Best Quarterbacks in the NFC Today 2026-27 Prediction

Matthew Stafford stands alone in Tier 1 among the best NFC quarterbacks entering the 2026 NFL season. The reigning MVP remains the conference’s most complete answer after leading the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns, while Dak Prescott and Jordan Love form the next tier.

This is a tier ranking, not a strict 1-through-23 list. Quarterbacks in the same tier are considered part of the same general range, and their order within each tier follows the supplied graphic rather than creating a separate in-tier ranking.

The list projects value for the 2026 season while using completed 2025 performance as its foundation. Current ability matters most, but health, role, supporting cast, coaching, playoff value and realistic development are also part of the evaluation. For the leaguewide version, see our best quarterbacks in the NFL today. We also ranked the best quarterbacks since 2020 and built a separate tier list of the greatest quarterbacks ever.

Last reviewed: August 10, 2026.

How We Ranked the Best NFC Quarterbacks

This ranking asks one main question: How valuable should each quarterback be during the 2026 NFL season? It is not a career-achievement list, a fantasy football ranking or a projection based only on long-term upside.

Recent performance carries the most weight. A quarterback who played at an elite level in 2025 receives more credit than a bigger name living on an older résumé. Established talent and multi-season production still matter because one hot or cold stretch should not erase everything that came before it. The final layer accounts for health, expected role, coaching, offensive support and how much development is realistically available in 2026.

Playoff performance matters, but wins and championships are not treated as individual statistics. Sam Darnold deserves credit for helping Seattle win Super Bowl LX, just as Matthew Stafford deserves credit for driving the Rams to the NFC Championship Game. Neither result settles every individual comparison by itself. Rushing value also counts because Jalen Hurts, Jayden Daniels, Kyler Murray and Jaxson Dart can change an offense without throwing the ball.

Eligibility and Scope

This is a curated ranking of the 23 NFC quarterbacks featured in the graphic. It includes established starters, rookies drafted as future answers, notable backups and former starters involved in meaningful quarterback competitions. It is not intended to rank every quarterback currently on an NFC training-camp roster.

Players are evaluated with the team and role they held on August 10, 2026. When a starting job remained unsettled, the article states that uncertainty instead of treating a camp competition as a finished decision.

Tier 7: Rookies, Backups and Reclamation Cases

Tier 7 of the best NFC quarterbacks for 2026-27, featuring Ty Simpson, Tua Tagovailoa, Marcus Mariota, Carson Beck and Jameis Winston.

Tier 7 contains two rookie projects, two veteran backups and one former Pro Bowler trying to repair his value. Every player in this group has a path to meaningful snaps, but none enters 2026 with both a secure starting job and trustworthy recent production.

Ty Simpson, Los Angeles Rams

2026 role: First-round rookie developing behind Matthew Stafford.

The Rams selected Ty Simpson 13th overall as a long-term answer rather than an immediate replacement for the reigning MVP. Simpson started only one season at Alabama, completing 305 of 473 passes for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns and five interceptions. That combination of accuracy and ball security convinced Sean McVay and Les Snead to make him the second quarterback drafted in 2026.

The attraction is easy to understand. Simpson processes quickly, throws accurately from a balanced base and handled a modern spread offense with more poise than his limited experience suggested. The concern is how little evidence exists once the first answer disappears. Learning behind Stafford gives him an ideal runway, but his 2026 value is tied to development and emergency availability rather than expected starts.

Tua Tagovailoa, Atlanta Falcons

2026 role: Competing with Michael Penix Jr. for Atlanta’s starting job.

Tua Tagovailoa arrived in Atlanta on a one-year contract after a difficult final season in Miami. He threw for 2,660 yards, 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 2025, finishing near the bottom of the league in QBR before the Dolphins moved on. The Falcons offered a familiar type of reset: a talented receiving group, a strong run game and a chance to compete while Penix completes his recovery from ACL surgery.

Tua can still be highly efficient when the offense gives him defined timing and allows him to throw before pressure arrives. The limitation is how sharply the operation can decline when protection, spacing or health breaks down. He received most of Atlanta’s early full-team work because Penix was being eased back, but the job had not been formally awarded when this article was reviewed. Tier 7 reflects the uncertain role and poor 2025 finish rather than pretending his earlier Miami peak never happened.

Marcus Mariota, Washington Commanders

2026 role: Jayden Daniels’ primary backup.

Marcus Mariota became more important than Washington planned in 2025 because Daniels played only seven games. Mariota finished with 1,695 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions, supplying competent veteran play while the Commanders worked through a lost season.

