30 NFL QBs Who Were Better Than People Thought They Were

By Brad Berreman

30 NFL QBs Who Were Better Than You Thought

Vinny Testaverde Jets — Quarterback has always been the most important position on a football field, perhaps now more than ever at the NFL level with the tilt toward the passing game.

With hindsight as the guide, here are 30 NFL quarterbacks that were better than people thought they were.

30. Jake Plummer

Jake Plummer Broncos

30. Jake Plummer

Jake Plummer Broncos — After being replaced by Jay Cutler in 2006, Plummer's NFL career ended. But some good moments with the Arizona Cardinals and Denver Broncos should not be disregarded.

29. Jay Schroeder

Jay Schroeder Raiders

29. Jay Schroeder

Jay Schroeder Raiders — Schroeder had a 24-7 record as a starter with the Washington Redskins from 1985-1987, and he led the then-Los Angeles Raiders to a division title and the AFC Championship Game in 1990. Schroeder was a noted downfield passer (7.1 yards per attempt for his career), which surely drew Al Davis to him as a quintessential Raiders' quarterback.

28. Erik Kramer

Erik Kramer Bears

28. Erik Kramer

Erik Kramer Bears — Kramer owns the Chicago Bears' single season passing yardage and passing touchdown records, with 3,838 yards and 29 touchdowns in 1995. A musical chairs quarterback situation with the Detroit Lions prior to that leads to Kramer being overlooked, though recent news about a suicide attempt has brought attention for the worst reason.

27. Jake Delhomme

Jake Delhomme Panthers

27. Jake Delhomme

Jake Delhomme Panthers — Delhomme's career ended on a down note with the Cleveland Browns, but he led the Carolina Panthers to a Super Bowl with a 53-37 regular season record as a starter there.

26. Matt Hasselbeck

Matt Hasselbeck Colts

26. Matt Hasselbeck

Matt Hasselbeck Colts — "The Bald Bomber" is still active as the No.2 quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts, at 40 years old. His run as the starter for the Seattle Seahawks is probably remembered best for his "we want the ball, and we're gonna score" declaration prior to throwing a game-ending pick-six in a playoff game, but leading Seattle to Super Bowl XL was a noteworthy career accomplishment that can't be overlooked.

25. Steve Deberg

Steve Deberg Chiefs

25. Steve Deberg

Steve Deberg Chiefs — Deberg is surely most remembered for backing up Joe Montana and John Elway early in his career. But he became a productive starter for the Kansas City Chiefs in his mid-30's, and after a hiatus he served as a backup with the Atlanta Falcons in 1998 at age-44.

24. Jim Harbaugh

Jim Harbaugh Michigan

24. Jim Harbaugh

Jim Harbaugh Michigan — Harbaugh's current status as a head coach makes it easy to forget he played 14 NFL seasons (1987-2000). Of particular note is 21 wins as a starter for the Chicago Bears over the 1990 and 1991 seasons, as well as his leading the Indianapolis Colts to the 1996 AFC Championship Game.

23. Chris Chandler

Chris Chandler Falcons

23. Chris Chandler

Chris Chandler Falcons — Chandler had a well-earned reputation as being injury prone, with an appropriate nickname ("Christal Chandelier") to boot. But he earned two Pro Bowl selections during his time with the Atlanta Falcons, which included the 1998 season that ended with a berth in Super Bowl XXXIII.

22. Chad Pennington

Chad Pennington Jets

22. Chad Pennington

Chad Pennington Jets — Pennington was not the most physically gifted quarterback, but he did lead the New York Jets to a few playoff appearances and his career completion percentage (66 percent) is second all-time behind Drew Brees.

21. Marc Bulger

Marc Bulger Rams

21. Marc Bulger

Marc Bulger Rams — The perception of Bulger was hurt by following Kurt Warner as the St. Louis Rams' starting quarterback. But three seasons (2003, 2004 and 2006) with over 3,800 passing yards showed he was a worthy successor when healthy.

20. Jim McMahon

Jim McMahon Bears

20. Jim McMahon

Jim McMahon Bears — McMahon's brash attitude, and lack of durability, obscures that he was simply a winner (67-30 regular season record as a starter).

19. Mark Brunell

Mark Brunell Jaguars

19. Mark Brunell

Mark Brunell Jaguars — Brunell led the Jacksonville Jaguars to the 1997 AFC Championship Game, and he earned all three of his career Pro Bowl selections over his nine seasons with the team. Hanging on as a backup into his early 40's makes it seem like a long time ago that Brunell was good, but his run with a franchise that has not experienced similar success since has to be noted.

18. Kerry Collins

Kerry Collins Giants

18. Kerry Collins

Kerry Collins Giants — Collins started two NFC Championship Games, with two different teams (Carolina Panthers and New York Giants), and his 40,922 career passing yards is currently 13th all-time.

17. Ken Anderson

Ken Anderson Bengals

17. Ken Anderson

Ken Anderson Bengals — Anderson led the league in passing yards twice (1974 and 1975), and he led the league in completion percentage at age-33 (70.7 percent, 1982) and age-34 (66.7 percent, 1983).

