In the NFL, elite lefty quarterbacks don't come around that often. In fact, despite left-handers making up roughly 10 percent of the general population, less than 40 left-handed quarterbacks have ever appeared in an NFL game since 1950.
This scarcity is often attributed to the challenges of adjusting standard right-handed playbooks and the perceived difficulty of throwing to the right side of the field.
However, the select group of southpaws includes some of the game’s most iconic and successful players. The list is headlined by two Pro Football Hall of Famers — Steve Young, a two-time NFL MVP and Super Bowl champion, and Ken Stabler, the 1974 NFL MVP and a fellow Super Bowl champion. Other notable names who carved out Pro Bowl careers include Boomer Esiason, Mark Brunell and the electrifying dual-threat talent, Michael Vick.
Today, the league is seeing a small resurgence of left-handed talent. The current crop of active left-handed quarterbacks is led by Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins, who has been joined by another top pick in Michael Penix Jr. of the Atlanta Falcons. The Cleveland Browns also have a southpaw in Dillon Gabriel under center.
In fact, when the Dolphins and Browns face off in Week 7 of the 2025 season, it will be the first lefty vs. lefty matchup in nearly 20 years.
The lefty quarterback is one of the most unique rarities in one of the most important position in sports. Here's some of the best to do it, ranked.
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8. Michael Penix Jr., 2024-present
© Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
- Atlanta Falcons: 2024-present
Michael Penix Jr. is one of the newest left-handed quarterbacks in the NFL, having been drafted eighth overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Heisman Trophy runner-up out of Washington joined the league after a six-year college career and quickly took over the starting job in Atlanta midway through his rookie season.
Penix is celebrated for his powerful arm, deep ball accuracy, and ability to overcome adversity, including a history of college injuries that earned him the Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year award in 2022.
While his career is just getting started, his prowess at the collegiate level, coupled with his strong start in the NFL earns him a spot in the rankings, but will he climb higher?
Awards and Accolades:
- Maxwell Award (College, 2023)
- Heisman Trophy Runner-Up (College, 2023)
- AP Comeback Player of the Year (College, 2022)
MORE: How does NFL MVP voting work?
7. Tua Tagovailoa, 2020-present
- Miami Dolphins: 2020-present
Tua Tagovailoa has established himself as a successful left-handed quarterback since entering the league as the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Tagovailoa has steadily improved over his time with the Dolphins, becoming known for his elite accuracy and efficiency, often operating one of the most explosive offenses in the league.
As of the 2025 season, Tagovailoa holds the highest career completion percentage in NFL history (68%) among quarterbacks with at least 1,500 attempts and the highest passer rating in Dolphins history (98.6).
Tagovailoa's biggest concern is injuries, but the one year he played a full season, he led the NFL in passing yards in 2023. That season, the quarterback had 4,624 yards, 29 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
Awards and Accolades:
- Pro Bowl (2023)
- Holds the NFL all-time record for career completion percentage (68.0%)
- Highest career passer rating in Dolphins history (98.6)
- Led the NFL in passing yards (2023)
MORE: Ranking the 16 greatest Dolphins players of all time
6. Mark Brunell, 1993-2011
- Green Bay Packers: 1993-1994
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 1995-2003
- Washington Commanders: 2004-2007
- New Orleans Saints: 2008-2009
- New York Jets: 2010-2011
Mark Brunell was instrumental in establishing the Jacksonville Jaguars as a relevant NFL expansion franchise in the mid-1990s. Brunell instantly became the face of the Jaguars, leading the franchise to four consecutive playoff appearances and two AFC Championship games.
Brunell was selected to three Pro Bowls and led the NFL in passing yards in 1996. He is a member of the "Pride of the Jaguars," the team's ring of honor, and held virtually every major Jaguars passing record at the time of his departure. He finished his 17-year NFL career with over 32,000 passing yards and also won a Super Bowl ring with the New Orleans Saints in 2010 as a backup to Drew Brees.
Awards and Accolades:
- Super Bowl Champion (XLIV, as backup with Saints)
- 3x Pro Bowl (1996, 1997, 1999)
- Led the NFL in passing yards (1996)
- Member of "Pride of the Jaguars"
MORE: Why do the Jaguars say Duval?
5. Jim Zorn, 1976-1987
- Seattle Seahawks: 1976-1984
- Green Bay Packers: 1985
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 1987
Jim Zorn was a pioneer among modern left-handed quarterbacks and the original starting quarterback for the expansion Seattle Seahawks. Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1975, Zorn started for Seattle from the team’s inaugural 1976 season through 1983.
During his tenure, Zorn was one of the league’s most productive southpaws, earning a selection to the All-Pro second-team in 1978 and finishing third in MVP voting that same year. He compiled over 21,000 career passing yards and 111 touchdowns during his 11 NFL seasons and remains one of the eight inductees in the Seahawks Ring of Honor.
