The 2026 NFL Combine will run this week at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. It has long been an event of athleticism, and for quarterbacks, the 40-yard dash is a key test of speed and explosiveness.
Some QBs have hit the headlines with elite times, while others have proven that elite passing ability doesn’t always require elite speed.
Fastest Quarterback 40-Yard Dash Times in NFL Combine
1) Michael Vick [4.35 seconds]
Michael Vick set the standard in 2001 with a phenomenal 4.33-second 40-yard dash, the fastest ever recorded by a quarterback. His time even ranks among the top for players at any position.
It is more common today for wide receivers, running backs, or cornerbacks to hit sub-4.3-second times, but no quarterback has matched Vick’s mark. He was selected first overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2001 NFL Draft. In 2021, he revisited the 40-yard dash during Rich Eisen’s “Run Rich Run” charity event for St. Jude Children’s Hospital and recorded a 4.72-second time.
Meanwhile, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson could be a close second, as he dashed an unofficial 4.34 seconds at his Louisville Pro Day. However, he never ran the 40 at the NFL Combine.
2) Reggie McNeal [4.35 seconds]
Competing as a quarterback from Texas A&M, Reggie McNeal ran a 4.35-second 40-yard dash at the 2006 NFL Combine. The Cincinnati Bengals drafted him in the 6th round of the 2006 NFL Draft to convert him to a wide receiver.
McNeal’s NFL career lasted just one season, but he went on to play five more seasons in the Canadian Football League as a wide receiver.
3) Robert Griffin III [4.41 seconds]
Robert Griffin III took advantage of his track background and ran a 4.41-second 40-yard dash at the 2012 NFL Combine. This was the fastest 40-yard dash by a quarterback in that year’s combine, as he outperformed fellow top prospect Andrew Luck.
The performance boosted his status as the No. 2 overall pick by the Washington Redskins in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Slowest Quarterback 40-Yard Dash Times in NFL Combine
1) Ryan Mallett, Chris Redman, and Toby Korrodi [ 5.37 Seconds]
The slowest officially recorded 40-yard dash by a quarterback is 5.37 seconds, a mark shared by Ryan Mallett (2011), Chris Redman (2000), and Toby Korrodi (2007). Mallet was selected by the New England Patriots in the third round with the 74th selection overall, and Redman was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the third round as the 75th overall. Meanwhile, Korrodi went undrafted and signed with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent.
2) Tom Brady and Jared Lorenzen [5.28 Seconds]
Tom Brady ran a 5.28-second 40-yard dash at the 2000 NFL Combine, marking one of the slowest times ever for a quarterback. However, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots still drafted him in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft and quickly helped him develop into one of the greatest players in league history.
In February 2024, Brady ran a recorded 40-yard dash in 5.12 seconds, finally improving on his old combine time.
Coming out of Kentucky, Jared Lorenzen recorded a 5.28-second 40-yard dash at the 2004 NFL Combine and tied with Brady as one of the slowest ever recorded by a quarterback at the combine. He was undrafted and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York Giants. Spending four seasons with the Giants, Lorenzen was a member of the Super Bowl XLII championship team.
3) Jeff Mathews [5.26 Seconds]
Jeff Mathews ran a 5.26-second 40-yard dash at the 2014 NFL Combine. He went undrafted but later signed with the Atlanta Falcons.
