The Los Angeles Rams have a long history spanning three cities. The franchise also has several Hall of Famers who have come through the organization at various pit stops.
These are the best quarterbacks in Rams history.
5. Jim Everett (1986-93)
The first name is the second most-recent quarterback featured on this list. Jim Everett started his professional career as the third overall selection of the 1986 NFL Draft, forcing a trade from the Houston Oilers to the Rams. With Los Angeles, Everett spent eight seasons and only reached the Pro Bowl mark once but led the league in touchdown passes twice.
By the time Everett left Los Angeles in 1994, he became the single all-time passing yards leader in Rams franchise history, over 23,000 yards, along with the second-most touchdowns tossed. Everett only went 46-59 in the regular season with the Rams, along with compiling a 2-3 postseason record (losing in the conference title game in 1989-90).
4. Roman Gabriel (1962-72)
Roman Gabriel is another former Rams quarterback that gets major props. The North Carolina native was selected first and second overall in the 1962 AFL and NFL Drafts, respectively, choosing to play for Los Angeles and turning in 11 above-average seasons under center.
A shoulder injury ended Gabriel's career with the Rams, later getting traded to the Philadelphia Eagles and winning Comeback Player of the Year. But Gabriel finished his Rams tenure and to this day holds the record for most touchdowns thrown and is third all-time in franchise history for passing yards (with a small margin between first and third).
Gabriel went 74-39-6 in the regular season with the Rams, only reaching the divisional round of the playoffs twice, though. A three-time Pro Bowler, Gabriel led the Rams to the post-merger NFL and owns the most regular-season wins in franchise history.
3. Bob Waterfield (1945-52)
The first Hall of Famer on the list, Bob Waterfield won the Rams their first two titles, both during the pre-merger NFL Championship era.
Waterfield spent his entire eight-year playing career with the Rams, earning two Pro Bowl selections and three All-Pro honors. Also known for his kicking prowess, Waterfield additionally twice led the league in touchdowns thrown and played the fifth-most games for then-Cleveland and Los Angeles. Waterfield possesses the seventh-most passing yards and sixth-most touchdowns thrown in Rams franchise history.
After Waterfield retired, he became a coach, even leading the Rams for a few years.
2. Norm Van Brocklin (1949-57)
The second-best quarterback on this list is Waterfield's successor, Norman Van Brocklin. Another Hall of Famer, Van Brocklin helped the Rams win their 1951 NFL title and was a six-time Pro Bowl selection in Los Angeles (before joining Philadelphia years before Gabriel).
Van Brocklin was an MVP with the Eagles and led the Rams to six winning seasons as the starter. After retiring, he became a coach, spending 13 years combined with the Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Falcons, although he never made the postseason roaming the sidelines.
Van Brocklin possesses the fourth-most passing yards and touchdowns thrown for the Rams along with the third-most wins, finishing 42-20-3 in the regular season.
1. Kurt Warner (1998-2003)
Lastly, the most recent entry on this list can be considered the best—for multiple reasons. Kurt Warner led the Rams to their first post-merger Super Bowl victory along with putting up great numbers and arguably being the “best” pure performer on the gridiron among his Rams peers.
Warner spent his six-year Rams career in St. Louis while the franchise was there, coming through in the clutch after Trent Green went down. The former Arena Football League gunslinger wound up winning the MVP that year and leading the Rams to a Super Bowl victory. In 2001-02, Warner and the Rams against reached the title game but fell to the New England Patriots.
Now a Hall of Famer, Warner was a three-time Pro Bowler with the Rams, winning the MVP award twice and, of course, delivering an improbable Super Bowl to the franchise. He finished fifth in passing yards and touchdowns and sports a 35-15 regular-season record, going an immaculate 5-2 in the playoffs.
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