Awards and Accolades:
- Second-team All-Pro (1978)
- Seahawks Ring of Honor
- NFL MVP runner-up (1978)
MORE: Complete list of Super Bowl MVP winners through the years
4. Boomer Esiason, 1984-1997
- Cincinnati Bengals: 1984-1992
- New York Jets: 1993-1995
- Arizona Cardinals: 1996
- Cincinnati Bengals: 1997
Boomer Esiason was the premier left-handed quarterback of the late 1980s and a true star for the Cincinnati Bengals. Drafted in the second round in 1984, Esiason guided the Bengals to their second-ever Super Bowl appearance.
Esiason’s most celebrated year was the 1988 season, when he won the NFL MVP award and earned First-team All-Pro honors after leading the league in passer rating. That year, he led Cincinnati to a 12-4 record and a trip to Super Bowl XXIII, where they ultimately lost a tight contest to Joe Montana's 49ers.
Esiason finished his 14-year career as the left-handed leader in NFL history for both passing yards (37,920) and touchdown passes (247).
Awards and Accolades:
- NFL Most Valuable Player (1988)
- First-team All-Pro (1988)
- 4x Pro Bowl (1986, 1988, 1989, 1993)
- Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year (1995)
MORE: Ranking the best QBs taken with picks 1-32, from Peyton Manning to Lamar Jackson
3. Michael Vick, 2001-2006 and 2009-2016
- Atlanta Falcons: 2001-2006
- Philadelphia Eagles: 2009-2013
- New York Jets: 2014
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 2015-2016
Michael Vick redefined the quarterback position with his unmatched athleticism and game-breaking speed, making him one of the most exciting players of the 2000s. Drafted first overall by the Atlanta Falcons in 2001, Vick's signature trait was his mobility, which allowed him to break the NFL record for rushing yards by a quarterback in a single season and career (records later surpassed). He amassed over 22,000 passing yards in addition to more than 6,100 career rushing yards and 36 rushing touchdowns.
Vick's career was put on hold when he plead guilty to one count of criminal conspiracy to operate a dogfighting ring across state lines in August 2007. Once his sentence was complete, the Philadelphia Eagles decided to give him a second chance.
Vick was selected to four Pro Bowls during his 13-season career with the Falcons and Eagles, with short stints at the end with the Jets and Steelers. Following his arrest and suspension, he made a remarkable comeback in 2010 with Philadelphia, winning the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award after a dominant season that saw him return to Pro Bowl form. His impact on the league, particularly in establishing the dynamic dual-threat prototype, remains undeniable.
Awards and Accolades:
- NFL Comeback Player of the Year (2010)
- 4x Pro Bowl (2002, 2004, 2005, 2010)
- Second all-time for rushing yards by a quarterback (6,109)
MORE: Revisiting Michael Vick's 2007 dogfighting case
2. Ken Stabler, 1970-1974
- Oakland Raiders: 1970-1979
- Houston Oilers: 1980-1981
- New Orleans Saints: 1982-1984
Ken Stabler, nicknamed "The Snake," is one of the most beloved and clutch quarterbacks in Raiders history. Drafted in the second round in 1968 out of Alabama, Stabler emerged as a star in the 1970s, defining the Raiders’ rebellious persona. His knack for late-game heroics, often characterized by pinpoint deep passes, led the team to multiple playoff appearances.
His most decorated season came in 1974, when he was named the NFL MVP and the NFL Offensive Player of the Year. Stabler led the Raiders to their first Super Bowl victory in Super Bowl XI (1977), where they defeated the Minnesota Vikings. His successful career earned him four Pro Bowl selections and a posthumous induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.
Awards and accolades:
- Super Bowl Champion (XI)
- NFL Most Valuable Player (1974)
- NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1974)
- 2x First-team All-Pro (1974, 1976)
- 4x Pro Bowl (1973, 1974, 1976, 1977)
- NFL 1970s All-Decade Team
- Pro Football Hall of Famer
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1. Steve Young, 1985-1999
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 1985-1986
- San Francisco 49ers: 1987-1999
Steve Young is the best lefty quarterback to ever come through the NFL, and it's hard to argue it. Between his three Super Bowl titles, two NFL MVPs and three-time first-team All-Pro selections, not many quarterbacks in general can say they have the resume Young does.
Awards and accolades:
- 3x Super Bowl Champion (XXIII, XXIV, XXIX)
- Super Bowl MVP (XXIX)
- 2x NFL MVP (1992, 1994)
- 3x First-team All-Pro (1992, 1993, 1994)
- 3x Second-team All-Pro (1995, 1996, 1997)
- 7 Pro Bowl selections (1992-1999)
- Bert Bell award, given to the NFL's player of the year
- 49ers Ring of Honor
Young led the NFL in passing touchdowns in four seasons, along with passer rating six times. His No. 8 has been retired both by the 49ers and his alma mater, BYU.
Will anyone be able to come along and surpass Young's legacy as the best left-handed quarterback in NFL history?
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