This article is a part of our series, NFL QB Archetypes.

Hybrid QBs are a classic of elite QBs that have many of the elite QB traits, AND their own unique “tricks” to elevate themselves above the play design.

Let’s review the elite traits, as a reminder.

Elite QB Traits

• Much better consistency with fundamental traits (footwork, pocket presence, situational football)
• Having explosive running ability (think of Lamar Jackson)
• Having an elite arm (throwing with great distance, great velocity, or great accuracy into very tight windows) (think of Josh Allen, John Elway, Brett Favre, Tom Brady)
• Throwing accurately while on the run or under pressure (think of prime Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen)
• Avoiding sacks really well (think Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson)
• Scrambling and extending the play
• Full knowledge and command of the playbook
• Making many audibles or play adjustments pre-snap so that they can guarantee a receiver will be open (think of Peyton Manning, sometimes Joe Burrow)
• Being consistently good against the blitz
• Being able to process the defense and find the open receiver without needing the read progression or play in an offense where receivers run option routes (think of Tom Brady)
• Avoiding turnovers extremely well (think Aaron Rodgers)
• Throwing with Anticipation (as in you know where the receiver will go and you throw it to a spot) (think of Drew Brees, Joe Burrow)

Technically, all elite QBs usually have multiple of these. But the Hybrid QBs have almost all, and they have their own special tricks.

Examples

Patrick Mahomes

Patrick Mahomes has otherworldly sack avoidance and pocket presence. He has largely been good against the blitz. The Chiefs have been able to restructure their offensive scheme around him because of his elite arm (which includes unorthodox arm angles and quick release), and ability to throw on run and ability to be an explosive runner. Mahomes also has his own tricks he uses – such as eye manipulation (intentionally staring at a defender to freeze them and throw over their head).

Mahomes is a lot of people’s perfect QB, hence why many try to consider him the best QB of all time.

Josh Allen

Josh Allen has explosive running ability – the Bills used to call many designed runs. Allen also has the ability to throw on the run quite well, and has an elite arm. Allen also is generally very good against the blitz, and can make pre-snap checks. He used to be turnover prone, but cut it down heavily. He has also demonstrated his ability to avoid sacks: in his 2024 MVP season, he had the lowest negative play rate (sacks and turnovers) in NFL history.

In short, Josh Allen is a QB that you would make in a lab. 

Lamar Jackson

Lamar Jackson has become a hybrid QB, after starting off his career as a dual threat with his explosive running ability. His improved accuracy has fully realized his elite arm (as the raw arm strength was always there), and opened up the playbook for him. This, combined with his incredible sack avoidance and turnover avoidance and scrambling ability, is why Lamar has either won MVP or finished runner up every time he has played a full season.

Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger is a classic hybrid. He started off his career as a really big, hefty play executor that could not only scramble and buy time, but also truck and shrug off defenders as a runner (Hence his nickname, Big Ben.) As he developed and got more command of the offense, he would change plays at the line. His own personal “trick” was his exceptional pump fake to manipulate defenders; Big Ben obviously didn’t pump faking, but he was uniquely good at it.

Old-time QBs

Pretty much all of the elite QBs from before the 80s were technically hybrids (as offensive schemes – and the league as a whole – were not as QB friendly as they are now, so QBs had a lot on their plate).. Terry Bradshaw is a classic example. He played in the era where QBs calling the plays was still commonplace. So he had strong command over the offense. He also had a very strong arm. He also could run as well.

Same with Johnny Unitas. Unitas created the modern two-minute drill, and was an underrated dual-threat QB.

Same with Otto Graham. Graham could run Paul Brown’s offense from the head set, but had liberty to change plays. He could run as well. 

Impact on the League

Oftentimes, many Hybrid QBs are very successful. And as mentioned before, all the best QBs of all-time were typically hybrids up until the 1980s.

• Sammay Baugh
• Sid Luckman
• Otto Graham
• Johnny Unitas
• Joe Namath
• Terry Bradshaw

What changed in the 1980s?

Well, the 1979 Mel Blount rule was instituted .This made it so that defensive backs were not allowed to jam and bump receivers as much beyond 5 yards from the line of scrimmage.

As a result, this opened up the passing game. So not only could different types of offensive schemes be instantiated (for example, timing-based offenses like the West Coast offense), but more QBs could be effective. This is why QBs that had very good but not freakish arms like Joe Montana started being able to have success in the 1980s, as where before they didn’t.

So in a way, you can actually chart the evolution of the sport in itself through these QB archetypes.