59 yards in San Francisco's 38-16 win.

In 1986, Montana's career was in serious jeopardy after he suffered a severe back injury in Week 1. Montana would not only play again, he would return to the field  that season  while going 6-2 as a starter and winning Comeback Player of the Year. But Montana would face another hurdle a year later, when he was benched during the 49ers' upset playoff loss to the Vikings. He would spend most of the '88 season in a position battle with Steve Young. The situation threatened to derail the 49ers, who were 6-5 following an embarrassing loss to the Raiders.

It was at that point when Bill Walsh finally gave the keys the offense back to Montana on a full-time basis. Montana responded by leading the 49ers to another Super Bowl, where he threw the game-winning touchdown pass in the game's final minute against the  Bengals . Montana capped off the '80s by throwing a then-Super Bowl record five touc

_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/ranking-greatest-nfl-quarterbacks-by-decade/)._