Left-handed quarterbacks are unicorns in today’s NFL. Just about extinct until Tua Tagovailoa entered the league in 2020, the group of lefty signal-callers is a relatively small but mighty group that includes two Hall of Famers and some brand names from decades past.
The Falcons made Michael Penix Jr. the second active left-handed starter when they benched Kirk Cousins earlier in December, and Penix now has the chance to lead Atlanta to the playoffs in the first season of his NFL career.
If Penix proves to be the answer for the Falcons, 2025 could be the first season in recent memory in which two left-handed quarterbacks start in Week 1.
Here’s a look at 10 of the most notable left-handed quarterbacks in NFL history, from Steve Young to Tim Tebow.
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It’s hard not to call Young the greatest left-handed quarterback in NFL history, as he was a two-time MVP, seven-time Pro-Bowler and a Super Bowl MVP despite spending the first half of his career behind Joe Montana.
Once Young got his chance to shine, he led the NFL in touchdown passes four times and completion percentage five times while helping to sustain a remarkable run of dominance by the 49ers.
Stabler was a four-time Pro-Bowler and the 1974 NFL MVP during his 15-year career, which included 10 years with the Raiders and a Super Bowl win. The Hall of Fame gunslinger threw for nearly 28,000 yards along with 194 touchdowns, though he also tossed 222 interceptions after emerging as an NFL starter.
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Vick might be better known for his mobility, but he threw for more than 22,000 yards in addition to his 6,109 yards on the ground. One of the great dual-threat quarterbacks in NFL history, Vick helped keep left-handed QBs on the map in the 2000s.
Esiason was a four-time Pro-Bowler and the 1988 NFL MVP during his 14-year career, which included 10 seasons with the Bengals. “Boomer” had a record of only 80-93, but he threw for 37,290 yards and 247 touchdowns to lead all left-handed QBs in NFL history.
Just when left-handed QBs seemed to be going extinct at the NFL level, Tagovailoa arrived. The Dolphins quarterback is still seeking playoff success, but he’s steadily improved since entering the league and has 100 touchdown passes through 62 starts with a 38-24 record.
Brunell was a three-time Pro-Bowler who took the reins of the expansion Jaguars in the 1990s and gave the franchise some immediate hope. Brunell led Jacksonville to four consecutive playoff appearances, led the NFL in passing yards in 1996 and finished his career with 32,072 yards.
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Later a head coach, Zorn spent more than a decade in the NFL after landing with the Seahawks in 1976. He started 100 games with Seattle, going 44-62 with 21,115 yards, 111 touchdowns and 141 interceptions and finishing third in MVP voting in 1978.
Leinart was a Heisman Trophy winner at USC, but he struggled to recapture that success at the NFL level. Leinart ultimately started only 18 NFL games, throwing for 4,065 yards, 15 touchdowns and 21 interceptions before bowing out of the league in 2013.
Like Leinart, Tebow was a sensation at the college level. A Heisman Trophy winner and two-time national champion at Florida, the fan favorite was a risky first-round pick of the Broncos and only briefly found NFL success with a miraculous run to the divisional round in 2011. Tebow started 16 NFL games, completing less than half of his pass attempts but still throwing for 17 touchdowns to only nine interceptions.
MORE: Why the Falcons benched Kirk Cousins for Michael Penix Jr.
Penix is hoping to be the NFL’s next great left-handed quarterback. A Heisman runner-up like Tagovailoa, the Washington product overcame a slew of injuries early in his college career to become the No. 8 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Falcons planned to sit Penix behind Cousins indefinitely, but the veteran’s struggles put the rookie in position to potentially take Atlanta to the playoffs in the early days of his career.
