There is no position in the sport of football more important than quarterback. Any team that has a star quarterback will automatically have a competitive advantage in most contests. On the contrary, teams that leave plenty to be desired at the quarterback position try to win every game with one hand tied behind their back.
Of the 36 quarterbacks that have won a Super Bowl, 21 of them are either in the Pro Football Hall of Fame or are guaranteed to get inducted when eligible. The quarterback is the only player who touches the ball on every offensive play, and in many cases has the most impact on whether their team wins or loses.
On the Chiefs' schedule for this upcoming season is an interesting mix of signal callers. While Kansas City has a four-game stretch of facing proven elite players at the position, they also have bouts of facing either inexperienced or uninspiring starters.
In total, the opposing quarterbacks on the Chiefs' schedule have combined for two Most Valuable Player awards, two Super Bowl rings, five Conference Championships and 18 Pro Bowls. Assuming that Patrick Mahomes will return to form, the Chiefs will have the upper hand in most, if not all, matchups at the game's paramount position. However, it is still worthwhile to take a deep dive on the 14 players that will be under center against the Chiefs in 2026.
14. Jacoby Brissett (Cardinals)
Brissett is the quintessential backup quarterback in the sense that he's capable of strong performances, but lacks the game to game consistency of a high-level starter. Last season, Brissett started the final 12 games for Arizona and put up a fairly impressive stat line of 3,366 passing yards, 23 touchdowns to just eight interceptions, and a passer rating of 94.1.
However, Brissett's numbers do lack some context, as there were many instances where he racked up passing yards late in games in which the Cardinals were down by multiple scores. For context, Brissett averaged 281 yards per game in losses by more than seven points and ultimately went 1-11 as a starter last season.
13. Fernando Mendoza/Kirk Cousins (Raiders)
It is uncertain who the Raiders' starter will be, so both Mendoza and Cousins were included here. As a rookie who is yet to take an NFL snap, Mendoza ranks towards the bottom by default, but gives Raider Nation the most optimism they've had in many years.
The first overall pick of last month's draft, Mendoza was absurdly efficient in his lone season at Indiana, passing for 41 touchdowns to just six interceptions on 9.3 yards per attempt en route to a Heismann Trophy and National Championship win.
Cousins, on the other hand, is a 15-year veteran on his third team in four years. Cousins, who will be 38 years old when the season begins, will serve as a mentor and possible place holding starter for Mendoza. It's possible the Chiefs face both of these guys, as they play the Raiders early and late in the season.
12. Malik Willis (Dolphins)
Willis may be the most intruiging quarterback in the league in the sense that he largely remains an unknown. While in Green Bay, Willis served as the backup to Jordan Love and started three games when Love was out to injury. Additionally, the 2022 third-rounder came in for relief duty on four other occasions in which Love had to leave the game.
When playing for the Packers, Willis was exceptional in a small sample size, throwing six touchdowns and no interceptions, while boasting a passer rating of 124.8 and 145.5 over the last two seasons respectively. Unfortunately for Willis, he now spearheads arguably the least talented offensive roster in the NFL and will no longer have Matt LaFleur in his ear as a play caller. He has the talent, but Miami's lack of infrastructure could be too much to overcome.
11. Michael Penix Jr./Tua Tagovailoa (Falcons)
Similar to the Raiders, the Falcons' Week 1 starter is yet to be determined. Penix Jr. is entering his third season, after being selected eighth overall in 2024 out of Washington. While he has shown potential, Penix has been inconsistent in his short career, as evidenced by his 4-8 record and 59.6% completion rate over his first two years.
In 2025, Penix was middling, as he threw nine touchdowns in as many starts and had the fourth lowest completion percentage among qualified quarterbacks. Unfortunately, he suffered a partially torn ACL in Week 11, prematurely ending his sophomore campaign.
In March, Atlanta signed Tagovailoa to compete with Penix for the starting role, after an up-and-down six-year run with the Dolphins. Tagovailoa has been prolific at times in his career, leading the NFL in passer rating in 2022 and won the passing yards title in 2023.
However, after signing a four-year contract extension worth up to $53 million per year, Tagovailoa's final two seasons in Miami were marred by injuries and poor play. The bottom fell out last season with the lefty accumulating more interceptions (15) than starts (14), before ultimately being benched with three games remaining.
