Quarterbacks to win 13 Games in Back-to-Back Season

When you think of quarterbacks over the last century who have led their team to 13-win seasons in consecutive years, Sam Darnold isn’t a name that you’d think of.  But he just became the first quarterback ever to win 13 games in back-to-back seasons, with two different teams. It’s a rare feat, and only four other QBs have done it before, with all of them winning a Super Bowl at least once in their careers.  Can Darnold join them this season? We’re about to find out.  Here’s a list of the quarterbacks who are in the 13-13 club.

Aaron Rodgers (from 2019 to 2021 with the Packers)

Aaron Rodgers’ run of winning 13 games in three consecutive NFL seasons stands as one of the most impressive stretches of quarterback excellence in modern football history. From 2019 through 2021, Rodgers led the Green Bay Packers to a 13–3 record each year, a level of sustained regular-season dominance that underscored his precision, consistency, and command of the game. No other quarterback had ever guided his team to three straight 13-win seasons at the time, making the achievement a benchmark for elite quarterback play.

What made this run especially remarkable was the context. The Packers underwent noticeable roster turnover during those years, including changes at head coach, skill positions, and along the offensive line. Yet Rodgers’ performance never dipped. Instead, he elevated those around him, mastering Matt LaFleur’s offensive system and executing it with ruthless efficiency. His ability to diagnose defenses before the snap and deliver the ball with pinpoint accuracy turned Green Bay into one of the NFL’s most reliable winners every Sunday.

Individually, Rodgers was at the peak of his powers. Over those three seasons, he threw for well over 100 touchdown passes while limiting turnovers at a historic rate. His decision-making and ball security were central to Green Bay’s success, as the Packers routinely controlled games by avoiding mistakes and capitalizing on opponents’ errors. That efficiency translated into two NFL MVP awards during the stretch, further validating how dominant Rodgers was at the time.

Rodgers was named NFL MVP in 2020 and 2021.  But it was unable to deliver a Super Bowl during this historic stretch.

Peyton Manning (2012-13 with the Broncos)

Peyton Manning’s achievement of winning 13 games in back-to-back seasons with the Denver Broncos stands as one of the defining accomplishments of his Hall of Fame career. After signing with Denver in 2012 following four neck surgeries, there were legitimate doubts about whether Manning could return to elite form. Not only did he return, but he also elevated the Broncos to historic heights.

In 2012, Manning led Denver to a 13–3 record in his first season with the franchise. The Broncos finished with the AFC’s top seed, and Manning threw for 4,659 yards and 37 touchdowns while orchestrating one of the league’s most efficient offenses.  

Manning followed that season with an even more dominant campaign in 2013, once again guiding the Broncos to a 13–3 record. That year produced one of the greatest quarterback seasons in NFL history. Manning shattered league records with 5,477 passing yards and 55 touchdown passes, earning NFL MVP honors. But Denver would lose to Seattle in Super Bowl 50.

Still, winning 13 games in consecutive seasons underscored Manning’s rare ability to sustain excellence, even late in his career and in a new system, new team, coach, and city.

Tom Brady (2010-11 and 2003-04 with the Patriots)

Tom Brady’s ability to win consistently at the highest level of the NFL is best illustrated by his repeated 13-win seasons, and he did it twice over his Hall of Fame career.

Firstly, he did it in 2003 and 2004. In those years, New England went 14–2 and 14–2 again, capturing back-to-back Super Bowl titles.  He repeated the feat later in his career, as he went 14-2 and 13-3 during the 2010 and 2011 seasons, which included an NFL MVP award. Achieving consecutive 13-win seasons nearly 8 years apart highlighted his remarkable longevity and ability.  After that season, Brady won at least 11games in ten straight years, including going 13-4 with Tampa Bay, which included another Super Bowl.

Over his career, Brady had seven seasons with at least 13 wins and 17 seasons with at least 11 victories, a stretch that will likely never be matched.

Brett Favre (1996-97 with the Packers)

Brett Favre’s back-to-back 13-win seasons stand as one of the defining stretches of his Hall of Fame career and a peak period for the Green Bay Packers in the modern NFL. Favre achieved the feat in 1996 and 1997, leading Green Bay to a 13–3 record.  In 1996, Favre threw for 3,899 yards and 39 touchdowns, won NFL MVP honors, and guided the Packers to the league’s top offense. That season culminated in a dominant Super Bowl XXXI victory over the New England Patriots.

Favre followed that performance with another 13–3 campaign in 1997, proving the previous year was no fluke. He again earned NFL MVP, becoming the first player to win the award in back-to-back seasons. In fact, he won three straight MVPs (95-97) and remains the only player in history to complete the three-peat.  But the Packers would lose in the Super Bowl to Denver.

Sam Darnold (2024-2025 with Vikings & Seahawks)

A couple of years ago, Sam Darnold was considered a draft bust after being chosen third overall by the Jets in 2018. His NFL career included three stops before landing in Minnesota.  That’s where Darnold broke out, leading the Vikings to a 13-4 season, but he decided to walk in free agency.  He signed a 3-year, $100,500,000 contract with the Seahawks and expected Seattle to be in a rebuilding season. But the Seahawks improved quickly than most expected, and Darnold became the first quarterback in NFL history to win 13 games in back-to-back seasons with two different teams.

The only thing missing on his resume compared to the others on this list is a Super Bowl title, which Darnold hopes to add later this season.