List of left-handed quarterbacks


This is a list of notable left-handed quarterbacks who have played professionally or for a major college program. In gridiron football, quarterbacks have been predominantly right-handed; only 33 left-handed quarterbacks have appeared in the National Football League and 12 others were drafted, but never played in the NFL. The rarity of left-handed NFL quarterbacks has been a topic of discussion and debate among players, coaches, and analysts.
Left-handed quarterbacks were relatively prominent in the NFL between the 1970s and the 2000s, but became mostly absent from the league after 2010. The most successful have been Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees Steve Young and Ken Stabler, 1988 Most Valuable Player Boomer Esiason, and Pro Bowl selections Frankie Albert, Mark Brunell, and Michael Vick. As of 2025, Tua Tagovailoa, Michael Penix Jr., and Dillon Gabriel are the NFL's only left-handed quarterbacks.

List

NameCareerTeamsNotesReferences
Frankie Albert1942–53
Stanford

San Francisco 49ers

Calgary Stampeders

Allie Sherman1943–47Brooklyn

Philadelphia-Pittsburgh Steagles

Philadelphia Eagles

John Karrs1944–45Duquesne

Cleveland Rams

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Attempted ten passes during the 1944 season, completing four for 49 yards.
Harry Agganis1952Boston University

Cleveland Browns

Fred Wyant1956–57West Virginia

Washington Redskins

Toronto Argonauts

  • West Virginia University Sports Hall of Fame
  • Inaugural member of WVU’s “Mountaineer Legends Society”
  • NFL referee between and
  • NFL line judge - and -
Terry Baker1963–67Oregon State

Los Angeles Rams

Edmonton Eskimos

Bobby Douglass1969–78Kansas

Chicago Bears

San Diego Chargers

New Orleans Saints

Green Bay Packers

  • Former holder of several NFL QB rushing records
Ken Stabler1970–84Alabama

Oakland Raiders

Houston Oilers

New Orleans Saints

Jim Del Gaizo1971–75Syracuse

Tampa

Miami Dolphins

Green Bay Packers

New York Giants

Dennis Morrison1973–74Kansas State
San Francisco 49ers
David Humm1975–84
Nebraska

Oakland Raiders

Buffalo Bills

Baltimore Colts

Los Angeles Rams

Jim Zorn1975–87Cal Poly Pomona

Dallas Cowboys

Seattle Seahawks

Green Bay Packers

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Paul McDonald1980–87USC

Cleveland Browns

Seattle Seahawks

Dallas Cowboys

Boomer Esiason1984–97Maryland

Cincinnati Bengals

New York Jets

Arizona Cardinals

  • 4× Pro Bowl
  • First team All-Pro
  • NFL Most Valuable Player
Steve Young1984–99BYU

Los Angeles Express

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

San Francisco 49ers

Erik Wilhelm1989–2001Oregon State

Cincinnati Bengals

Phoenix Cardinals

New York Jets

Portland Prowlers
Los Angeles Avengers
Tampa Bay Storm

  • Second at the time of his departure in career passing yards in the Pac-10.
Jeff Carlson1989–92Weber State
Los Angeles Rams
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
New England Patriots
Scott Mitchell1990–2001Utah

Miami Dolphins

Orlando Thunder

Detroit Lions

Baltimore Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Former holder of several Detroit Lions passing records
Todd Marinovich1990–93,1999–2001
USC

Los Angeles Raiders

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

BC Lions

Los Angeles Avengers

Will Furrer1992–95Virginia Tech
Chicago Bears
Houston Oilers
Mark Brunell1993–2011Washington

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Washington Redskins

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

  • 1993 Rose Bowl champion
  • Super Bowl XLIV Champion
  • 3× Pro Bowl
  • Pride of the Jaguars
Doug Nussmeier1994–2000Idaho

New Orleans Saints

Indianapolis Colts

BC Lions

  • Walter Payton Award winner
  • Holds numerous Idaho passing records
  • Only one of five quarterbacks in NCAA history to pass for over 10,000 yards and rush for over 1,000
Tony Graziani1997–2008Oregon
Atlanta Falcons
Los Angeles Avengers
Philadelphia Soul
  • Highest-paid player in Arena Football League history
  • Brock Huard1999–2004Washington

    Seattle Seahawks

    Indianapolis Colts

    • Brother of quarterback Damon Huard
    • First set of brothers in NFL History to start at quarterback on the same weekend
    Cade McNown1999–2002UCLA

    Chicago Bears

    Miami Dolphins

    San Francisco 49ers

    Michael Vick2001–15Virginia Tech

    Atlanta Falcons

    Philadelphia Eagles

    New York Jets

    Pittsburgh Steelers

    Chris Simms2003–10Texas

    Green Bay Packers

    Tampa Bay Buccaneers

    Tennessee Titans

    Denver Broncos

    Jared Lorenzen2004–14Kentucky

    New York Giants

    Indianapolis Colts

    Kentucky Horsemen

    Northern Kentucky River Monsters

    Owensboro Rage

    Tyler Palko2004–11Pittsburgh

    New Orleans Saints

    Arizona Cardinals

    California Redwoods

    Montreal Alouettes

    Pittsburgh Steelers

    Kansas City Chiefs

    • USA Today All-America Team
    • University of Pittsburgh Team MVP
    • 2× Second-team Big East
    Matt Leinart2006–13USC

    Arizona Cardinals

    Houston Texans

    Oakland Raiders

    Buffalo Bills

    Pat White2009–14West Virginia

    Miami Dolphins

    Virginia Destroyers

    Washington Redskins

    Edmonton Eskimos

    Tim Tebow2010–15Florida

    Denver Broncos

    New York Jets

    New England Patriots

    Philadelphia Eagles

    • BCS national champion
    • 2007 Heisman Trophy winner
    • 2× First team All American
    • Holder of numerous current and former Florida Gators and SEC passing records
    Kellen Moore2012–17Boise State

    Dallas Cowboys

    Detroit Lions

    • Most wins by a quarterback in NCAA Division I FBS history
    • 2× First-team All American
    • Super Bowl LIX champion
    • New Orleans Saints Head Coach 2025–present
    Tua Tagovailoa2020–presentAlabama Miami Dolphins
    Michael Penix Jr.2024–presentWashington Atlanta Falcons
    Dillon Gabriel2025-presentUCF

    Oklahoma

    Oregon

    Cleveland Browns

    • Most career NCAA touchdown passes