Time to throw
Time to throw is the average number of seconds between the snap and the moment a quarterback releases a pass, measured by NFL Next Gen Stats player tracking. Lower means the ball comes out faster.
Next Gen Stats tracks the ball and every player on the field, so it can time each pass from snap to release. Time to throw is the average of those times across a quarterback's pass attempts. Sacks have no release and are not part of it.
Time to Throw — 2026 leaders
| # | Player | TTT | Aggr% | AY to Sticks | Att | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cooper Rush | 2.45 | 7.7% | -5.0 | 39 | |
| 2 | Jordan Love | 2.49 | 15.3% | +0.1 | 124 | |
| 3 | Joe Burrow | 2.54 | 11.7% | -1.9 | 103 | |
| 4 | Patrick Mahomes | 2.60 | 5.1% | -2.7 | 98 | |
| 5 | Carson Wentz | 2.61 | 12.8% | -0.0 | 39 | |
| 6 | Jacoby Brissett | 2.62 | 14.5% | -2.1 | 117 | |
| 7 | Tyler Shough | 2.66 | 14.4% | -1.2 | 132 | |
| 8 | Dak Prescott | 2.69 | 18.1% | -0.3 | 105 | |
| 9 | Jameis Winston | 2.72 | 24.5% | -2.2 | 49 | |
| 10 | Matthew Stafford | 2.77 | 16.2% | +0.9 | 111 |
Why it matters
How fast the ball comes out shapes almost everything else about a passer's numbers. A quick release protects a weak line and leans on short, high-percentage throws; a slow one gives deep routes time to develop and gives the rush time to arrive. Reading time to throw first explains a lot about a quarterback's sack rate and his average depth of throw.
The counter
A long time to throw is not the same as holding the ball. Quarterbacks who extend broken plays with their legs post long averages on throws that would otherwise have been sacks, so the number describes a style more than a flaw.
More football stats explained
- EPA (expected points added)
- EPA per dropback
- Success rate
- CPOE (completion percentage over expected)
- ANY/A (adjusted net yards per attempt)
- RYOE (rushing yards over expected)
- Target share
- Air yards share
- WOPR (weighted opportunity rating)
- aDOT (average depth of target)
- YAC over expected
- Separation
- Pressure rate
- Blitz rate
- Man and zone coverage splits
- PROE (pass rate over expected)
- Stacked box rate
- Half-PPR (and how it differs from full PPR)
- The usage gap (snaps versus production)
- Pythagorean wins
- Stickiness (what repeats and what does not)
- Snap share
- Pass-snap share
- YPRR (yards per route run)
- Availability (the “stayed” rate)
- Handcuff
- Play-action rate
- Pre-snap motion rate
- Drop rate
- Contested catch rate
- Interception-worthy throws
- Quarterback-fault sacks
- Intended air yards (IAY)
- Deep ball rate
- QB Composite Rating
- Screen pass rate
- No-huddle rate
- RPO rate
- Light box rate
- Throwaway rate
- Catchable throw rate
- Out-of-pocket rate
- Aggressiveness
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