The 32 starting quarterbacks in the NFL, ranked from best to worst
- The 2023 NFL season is here.
- More than ever, it seems that if teams want to find success, they need to find a franchise quarterback.
The NFL is back!
The 2023 NFL season is here, and we now know which players will fill one of the most coveted jobs in the world of sports — NFL starting quarterback.
We have ranked all 32 starters entering the season. While there is no surprise that Patrick Mahomes tops the list, there are a lot of QBs who need to prove themselves this season or face being replaced.
1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Age: 27
Key 2022 stats: 41 TD, 12 INT, 8.5 AY/A*, 4 rushing TD (17 starts)
One thing to know: Mahomes' 10-year, $450 million contract is the largest in the NFL, and yet, he is probably underpaid.
* AY/A = yards per attempt, adjusted for interceptions
2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Age: 27
Key 2022 stats: 35 TD, 14 INT, 7.7 AY/A, 7 rushing TD (16 starts)
One thing to know: Typically, as "athletic" quarterbacks get older and become better passers, we see them run less. That has not been the case for Allen, who averaged 106 carries and 466 yards in 2019 and 2020. Those numbers were up to 123 carries and 763 yards the past two seasons.
3. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Age: 26
Key 2022 stats: 35 TD, 12 INT, 7.6 AY/A, 5 rushing TD
One thing to know: After being sacked a league-leading 51 times in 2021, that number did come down to 41. As a team, the Bengals were still 11th in the NFL in most sacks allowed in 2023, and if they are going to keep Burrow healthy, that number needs to keep dropping.
4. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Age: 25
Key 2022 stats: 22 TD, 6 INT, 8.4 AY/A, 13 rushing TD (15 starts)
One thing to know: His 35 combined passing and rushing touchdowns were fourth in the NFL last season, trailing only Mahomes (45), Allen (42), and Burrow (40). He was recently rewarded with a new 5-year, $255 million contract.
5. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Age: 26
Key 2022 stats: 17 TD, 7 INT, 7.0 AY/A, 3 rushing TD (12 starts)
One thing to know: In 2019 and 2020, Jackson averaged 31 passing TDs, 1,106 yards rushing, and seven rushing touchdowns. In the two years since, he is averaging 16.5 passing TDs, 766 yards rushing, and 2.5 rushing touchdowns.
6. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Age: 25
Key 2022 stats: 25 TD, 10 INT, 6.9 AY/A, 0 rushing TD (17 starts)
One thing to know: In three seasons as the starter, Herbert has only made the playoffs once and is yet to win a playoff game.
7. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Age: 23
Key 2022 stats: 25 TD, 8 INT, 7.3 AY/A, 5 rushing TD (17 starts)
One thing to know: Lawrence is yet to miss a start in his first two seasons in the NFL and is a buzzy pick to win MVP this season.
8. Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets
Age: 39
Key 2022 stats: 26 TD, 12 INT, 6.8 AY/A, 1 rushing TD (17 starts)
One thing to know: There is a lot of buzz about how far Rodgers can take the Jets in his first season with the team. They are the seventh-highest favorite to win the Super Bowl among betting odds. That seems a little high in the first season when there will be growing pains as Rodgers gets used to his new teammates. Either way, he is surprisingly likable again.
9. Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings
Age: 35
Key 2022 stats: 29 TD, 14 INT, 7.0 AY/A, 2 rushing TD (17 starts)
One thing to know: Cousins has missed only one game in the last eight seasons and has been incredibly consistent, throwing 25-35 touchdowns and throwing for 4,000-4,500 yards in most of those seasons.
10. Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
Age: 27
Key 2022 stats: 7 TD, 5 INT, 6.0 AY/A, 1 rushing TD (6 starts)
One thing to know: Watson was considered one of the best QBs in the NFL in 2020. He has started just six games in the two seasons since due to his suspension over sexual misconduct.
11. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Age: 30
Key 2022 stats: 23 TD, 15 INT, 6.7 AY/A, 1 rushing TD (12 starts)
One thing to know: This could be a make-or-break season for Prescott. The Cowboys traded for former first-round pick Trey Lance, which only makes sense if they hope to use him at some point.
12. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
Age: 25
Key 2022 stats: 25 TD, 8 INT, 9.2 AY/A, 0 rushing TD (13 starts)
One thing to know: Tua was an MVP candidate last season before suffering his second diagnosed concussion. This offseason, he bulked up and worked on protecting his head while falling. The Dolphins need Tua to be healthy, but everybody will wince each time he is hit this season.
13. Justin Fields, Chicago Bears
Age: 24
Key 2022 stats: 17 TD, 11 INT, 6.6 AY/A, 8 rushing TD (15 starts)
One thing to know: One of the NFL's top running quarterbacks, gaining 1,143 yards in 2022, Fields is a vegan. He says the diet has made him lighter and faster.
14. Daniel Jones, New York Giants
Age: 26
Key 2022 stats: 15 TD, 5 INT, 6.9 AY/A, 7 rushing TD (16 starts)
One thing to know: Jones' completion percentage has increased in each of his first four seasons and his interceptions have fallen each year.
15. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Age: 28
Key 2022 stats: 29 TD, 7 INT, 8.0 AY/A, 0 rushing TD (17 starts)
One thing to know: The Lions have never been to the Super Bowl, but this year's team is expected to be one of their best in years. Goff has one season left on his contract after this year and would be in line for a big raise from his $21 million salary if the Lions do become contenders.
16. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Age: 35
Key 2022 stats: 10 TD, 8 INT, 6.4 AY/A, 1 rushing TD (9 starts)
One thing to know: While Goff and the Lions are looking up, the Rams took a big step back in Year 2 after trading Goff and two first-round picks for Stafford. The Rams did win a Super Bowl with Stafford in 2021, but he is now 35 and looked more like a liability in 2022 as the team fell to 5-12 (3-6 with Stafford as the starter).
17. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
Age: 32
Key 2022 stats: 30 TD, 11 INT, 7.7 AY/A, 1 rushing TD (17 starts)
One thing to know: The 2022 season was Smith's first as a full-time starter since 2014 with the New York Jets and he led the NFL with a 69.8% passing completion.
18. Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints
Age: 32
Key 2022 stats: 24 TD, 14 INT, 6.7 AY/A, 0 rushing TD (15 starts with Las Vegas)
One thing to know: After nine seasons with the Raiders, Carr signed a 4-year, $150 million contract with the Saints this offseason.
19. Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos
Age: 34
Key 2022 stats: 16 TD, 11 INT, 6.9 AY/A, 3 rushing TD (15 starts)
One thing to know: Wilson's career appears to be on thin ice. After 10 mostly successful seasons with the Seahawks — including one Super Bowl win — he was traded to the Broncos before the 2022 season. His first year in Denver was a disaster, with the Broncos going 4-11 in his starts. This year, he has a new coach in Sean Payton with a winning resumé of his own. If they cannot succeed together, Wilson might not get another shot as a starter.
20. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Age: 23
Key 2022 stats: 13 TD, 4 INT, 8.6 AY/A, 1 rushing TD (5 starts)
One thing to know: Purdy, a seventh-round rookie a year ago, went 5-0 as a starter. He showed enough on the field to allow the 49ers to trade Lance to the Cowboys just two years after using the third pick in the draft on him.
21. Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans
Age: 35
Key 2022 stats: 13 TD, 6 INT, 7.8 AY/A, 2 rushing TD (12 starts)
One thing to know: Tannehill could be in his final season with the Titans. After reviving his career and going 30-13 as a starter in his first three years in Tennessee, the team fell to 7-10 a year ago. At 35, Tannehill will need a big season to land another big contract.
22. Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh Steelers
Age: 25
Key 2022 stats: 7 TD, 9 INT, 5.5 AY/A, 3 rushing TD (12 starts)
One thing to know: Pickett might be the best candidate on this list to make a huge jump up by the end of the year. After a so-so rookie season, he showed a lot of improvement in the preseason and is a trendy pick to be a breakout star for the Steelers.
23. Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts
Age: 21
Key 2022 stats: 17 TD, 9 INT, 7.6 AY/A, 9 rushing TD (in college at Florida)
One thing to know: Richardson might be the biggest mystery on this list. As a passer in college, he was mediocre at best. However, it was difficult to tell how much of that was because he played on a mediocre Florida team. Still, even in his first season, he might be the most athletic quarterback in a league that values athleticism at the position more and more every year. If he can run well enough to give his arm time to develop — much like Josh Allen — he will justify the Colts' decision to draft him fourth overall this year.