His mobility still adds value. Mariota can escape edge pressure, execute zone-read concepts and prevent a defense from ignoring the quarterback in the run game. The passing ceiling is defined at this stage of his career, but Washington re-signed him because he can keep the offense recognizable if Daniels misses time. That makes him a useful QB2 without creating a realistic case for a higher tier.

Carson Beck, Arizona Cardinals

2026 role: Third quarterback behind Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew II.

Arizona selected Carson Beck with the 65th pick after a six-year college career split between Georgia and Miami. He completed 69.5 percent of his college passes for 11,725 yards and 88 touchdowns, went 37-6 as a starter and reached three national championship games. That is an unusually deep résumé for a third-round developmental quarterback.

Beck then completed 15 of 19 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown in the Hall of Fame Game, an encouraging first NFL appearance without changing the depth chart. His size, rhythm accuracy and experience give him a chance to become more than a QB3. He still needs to prove that he can respond to NFL pressure and create when the clean pocket disappears. Tier 7 is a starting point, not a dismissal of his future.

Jameis Winston, New York Giants

2026 role: Jaxson Dart’s veteran backup.

Jameis Winston made two starts while Dart dealt with a concussion in 2025. The Giants lost both games, but Winston threw for 567 yards and two touchdowns, including a 366-yard performance against Detroit that briefly gave the offense real vertical life.

The same tradeoff has followed Winston throughout his career. He will attack tight windows and give receivers chances that conservative backups will not, but the aggression also produces sacks, interceptions and sudden changes in game state. New York can live with that profile in a short emergency. It is much harder to trust across an entire season, which leaves Winston in Tier 7 despite having more starting experience than most of the group.

Tier 6: Unsettled Young Quarterbacks and Quality Backups

Tier 6 of the best NFC quarterbacks for 2026-27, featuring Mac Jones, Michael Penix Jr. and J.J. McCarthy.

Tier 6 includes the conference’s strongest proven backup and two young quarterbacks fighting to regain control of jobs that once appeared to belong to them. Jones raised his value in San Francisco, while Penix and McCarthy enter camp competitions shaped by injuries and uneven 2025 seasons.

Mac Jones, San Francisco 49ers

2026 role: Brock Purdy’s primary backup.

Mac Jones repaired his career under Kyle Shanahan in 2025. With Purdy limited to nine starts, Jones completed 69.6 percent of his passes for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions. His 97.4 passer rating was comfortably the best of his career since a promising rookie season in New England.

San Francisco’s structure helped, but the quarterback still had to execute it. Jones got the ball out on time, attacked the middle of the field and looked more decisive than he had during the end of his Patriots tenure. The 49ers intend to keep him as Purdy’s No. 2, which limits his immediate ceiling in this ranking. If another team needs a starter, however, his 2025 tape gives him a stronger case than most available backups.

Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons

2026 role: Competing with Tua Tagovailoa while returning from left ACL surgery.

Michael Penix Jr. started nine games in 2025, averaging 220.2 passing yards while throwing nine touchdowns and three interceptions. His season ended in November when a partially torn left ACL required surgery. It was another major knee injury for a quarterback who already overcame two ACL tears during college.

The arm remains the reason Atlanta has not closed the book. Penix can drive the ball outside the numbers and create explosive throws without leaving the pocket, but he completed only 60.1 percent of his passes and was still learning how to control an NFL offense before the injury. The Falcons added Tua to ensure they would not have to rush the recovery. Penix can reclaim the job, but health and incomplete production make Tier 6 the responsible projection.

J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings

2026 role: Competing with Kyler Murray for Minnesota’s starting job.

J.J. McCarthy finally made his regular-season debut in 2025 after losing his rookie year to knee surgery. The results were difficult: 1,632 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a 72.6 passer rating across 10 starts. Minnesota did see improvement late, as McCarthy posted a 100.4 rating with five touchdowns and two interceptions over his final four starts.

That finish preserved a real development case, but the Vikings did not hand him the 2026 job. They signed Murray after Arizona released him, creating one of the NFC’s most important camp competitions. McCarthy still offers movement, toughness and a willingness to attack downfield. He must become more accurate on routine throws and prove the late-season progress was sustainable rather than a favorable four-game stretch.

Tier 5: Veterans With New Opportunities

Tier 5 of the best NFC quarterbacks for 2026-27, featuring Kyler Murray and Jacoby Brissett.

