Pro Football Reference Blog
Top 10 Quarterbacks of 2022
Posted by Darin Hayes on March 14, 2023
The 2022 NFL season gave fans one of the most spectacular varieties of a season where offenses found schemes to put points on the scoreboard. The talent at the quarterback position and the varied skillsets of the signal-caller talent is at an unprecedented level. Below are the top 10 NFL quarterbacks in 2022. Their stats from the Pro-Football-Reference database will support the selections, so be prepared to have your jaw drop a few times. We dialed in the Stathead football settings to look at QBs with a minimum of 250 snaps. We will pull the best NFL quarterbacks during the 2022 season in various statistical categories to help. To make it as fair of a comparison as possible, only the 2022 regular season numbers will be considered.
Top NFL QBs in Completion Percentage for 2022
The first metric we will consider is who got the most completions per pass thrown in the League. The efficiency of the QB has much to do with the target selections, ball placement accuracy, and how good his teammates are at hanging on to the football.

Justin Herbert
Justin Patrick Herbert
Position: QB Throws: Right
6-6, 237lb (198cm, 107kg)
Team: Los Angeles Chargers
Born:
March 10, 1998
in Eugene, OR
College: Oregon (College Stats)
Weighted Career AV (100-95-…): 43 (2253rd overall since 1960)
Draft: Los Angeles Chargers in the 1st round (6th overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Instagram: justinherbert
2022
Career
17
49
14
45
10-7-0
25-24-0
68.2
66.9
4739
14089
6.8
7.2
25
94
10
35
279.3
992.9
The LA Chargers indeed had a very potent passing offense, and their young quarterback had much to do with it. Herbert was in the top three for passing percentage, with 68.2% of his throws connecting with a receiver. This was one of Justin Herbert’s best seasons in this stat, more than a percentage point better than his career average. Getting the pigskin to the pass catchers aided in Herbert accumulating 4739 total yards of passing for the 2022 season.

Geno Smith
Eugene Cyril Smith III
Position: QB Throws: Right
6-3, 221lb (190cm, 100kg)
Team: Seattle Seahawks
Born:
October 10, 1990
in Miramar, FL
College: West Virginia (College Stats)
Weighted Career AV (100-95-…): 31 (3625th overall since 1960)
Draft: New York Jets in the 2nd round (39th overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft.
Relatives: Cousin Mel Bratton
2022
Career
17
62
15
33
9-8-0
22-29-0
69.8
62.8
4282
11199
7.5
7.1
30
64
11
48
303.9
739.9
If you want to talk about a quarterback that drastically improved his passing percentage in 2022, you need to look under center in Seattle. Geno Smith resurrected his career in 2022, earning the starting spot after the departure of Russell Wilson. Geno increased his completion percentage by seven points, for a 2022 NFL high of 69.2 percent. This success helped the veteran QB earn a spot on the Pro Bowl team for the first time in his nine-year career with the Seattle Seahawks.
Passing Yards
Next up are the yardage leaders in the NFL passing game. This stat has a couple of flavors to examine to help the cream rise to the top.

Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick Brady (TB12, Tom Terrific, Touchdown Tom, GOAT, The Pharaoh, Comeback Kid or Sir)
Position: QB Throws: Right
6-4, 225lb (193cm, 102kg)
Born:
August 3, 1977
in San Mateo, CA
College: Michigan (College Stats)
Weighted Career AV (100-95-…): 184 (1st overall since 1960)
High School: Junipero Serra (CA)
Draft: New England Patriots in the 6th round (199th overall) of the 2000 NFL Draft.
Instagram: tombrady
- 15x Pro Bowl
- 3x All-Pro
- 7x SB Champ
- 3x AP MVP
- 2007 NEA MVP
- 3x PFWA MVP
- 5x SB MVP
- HOF All-2000s Team
- HOF All-2010s Team
- 2009 AP Comeback Player
- 2x AP Off. PoY
- 2007 Bert Bell Award (Player of the Year)
- 2009 PFWA Comeback Player
- 2x PFWA Off. PoY
- 2x SN Off. PoY
- 2007 SN PoY
2022
Career
17
335
10
326
8-9-0
251-82-0
66.8
64.3
4694
89214
6.4
7.4
25
649
9
212
271.7
5943.4
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have had a different season than they had hoped for, but it certainly was not from the lack of production at the quarterback position. Tom Brady was in his 23rd and final season of playing NFL football and had 4694 total yards of passing (6th best of his career) to be in the top three in this statistical category—unbelievable production from the seasoned 45-year-old.