24. Mac Jones, New England Patriots
Age: 25
Key 2022 stats: 14 TD, 11 INT, 6.3 AY/A, 1 rushing TD (14 starts)
One thing to know: Jones had a solid rookie season in 2021 but took a step back in 2022. This season, he will see the return of Bill O'Brien as offensive coordinator, the coach who spent several years in the same position working with Tom Brady. Jones will need to show more of 2021 and less of 2022, or the team may go back to the drawing board.
25. Jimmy Garoppolo, Las Vegas Raiders
Age: 31
Key 2022 stats: 16 TD, 4 INT, 8.4 AY/A, 2 rushing TD (10 starts with San Francisco)
One thing to know: Speaking of Brady and the Patriots, his one-time heir apparent appears to be headed to the life of a journeyman QB. After leaving the Patriots, Garoppolo spent six ho-hum seasons with the 49ers. They let him go, and he signed, what is essentially, a two-year contract with the Raiders. That's not a ton of security in the NFL.
26. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Age: 22
Key 2022 stats: 32 TD, 5 INT, 9.9 AY/A, 4 rushing TD (in college at Alabama)
One thing to know: All eyes will be on Young, the first pick in this year's draft out of Alabama. The 2021 Heisman winner threw 79 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions in his final two college seasons.
27. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
Age: 24
Key 2022 stats: 1 TD, 0 INT, 10.2 AY/A, 0 rushing TD (0 starts)
One thing to know: After being drafted in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft to eventually replace future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers, Love's time has finally arrived. With three years of experience watching and learning from Rodgers and adjusting to the speed of the pro game, there will be a lot expected of Love this year. Still, it is easy to forget that despite this being his fourth year, he is still only 24 years old.
28. CJ Stroud, Houston Texans
Age: 21
Key 2022 stats: 41 TD, 6 INT, 10.9 AY/A, 0 rushing TD (in college at Ohio State)
One thing to know: Stroud is the fourth different player to start the season as the Texans' starting quarterback in the last four years. The team was adamant there was a competition for the job during the preseason, but the second pick in this year's draft showed enough for them to see if they have finally found a replacement for Deshaun Watson.
29. Sam Howell, Washington Commanders
Age: 22
Key 2022 stats: 1 TD, 1 INT, 7.6 AY/A, 1 rushing TD (1 start)
One thing to know: Howell is another big mystery in this year's crop. He was a fifth-round pick in 2022 and has thrown just 19 passes in his career. With veteran Jacoby Brissett on the bench, it is hard to imagine that Howell has a lot of job security.
30. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Age: 28
Key 2022 stats: 10 TD, 8 INT, 6.0 AY/A, 1 rushing TD (10 starts with Carolina Panthers and LA Rams)
One thing to know: Mayfield is on his fourth team in three years and is now tasked with replacing the retired Tom Brady. While he has shown flashes of brilliance in his career, he has been inconsistent at best. Unless Mayfield can show that he is good enough to get the Bucs to the playoffs, the team will be forced to see what they have in young backup Kyle Trask at some point this year. Otherwise, the only thing worth seeing from the Bucs this year will be the return of their orange uniforms.
31. Desmond Ridder, Atlanta Falcons
Age: 24
Key 2022 stats: 2 TD, 0 INT, 6.5 AY/A, 0 rushing TD (4 starts)
One thing to know: Ridder has just four starts in his career and was not highly touted coming out of college. So this feels like the Falcons are just hoping to get lucky with Ridder. If he doesn't work out, they will just move on to somebody else soon.
32. Arizona Cardinals
One thing to know: Kyler Murray will start the season on the injured list after tearing his ACL late last year. In the meantime, it is still not clear what the Cardinals will do in his absence on the eve of this season. Joshua Dobbs is expected to start in Week 1, but he has only been with the team for two weeks, and it sounds like the starter will be a week-by-week decision. Not great for a team that knew Murray wouldn't be ready to start the year.
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