Kyler Murray and Jacoby Brissett enter 2026 from opposite directions. Murray is trying to recover his status after Arizona released him. Brissett played well enough in Murray’s place to become the Cardinals’ new starter.

Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings

2026 role: Competing with J.J. McCarthy for Minnesota’s starting job.

Arizona ended Murray’s seven-season run after a foot injury limited him to five games in 2025. Minnesota quickly signed him to a one-year deal, giving Kevin O’Connell a veteran alternative after McCarthy’s uneven first season. The change of scenery pairs Murray with Justin Jefferson and an offense that should create clearer downfield opportunities than he saw during the end of his Cardinals tenure.

The athletic ceiling still exceeds Tier 5. Murray can stress the edge as a runner, reset after leaving the pocket and reach every part of the field. Availability and consistency are the reasons for restraint. He has not played a full season since 2020, and Arizona’s offense too often drifted into isolated off-script creation. Winning the job and staying healthy would give him one of the clearest paths to a multi-tier jump.

Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals

2026 role: Arizona’s starting quarterback.

Jacoby Brissett took over in Week 6 of 2025 and produced the best extended run of his career. From Weeks 6 through 18, he led the NFL with 315 completions, ranked second with 3,366 passing yards and finished third with 23 touchdown passes. Arizona struggled as a team, but the offense functioned better with his command and willingness to attack intermediate windows.

The Cardinals released Murray, hired Mike LaFleur and retained Brissett as the veteran at the front of a room that also includes Gardner Minshew and rookie Carson Beck. Tier 5 recognizes that the 2025 production was real without projecting a sudden late-career leap into the conference’s upper half. Brissett can organize an offense and punish soft coverage. He still offers less creation and long-term upside than the younger starters above him.

Tier 4: Young Starters on the Rise

Tier 4 of the best NFC quarterbacks for 2026-27, featuring Tyler Shough, Jaxson Dart and Bryce Young.

Tier 4 belongs to three young starters who gave their teams legitimate reasons for optimism in 2025. Shough and Dart impressed as rookies, while Young delivered the best season of his career. Each still needs to prove that progress can become stable high-level play.

Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints

2026 role: New Orleans’ franchise starter.

Tyler Shough took over the Saints in Week 9 and finished his rookie year with 2,384 yards, 10 touchdowns, six interceptions and a 91.3 passer rating. He completed 67.6 percent of his passes, led the NFL with a 103.3 third-down rating and helped New Orleans win four of its final five games.

The late-season rise was not built on empty volume. Shough handled pressure, used his legs for 186 yards and three touchdowns, and became more comfortable pushing the ball beyond his first read. He was also a 26-year-old rookie with only nine starts, so the developmental curve is different from a typical first-year quarterback. Tier 4 rewards the quality of the debut while asking him to sustain it over a full season.

Jaxson Dart, New York Giants

2026 role: New York’s franchise starter.

Jaxson Dart’s rookie season produced 2,272 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, five interceptions and a 91.7 passer rating. His greatest impact came on the ground, where he led all rookie quarterbacks with 487 yards and nine touchdowns. The nine rushing scores also established a Giants single-season record for a quarterback.

Dart plays with the aggression New York wanted when it traded back into the first round to draft him. He will challenge tight windows, fight through contact and turn a covered play into a first down with his legs. That style also exposes him to unnecessary hits and can push him toward difficult answers when an easy completion is available. Working with John Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy should help refine the game without removing the edge that makes him dangerous.

Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers

2026 role: Carolina’s established starter.

Bryce Young set career highs across the board in 2025, throwing for 3,011 yards and 23 touchdowns while completing 63.6 percent of his passes. Carolina picked up his fifth-year option after he added six more fourth-quarter or overtime game-winning drives, bringing his league-leading total to 12 since entering the NFL in 2023.

The late-game poise is the strongest part of his case. Young sees leverage quickly, remains calm when the original play changes and has become more willing to attack when a defense gives him space. The full-game efficiency still lags behind the conference’s better starters, and his size leaves less margin when protection collapses. Tier 4 reflects meaningful improvement without treating a career-best season as a finished climb.

Tier 3: Strong Starters and Franchise Cornerstones

Tier 3 of the best NFC quarterbacks for 2026-27, featuring Caleb Williams, Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, Jared Goff, Jalen Hurts, Brock Purdy and Jayden Daniels.

Tier 3 is the deepest and most difficult group on the board. It includes a Super Bowl champion, a Super Bowl MVP, two of the conference’s most efficient veteran passers and three young quarterbacks with legitimate Tier 1 or Tier 2 ability. Their placement reflects a meaningful flaw, an injury concern or a need for more sustained evidence.

Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears

2026 role: Chicago’s franchise starter.

Caleb Williams made the second-year jump Chicago needed under Ben Johnson. He set a Bears single-season record with 3,942 passing yards, finished with 27 touchdowns against seven interceptions and added 388 rushing yards. His first playoff appearance included a franchise postseason record 361 passing yards in a comeback win over Green Bay.

The season showed both the ceiling and the remaining work. Williams can create throwing angles few quarterbacks attempt, escape pressure without surrendering his eyes and attack vertically from either side of the pocket. He also completed only 58.1 percent of his passes, with some of the same hunting-for-a-bigger-play habits that complicated his rookie year. Tier 3 is already a strong placement. Better down-to-down accuracy could push him into the top two tiers quickly.

Williams is also climbing Chicago’s historical lists, including the Bears’ career passing-yards leaderboard.

Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks

2026 role: Seattle’s starting quarterback and reigning Super Bowl champion.

Sam Darnold followed his Minnesota revival by throwing for 4,048 yards and 25 touchdowns in his first Seattle season. He then played his cleanest football in January, producing 672 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions across the NFC playoffs before helping the Seahawks defeat New England in Super Bowl LX.

The championship makes Tier 3 look conservative, but the ranking evaluates the full assignment. Darnold still threw 14 regular-season interceptions and benefited from an elite defense, a productive running game and Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s breakout. None of that makes him a passenger. He attacked pressure in the NFC Championship Game and delivered when the season tightened. He now has to show that the two-year revival can become a stable prime rather than another system-dependent peak.

Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2026 role: Tampa Bay’s franchise starter.

Baker Mayfield came down from his outstanding 2024 peak but remained productive, throwing for 3,693 yards and 26 touchdowns in 2025. He also set a career high with 382 rushing yards, repeatedly turning third downs into first downs when Tampa’s protection or route timing failed.

Mayfield’s game now has more patience than it did early in his career without losing the aggression that makes him effective. He will challenge leverage, absorb contact and keep attacking after a mistake. The concern is that his efficiency slipped as injuries and inconsistency affected the offense around him. Tier 3 treats him as a proven quality starter whose best season was better than his latest one.

Jared Goff, Detroit Lions

2026 role: Detroit’s franchise starter.

Jared Goff finished second in the NFL with 4,564 passing yards and 34 touchdowns in 2025. He completed 68.0 percent of his passes, threw only eight interceptions and posted a 105.5 passer rating. It was his third consecutive season with at least 4,500 yards and 30 touchdown passes, a run only three other quarterbacks in league history had produced.

Goff is more than a product of clean protection, but his environment still matters. He is exceptional at identifying the correct matchup, throwing with anticipation and keeping a rhythm offense on schedule. Pressure that forces him to reset late in the down can still change the picture. Detroit enters 2026 with Drew Petzing coordinating the offense, creating another transition for a quarterback who has already proved he can sustain production through coaching changes.

His long run of efficient passing also places him among the leaders in our ranking of the highest career passer ratings in NFL history.

Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

2026 role: Philadelphia’s franchise starter and Super Bowl LIX MVP.

Jalen Hurts threw a career-high 25 touchdown passes in 2025 while limiting himself to six interceptions. He added 421 rushing yards and eight scores, extending his streak to four consecutive seasons with at least 30 total touchdowns. The passing volume remained modest at 3,224 yards, but Philadelphia’s offense continued to build its short-yardage and red-zone identity around his strength.

Hurts is difficult to compare with a conventional pocket passer because so much of his value changes the math of the offense. Philadelphia can treat fourth-and-short differently, add a runner without changing personnel and punish man coverage when the middle clears. He remains in Tier 3 because the passing game can become uneven when the first picture changes. His championship performance and yearly scoring value make the lower boundary of this tier secure.

For more franchise context, see the best Eagles quarterbacks ever and Philadelphia’s career passing-yards leaders.

Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers

2026 role: San Francisco’s franchise starter.

Brock Purdy’s 2025 season was interrupted by injuries, limiting him to nine starts. When available, he still completed 69.4 percent of his passes for 2,167 yards and 20 touchdowns with a 100.5 passer rating. San Francisco went 7-2 in those starts, while Mac Jones’ strong relief work kept the season from collapsing.