Joe Burrow
Joseph Lee Burrow (Joe Brrr, Joe Shiesty or Joey Franchise)
Position: QB Throws: Right
6-4, 221lb (193cm, 100kg)
Team: Cincinnati Bengals
Born:
December 10, 1996
in Ames, IA
College: Ohio St., LSU (College Stats)
Weighted Career AV (100-95-…): 38 (2756th overall since 1960)
Draft: Cincinnati Bengals in the 1st round (1st overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft.
2022
Career
16
42
17
39
12-4-0
24-17-1
68.3
68.2
4475
11774
7.4
7.7
35
82
12
31
350.7
838.6
The Cincinnati Bengals have a young arm that is consistently making heads turn. Joe Burrow again showed why he was one of the best NFL quarterbacks in 2022. Burrow established a 279.7-yard average per game passing for the season, placing him in the top 3 in the League for this stat. His 4475 passing yards for the year, along with 35 TD throws, caused opposing defensive coordinators many a sleepless night.

Patrick Mahomes
Patrick Lavon Mahomes II (Grim Reaper, Showtime, Magic Man, The Musician, Fatrick, The Gunslinger or Mahomeboy)
Position: QB Throws: Right
6-3, 227lb (190cm, 102kg)
Team: Kansas City Chiefs
Born:
September 17, 1995
in Tyler, TX
College: Texas Tech (College Stats)
Weighted Career AV (100-95-…): 85 (334th overall since 1960)
High School: Whitehouse (TX)
Draft: Kansas City Chiefs in the 1st round (10th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft.
Instagram: patrickmahomes
- 5x Pro Bowl
- 2x All-Pro
- 2x SB Champ
- 2x AP MVP
- 2x PFWA MVP
- 2x SB MVP
- 2018 AP Off. PoY
- 2018 Bert Bell Award (Player of the Year)
- 2018 PFWA Off. PoY
- 2x SN Off. PoY
2022
Career
17
80
19
94
14-3-0
64-16-0
67.1
66.3
5250
24241
8.1
8.1
41
192
12
49
416.4
1867.0
You knew Kansas City’s Number 15 would be a contender. Mahomes threw for a 2022 NFL high of 5250 yards, also a career-high. It is the second time in his six years in the NFL that the KC Chiefs QB has eclipsed the 5000-yard plateau. Pile on an NFL-best 41 TD tosses (and four more on the ground) and the top League average of over 308 yards passing per contest, and it is no wonder why Patrick Mahomes took home all the hardware he did.
Overall Touchdowns from 2022 NFL QBs
The main objective of the game of football is to put points on the board. These are the NFL quarterback who scored the most rushing and passing TDs combined

Jalen Hurts
Jalen Alexander Hurts
Position: QB Throws: Right
6-1, 223lb (185cm, 101kg)
Team: Philadelphia Eagles
Born:
August 7, 1998
in Houston, TX
College: Alabama, Oklahoma (College Stats)
Weighted Career AV (100-95-…): 40 (2549th overall since 1960)
High School: Channelview (TX)
Draft: Philadelphia Eagles in the 2nd round (53rd overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Instagram: jalenhurts
2022
Career
15
45
20
41
14-1-0
23-11-0
66.5
62.3
3701
7906
8.0
7.6
22
44
6
19
378.0
798.3
The third-year pro of the Philadelphia Eagles amassed an eye-popping 35 scores – 22 via the air and 13 on the ground. We must add that Hurts missed a couple of regular season games due to injury, but he is still near the top of the League in many other categories. This Eagle was a potent weapon on offense.

Josh Allen
Joshua Patrick Allen (General, JA17 or The Winter Soldier)
Position: QB Throws: Right
6-5, 237lb (196cm, 107kg)
Team: Buffalo Bills
Born:
May 21, 1996
in Firebaugh, CA
College: Wyoming (College Stats)
Weighted Career AV (100-95-…): 68 (727th overall since 1960)
Draft: Buffalo Bills in the 1st round (7th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Instagram: joshallenqb
2022
Career
16
77
20
74
13-3-0
52-24-0
63.3
62.5
4283
18397
7.6
7.2
35
138
14
60
395.5
1689.9
The Buffalo Bills have a star quarterback with a nose for the endzone. Josh Allen 2022 created 42 Touchdown plays combined with seven rushing and 35 passing strikes for the score.
QB Game winning Drives
Who are the best NFL quarterbacks in bringing their teams back at the end of a game? This never-give-up attitude and performance are intangibles that make a great starting leader in the huddle. Their teammates and coaches believe in them and know they will do their best to get the job done. The players under center that had the most game-winning drives in 2022 are…

