Pro Football Network produced a top-25 NFL quarterback ranking since the start of the 21st century, and two unexpected Tampa Bay Buccaneers QBs made the cut alongside “the GOAT,” Tom Brady.
Before we dive into the full list, and which former Bucs QBs are on it, Pro Football Network made one thing perfectly clear during the introduction: “To cut through the noise and eliminate bias, we used our proprietary PFSN QB+ metrics to assess every quarterback’s career from the start of the 21st century on.”
They described QB+ as “a formula that assigns a score and letter grade to each quarterback’s individual performance. The metric blends stats like success rates when pressured, third-down conversion rate, and pocket production. The added wrinkle? Quantifying ‘clutch.’ We used timeliness-based stats to account for score and situation.”
So, with that in mind, former Buccaneers QBs Jeff Garcia and Jameis Winston surprisingly graded out top 25 overall.
Bucs QBs Jeff Garcia & Jameis Winston Rank 20th & 24th on NFL 21st Century List, Respectively
Amazingly, Garcia and Winston’s cumulative QB+ grades rank 20th and 24th since the turn of the century, which might make some question this formula.
To be fair, Garcia had three Pro Bowl seasons with the San Francisco 49ers from 2000 through 2002, plus another Pro Bowl nod in 2007 with the Buccaneers. But he’s not typically thought of as a top-25 quarterback of the modern era.
“Garcia spent most of his time with the 49ers but also had stints in Cleveland, Detroit, Philadelphia, and Tampa Bay,” PFN detailed. “He threw for 25,537 yards, 161 touchdowns, and 83 interceptions across 11 seasons, finishing with a 61.6% completion rate and 87.5 passer rating. He also topped 30 touchdown passes in both 2000 and 2001.”
“Garcia’s rushing ability added to his value,” the NFL site noted. “With 251 designed runs, he posted a +0.31 EPA per rush and scored 26 rushing touchdowns.”
They added that “Garcia’s 58-58 record as a starter includes tough years with the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions.” And that he “posted a +0.12 EPA per dropback, with similar marks in clutch moments.”
Knowing he is now a perennial backup, Winston is undoubtedly the most outrageous and hard-to-believe selection on this list. PFN recognized that immediately, calling him the “most surprising inclusion.”
“While he’s shown flashes of brilliance, he’s also had his fair share of struggles,” the site admitted. “Over his first 10 NFL seasons, Winston totaled 24,225 passing yards, 154 touchdowns, and 111 interceptions. He holds a 61.2% completion rate and an 86.4 passer rating.”
“Winston’s best year came in 2019, when he led the league in attempts (626) and passing yards (5,109). Unfortunately, his 30 interceptions also led the NFL,” PFN continued. “In fact, he’s thrown double-digit picks in six different seasons, including last year, when he had 12 despite only starting seven games.”
“Winston often starts hot (+0.25 EPA per dropback in first halves), but that drops off sharply after halftime (+0.08 EPA/DB),” they concluded. “He’s also struggled under pressure (-0.43 EPA/DB), though he has a +0.25 EPA/DB from a clean pocket.”
Tom Brady Disrespected by NFL 21st Century QB Ranking
GettyTampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady at Super Bowl LV.
While these analytics hint that Winston was perhaps more talented than he gets credit for, they sort of had the opposite effect for Tom Brady.
Ask any unbiased football fan, and they’ll likely tell you that Brady is the best to ever do it. Or, at the very least, second best based on the idea that Patrick Mahomes will soon surpass him.
Well, according to the QB+ formula, Brady was only the sixth-best quarterback of this century! Talk about disrespect.
“On most lists, Brady would be the unquestioned GOAT. But through the lens of the QB+ metric, he narrowly misses the top five,” Pro Football Network wrote. “That said, there’s no minimizing Brady’s absurd résumé. His seven Super Bowl titles are more than any other player (or franchise) in NFL history. He won six with the New England Patriots and added a seventh with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at age 43, becoming just the second quarterback to win titles with multiple teams.”
They went on to detail his illustrious list of career accomplishments, including a “ridiculous” 35 playoff wins, 10 Super Bowl appearances and five Super Bowl MVP awards.
“So, why is Brady No. 6? His 94.6 QB+ score is just 0.1 behind [Josh] Allen,” the site explained. “His +0.16 EPA per dropback doesn’t quite match the elite company ahead of him, though he did shine in clutch situations with a +0.21 EPA/DB in close games.”
Finally, PFN stated that “Brady’s unmatched consistency, meticulous preparation, and poise under pressure remain his trademarks. He had just one losing season in 23 years, and even then, his team made the playoffs. No one has matched Brady’s ability to elevate when it mattered most.”
Ironically enough, Mahomes didn’t top this study either, ranking second. The No. 1 spot went to one of Brady’s greatest rivals.
