Let’s rank the starting QBs in 2025

[DCofNC]

On 6/16/2025 at 2:45 PM, HappyDays said:

Chris Simms just did his top 40 QB countdown. This was his top 10:

 

Here's where I'm at, entirely based on their play right now not on their career. I put a line in between what I consider to be a significant drop off from one tier to the next.

 

1) Allen

2) Jackson

3) Mahomes

4) Burrow

-----

5) Stafford

6) Daniels

7) Stroud

8 ) Herbert

9) Goff

10) Mayfield

-----

11) Hurts

12) Murray

13) Prescott

14) Geno

15) Love

16) Nix

17) Tua

18) Purdy

19) Lawrence

20) Rodgers

-----

21) Maye

22) Darnold

23) Daniel Jones

24) Young

25) Penix

26) Wilson

27) Caleb Williams

28) Fields

-----

29) Ward

30) McCarthy

31) Browns QBs

32) Saints QBs

 

Close enough for me.  I might have a few of them flip flopped, but the tiers look right.

[boyst]

9 hours ago, Kirby Jackson said:

If I had to pick someone to play QB for the 2025 season, I’d pick Allen. Lamar would be next. Burrow would be 3rd and Mahomes 4th. Yes, that’s what I would pick. Mahomes hasn’t been the reason for their success over the last few years. He’s been good in the clutch and they’ve had crazy luck (12-0 in 1 score games). I think those other guys impact games more now than Pat does. You’re free to put out your list 1-32…

I'd take burrow behind our OL over Jackson. If I was in Cincinnati I'd take Jackson over Burrow, but Allen over both. In Baltimore I'd take Jackson over all 3. 

 

Jackson would be the top candidate id want to QB only a handful of teams: Baltimore, Tennessee, Chicago

 

Burrow would be: Detroit, Atlanta.

 

Allen: Phili, San Diego or whereeber the chargers play, Denver.

 

Just to name a few 

[SoTier]

18 hours ago, Mister Defense said:

I thought it was really funny how several had Lamar Jackson ahead of Patrick Mahomes!

 

And I wondered: if they had to pick a quarterback to lead their own NFL team, would they actually make that awful move and pick what is clearly a much lesser QB over Mahomes?

 

Makes zero sense--choosing a QB who seems to be THE reason his team does not make it to the Super Bowl over a QB who seems to be a seminal reason his team has--and why they have won three of them.

 

I think some did that because they resent Mahomes for his success against the Bills in the playoffs, but I cannot imagine many sentient adults thinking Lamar Jackson is a better quarterback than Mahomes.

 

 

 

I think you are being unfair to Jackson, especially the last two years under Baltimore OC Monkon (sorry for the misspelling).    The NFL playoff format adds a lot of factors into playoff success than simply QB play.  Baltimore lost to the Bills in the Divisional round this past season because a great TE who is the epitome of reliability dropped a perfect pass in the EZ on a two point conversion.   Manure happens.

 

IMO, Allen, Jackson,and Mahomes (in alpha order) could be put ranked 1-2-3 in any order based on posters' preferences.   All three are elite passers and runners (for QBs) with great leadership and a willingness to do anything and everything to win games.  All three have consistently demonstrated the ability to make lemonade out of whatever lemons they're handed.  I think that the difference between Mahomes and Allen and Jackson in the playoffs comes down to the talent around them, coaching, and simple luck (as in a coin toss) which count for more against good teams in single elimination playoffs than simply the differences among the three QBs.   

 

I rate Burrow a shade below the top three because he hasn't shown that he can raise the level of his teammates high enough to consistently win enough football games to make the playoffs.   Because he's not as mobile as Allen, Jackson, and Mahomes, he's less likely to escape pass rushers, and that's led to significant injuries, especially since the Bengals haven't had a great OL in front of him.   

[dpberr]

I'd rank Mahomes #1, Hurts #2.   

 

Say what you want about Hurts but he gets the job done in the big moments.  He's got two SB appearances in his five seasons of play with two different coaching staffs, and he played lights out in both of those games.

 

I think Hurts being able to perform at a high level under two different head coaches and *multiple* offensive coordinators has him in the conversation for being the best quarterback in the NFL.

