Ken O'Brien Passing
The Jets' first passer rating champion and a perfect-rating pioneer.
Ken O'Brien was a quarterback for the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL. He was the first quarterback in Jets franchise history to finish a season with the highest passer rating in the NFL, and he held the team record for most consecutive pass completions (17) in a game.
Quick Facts
- Role
- Quarterback
- Affiliation
- New York Jets (1983–1992)
- Draft year
- 1983
- Super bowl appearance
- None (Jets' only Super Bowl win was Super Bowl III under Joe Namath)
- Status
- Retired; Franchise Legend
- Key record holder
- Second all-time in Jets passing yards and touchdowns behind Joe Namath
Lore & Background
Selected 24th overall in the 1983 NFL draft, O'Brien was a surprise pick over Dan Marino. He led the NFL in passer rating in 1985 (96.2) and had the lowest interception rate in 1985, 1987, and 1988. He threw for 479 yards and four touchdowns in a 51–45 win over Marino's Dolphins in 1986, and later that season became the first quarterback to achieve a perfect passer rating (158.3) while throwing for 400 yards. He also had a second perfect rating game in 1990. O'Brien was a two-time Pro Bowler (1985, 1991) and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1997.
Reader's Guide
O'Brien played under head coach Joe Walton, who ran a complicated offense that required a smart quarterback. His career record as a starter was 50–59–1.
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