NFL: History's Finest Single Seasons For QBs

Kurt Warner's fantastic start to the 2000 season has prompted comparisons to some of the greatest single-season performances for quarterbacks in NFL history. After five games, he's thrown for 1,947 yards, 14 touchdowns and attained an unbelievable quarterback rating of 122.

If we project his statistics over the entire season, he could easily challenge and eclipse Dan Marino's single-season records for passing. While Marino's 1984 season remains the benchmark for assessing passing productivity, NFL history has provided us with a litany of seasons that we might call the "best ever" for a quarterback. In no particular order, here’s a list of 10 of the most memorable.

Dan Marino's 1984 season is indeed the most prolific ever. In just his second year, he threw for 5,084 yards and 48 touchdowns – unfathomable numbers even with today’s pass-happy offenses. At season's end, Marino possessed an amazing 108.9 quarterback rating and gave away only 17 interceptions. Behind his staggering nine-yard average per pass attempt, Marino’s two prime targets, receivers Mark Duper and Mark Clayton, both enjoyed 1,000-yard receiving seasons. With that outstanding of a season so early on in his career, Marino guaranteed himself a trip to the Hall of Fame long before most quarterbacks can even gain a trip to the Pro Bowl.

In the early ‘90s, the Buffalo Bills made it to four consecutive Super Bowls. Unfortunately for Jim Kelly, they lost all four. Yet during that span, he generated one of the best single-season performances for a pro quarterback in history. In 1991, he threw for 3,844 yards and 33 touchdowns. He also averaged eight yards per pass attempt and completed 64 percent of his passes. Though that season will forever be remembered as the "wide right" year for Bills fans, Kelly’s accomplishments laid the groundwork for what would become an AFC dynasty for years to come.

Possibly the best playoff quarterback ever, Joe Montana's 1989 season was one to remember for the ages. Capping it off with a 55-10 thrashing of the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl, he passed for 3,521 yards and had just 8 interceptions for the San Francisco 49ers. Always known for his accuracy and precision, Montana topped the 70-percent completion mark and tossed 26 touchdowns. In the end, he had a 112.4 quarterback rating, the second highest ever.

Steve Young's 1994 season also has to rank among the finest in the game's history. Still living in the shadow of Montana's legacy, Young not only led the San Francisco 49ers to their only Super Bowl victory of the '90s, he amassed the highest quarterback rating of all time at 112.8. He passed for 3,969 yards, 35 touchdowns, had just 10 interceptions and was first in the league in passing for a record fourth-consecutive season. Yet it was always his rushing ability that distinguished Young from other quarterbacks, and he was true to form that season too. Besides running for 250 yards, he got into the end zone a remarkable seven times and cemented his place as maybe the best pure athlete to ever play the position.

In a time when the passing attack was secondary to the running game, Y.A. Tittle put a season together in 1963 that would become one of the most exceptional of the decade. Not only did he break the 3,000-yard barrier – a difficult feat in those days – he also threw for 36 touchdowns against just 14 interceptions. To place his accomplishment in proper perspective, we should consider that Johnny Unitas only threw for over 30 touchdowns once in his career (32 to be exact). In fact, that was the second year in a row Tittle surpassed that mark. At the season’s conclusion, he had completed 60.2 percent of his passes and had an astounding quarterback rating of 104.8.

In the 1940s, the league leaders in passing often threw for just 1,500 yards and rarely broke the 2,000-yard plateau. Otto Graham, who once played in 10 straight championship games for the Cleveland Browns, led the league with 2,753 yards and hurled 25 touchdowns in 1947. Still among the top ten seasons in terms of quarterback rating (109.16), Graham's most eye-boggling statistic was his 10.2-yard per pass average. Comparatively, Kurt Warner’s average last season was just 8.7 yards per pass. Behind Graham’s strong arm, the Browns won the old All-America Football Conference (AAFC) championship game 14-3 over the New York Giants and culminated one of greatest seasons in history for a quarterback

Though now known simply as the color man for ABC’s Monday Night Football, Dan Fouts once flawlessly ran one of football’s most potent passing offenses. Directing the famous "Air Coryell" passing attack (named after former-San Diego Charger head coach Don Coryell), Fouts showed he could sling with the best of them in 1981 when he threw for over 4,500 yards. During that phenomenal season, he completed 360 passes for 4,802 yards and 33 touchdowns, all which were first in the league. His pass distribution was so balanced that three different receivers caught for over 1,000 yards (John Jefferson, Kellen Winslow and Charlie Joiner). But it was his playoff game against the Miami Dolphins that fueled Fouts’ reputation as a true gunslinger. During the contest, he threw for 415 yards and three touchdowns as the Chargers outlasted the Dolphins 41-38.

Behind the innovative run-and-shoot offense, Warren Moon's superb 1990 season with the Houston Oilers will be remembered as one of game's finest. During that incredible year, he passed for 4,689 yards, 33 touchdowns and secured a quarterback rating of 96.8. His 62-percent completion mark and mere 13 interceptions are indicative of the great passing accuracy he displayed during that year. Not recognized for his quick feet, Moon also gained 215 yards on the ground, demonstrating his multiple talents.

Brett Favre’s 1995 season might be his most noteworthy to date and is certainly one of the history's premiere performances. After being criticized for throwing too many ill-advised passes during his first four years in the NFL, Favre silenced his critics by tossing 38 touchdowns and throwing for 4,413 yards. Not just deadly with the long ball, Favre completed 63 percent of his passes. Nevertheless, he added to his long-ball legacy by heaving a 99-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Robert Brooks during the same year. With his confidence in place, Favre won his first Super Bowl for the Green Bay Packers the following season and hasn’t looked back since.

Although other quarterbacks’ great seasons have been mentioned, Warner’s own performance in 1999 leaves him with a difficult standard to try and match in 2000. The former-Trent Green backup won the NFL and Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Awards in just his first season as a starter. His accolades included a 65.1 completion percentage, 4,353 yards, 41 touchdowns and just 13 interceptions. Put them all together and Warner had an extraordinary 109.2 quarterback rating.

With the bye week behind him, Warner will soon begin his assault on the all-time single-season records for quarterbacks during the remainder of the year. His competition from current players is limited, but the ghosts from seasons past always loom.