Ranking each NFL team's primary starting quarterback from the 2025 regular season

NOTE: This week's rankings feature each team's most prominent starting quarterback, based solely on play from the 2025 regular season.

TIER 1

• In just his second season (and first under offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels), Drake Maye has skyrocketed into the elite tier of NFL quarterbacks. His efficiency, accuracy, improvisational skills, play-extension ability, scrambling threat and willingness to test a defense downfield has blended into this rare, nearly perfect concoction that has propelled the Patriots to an incredible turnaround, a division title and legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. He enters the postseason with a nose-length lead over Matthew Stafford in the NFL MVP race, a reality that would have seemed absurd in July. That's how special Maye was in the 2025 regular season.
• Matthew Stafford began the season with worries about his health swirling around him after missing camp and the preseason due to back issues. Those concerns couldn't feel further in the past. Stafford was excellent throughout regular season, dotting the field with elite accuracy and a level of composure only demonstrated by the most seasoned signal-callers. Father Time hasn't betrayed him yet, either. One needs to watch just a single Sunday outing to know that. He's running Sean McVay's offense at a premier level and has revived the reputation of Davante Adams as one of the most imposing red zone threats in the NFL. We'll see how far it carries them in January.
• Justin Herbert deserves some sort of award for the courage this NFL season has required from him. He lost one of his starting tackles for the entire season (Rashawn Slater), the other for the majority of it (Joe Alt) and his top running back (Omarion Hampton) for a good chunk, as well, and still found a way to lead the Chargers to an 11-6 finish and return trip to the postseason. In some weeks, Herbert isn't just powering the Chargers through the air but also leading them in rushing (largely out of necessity). However the Chargers' season ends, they should thank Herbert for keeping it alive as long as he has.
• Josh Allen made a late push for NFL MVP that ultimately wasn't much more than a product of aspiration. That's fine. I'm not ranking quarterbacks on their potential to win the top honor. Allen lands fourth because he continues to carry Buffalo on his broad shoulders even if he didn't quite elevate the team's unreliable offense as frequently as he did in his 2024 MVP season. For a brief period, Allen struggled with interceptions, too. Fortunately, Allen still remains one of the most effective runners and has arguably the NFL's best back next to him in James Cook. Simply put, he's still one of the most electrifying players in the league. I am concerned about his foot injury, though; he hasn't looked quite right since tweaking it in Cleveland. Hopefully he can get right in time to capitalize on his first postseason journey that's guaranteed to not include Kansas City, Cincinnati or Baltimore.
• Dak Prescott likely knew the fate of the Cowboys' season rested on his arm as soon as he learned they'd traded Micah Parsons to Green Bay. For most of 2025, Prescott played like it, attempting a total of 600 passes -- the second-most in the NFL behind Bo Nix's 612 -- and finishing with 4,552 yards and a 30-10 TD-to-INT ratio. He consistently threw the Cowboys into competitive showings, benefitted significantly from the arrival of George Pickens and tried his best to carry Dallas to the playoffs. Overall, Prescott only struggled on a few occasions: Weeks 3, 8 and 14. Otherwise, he was excellent, displaying expert-level (and occasionally jaw-dropping) accuracy and making some truly absurd plays (see: his physics-defying, fourth-quarter 34-yard pass to Jalen Tolbert in Week 4 -- one of my favorite plays from the entire season). This column respects Prescott's efforts and achievements, regardless of overall record.

