Patrick Mahomes is the most accomplished quarterback of this generation because of his overall success in both the regular season and the playoffs. He is the only quarterback outside of Tom Brady to have won multiple rings in the past decade.
That being said, there’s an argument that Mahomes isn’t necessarily the best or most talented quarterback in the NFL heading into the 2025 season. The league is spoiled with versatile gunslingers such as Jayden Daniels, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen and a slew of other playcallers trying to cement themselves this upcoming season.
So, let’s take a look at the 10 best quarterbacks heading into the new season.
Who are the 10 best QBs heading into the 2025 NFL season?
10. Dak Prescott
Prescott has a lot to prove coming into the 2024 season after a torn hamstring cut his 2024 campaign short. But the numbers he posted in 2023 were enough to show the caliber of quarterback he is. During that season, he completed 69.5% of his passes for 4,516 yards and 36 touchdowns. Prescott will also benefit from one of the strongest groups of surrounding talent he’s had in his career as the Cowboys traded for wide receiver George Pickens to go alongside Ceedee Lamb.
9. Jayden Daniels
Daniels needed just one NFL season to break into the top 10 at his position. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft won the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award and led Washington to its most wins in a regular season since 1991. He completed 69% of his passes for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns, while rushing for 891 yards and six touchdowns. But what cemented his ranking in the top 10 was his ability to lead the Commanders to the NFC Championship.
8. Justin Herbert
Herbert is entering his seventh NFL season and has still yet to win a playoff game. However, he’s shown elite arm talent, and the ability to adapt to a new system. In his first season under coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman, Herbert was asked to be more of a game manager, who made smart throws. He maximized that role, throwing 23 touchdowns and just three interceptions.
7. Baker Mayfield
Mayfield is coming off a career season. He rediscovered his footing in the NFL in 2023 and then broke out in 2024, completing 71.4% of his passes for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns while leading the Buccaneers back to the playoffs. While Mayfield will be without one of his top weapons in Chris Godwin to start the season, Tampa Bay drafted Emeka Egbuka in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. They also have elite pass-catching options on the perimeter and in the backfield in Mike Evans and Bucky Irving.
6. Jared Goff
Goff had a career resurgence in the last two seasons while playing in offensive coordinator Ben Johnson’s system. Last season, he completed 72.4% of his passes for 4,629 yards and 37 touchdowns. But, in 2025, he will have to adapt to life without Johnson as he was hired as the Chicago Bears head coach, while the Lions hired John Morton as their new OC.
5. Jalen Hurts
Hurts made his second Super Bowl and won his first ring last season. That being said, he wasn’t as prolific of a passer in 2024 as he threw for a career-low (since being named a full-time starter) of 2,903 passing yards and 18 touchdowns. Those numbers were more of a function of the Philadelphia Eagles’ successful commitment to their running game, which included Hurts rushing for 630 yards and 14 touchdowns and Saquon Barkley rushing for a career-high 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns.
While the Cincinnati Bengals struggled in 2024, Burrow had his best statistical season. He completed 70.6% of his passes for 4,918 yards and 43 touchdowns, both career-highs. He helped Ja’Marr Chase achieve the receiver triple crown as he led the league in receptions (127), yards (1,708), and touchdowns (17).
3. Lamar Jackson
Jackson, the defending NFL MVP, might be the most versatile quarterback on this list. What he lacks in accuracy, he makes up for in touchdown-efficiency and rushing ability. He’s led the NFL in touchdown-percentage twice, posting an impressive 8.6% mark last season as he threw for a career-high 41 touchdowns. He’s also led all quarterbacks in rushing yards the past two seasons and surpassed the 1,000-yard mark in 2019 and 2020. His one knock is that the Ravens have yet to appear in a Super Bowl with him as the starter.
2. Patrick Mahomes
Mahomes enters 2025 with a chip on his shoulder after the Kansas City Chiefs got blown out in Super Bowl LIX. Mahomes is also coming off his least productive year as a starter as he threw for 3,928 yards — his first sub-4,000 season — and tied a career-low with 26 touchdowns. But, in 2025, he should have one of the best supporting casts since Tyreek Hill left. Rashee Rice, who sustained a torn ACL last season, should be back by Week 1, while Hollywood Brown, who started just one game last season because of multiple injuries, will be at full strength, and 2024 first-round draft pick Xavier Worthy will have another year in the Chiefs’ system.
1. Josh Allen
It says a lot to be ranked ahead of Mahomes. While Allen has yet to beat Mahomes in the playoffs, he showed consistency with his arm and legs last season. In 2024, despite not having a single elite target after Stefon Diggs went to Houston, Allen threw for 3,731 yards and 28 touchdowns. His ability to scramble and maximize designed runs added another wrinkle to the Buffalo Bills’ offense as he rushed for 531 yards and 12 touchdowns. Allen has exceeded every statistical goal during his seven-year career, but a Super Bowl ring would help him enter an even greater conversation.
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