The Pro Football Hall of Fame is one the sport’s highest honors, intended to recognize players, coaches and others for their sustained success and contribution to the game.
There are currently 362 members who have earned the iconic gold jacket at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Less than 10% of those 362 inductees played the game’s marquee position – quarterback.
That exclusive club lost one of its members this week when Kansas City Chief legend and Super Bowl IV champion Len Dawson died.
Here’s the rundown of quarterbacks in the Pro Football Hall of Fame:
How many QBs are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?
There are 36 quarterbacks enshrined in Canton, including a halfback combo and dual kicker-quarterback threat. This group is headlined by legends such as Joe Montana, Peyton Manning and John Elway.
How many Black quarterbacks are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?
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Warren Moon is the lone Black quarterback in the Hall of Fame.
During Moon’s 17-season career, he was honored as NFL Man of the Year, named to nine Pro Bowls and led the league in passing yards twice.
The NFL’s track record on race and representation remains under a microscope after accounts of discriminatory hiring practices and the blacklisting of Colin Kaepernick. While the 2020 season kicked off with a record ten Black quarterbacks starting under center for Week 1, the position remains dominated by white athletes despite over 70% of NFL players being of color.
Donovan McNabb, arguably one of the best Black quarterbacks in NFL history, said throughout high school, scouts would often try to convince him to consider other positions.
“There was always the question of doubt when you’re a kid,” McNabb said. “People are telling you that you can be a receiver, running back or you’d be better at linebacker or safety and just kind of killing your dream.”
Patrick Mahomes, currently at the prime of his career, is building a Hall-of-Famer career in Kansas City and shaping up to be one of the best Black quarterbacks in the history of the NFL. In the hours after news broke of Dawson’s passing, Mahomes extended his condolences to Dawson’s family and paid his respects to the “legend,” whose impact on Kansas City “will live on forever.”
What team has the most QBs in the Hall of Fame?
The team with the most Hall of Fame quarterbacks is … the New York Giants? It might come as a surprise, but five Hall-of-Fame quarterbacks have donned the Giants’ red, white and blue. However, there’s a slight caveat. Those five quarterbacks – Kurt Warner, Benny Friedman, Fran Tarkenton, Y.A. Tittle and Arnie Herber – combined for a total of 15 seasons with the Giants and many built their careers with other franchises. Giants win this one, albeit on a technicality.
The Chicago Bears are in second place with four Hall-of-Fame quarterbacks. Eight teams claim three Hall-of-Fame quarterbacks: the Green Bay Packers, Houston Oilers, Chicago Cardinals, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers and the San Francisco 49ers.
Perhaps the greatest Hall of Fame quarterback trio for any franchise belongs to the 49ers, who boast Montana, Young and Tittle. Even more impressive is the absence of John Brodie, the 1970 NFL MVP and two-time Pro Bowler who is notably missing from Canton.
Has any quarterback won the Super Bowl with two different teams?
Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are the only starting quarterbacks to win a Super Bowl with two different teams.
Manning led both the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos to one Super Bowl victory. Brady went 6-for-9 in the Super Bowl with the New England Patriots, before taking his talents to Tampa Bay and delivering a Super Bowl in his first year with the Buccaneers.
Is Peyton Manning in the Hall of Fame?
Yes, Peyton Manning was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021. Brady, the five-time NFL MVP, Brady remains active in his career despite flirting with retirement earlier in 2022, which makes Manning the only QB in the Hall of Fame who has a Super Bowl title starting for two years.
Did the 2022 NFL Hall of Fame Class have a QB?
No, there was no quarterback in the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022.
Who are the NFL Hall of Famers for 2022?
The 2022 NFL Hall of Fame class included Tony Boselli, Cliff Branch, LeRoy Butler, Art McNally, Sam Mills, Richard Seymour, Dick Vermeil and Bryant Young.
When are Hall of Fame finalists announced?
The list of semifinalists for the modern-era can be expected around late-November, followed by the finalist a month later and – assuming the league maintains tradition -- the official class is announced at the “NFL Honors,” typically held the night before the Super Bowl.
Of the 15 finalists in 2022, eight collected a gold jacket. Unlike the MLB, the only eligibility parameter for a player to be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame is that they must be retired for at least five years.
Looking ahead, the 2023 Hall of Fame class is already well underway. Dan Coryell recently got the nod as the league’s sole “coach/contributor” nominee. He’ll make the cut with 80% approval on an up-and-down vote. Representing the senior category, or players at least 25 years out of retirement, are Chuck Howley, Joe Klecko and Ken Riley.
Don’t be surprised to see several of the finalists from 2022 back on the ballot this year.
