Calculate NFL passer rating from completions, attempts, yards, touchdowns, and interceptions using the official NFL formula. Perfect rating is 158.3.
The NFL passer rating is the league's official measure of quarterback passing efficiency. Developed in 1973 by Don Smith of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, it combines four components — completion percentage, yards per attempt, touchdown percentage, and interception percentage — into a single number on a scale of 0 to 158.3. The seemingly arbitrary maximum of 158.3 comes from each component being capped at 2.375, and the final formula combining them.
Our NFL Passer Rating Calculator instantly computes the official rating from your inputs. Enter completions, attempts, yards, touchdowns, and interceptions to see the rating along with a full breakdown of all four components and their individual contributions. The calculator also shows what the rating would be if each component were at its maximum, helping you identify which aspect of passing performance is strongest or weakest.
Whether you're settling a bar debate about who's better, analysing your fantasy quarterback's efficiency, or studying how the metric has evolved since its creation, this tool gives you instant, accurate results.
Despite its age and quirks, NFL passer rating remains the most commonly cited quarterback efficiency metric. It's used in official NFL records, broadcasts, and Hall of Fame discussions. Understanding how the components interact helps you appreciate why a QB with fewer yards might have a higher rating than one with a cannon arm but poor decision-making.
a = (COMP% − 30) / 20; b = (Y/A − 3) / 4; c = (TD%) / 5; d = 2.375 − (INT% × 25). Each component is capped between 0.000 and 2.375. Passer Rating = (a + b + c + d) / 6 × 100. Maximum possible = (2.375 × 4) / 6 × 100 = 158.3.
Result: Passer Rating: 109.4
COMP% = 380/560 = 67.9%. a = (67.9 − 30)/20 = 1.893. Y/A = 4500/560 = 8.04. b = (8.04 − 3)/4 = 1.259. TD% = 35/560 = 6.25%. c = 6.25/5 = 1.250. INT% = 10/560 = 1.79%. d = 2.375 − (1.79 × 25/100) = 2.375 − 0.446 = 1.929. All within 0–2.375 bounds. Rating = (1.893 + 1.259 + 1.250 + 1.929)/6 × 100 = 6.331/6 × 100 = 105.5. This is an excellent season, ranking among the top 20–30 single-season ratings in NFL history.
Before 1973, the NFL ranked quarterbacks using a crude system based on raw totals (completions, yards, TDs, INTs) and category rankings. Don Smith from the Pro Football Hall of Fame developed the passer rating to create a more balanced efficiency measure. The formula hasn't changed since, even as the game has evolved dramatically. Critics argue it should be updated for the modern passing era.
Completion percentage (component a) measures accuracy. Yards per attempt (component b) measures downfield efficiency. Touchdown percentage (component c) rewards scoring. Interception percentage (component d) punishes turnovers. Each is independently capped at 0–2.375, meaning no single overwhelming strength can push the rating beyond what the others allow. A QB who throws 80% completions for 2 yards per attempt won't rate well.
Modern analytics have moved beyond passer rating to metrics like EPA/play (Expected Points Added), CPOE (Completion Percentage Over Expected), and DVOA. These capture information passer rating misses: difficulty of throws, game context, air yards vs. YAC, and more. However, passer rating's simplicity and 50+ years of historical data ensure its continued relevance in popular discourse.
Each of the four components is capped at 2.375. The formula sums all four (max = 9.5), divides by 6, and multiplies by 100: 9.5/6 × 100 = 158.333... This odd maximum is a historical artifact of the formula's design in 1973. It wasn't intended to be intuitive — just functional.
As of recent seasons, Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes, and Russell Wilson compete for the highest career passer rating. Rodgers has held the top spot for years with a career mark around 104. Among retired players, Steve Young (96.8) was the all-time leader for decades. Modern passing-friendly rules have inflated ratings compared to earlier eras.
NFL passer rating uses only passing stats (completions, attempts, yards, TDs, INTs) and caps each component. ESPN's Total QBR (0–100 scale) incorporates rushing, sacks taken, fumbles, game situation (score, time, opponent), and expected points added. QBR is more comprehensive but proprietary and harder to calculate manually.
Yes. A 0.0 rating requires all four components to hit their minimum (0.000). In practice, this means completing less than 30% of passes, averaging less than 3.0 yards per attempt, throwing zero touchdowns, and having an interception rate above 9.5%. It's very rare but has happened in individual games.
No. The NCAA uses a completely different formula: (8.4×yards + 330×TDs + 100×completions − 200×INTs) / attempts. The NCAA formula has no cap, so ratings can exceed 200 or even 300. The two scales are not comparable, even though both are called "passer rating."
Rule changes favouring passing (roughing the passer, illegal contact, defenseless receiver) have steadily increased completion percentages and yards per attempt while reducing interceptions. In the 1970s, a 90 rating was elite. Today, a league-average QB rates around 90–95, and elite QBs top 105–110. Era-adjusted comparisons are important for fair historical analysis.