NFL Passer Rating Calculator
Passer Rating
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Performance Grade
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How the NFL Passer Rating Works
The NFL passer rating is the official statistical measure used to evaluate quarterback passing efficiency, calculated from four components: completion percentage, yards per attempt, touchdown percentage, and interception percentage. The formula was adopted by the National Football League in 1973, designed by Don Smith of the Pro Football Hall of Fame to provide a single number summarizing passing performance. The maximum possible rating is 158.3 and the minimum is 0.
While the passer rating remains the NFL's official metric, it has well-known limitations: it does not account for sacks (which are credited to the offensive line, not the quarterback), rushing ability, dropped passes by receivers, or game situation. Alternative metrics like ESPN's QBR and Expected Points Added (EPA) attempt to provide more context. Despite these limitations, passer rating remains the most widely cited QB statistic in broadcasts, contract negotiations, and Hall of Fame discussions. Use our baseball ERA calculator for another sport's core statistical measure.
The NFL Passer Rating Formula
The passer rating formula calculates four separate components, caps each between 0 and 2.375, sums them, divides by 6, and multiplies by 100:
- Component A (Completion %): ((COMP / ATT) - 0.3) x 5
- Component B (Yards/Attempt): ((YDS / ATT) - 3) x 0.25
- Component C (TD %): (TD / ATT) x 20
- Component D (INT %): 2.375 - ((INT / ATT) x 25)
Final Rating = ((A + B + C + D) / 6) x 100
Worked example: A quarterback goes 22/32 for 285 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT. Component A: ((22/32) - 0.3) x 5 = (0.6875 - 0.3) x 5 = 1.9375. Component B: ((285/32) - 3) x 0.25 = (8.906 - 3) x 0.25 = 1.4766. Component C: (3/32) x 20 = 1.875. Component D: 2.375 - ((1/32) x 25) = 2.375 - 0.7813 = 1.5938. Sum = 6.8828. Rating = (6.8828 / 6) x 100 = 114.7.
Key Terms You Should Know
- Completion Percentage: Completions divided by attempts, expressed as a percentage. The 2024 NFL average was approximately 65.5%. Elite QBs consistently exceed 67%.
- Yards Per Attempt (YPA): Total passing yards divided by attempts. The league average is approximately 7.0 YPA. Values above 8.0 are considered excellent and indicate the quarterback is throwing deep effectively.
- Touchdown Rate: Touchdowns divided by attempts. The league average is about 4.5%. Rates above 6% are elite.
- Interception Rate: Interceptions divided by attempts. The league average is approximately 2.3%. Rates below 1.5% are elite. This is the only component where a lower number is better.
- QBR (Total Quarterback Rating): ESPN's proprietary metric on a 0-100 scale that incorporates rushing, game situation, and Expected Points Added. A QBR of 50 is average.
All-Time Career Passer Rating Leaders
Career passer ratings have risen steadily over NFL history as rule changes have increasingly favored passing offenses. According to Pro Football Reference, the top career passer ratings (minimum 1,500 attempts) as of 2025 are:
| Rank | Quarterback | Career Rating | Years Active | Career TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aaron Rodgers | 104.5 | 2005-present | 475+ |
| 2 | Patrick Mahomes | 101.5 | 2017-present | 235+ |
| 3 | Russell Wilson | 100.3 | 2012-present | 300+ |
| 4 | Tom Brady | 97.6 | 2000-2023 | 649 |
| 5 | Drew Brees | 98.7 | 2001-2020 | 571 |
Practical Passer Rating Examples
Scenario 1 -- Average Performance: A QB goes 18/30 (60%) for 210 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT. Rating: approximately 75.0 -- slightly below the 2024 league average of about 93. This stat line represents a game manager who did not make big plays but also did not turn the ball over excessively.
Scenario 2 -- Elite Game: A QB goes 28/35 (80%) for 350 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs. Rating: approximately 152.1 -- near-perfect and typical of an MVP-caliber performance. Patrick Mahomes posted similar stat lines multiple times during his 2022 MVP season, finishing the year with a 105.2 rating.
Scenario 3 -- Poor Performance: A QB goes 15/32 (46.9%) for 140 yards, 0 TDs, 3 INTs. Rating: approximately 18.6 -- a terrible game. The interception rate alone (9.4%) nearly zeros out the INT component, and the low completion percentage and yards per attempt drag the other components down. Compare sports statistics with our basketball stats calculator.
Tips for Analyzing Passer Rating
- Context matters more than raw numbers: A 110 rating in a blowout against a weak defense is less impressive than a 95 rating in a close game against a top-5 defense. Passer rating does not adjust for opponent quality or game situation.
- Compare within the same era: A 90 rating in the 1980s was elite (the league average was around 70). Today, 90 is merely average. Always compare QBs to their era's league average rather than across decades.
- Sample size is critical: A 158.3 passer rating in a game with only 5 attempts is meaningless. The NFL requires 14 attempts per team game for season leaderboards and 1,500 career attempts for career records.
- Interceptions weigh heavily: The INT component can swing a rating by 30+ points. A QB who goes 20/30 for 250 yards and 2 TDs with 0 INTs rates 119.8, but the same line with 2 INTs drops to 86.5. Avoiding turnovers is the fastest way to improve passer rating.
- Use alongside other metrics: Pair passer rating with EPA (Expected Points Added per play), DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average), and yards per attempt for a complete picture. Use our bowling score calculator to track another scoring system.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good NFL passer rating?
In the modern NFL, a passer rating above 90 is considered good, above 100 is excellent, and above 110 is elite. The league average has risen from about 70 in the 1970s to approximately 93 in 2024 due to rule changes favoring passing. The all-time career leader is Aaron Rodgers at 104.5. A single-game rating above 120 indicates outstanding performance.
What is a perfect NFL passer rating and how is it achieved?
A perfect rating is 158.3, achieved when all four components hit their maximum caps: 77.5%+ completion rate, 12.5+ yards per attempt, 11.875%+ TD rate, and 0% interceptions. A minimum of 10 attempts is typically required for recognition. A perfect 158.3 has been achieved in a single game over 80 times in NFL history.
How is NFL passer rating different from ESPN QBR?
NFL passer rating uses only raw passing stats in a fixed formula (max 158.3). ESPN's QBR uses a 0-100 scale incorporating rushing, game situation, opponent quality, dropped passes, and Expected Points Added (EPA) methodology. QBR evaluates pass quality, not just results, making it more comprehensive but less transparent.
What are the four components of the NFL passer rating formula?
The four components are: (1) Completion % component: ((COMP/ATT) - 0.3) x 5, (2) Yards/Attempt: ((YDS/ATT) - 3) x 0.25, (3) TD %: (TD/ATT) x 20, (4) INT %: 2.375 - ((INT/ATT) x 25). Each is capped between 0 and 2.375. The sum is divided by 6 and multiplied by 100. This formula was designed by Don Smith of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1973.
Why does the NFL passer rating max out at 158.3?
The 158.3 maximum results from the formula's math: each of four components caps at 2.375, giving a max sum of 9.5. Dividing by 6 yields 1.58333..., multiplied by 100 = 158.3 repeating. The formula prioritized statistical validity over a clean maximum. Many analysts have proposed a 0-100 replacement, but the NFL has retained the original formula since 1973.
What is the minimum number of attempts for a passer rating to count?
For single-game records, the NFL requires 10 pass attempts. For season leaderboards, 14 attempts per team game played (238 in a 17-game season). For career records, 1,500 career attempts. These minimums prevent small sample sizes from producing misleadingly high or low ratings, ensuring statistical significance.