TIER 2

• Jared Goff's numbers are eerily similar to the totals he posted in 2024, yet the product looked so much worse. It's not Goff's fault that his offensive line underwent changes and endured multiple injuries, but a blueprint to beat the Lions (and limit Goff's effectiveness) emerged over the second half of the season. Goff deserves credit for still producing plenty of strong performances and likely would have flirted with his career-high totals if not for the adversity the Lions offense faced. It was disheartening, though, to see him fall short of carrying them out of the fire.
• Trevor Lawrence finished 2025 by playing the best football of his career, freely flinging the football all over the field with great success. He's throwing it better than ever, but what truly elevated his game to the next level is his mobility. Lawrence is a legitimate threat as a play-extending passer and as a scrambler, setting career-high marks in rushing yards (359) and rushing touchdowns (nine), adding another element to a Jacksonville offense that is proving to be increasingly difficult to stop.
• Daniel Jones exceeded every expectation set for him from his very first start with the Colts, leading one of the most complete and dynamic offenses in the NFL. Indianapolis looked like a legitimate Super Bowl contender until the all-too-familiar injury bug returned to hamper Jones and eventually cut his season short. There's no guarantee he'll return to the same form after suffering an Achilles injury, but it sounds as if the Colts saw enough to commit to him beyond 2025 -- although it may come at a lower rate of compensation.
• Sam Darnold proved the Seahawks right in their controversial decision to change quarterbacks last spring. He started hot, developed a spectacular connection with NFL receiving yards leader Jaxon Smith-Njigba and proved he was the ideal fit for OC Klint Kubiak's offense, even finding himself going throw for throw with Baker Mayfield in a thrilling early-season shootout with the Buccaneers. Sure, Darnold hasn't played as pivotal a role in the second half of the season, but overall, he has undoubtedly justified Seattle's big offseason swing.
• Add 2025 to Joe Burrow's list of seasons marred by injury. The two-time Pro Bowler's promising start to the campaign was cut short by a toe injury that required surgery and led to an extended absence. Burrow returned ahead of schedule with the hopes he could spark a miraculous run to the playoffs but fell short because of the Bengals' familiar weaknesses. After openly speaking of his need to enjoy football to continue playing, Burrow lit up two defenses (Arizona and Miami) in the final month before battling through an unsurprisingly difficult contest against Cleveland. When Burrow was on the field, he was usually very good. He just needs to be available more consistently -- and the Bengals need to improve their defense.
• Jordan Love's season included multiple injuries (through which he played) and seemingly hit its stride at the perfect time right around Thanksgiving. But a concussion forced him out for the final two weeks, limiting our ability to properly praise him for his efforts and leaving me with a cliffhanger feeling. Fortunately, we'll receive more answers in the postseason. As for his regular-season showing, Love was at his best in Week 8, torching Pittsburgh's defense in an overwhelming display of second-half passing prowess on a national stage. That version of Love lands in Tier 1 and enters the MVP conversation. He's not yet that consistent, but we've seen plenty of glimpses of what could be.
• Patrick Mahomes has long stood as the bastion of hope for Kansas City amid the franchise's incredible run of excellence, because as long as the Chiefs had No. 15, they had a strong chance of success. In 2025, even Mahomes couldn't rescue these Chiefs. Statistically, Mahomes was on track to finish with numbers very similar to each of his last two seasons, but both he and his teammates failed to do the little things properly -- deliver throws on time and on target, catch passes and extend drives however possible -- losing the vast majority of their one-score games. Mahomes' performance declined late, too, posting a 5-7 TD-to-INT ratio from the start of November through Week 15, when his season ended because of a torn ACL. I've long given credit to Mahomes for being the reason the Chiefs offense managed to sustain drives and win games, but that was simply no longer true by the end of 2025, punctuating an incredibly disappointing campaign that was long kept afloat only by his heroics.

