List of NFL players who have posted a passer rating of zero

The National Football League has seen a passer rating of zero posted 224 times: 220 times in the regular season and 4 times in the postseason.

To achieve a passer rating of zero in a game, a player must have no touchdowns, complete no more than 30% of his pass attempts, average less than three yards per attempt, and throw an interception on at least 9.5% of attempts. To qualify for this list, a player must have attempted at least ten passes (prior to 1976); 12 passes (1976–1977); or 14 passes (1978–present) in the game in question. Using these criteria, 151 different players have posted a zero rating; 28 players have done it more than once.

Background Eight players (Arnie Herber, Parker Hall, Hugh McCullough, Babe Parilli, Ralph Guglielmi, Lamar McHan, Al Dorow, and Rick Norton) posted a zero rating on a record three occasions throughout their career. Red Kirkman, Hugh McCullough, Lamar McHan, and Gary Keithley are the only players ever to post zero ratings in two straight weeks (in 1933, 1940, 1958, and 1973, respectively). The 1939 season saw a record ten games with a zero rating: Ray Carnelly (Brooklyn Dodgers), Parker Hall (Cleveland Rams), Arnie Herber (Green Bay Packers), Bert Johnson (Chicago Cardinals), Hugh McCullough (Pittsburgh Pirates), Coley McDonough (Pittsburgh Pirates), Frank Patrick (Chicago Cardinals, twice), and Darrell Tully (Detroit Lions, twice). The season with the second most (9) was 1948 (with both NFL and AAFC players included). 13 players have posted two zero passer ratings in the same season: Red Kirkman (1933), Johnny Gildea (1935), Frank Patrick (1939), Darnell Tully (1939), Hugh McCullough (1940), Al Dorow (1954), Lamar McHan (1958), Ralph Guglielmi (1959), Cotton Davidson (1962), Steve Tensi (1967), Rick Norton (1969), Gary Keithley (1973), and Randy Hedberg (1977).

All four postseason zero ratings happened in a Championship Game: George Ratterman of the Buffalo Bills in the 1948 AAFC Championship Game; Tommy Thompson of the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1948 NFL Championship Game; Otto Graham of the Cleveland Browns in the 1953 NFL Championship Game; and Craig Morton of the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XII. Out of the four, Thompson is the only one whose team won.

There have been three occasions where a starting quarterback and his mid-game replacement have both earned a zero rating in the same game: starter Joe Namath and replacement Richard Todd with the New York Jets (1976), starter Vince Evans and replacement Bob Avellini with the Chicago Bears (1981), and starter Terry Bradshaw and replacement Cliff Stoudt with the Pittsburgh Steelers (1982). The most zero ratings on a single day in league history happened on November 19, 1939, when Ray Carnelly (Brooklyn Dodgers), Hugh McCullough (Pittsburgh Pirates), and Frank Patrick (Chicago Cardinals) all posted zero ratings.

The longest period between NFL games with a zero passer rating is 7 years, 10 months, and 30 days, spanning from Chris Redman of the Atlanta Falcons on December 16, 2007, to Peyton Manning of the Denver Broncos on November 15, 2015. Manning was 39 years and 236 days old in the 2015 game, the oldest age of any player to record a zero rating. In the 1939 season, Darrell Tully of the Detroit Lions posted a zero rating at the youngest age, 21 years and 319 days old. The most recent NFL zero passer rating game came on January 3, 2021, when Brandon Allen of the Cincinnati Bengals went 6-21 with 48 yards and two interceptions against the Baltimore Ravens. The Bengals lost 3–38.

On one occasion, players on opposing teams both posted a zero rating: Gary Keithley and the St. Louis Cardinals defeated Bob Lee and the Atlanta Falcons (1973). Of the 187 zero rating games, the team of a player who posted a zero rating has won 15 times (); 14 times in the regular season and once in the postseason (the aforementioned 1948 NFL Championship Game). The most recent example of a team winning a game with a zero rating quarterback is when Brent Pease did so with the in Houston Oilers in 1988. Four zero rating games have ended in a tie (); the most recent example of this is Len Dawson in 1970. Due to the NFL playoffs not allowing ties, all four such games have been in the regular season.

There have been 22 total zero passer rating games recorded by 14 Hall-of-Famers. The first was by Herber in 1933, and the most recent was by Peyton Manning in the 2015 season. 15 players who had a zero passer rating also earned a perfect (158.3) passer rating during their careers: Otto Graham, Johnny Unitas, Joe Namath, Terry Bradshaw, Len Dawson, Bob Griese, James Harris, Bob Lee, Scott Hunter, Dan Fouts, Craig Morton, Vince Evans, Rich Gannon, Eli Manning, and Peyton Manning.

The Arizona Cardinals franchise has had more zero rating games than any other franchise, with 18. The Chicago Bears have held opposing players to a zero passer rating more than any other franchise, having accomplished the feat 16 times.

