Passer Rating Calculator
Calculate Quarterback Passer Rating
Enter the quarterback’s passing statistics to calculate their Passer Rating based on the NFL/CFL formula.
| Component | Formula Part | Min Value | Max Value (Capped) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Completion % | ((COMP / ATT) – 0.3) * 5 | 0 | 2.375 |
| Yards/Attempt | ((YDS / ATT) – 3) * 0.25 | 0 | 2.375 |
| TD % | (TD / ATT) * 20 | 0 | 2.375 |
| INT % | 2.375 – ((INT / ATT) * 25) | 0 | 2.375 |
| Passer Rating | ((a+b+c+d)/6)*100 | 0.0 | 158.3 |
What is Passer Rating?
The Passer Rating (also known as Quarterback Rating or QB Rating in the NFL and CFL) is a statistic used to measure the performance of quarterbacks or other passers in American football and Canadian football. It was developed to provide a more comprehensive way to evaluate passers than just looking at individual stats like yards or touchdowns alone. The Passer Rating combines four key elements of passing: completion percentage, yards per attempt, touchdown percentage, and interception percentage into a single number.
The formula is designed such that a statistically “average” performance results in a rating around 66.7, while a “perfect” game (hitting the maximum caps on all components) results in a Passer Rating of 158.3. It’s a widely used metric by the NFL and media to compare quarterback efficiency, although it doesn’t account for factors like rushing yards, sacks taken, or game context (like comeback drives).
Who should use it? Coaches, analysts, fans, and fantasy football players use the Passer Rating to assess and compare quarterback performance over a game, season, or career. It provides a standardized measure of passing effectiveness.
Common misconceptions include believing it accounts for all aspects of a quarterback’s play (it doesn’t include rushing or sacks) or that a rating of 100 is “perfect” (158.3 is perfect).
Passer Rating Formula and Mathematical Explanation
The Passer Rating is calculated using the following four components, based on a quarterback’s performance statistics:
- Completion Percentage Component (a):
a = ((COMP / ATT) - 0.3) * 5
This rewards high completion percentages. The 0.3 offset and multiplier 5 scale the value. - Yards Per Attempt Component (b):
b = ((YDS / ATT) - 3) * 0.25
This rewards gaining more yards per pass attempt. The 3-yard offset and 0.25 multiplier scale the value. - Touchdown Percentage Component (c):
c = (TD / ATT) * 20
This rewards a high percentage of passes resulting in touchdowns. - Interception Percentage Component (d):
d = 2.375 - ((INT / ATT) * 25)
This penalizes a high percentage of passes resulting in interceptions. The value starts at 2.375 and decreases with more interceptions per attempt.
Each of these components (a, b, c, d) is individually capped: the minimum value is 0, and the maximum value is 2.375. If a calculated component is less than 0, it is set to 0; if it is greater than 2.375, it is set to 2.375.
The final Passer Rating is then calculated as:
Passer Rating = ((Capped_a + Capped_b + Capped_c + Capped_d) / 6) * 100
The division by 6 and multiplication by 100 scale the result to a more familiar range, with a maximum of 158.3.
| Variable | Meaning | Unit | Typical Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATT | Passing Attempts | Count | 1 – 60+ (per game) |
| COMP | Completions | Count | 0 – 50+ (per game) |
| YDS | Passing Yards | Yards | -10 – 500+ (per game) |
| TD | Touchdown Passes | Count | 0 – 7+ (per game) |
| INT | Interceptions Thrown | Count | 0 – 6+ (per game) |
| a, b, c, d | Intermediate components | Scaled value | 0 – 2.375 (after capping) |
| Passer Rating | Final Rating | Points | 0.0 – 158.3 |
Practical Examples (Real-World Use Cases)
Example 1: Efficient Game
A quarterback has the following stats in a game:
- Attempts (ATT): 30
- Completions (COMP): 25
- Passing Yards (YDS): 300
- Touchdown Passes (TD): 3
- Interceptions (INT): 0
Calculations:
- a = ((25/30) – 0.3) * 5 = (0.8333 – 0.3) * 5 = 0.5333 * 5 = 2.6665 (Capped to 2.375)
- b = ((300/30) – 3) * 0.25 = (10 – 3) * 0.25 = 7 * 0.25 = 1.75
- c = (3/30) * 20 = 0.1 * 20 = 2.0
- d = 2.375 – ((0/30) * 25) = 2.375 – 0 = 2.375
- Passer Rating = ((2.375 + 1.75 + 2.0 + 2.375) / 6) * 100 = (8.5 / 6) * 100 = 1.4166 * 100 = 141.7
This results in an excellent Passer Rating of 141.7, indicating a very strong performance.