Kirk Cousins
Kirk Daniel Cousins (Captain Kirk or Kirktober)
Position: QB Throws: Right
6-3, 205lb (190cm, 92kg)
Team: Minnesota Vikings
Born:
August 19, 1988
in Barrington, IL
College: Michigan St. (College Stats)
Weighted Career AV (100-95-…): 90 (260th overall since 1960)
High School: Holland Christian (MI)
Draft: Washington Redskins in the 4th round (102nd overall) of the 2012 NFL Draft.
Instagram: kirkcousins
2022
Career
17
142
13
109
13-4-0
72-63-2
65.9
66.8
4547
37140
7.1
7.6
29
252
14
105
291.6
2450.7
With eight game-winning drives, Captain Kirk may have boldly taken the Minnesota Vikings to places they had never been before. Yes, nearly half of the games were last-minute comebacks played by the Vikes in their 13-4 regular season record! 4547 passing yards was the second-best in the eleven-year veteran’s career.
The Quarterback Rating Leaders for 2022
Passer rating is a point of contention for some, but it attempts to combine all a passer’s stats into one number to evaluate how the NFL quarterbacks for 2022 did on the field. The leaders in this category allowed their teams to win a game or two.

Tua Tagovailoa
Tuanigamanuolepola Tagovailoa
Position: QB Throws: Left
6-1, 217lb (185cm, 98kg)
Team: Miami Dolphins
Born:
March 2, 1998
in Ewa Beach, HI
College: Alabama (College Stats)
Weighted Career AV (100-95-…): 23 (4884th overall since 1960)
High School: Saint Louis (HI)
Draft: Miami Dolphins in the 1st round (5th overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Pronunciation: \TWO-uh TUNG-oh-vai-LO-uh\
Instagram: tuaman
Relatives: Cousin Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa
2022
Career
13
36
12
24
8-5-0
21-13-0
64.8
65.7
3548
8015
8.9
7.4
25
52
8
23
230.9
547.3
The youngster for the Miami Dolphins may have been on the field less than he intended due to injuries during the 2022 season, but he made it count in the 13 games he did play in. Tua’s passer rating rating of 105.5 placed him in second place for all quarterbacks, with a minimum of 150 throws during the season. Tagovailoa threw for over 3500 yards and 25 touchdowns in his shortened season.

Brock Purdy
Brock Purdy (Mr. Relevant)
Position: QB Throws: Right
6-1, 220lb (185cm, 99kg)
Team: San Francisco 49ers
Born:
December 27, 1999
College: Iowa St. (College Stats)
Weighted Career AV (100-95-…): 6 (10099th overall since 1960)
Draft: San Francisco 49ers in the 7th round (262nd overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Twitter: @brockpurdy13 · Instagram: brock.purdy13
2022
Career
9
9
6
6
5-0-0
5-0-0
67.1
67.1
1374
1374
8.1
8.1
13
13
4
4
106.3
106.3
At the start of the season, the best passer rating in the NFL in 2022 belonged to a rookie that was third or fourth on the depth chart for his team, the San Francisco 49ers. Brock Purdy stepped in to lead the Niners’ offense after a rash of injuries decimated the SF Quarterback Room. Purdy registered a 107.3 passer rating in nine games and took the 49ers to the NFC Championship game.
Wild Card Entry
The final candidate on our list is a selection chosen by your author to express a quarterback that showed he has the stuff it takes to be one of the leading QBs in the NFL.

Trevor Lawrence
William Trevor Lawrence (The Prince Who Was Promised)
Position: QB Throws: Right
6-6, 213lb (198cm, 96kg)
Team: Jacksonville Jaguars
Born:
October 6, 1999
in Knoxville, TN
College: Clemson (College Stats)
Weighted Career AV (100-95-…): 21 (5285th overall since 1960)
High School: Cartersville (GA)
Draft: Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1st round (1st overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Twitter: @trevorlawrencee
2022
Career
17
34
14
21
9-8-0
12-22-0
66.3
62.9
4113
7754
7.0
6.5
25
37
8
25
295.6
494.6
Lawrence did not lead the NFL in any category that would jump him to the top of the list, except he led the Jacksonville Jaguars to a playoff spot with 4113 yards and 25 touchdown throws. The Jags had a very pedestrian 9-8 record in 2022, but consider that the season prior, they held a dismal 3-14 mark. Trevor Lawrence has the tools to make him a player on the rise.
Conclusion
This was a list of tough decisions as we left some high-pedigree QBs like Aaron Rogers, Lamar Jackson, and Jared Goff off it. Not that they had terrible seasons, per se. Some up-and-comers like Daniel Jones, Justin Fields, Jimmy Garoppolo, Kenny Pickett, and more could also deserve some consideration for the top 10 QBs of 2022. So how do you rank the top 10 NFL Quarterbacks from the 2022 season? Take your pick, and you won’t be wrong.
FAQs
Brock Purdy led in passer rating, but you could also say that Mahomes and Hurts were the best because they played on the top two teams in the League for 2022. Burrow, Allen, and Tagovailoa also have the measurables that could rate them high on the list. The best, though, is in the eye of the beholder, and the Pro-Football-Reference and Stathead give one all the tools needed to make the determination.
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