Every NFL starting quarterback for the 2026 season, team by team

Get it right, and it can mean making the playoffs, even if other areas of the roster underperform. Get it wrong, and the fanbase may revolt, and heads could roll in the front office.

Most NFL fans already know who's under center by the time training camps begin, but here's a quick recap for those who need a reminder.

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AFC East starting quarterbacks

Josh Allen, Bills: Doesn't need the hype train anymore; Allen's already there. Now he's finally got a real WR1 in D.J. Moore, the first time that's been true since Stefon Diggs walked out of Buffalo.

Malik Willis, Dolphins: Willis finally gets a real shot at starter reps in Miami after years of backup duty, though the supporting cast around him might be the league's thinnest.

Drake Maye, Patriots: Maye played like an MVP candidate as a sophomore, and the Patriots didn't sit on their hands either, adding A.J. Brown to a room that already had Romeo Doubs in it.

Evan Bernstein/Getty Images

Geno Smith, Jets: QB1 again in New York, for as long as Gang Green's patience holds anyway. Could fourth-round rookie named Cade Klubnik make an appearance at some point?

AFC North starting quarterbacks

Lamar Jackson, Ravens: Health was the only thing standing between Jackson and another deep run last year. He's healthy now, dual-threat as ever, and Baltimore's Super Bowl window hasn't closed.

Joe Burrow, Bengals: "Joe Cool" is healthy again, which should worry the rest of the division, and with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins both back, Cincinnati's offense looks dangerous again.

Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders, Browns: Watson holds the experience edge, Sanders arguably has the higher ceiling, but Cleveland's Todd Monken hasn't made his mind up yet.

Aaron Rodgers, Steelers: Back for one more run, well past the age most guys have already hung it up, and somehow Rodgers still got Pittsburgh to the playoffs last year. Can he and the Steelers repeat in 2026?

Joe Sargent / Stringer

AFC South starting quarterbacks

C.J. Stroud, Texans: Needs a bounce-back year after that playoff collapse against the Patriots, but the arrival of David Montgomery, presence of Nico Collins and a rebuilt line give Stroud every chance to bounce back.

Daniel Jones, Colts: Gets a full camp as the guy in Indianapolis, a career resurrected somewhere nobody saw coming, but Michael Pittman's gone now, so he has to do more with less.

Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars: Walks into a contract year with more talent around him than he's ever had, looking to build on a career year in 2025.

Cam Ward, Titans: Gets his first full offseason with the keys to Tennessee's offense, and while the line's still a question mark, Carnell Tate and Wan'Dale Robinson will help him to raise his game.

Mike Carlson / Stringer

AFC West starting quarterbacks

Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs: Looks ready to go after the torn ACL and motivated to help Kansas City reclaim the division crown that was theirs for nine years straight before Denver took it from them.

Justin Herbert, Chargers: Made the Pro Bowl and also took a career-high number of sacks, but his offensive line is healthier and Mike McDaniel should help the whole offense.

Bo Nix, Broncos: Enjoyed a breakout year in his second season, and now has a new toy to play with after Denver traded for wideout Jaylen Waddle.

Justin Edmonds / Stringer

Kirk Cousins, Raiders: Has the job for now, but Mendoza, the first overall pick, waits in the wings, and how many losses it takes before that changes is the only real question in Vegas.

NFC East starting quarterbacks

Jalen Hurts, Eagles: Motivated to silence his doubters after a down year, and DeVonta Smith and rookie Makai Lemon could soften the blow of losing A.J. Brown, so don't rule out a bounce-back year.

Dak Prescott, Cowboys: Keeps posting big numbers for Dallas, helped by one of the better receiver rooms in football, but a real postseason run would do him and his reputation wonders.

Jaxson Dart, Giants: Gets a full training camp under new head coach John Harbaugh, and if he and Malik Nabers both stay healthy, a breakout year feels like an expectation now.

Candice Ward / Stringer

Jayden Daniels, Commanders: Was one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in football as a rookie, then injuries got in the way. Daniels heads into 2026 looking to show what we've all been missing.

NFC North starting quarterbacks

Jared Goff, Lions: Doesn't get talked about enough for how good he's been. Has a deep group of pass catchers in Detroit that should help keep him among the most productive passers in football.

Jordan Love, Packers: Still somewhat underrated for a guy this talented, but a career year isn't out of the question if Christian Watson and Tucker Kraft stay upright and Matthew Golden takes the next step.

Caleb Williams, Bears: Divides opinion like few young quarterbacks do, but nobody's arguing he didn't take a real step forward in year two. Whether that continues into year three will define the Bears' season.

Patrick McDermott / Stringer

Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy, Vikings: Murray is a dual-threat dynamo and is heavily favoured to win this job outright. Can he spark a career revival and fully utilise the talents of Justin Jefferson?

NFC South starting quarterbacks

Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers: Playing out an expiring deal for an offense that just lost Mike Evans to San Francisco, though Emeka Egbuka's talented enough to help Mayfield remain dangerous.

Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix Jr., Falcons: Tua looked like the frontrunner before injuries complicated things. Whoever wins the job gets to lean on the talented trio of Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts.

Bryce Young, Panthers: Heads into 2026 looking to prove last year's improvement was real, not a one-season wonder. Tet McMillan will be a big help once again, but Young could still use another reliable target.

Jared C. Tilton / Staff

Tyler Shough, Saints: Surprised a lot of people with how he played once the job became his, and now he gets a full season to build on it with Jordyn Tyson and Chris Olave in his corner.

NFC West starting quarterbacks

Sam Darnold, Seahawks: The reigning Super Bowl champion starter now, a sentence that would've sounded ridiculous two seasons ago. Jaxon Smith-Njigba gives him a real shot at repeating.

Kevin C. Cox / Staff

Brock Purdy, 49ers: Might be the least talked-about top-ten quarterback in the league, but that could change fast with Mike Evans and rookie De'Zhaun Stribling in San Francisco.

Matthew Stafford, Rams: Still playing elite football deep into his late 30s, somehow, and his chemistry with Puka Nacua is as dangerous as any pairing in football.

Jacoby Brissett, Cardinals: He isn't the long-term answer in Arizona, and everyone knows it, but Brissett's steady enough to hold the offense together while the Cardinals figure out what comes next.