Football

NFL quarterbacks aren’t just defined by their skill set and individual numbers. They’re also judged by their ability to perform under pressure as the main QB for their team. Look at Tom Brady vs. Philip Rivers. Joe Montana vs. Dan Marino. Patrick Mahomes vs. Lamar Jackson. You get the idea. With the 2026 NFL season just a few months away, how high is the pressure level of each team’s starting QB ? Let’s rank him from lowest to highest. Who are the most pressured QBs for each NFL team? 32. Cleveland Browns (Deshaun Watson)Deshaun Watson (Bill Streicher-Imagn Images) Two years ago, Watson would have placed higher on this list. But everyone has accepted that he’s washed up and done. So, there aren’t any expectations for him whatsoever.  And if Shedeur Sanders or Dillon Gabriel end up taking over as the QB1? Same deal. Nobody is expecting anything from anyone in Cleveland’s QB room. Moving on… 31. New York Jets (Geno Smith) Smith may be fighting for his career at this point, but nobody is expecting much of anything from the former Seattle Seahawks’ Pro Bowler. Smith was awful with the Las Vegas Raiders last year. The 2026 Jets have even less talent than the 2025 Raiders, who finished as the NFL’s worst team. 30. Arizona Cardinals (Jacoby Brissett)Nov 9, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) throws a pass during the fourth quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images Whether it’s Brissett, Gardner Minshew II, or rookie Carson Beck behind center, it doesn’t matter. The pressure is minimal on an Arizona team that’s in a good spot to win the Arch Manning or Dante Moore QB sweepstakes next year. Even if Brissett loses the starting job, he’ll be a bridge QB elsewhere in 2027. Pressure meter on Cardinals QBs: Sub-zero. 29. Miami Dolphins (Malik Willis) The Dolphins signed Willis to a three-year deal worth $67.5 million after cutting Tua Tagovailoa loose. They also cut Tyreek Hill and traded Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos, leaving Willis with a practice-squad-level set of receivers. In other words, the heat level is low on Willis this year. The Dolphins gave him a multi-year deal and little to work with, which is another way of saying they’ll be patient with his transition into a full-time QB1 role. 28. Las Vegas Raiders (Kirk Cousins)Apr 8, 2026; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins speaks at a press conference at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images Now on his third team in four years, the Pro Bowl version of Cousins is long gone. The Raiders gave him a one-year deal to serve as a temporary starter while they patiently develop No. 1 overall pick, Fernando Mendoza. Cousins isn’t playing for a long-term future in Sin City. He also joins a team that was far and away the worst in football last year. Despite his status as a household name, nobody is really expecting much from Cousins at this phase of his career. 27. New York Giants (Jaxson Dart)New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) walks on the field after defeating the Los Angeles Chargers at MetLife Stadium, Sep 28, 2025, East Rutherford, NJ, USA. Dart had a strong rookie season while fighting numerous injuries and dealing with a banged-up supporting cast. Though some Giants fans understandably want a jump to superstardom with John Harbaugh now calling the shots, it’s still important to be patient with Dart. The Giants aren’t going to become contenders overnight. It’s a work in progress. Dart established himself as the starting QB last year for this team. Let’s not act like he has to be MVP-caliber in year two. 26. Tennessee Titans (Cam Ward)Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) exits the field after an NFL pre-season game against the Minnesota Vikings at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. Yes, the Titans signed Wan’Dale Robinson and used the No. 4 pick on Carnell Tate to bolster the wide receiver corps for Ward. But again, nobody is realistically expecting Ward to break out in year two. The Titans enter 2026 with a brand new coaching staff, led by Robert Saleh. They play in a division with three playoff contenders. The Titans want improvement from Ward, but he’s not fighting for his job or under pressure to win a Super Bowl in 2026. 25. Seattle Seahawks (Sam Darnold)Sam Darnold (Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images) Among the established starting QBs for each NFL team in 2026, none can take a larger “chill pill” than Sam Darnold. The man exceeded expectations in his first year with the Seahawks, leading them to a Super Bowl 60 championship with a near-perfect postseason. Seahawks fans will want more, of course, hoping Darnold and the “Dark Side” defense can form a dynasty that Russell Wilson and the Legion of Boom couldn’t. But there’s not much pressure on Darnold for 2026. Repeating is hard. The main objective has been achieved once already. Anything after that is gravy. 