NFL All-Time QB Rank No. 41: Joe Theismann

Ranking the top 50 quarterbacks in NFL history…

41. Joe Theismann

Drafted in the fourth round (99th overall) by the Miami Dolphins in 1971 out of Notre Dame, Joe Theismann opted to begin his professional career in the Canadian Football League with the Toronto Argonauts, where he played from 1971 to 1973.

Acquired by the Washington Redskins in 1974, he initially served as a punt returner before transitioning to quarterback, becoming the full-time starter in 1978 under coach Joe Gibbs.

Theismann led the Redskins to back-to-back Super Bowl appearances, securing a victory in Super Bowl XVII (1983) with a 27-17 win over the Dolphins, throwing for 143 yards and two touchdowns.

His pinnacle came in 1983, when he threw for a career-high 3,714 yards and 29 touchdowns, earning NFL MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl MVP.

Theismann’s career ended abruptly in 1985 due to a gruesome compound leg fracture sustained on a sack by Lawrence Taylor during a Monday Night Football game against the New York Giants, forcing his retirement at age 36.

His career totals include 25,206 passing yards, 160 touchdowns, 138 interceptions and a 56.7 percent completion rate across 167 games, with a 77-47 record as a starter.

Theismann’s playing style evolved from a dual-threat scrambler in the CFL to a poised pocket passer in the NFL.

But who ranks ahead of Theismann at No. 40 all-time?