For a brief stretch around the turn of the century, it was possible to win a Super Bowl without one of the best QB’s in the NFL. Sometimes, a replacement-level quarterback, the kind of signal caller derisively referred to as a “Game Manager” was enough. The rules were simple: Don’t turn the ball over. Take what the defense gives. Don’t take unnecessary chances. And from 2000 to 2002, Trent Dilfer, Tom Brady, and Brad Johnson followed this formula all the way to the Lombardi Trophy. But the game has changed.
(A reminder: Before he was the GOAT, 2001 Tom Brady averaged less than 200 passing yards per game and threw just 18 touchdowns. That's a Game Manager.)
In 2026, having a Top 5 QB isn’t a prerequisite for winning a Super Bowl but your QB needs to play like one to have a chance. Think, Eli Manning in 2007 and 2011. Joe Flacco in 2012. Nick Foles in 2017. Jalen Hurts last season. No one is dinking and dunking their way to a title. This year, the field is wide open. With the exception of Josh Allen, the names that’ve dominated the league for the last half-decade—Mahomes, Burrow, Jackson—are absent. Who is most likely to step up and claim the throne? This is a ranking of the Best QB’s in the 2026 NFL Playoffs.
1.Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
388-597 65.0 CMP% 4,707 YDS 46 TD 8 INT 109.2 RTG
The 37-year-old Stafford (he turns 38 on the eve of the Super Bowl) and Drake Maye have been the best two QB’s in the sport this season but Stafford has one big advantage over the Patriots sophomore star: Championship experience stemming from his win in Super Bowl LVI.
2.Drake Maye, New England Patriots
354-492 72.0 CMP% 4,394 YDS 31 TD 8 INT 113.5 RTG
The MVP co-favorite made the leap in his second season—his first with six-time Super Bowl champion Josh McDaniels calling plays. Maye has a huge arm and throws a pretty deep ball but he also has all the intangibles needed for a winning quarterback. Now, can he replicate his regular season success in the playoffs?
3.Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
319-460 69.3 CMP% 3,668 YDS 25 TD 10 INT 102.2 RTG
Allen isn’t putting up video game numbers like in his MVP season and the Bills have struggled with consistency but they enter the postseason feeling good about their chances in the AFC. With no Pat Mahomes in their way, Buffalo is poised to make a Super Bowl run.
4.Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
291-439 66.3 CMP% 3,381 YDS 23 TD 6 INT 101.2 RTG
The Packers offense was up and down all season thanks to injuries and inconsistent line play. Love's postseason track record is a mixed bag. He notched a perfect QB rating in his playoff debut against the Cowboys in January 2024 but since then he's thrown 2 touchdowns against 5 interceptions in consecutive losses.
5.Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
340-512 66.4 CMP % 3,727 YDS 26 TD 13 INT 94.1 RTG
Though one of the best quarterbacks in the game, Herbert has, to be kind, a spotty postseason resume. The Chargers blew a 27-point lead in the 2023 Wild Card round against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Herbert threw four interceptions last season against the Houston Texans.
6.Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
341-560 60.9 CMP% 4,007 YDS 29 TD 12 INT 91.0 RTG
It's finally coming together for Lawrence, the top overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and the most hyped QB prospect since Andrew Luck. Under first-year head coach Liam Coen, Lawrence has been more accurate, more decisive in the pocket, and more inclined to utilize his athleticism when pressured.
7.Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
294-454 64.8 CMP% 3,224 YDS 25 TD 6 INT 98.5 RTG
The reigning Super Bowl MVP has struggled all season to mesh with his new offensive coordinator but the postseason is where he's made his name: He is 6-3 lifetime while accumulating 20 total touchdowns against 3 interceptions.
8.Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
330-568 58.1 CMP% 3,942 YDS 27 TD 7 INT 90.1 RTG
The top overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft hasn’t caught fire like Jayden Daniels last season or 2025 Drake Maye but is trending in the right direction under new head coach/play caller Ben Johnson. He'll make his playoff debut against division rival Green Bay, who he topped last month in an overtime thriller.
9.C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
273-423 64.5 CMP% 3,041 YDS 19 TD 8 INT 92.9 RTG
Stroud is hovering somewhere between his 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year season and the sophomore slump in 2024 that cost offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik his job. He has a lifetime 2-2 postseason record, including a perfect 157.2 QB RTG in his playoff debut against the Cleveland Browns in 2023.
10.Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers
327-498 65.7 CMP% 3,322 YDS 24 TD 7 INT 94.8 RTG
In what is most likely his final season, Rodgers is playing smart, mistake-free football. A throwback performance from the four-time MVP helped the Steelers clinch the AFC North in Week 18.
11.Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
323-477 67.7 CMP% 4,048 YDS 25 TD 14 INT 99.1 RTG
Darnold's clean Week 18 performance against the 49ers was much needed following the disastrous end to last season. He's one of the best play-action passers in the game and has Jaxon Smith-Njigba on his team but he's still good for (at least) one boneheaded play per game.
12.Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
197-284 69.4 CMP% 2,167 YDS 20 TD 10 INT 100.5 RTG
The former Mr. Irrelevant is no longer the underdog. The San Francisco QB has Super Bowl experience and signed a lucrative extension last offseason. He rebounded nicely following a slow start to play the best ball of his career in December.
13.Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
388-612 63.4 CMP% 3,931 YDS 25 TD 11 INT 87.8 RTG
The Broncos have played with fire all season, coming from behind in the fourth quarter time after time. Bo Nix is a good reason for that. He's been inconsistent and inaccurate early and often but is one of the best clutch QB's in the game with the ability to make plays with his arm and his legs.
14.Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
304-478 63.6 CMP% 3,011 23 TD 11 INT 87.8 RTG
Young, the embattled top pick of the 2023 Draft, saved his job this season. His best game of 2025 came in Week 13 against his opponent this weekend, the Rams. Young completed 15-20 passes for three touchdowns and zero turnovers in the Panthers upset win.