The 10 Best Chicago Bears Quarterbacks of All Time, Ranked

The Chicago Bears have a storied history, but they have often struggled at one position in particular: quarterback.

That’s not to say the Bears have never had any memorable signal-callers — many QBs have left their mark on the franchise. But the Bears remain the only franchise out of 32 teams that has never had a 4,000-yard passer, and the franchise has been marked by a series of glaring misses at the position, particularly in the draft and in free agency.

That said, the Bears have still had several record-breaking and innovative QBs throughout their history. From the revolutionary play of old-school QBs to the leadership that led the team to its lone Super Bowl victory in 1985, we narrowed down the top 10 quarterbacks in franchise history. Get a gander at our choices below.

*Note: All awards and stats listed below are from each player’s tenure with the Bears only. All stats are from Pro Football Reference unless otherwise stated.

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10. Justin Fields

• Years as a Bear: 2021-2023
• Iconic performance: Week 5 of the 2023 NFL season in a matchup against the Washington Commanders, Fields threw for 282 yards and four touchdowns, leading the Bears to a dominant 40-20 victory.

Justin Fields brought the team a dynamic dual-threat playmaking ability that few Bears quarterbacks before him possessed. As of the 2023 season, Fields had already set the NFL single-game rushing record for a quarterback, running for 178 yards against the Miami Dolphins in 2022. His 2,220 rushing yards ranks 2nd all-time amongst all Bears QBs, while his 6,674 career passing yards for Chicago currently ranks 10th on the team’s all-time list. The Bears traded him to Pittsburgh in 2024, but we think Fields did enough while he was there to warrant an appearance at the bottom of this list.

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9. Mitchell Trubisky

• Years as a Bear: 2017-2020
• Awards:
  • Pro Bowl selection (2018)
• Iconic performance: Week 4 of the 2018 regular season, Trubisky threw a career-high 6 TDs and rushed for 53 yards in Chicago’s 48-10 blowout of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The No. 2 overall pick for Chicago in the 2017 draft, Mitch Trubisky’s dual-threat capabilities set him apart from many of his predecessors. Trubisky combined mobility with passing skills — he rushed for over 400 yards in both 2018 and 2019 — and his skill set added a dynamic element to the Bears’ offense. He ranks among the top 10 in franchise history in several key passing categories, including touchdown passes (64, currently in 5th place), passing yards (10,609, also 5th) and overall wins (29, 5th) as a starter.

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8. Ed Brown

• Years as a Bear: 1954-1961
• Awards:
  • 2-time Pro Bowl selection (1955-1956)
• Iconic performance: October 9, 1960, Brown threw for 333 yards and 3 TDs while rushing for another in Chicago’s 34-27 win over the L.A. Rams.

While not a hugely popular name, Ed Brown’s 39-25-2 overall record is 3rd-best in the team’s history. His 63 TD passes ranks 6th. Over his time with the Bears, he amassed just under 9,700 passing yards. Brown’s combination of skill and leadership coupled with his contributions to the Bears’ offense at the time solidify his place among the top 10 quarterbacks in history. He led Chicago to an NFL Championship game appearance in 1956. They lost that game to the New York Giants, but Brown still had a significant impact on the team during his tenure.

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7. Jim Harbaugh

• Years as a Bear: 1987-1993
• Iconic performance: November 17, 1991, Harbaugh threw for 287 yards and accounted for 3 total TDs in a 31-17 Bears win over the Indianapolis Colts.

Now head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, many Bears fans first remember Jim Harbaugh as their erstwhile QB. Harbaugh was known for his passionate playing style and solid contributions to the team, even if he never achieved significant postseason success with Chicago. He threw for 11,567 yards (3rd all-time in Chicago’s record books) and 50 TDs in his seven seasons with the Bears, leading the team to the playoffs in 1991 (Chicago lost in the divisional round).

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6. Billy Wade

• Years as a Bear: 1961-1966
• Championships & Awards:
  • NFL Champion (1963)
  • Pro Bowl selection (1963)
• Iconic performance: September 22, 1963 against the rival Minnesota Vikings, Wade threw for 253 yards and 3 TDs, while rushing for another score in Chicago’s 28-7 win.

Billy Wade’s most notable achievement came in the 1963 season when he led the Bears to an NFL Championship victory over the New York Giants, marking the franchise’s first championship in over a decade. Throughout his time with the Bears, Wade’s playing style combined an effective passing attack with a savvy mobility. Wade was known for his ability to read defenses and make quick decisions, attributes that contributed to his success in the Bears’ offense. Wade’s 9,958 passing yards in currently No. 7 on Chicago’s all-time passing yards list.

