The Official NFL Benchmark
Created in 1973 by a special committee headed by Don Smith of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the NFL Passer Rating is the official mathematical metric used to evaluate quarterback performance.
Before its invention, the NFL struggled to crown a passing champion because one quarterback might have the most yards, while another had the most touchdowns, and a third had the fewest interceptions. The formula was designed to synthesize all of these critical passing elements into a single, standardized number.
The Complex Mathematics
The NFL formula is notoriously complicated. It evaluates four distinct categories, weighting them equally:
- Completion Percentage
- Yards per Attempt
- Touchdowns per Attempt
- Interceptions per Attempt
The Formula
Each of the four categories is calculated to a value between 0 and 2.375. The sum of these categories is divided by 6 and multiplied by 100 to create the final rating.
Passer Rating = ((A + B + C + D) / 6) * 100
The "Perfect" Rating
Because the maximum value allowed in any of the four categories is 2.375, the absolute highest mathematical score possible in the NFL system is 158.3. Achieving a "Perfect Passer Rating" requires a completion percentage of at least 77.5%, 12.5+ yards per attempt, a touchdown on at least 11.875% of attempts, and zero interceptions.