Enter the total pass attempts, total pass completions, total touchdowns, total interceptions, and total yards thrown by a QB, and this calculator will evaluate the QB rating.

QB Rating Formula

The following formula is used by the NFL to determine the Passer rating.

(A + B + C + D) / 6 * 100
  • Where A is the completion percentage factor. Subtract 30 from the percentage of passes that are thrown for completions, then multiply by .05.
  • B is the yards per attempt factor. This is calculated by subtracting the yards per passing attempt by 3, then multiplying by .25.
  • C is the touchdown percentage factor. This is calculated by multiplying the percentage of touchdown passes per passing attempt by .2.
  • D is the interception percentage factor. This is calculated by multiplying the percentage of interceptions per passing attempt by .25, then subtracting that number from 2.375.

As you can see from the list above, there are four main factors that influence the QB rating of a quarterback. It’s intended that each of these factors have equal weight, but that isn’t always agreed upon on either front. Meaning that some people believe they should have equal weight, and some people believe that they are already skewed towards certain factors.

QB Rating Definition

QB Rating, also known as passer rating, is a measure of performance for quarterbacks playing American football. It’s a numeric value that started its official use back in 1973. Since then it has been the most recognized value for the performance of the quarterback in the national football league.

The QB rating is based on four factors. These are covered in detail above, but in short, these are completion percentage, yards per attempt, number of touchdowns, and number of interceptions.

The max QB rating a passer can achieve is 158.3. This is simply based on how the formula works. No matter how many touchdowns a passer throws, they will never exceed the 158.3 passer rating, even with a 100% completion percentage.

Historical QB Ratings

The table below outlines the top QB’s based on the average passer rating throughout their careers since passer rating was adopted. You may notice that many of the quarterbacks are from recent history. That’s because the game has changed in the last decade to favor offense more, and the completion percentage of QBs has risen drastically.

FAQ

What is QB rating?

QB Rating, also known as passer rating, is a measure of performance for quarterbacks playing American football. It’s a numeric value that started its official use back in 1973. Since then it has been the most recognized value for the performance of the quarterback in the national football league.

How to improve passer rating?

You may be a young quarterback and thinking to yourself how do I increase my QB rating? The best way is to throw a higher completion percentage. But wait, didn’t I say that all of the factors were equal? Well yes, I did, but completion percentage changes all 3 of the other factors as well. It means you have a higher chance to score a touchdown, less chance to throw an interception, and a greater chance to increase yards per catch.