NFL 100 Worst QBs

[BD Sullivan]

If we limit this to guys who received substantial playing time, as we should, Jim Ninowski should be somewhere close to the “top” five. I know he had a strong arm but his stats were consistently bad.

Ninowski was mediocre as a reserve (18 TD, 23 INT), but he was absolutely brutal (16 TD, 44 INT) in the three years (1960-62) where he had more than a couple of starts.

[JeffreyMiller]

King Hill was another who I could never understand having such a long career ... 8-20 as a starter with 37 TDs against 71 picks and an overall rating of 49.3 over 12 years in the league ...

[Sonny9]

The 'early Tampa Bay teams provide plenty of material

Randy Hedberg 27.8% comp, 11.1% int,14.3 Sack%
Jeb Blount 41.6% comp, 7.9% int, 16.8 Sack%
Parnell Dickinson 38.5% comp 12.8% int, 26.4 Sack%
Terry Hanratty 38.3% comp 8.1% int, 7.3 Sack%
Mike Rae 49.8% comp, 5.6% int, 19.2 Sack%

[JohnH19]

King Hill was another who I could never understand having such a long career ... 8-20 as a starter with 37 TDs against 71 picks and an overall rating of 49.3 over 12 years in the league ...

Hill, Ninowski and Gary Cuozzo are the types of guys who belong on this list; ineffective QBs who received substantial playing time over the course of lengthy careers.

Dan Pastorini may also belong. Danté never had a season where he threw more TD passes than interceptions. Without researching it, I’m guessing that, statistically speaking, he is the worst long time starting QB in the modern era.

[SixtiesFan]

King Hill was another who I could never understand having such a long career ... 8-20 as a starter with 37 TDs against 71 picks and an overall rating of 49.3 over 12 years in the league ...

Hill, Ninowski and Gary Cuozzo are the types of guys who belong on this list; ineffective QBs who received substantial playing time over the course of lengthy careers.

Dan Pastorini may also belong. Danté never had a season where he threw more TD passes than interceptions. Without researching it, I’m guessing that, statistically speaking, he is the worst long time starting QB in the modern era.

With the Baltimore Colts in the mid-60s, Gary Cuozzo had the reputation of being "the best back-up quarterback in pro football." This rested mainly on a single game--Cuozzo threw five TD passes in a 41-21 win over the Vikings in 1965. He would look good once or twice a year subbing for Unitas.

[BD Sullivan]

Dan Pastorini may also belong. Danté never had a season where he threw more TD passes than interceptions. Without researching it, I’m guessing that, statistically speaking, he is the worst long time starting QB in the modern era.

His first three years, he had the misfortune to be part of the trainwreck Oilers, who went 6-35-1 from 1971-73. He obviously wasn't ready to get thrown into a starting role and his 5-25 record during those years offers clear evidence of that--as does his 17 TD passes and 50 interceptions.

However, the rest of his career shows these numbers:

Record as a starter: 51-36
TD passes: 86
Interceptions: 111

The TD-Interception ratio is still weak, with his off-the-field exploits probably not helping him improve. Yet until he bottomed out with the 81 Rams (coming off the broken leg in 80), he was at least adequate, so I'm not sure he falls into the "worst" category.

[BD Sullivan]

With the Baltimore Colts in the mid-60s, Gary Cuozzo had the reputation of being "the best back-up quarterback in pro football." This rested mainly on a single game--Cuozzo threw five TD passes in a 41-21 win over the Vikings in 1965. He would look good once or twice a year subbing for Unitas.

Much like Don Horn had one huge game in his eight-year career: completing 22 of 31 and throwing for five touchdowns and 410 yards in a meaningless Week 14 win over the Cardinals in 1969. He won four of his five starts that year, but over the next two seasons (split between GB and Denver, he managed to compile a 2-7-1 record as a starter and threw five TD passes and 24 picks.

Matt Flynn would follow in Horn's footsteps decades later, though at least he got a huge contract.

[Todd Pence]

I decided upon a minimum of 250 career attempts as a qualifier. I admit it's arbitrary, but then pretty much so are all minimum qualifying numbers.

Kim McQuilken
Dan Darragh
Rick Norton
George Izo
Gary Marangi

[Gary Najman]

I have never understand how KIm McQuilken could last until 1983 (with the USFL Washington Federals). 40 years ago I remember him as Joe Theismann's backup with the Redskins, but I never imagined baxck then that he had started any game in the NFL.

[Bob Gill]

Hill, Ninowski and Gary Cuozzo are the types of guys who belong on this list; ineffective QBs who received substantial playing time over the course of lengthy careers.

I think that's a good way to look at it, but don't forget about Pete Beathard. He played 10 years, his passer rating was almost identical to Hill's, and he threw 400 MORE passes. Altogether he threw 43 TD passes, with 84 interceptions -- almost exactly the same ratio as Hill (37-71) and Ninowski (34-67). And he threw more passes than either of them.

I might pick them as the three worst of the 1960s, though of course the very fact that they played so many seasons is a strong indicator that they were better than lots of guys who didn't last as long.