16. Steve Bartkowski

Steve Bartkowski Falcons

17. Steve Bartkowski

Steve Bartkowski Falcons — A losing record (55-66) over 11 seasons as a starter with the Atlanta Falcons (1975-1985) diminishes Bartkowski a bit. But four straight seasons (1982-1985) with a completion percentage over 62 percent would have a place in today's NFL, and the No. 1 overall pick in the 1975 draft does not often come to mind when thinking of the top signal callers of the 1980's.

15. Phil Simms

Phil Simms Giants

15. Phil Simms

Phil Simms Giants — An injury prevented Simms from starting and winning two Super Bowls. But his MVP performance in Super Bowl XXI (22-for-25, 268 yards and three touchdowns) stands up historically, and those that only know Simms from his current work as an analyst for CBS probably overlook his playing career.

14. Ken O'Brien-

Ken O'Brien Jets

14. Ken O'Brien

Ken O'Brien Jets — O'Brien is the overlooked member of the noted quarterback draft class of 1983. But he finished top-10 in the NFL in passing yards four times in nine seasons with the New York Jets, and he regularly played his best against the Miami Dolphins and fellow draft classmate Dan Marino.

13. Jim Everett

Jim Everett Rams

13. Jim Everett

Jim Everett Rams — Everett had a good run with the Los Angeles Rams in the late 80's, and he was a productive quarterback with the New Orleans Saints in 1994 and 1995. If Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49ers had not been so good over the same stretch when he was with the Rams, Everett would be remembered as a better quarterback.

12. Archie Manning

Archie Manning

12. Archie Manning

Archie Manning — Current fans know of Manning mostly because of his two sons Peyton and Eli. But he was one of the original running quarterbacks during his time with the New Orleans Saints (1971-1982), and the team's dismal record obscures his legacy as a NFL signal caller.

11. Dave Krieg

Dave Krieg Seahawks

11. Dave Krieg

Dave Krieg Seahawks — Krieg is one of the most sacked quarterbacks in NFL history (494 times, third-most). But his longevity has him in the top-20 all-time in passing yards, pass completions, pass attempts and passing touchdowns.

10. Bernie Kosar

Bernie Kosar Browns

10. Bernie Kosar

Bernie Kosar Browns — Back-to-back AFC Championship heartbreaks stand out as benchmarks of Kosar's career. But he was productive and efficient during his prime with the Cleveland Browns, and among the best quarterbacks of his era Kosar often falls by the wayside.

9. Daunte Culpepper

Daunte Culpepper Vikings

9. Daunte Culpepper

Daunte Culpepper Vikings — A significant knee injury in 2005 derailed Culpepper's career, which makes it easy to forget his near-MVP 2004 campaign (4,717 passing yards, 39 touchdown passes).

8. Tommy Kramer

Tommy Kramer Vikings

8. Tommy Kramer

Tommy Kramer Vikings — Kramer was anointed as Fran Tarkenton's successor, and he never met that expectation due in part to injuries and off-field issues. But Kramer did have some productive seasons, including a 3,900-yard campaign in 1981.

7. Bobby Hebert

Bobby Hebert Saints

7. Bobby Hebert

Bobby Hebert Saints — Hebert only played all 16 games twice in 11 seasons, but he led the New Orleans Saints to three playoff appearances from 1987-1992 and a non-playoff 10-win campaign in 1988. In his final season, with the Atlanta Falcons in 1996 at age-36, Hebert finished eight in the league in passing yards (3,152).

6. Jeff George

Jeff George Raiders

6. Jeff George

Jeff George raiders — George clearly could not handle the expectations attached to being the No. 1 overall pick in 1990, and conflicts with coaches and teammates marked his career. But he did have some productive seasons when he managed to keep his head on relatively straight, including 1997 when he led the league with 3,917 passing yards for the Oakland Raiders.

5. Brad Johnson

Brad Johnson Buccaneers

5. Brad Johnson

Brad Johnson Buccaneers — Johnson was the quarterback that always seemed replaceable, but he made 125 regular starts in his career (72-53 record) and won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. More cerebral and savvy than especially talented, Johnson belongs on this list.

4. Ken Stabler

Ken Stabler Raiders

4. Ken Stabler

Ken Stabler Raiders — Stabler's recent death has put a spotlight on the fact he is not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. "The Snake" was ahead of his time from an accuracy standpoint, with completion percentages of 62.7 (1973) and 66.7 (1976) in an era that was not so offense-friendly.

3. Neil Lomax

Neil Lomax Cardinals

3. Neil Lomax

Neil Lomax Cardinals — Lomax's career ended after the 1988 season, due to a hip injury that eventually required surgery. But he led the NFL in passing yards (3,387), attempts and completions during the strike-shortened 1987 season, and a big 1984 season (4,614 yards, 61.6 percent completion percentage) stands out even among what current NFL quarterbacks are doing.

2. Jim Plunkett

Jim Plunkett Raiders

2. Jim Plunkett

Jim Plunkett Raiders — Plunkett never quite lived up to his status as the No. 1 overall pick in 1971. But the second act of his career, which included two Super Bowl wins with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, is notable and often overlooked.

1. Vinny Testaverde

Vinny Testaverde Panthers

1. Vinny Testaverde

Vinny Testaverde Panthers — Testaverde overcame early ineptitude to put together a long career, including six starts for the Carolina Panthers during the 2007 season when he turned 44 years old. He is currently ninth all-time in passing yards (46,233) and 11th in passing touchdowns (275).

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