NFL Passer Rating Formula: How to Calculate QB Rating

What is the NFL passer rating formula?

The NFL passer rating formula converts five passing statistics into a score from 0 to 158.3. It calculates four components—completion percentage, yards per attempt, touchdown percentage and interception percentage—limits each component to 0–2.375, adds them, divides by six and multiplies by 100.

You need these five inputs:

The formula rates a player as a passer. It does not use rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, sacks, fumbles, down, distance, score or opponent strength.

NFL QB rating formula step by step

Let C = completions, A = attempts, Y = passing yards, T = passing touchdowns and I = interceptions.

1. Completion component

a = ((C ÷ A) − 0.30) × 5

This component measures passing accuracy. A completion rate of 30% produces zero before clamping; 77.5% produces the maximum 2.375.

2. Yards-per-attempt component

b = ((Y ÷ A) − 3) × 0.25

This component measures how much passing yardage the offense gains per attempt. Three yards per attempt produces zero; 12.5 yards per attempt produces 2.375.

3. Touchdown component

c = (T ÷ A) × 20

This component measures the percentage of attempts that become touchdown passes. A touchdown rate of 11.875% reaches the maximum 2.375.

4. Interception component

d = 2.375 − ((I ÷ A) × 25)

This is the only component that starts at the maximum and falls as interceptions increase. A zero-interception line receives 2.375; an interception rate of 9.5% or higher receives zero.

5. Clamp every component

Each raw component must remain within the same range:

clamped value = minimum of 2.375 and maximum of 0 and the raw value

In programming notation:

clamp(x) = min(2.375, max(0, x))

Clamping prevents unusually strong or weak performance in one category from moving that component beyond the formula’s fixed boundary.

6. Combine the four values

NFL passer rating = ((a + b + c + d) ÷ 6) × 100

When all four values equal 2.375, the result is 158.333…, displayed as 158.3. When all four equal zero, the result is 0.0.

What counts as a good value for each component?

The formula’s own maximums (77.5% completion, 12.5 YPA, 11.875% touchdown rate, 0% interceptions) are mathematical ceilings, not realistic single-season targets. Typical modern NFL performance is lower:

These bands explain why a 158.3 game is rare even for elite passers — reaching the formula’s actual cap requires performance well above what these tables call “elite.” They also explain the formula’s built-in asymmetry: the interception component uses a 25-point multiplier, compared with 20 for touchdowns and 5 for completions, so it is mathematically the most punishing component per percentage point. A quarterback near the top of the touchdown-rate table can still see their rating collapse if their interception rate sits in the “above average” row. For scale, Peyton Manning’s record 2004 season — 49 touchdowns on 497 attempts — produced a 9.9% touchdown rate, near the top of what a full season has ever produced.

No single component tells the full story on its own. High completion percentage paired with low yards per attempt usually signals a checkdown-heavy passer generating accuracy without explosiveness. High yards per attempt paired with a high interception percentage usually signals a downfield gambler trading turnover risk for chunk plays. The profile that produces the best passer ratings combines strong accuracy and production with a low interception rate — that combination, more than any single number, separates a good season from an elite one.

Worked passer rating calculation

Assume a quarterback records:

• 22 completions
• 30 attempts
• 285 passing yards
• 3 passing touchdowns
• 1 interception

Add the components:

2.1667 + 1.6250 + 2.0000 + 1.5417 = 7.3334

Finish the calculation:

(7.3334 ÷ 6) × 100 = 122.2

The NFL passer rating for this stat line is 122.2. On the passer rating scale, that represents an outstanding passing performance.

Why does the formula use caps?

The NFL adopted the current rating system in 1973 to compare passing performance against fixed standards. The four equal component limits keep the result balanced: extreme yardage cannot compensate without limit for interceptions, and a very high completion rate cannot raise the score indefinitely.

The cap also explains why two different passing lines can both produce 158.3. Once a component reaches 2.375, additional performance in that category does not increase the rating.

The thresholds for maximizing every component are:

A quarterback must satisfy all four conditions in the same statistical sample to produce a perfect 158.3 rating.

How to calculate passer rating in Excel or Google Sheets

Assume the spreadsheet contains:

• A2: completions
• B2: attempts
• C2: passing yards
• D2: passing touchdowns
• E2: interceptions

Use this formula:

=IF(B2=0,"",ROUND(((MIN(2.375,MAX(0,(A2/B2-0.3)*5))+MIN(2.375,MAX(0,(C2/B2-3)*0.25))+MIN(2.375,MAX(0,(D2/B2)*20))+MIN(2.375,MAX(0,2.375-(E2/B2)*25)))/6)*100,1))

The IF prevents division by zero, MIN and MAX apply the component caps, and ROUND displays one decimal place.

NFL passer rating vs NCAA passing efficiency formula

College football uses a different equation:

NCAA efficiency = ((8.4 × YDS) + (330 × TD) + (100 × COMP) − (200 × INT)) ÷ ATT

Using the same 22-of-30, 285-yard, 3-touchdown, 1-interception line:

((8.4 × 285) + (330 × 3) + (100 × 22) − (200 × 1)) ÷ 30 = 179.5

The NCAA formula has no 158.3 cap and weights the statistics differently. Therefore, an NCAA efficiency rating must not be interpreted on the NFL scale. Calculate it with the dedicated college passer rating calculator.

Passer rating, QB rating and QBR are not the same label

In NFL box scores, QB rating, quarterback rating and RTG usually mean passer rating. The underlying inputs and 158.3 maximum identify the traditional NFL statistic.

ESPN Total QBR is a separate 0–100 metric. It incorporates passing, rushing, sacks, turnovers, game situation and opponent adjustment. Its exact output cannot be calculated from the five box-score inputs used here. See QBR vs passer rating for the complete distinction.

What the formula can and cannot tell you

Passer rating answers a narrow, useful question: How efficient was this set of pass attempts according to the NFL’s four fixed passing standards?

It can summarize accuracy, yardage production, touchdown frequency and interception avoidance. It cannot isolate receiver yards after the catch, identify difficult throws, value scrambling, assign sack responsibility or adjust for the defense faced.

For a broader evaluation, compare passer rating with advanced quarterback metrics such as adjusted net yards per attempt. The metrics should complement one another rather than compete as universal grades.

Frequently asked questions

Formula reference

The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s explanation of the NFL passer rating system documents the four categories, the 2.375 component caps and the 158.3 maximum. The NCAA football statisticians’ manual documents the college passing-efficiency calculation.