NFL fans love to list and debate the greatest quarterbacks of all-time.
Whether you prefer Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Patrick Mahomes or someone else, legendary signal callers are responsible for many of the most special moments in the history of the sport.
But what about the most underrated passers of all-time? Some of the most talented gunslingers in NFL history are often forgotten because they failed to accomplish as much as their legendary peers, but they are certainly worthy of recognition.
We asked ChatGPT to list the top-10 most underrated quarterbacks in NFL history.
10 Drew Bledsoe (1993-2006)
Drew Bledsoe New England Patriots QBRVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports
Before the New England Patriots were blessed with the arrival of the greatest quarterback of all-time in Tom Brady, they had Drew Bledsoe, who was certainly no pushover.
Drafted first overall by the Patriots in the 1993 NFL Draft, Bledsoe quickly emerged as one of the most promising young quarterbacks in the league. He was named to his first of four Pro Bowls in just his second season, after leading the NFL in completions (400) and passing yards (4,555).
The Washington native led New England to Super Bowl XXXI, but lost 35-21 to the Green Bay Packers.
After suffering an injury during the 2001 season, Brady took the starting role from Bledsoe and guided the Patriots to their first of six Super Bowls. Bledsoe would move on to the Buffalo Bills and the Dallas Cowboys before retiring in 2006 at the age of 34.
9 Matt Ryan (2008-2022)
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Another four-time Pro Bowler, Matt Ryan is one of only four players on this list to have won NFL MVP, doing so in 2016.
That season, he led the Atlanta Falcons to an 11-5 record and the franchise's second Super Bowl appearance. Up 28-3 over Brady and the Patriots at halftime, Ryan seemed poised to complete a remarkable season with a championship. But New England pulled off the most unlikely comeback of all-time in the second half, tying the game late and stealing the Super Bowl in overtime.
Despite the epic collapse, the Boston College product should be remembered as one of the most talented pocket-passers of his time, sitting ninth all-time in passing yards (62,792) and 10th in touchdown passes (381).
8 Jim Plunkett (1971-1986)
Jim Plunkett New England Patriots QBMalcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Jim Plunkett's story is one of great perseverance and tenacity.
Plunkett was drafted by the Patriots with the first pick of the 1971 NFL Draft, but would not experience a winning season until 1980, when he led the Oakland Raiders to a Super Bowl title at age 33, marking the first time a Wild Card team won the championship.
The San Jose, California native would lead the Raiders to another Super Bowl win in 1983 after registering a 10-3 record in the regular season.
Plunkett goes down as the only player of Hispanic heritage to win both the Heisman trophy (Stanford, 1970) and Super Bowl MVP, but he still awaits a call from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
7 Steve McNair (1995-2007)
Steve McNair Titans feature
Steve McNair #9 of the Nashville Titans points as he runs with the ball during a game against the St. Louis Rams at the Adelphia Coliseum in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans defeated the Rams 24-21.
Credit: Jonathan Daniel/Allsport
Steve McNair remains the highest selected Black quarterback in NFL history, taken third overall by the Houston Oilers back in 1995.
He became the face of the Tennessee Titans franchise when the Oilers were relocated, leading his team to Super Bowl XXXIV and falling one-yard short of a championship against the Rams.
Remembered for his composure and grit under center, McNair shared the 2003 NFL MVP with Peyton Manning, and would tally three Pro Bowl nominations during his 13-year career.
Unfortunately, McNair was shot and killed in Nashville in 2009, two years after retiring from professional football.
6 Tony Romo (2004-2016)
Tony Romo with the Dallas Cowboys.Credit: © Jerome Miron / USA Today
Another quarterback who replaced Drew Bledsoe, Tony Romo got his big break with the Cowboys during the 2006 season, during which he started 10 games and earn his first Pro Bowl nod.
Romo led Dallas to a 13-3 record the following season, officially cementing himself as one of the NFL's premier quarterbacks with his dynamic and improvisational play style. In 156 games with the Cowboys, Romo registered a 78-49 record, throwing for 34,183 yards and 248 touchdowns — second in franchise history in both categories behind Dak Prescott.
The Wisconsin native ultimately never got it done in the playoffs, but his career Passer Rating of 97.1 is good enough for 11th all-time. Romo is now one of the NFL's most prominent broadcasting personalities, providing color analysis on games every week.
5 Philip Rivers (2004-2020, 2025)
Philip Rivers Chargers quarterbackDarren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
Philip Rivers' longevity is arguably his greatest asset, having been among the best signal callers in the NFL for almost 15 years.
Rivers was given the starting job with the Chargers in 2006, leading them to a 14-2 record in his first season as the top dog. Rivers led the Chargers to four consecutive AFC West titles between 2006 and 2009.
The Alabama native led the league in passing yards in 2010 and passer rating in 2008, and made 224 consecutive starts between 2006 and 2020 — the second-longest streak for a quarterback behind Brett Favre.
He sits eighth in career passing yards (63,984) and sixth in passing touchdowns (425) in NFL history, and even made a brief comeback in 2025 with the Indianapolis Colts at the age of 44.
4 Donovan McNabb (1999-2011)
Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia Eagles
At his peak, Donovan McNabb was one of the NFL's top dual-threat quarterbacks.
Selected second overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1999, McNabb started just six games in his first season before claiming the starting role in 2000, kicking off a run of five consecutive Pro Bowl nominations.
McNabb led the Eagles to the NFC Championship Game in every season between 2000 and 2004. Philly finally made it to the Big Game in 2004, but lost Super Bowl XXXIX to the Patriots despite McNabb's 357-yard, three-touchdown performance.
The Chicago native owns franchise records in completions (2,801), passing yards (32,873) and touchdown passes (216).
3 Boomer Esiason (1984-1997)
Boomer Esiason Cincinnati Bengals QBManny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports
Before Boomer Esiason became one of the most recognizable NFL analysts on television, he was a superstar quarterback.
A second round pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1984, Esiason's talent was apparent early on, thanks to his strong arm and field awareness.
The New York native won NFL MVP in 1988 after leading the Bengals to a 12-4 record, and eventually lost to the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIII.
He also spent time with the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals before retiring at age 36 in 1997, going down as one of the most talented left-handed quarterbacks of all-time.
2 Randall Cunningham (1985-2011)
Randall Cunningham Philadelphia EaglesManny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports
Before Jalen Hurts and Donovan McNabb, Randall Cunningham was a pioneer at the quarterback position with his mobility and athleticism.
Drafted by the Eagles out of UNLV in 1985, Cunningham's trademark scrambling and improvisation skills made him one of the most entertaining and effective quarterbacks in the NFL.
After joining the Minnesota Vikings late in his career, he orchestrated one of the best offenses in league history in 1998, finishing as the runner-up in MVP voting after tallying 3,704 passing yards and 34 touchdowns.
He finished his career with 29,979 passing yards and 4,982 rushing yards (fifth all-time).
1 Ken Anderson (1971-1986)
Ken Anderson Cincinnati Bengals QBMalcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Ken Anderson is regarded as one of the most accurate passers in NFL history, leading the league in passer rating four times in his 16-year career, all with Cincinnati.
Anderson's 1981 season with the Bengals was his peak, winning NFL MVP and NFL Comeback Player of the Year and leading Cincinnati to Super Bowl XVI, where they fell to the San Francisco 49ers.
The Illinois native made four Pro Bowls and earned one All-Pro nomination during his career, and owns the Bengals' franchise record for passing yards (32,838).
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