24. New Orleans Saints (Tyler Shough)Tyler Shough (Image Credits: Imagn) Shough replaced Spencer Rattler mid-season and finished the season as the starter. He showed enough promise to maintain the starting QB job for 2026, and New Orleans got him more help by signing Travis Etienne Jr. and drafting Jordyn Tyson in the first round. The Saints are still rebuilding, so expectations are minimal for Shough this year. It would take a disastrous season on his end for New Orleans to seek a new option in 2026. That feels unlikely, given the upgraded weaponry around him. 23. Pittsburgh Steelers (Aaron Rodgers)Aaron Rodgers (Photo By Michael Longo/For USA Today Network-PA / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images) We’re operating under the assumption that Rodgers ends up returning to the Steelers. If he doesn’t, well, Mason Rudolph isn’t gonna save the day.  It’s hard to label Rodgers as a QB facing much pressure for this team. He’s above-average, but well past his best-before date at age-42. If he returns to Pittsburgh, they’ll be a playoff contender and nothing more. 22. Kansas City Chiefs (Patrick Mahomes)Patrick Mahomes (Photo Via Imagn Images) Hard to put much pressure on Mahomes here. He’s a three-time Super Bowl champion who’s gone to the big game in five of his eight seasons as the starter. With Mahomes also recovering from a season-ending ACL tear, it’ll be understandable if he’s not at 100 percent in 2026. 21. Los Angeles Rams (Matthew Stafford)Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images) Nobody seems to know how much longer Matthew Stafford is playing. But with a Super Bowl ring already on his resume, it’s hard to say there’s any real pressure on him. Of course, the Rams would like to win another Super Bowl before No. 9 calls it quits. But the NFC is brutally difficult this year. Nobody can hold it against him if they fall short of the ultimate prize again. 20. Carolina Panthers (Bryce Young)Jan 5, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) passes on the run against the Atlanta Falcons during the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images The No. 1 pick of the 2023 NFL Draft finally put it together in year three, leading Carolina to a surprise NFC South crown. With an improved supporting cast around him, there’s no reason to think Young is facing real pressure in year four. 19. Chicago Bears (Caleb Williams)Sep 21, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) gestures after throwing a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys during the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images Williams had a breakout year for the ages under Ben Johnson’s tutelage. He led the Bears to a surprise NFC North crown and their first playoff win since 2010. The No. 1 pick of 2024 has arrived, and he’s just entering his prime now as this team’s starting QB. No pressure here. Moving on… 18. Washington Commanders (Jayden Daniels)Oct 5, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) celebrates after a touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers in the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images There’s pressure on Daniels to stay healthy and look more like his superstar form we saw as a rookie in 2024. But I mean, he’s a third-year QB who has limited talent around him. Not like the guy’s fighting for his job or anything. Washington won’t re-emerge as a contender without an improved ground game, pass protection, and defense. Those responsibilities don’t fall on Daniels. 17. Cincinnati Bengals (Joe Burrow)Nov 27, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) reacts against the Baltimore Ravens during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images The weight isn’t really on Joe Burrow’s shoulders here. We all know he’s going to have a lights-out season in Cincinnati. The pressure is on the rest of the team to build a winner. We can see a scenario where he demands a trade Burrow memorably told reporters, “You think about a lot of things,” last December when asked about playing elsewhere. If things go well this year in Cincy, great. If not, Burrow has good reason to demand a trade. The pressure is hardly on him. 16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Baker Mayfield)Baker Mayfield. Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Mayfield is entering the final year of his deal with the Bucs, who endured a brutal second-half meltdown to miss out on the postseason for the first time since 2019. The Bucs, even with their star QB, are a mushy middle team, not Super Bowl contenders. If Mayfield doesn’t play well enough to get an extension from Tampa, somebody else will pay him. And with their window closing, that’s not the worst scenario for Mayfield. 15. Minnesota Vikings (Kyler Murray)Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images) After his release from the Cardinals, Murray signed a one-year deal with the Vikings. It’s hard to think he’ll fare poorly with an elite set of weapons and a top head coach like Kevin O’Connell…but crazier things have happened. If Murray somehow flops in Minny, it could hurt his chances of securing a long-term starting job elsewhere. Play well, however, and he could get a nine-figure contract from the Vikings or somewhere else next year. 14. Denver Broncos (Bo Nix)Bo Nix (Photo via Imagn Images) If not for a season-ending ankle injury in the Divisional Round, Nix would have led the Broncos to the Super Bowl. And who knows? They might have even defeated Seattle in the big game. The Broncos are now bona fide Super Bowl contenders, but so are over a half-dozen teams in the hard AFC. Nix and the Broncos are facing natural pressure as the AFC runner-ups, but it’s not the end of his career if they don’t win it all in 2026. 13. Jacksonville Jaguars (Trevor Lawrence)Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) runs on the field before an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Texans 17-10. Lawrence finally regained that star-like form we saw in 2022, thanks to the masterful coaching of Liam Coen. With a long-term contract in his back pocket, Lawrence isn’t going anywhere. Obviously, it’d be great if the Jags could build on last year’s 13-win season and go on a deep playoff run. But there’s only room for one winner in the AFC. It’s not quite championship-or-bust for this young QB and the team in 2026. At least, not yet. 12. San Francisco 49ers (Brock Purdy)San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images) Hard as it is to believe, we’re now four years through Purdy’s career. Three playoff berths, two NFC Championship berths, and a Super Bowl 58 appearance are nothing to scoff at. But now, the pressure’s growing on Purdy. The short-handed 49ers were crushed by the Seahawks in the Divisional Round. No shame in that, but they’ll be healthy for 2026. With core players getting old, Purdy is running out of prime opportunities to win his first Super Bowl. His pressure meter isn’t scorching-scorching hot, but sunscreen is a good idea. 11. Philadelphia Eagles (Jalen Hurts)Dec 20, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) looks on before the game against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images To some, it may feel weird putting Hurts this high after winning the Super Bowl a year ago. But folks, this is Philly. The market is unforgiving. Just look at how many Eagles fans turned against Nick Sirianni this past season. The Eagles are getting rid of AJ Brown, drafted Makai Lemon, and named Sean Mannion their new OC. So, the Hurts-Brown locker room drama is no longer an excuse. Nor is OC malpractice. If Hurts has another “down” season, there will be calls for Philly to trade him and/or fire Sirianni. In this ruthless Philly market, the pressure is ultra-high for Hurts to rebound. 10. Detroit Lions (Jared Goff)Jared Goff (Image Credits: Imagn) The Lions were a trendy pick to win Super Bowl 60 last year. Instead, a rash of injuries and poor performances in one-score games sank them to a 9-8 record and last-place finish in the NFC North. Since leading the Lions to the NFC title game in 2023, Goff hasn’t won a single playoff game. And remember, the knock against him in Los Angeles was that he couldn’t win the big one. Goff isn’t a young man anymore at age 32. Dan Campbell infamously told his players that losing in the 2023 NFC title game may have been their only shot. It’s up to the veteran QB to put that notion to bed and lead his team back into playoff contention. 9. Green Bay Packers (Jordan Love)Jordan Love (Image Credits: Imagn) After leading the Packers to the elite eight in 2023, Love has endured back-to-back losses in the Wild Card Round. That’s just not going to cut it in Green Bay. Love isn’t fighting for his job in 2026, but it’s also not a stretch to suggest he’s a playoff choker. If the Packers don’t at least reach the NFC Championship Game, questions about whether he’s the right guy in Green Bay will escalate. 