Passer Rating Calculator (NFL)

NFL Passer Rating (also called QB Rating) is the official metric used by the NFL to evaluate quarterback passing efficiency. It was developed in 1973 and takes into account completion percentage, yards per attempt, touchdown percentage, and interception percentage to produce a single composite score.

The formula uses four components, each derived from completions, attempts, yards, touchdowns, and interceptions. Each component is clamped between 0 and 2.375. The four clamped components are summed and multiplied by 100, then divided by 6. The maximum possible score is 158.3.

A perfect NFL passer rating is 158.3. This is the mathematical maximum produced by the official formula. Achieving it requires a completion percentage of at least 77.5%, at least 12.5 yards per attempt, a TD rate of at least 11.875%, and zero interceptions.

A rating above 100 is considered excellent and is typical of elite quarterbacks. A rating between 80 and 100 is solid and above average. Ratings between 60 and 80 are average to below average, while anything under 60 is generally poor. Career leaders like Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes consistently post ratings above 100.

The NFL formula caps each of the four components at a maximum value of 2.375. Since the final score is calculated as (sum of four components × 100) ÷ 6, and 4 × 2.375 = 9.5, the maximum result is (9.5 × 100) ÷ 6 = 158.333…, which rounds to 158.3.

The four components are: (1) Completion component — based on completions per attempt; (2) Yards component — based on yards per attempt; (3) Touchdown component — based on touchdowns per attempt; (4) Interception component — based on interceptions per attempt. Each is clamped between 0 and 2.375 (except the interception component which has a floor of 0).

Passer rating does not account for rushing yards or touchdowns, sacks taken, dropped passes by receivers, quality of opponents, or game situation context. It also does not adjust for era or playing conditions. Many analysts prefer newer metrics like EPA per play or ANY/A (Adjusted Net Yards per Attempt) for a more complete picture of QB performance.

No — NFL Passer Rating and ESPN's Total QBR (QBR) are different metrics. The traditional passer rating uses the official NFL formula described above and maxes at 158.3. ESPN's QBR is a proprietary metric scored on a 0–100 scale that incorporates additional context like play situation, rushing, and credit/blame assignment.