10. Geno Smith (Jets)
The 2025 NFL season could not have possibly gone worse for Geno Smith. Following a trade from Seattle to Las Vegas, Smith went on to be on of the league's worst starters last season, as he led the NFL with 17 interceptions, while ranking 30th in passer rating and 31st in QBR (among 33 qualified quarterbacks).
Smith and the Raiders amassed a 3-14 record and netted the first pick in the draft. To pour salt on the wound, his former team took home the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl LX. Smith now returns to where his career began, as he spent his first four NFL seasons with the Jets.
The 14-year veteran struggled mightily in 2025, but isn't far removed from three consecutive productive seasons with the Seahawks. Smith will also enjoy an improved supporting cast in New York, as the Jets have a bonafide star receiver in Garrett Wilson, a legitimate running back in Breece Hall and a much improved offensive line.
9. Daniel Jones (Colts)
It is unknown whether if it will be Jones or one of Anthony Richardson/Riley Leonard under center against the Chiefs in Week 2, as the Duke product is recovering for a torn Achilles tendon he sustained late in the year.
Jones' 2025 season could be told in two parts. Through the first eight games, the Colts were 7-1 with Jones being among the league's most efficient passers, totaling out with 2,062 passing yards, 13 touchdowns to 3 interceptions on 8.5 yards per attempt.
However, over his final four starts, Jones reverted to the frustrating play that defined his Giants tenure, posting a TD-INT ratio of 6-4 while fumbling seven times (three lost) and the Colts went 1-3. With Jones coming off a serious injury, combined with his declining performance down the stretch, there are more questions than answers surrounding the Colts quarterback.
8. Bo Nix (Broncos)
Nix helped guide the Broncos to a 14-win season and the AFC's top seed in his second season at the helm. Unfortunately, the Broncos best season in a decade came to crashing halt when Nix fractured his ankle on the final play of their divisional round victory.
There are pros and cons of Nix as a quarterback. On the positive side, he has gone 24-10 as a starter thus far and helped lead the Broncos to their first postseason victory since Super Bowl 50. Nix has particularly excelled in executing crucial drives in the fourth quarter, leading all quarterbacks with seven game-winning drives in 2025.
The downside to Nix is inconsistent performances and middling passing efficiency. While the 2024 first-rounder had some excellent showings last season, he also had seven games in which he failed to pass for 200 yards. For the season, Nix led the NFL with 612 passing attempts, yet did not eclipse 4,000 yards in 17 games.
7. Brock Purdy (49ers)
Put some respect on Brock Purdy's name! Over the past three seasons, he has proven to be one of the league's more consistent quarterbacks. His peak season came in 2023, when he helped take the 49ers to Super Bowl LVIII, throwing for 4,280 yards and 31 touchdowns, while lapping the field in QBR, passer rating, yards per attempt and success rate.
A misconception about Purdy early in his career was that he was merely a product of his surrounding cast, though that was debunked last season. Despite a myriad of injuries to the 49ers roster and working with a makeshift receiving core, the former Mr. Irrelevant still managed to lead the NFL in success rate and finished second in QBR.
Purdy also contributed to San Francisco's impressive road playoff victory over the Eagles in the Wild Card round. If not for some of the game's elite towards the top of this list, the 49ers quarterback would rank even higher.
6. Sam Darnold (Seahawks)
Over the past two seasons, Darnold has executed one of the most remarkable career turnarounds in NFL history, which culminated in him hoisting the Lombardi trophy in February. After being drafted to a dysfunctional and poorly managed Jets team, Darnold spent two seasons on unremarkable Panthers squads and one season as a backup in San Francisco.
Since returning to a starting role with Minnesota in 2024, the GEQBUS (look it up) has been one of the league's best signal callers, leading two different franchises to 14-win seasons. In addition to his immense team success, Darnold has also been elite statisically.
Over the past two seasons, the nine-year vet ranks third in passing yards, third in yards per attempt, is tied for fifth in passing touchdowns and seventh in passer rating. The best individual moment of Darnold's career thus far was his performance against the Los Angles Rams in the NFC Championship, in which he completed nearly 70% of his passes for 346 yards and three touchdowns.
The most recent Super Bowl champ will be just 29 by the start of the season, so he should have plenty of more seasons to sustain this level of play.
5. Justin Herbert (Chargers)
The discussion of where Justin Herbert ranks among the NFL's quarterback hierarchy is always fascinating. Both his supporters and detractors have valid reasons to place him higher or lower than the consensus.
