Ranked: The best 'lefty' quarterbacks in NFL history

Watching a lefthanded QB is a strange experience, almost like they become a mirror-image of their more common, righthanded counterparts. This is mostly due to the rarity of lefties in the NFL, with only 10% of the population being left-hand dominant, per the BBC, it makes sense we rarely see southpaws slinging the rock in the NFL.  We’ll look back at the legion of lefties who threw it best throughout NFL history. All statistics are sourced from Football Reference.

It’s hard to dispute that Young is the pre-eminent southpaw of all-time. He won three Super Bowls, made three All-Pro teams, and is a Pro Football Hall of Famer. Young is often remembered for being one of the better running QBs in NFL history, which undersells his ability as a passer.

He’s also the picture of resiliency, having struggled for two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and sitting behind Joe Montana with San Francisco before ultimately getting his opportunity. Medium wrote a story featuring Young's dedication to staying ready.

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He’s on the short list of players who are amongst the most electric in NFL history. Vick was as dangerous delivering a 70-yard bomb in the pocket as he was shooting past defenders with his remarkable speed.

Younger fans would play Madden video games with Vick, just to flummox defenses with his dual-threat ability. USA Today wrote about this phenomenon, and how this made him popular in a completely different light.

Many fans under the age of 35 might know Esiason best as a media personality on NFL studio shows. He’s certainly well-spoken in that arena, but could hold his own on the field as well.

In fact, Esiason won NFL MVP in 1988, and made four Pro Bowls in his 14-year career. He spent a decade playing for the Cincinnati Bengals. Bleacher Report believes he's one of the most underrated quarterbacks of all-time.

While Russell Wilson and Warren Moon will probably go down as the most memorable Seattle Seahawks quarterbacks, Zorn was the person who set the stage for them. The Seattle Times delved into his body of work back in 2019.

He played nine seasons with the team, tossing 107 touchdowns in that span. He would also spend a season each with the Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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He had one of the coolest nicknames in NFL history. The “snake” was known for his ability to slither out of the pocket and keep plays alive. The Denver Post once said Stabler “defined swagger.”

He had his best seasons with the Oakland Raiders, where he would win 1974 MVP and a Super Bowl. Stabler is a Hall of Famer who also spent time with the Houston Oilers and the New Orleans Saints.

It’s not common for expansion teams to contend during their first few years of existence, but the Jacksonville Jaguars did thanks to Brunell’s play. The Washington Post wrote a story in 1996 highlighting Brunell's leadership capabilities.

He was one of the surprise performers of the late 1990s, making three Pro Bowls in four seasons. The lefty would have a long career in the NFL, playing until he was 41 years old.

The list of quarterbacks who have won playoff games for the Detroit Lions isn’t that long. Mitchell is on that ledger, having done so twice in 1995 and 1997. In addition to starting for some frisky Detroit teams, he’s also best remembered for filling in with the Miami Dolphins when Dan Marino was injured in 1993.

We have to turn back the clock all the way to the 1940s and 1950s to relive Albert’s career. He had a seven-year NFL career with the 49ers, throwing for 115 touchdowns in that span. In the early days of the league, Albert threw for a career high 29 touchdowns in 1948, and made the Pro Bowl in 1950.

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Tagovailoa's career is far from over, but he might make a case to be on this list in short order. The Miami Dolphins quarterback led the NFL in passing yards in 2023. The Palm Beach Post noted he's the first Miami passer to do so since Dan Marino paced the NFL in that category in 1992.