In 2019, the NFL experienced a major shift at the quarterback position. A new generation of dynamic young passers has taken over the league and look like they will dominate the sport for years to come. Meanwhile, some of the game’s greatest passers of all time began the inevitable decline that comes with age.
Here are the top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL right now.
10. Tom Brady
Last year: No. 3
In our 2019 rankings, we wrote Brady is still putting up a fight against an as yet undefeated opponent in Father Time. Brady is still a capable QB, but it’s clear what direction that battle is taking. TB12’s game took a definitive dive this season and the loss of tight end Rob Gronkowski just made matters worse. By this time next year, Brady could fall behind guys just below the cut like Ben Roethlisberger, Cam Newton and Matthew Stafford – if they stay healthy. For the first time in his career, Brady will become a free agent next month.
9. Ryan Tannehill
Last year: Unranked
The Titans finished 2019 on a remarkable run after several years of mediocrity. So what was different about this time? A reliable quarterback. Tannehill started for the first time Week 7 and won six of the next seven games (Carolina handed him his only loss during that stretch). His quarterback rating of 113 led the NFL and his 70% completion rate was tied for second behind Drew Brees. Tannehill led the Titans to their first AFC Championship game since 2002 and looks like he will push out Marcus Mariota as their new franchise QB.
8. Deshaun Watson
Last year: Honorable mention
Watson’s third year in the NFL proved the potential we saw in his first two was not a fluke. He matched his 2018 total with 26 passing touchdowns and added seven more with his legs, which was a new career high. Watson still occasionally tries to extend plays too long and gets into trouble, but the benefits far outweigh the errors. The most impressive part of Watson’s game is his ability to make clutch plays, like the one that sealed Houston’s playoff victory. Take Watson away and Bill O’Brien’s team wouldn’t stand a chance of winning 10 games. He’s on the cusp of elite QB territory.
7. Dak Prescott
Last year: Unranked
One of the largest questions this offseason is whether or not Dak Prescott is going to get a long-term contract extension from the Cowboys. But at only 26 years old and having finished second in total passing yards in 2019 with 4,902, he has a strong case. Prescott also posted a career-best 30 touchdowns and averaged a healthy 8.2 yards per pass attempt. If team owner Jerry Jones isn’t willing to pay him like a proper top-10 quarterback like he deserves, somebody else will.
6. Matt Ryan
Last year: No. 5
Nobody flies under the radar like Ryan, who put in another solid season in 2019 despite having a raging dumpster fire for an offensive line. Ryan took 48 sacks and still managed 4,466 passing yards and 26 touchdowns. He may never match his 2016 Kyle Shanahan/MVP numbers again. However, Ryan remains one of the most reliable starters at the position. Since 2010, he’s never posted a passer rating lower than 89.0 and that was also the last time he threw for less than 4,000 yards. Maintaining that kind of consistency over a decade is extremely rare in this league.
5. Aaron Rodgers
Last year: No. 4
It’s absurd to think that a Rodgers down-year is still 26 touchdowns and just four interceptions, but that’s the reality we find ourselves in. His .7 percent interception rate led the league by far and his 13-3 record this season was enough to put Green Bay back in first place in the NFC North for the first time in two years. Rodgers may not have much left in the tank, though. All eyes will be on the 36-year old as he goes into his 15th season with second-year head coach Matt LaFleur.
4. Drew Brees
Last year: No. 2
Brees and the Saints suffered another stunning early playoff exit this past year. That doesn’t take anything away from Brees’ performance in the 11 regular season games he played, though. Once again, Brees led the NFL with a ludicrous 74.3% completion rate and he only threw four interceptions in 281 pass attempts. History says he won’t be able to do this much longer. For now, Brees is still one of the top passers in the sport. He says he will return in 2020, so the Panthers will have to deal with him at least one more year.
3. Lamar Jackson
Last year: Unranked
In 2019, Jackson proved all of his critics wrong. His 36 passing touchdowns led the league and his seven rushing touchdowns (plus 1,200 yards on the ground) were a major bonus. His 9% touchdown rate also paced the NFL. Jackson’s accuracy skyrocketed compared to his rookie season and in the end his 66% completion rate ranked among the top 10, putting him ahead of guys like Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers. Jackson has transformed the Ravens into a legitimate championship contender. The next step for the MVP? Success in the postseason.
2. Russell Wilson
Last year: No. 6
With the possible exception of Deshaun Watson, no other pro QB has to overcome more than Wilson. Pete Carroll’s conservative philosophy and Brian Schottenheimer’s old-school playcalling tendencies routinely put Wilson and the Seahawks into deep holes. That he somehow managed to lead Seattle to win 11 games in a brutal NFC West is a credit to a relentless competitor and one of the most gifted deep-ball passers we have ever seen. Wilson rarely makes mistakes (1% INT rate) and routinely makes transcendent plays despite having to deal with atrocious pass protection (48 sacks).
1. Patrick Mahomes
Last year: No. 1
Lamar Jackson and Russell Wilson may have been better during the regular season. Mahomes remains at the top of the mountain as far as pure skill, though. His sensational playoff run (which included erasing three double-digit deficits) is proof of that. Despite dropping back down to earth with just 26 passing touchdowns after throwing 50 in 2018, Mahomes still proved he was the top quarterback in the NFL. At only 24 years old, he might be the face of the league’s next dynasty.
