Buffalo Bills Top 5 Quarterbacks of All Time

(last updated on February 24, 2026)

Iconic Buffalo Bills head coach Marv Levy said it best … “Where else would you rather be than right here, right now?” That quote stokes the fire of Bills Mafia in Orchard Park. Then the table smashing begins, and things get interesting … to put it lightly. These rabid fans have become part of American culture, and that’s because they support a storied franchise. Born with the AFL in 1960, the Buffalo Bills captured two AFL championships (‘64 and ‘65), and then with the exception of three forgettable postseason trips, the Bills had a 20-year cold stretch. Next with Marv Levy in charge, the Bills became a major force in the NFL and had that never-been-done-before-or-since run of four straight Super Bowl appearances. We all know how those Super Bowl trips ended, but that is nevertheless one of football’s most impressive feats. This embattled franchise has had some tough quarterbacks that have echoed the passion of the fanbase. Right now the Bills have another of those special QBs, so maybe their Super Bowl drought is destined to end soon. Get ready to crash through a table as we deliver the top quarterbacks of all time for the Buffalo Bills.

Tyrod Taylor has primarily been a backup QB in his NFL career, but for the three years he started in Buffalo, he was pretty good, so he gets a spot with the best quarterbacks ever for the Buffalo Bills. Most importantly, in 2017 Taylor helped the Bills make the playoffs for the first time since 1999. That was no small accomplishment, and it forges his place with the franchise. From 2015 to 2017, this elusive QB was 22-20 as the starter and had a solid TD-INT ratio of 51 to 16. That goes along with two seasons of 3,000+ passing yards, a very respectable 62.6 completion %, a 92.5 passer rating, and a Pro Bowl appearance. A majorly vital aspect of T-Mobile’s game was his mobility which resulted in 1,575 rushing yards, 14 rushing TDs, and 90 first-down scampers. Considering the merry-go-round of quarterbacks in the decade prior to Taylor, Bills fans should appreciate the stability he provided. Tyrod Taylor didn’t put up Canton numbers, but he steadied the ship and helped bridge the gap to Buffalo’s current stud QB, so Tyrod Taylor deserves a place with the top Bills quarterbacks of all time.

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The Joe Ferguson era of Buffalo football won’t be remembered for a whole lot of winning, but his statistics are solid enough to get him a mention with the top Bills quarterbacks of all time. From 1967 to 1987, the Buffalo Bills only made the playoffs three times, and Joe Ferguson was the QB each time. A third-round pick in the 1973 draft, he started his rookie season and led the Bills to a 9-5 record. He duplicated that record in 1974 and got them to the playoffs, but the Bills got smothered by the Steel Curtain. In 1975, Ferguson led the NFL with 25 touchdown passes, and he later led the league in passing yards (2,803) in 1977. The late 70s weren’t good to the team, but they got back to the postseason in 1980 and 1981. Ferguson threw for 3,652 yards and 24 TDs in ‘81 and even led the Bills to an upset win over the Jets in the Wild Card round. That was the peak of Joe’s time in Buffalo. His 12 years in Buffalo produced 27,590 passing yards, 23 game-winning drives, and 181 TD tosses (all third in team history). Unfortunately, Joe Ferguson wasn’t able to get the franchise to the Super Bowl, but his numbers and longevity make him one of the best quarterbacks ever for the Buffalo Bills.

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Would you believe the only quarterback to lead the Buffalo Bills to a championship was also a United States congressman and vice presidential candidate? We are talking about Jack Kemp, and he quarterbacked the Bills to AFL titles in 1964 and 1965. In ‘64, the Bills went 12-2 as Kemp led the AFL in Y/A (8.5) and Y/C (19.2). This future politician threw for 188 yards and rushed for a TD in a 20-7 Bills championship win over the Chargers. The following year Jack was the AFL MVP as the Bills repeated with a 23-0 demolition over the Chargers again in the AFL Championship Game. With that 0-4 Super Bowl record, these championships powered by Kemp are the only ones in Buffalo team history. This QB’s stats weren’t overwhelming, but he still ranks in the franchise’s top five in passing yards (15,134) and passing touchdowns (77). However, Jack Kemp’s most important stat of two AFL titles is what makes him one of the top quarterbacks in Buffalo Bills history.

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The current Buffalo Bills quarterback is one of the most exciting players in the NFL and has already cemented his place with the top quarterbacks of all time for the Bills: Josh Allen. The seventh overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft has finished in the top five of the MVP race five times, claiming that trophy in 2024. Statistically, he has had six straight 3,600+ yard passing seasons to go along with seven years of 20+ passing touchdowns. Team-wise, the Bills went to the playoffs for the seventh straight year with Allen at the helm; he has a 88-39 career regular-season record. If not for Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, maybe Buffalo would already have that elusive Lombardi Trophy. It seems like Allen makes a highlight-reel play or two every game. For a 6-5, 240-pound monster with a hand cannon, this dude’s scrambling ability is off the charts. He has already rushed for 4,700+ yards in his career (sixth all time for QBs) with 79 rushing TDs (first all time for QBs). For someone that has had turnover issues in his career, The Winter Soldier has a very impressive career completion % (64.0) and passer rating (94.4); both are currently the best in franchise ranks. With Josh Allen, the Buffalo Bills have been yearly Super Bowl contenders, so when his career is done someday, he may end up being the greatest quarterback ever for the Buffalo Bills.

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Hall of Famer Jim Kelly is the only quarterback to ever lead a team to four consecutive Super Bowl appearances, and that certainly qualifies him as one of the top quarterbacks in Buffalo Bills history. Drafted in 1983 by Buffalo, Kelly played three years in the USFL before joining the Bills in 1986. He quickly turned the team around and became a franchise legend. In Jim’s 11 years in Buffalo, he had eight seasons of 3,000+ yards passing, and the Bills reached the playoffs eight times. Known for his grit, this Western Pennsylvania boy famously quarterbacked the Bills to four straight Super Bowls from 1990 to 1993. Yes, those games all ended in defeat, but the enormity of that accomplishment should be appreciated by all football fans. #12 may have been 0-4 in Super Bowls, but he was 4-1 in AFC Championship Games; those aren’t exactly easy to win. In 1991, the K-Gun offense, run quickly with no huddle, saw this QB lead the NFL with 33 TD strikes as he was named a First-Team All-Pro. As you may have guessed, Kelly is the team’s all-time leader in passing yards (35,467), passing touchdowns (237), and completions (2,874). Oh, yeah, he also had a 101-59 mark as the starting QB. Jim Kelly leads Buffalo in many major passing categories, and he accomplished something no other quarterback has ever done, so you can make a strong argument that he is the best quarterback of all time for the Bills.

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This entry was posted on Sunday, April 20th, 2025 at 3:48 pm and is filed under NFL History. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.