List Key # The number (in chronological order) the entry represents in the list of zero passer rating games (example: a value of 48 in this column would indicate that it was the 48th zero passer rating game in NFL history)Quarterback The name of the quarterback who posted the zero passer ratingDate The date on which the zero passer rating game occurredTeam The team of the quarterback who posted the zero passer ratingOpponent The opposing team of the quarterbackResult The result (W, L, or T meaning win, loss, or tie, respectively) and score of the game from the quarterback's team's perspectiveCMP The amount of passes the quarterback completedATT The amount of passes the quarterback attemptedCMP% The percentage of passes the quarterback completedYDS The amount of passing yards the quarterback gainedINT The amount of interceptions the quarterback threwNotes Any other relevant information about the specific zero passer rating game † Member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame

The following number of pass attempts are needed to qualify for this list: * Prior to 1976: 10 * 1976-1977: 12 * 1978–present: 14

+NFL quarterbacks with a zero passer rating#QuarterbackDateTeamOpponentResultNotes1"Rip King Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comAkron ProsCanton BulldogsW 3–04183822"Jimmy Conzelman Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comRock Island IndependentsChicago StaleysL 0–32103023"Al Mahrt Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comDayton TrianglesCanton BulldogsT 0–01112534"Rat Watson Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comToledo MaroonsCanton BulldogsT 0-0422588Most interceptions in a single game in NFL history (tied with Jim Hardy)5Steve Sullivan"Steve Sullivan Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comHammond ProsRacine LegionL 0-6112646"Lou Smyth Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comCanton BulldogsAkron ProsW 14-03123257"Jim Kendrick Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comToledo MaroonsCanton BulldogsL 0-192164528"John Mohardt Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comChicago CardinalsCanton BulldogsL 3-73122029"Shorty Barr Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comRacine LegionGreen Bay PackersL 0-1662348310Cecil Grigg Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comCanton BulldogsBuffalo All-AmericansT 3-321719211Sonny Winters Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comColumbus TigersCanton BulldogsL 0-1011110312Bill HouleBill Houle Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comMinneapolis MarinesGreen Bay PackersL 0-1941441213Wally Gilbert Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comDuluth KelleysGreen Bay PackersL 0-1352056414†https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LambCu20/gamelog/ Curly Lambeau Gamelogs"], Pro-Football-Reference.comGreen Bay PackersChicago BearsL 0-341538615https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/N/NiehFa20/gamelog/ Frank Niehaus Gamelogs"], Pro-Football-Reference.comAkron ProsPottsville MaroonsL 0-211105116https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HameTe20/gamelog/ Tex Hamer Gamelogs"], Pro-Football-Reference.comFrankford Yellow JacketsPottsville MaroonsL 0-4941531317Harry Curzonhttps://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CurzHa20/gamelog/ Harry Curzon Gamelogs"], Pro-Football-Reference.comHammond ProsRacine TornadoesL 3-611235418"Harry Newman Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comNew York GiantsPortsmouth SpartansL 7–17211245Highest interception percentage () in a zero passer rating game19†"Arnie Herber Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comGreen Bay PackersNew York GiantsL 7–1011253The first of a record three career games with a zero rating.20Swede Hanson"Swede Hanson Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comPhiladelphia EaglesNew York GiantsL 0–5641419221Ed Westfall"Ed Westfall Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comPittsburgh PiratesGreen Bay PackersL 0–4731440422"Joe Lillard Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comChicago CardinalsBrooklyn DodgersL 0–711024223"Red Kirkman Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comPhiladelphia EaglesGreen Bay PackersL 0–1021317324 (2)Philadelphia EaglesNew York GiantsL 14–2031071Second consecutive game with a zero passer rating (one of only four players to do this)25 (2)New York GiantsDetroit LionsL 0–9218362Second career game with a zero passer rating.26"Warren Heller Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comPittsburgh PiratesPhiladelphia EaglesL 0–1731545327"Alex Rado Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comPittsburgh PiratesBrooklyn DodgersL 0–1021132228"Glenn Presnell Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comDetroit LionsChicago BearsL 0–1011115229"Red Franklin Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comBrooklyn DodgersBoston RedskinsL 3–721131430Bill Shepherd"Bill Shepherd Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comBoston RedskinsNew York GiantsL 12–2031120231"Johnny Gildea Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comPittsburgh PiratesGreen Bay PackersL 14–34211313The first of two career games with a zero rating for Gildea.32 (2)Pittsburgh PiratesNew York GiantsL 0–13115353The second of two career games with a zero rating for Gildea.33"Phil Sarboe Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comChicago CardinalsChicago BearsL 0–1331030234"Don Jackson Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comPhiladelphia EaglesPittsburgh PiratesL 0–171103335"Ed Matesic Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comPittsburgh PiratesBoston RedskinsL 0–3021313236"Dave Smukler Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comPhiladelphia EaglesNew York GiantsL 0–213138237"Carl Brumbaugh Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comBrooklyn DodgersWashington RedskinsL 0–2111012338†(2)Green Bay PackersNew York GiantsL 0–10314154The second of a record three career games with a zero rating.39"Emmett Mortell Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comPhiladelphia EaglesChicago BearsL 6–281101240"Pat Coffee Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comChicago CardinalsNew York GiantsL 0–62118241"Bill Hartman Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comWashington RedskinsChicago BearsL 7–312109242†"Ace Parker Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comBrooklyn DodgersNew York GiantsT 7–7110141First of four games in NFL history with a zero rating player to end in a tie43"Frank Patrick Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comChicago CardinalsChicago BearsL 7–4421634144"Parker Hall Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comCleveland RamsPittsburgh PiratesT 14–14113184 The first of three career games by Hall with a zero rating. Second of four games in NFL history with a zero rating player to end in a tie One of two games with a zero passer rating on October 29, 1939.45 "Darrell Tully Gamelogs", Pro-Football-Reference.comDetroit LionsChicago BearsW 10–0212172 First of two career games with a zero passer rating, both of which happened in 1939 Youngest player to post a zero passer rating game (21 years 319 days old) First time a team won the game in spite of having a zero rating quarterback