The Best NFL QB-WR Duos

When teams have a top-notch quarterback-wide receiver duo, then it’s safe to say that the team won’t lack for points. There are several outstanding quarterback-wide receiver duos in the NFL today, such as Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp or Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase, but they are quite far from the best in NFL history.

Throughout the years, there have been many tremendous QB-WR duos, who not only combined for many touchdowns but led their teams to championships, even multiple times.

UPDATE: 2024/04/24 21:00 EST BY SHAWN S. LEALOS

The 2024 NFL Draft brings in some huge quarterbacks to attempt to find their place in the NFL, and some big names are coming in at receiver, led by second-generation star Marvin Harrison Jr. These players will attempt to make their names in the NFL by matching up with each other and providing the next generation of quarterback-wide receiver connections. While some big names have the chance to reach that level, it will take special players to reach the level of the best QB-WR duos in NFL history.

19 Tom Brady & Randy Moss

Played For New England Patriots From 2007-2010

Tom Brady has several wide receivers who connected with him during his long and illustrious career as an NFL quarterback. However, one name that joined the New England Patriots and only lasted for three full seasons before they traded him in his fourth season ended up as one of the best receivers Brady ever played with. Randy Moss was a huge star before he ever arrived in New England, making his name with the Minnesota Vikings, where he was already breaking records.

However, once Moss joined up with Brady in New England, they made magic. In just over three seasons, they played 51 games together and connected for an impressive 39 touchdown passes in 35 games together. They also made it to the Super Bowl in his first year in New England, although they lost to the New York Giants in one of the biggest comebacks in NFL history. Moss played 51 games with the Patriots, but Brady was injured in his entire second season there.

18 Matt Ryan & Julio Jones

Played For Atlanta Falcons From 2011-2020

Matt Ryan was the quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons when the team drafted Julio Jones to give him a quality weapon for the team. What resulted was magic. In their first game together in 2011, Jones caught 54 passes for 959 yards and eight touchdowns, and he was just getting started. Ryan was the starting quarterback throughout Jones’s career in Atlanta, and that helped the receiver finish with seven 1,000-yard receiving seasons in his first nine in the NFL. His best year was 2015 when he caught 136 passes for 1,871 yards.

With Ryan throwing him the ball, Jones was the fastest player in NFL history to reach 10,000 receiving yards, and he ended up as the Falcons’ all-time receiving leader when he left the team. As for Matt Ryan, who officially announced his retirement from the NFL in 2024, he won the NFL MVP Award in 2016 when he and Jones made it to Super Bowl LI, where they lost to the New England Patriots.

17 Jim Zorn & Steve Largent

Played For Seattle Seahawks From 1976-1984

The Seattle Seahawks entered the NFL in 1976 for their first season as an expansion franchise. As an expansion team, they got to choose players from other teams and made two great choices. They obtained the Houston Oilers fourth-round draft pick Steve Largent and he went on to become a first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee. The Dallas Cowboys drafted Jim Zorn in 1975 before releasing him. The Seahawks signed him as a free agent in their debut season and started for them, making that his actual rookie season.

The two men played together in Seattle’s first nine seasons, although the team only had two winning seasons during that time, going 9-7 in both 1978 and 1979. This made Zorn the big reason that Largent became a massive star in the NFL. By the time they retired, the Seahawks named Serve Largent the first member of its Ring of Honor, and Jim Zorn was the second member of the Ring of Honor.

16 Ben Roethlisberger & Hines Ward

Played For Pittsburgh Steelers From 2004-2011

Ben Roethlisberger was a star from the start of his career. He joined the Pittsburgh Steelers as the team’s first-round NFL Draft pick in 2004 and won the NFL Rookie of the Year Award. Roethlisberger became the youngest quarterback ever to win a Super Bowl when he led Pittsburgh to a 21-10 win over the Seattle Seahawks in 2006. Roethlisberger was successful because he was backed by some great receivers, with Hines Ward there from the start.

While Big Ben had some big names to throw to, including Plaxico Burress, Santonio Holmes, and Antonio Brown, it was Ward who was his biggest weapon. The big receiver could catch the ball in traffic and run over defensive backs for big gains. He caught 48 touchdowns while Roethlisberger was his quarterback and had over 7,000 yards receiving. Ward was the MVP of Super Bowl XL, while the two played in three Super Bowls together, winning two of them.