TIER 3

• Brock Purdy's finish to 2025 -- save for that Week 18 nightmare against Seattle -- would have landed him much higher in the overall ranking had he played more games this season. Availability, however, is an ability, and Purdy's extended absence factors in. Fortunately for the 49ers, Mac Jones held the operation together and even led the Niners to some victories. Purdy, meanwhile, should hope to peak in the postseason because it might be the 49ers' only route to victory. He's proven over the last month he's certainly capable of doing so.
• While painful, Lamar Jackson's finish to this season came at the perfect time to stave off offseason discourse that undoubtedly would have questioned his long-term viability as the Ravens' franchise quarterback. I wouldn't blame those for pondering his outlook; after all, for most of 2025, Jackson didn't look like himself. An early injury hampered his mobility and reduced his effectiveness, and it wasn't until December that Lamar finally started to look like Lamar. His performance in Pittsburgh in Week 18, however, was vintage Jackson, reminding us of his special talents that have made him into a superstar.
• Caleb Williams' growth under Ben Johnson has been such a treat, especially down the back stretch of the 2025 season. He proved that with an improved offensive line and a wily play-caller, Williams can use his natural talents to lead his team to thrilling success and was certainly worth the No. 1 overall pick in 2024. He also showed he has the clutch gene in his arsenal, leading the Bears to a number of last-minute victories while consistently demonstrating a rare blend of improvisational ability and arm talent that lands him among the most entertaining passers to watch in the NFL. The future is bright in Chicago!
• Aaron Rodgers had some rough moments in 2025, but overall, he proved he was absolutely right in playing another NFL season and doing so with the Steelers. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and a cast of unproven receivers (outside of DK Metcalf) didn't help Rodgers at times, yet he fulfilled the ship-steadying role the Steelers sought when they signed him. He flat-out threw Pittsburgh to some wins this season. After a couple of ugly years in New York, it was nice to see -- and I'm convinced he might not be done playing just yet.
• Baker Mayfield began the season on a hot streak that made him an early contender to win NFL MVP. Fast forward to January, and his team missed the playoffs and his offensive coordinator was fired. Mayfield is a streaky quarterback; he proved that with how he struggled to carry the Bucs after that fast start. It was somewhat of an unfair situation for Mayfield, though -- all those injuries at pass catcher and up front. I'd still take him on my team every day of the week. I hope 2026 brings him a better set of circumstances, starting with a new play-caller.
• Eagles fans like to bounce between believing Jalen Hurts is the greatest quarterback on the planet and wondering why Philadelphia made him its franchise quarterback in the first place. I'll say this: Hurts deserves better than what he's received from first-year offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo. It's an issue that has been documented extensively throughout 2025. But oddly enough, Hurts might also benefit from allowing himself to be less than perfect. His superpower has long been avoiding turnovers, but that also comes with aversion to taking risks. These risks can be good for an offense as talented as Philadelphia's. Proof of this exists when the Eagles go up-tempo -- when they're typically at their best -- or on the occasional Sunday when the offense decides to give the football world the bird (pun possibly intended) and let it rip, regardless of outcome. More of that is good for the soul and would help the vibes offensively. I also cannot summarize Hurts' season without mentioning how losses along the offensive line hamstrung the entire unit, and especially the running game. Don't worry, folks: He's still a good quarterback. He just didn't play near an elite level in 2025.
• Bo Nix finished the 2025 regular season with much better performance than how he began the campaign, an encouraging sign for the second-year passer whom it seems Sean Payton is still learning. Earlier in the season, Broncos fans would be the first to admit Nix wasn't great and Denver was winning some games in spite of him (or by enjoying just one quarter of successful Nix performances per game). That wasn't true by December, though, and I remain curious to see how good Nix can be when coupled with a truly effective running game.

TIER 4

• C.J. Stroud was forced to work out the kinks with first-year OC Nick Caley, producing more frustration than thrills. Houston's offensive line was still an issue for most of the season, and with a receiving corps that included Nico Collins and some unproven youngsters, Stroud likely knew he'd face an uphill climb. That didn't stop him from throwing for 3,041 yards, but Houston's offensive potential and production lagged far behind its defensive excellence. To Stroud's credit, he cut down on the pressure-related mistakes he'd made too often in 2024, but we all know there's much more potential in Stroud than he was able to display in this offense in 2025.
• Tyler Shough is likely the future in New Orleans. Sure, he has plenty of things to work on, but just as I believed would prove true with more reps as a rookie, Shough grew over the final month of the season into a composed, confident leader with a quality arm, sneaky good scrambling skills and a clutch gene that I thought was going to lead the Saints to yet another thrilling victory in Week 18 -- that is, until he was baited into an ugly interception late in the fourth quarter. That's a rookie mistake Shough will learn from. Coach Kellen Moore, meanwhile, has to be thrilled with what the Saints have found in Shough.
• Jaxson Dart represented hope when he first stepped onto the field in September as the result of a quarterback change anyone could've seen coming from the moon. Dart invigorated New York's offense and briefly appeared capable of saving Brian Daboll's job, which ultimately did not prove true. His durability didn't stand the test of the season, either, and remains one of his greatest concerns because Dart hasn’t embraced the idea of protecting himself when possible. If he can improve this, his point guard passing skills and mobility should give the Giants their answer at quarterback. Who they hire next will be crucial in Dart's growth, too.
• Bryce Young's range in performance has convinced many he'll never be Carolina's franchise quarterback. The reasoning is simple: The gap between his good and bad is too wide to be considered reliable. In one week, Young shredded Atlanta's defense to the tune of 448 yards and three touchdowns in a comeback win. The week prior, he threw for 124 yards and an interception in a loss to the Saints. That was Young's season in a nutshell, a frustrating blend of fantastic and forgettable outings that leaves plenty of unanswered questions.

