What is a Passer Rating?
A passer rating is a statistical formula used in the NFL to evaluate a quarterback's performance based on completions, passing yards, touchdowns, and interceptions. Also called a quarterback rating or QB rating, this efficiency metric converts raw passing stats into a single number that makes it simple to compare players across games, seasons, and eras. Use our NFL passer rating calculator to compute your rating instantly.
The NFL passer rating formula was introduced in 1973 and scores quarterbacks on a scale of 0 to 158.3. Every passing attempt is measured across four components — completion percentage, yards per attempt, touchdown percentage, and interception rate — then combined into one composite rating. The NCAA uses a separate college passing efficiency formula with an uncapped scale, so college ratings often exceed 200.
Whether you're a fan comparing QBs, a coach evaluating game film, a fantasy football analyst using advanced metrics, or a journalist analyzing football statistics, the quarterback efficiency rating gives you a reliable baseline that goes beyond simple completion percentages or yardage totals.
Passer Rating Formula Explained
The NFL passer rating formula breaks passing performance into four components. Each component is clamped between 0 and 2.375, then combined using a simple average to produce the final quarterback rating.
Completion %
(C/A − 0.3) × 5 Measures passing accuracy. A higher completion percentage boosts the QB rating formula score.
Yards / Attempt
(Y/A − 3) × 0.25 Calculates average yards per pass attempt. Rewards efficient, explosive passing plays.
TD %
(T/A) × 20 Tracks touchdown percentage — the rate of scoring passes per attempt.
INT Rate
2.375 − (I/A × 25) Measures interception rate. Fewer turnovers mean a higher passer rating.
Interactive Formula Playground
Final formula: Rating = ((a + b + c + d) / 6) × 100
Example Passer Rating Calculation
Let's walk through a real-world example to see how the passer rating formula works in practice. Below are the stats from a strong quarterback performance:
Sample QB Game Stats
22
Completions
30
Attempts
305
Passing Yards
3
Touchdowns
0
Interceptions
Step A — Completion %: (22/30 − 0.3) × 5 = 2.167
Step B — Yards/Attempt: (305/30 − 3) × 0.25 = 1.792
Step C — TD %: (3/30) × 20 = 2.0
Step D — INT Rate: 2.375 − (0/30 × 25) = 2.375
Final Rating: ((2.167 + 1.792 + 2.0 + 2.375) / 6) × 100 = 138.9
A rating of 138.9 falls in the Elite tier — an outstanding single-game performance by any NFL quarterback.
What is a Perfect Passer Rating?
A perfect NFL passer rating is 158.3 — the maximum score possible under the official quarterback rating formula.
Reaching 158.3 means a QB maxed out every component of the football passer rating formula. Only a handful of NFL quarterbacks have achieved a perfect passer rating in a single game — it's one of the rarest feats in football statistics.
77.5%
Min. Completion %
12.5
Min. Yards/Attempt
11.875%
Min. TD %
0%
Max. INT %
Interactive Perfect Validation
NFL Passer Rating Scale
What is a good passer rating? Use this quarterback rating scale to see where any NFL QB falls compared to league benchmarks.
Elite
110+
All-Pro caliber — MVP-level passing efficiency
Good
90–110
Pro Bowl caliber — reliable starting quarterback
Average
75–90
League average — solid but room to improve
Poor
Below 75
Below average — significant struggles in passing efficiency
Test Any Rating
Passer Rating vs QBR: What's the Difference?
Two quarterback rating systems, two different philosophies. Here's how the traditional NFL passer rating formula compares to ESPN's Total QBR.
NFL Passer Rating
- ✓ Scale: 0 – 158.3
- ✓ Publicly calculable — anyone can verify the formula
- ✓ Available since 1973 — decades of historical football statistics
- ✓ Purely based on box score passing stats
- ✗ Ignores rushing yards & sacks
- ✗ No situational context
ESPN QBR
- ✓ Scale: 0 – 100 (intuitive)
- ✓ Includes rushing contribution
- ✓ Situational weighting — big moments matter more
- ✓ Expected points framework
- ✗ Proprietary formula — cannot be verified
- ✗ Only available since 2011
Example: 2022 QB Rankings Shift
Tap a QB to see their full stats. Toggle between passer rating and QBR to see how rankings change.
What is Passer Rating Allowed?
Passer rating isn't just for quarterbacks. Passer Rating Allowed flips the football passer rating formula to measure defensive performance — how well a cornerback, safety, or entire defensive unit limits opposing QBs. It uses the same NFL passer rating formula, but applied to the passing stats allowed by a defense.
A low passer rating allowed means the defense is shutting down the passing game. This defensive efficiency metric is commonly used by NFL analysts to evaluate cornerbacks and defensive secondaries across the league.
Calculate Passer Rating Allowed →Passer Rating Formula (NFL & Excel Guide)
NFL Formula
The NFL passer rating formula calculates four components from passing statistics, clamps each between 0 and 2.375, then averages them:
Rating = ((a + b + c + d) / 6) × 100 Maximum possible: 158.3
Use It in Excel
You can replicate the NFL passer rating formula in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. Set up columns for completions, attempts, yards, touchdowns, and interceptions, apply the four component calculations, and use MIN/MAX functions to clamp values.
View the complete formula with Excel examples →