My Favorite Active NFL Quarterbacks
Not necessarily the best, but the guys I enjoy watching the most.
I was watching the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs and was realizing how many of the teams had a quarterback I really enjoy watching play. That’s not a huge shock - quarterback IS the most important position in sports, so if you have a good one, you are starting off pretty solid.
Before I get to the quarterbacks I like, here are a few notable names I didn’t include. Tom Brady is, of course, the GOAT (and I say this as a Joe Montana guy) but he’s clearly on the decline and at this point the style he plays is solely about survival. Similarly - and I won’t like that his off-field nonsense aids in this - while Aaron Rodgers used to perhaps play the MOST exciting brand of quarterback, these days it’s hard to tell. He can make a great play out of nothing, but his targets are so poor and he also seems potentially disinterested in playing altogether. (Note: I have said for some time I think both of them are retiring at the end of this season. I’m more likely to go 0/2 here than get it right, but just reiterating that here.) Finally, Dak Prescott seems like a good guy and at his best is a real good field general - but he’s lacking SOMETHING. He seems to only make bad decisions at the worst possible time, and his gravest sin is, of course, playing for the loathsome Cowboys.
Other quarterbacks who play a fun style of game but don’t have quite the juice - Justin Fields (who I hope can really get some targets to throw to, so we can see if he can, in fact, do that) and Brock Purdy, who somehow still only has less than ten starts but seems poised to be the 49ers quarterback of the future.
So, who makes the cut?
Joe Burrow - In a world where mobile quarterbacks (dual-threat!) are the rage, Burrow still stands out as being insanely fun to watch. He’s got great receivers to throw to, but it’s his poise and confidence on and off the field that makes it so hard to root against. Somehow, the guy who looks like Macauley Culkin on HGH is so fun, cocky and can utterly huck the ball downfield and it’s a total delight.
Patrick Mahomes - any list like this that doesn’t include Mahomes is fraudulent. He has every throw, and then some. He is reminiscent of Brett Favre in that if anyone else tried the throws Mahomes routinely makes, not only would they likely prove disastrous, that quarterback would be publicly flogged. But Mahomes just flips the ball across his body, often without both feet on the ground, and somehow it almost ALWAYS works. He’s mobile, but he’s not dependent on his feet - in short, he’s kind of a unicorn. Plus, when he talks, he sounds like a Muppet. That’s fun, too.
Josh Allen - Allen is also a kind of 1-of-1 player, though that won’t stop GMs and coaches from looking for “the next Josh Allen.” That’s because he’s built like a (undersized) linebacker, so his scrambles are often more punishing on the defensive back who tries to tackle him than on Allen himself. And when Allen tosses the ball it’s a sight to see. Interestingly, he came into the league as a very inaccurate passer and - contrary to what the school of thought was possible - got much more accurate over time. That also gets folks who should know better looking at college quarterbacks who can’t hit the side of a barn and thinking they’ll learn accuracy just like Allen did. Unlikely. That’s what makes Allen so unique.
Justin Herbert - Like Burrow, Herbert is more of a traditional pocket passer, and he can also toss just about any pass. Unlike Burrow, he’s cursed with being on a team with oft-injured receivers and an offensive scheme that’s ever-changing and rarely seems designed for this generational quarterback. And still, Herbert is back there just throwing dimes all day long. I implore the Chargers to find a good offensive coordinator and a head coach who doesn’t throw his best (but injury-prone) WR into a meaningless game when the playoffs are around the corner.
Trevor Lawrence - I gotta admit, this one surprised me. I don’t watch a ton of college football, so when I did see Lawrence play in the National Championship, I saw a lanky dude with Head & Shoulders hair who looked…very good. But he was talked about as a generational prospect, someone who would turn a franchise around. His rookie season, like all the Jaguars trying to endure Urban Meyer, was a washout, but he had flashes. And then this year, he really found his stride. He can throw the ball as far as anyone, and can run really well for a guy who looks like a small forward. He also seems to have that field generalattribute that’s hard to define (but everyone else on this list also has) where he can just take over a game. He’s going to be fun going forward and the Jaguars seem to have a bright future.
Like all lists, I’m sure I’ve left some obvious folks off. (Though if you’re wondering why Russell Wilson isn’t on this list than we need to get to know each other better.) What quarterback do you like watching the most?
Justin Fields. Obviously.