Left-handed QBs

History Published on : 1/1/2005

Class of 2005 inductee Steve Young (right) is the first left-handed quarterback to earn election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Young, who is one of two QBs in history to lead the NFL in passing six times, is currently one of the top rated passer of all-time.  He completed 2,667 of 4,149 passes for 33,124 yards and 232 touchdowns for a passer rating of 96.8 during his career in the NFL.

Here is a look at some other notable lefties who’ve played quarterback in the National Football League.

Frankie Albert

The former first round pick of the Chicago Bears in 1942, Albert began his pro career with the San Francisco 49ers in the rival All-America Football Conference in 1946.  One of that league’s great stars, Albert threw for nearly 7,000 yards and amassed an incredible 88 touchdown passes during his four seasons in the AAFC.  His career continued when he and the 49ers joined the NFL in 1950.  He added 3,847 more yards and 27 touchdown passes to his career total before retiring after the 1952 season.

Bobby Douglass

Noted more for his legs than his arm, Douglass played for the Chicago Bears from 1969 to 1975, San Diego Chargers (1975), New Orleans Saints (1976-1977) and the Green Bay Packers (1978).  One of the game’s finer scrambling quarterbacks, Douglass nearly rushed for 1,000 yards in 1972.  In all, he ran for 22 TDs while passing for just 6,493 yards and 36 TDs in his career.

Boomer Esiason

A second round draft pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in 1984, he led the team through 1992.  Esiason also played for the New York Jets (1993-1995) and Arizona Cardinals (1996) before finishing his career back with the Bengals in 1997.  In all, he completed 2,969 of 5,205 passes for 37,920 yards and threw 247 touchdowns.

Ken Stabler

Nicknamed “The Snake,” Stabler guided the Oakland Raiders to great success during his years as their quarterback (1970-1979).  His career also included stops with the Houston Oilers (1980-1981) and the New Orleans Saints (1982-1984).  Stabler passed for 27,938 yards and threw 194 TDs during his 184-game career.

Jim Zorn

Zorn took charge of the Seattle Seahawks in their inaugural season of 1976 and instantly added excitement to the expansion team.  He guided the team through the 1984 season before finishing his career with the Green Bay Packers (1985) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1987).  He passed for 21,115 yards and tossed 111 TDs while also rushing for 17 scores during his career.