Purdy’s processing and anticipation remain high-end. He throws receivers open between zones, understands where Shanahan’s designs are trying to move defenders and creates more outside structure than the “system quarterback” label admits. The 10 interceptions in nine starts and another interrupted season keep him below Tier 2. Healthier volume with cleaner ball security would strengthen his case immediately.

His fast start already earned him a place in the SOG Sports ranking of the best 49ers quarterbacks ever.

Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders

2026 role: Washington’s franchise starter.

Jayden Daniels’ second season never developed a rhythm. Knee, hamstring and elbow injuries limited him to seven games, four of which ended with Daniels leaving because of an injury. He finished with 1,262 passing yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions while adding 278 yards and two scores on the ground.

The disappointing year does not erase a rookie season that ended in the NFC Championship Game. Daniels still owns rare open-field speed, excellent deep touch and a calm decision profile when the offense is functioning. Durability is now part of the evaluation rather than a hypothetical concern. Washington also lost left tackle Laremy Tunsil to a training-camp triceps injury, increasing the protection burden entering 2026. Tier 3 preserves the star-level upside without ignoring how little Daniels was able to complete last season.

Tier 2: High-Level NFC Franchise Quarterbacks

Tier 2 of the best NFC quarterbacks for 2026-27, featuring Dak Prescott and Jordan Love.

Dak Prescott and Jordan Love own the best current cases behind Stafford. Prescott has the deeper body of work and is coming off one of his strongest statistical seasons. Love has become more efficient in each phase of his development and still offers room to climb.

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

2026 role: Dallas’ franchise starter.

Dak Prescott returned from his 2024 hamstring injury with 4,552 passing yards, 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He completed 67.3 percent of his passes, produced a 99.5 rating and passed Tony Romo as the Cowboys’ career leader in passing yards.

Prescott can run a high-volume offense without turning every possession into a high-risk exercise. He identifies pressure, distributes accurately to multiple levels and has enough movement left to extend when the pocket narrows. The unresolved issue remains postseason translation. His regular-season production repeatedly places him near the league’s best, but Dallas has not paired it with the deep playoff run that would erase the final hesitation. Tier 2 respects the quality of the quarterback without pretending that debate has disappeared.

His place in franchise history is detailed in the Cowboys’ passing-yards leaders, Dallas passing-touchdown rankings and our list of the best Cowboys quarterbacks ever.

Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers

2026 role: Green Bay’s franchise starter.

Jordan Love set career highs with a 66.3 percent completion rate and a 101.2 passer rating in 2025 while cutting his interceptions to six. His season ended in a playoff loss at Chicago, but Love threw for 323 yards and four touchdowns without an interception, producing his first postseason passer rating above 100 since his breakout win in Dallas two years earlier.

Love can access the entire field and remains comfortable creating after the play’s first structure breaks. The biggest improvement has been restraint. Fewer forced throws allowed the explosive plays to matter without handing away possessions. He stays below Tier 1 because his full seasons have not yet reached Stafford’s 2025 peak or Prescott’s sustained volume. Another efficient year with a deeper playoff run would make this boundary much harder to hold.

For the franchise comparison, see the best Packers quarterbacks ever and Green Bay’s career passing-yards leaderboard.

Tier 1: The Best NFC Quarterback Today

Tier 1 of the best NFC quarterbacks for 2026-27, featuring Matthew Stafford.

Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

2026 role: Los Angeles’ franchise starter and reigning AP NFL MVP.

Matthew Stafford produced the best regular season of his career at age 37. He led the NFL with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns, threw only eight interceptions and finished second with a 109.2 passer rating. The performance earned him his first AP MVP and first first-team All-Pro selection while driving the Rams to the NFC Championship Game.

Stafford remains the conference’s most complete high-difficulty thrower. He can manipulate a safety with his eyes, change his arm angle against interior pressure and place the ball into windows that never appear open for long. The Rams drafted Simpson because Stafford is approaching the end, not because the present starter has slipped. Los Angeles also extended his contract before the season, reinforcing that the 2026 offense still belongs to him.

Age creates more year-to-year risk than it does for the quarterbacks in Tier 2. It does not outweigh the most recent evidence. Stafford enters 2026 as the only NFC passer combining an MVP peak, championship experience, elite volume and current arm talent at the same level.

His 2025 performance ranks among the highest single-season passing totals in NFL history, while his broader career stands near the top of the all-time passing-yards leaderboard.

Biggest Debates and Tier Boundaries

Why Matthew Stafford stands alone in Tier 1

This placement does not require leaning on Stafford’s Super Bowl from four years earlier. He just led the league in yards and touchdowns, won MVP and took the Rams within one game of another Super Bowl. Prescott and Love have strong Tier 2 cases, but neither matched Stafford’s completed 2025 combination of volume, efficiency, difficult throws and postseason responsibility.

