Honestly, if you look at the landscape of NFL signal-callers right now, it’s a total mess of expectations versus reality. We’re sitting here in January 2026, the Wild Card round just wrapped up, and the hierarchy of all the qbs in the nfl has been flipped on its head. You’ve got legends like Matthew Stafford suddenly playing the best football of their lives at age 37, while the "unanimous" greats are watching the divisional round from their couches.
It’s weird.
Patrick Mahomes is still Patrick Mahomes, but let’s be real: his 2025 regular season was... human. He finished with 3,587 passing yards and 22 touchdowns against 11 picks. Those aren't "Best to Ever Do It" numbers; they're "very good starter" numbers. Meanwhile, Drake Maye basically set the world on fire in New England. Who saw that coming? Not many people outside of Foxborough. Maye finished his second year with over 4,300 yards and 31 touchdowns, leading the Patriots to a division title. It’s a reminder that in this league, the "elite" tag is a rental, not a permanent title.
The Elite Tier: Who Actually Owns the League?
When we talk about the top-tier all the qbs in the nfl, the conversation usually starts and ends with Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. But the 2025 season shifted the goalposts. Allen is still the ultimate "do-it-all" weapon, finishing the year with 14 rushing touchdowns—matching his career high—but he’s also dealing with a foot injury that clearly slowed him down in the late-season loss to Philly. He’s the engine of the Bills, but the engine is starting to show some wear.
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Lamar Jackson is in a different spot. He didn't put up the same gaudy rushing stats we're used to (just 333 yards in 11 games), but his efficiency as a passer under Todd Monken has reached a level where he doesn't need to run for 1,000 yards to win.
Then there's Matthew Stafford.
The guy is a machine.
Leading the league with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns in Year 17 is actually insane. People keep waiting for his arm to fall off, and instead, he’s just out there dotting the field and winning playoff games against the Panthers in the final seconds.
The Statistical Reality of the Top 10
If you just look at the 2025 regular season stats, the "best" quarterbacks aren't always the ones with the biggest names:
- Matthew Stafford (Rams): 4,707 yards, 46 TDs, 8 INTs. Just pure pocket dominance.
- Drake Maye (Patriots): 4,394 yards, 31 TDs. The clear future of the AFC.
- Dak Prescott (Cowboys): 4,552 yards, 30 TDs. Still the most consistent "stats" guy who can't seem to get over the hump.
- Josh Allen (Bills): 3,668 passing yards + 14 rushing TDs. The ultimate red-zone threat.
- Jared Goff (Lions): 3,672 yards, 29 TDs. Proof that a "system" works if you're smart enough to run it.
The Young Guns and the "What Happened?" Club
The 2025 rookie class was supposed to be "weak." That was the narrative. But look at Tyler Shough in New Orleans or Jaxson Dart with the Giants. They weren't just "good for rookies"; they were genuinely competitive. Shough stepped in and completed nearly 68% of his passes. He’s 26, which is older for a rookie, but the Saints don't care about his age as long as he's winning games.
On the flip side, we have to talk about the disappointments. Joe Burrow only played 5 games. Injuries are becoming a recurring theme there, and it’s starting to get worrying for Bengals fans. When he’s on, he’s a top-3 talent. When he’s on the sideline, the Bengals are a bottom-10 team.
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And Caleb Williams?
Year two was... okay.
3,150 yards and 21 touchdowns isn't a bust, but it's not the "Generational Talent" leap everyone predicted. The fumbles (7 of them) are still a major issue. He looks like a guy who is trying to do too much because the Bears' offensive line is still a revolving door.
The "System" Debate: Purdy and Goff
We need to stop using "system quarterback" as an insult. Every quarterback is in a system. Brock Purdy missed a chunk of time this year, but when he was in, he was efficient (12 TDs to 7 INTs in 6 games). Is he Mahomes? No. But does he execute Kyle Shanahan’s offense better than almost anyone else could? Probably.
Jared Goff is in the same boat. He’s not going to outrun a linebacker, but he’ll sit in the pocket and deliver a strike while getting hit. That has value. The Lions’ success isn't an accident; it's the result of having a quarterback who knows exactly who he is and doesn't try to be something else.
What Really Matters: The 2026 Offseason Shakeup
As we look toward the 2026 season, the carousel is already spinning. Tua Tagovailoa’s time in Miami looks like it's over. The Dolphins are being linked to trades for guys like Tanner McKee or even looking at Quinn Ewers in the upcoming draft. It's a brutal business. One year you're the face of the franchise, the next you're a "cap casualty."
In Pittsburgh, Aaron Rodgers proved he still has something left in the tank, throwing 22 touchdowns in 13 games. But he’s 42 now. How long can that last? The Steelers are in a weird limbo where they're too good to draft a top QB but not quite good enough to win it all with a fading legend.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're trying to keep track of all the qbs in the nfl and how they actually stack up, don't just look at the fantasy points. Look at these three things:
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- Red Zone Rushing: Guys like Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts (8 rushing TDs) provide a floor that pocket passers just don't have. Even in a "bad" passing game, they can score.
- Turnover-Worthy Plays: PFF charts these, and they're more predictive than actual interceptions. Cameron Ward (Titans rookie) had 11 fumbles. That’s a massive red flag for his 2026 outlook.
- Supporting Cast Stability: Drake Maye succeeded because the Patriots actually built an infrastructure for him. Caleb Williams is struggling because the Bears didn't.
The NFL is a quarterback-driven league, but that doesn't mean the quarterback is the only variable. As we move into the divisional round and eventually the 2026 draft, the gap between the "elites" and the "serviceable starters" is narrower than it’s been in a decade.
To stay ahead of the curve, keep an eye on the injury reports for Allen and Burrow—their health dictates the power balance of the entire AFC. Also, watch the Saints' offseason. If they commit to Shough as the long-term answer, it changes the entire dynamic of the NFC South. The days of Brady and Brees dominating for 20 years are gone; we're in the era of high-variance, high-reward signal callers.