Not every quarterback gets their flowers. For every star who’s showered with praise, there’s a guy who quietly kept his team afloat, delivered clutch throws, and got little more than a shoulder shrug in return.
This list isn’t about MVPs or media darlings—it’s about the guys who got overlooked, underappreciated, or forgotten. Whether they played in the shadow of legends or just never had the right supporting cast, these 25 quarterbacks deserve way more credit than they ever received.
25. Jake Delhomme
Delhomme didn’t have the prettiest throwing motion, but he took the Panthers to a Super Bowl and delivered plenty of fourth-quarter magic. He was a gritty gamer who always seemed to hang around late in games.
24. Ryan Fitzpatrick
Fitzmagic was always seen as a journeyman, but he delivered sparks of brilliance just about everywhere he went. Behind the beard and Harvard brain was a fearless gunslinger who never backed down.
23. Steve Beuerlein
Beuerlein bounced around the league before finally getting his chance, and he made the most of it. His Pro Bowl season in Carolina was proof he could sling it when given the keys.
22. Jeff Garcia
He wasn’t flashy, but he won games and made multiple Pro Bowls. Garcia kept things moving in San Francisco post-Montana and post-Young, which is no easy task.
21. Neil O’Donnell
Forever remembered for a couple of Super Bowl INTs, O’Donnell’s steady hand and low turnover rate were wildly underrated. He managed games better than people realize and gave the Steelers a real shot.
20. Jay Schroeder
His name rarely comes up, but he made a Pro Bowl and helped Washington stay competitive during the mid-’80s. Schroeder had a cannon and wasn’t afraid to let it rip.
19. Jon Kitna
Kitna often played for bad teams, but he was a rock-solid presence under center. He threw for over 4,000 yards twice and was a respected veteran in multiple locker rooms.
18. Elvis Grbac
Grbac always felt like a placeholder, but he quietly racked up yards and touchdowns. He had a Pro Bowl season in Kansas City that too many people forget.
17. Mark Brunell
Brunell led Jacksonville to two AFC Championship appearances and made three Pro Bowls. He could move, make plays, and was a key part of the franchise’s early success.
16. Ken O’Brien
Stuck in the same division and draft class as Dan Marino, O’Brien was doomed to be overshadowed. Still, he made two Pro Bowls and consistently put up strong numbers for the Jets.
15. Trent Green
Injuries and bad timing kept Green from reaching his full potential, but he was a big reason the Greatest Show on Turf clicked before Kurt Warner took over. Later, he became a reliable producer in Kansas City.
14. Tony Romo
Romo was mocked more than praised during his career, but his numbers stack up with the best. He carried flawed Cowboys teams for years and was far better than he got credit for.
13. Jim Everett
Everett threw for nearly 35,000 yards and had several seasons of 3,000+ yards when that actually meant something. He was a stat machine who got lost in the shuffle.
12. Dave Krieg
Krieg played forever and racked up more than 38,000 passing yards. He was never considered elite, but he won a lot of games and made three Pro Bowls.
11. Chris Chandler
Chandler was often injured, but when he was healthy, he was efficient and deadly accurate. He helped lead the Falcons to a surprise Super Bowl run in 1998.
10. Boomer Esiason
Boomer was a league MVP and a Super Bowl QB, yet still doesn’t get brought up among the greats of his era. His lefty delivery and Cincinnati roots may have kept him under the radar.
9. Jeff Blake
Blake had one of the prettiest deep balls of the ’90s and gave the Bengals a much-needed spark. He made the Pro Bowl and was way better than most people remember.
8. Brad Johnson
He won a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay and made two Pro Bowls, but is rarely included in the “winner” conversations. Johnson did his job, protected the ball, and made clutch throws when it counted.
7. Billy Volek
Volek only had a brief window to shine, but when he did, he lit it up. He had back-to-back 400-yard games in 2004 and looked like a star who never got his full chance.
6. Jim Hart
Hart was a four-time Pro Bowler who spent nearly 20 years with the Cardinals. He led the team to multiple playoff appearances in the ’70s and was a consistent presence in a chaotic era.
5. Rich Gannon
People forget how good Gannon was late in his career—he was a league MVP and took the Raiders to a Super Bowl. He didn’t hit his stride until his 30s, but once he did, he was a force.
4. Steve Bartkowski
Bartkowski put up big numbers in an era where that wasn’t common. He made two Pro Bowls with the Falcons and gave Atlanta fans real hope in the early ‘80s.
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3. Philip Rivers
Rivers had Hall of Fame numbers and insane durability, but no Super Bowl ring meant he never got full respect. He carried some deeply flawed Chargers teams and talked trash the entire way.
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2. Ken Anderson
Anderson was ahead of his time—accurate, efficient, and smart. He won an MVP and went to a Super Bowl, but is somehow still left out of most QB conversations.
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1. Warren Moon
Moon threw for over 49,000 yards in the NFL—and that’s after dominating the CFL for six seasons. He had a golden arm, smooth footwork, and deserves way more credit for how he changed the quarterback position.
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