Example 2: A Tough Game
Another quarterback has a more difficult game:
- Attempts (ATT): 40
- Completions (COMP): 20
- Passing Yards (YDS): 180
- Touchdown Passes (TD): 1
- Interceptions (INT): 3
Calculations:
- a = ((20/40) – 0.3) * 5 = (0.5 – 0.3) * 5 = 0.2 * 5 = 1.0
- b = ((180/40) – 3) * 0.25 = (4.5 – 3) * 0.25 = 1.5 * 0.25 = 0.375
- c = (1/40) * 20 = 0.025 * 20 = 0.5
- d = 2.375 – ((3/40) * 25) = 2.375 – (0.075 * 25) = 2.375 – 1.875 = 0.5
- Passer Rating = ((1.0 + 0.375 + 0.5 + 0.5) / 6) * 100 = (2.375 / 6) * 100 = 0.3958 * 100 = 39.6
This results in a low Passer Rating of 39.6, reflecting the struggles with completion percentage and interceptions relative to touchdowns and yards.
How to Use This Passer Rating Calculator
- Enter Attempts: Input the total number of passing attempts made by the quarterback.
- Enter Completions: Input the number of passes that were successfully caught by a receiver. This cannot be more than attempts.
- Enter Passing Yards: Input the total yards gained from completed passes. This can be negative if yardage was lost.
- Enter Touchdowns: Input the number of touchdown passes thrown.
- Enter Interceptions: Input the number of passes intercepted by the defense.
- Calculate: Click the “Calculate” button or observe the results updating automatically as you type if real-time updates are enabled.
- Read Results: The primary result is the Passer Rating. You will also see the intermediate capped values for each of the four components.
- Reset: Use the “Reset” button to clear the fields to their default values for a new calculation.
- Copy Results: Use the “Copy Results” button to copy the main rating and intermediate values to your clipboard.
The Passer Rating gives you a standardized score to evaluate a quarterback’s passing performance. A rating over 100 is generally considered very good, while over 90 is good, and below 70 is often below average. Context matters, as the league average Passer Rating has increased over the years.
Key Factors That Affect Passer Rating Results
- Completion Percentage: A higher completion percentage directly increases component ‘a’ and thus the overall Passer Rating. Accuracy is key.
- Yards Per Attempt: Generating more yards per pass attempt boosts component ‘b’. This reflects the ability to make impactful throws downfield or gain yards after the catch.
- Touchdown Percentage: A higher rate of touchdowns per attempt significantly increases component ‘c’. Scoring is heavily weighted.
- Interception Percentage: Throwing fewer interceptions per attempt is crucial. Interceptions heavily penalize the rating through component ‘d’. Ball security is vital for a good Passer Rating.
- Number of Attempts (as a denominator): While not a direct input for value, the number of attempts is the denominator for all percentage calculations. A small number of attempts can lead to volatile ratings (e.g., one long TD on one attempt gives a perfect rating momentarily). More attempts provide a more stable Passer Rating.
- The Capping Mechanism: Extremely high or low performances in one area (e.g., very high completion percentage or yards per attempt, or zero interceptions) will hit the 0 or 2.375 cap for that component. This prevents one extraordinary stat from skewing the Passer Rating too extremely, but also limits the reward for truly exceptional play beyond the cap.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is a perfect Passer Rating?
A perfect Passer Rating is 158.3. This is achieved when a quarterback meets or exceeds the maximum thresholds for all four components before capping (e.g., at least 77.5% completions, 12.5 yards per attempt, 11.875% TD rate, and 0% INT rate, though the caps are what determine the max rating).
What is the lowest possible Passer Rating?
The lowest possible Passer Rating is 0.0.
Does Passer Rating include rushing yards or sacks?
No, the standard NFL/CFL Passer Rating formula only considers passing statistics (attempts, completions, yards, touchdowns, interceptions). It does not account for a quarterback’s rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, or the number of times they are sacked.
Is Passer Rating the best way to evaluate a quarterback?
Passer Rating is a useful tool but not the only one. It measures passing efficiency well but misses other aspects of QB play like leadership, mobility, and decision-making under pressure that aren’t captured by these five stats. Other metrics like QBR (Total Quarterback Rating) or DVOA attempt to provide a more holistic view.
Has the formula for Passer Rating ever changed?
The formula for the NFL Passer Rating was developed in 1971 and officially implemented in 1973. It has remained unchanged since then, allowing for historical comparisons, although the style of play in the NFL has evolved.
Why is there a cap on each component of the Passer Rating?
The caps (0 to 2.375) were introduced to prevent any single component from having an overly dominant effect on the final rating and to reflect the idea that beyond a certain point of excellence in one area, the incremental value might diminish relative to others.
Can a quarterback have a negative Passer Rating?
No, the formula and the capping ensure that each component is at least 0, so the final Passer Rating will always be 0.0 or higher.
How does the Passer Rating compare to ESPN’s QBR?
ESPN’s Total Quarterback Rating (QBR) is a more complex metric that attempts to incorporate more aspects of a quarterback’s play, including rushing, sacks, fumbles, and the context of each play (down, distance, score). Passer Rating is purely based on the five passing stats and a fixed formula.