15 Dan Marino & Mark Duper

Played For Miami Dolphins From 1983-1992

Dan Marino put up some insane passing numbers, considering the era he played in. While 4,000 and 5,000-yard passing seasons are now a common occurrence, Marino was doing it far before QBs dreamed of those numbers. Marino didn’t have household names at receiver, but he did have quite a good corps in the Mark Brothers, Mark Clayton and Mark Duper.

While Clayton was great, Marino to Duper was a special connection in and of itself. Duper only played two games in his 1982 rookie season and saw his role increase when Marino came to town in 1983. Duper stood at only 5’9 but knew how to use his speed, making for a great fit with Marino’s rocket arm.

14 Jim Kelly & Andre Reed

Played For Buffalo Bills From 1986-1996

The Buffalo Bills was a hard-luck team at the start of the 1990s. They were the best team in the AFC during that time, and they proved it by making it to four straight Super Bowls. However, they lost all four Super Bowls. While the first loss to the Giants was a last-second field goal, the other three games were blowouts.

Despite that, the Bills had a Hall of Fame team, and two of their best players were quarterback Jim Kelly and wide receiver Andre Reed. The quarterback-wide receiver duo accounted for 700 receptions for 69 touchdowns. Reed had four 1,000-yard seasons during that time as well.

13 Joe Montana & Dwight Clark

Payed For San Francisco 49ers: 1979-1987

While Joe Montana is forever linked with Jerry Rice, one of the greatest plays in San Francisco 49ers history was Montana throwing to a different receiver. For years, the Dallas Cowboys were the best in the NFC, but then the 49ers took their place, and it all happened on one play in the NFC playoffs. Montana backed up and threw a perfect pass over the Cowboys’ defense and into the hands of Dwight Clark.

This play is still known as “The Catch,” a beloved play for 49ers fans and a heartbreaking moment for Cowboys fans. That was only one moment, but in all, Clark was always one of Montana’s most dependable targets, and that’s saying something, considering who else Montana had to throw to.

12 Roger Staubach & Drew Pearson

Played For Dallas Cowboys From 1973-1979

In the 1970s, the Dallas Cowboys were in the Super Bowl multiple times, and their starting quarterback was Roger Staubach, a man who could run around the pocket until he found a receiver. The man he found the most was named Drew Pearson. A lot of fans talk about the mythical number 88, worn by names like Michael Irvin, Dez Bryant, and now Cee Dee Lamb.

That number was made famous by Pearson, who caught more than 5,550 yards from Staubach and 40 touchdowns. These were also the men who teamed up for the first famed Hail Mary in NFL history.

11 Kurt Warner & Isaac Bruce

Played For St. Louis Rams From 1998-2003

The team was known as “The Greatest Show on Turf” and that included all the offensive weapons. Undrafted future NFL Hall of Fame quarterback was handing the ball off to Marshall Faulk and throwing it to both Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt. No one could stop them on their way to the Super Bowl.

In all, Warner and Bruce played together from 1998 to 2003, and they were one of the best quarterback and wide receiver duos in NFL history during that time, with Holt as the big playmaker on the outside. Warner and Bruce accounted for 246 receptions and 26 touchdowns, while the team averaged 30 points a game.

10 Peyton Manning & Reggie Wayne

Played For Indianapolis Colts From 2001-2011

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Reggie Wayne had seven consecutive seasons with more than 1,000 receiving yards, and that was in part thanks to Peyton Manning’s arm, of course. Likewise, Manning never had a season of less than 3,500 yards with the Colts, and that’s also in part because he had terrific receivers.

Manning and Wayne were a lethal duo, who had a total of 76 touchdowns including the postseason, and managed to win Super Bowl XLI. Both Manning and Wayne maintained a superlative level for several years. In fact, both played together in five consecutive Pro Bowls.

9 Tom Brady & Julian Edelman

Played For New England Patriots From 2009-2019

The duo of Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski usually get the spotlight, and rightfully so, but when we talk about the best QB-WR duos in NFL history, then Brady and Julian Edelman deserve to be in the conversation.

The New England Patriots didn’t win the Super Bowl for nine years, but when Edelman was the starting wide receiver things changed, as he was the piece Brady and the Pats needed. Brady and Edelman had too much chemistry, especially at crucial moments, and that’s precisely why they won three rings together in a five-year span. For example, Brady and Edelman combined for the winning touchdown in Super Bowl XLIX.