Since entering the NFL in 2020, Herbert's physical ability has always been among the game's elite, as he consistently executes throws few quarterbacks even attempt. It is also difficult to ignore how he carried a lackluster offensive supporting cast to competence in 2025. With season-ending injuries to both Rashawn Slater (preseason) and Joe Alt (midseason), the Chargers offensive line was laughably bad throughout the year, posting the worst pass block win rate in the league.
Unfortunately for Herbert, his postseason performances have placed the ball on a tee for the doubters. While the two-time Pro Bowler's 0-3 playoff record is bad on its face, his individual performances have been even worse. Herbert's postseason résumé consists of a blown 27-0 lead against Jacksonville in 2022, a four-interception outing against Houston in 2024 and most recently, a putrid performance against New England that netted just three points. Herbert's ability is incredible, but he needs to start performing in big games.
4. Drake Maye (Patriots)
The sky is the limit for the 23-year old Maye, who is coming off a campaign in which he was named Second-Team All-Pro and became the second youngest quarterback to start a Super Bowl. After showing great promise as a rookie, the North Carolina native took the league by storm in 2025, leading the league in completion percentage, yards per attempt, QBR and passer rating.
Maye achieved this despite a below average offensive line that allowed 47 sacks, as well as a ho-hum receiving core. Outside of Stefon Diggs, no other Patriots wide reciever reached 600 yards. The third-year quarterback has very few weaknesses in his game, as his accuracy, arm talent and mobility are all top notch.
While his performance last postseason (particularly in the AFC Championship and Super Bowl) left plenty to be desired, expect Maye to be near the top of lists like these for the foreseeable future.
3. Joe Burrow (Bengals)
When Burrow has been healthy, there have been very few who have played the position better since he took over as the Bengals starter. Unfortunately for Burrow, those instances have been to few and far between, as two of his last three seasons have been marred by injuries.
While Burrow did return late last season, Cincinnati was 3-8 and out of postseason contention. When he was on the field in 2025, Burrow played well, going 5-3 across his eight starts while tossing 17 touchdowns to just five interceptions and recording a passer rating of 100.7.
Of course, the Bengals star quarterback is just one season removed from posting a stat line of 4,918 yards, 43 touchdowns to eight interceptions, leading the NFL in the first two categories. With Burrow in the mix, the Bengals consistently light up the scoreboard and have a chance to win any game they're in.
There is mounted on pressure on Burrow and the Bengals to return to the postseason for the first time since 2022, as the offseason acquisitions of Dexter Lawrence, Boye Mafe and former Chief Bryan Cook should improve their porous defense.
2. Matthew Stafford (Rams)
The reigning MVP and future Hall of Famer checks in as the second best quarterback the Chiefs will face in 2026. Stafford was sublime in his 17th season, throwing for a league-leading 4,707 yards and a career-high 46 touchdowns to just eight interceptions.
After being saddled with poorly constructed rosters in Detroit for 12 seasons, Stafford's talent has been on display with the Rams, leading them to a Super Bowl title during his first season in Tinseltown. While Stafford and the Rams haven't returned to the big game since, the 38-year old's place among the league's elite has been solidified over the past five years.
The Rams are the current betting favorities to win Super Bowl LXI, which will take place at their home stadium. If Stafford can secure a second Lombardi Trophy, in addition to his recent MVP honors, he will go down as one of the greatest quarterbacks in league history.
1. Josh Allen (Bills)
Josh Allen is a unicorn. His combination of size, arm strength, athleticism and playmaking are traits that have rarely been seen at the quarterback position. Despite an unremarkable receiving core, the Bills offense ranked fourth in both points and yards per game, as well as fourth in DVOA.
Since his breakout season in 2020, he has combined for 254 touchdowns (passing and rushing), which is the most of any quarterback in that span by a wide margin. When it is all said and done, Allen could go down as the best dual-threat in league history, as he's the only quarterback to record five consecutive seasons with 40 total touchdowns.
The only feat remaining for Allen to accomplish is reaching and winning the Super Bowl. The Bills have been on the cusp of championship glory over the past six seasons, but have been unable to get past the Chiefs. With Kansas City absent from last year's postseason, Allen and company let a golden opportunity slip through their fingers by falling to the Broncos in the divisional round. If Allen can reach the Super Bowl mountaintop, he will obtain legendary status.
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