The quarterback is the most important position in the NFL, and arguably in all of sports. It seems NFL franchises think similarly based on what they pay players in the position. But of all the current quarterbacks in the NFL, who are the best?
Only quarterbacks who played in the 2019 season were considered for the list. The player must also be playing the 2020 NFL season.
Related: Top Quarterbacks in 2020 NFL Draft
Best Quarterbacks in the NFL
5. Drew Brees
2019 Stats: 2,979 passing yards, 27 TD, 4 INT
It’s pretty crazy that Brees is still in the top 5 best quarterbacks in the NFL at the age of 41. Fresh off a new two-year, $50 million deal, Brees is poised to have another crack at a Superbowl with the Saints. He’s the all-time leader in passing yards with 77,416 after surpassing Peyton Manning in week 5 of this season. He missed five games in 2019, which is why his passing yards aren’t up to the usual Brees standard.
The reason Brees is still ranked this high is not only because of his remaining skill but because of his experience. He has the most NFL quarterback experience on this list by a mile and is beaten only by Tom Brady. Combine the skill, knowledge, and experience of Brees and you’ll see great results.
4. Lamar Jackson
2019 Stats: 3,127 passing yards, 36 TD, 6 INT, 1,206 rushing yards, 7 rush TD
Jackson won the NFL MVP unanimously last season which was fully warranted with the magic he showed. He finished 6th in rushing yards and he’s a quarterback! Paired with Mark Ingram, Jackson would wreak havoc on teams throughout the entire season. He’s a huge reason the Baltimore Ravens are a top contender to win the Superbowl in 2020.
The only reason he isn’t higher on this list is because that was only one, albeit record-breaking, season. The guys above the list have done it more than once, and some have done it way more than once. If Jackson has another year similar to 2019, expect a huge jump on this list.
3. Aaron Rodgers
2019 Stats: 4,002 passing yards, 26 TD, 4 INT
With the young newcomers like Jackson and Patrick Mahomes, Aarond Rodgers still proves he belongs. In terms of the eye-test, Rodgers might be the best quarterback to ever play this game. The ridiculous throws he makes, the scrambling ability, the poise in the pocket – to name a few.
If you wanted to make a quarterback in a lab, you’d probably create Rodgers. He gets the knock for only having one Superbowl title which was ten years ago but keep an eye on him. There are still a few more shots left for him.
2. Russell Wilson
2019 Stats: 4,110 passing yards, 31 TD, 5 INT4031,
Wilson started his career on a Seattle Seahawks team that had an elite defense in the Legion of Boom. He won a Superbowl early in his tenure in Seattle but since then the defense has been ripped apart. Now, Wilson has carried the team on his back for the past few years.
The Seahawks went from control-the-game offense with a lights-out defense to a team that is carried by their offense. That is all thanks to Russell Wilson. He has become of the most accurate passers in the league and really bloomed into the franchise quarterback no other team thought he could be.
The best of the quarterbacks in the NFL
1. Patrick Mahomes
2019 Stats: 4,031 passing yards, 26 TD, 5 INT
Welcome to the top of the list Patrick Mahomes. This shouldn’t be a surprise. Mahomes leads the young wave of quarterbacks in the NFL and is just getting started. Like Lamar Jackson did in 2019, Mahomes took the league by storm in 2018 by tossing 50 touchdown passes, the most ever by a first-year starter in the history of the league.
Related: Most Passing Touchdown in a Season
Looking at his stats last year might seem like he had a down year. He really didn’t. Mahomes was playing hurt for a few games and missed a couple as well. But a 26 to 5 TD-INT ratio is nothing to scoff at. Oh, he also won the Superbowl if you hadn’t heard. It’s looking like Mahomes will be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL for years to come, if not the best.
