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Who are the best rushing quarterbacks in NFL history? Jackson Sparks dives into the top ten signal-callers throughout history who cause or caused nightmares for defenses with their legs.
The quarterback position has never been more dynamic and made up of high-level runners and the game is getting to the point where having a stationary QB is a significant disadvantage. Many modern NFL signal-callers are capable of being elite runners on scrambles or designed-run play calls, while most QBs can move inside the pocket to avoid pressure at a minimum.
There are also plenty of quarterbacks who were ahead of the time as rushers before the "modern era", so it's time to compare them all and build power rankings of the best rushing QBs. These power rankings will be focused primarily on rushing prowess and dominance on the ground, so it's worth noting a player being ranked ahead of another doesn't mean they are a better "all around" quarterback.
Read ahead to see where some of the game's greatest-ever dual-threat QBs land on our top-10 list!
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Honorable Mention- Justin Fields: Chicago Bears
Career Rushing Stats: 232 attempts, 1,563 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns (27 games)
Fields' career is just getting started, but after becoming just the third quarterback in NFL history to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards in a season, he deserves a quick mention.
There's a chance his big-time rushing season was an outlier, but there's also a possibility he skyrockets up this list in the next couple of seasons.
#10. Donovan McNabb: Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Minnesota Vikings
Career Rushing Stats: 616 attempts, 3,459 rushing yards, 29 rushing touchdowns (167 games)
McNabb is one of the most underrated quarterbacks in recent history, but before players like Josh Allen and Cam Newton, he was one of the first 240-plus-pound quarterbacks with real wheels. There are just 17 signal-callers to top 600 yards rushing in a season, and he's one of them.
McNabb led the Eagles to five NFC Championship games and would fit well into modern NFL offenses.
#9. Steve McNair: Houston/Tennessee Oiler/Titans, Baltimore Ravens
Career Rushing Stats: 669 attempts, 3,590 rushing yards, 37 rushing touchdowns (161 games)
In 1994, McNair posted 4,863 passing yards and 936 rushing yards for Alcorn State. Despite playing in Division I-AA, he was clearly an NFL talent and was selected with the third overall pick in the 1995 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers. He earned the starting job in his third season, rushing 674 yards and eight touchdowns on a league-leading 6.7 yards per carry.
He went on to hover around the 400-yard rushing mark for the next five seasons and should be credited as one of the early revolutionaries for QBs with real skill on the ground.
#8. Josh Allen: Buffalo Bills
Career Rushing Stats: 546 attempts, 3,087 rushing yards, 38 rushing touchdowns (77 games)
Only five quarterbacks have posted two or more 700-yard rushing seasons, and Allen has already accomplished that just five season into his career. The 2018 No. 7 overall pick struggled as a passer early in his career but he's been a dynamic runner ever since entering the NFL.
Allen is already fourth all-time in rushing touchdowns by the position, so he's inevitably going to finish his career as a top-five rushing QB ever.
#7. Russell Wilson: Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos
Career Rushing Stats: 901 attempts, 4,966 rushing yards, 26 rushing touchdowns (173 games)
During his Seattle Seahawks career, Wilson was known for his elite passing and moon balls, so his rushing prowess has been largely underrated. He doesn't have the high-touchdown figure to support his case, but he's already No. 3 all-time in rushing yards by a quarterback.
He is one of just five QBs to post at least five seasons of 500-plus rushing yards and deserves a spot on the list. However, he'll likely transition to more of a pure pocket passer as he gets later into his career, so this might be his ceiling among all-time rushing QBs.
#6. Fran Tarkenton: Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants
Career Rushing Stats: 675 attempts, 3,674 rushing yards, 32 rushing touchdowns (246 games)
Tarkenton can be forgotten by modern NFL fans, but he was one of the founding fathers of the mobile quarterback. Playing from the early 1960s to the late 1970s, the longtime Minnesota Viking had rare mobility out of the pocket and downfield as a rusher.
Had he won Super Bowls, he'd be on every top quarterback list and power rankings, but given his seventh-place standing on the all-time rushing list and his revolutionary play-style, he gets his flowers here.
#5. Steve Young: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers
Career Rushing Stats: 722 attempts, 4,239 rushing yards, 43 rushing touchdowns (169 games)
Following in the footsteps of Joe Montana was a daunting task, but Young added a new element to the high-powered San Francisco 49ers' offense with his legs. He continued the Niners' dynasty as a dynamic passer and rusher, and again, was ahead of his time.
As of the 2023 offseason, he sits in second place for career rushing touchdowns among QBs.
#4. Randall Cunningham: Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens
Career Rushing Stats: 775 attempts, 4,928 rushing yards, 35 rushing touchdowns (161 games)
While some other players on this list are tactical rushers or were simply too big to tackle, Cunningham had legit speed and was often the fastest player on the field.
Among the 15 quarterbacks with at least 600 career rushing attempts, his 6.4 yards per carry ranks second all-time. That said, he's one of the most efficient and explosive runners in NFL history, regardless of position.
#3. Cam Newton: Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots
Career Rushing Stats: 1,118 attempts, 5,628 rushing yards, 75 rushing touchdowns (148 games)
Newton is No. 1 on the all-time rushing TDs list by a QB -- and has 32 more than the next closest signal-caller (Steve Young). Not only is he the best red zone and goal line rusher at the QB spot, but he's arguably the best short-yardage runner among all positions.
Super-Cam burst onto the scene as a rookie, setting the QB record for rushing touchdowns in a single season (14). He has the most seasons of 500-plus rushing yards (7), the most multiple rushing-TD games (8), and is one of the few players on this list with an MVP. Injuries and aging slowed Newton down late in his career, but he still added 12 rushing scores at 31 years old.
#2. Michael Vick: Atlanta Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers
Career Rushing Stats: 873 attempts, 6,109 rushing yards, 36 rushing touchdowns (143 games)
Vick is the first name that comes to mind when discussing rushing quarterbacks. After posting a 4.33 40-yard dash at the 2001 NFL Combine, Vick rushed for 777 yards in his first full season as a starter in Atlanta. Over the next few years, he posted seasons of 902 and 1,039 rushing yards -- becoming the first QB ever to eclipse those figures.
After a two-year absence from the NFL, he joined the Philadelphia Eagles and would rush for 676 yards in 2010 (12 games) and 589 yards in 2011 (13 games). Vick holds the quarterback record for career rushing yards and yards per carry (7.0), making him an easy choice in the top two rushing gunslingers ever.
#1. Lamar Jackson: Baltimore Ravens
Career Rushing Stats: 727 attempts, 4,437 rushing yards, 24 rushing touchdowns (70 games)
Some might argue it's too early for Jackson to top Vick in the rankings, but since he's the only quarterback to ever post two seasons of 1,000-plus rushing yards, he's the top dog. Among all QBs with at least 30 games played, Jackson has averaged the most rushing yards per game (63.4) and broke Vick's single-season rushing record with 1,206 yards in his first year as a starter in 2019.
Jackson eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards again in 2020 and was on pace to do it in 2021 and 2022, but played in just 12 games in both seasons due to injury. In four seasons as a starter, Jackson has never rushed for fewer than 764 yards, and even as a rookie in seven starts, he rushed for 685 yards. If Jackson can stay healthy moving forward, he'll likely demolish all of Vick's records.
Based on his resume thus far, he's already the best rushing QB ever.
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