Total quarterback rating (abbreviated as total QBR or simply QBR) is a proprietary statistic created by ESPN in 2011 to measure the performance of quarterbacks in American football. According to ESPN, "QBR incorporates all of a quarterback's contributions to winning, including how he impacts the game on passes, rushes, turnovers, and penalties. Since QBR is built from the play level, it accounts for a team's level of success or failure on every play to provide the proper context, then allocates credit to the quarterback and his teammates to produce a clearer measure of quarterback efficiency."[1]
ESPN claims that it created QBR to be a more meaningful alternative to the traditional passer rating statistic.[1] However, ESPN has never released the complete formulas and procedures to calculate QBR,[2] resulting in criticism among fans and commentators alike questioning the results.[3]