Tom Brady has a clear answer when it comes to the NFL’s most aesthetically pleasing throwers. Asked during a #AskTom segment which quarterback throws the prettiest ball, Brady named two: Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford. The choice was not a split decision or a hedge. Brady placed the two veteran passers side by side at the top of the list for Tom Brady prettiest passers, praising the way both spin the football and the ease with which their throws arrive.
Why Rodgers and Stafford top Brady's list
Brady’s reasoning centered on natural ability rather than scheme or statistics. He said Rodgers and Stafford spin the ball as well as anyone ever has, describing their deliveries as smooth and accurate. Their throws, in his view, look effortless. Brady also noted that both were natural passers from the moment they entered the NFL, a quality that separated them from quarterbacks who develop the trait over time.
The answer expanded beyond a single name, which is notable given how often the question invites one pick. Brady has previously named Rodgers and Dan Marino as the owners of the most talented arms in NFL history, a comment he made in April 2025. His latest response adds Stafford to the conversation about the prettiest passes, even if the earlier remark focused on arm talent rather than aesthetics.
Rodgers: four MVPs and a flair for the dramatic
Rodgers, now 42, has won four MVP awards, the second-most in NFL history. This season he has thrown for 1,487 yards, 12 touchdowns and five interceptions while his Pittsburgh Steelers opened with a 4-2 record.
His career is dotted with throws that fit Brady’s description. In 2015, Rodgers completed a 61-yard Hail Mary to beat the Detroit Lions, a play known as the Miracle in Motown. In the playoffs against the Arizona Cardinals, he completed two Hail Mary passes in a loss, including a fourth-and-20 completion to Jeff Janis that traveled nearly 60 air yards. Against the Dallas Cowboys in the divisional round, he found Jared Cook for 36 yards. And in Super Bowl XLV, he threw a 21-yard touchdown to Greg Jennings.
Stafford: no-look passes and a late-career MVP
Stafford, 38, won his first MVP last season at age 37. Entering Week 7 of this season, he leads the NFL with 1,794 passing yards for the Los Angeles Rams.
His signature throws often come without a direct look at the target. In Super Bowl LVI, Stafford threw a no-look pass to Cooper Kupp for 22 yards. Last season, he threw a no-look touchdown to Puka Nacua against the Seattle Seahawks. As a rookie in 2009, he threw a game-winning touchdown to Brandon Pettigrew after separating his non-throwing shoulder on the previous play.
Brady's follow-up: the deep post is the hardest throw
The conversation later turned to the difficulty of deep throws. Brady said the deep post was his toughest throw, finding deep go routes easier by comparison. Go routes, he explained, involve one defender and a straight path. Posts require horizontal movement and often bring a second defender into the . Brady threw more go-route touchdowns than post-route touchdowns over his career.
Pro Football Focus data supports the distinction. Brady had more touchdowns and a higher passer rating on deep outside throws in 10 of his final 16 seasons when compared with deep throws between the numbers.
For Rodgers and Stafford, Brady’s praise is a reminder that the prettiest passes are not always the most complicated ones. Sometimes they are simply the ones that spin cleanly, arrive accurately and look like they took no effort at all.
[…] Tom Brady Picks Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford as the NFL’s Prettiest Passers […]