Passer rating (known as
passing efficiency or
pass efficiency in
NCAA football) is a measure of the performance of
quarterbacks or any other passers in
American football and
Canadian football. There are at least two formulae currently in use: one officially used by the
National Football League and the
Canadian Football League, and one used in
college football. Passer rating is calculated using each quarterback's completion percentage, passing yardage,
touchdowns and
interceptions.
A perfect passer rating in the NFL is 158.3. A perfect passing efficiency in college football is 1261.6.
History
The NFL's complex passer rating was devised in 1971 by a special committee headed by Don R. Smith, an executive at the
Pro Football Hall of Fame. Seymour Siwoff and Don Weiss created the passer rating. than the NFL formula, as it lacks limits on the four components:
The NCAA passer rating has an upper limit of 1,261.6 (every attempt is a 99-yard completion for touchdown), and a lower limit of -731.6 (every attempt is completed, but results in a 99-yard loss). A passer who throws only interceptions will have a -200 rating, as would a passer who only throws completed passes losing an average of 35.714 yards.
Records
NFL
Aaron Rodgers currently holds the NFL record for the highest career passer rating for any player with at least 1,500 attempts, with a mark of 98.4. The highest passer rating for a complete season is 121.1 set by
Peyton Manning in 2004 (Manning also has completed four games with a perfect passer rating, another NFL record). Also in 2004,
Ben Roethlisberger posted a mark of 98.1, setting a record for rookies.
Wide receiver Antwaan Randle El, with a passer rating of 157.5 from 21 completed passes of a possible 26, has the highest career rating of any player with more than twenty attempts. As of 2010, 60 NFL quarterbacks have
completed a game with a perfect passer rating of 158.3, and seven have done so multiple times.
NCAA
In
Division I FBS (formerly Division I-A), the career record for passing efficiency is held by
Sam Bradford of
Oklahoma, who had a career mark of 175.6 between
2007 and
2009. The single-season record belongs to
Colt Brennan of Hawaii, who amassed a passer rating of 186.0 over the 2006 season, while the freshman record belongs to
Michael Vick of
Virginia Tech, whose rating during the
1999 season was 180.4. Current Division I FBS passing efficiency ratings can be found
here.
See also
List of NFL quarterbacks who have posted a perfect passer rating
List of NFL quarterbacks who have posted a passer rating of zero
NFL career passer rating leaders
References
External links
NFL.com QB Rating Page
Online passer rating calculator for NFL/CFL, NCAA and AFL formulas
A look at and breakdown of the NFL Passer Rating
All-Time Top NFL Passer Ratings List
QB Rating Calculator
Adjustable NFL passer rating calculator and database. Stats from 1932 - present.
New York Times - The N.F.L.'s Passer Rating, Arcane and Misunderstood - January 14, 2004
Category:American football terminology
Category:Canadian football terminology