This is a list of notable left-handed quarterbacks who have played professionally or for a major college program. In gridiron football, quarterbacks have been predominantly right-handed; only 33 left-handed quarterbacks have appeared in the National Football League (NFL);[1] whilst twelve others were drafted but never played in the NFL.[2] The rarity of left-handed NFL quarterbacks has been a topic of discussion and debate among players, coaches, and analysts.[3]
Left-handed quarterbacks were relatively prominent in the NFL between the 1970s and the 2000s, but became mostly absent from the league after 2010.[4] The most successful have been Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees Steve Young and Ken Stabler, 1988 Most Valuable Player Boomer Esiason, and Pro Bowl selections Frankie Albert, Mark Brunell, and Michael Vick. Tua Tagovailoa, who was drafted in 2020, is currently the NFL's only left-handed quarterback.
List
^ | Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame |
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/Ken_Stabler_2007_Alabama_Broadcasters_Convention.jpg/170px-Ken_Stabler_2007_Alabama_Broadcasters_Convention.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/39/Coach_Jim_Zorn.jpg/170px-Coach_Jim_Zorn.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/Boomer_Esiason_at_Super_Bowl_XLI_pre-game_show_in_Miami.jpg/170px-Boomer_Esiason_at_Super_Bowl_XLI_pre-game_show_in_Miami.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e6/Steve_Young_%286837509849%29_%28cropped%29.jpg/170px-Steve_Young_%286837509849%29_%28cropped%29.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/MarkBrunell95.jpg/170px-MarkBrunell95.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Michael_Vick%2C_November_2006_%281%29.jpg/170px-Michael_Vick%2C_November_2006_%281%29.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/Tim_Tebow_20071223.jpg/170px-Tim_Tebow_20071223.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/Tua_Tagovailoa_Dolphins-Falcons_OCT2021.png/170px-Tua_Tagovailoa_Dolphins-Falcons_OCT2021.png)
See also
Notes
- ^ Behind only John Elway.
- ^ Tebow converted to tight end upon returning to professional football before the 2021 NFL season.[29]
References
- ^ Holcomb, Dave (16 December 2020). "The most notable lefty NFL quarterbacks". MSN. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
- ^ Maxymuk, John (2009). "Left Wingers". The Coffin Corner. Vol. 31, no. 8. pp. 9–11.
- ^ a b Toney, Nick (August 13, 2018). "Why are there no lefty quarterbacks in the NFL?". NFL.com. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Edholm, Eric. "Are Lefty Quarterbacks Going Extinct?". FiveThirtyEight.
- ^ a b c d e f Left-handed QBs | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site
- ^ "Allie Sherman Stats". Pro Football Reference.
- ^ "Donelli Has Tough Job in Pro League". The Herald-Press. September 8, 1944 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Maxymuk, John (November 30, 2007). Strong Arm Tactics: A History and Statistical Analysis of the Professional Quarterback. McFarland Incorporated. p. 13. ISBN 0786432772.
- ^ "Fred Wyant (1994)". West Virginia Mountaineers.
- ^ Rolfe, Shelley (1953-11-03). "Wyant Is Big-Leaguer on Big League Club". The Times Dispatch. Richmond, Virginia. Retrieved 2022-02-02. (noting that he was left-handed)
- ^ a b c d e Stine, Carl. "Tim Tebow and the 14 Greatest Left-Handed CFB Quarterbacks of All Time". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 2019-04-05.
- ^ "Jim Del Gaizo Stats". Pro Football Reference.
- ^ "Dennis Morrison Stats". Pro Football Reference.
- ^ "For "As Long As They Want Me" Leach Is a Tiger". Petoskey News-Review. June 8, 1979. p. 17.
- ^ "Pacific-12 Conference Career Leaders and Records for Total Yards". Sports Reference — College Football. Archived from the original on 27 March 2015.
- ^ "Erik Wilhelm Stats". Pro Football Reference.
- ^ "Jeff Carlson". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
- ^ Todd Marinovich Stats | Pro Football Reference
- ^ "Will Furrer". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
- ^ "Plenty to learn and like about AFL". 25 February 2007.
- ^ "Tony Graziani". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
- ^ "The NFL: Which Son To Watch?". Kitsap Sun. 2000.
- ^ Brock Huard Stats | Pro Football Reference
- ^ Cade McNown Stats | Pro Football Reference
- ^ "Michael Vick Biography". Biography.com. 17 July 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
- ^ Jared Lorenzen Stats | Pro Football Reference
- ^ a b c Brief, Sam (2018-11-02). "Tua Tagovailoa is making left-handed college QB history". SI.com. Retrieved 2019-07-04.
- ^ Matt Leinart Stats | Pro Football Reference
- ^ Reid, John (2021-05-20). "Jaguars sign Tim Tebow to play tight end". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2021-05-31.
- ^ Tim Tebow Stats | Pro Football Reference
- ^ Casagrande, Michael. "How Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa became left-handed". AL.com. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
- ^ "NFL Draft Profile: Holton Ahlers, Quarterback, East Carolina Pirates". SI.com. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
- ^ "Packers reportedly met with ECU QB Holton Ahlers: What to Know". dairylandexpress.com. February 7, 2023.
- ^ "2023 Senior Bowl Watchlist Scouting Notes: QB Holton Ahlers, East Carolina". nfldraftblitz.com. October 18, 2022.