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5. Johnny Lujack

• Years as a Bear: 1948-1951
• Awards:
  • First-team All-Pro (1950)
  • 2-time Pro Bowl selection (1950, 1951)
• Iconic performance: In the final game of the 1949 regular season, Lujack set a new league record for passing yards in a game with 468 against the Chicago Cardinals. He also threw 6 TDs in the 52-21 win.

Johnny Lujack is remembered as one of the early stars of the Bears franchise, contributing significantly to the team’s success during his tenure. In 1950, he set an NFL record for rushing touchdowns with 11, the most ever by a quarterback at the time. That record stood until 1976, when former New England Patriots QB Steve Grogan broke it, but Lujack’s skill set makes him worthy of a spot on this list. In addition to his offensive skills, Lujack also contributed defensively, recording 12 interceptions during his career, and on special teams, kicking the occasional field goal.

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4. Erik Kramer

• Years as a Bear: 1994-1998
• Iconic performance: September 24, 1995 vs. the L.A. Rams, Kramer went 27-38 for 317 yards and 4 TDs in a narrow 34-28 loss.

During his time with the Bears, Erik Kramer was known for his strong arm and decent passing ability. In 1995, he set a franchise record with 3,838 passing yards, also tossing 29 touchdown passes. Both remain the highest single-season totals in Bears history. The team finished with a 9-7 record that year, but missed the playoffs. Still, Kramer ranks 6th on the team’s all-time passing yardage list with 10,582 yards, and he’s 6th in TD passes (63) as well. His leadership in the mid-1990s coupled with his current team records make him a top 5 QB of all time.

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3. Jay Cutler

• Years as a Bear: 2009-2016
• Iconic performance: Thanksgiving night, 2015 at Lambeau Field against the rival Green Bay Packers, Cutler led the Bears to a 17-13 win on a night Green Bay was honoring team legend Brett Favre. Cutler did just enough, throwing for 200 yards and a score, spoiling Thanksgiving dinner for Packer fans everywhere.

Jay Cutler is often regarded as one of the best quarterbacks in Bears history, despite a tenure marked by both highs and lows. Acquired via a blockbuster trade from the Denver Broncos in 2009, Cutler ultimately became the franchise’s all-time leading passer. He threw for 23,443 yards, 154 touchdowns and 109 interceptions in his nine seasons with the Bears. His passing yards and TD tosses remain franchise records, demonstrating his significance to a team not historically known for prolific quarterback play. Plus, he ruined Thanksgiving for the Packers.

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2. Jim McMahon

• Years as a Bear: 1982-1988
• Championships & Awards:
  • Super Bowl Champion (1985)
  • NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year (1982)
  • Pro Bowl selection (1985)
• Iconic performance: It has to be McMahon’s performance against the Vikings on September 19, 1985, during Thursday Night Football. Down 17-9 in the second half, McMahon, who had been sidelined with injury, entered the game and promptly threw 3 TDs, leading the Bears to a 33-24 win.

The “Punky QB,” Jim McMahon was exactly what the Bears needed as they transitioned from mediocre team to Super Bowl champions in the 1980s. Known for his toughness, often playing through injuries, he also became a fan favorite due to his charisma off the field. Fans loved his fun headbands and “rebel without a pause” attitude as much as his on-field efforts. McMahon had a very impressive 45-15 record as a starter for Chicago, and his 11,203 passing yards is currently 4th in team history. He’d be No. 1 on this list for bringing Chicago its only Super Bowl, but we think one other QB deserves that spot.

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1. Sid Luckman

• Years as a Bear: 1939-1950
• Championships & Awards:
  • 4-time NFL champion (1940, 1941, 1943, and 1946)
  • NFL MVP (1943)
  • 5-time First-team All-Pro (1941–1944, 1947)
  • Second-team All-Pro (1946)
  • 3-time NFL All-Star (1940–1942)
  • Pro Football Hall of Fame (1965)
• Iconic performance: In the 1940 championship game against Washington, Luckman threw for a record 7 TD passes, a performance that remains unmatched in the Super Bowl era. The Bears won that game, 73-0.

Sid Luckman revolutionized the quarterback position with his innovative passing skills and leadership. One of his most notable achievements was his role in the Bears’ offensive strategy, particularly in the T-formation, which he helped popularize. This offensive scheme allowed for a more dynamic passing game, which was rare at the time. Luckman’s ability to read defenses and deliver precise throws helped him set numerous franchise QB records — he was the first QB to throw for over 400 yards in a single game in 1943, for example. His 14,686 passing yards is second on the team’s all-time list, but it’s his innovative play that earns Luckman the No. 1 spot.

Find out who just missed the list, and sound off in the comments!

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