Who is the shortest NFL QB of all time? It seems every few years, a highly-touted quarterback’s prospects in the NFL is questioned due to their height.
In recent years we’ve seen questions about Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray and Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young.
But are they the shortest to ever play in the NFL? Let’s take a look!
Michael Vick – 6 feet
Michael Vick is 6 feet tall. Surprise! As we get into the 6-footers, we find a short quarterback who never really had his height questioned.
Vick’s incredible speed and dazzling footwork left countless defenders in the dust. His rocket arm didn’t hurt either.
Throughout his career, he put up some spectacular numbers: 22,464 yards passing, with 133 touchdowns to 88 interceptions.
But it was on the ground where he did his real damage. Total, he put up 6,109 yards rushing, with 36 touchdowns. In 2006, he even broke the 1,000 yard rushing mark!
Drew Brees – 6 feet
Drew Brees is 6 feet tall. He was too short. His arm was too weak. His shoulder was blown out.
Wrong, wrong, and wrong! Drew Brees is a legend and multiple record-holder now, but there were questions in the beginning and even middle of his career.
At just 6 feet, keen observers notice that Brees would extend his neck and arm to their limits when he threw, trying to see over huge offensive linemen.
It worked. In his incredible career, Brees threw 80,358 yards. No, that number is not made-up. It’s over 45 miles. He also put up a whopping 571 touchdowns to just 243 picks.
Too short? Not for this bad man.
Russell Wilson – 5 feet, 11 inches
Russell Wilson is 5 feet, 11 inches tall. He may be a punching bag for pundits now, but Russell Wilson is a future Hall of Famer whose short stature helped him perfect the prettiest deep ball in the NFL.
Wilson had a red-hot start in the league, and led the Seattle Seahawks to two Super Bowls, including an incredible 43-8 win over Peyton Manning’s record-breaking Broncos offense.
That victory made Russell Wilson the shortest quarterback ever to win a Super Bowl.
Sonny Jurgensen – 5 feet, 11 inches
Sunny Jurgensen is 5 feet, 11 inches tall. If we jump back in our time machine – back to when the Washington team was still called the Redskins – we find Hall of Famer and fan-favorite Sonny Jurgensen.
Jurgensen also proved you can win in the NFL with a “Dad bod.”
In his 18 years with the Eagles and Redskins, Jurgensen spun the dials to the tune of 32,224 yards with 255 touchdowns to 189 interceptions. He led the league in passing five times – all during the Lombardi Era!
Although he does have a championship to his name, he was the backup for the NFL champion Eagles in 1960.
Doug Flutie – 5 feet, 10 inches
Doug Flutie is 5 feet, 10 inches tall. What can you say about the beloved Doug Flutie? He has too many moments to recount.
Flutie played all over the place. He played for, in no particular order, the Buffalo Bills, the New England Patriots twice, the Chicago Bears, the San Diego Chargers, and spent time in the USFL and Canadian leagues.
In his final season with the Patriots, the man even pulled off the first drop kick since 1941! He did it all, for everyone, as a relatively short guy.
Bryce Young – 5 feet, 10 inches
Bryce Young is 5 feet, 10 inches tall, currently tied for the shortest quarterback in the NFL. At just a tad over 200 pounds, he could be mistaken for a running back or slot receiver.
The Alabama standout made a splash in his rookie year, lifting the spirits of the flailing and rebuilding Carolina Panthers.
That’s not to say his numbers were very pretty, though. He threw for just 11 touchdowns against 10 interceptions, with a completion rate of just 59.8%. Look for him to improve in year two.
Kyler Murray – 5 feet, 10 inches
Kyler Murray is 5 feet, 10 inches tall – tied with Bryce Young as the league’s current shortest quarterback.
There were major questions about his ability to play in the big leagues, where offensive lineman can run up to 6 feet, 8 inches tall and weigh over 300 pounds.
Those questions went away almost immediately, as Murray lit up the league with his arm and his feet. While he struggled in the most recent campaign, in his first two seasons he threw for 46 touchdowns against 24 picks, with an over 65% completion percentage.
He added 15 touchdowns with his legs in those two years, and over 1,200 yards rushing. Altogether, Murray proved that height is not a deal breaker.
Eddie LeBaron – 5 feet, 7 inches
Eddie LeBaron was 5 feet, 7 inches tall. If we jump into our time machine, we find the shortest quarterback in NFL history. He was also the very first quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys.
And he was no slouch, even before the modern pass-happy era.
While the Cowboys had a losing record during his time, he still threw for 13,399 yards and 104 touchdowns – though he also threw 141 picks.
But also consider – linemen were sized like some of today’s quarterbacks. It was a different game!