8. New England Patriots (Drake Maye)Drake Maye (Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images) Maye’s sophomore season couldn’t have gone THAT much better. He was the MVP runner-up and led the Pats to a surprise AFC title before an overmatched Seattle team crushed them in the Super Bowl. But fair or not, expectations are now sky-high for Maye. Any year the Pats didn’t win it all with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick was considered a disappointment. Playing in New England means more pressure. Now, it’s up to Maye to show a) last year was no fluke and b) he won’t let the Super Bowl loss break him. 7. Dallas Cowboys (Dak Prescott)Sep 14, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) looks at his helmet during warmups before the game against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images When you’re the starting quarterback of the Cowboys, pressure will always go through the roof. Even though most NFL fanbases know these guys aren’t serious contenders, the Cowboys’ faithful and brass hold a “championship or bust” mentality each year. If there were a time for Prescott to lead Dallas on a deep postseason run, it’s now. He’s never had an offense this stacked, with CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, and Javonte Williams. If this team falls off and misses the postseason for a third straight year, you have to wonder if Jerry Jones will consider replacing their starting QB in 2027. 6. Los Angeles Chargers (Justin Herbert)Justin Herbert (Image Credits: Imagn) The knock against the Bolts early in Herbert’s career was that he had a bad offensive line, a weak defense, and coaching malpractice. Neither of those has been a problem in LA since Jim Harbaugh arrived. And yet, Herbert has delivered back-to-back stinkers in the Wild Card Round. His playoff record is now 0-3 with two touchdowns, four picks, and a 64.7 passer rating. Woof, we don’t wanna imagine how much worse his reputation will get if the Bolts can’t win at least one playoff game this year. 5. Indianapolis Colts (Daniel Jones)Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (Denny Medley-Imagn Images) Jones was enjoying a career year in Indy before, unfortunately, suffering a torn Achilles late in the season. The Colts decided to take the risk that it wasn’t a fluke, giving “Danny Dimes” a two-year extension worth $88 million. But folks, we’ve seen this story before. Jones had a career year for the Giants in 2022, then signed a $160 million extension in 2023. He was released in the midst of the 2024 season. If he flops in 2026 the way he did in 2023, he won’t be a starter again. Pure and simple. 4. Buffalo Bills (Josh Allen)Josh Allen (Image Credits: Imagn) Allen’s not a young man anymore at 30. If you thought Sean McDermott was the problem? Well, he’s long gone. The Bills replaced him with Joe Brady, who has helped Allen take his game to another level. The Bills’ championship window is closing, and quickly. If the Bills don’t get it done in 2026, then what do you do? The excuses for Allen have to end at some point. 3. Atlanta Falcons (Michael Penix Jr.)Sep 14, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) reacts after the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images The Falcons signed Tua Tagovailoa to challenge Penix after his release from the Dolphins. So yeah, the pressure is really on Atlanta’s 2024 first-round pick to deliver this time. Penix has battled injuries and accuracy woes over his first two years. If he can’t deliver early for Kevin Stefanski, the Falcons will turn to Tua. And that will be that in this team’s young QB. 2. Houston Texans (C.J. Stroud)Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (Barry Reeger-Imagn Images) Stroud’s shaky 2025 season wasted a generational Houston Texans defense. He single-handedly cost them in their AFC Divisional Round loss against the Patriots. What happened to the guy who had an MVP-like season in his 2023 rookie year? Houston picked up Stroud’s fifth-year option, but his seat is burning-hot now. Houston has a championship-caliber roster. If Stroud is going to waste it again, they have to move on and find a QB who won’t keep screwing up when they need him most. 1. Baltimore Ravens (Lamar Jackson)Lamar Jackson (Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images) Lamar Jackson presumably wanted John Harbaugh gone after missing the postseason in 2025. The Ravens gave him a fresh start. So we’ve entered the “If not now, when” phase of Jackson’s career. Jackson and Harbaugh never got to the postseason together despite remarkable regular-season success. The 29-year-old QB isn’t getting any younger. If the fortunes don’t change under Jesse Minter, we might have to accept that Jackson will never win the big one.