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15 Least Athletic NFL Quarterbacks of All Time

Let’s be real—not every NFL quarterback has wheels, hops, or the ability to move faster than a garden gnome. Some guys made it work with pure brainpower, arm strength, or just being in the right place at the right time… but no one was mistaking them for track stars.

These quarterbacks weren’t exactly the ones you’d pick for a 40-yard dash or a pickup basketball game. Here are the 15 least athletic NFL quarterbacks of all time—guys who proved you don’t always need speed when you’ve got smarts (and a solid O-line).

15. Matt Cassel

Matt Cassel
Openverse

Cassel had decent size and a good arm, but agility wasn’t exactly in his toolbox. He moved in the pocket like he had cement in his cleats.

14. Mike Glennon

Mike Glennon (51402677119)
Openverse

The height was impressive, the mobility… not so much. Glennon looked like he was running through molasses every time he tried to scramble.

13. Josh Freeman

Josh Freeman
Youtube | TYT Sports

Freeman had a big arm and looked the part, but quickness was never his thing. His footwork always felt a half-beat behind the action.

12. Brandon Weeden

Cowboy Quarterback Brandon Weeden
Openverse

Weeden wasn’t just a late bloomer—he was a stationary one. Watching him try to evade a pass rush was like watching someone parallel park a bus.

11. Mason Rudolph

Mason Rudolph and Myles Garrett (49094097867)
Openverse

Rudolph has a strong arm and a sturdy frame, but his pocket presence is stiff. Moving outside the tackles felt like watching a refrigerator jog.

10. Jared Lorenzen

Jared Lorenzen
Openverse

The “Hefty Lefty” was a cult hero but not exactly a combine standout. He brought big personality and even bigger size—but agility was never part of the package.

9. Chad Pennington

Chad Pennington
Wikipedia

Accurate as they come, but Pennington couldn’t outrun a folding chair. He made his living with timing, not twitch.

8. Drew Bledsoe

Drew Bledsoe
SMSGT RAY LLOYD/Wikipedia

Bledsoe had a cannon of an arm but moved like a statue under pressure. Defenses knew they didn’t need to spy—just send heat and wait.

7. Kerry Collins

Kerry Collins and Matt Schaub
Openverse

Collins was all about standing tall and delivering deep. As soon as he had to move, though, things got clunky.

6. Nick Foles

Foles_skins13
Wikipedia

Foles had magic in his arm but not in his feet. Even his Super Bowl MVP didn’t include any highlight-reel scrambles.

5. Brock Osweiler

Brock Osweiler
Wikipedia

Tall and slow was the scouting report, and Osweiler fit the mold perfectly. Escaping pressure was more “fall down and pray” than “extend the play.”

4. Trent Dilfer

Trent Dilfer
Openverse

Dilfer won a Super Bowl, but no one was calling him mobile. He was a classic game manager who looked allergic to scrambling for a first down.

3. Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning
Openverse

Peyton is one of the greatest ever, but let’s not pretend he was ever mobile. He moved in the pocket like he was constantly looking for his reading glasses.

Read More: 10 NFL Quarterbacks From the ’70s Who Could Play Today

2. Dan Marino

Dan Marino quarterbacks the Pitt Panthers of the University of Pittsburgh in a football game at Pitt Stadium against the Cincinnati Bearcats on October 13, 1979. Pitt won the game 35-0.
Wikipedia

Marino had the quickest release in NFL history—and it needed to be, because he wasn’t going anywhere. Defensive ends probably didn’t even bother with a full sprint.

Read More: 10 ’90s NFL Quarterbacks Who Could Play Today

1. Tom Brady

Tom Brady
All-Pro Reels/Wikipedia

The GOAT in wins, but not in wheels. Brady’s 40-yard dash at the combine became legendary for all the wrong reasons—and honestly, nothing changed much after that.

Read More: 10 Backup Quarterbacks Who Led Their Teams to Victory

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