Ranking the top 50 quarterbacks in NFL history…
16. Sid Luckman
Drafted second overall by Pittsburgh in the 1939 NFL Draft out of Columbia University, Luckman was immediately traded to the Chicago Bears, where he signed a $5,500 contract and spent his entire 12-season career from 1939 to 1950.
Initially reluctant to join the NFL, Luckman quickly adapted under coach George Halas, becoming the first great T-formation quarterback and revolutionizing the modern passing game.
Luckman led the Bears to four NFL championships in 1940, 1941, 1943, and 1946, appearing in five title games during a dominant 54–17–3 regular-season stretch. His standout 1943 season earned him NFL MVP honors, with 2,194 passing yards, 28 touchdowns (a record until 1959) and a league-leading 13.9 percent touchdown rate in just 10 games.
Story continues below advertisement
That year, he threw seven touchdowns in a single game against the New York Giants, tying an NFL record and marking the first 400-yard passing performance (443 yards). Luckman also contributed to the Bears’ historic 73–0 rout of the Washington Redskins in the 1940 championship.
Over his career, Luckman led the NFL in yards per attempt seven times, passing yards three times (1943, 1945, 1946) and touchdowns three times. Not surprisingly, he was named to the 1940s All-Decade Team.
Luckman’s standout attributes included exceptional long-range accuracy and game-sense, making him the era’s premier deep passer. He possessed versatility in fakes, motion, and quick runs within the T-formation, which he mastered and later taught to coaches.
Story continues below advertisement
Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1965, his legacy endures as the pioneer of the T-formation, influencing every modern NFL offense.
But who ranks ahead of Luckman at No. 15 all-time?