Why Super Bowl champion Sam Darnold remains in Tier 3

Darnold deserves substantial credit for Seattle’s championship. He threw five touchdowns without an interception during the NFC playoffs and made several of his best throws under pressure against the Rams. Tier 3 reflects the full evaluation rather than denying the run. His 14 regular-season interceptions, shorter history of stable play and excellent supporting environment leave more week-to-week uncertainty than the quarterbacks above him.

Why Dak Prescott and Jordan Love sit above the crowded third tier

Prescott has years of high-volume, high-efficiency production and returned from a major injury with 4,552 yards. Love paired his natural playmaking with the best completion rate, passer rating and interception total of his starting career. Goff and Hurts have reasonable arguments to join them, but Prescott and Love offer the preferred balance of individual passing value, recent form and 2026 projection on this board.

How to separate Kyler Murray and Jacoby Brissett

Murray owns the higher physical ceiling, while Brissett enters the season with the clearer role and better 2025 tape. That contrast is exactly why they share Tier 5. Murray can rise much higher if he wins Minnesota’s job and stays healthy. Brissett has a lower ceiling but already proved he can operate Arizona’s offense over an extended stretch.

Why rookies and backups appear on the same list

The supplied graphic is a curated ranking of 23 notable NFC quarterbacks rather than a simple list of 16 starters. That allows the article to compare current starters with rookies and reserves who have a realistic path to meaningful snaps. Role still affects placement. Jones may be more dependable than some lower-end starters, but a quarterback expected to spend the season behind Purdy cannot be valued exactly like an established QB1.

Full NFC Quarterback Tier List

The tier determines the ranking. Quarterbacks are not separately ordered within the same tier.

FAQ

Who is the best NFC quarterback entering the 2026 season?

Matthew Stafford stands alone in Tier 1. He led the NFL with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns in 2025, won AP MVP and guided the Rams to the NFC Championship Game.

Are quarterbacks ranked within each tier?

No. The tier is the ranking. The name order inside each tier follows the supplied graphic and does not create a separate first-through-seventh order.

Which NFC quarterbacks are in Tier 2?

Dak Prescott and Jordan Love make up Tier 2. Prescott is coming off a 4,552-yard season, while Love set career highs in completion percentage and passer rating with only six interceptions.

Why is Sam Darnold in Tier 3 after winning the Super Bowl?

Darnold deserves credit for Seattle’s championship and played excellent football during the NFC playoffs. Tier 3 also accounts for his 14 regular-season interceptions, shorter history of stable production and strong supporting environment. It is a high-level tier, not a dismissal of the Super Bowl run.

Which NFC quarterback could make the biggest jump?

Kyler Murray has the clearest multi-tier upside if he wins Minnesota’s starting job and stays healthy. Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels also possess Tier 1 physical ability, while Tyler Shough and Jaxson Dart can move quickly if their encouraging rookie seasons carry into Year 2.

Conclusion

The NFC quarterback race begins with a clear answer. Matthew Stafford is the reigning MVP, the conference’s best difficult-throw passer and the only quarterback on this board with a current elite peak backed by a championship résumé. Dak Prescott and Jordan Love sit one tier below as the strongest challengers.

The depth of Tier 3 makes the conference difficult to predict. Sam Darnold just won a Super Bowl, Jared Goff has produced three straight 4,500-yard seasons, Jalen Hurts owns a Super Bowl MVP and Caleb Williams may have the highest long-term ceiling in the group. Brock Purdy, Baker Mayfield and Jayden Daniels add three more entirely different cases.

The lower tiers may change even faster. Minnesota and Atlanta have unsettled quarterback competitions, Arizona is rebuilding around Brissett while developing Beck, and the Rams drafted Simpson without asking Stafford to leave the stage. Projection can open the door, but completed 2026 quarterback play will determine who moves through it.

More NFL Rankings

Continue with these SOG Sports quarterback rankings and statistical leaderboards:

• Best Quarterbacks in the NFL Today
• Best Quarterbacks in the NFL Since 2020
• Best Quarterbacks of All-Time
• Best Quarterback in the NFL Every Season
• Highest Career Passer Rating in NFL History
• Most Passing Yards in NFL History
• Most Passing Touchdowns in NFL History

You can also follow SOG Football on Instagram for more NFL rankings, tier lists and football history.