Edited yesterday at 04:50 PM by dpberr

[nedboy7]

I unfortunately feel JA has been ranked too high on here.  While he is my favorite QB by a mile here is what AI had to say..

 

Josh Allen is known for his dynamic play, but he has faced scrutiny regarding his performance in critical moments, particularly in high-pressure situations and close games

. 

Points often raised include:

Turnovers: Allen has a higher turnover rate compared to some other top quarterbacks, especially in crucial moments. His turnovers have led to significant points for opponents.

Playoff losses: The Buffalo Bills have suffered a number of heartbreaking playoff losses, with some instances highlighting Allen's mistakes in crucial moments. For example, a failed quarterback sneak in a recent AFC Championship game against the Chiefs.

Close game struggles: The Bills have a less impressive record in one-score games where Allen has a higher turnover rate. 

 

However, it's important to consider counterpoints:

Clutch performance metrics: Some metrics, like Pro Football Focus grades, show Allen as a top-performing quarterback in the fourth quarter and when trailing.

Game-winning drives: Allen has led numerous game-winning drives throughout his career, demonstrating his ability to perform under pressure.

Playoff performance (in some instances): Despite some high-profile losses, Allen has also delivered impressive performances in the playoffs, showcasing his ability to lead his team in intense situations.

Context of turnovers: While turnovers are costly, some of Allen's turnovers occur on late-game, high-risk plays necessary to win. He also plays "hero ball," extending plays with his legs. 

 

In conclusion, while Josh Allen has had some notable struggles and turnovers in critical moments, particularly in close games, his overall performance, including clutch metrics and game-winning drives, paints a more nuanced picture of his ability to perform under pressure. 

[appoo]

I don't know about the rest but pretty clear to me Lackson, Allen and Burrow are the 3 best QBs in the game right now. 

[GunnerBill]

4 hours ago, dpberr said:

I'd rank Mahomes #1, Hurts #2.   

 

Say what you want about Hurts but he gets the job done in the big moments.  He's got two SB appearances in his five seasons of play with two different coaching staffs, and he played lights out in both of those games.

 

I think Hurts being able to perform at a high level under two different head coaches and *multiple* offensive coordinators has him in the conversation for being the best quarterback in the NFL.

 

It's the same Head Coach. But two different OCs, both of whom parlayed it into HC jobs. I do think Hurts is underrated. #2 is rich for my blood but he is darn good. People talk about the stacked Eagles team in 2024 and that's true. But their 2023 defense was bottom 4 in the NFL and they won 11 games. You don't do that without a really good QB.

[dpberr]

15 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

It's the same Head Coach. But two different OCs, both of whom parlayed it into HC jobs. I do think Hurts is underrated. #2 is rich for my blood but he is darn good. People talk about the stacked Eagles team in 2024 and that's true. But their 2023 defense was bottom 4 in the NFL and they won 11 games. You don't do that without a really good QB.

It's not important but he played for Doug Pederson too.  He benched Hurts in the last game of the 2020 season that was likely the final straw that got Pederson fired.  

[GunnerBill]

39 minutes ago, dpberr said:

It's not important but he played for Doug Pederson too.  He benched Hurts in the last game of the 2020 season that was likely the final straw that got Pederson fired.  

 

Sorry I thought you were saying the two Superbowls were two different Head Coaches. My bad if I misinterpreted. 

[FireChans]

17 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

It's the same Head Coach. But two different OCs, both of whom parlayed it into HC jobs. I do think Hurts is underrated. #2 is rich for my blood but he is darn good. People talk about the stacked Eagles team in 2024 and that's true. But their 2023 defense was bottom 4 in the NFL and they won 11 games. You don't do that without a really good QB.

Hurts has two things working against him.

 

He may be the worst skill position player relatively on his whole offense.

 

He may be the QB asked to do the least, at least among the best.

 

Hurts has the backwards career arc. Usually, it goes young QB learning, stacking numbers/accolades, then finally a ring. 
 

I would argue that an MVP or 2 AP seasons would do more for his career stock than another Super Bowl ring, as crazy as that sounds.

[GunnerBill]

8 minutes ago, FireChans said:

Hurts has two things working against him.

 

He may be the worst skill position player relatively on his whole offense.

 

He may be the QB asked to do the least, at least among the best.