8 Dan Marino & Mark Clayton

Played For Miami Dolphins From 1983-1992

Unfortunately, Dan Marino and Mark Clayton were never able to win a Super Bowl game, falling just one step short of eternal glory when they lost Super Bowl XIX to the San Francisco 49ers. Still, Marino and Clayton were a duo for the ages, watching them play was fascinating, as it seemed they were connected.

Marino threw 82 touchdown passes to Clayton, including the playoffs, making it clear that they were one of the most consistent duos of all time.

7 Kurt Warner & Torry Holt

Played For St. Louis Rams From 1999-2003

In his first NFL season as starting quarterback, Kurt Warner led the St. Louis Rams to a Super Bowl victory. Warner was the hero, but other players also played a key part, and one of them was Torry Holt, who is a Rams legend standing on his own.

It was evident that Warner felt confident throwing the ball to Holt, who looked comfortable playing with Warner. Warner and Holt were a dynamic duo, starring in “The Greatest Show on Turf.”

6 Johnny Unitas & Raymond Berry

Played For Baltimore Colts From 1956-1967

Johnny Unitas and Raymond Berry were the first great duo in NFL history, as they revolutionized the game. Unitas and Berry played together from 1956 to 1967, during which time they combined for more than 600 pass completions.

Unitas won three MVP awards as Berry was top-five for MVP twice and appeared in six Pro Bowls. Unitas and Berry led the Baltimore Colts to back-to-back championships in the 1958 and 1959 seasons. This was an absolutely legendary duo and they were true pioneers in setting the standard for the passing numbers we take for granted today.

5 Troy Aikman & Michael Irvin

Played For Dallas Cowboys From 1989-1999

Troy Aikman had one of the worst rookie seasons for a quarterback in the NFL, but fortunately, he significantly improved his game and created a dynasty along with Michael Irvin and the Dallas Cowboys.

Aikman and Irvin combined for 60 touchdowns, with more than 700 pass completions, won at least 10 games in five consecutive seasons and won three Super Bowl games in a four-year span. Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin were a fantastic duo and a driving force behind the Cowboys’ 90s dynasty.

4 Terry Bradshaw & Lynn Swann

Played For Pittsburgh Steelers From 1974-1982

Terry Bradshaw and Lynn Swann played together for nine seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, building a huge legacy in the 1970s. In that span, the Steelers always had a winning record.

Admittedly, Bradshaw and Swann’s regular season numbers were not extraordinary. However, that’s primarily because the Steelers of the 70s were built on a power running game shutting down opponents with that patented Steel Curtain defense. In the playoffs, in the big moments, Bradshaw and Swann always delivered in spades and won four Super Bowls. This was one of the best QB-WR duos in history, hands down.

3 Steve Young & Jerry Rice

Played For San Francisco 49ers From 1991-1999

Steve Young spent four seasons as Joe Montana’s backup, but when the latter suffered an elbow injury, Young took his chance to shine. The left-handed quarterback performed phenomenally.

In fact, when Montana returned he was unable to regain his starting spot and thus was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs. Young had great chemistry with his teammates, especially Jerry Rice, with whom he combined for 92 touchdowns, including postseason. This electrifying duo went on to win Super Bowl XXIX.

2 Joe Montana & Jerry Rice

Played For San Francisco 49ers From 1985-1990

What happens when one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time and the greatest wide receiver of all time play on the same team? The answer is simple: you win back-to-back Super Bowls, including that unforgettable 55-10 thrashing by the San Francisco 49ers over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXIV.

Plus, they won five divisional titles together. Joe Montana and Jerry Rice complemented each other, which is why this tandem dominated the late 1980s and went down in history as one of the most talented duos in the sport.

1 Peyton Manning & Marvin Harrison

Played For Indianapolis Colts From 1998-2008

Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison formed one of the most lethal and effective duos of all time, arguably the best. This tandem of Manning and Harrison was simply spectacular, and what they could do on the field was incredible. They won Super Bowl XLI with the Indianapolis Colts, and in 11 seasons together they combined for 112 touchdowns, which is the most for a quarterback-wide receiver duo in NFL history.

We will likely never again see a duo as phenomenal and consistent as this one ever again.