Look, if you told me a year ago that we’d be sitting here in January 2026 talking about Drake Maye as the presumptive NFL MVP and the New England Patriots as a divisional powerhouse, I would’ve probably asked for some of whatever you were drinking. Football moves fast. Like, terrifyingly fast. One minute you’re a "project" rookie with footwork issues, and the next, you’re throwing for 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns while making the entire AFC East look like they're playing in slow motion.
The NFL starting quarterbacks 2025 cycle hasn't just been about the usual suspects like Mahomes and Allen. It’s been a year of massive identity shifts. We saw Matthew Stafford defy "Father Time" and a bad back to lead the league in passing yards (4,707!) and touchdowns (46). We saw Aaron Rodgers trade the green and gold—and then the Jets' flight suit—for a Steelers helmet, basically dinking and dunking his way into the playoffs at 42 years old.
Honestly, the league feels different now. The "old guard" isn't exactly gone, but the middle class of the NFL has been completely demolished and rebuilt by a wave of young talent and some truly wild veteran reclamation projects.
👉 See also: Redrafting 2024 NFL Draft: Why Jayden Daniels Is Now the Clear No. 1
The Elite Tier: It's Drake Maye’s World Now
It’s kinda wild. Drake Maye didn't just start for the Patriots; he transformed them. Under Josh McDaniels, Maye finished the 2025 regular season with a 72.0% completion rate. Think about that. A second-year kid playing with Stefon Diggs and TreVeyon Henderson just toyed with professional secondaries.
But he isn't the only one at the top. The "Big Three" of the AFC—Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, and Patrick Mahomes—are still there, but they’ve had to work a lot harder this year.
- Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills): Still the physical freak we love. He had 14 rushing touchdowns this year. Fourteen! But the foot injury he picked up in Cleveland has people worried heading into the postseason.
- Joe Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals): Burrow is still the coolest guy in the room, but injuries limited him to just 8 games. When he’s on, he’s Tier 1. When he’s off... well, the Bengals look human.
- Matthew Stafford (LA Rams): The most underrated season in recent memory. He’s 37 and still "dotting the field," as the scouts say. His connection with Davante Adams (yeah, that happened) was basically a cheat code in the red zone.
The "I Can't Believe This Worked" Club
The 2025 season was the year of the "reclamation project." Remember when people thought Sam Darnold was a bust? Seattle didn't. Darnold went out and threw for over 4,000 yards and 25 touchdowns, leading the Seahawks to the NFC’s top seed.
📖 Related: Why Weather New York Jets Games Actually Shape Every MetLife Outcome
Then you’ve got Justin Fields. The Jets experiment with him was... interesting. He ended up in the "Not Starting Caliber" tier by some analysts after throwing 7 interceptions, but the fact that he was even under center for Gang Green tells you how desperate the QB market got.
And the Steelers? They basically became a retirement home for legends. Aaron Rodgers didn't look like the MVP version of himself, but he was efficient. He stopped trying to be the hero and started trusting the system, which is basically all Mike Tomlin ever wants anyway.
The Rookie Class That Actually Played
We saw some surprising faces take over mid-season.
- Jaxson Dart (NY Giants): He took over in Week 13 and showed some real flashes, despite the Giants being, well, the Giants.
- Cam Ward (Tennessee Titans): The first overall pick had a "trial by fire" season. 3,117 yards and 15 touchdowns isn't elite, but behind that Titans O-line? It's a miracle he's still standing.
- Tyler Shough (New Orleans Saints): A 26-year-old rookie. It sounds like a movie plot, but Shough’s maturity actually helped a Saints team that was stuck in neutral.
Why the "System Quarterback" Label is Dead
For years, people used "system QB" as an insult. In 2025, it’s a compliment. Look at Brock Purdy in San Francisco or Jared Goff in Detroit.
Goff just finished his 10th year by putting up 4,564 yards. He’s not doing the Mahomes "no-look" passes, but he’s surgical. The Lions don't care if he's a "Ferrari" or a "reliable Ford"—he wins.
Meanwhile, Caleb Williams in Chicago is the opposite. He’s all talent, but the efficiency is... questionable. He almost hit 4,000 yards but his "Completion Percentage Over Expectation" was a dismal -6.9%. He’s making the hard throws and missing the easy ones. It’s frustrating for Bears fans, but the ceiling is still through the roof.
The NFC South: A Beautiful Disaster
If you want to talk about chaos, look no further than the NFC South.
Bryce Young actually had a career year! He led the Panthers to a division title with 3,011 yards. Is he Cam Newton? No. But he’s finally playing like a No. 1 pick.
Then you have Kirk Cousins in Atlanta, who eventually gave way to Michael Penix Jr., and the Saints' carousel that landed on Shough. It's the most "NFL" division in the league—anyone can win, mostly because everyone is slightly flawed.
What to Watch Moving Into 2026
The landscape of NFL starting quarterbacks 2025 has set up a massive crossroads for the 2026 offseason.
First, the Geno Smith situation in Las Vegas is a mess. He’s likely out, and the Raiders are eyeing the No. 1 pick. Second, what happens with Tua Tagovailoa? His concussion history and late-season struggles have many wondering if he'll ever be a full-time starter again.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
- Watch the "Year 3" Jump: Keep a close eye on C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young. The 2025 season showed that the leap doesn't always happen in Year 2.
- Health is the Only Stat That Matters: Teams like the Bengals and Dolphins were derailed by QB health. When scouting your team for 2026, look at the backup situation. It’s no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity.
- The Mobile QB is No Longer Optional: Even the "pocket passers" like Maye and Stafford are finding ways to extend plays. If a QB can't move in 2026, they're a sitting duck.
The 2025 season proved that the "franchise QB" label is harder to earn than ever. You can have the stats, but if you don't have the durability or the "clutch" gene (looking at you, Bo Nix), the league will replace you before you can even finish your rookie contract.
👉 See also: Who Won NBA Final: The Shocking Game 7 That Changed Everything
To get ahead of the 2026 curve, start looking at the upcoming draft prospects like the next wave of dual-threats coming out of the SEC—because if 2025 taught us anything, it’s that the era of the stationary quarterback is officially over.