 

Hurts has the backwards career arc. Usually, it goes young QB learning, stacking numbers/accolades, then finally a ring. 
 

I would argue that an MVP or 2 AP seasons would do more for his career stock than another Super Bowl ring, as crazy as that sounds.

 

Meh. I'd take Brown and Saquan. But then Hurts before anyone other skill guy on that offense. 

[FireChans]

Just now, GunnerBill said:

 

Meh. I'd take Brown and Saquan. But then Hurts before anyone other skill guy on that offense. 

Oh no, I mean if Hurts is like the 5-10th best QB in football, there’s an argument that Brown, Devonta, Barkley and Goedert are ALL at least in that 5-10 range.

 

He has the best offensive supporting cast in football.

[GunnerBill]

33 minutes ago, FireChans said:

Oh no, I mean if Hurts is like the 5-10th best QB in football, there’s an argument that Brown, Devonta, Barkley and Goedert are ALL at least in that 5-10 range.

 

He has the best offensive supporting cast in football.

 

I don't think Devonta or Goedert are as good at their jobs as Hurts is at his. They are both good. Hurts is really good. AJB and Saquan are elite.

[ganesh]

On 6/17/2025 at 9:33 PM, HappyDays said:

 

Funny enough I don't think there's any way Hurts is the 5th best QB in the NFL right now. But you're weighing different factors more heavily than I am. I can't find reason to poke holes in anyone's list because there are a lot of different ways to approach the question. The top 4 is the top 4 in whatever order you want, and then from there it gets tricky. The way I look at is pretend each QB was on the Eagles last year. What would their record be? The top 4 might have had that team undefeated. From there I am ranking based on how I see their consistency and skill set.

100% agree. In someone's list even Tua could be a top 10 QB

[Mister Defense]

On 6/18/2025 at 10:05 AM, SoTier said:

 

I think you are being unfair to Jackson, especially the last two years under Baltimore OC Monkon (sorry for the misspelling).    The NFL playoff format adds a lot of factors into playoff success than simply QB play.  Baltimore lost to the Bills in the Divisional round this past season because a great TE who is the epitome of reliability dropped a perfect pass in the EZ on a two point conversion.   Manure happens.

 

IMO, Allen, Jackson,and Mahomes (in alpha order) could be put ranked 1-2-3 in any order based on posters' preferences.   All three are elite passers and runners (for QBs) with great leadership and a willingness to do anything and everything to win games.  All three have consistently demonstrated the ability to make lemonade out of whatever lemons they're handed.  I think that the difference between Mahomes and Allen and Jackson in the playoffs comes down to the talent around them, coaching, and simple luck (as in a coin toss) which count for more against good teams in single elimination playoffs than simply the differences among the three QBs.   

 

I rate Burrow a shade below the top three because he hasn't shown that he can raise the level of his teammates high enough to consistently win enough football games to make the playoffs.   Because he's not as mobile as Allen, Jackson, and Mahomes, he's less likely to escape pass rushers, and that's led to significant injuries, especially since the Bengals haven't had a great OL in front of him.   

 

You make good points, and I think Jackson is an elite talent and excellent quarterback.  But I don’t think he is at the same level as Allen, Mahomes, or Burrows.

 

In that playoff game against the Bills last year his two turnovers, to me, cost the Ravens the game. He has a 3-5 playoff record, while Mahomes is 17-4, Allen is 7-6 and Burrows is 5-2. And in the losses Jackson seems to be an important reason his team does not win, while for the other three quarterbacks that is generally not the case. 

 

So I think that idea, more than anything else, causes me to put Jackson in a tier just below the top 3. He has gotten much better as a passer the last few years and still runs like a madman, but he needs to show his best stuff in the playoffs.

 

I think if Jackson makes the same kind of progress this year that he has made the last two years he could take that next step. I would like to see that eventually--after the Bills win a Super Bowl or two.

 

 

 

Edited 3 hours ago by Mister Defense

[Billl]

6 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I don't think Devonta or Goedert are as good at their jobs as Hurts is at his. They are both good. Hurts is really good. AJB and Saquan are elite.

Philly has a top 5 WR group.  They’ve got a top 5 OL.  They’ve got a top 5 RB.  Hurts is a top 10, but likely not top 5, QB.