TIER 5

• Jacoby Brissett closed a surprisingly high-volume 2026 season by putting together a quality game that even saw him throw the Cardinals into a third-quarter lead against the Rams. It was very fitting for what the Cardinals' season ultimately became with Brissett, who was a more productive option under center than Kyler Murray. The veteran did his job as a plus backup but couldn't overcome Arizona's overall deficiencies.
• Cam Ward's rookie season was typical of a first-year signal-caller playing with a cast that needs additional reinforcements. He showed some fantastic creativity as an improvisational artist, built a gradual rapport with fellow rookies Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor, was good for a few amazing highlights and has plenty of room to grow.
• Geno Smith arrived in Las Vegas as the symbol of hope and stability Raiders fans yearned for since the final days of the Derek Carr era. Instead, he proved to be a terrible fit for the Raiders, the worst team in the NFL with the worst offensive line, a group incapable of protecting Smith adequately or even affording him space to step up in the pocket. Frankly, it's a miracle he even broke 3,000 passing yards. His numerous interceptions were a predictable product of a risk-taking approach to thread passes, but he often didn't have the time to do so accurately. With a new coach coming to Las Vegas, he's far from guaranteed to remain. But time will tell.
• Tua Tagovailoa entered a make-or-break year with the goal of getting right with Tyreek Hill and getting the offense back on track. That effort was doomed from Week 1. The Fins' 2025 season had some shockingly apathetic performances from the entire roster and included Tagovailoa publicly calling out his teammates for a lack of accountability. It essentially ended with Tagovailoa looking unfit to occupy a starting role in the NFL after flopping in a must-win game against Pittsburgh. The entire product wasn't terrible. Tagovailoa still enjoyed some very successful outings. But overall, it seems clear he and the Dolphins are headed for divorce.
• Jayden Daniels' highly anticipated sophomore season never got off the ground. Injuries plagued him and the Washington offense throughout the season, robbing us of a chance to see how he could build on his Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign. Now, he'll have to learn a new offense.
• Michael Penix Jr. did not live up to the hype built by his promising close to his rookie season. His best showing came in a narrow loss to New England, and when folks recall his second campaign, they'll unfortunately think first of his horrendous performance in a 30-0 loss to Carolina. That game didn't define Penix's season by any means, but it pointed toward how difficult it is to find consistent success in this league. Falcons owner Arthur Blank told reporters Thursday that Atlanta still has high hopes for Penix, but the young passer must demonstrate consistent progress under a new coach in 2025 to retain such faith.
• J.J. McCarthy was seemingly injured once a month, if not more often in 2025. He began his season by showcasing his clutch gene, leading the Vikings to a wild win over Chicago in early September. But, at other times, he struggled with accuracy and prompt decision-making while appearing incredibly overwhelmed by defenses. McCarthy closed in strong fashion, showing off the athleticism and improvisational abilities that the Vikings hoped would make him a natural successor to Sam Darnold. He even torched two NFC East defenses in Washington and Dallas in a December stretch that gave Vikings fans reason to believe he can become their franchise quarterback in due time. Unfortunately, McCarthy fittingly ended his season on the sideline due to injury.

TIER 6

• After seven starts, I've come to a conclusion on Shedeur Sanders. Through those seven outings, Sanders improved incrementally, had some ugly interceptions, displayed excellent accuracy at times, became more valuable as a scrambler, took some awful sacks (because he held onto the ball too long), disappeared for significant stretches, wasn't put in the best overall situation and ultimately proved he deserves more time with the 1's. That could include a chance to compete for the starting job in 2026, but that also depends on how Cleveland -- and the new head coach -- proceeds at the position in the offseason. In my opinion, Sanders is a talented player with the potential to become a plus version of Jacoby Brissett, which promises a long career in the NFL with an opportunity or two to earn a starting job and plenty of security as a backup. Not bad for a fifth-round pick. Many eventual washouts would sign up for that in a heartbeat.
• The Jets bought in on Justin Fields' potential, received an immediate payoff in Week 1 and basically didn't see that version of Fields again. Behind an inconsistent offensive line, Fields regressed to his Chicago form, pulling his eyes down quickly before resorting to running for his life. I can't imagine a scenario in which the Jets proceed into 2026 with Fields in their plans, outside of him taking on a backup role. They can cut him after June 1 and save $10 million in cap space, too.