The QB Report Card: Every Quarterback Who Played in 2020, Ranked From 1-72

By: NFLHeads

Obviously, the QB Index is finished for this year, but I would not be doing my job if I did not properly recap the regular season quarterback play of every quarterback who had five or more attempts in a game. So here it is, 72 quarterbacks, one really long article. Get some popcorn for this one.

A little side note– I used the previous rankings from the QB Indexes to determine the rankings (It was a really absurd formula) So some of these might not be entirely accurate so don’t freak out too much, these are purely based on the rankings from all 17 QB indexes.

1. Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers was crazy good, and in my view was the most consistent of any quarterback in 2020. On the season, Rodgers had over a 70% completion rating, and threw 48 touchdowns to only 5 picks. Incredible.

2. Patrick Mahomes

If not for a weak finish to the season, Mahomes would be first on the list. Mahomes led many game winning drives that brought the Chiefs back up in games where they looked vulnerable. Mahomes only lost one game in 2020.

3. Josh Allen

Allen could not have had a better year in Buffalo. The Bills look like the only team that is strong enough to challenge the Chiefs in the AFC, and Allen has shown more improvement over his career span than even Mahomes himself.

4. Russell Wilson

Wilson has had to carry this team on his back, and he has borne his load quite well. The Seahawks are on their way to a Super Bowl push, and if Wilson has a strong finish I believe he could make it.

5. Ryan Tannehill

Tannehill’s so-called “Cinderella Run” in 2019 was not as much of a fluke as we were led to believe. Tannehill had 33 touchdowns, with only 7 interceptions and paired well with Derrick Henry as they worked to move the offense.

6. Lamar Jackson

Lamar has done less with his passing game than any other quarterback in the top 10, but his stellar running game more than makes up for it. Jackson has been crucial in leading the Ravens to a late playoff push.

7. Dak Prescott

Prescott was on pace to shatter the passing yards/passing touchdowns record, and if injuries had not cut his season short he definitely would have got there, and he probably would have been able to get the Cowboys a winning record.

8. Deshaun Watson

Stuck in an awful situation, Watson has done the best with it and had some amazing games. Taking away DeAndre Hopkins really hurt him during the season but I believe that his success is going to carry over and make him a top 3 quarterback if he is surrounded with real talent.

9. Ben Roethlisberger

Big Ben led an overrated Steelers team to an 11-0 start, only to fall to 12-4 and get exposed. Nonetheless, his strong start balances out what was nothing less than an awful finish.

10. Tom Brady 

Conversely from Big Ben featured above, Tom Brady had an extremely strong end to the season and looks en route to be a deadly force in the playoffs. If the Bucs make the Super Bowl it will put a clown suit on all the offseason doubters who called Brady old, and called the Bucs a fake.

11. Kyler Murray

Murray barely falls out of the top 10 on this list, but fear not. Murray had a very strong season, and there is no reason to think he should not be even better as he gets more comfortable in the Cardinals’ offense.

12. Joe Burrow

Burrow would definitely be my pick for rookie of the year if injuries had not marred his season. Burrow tried desperately to make a horrid Bengals roster watchable and competitive, and it bodes well for seasons to come.

13. Taysom Hill

Hill has proved that he is more than just a gadget man, and after a year and a half about being hesitant on whether Taysom can play, I am ready to see Taysom take more snaps at the helm, and I believe whichever team he is on should get ready for a great season.

14. Justin Herbert

Herbert is, and should be, the consensus pick for rookie of the year, but I worry a little on his ability to close out games. After all, turning into the next Matt Ryan may have its advantages, but I think Herbert would rather not blow a 25 point lead in a Super Bowl.

15. Blaine Gabbert

In the short time Gabbert was given, he played very well, throwing for two touchdowns and no picks in the second half of a week 16 game against the Detroit Lions.

16. Drew Brees

Drew Brees looked pretty washed up this year, but he still has rare moments where he looks like a top level quarterback. Unfortunately, pretty much all elite quarterbacks can throw for over thirty yards, putting Brees at a severe disadvantage. Cue Taysom.

17. Matt Ryan

Matt Ryan is done, I said it in the week 17 QB Index and I am going to reiterate here. He is done, the Matt Ryan experience was glorious but the ride is over. Ryan failed to move the offense, and in some cases was part of the reason why the Falcons were blowing games.

18. Jared Goff

I am not ready to call Goff part of the problem in LA because he is not yet, but I think if Goff fails to show noticeable improvement in the next few years the Rams should evaluate other options because I do not want to see him as the next Derek Carr.

19. Derek Carr

And speak of the devil. Carr is not a bad quarterback but nonetheless he is a progress stopper. With Carr as the quarterback, the Raiders do not have a realistic chance to make a Super Bowl push, no matter how strong the roster is.

20. Marcus Mariota

Mariota only saw one game, but in the game he played extremely well. Given his mediocre past I do not think the Raiders see him as a viable option, but at least we have established that he is an above average backup quarterback.

21. Philip Rivers

Philip Rivers is likely playing his final year in Indy, and it was a year with many stupid throws and head smacking interceptions, but his last year is a good wrap up for his career. For a quarterback with not much playoff experience, this will be fun for Rivers.

22. Matthew Stafford

Matt Stafford has had a tough career. I really feel for any quarterback that is stuck with a front office that simply cannot get out of its own way, but at least after what seemed like forever the Lions got rid of Matt Patricia, the worst head coach in the NFL. Maybe things will start to look up after this move and after a new hire is made.

23. Chad Henne

Henne did pretty OK in his only start, but he still fell to the Chargers, which brings Kansas City down to a measly 14-2. At least he will have a Super Bowl ring to enjoy later this year.

24. Baker Mayfield

Baker was the most up and down of any quarterback in the NFL, from dropping six points on the Ravens to giving us one of the most fun games of the year (also against the Ravens), the jury is still out on what kind of a quarterback Baker really is.

25. Nick Foles

Foles’ debut was pretty good, but if the fourth quarter comeback you pulled off was against the Falcons, I wouldn’t be so quick to pat yourself on the back. Foles regressed after that game and eventually was replaced by Trubisky.

26. Gardner Minshew

Remember when we were all excited in week one because Minshew had a nice game and the Jags were suddenly 1-0 in the AFC South? Yeah, that was cute.

27. John Wolford

A week ago I probably could have held up a sign in the road saying “100 dollars to anyone who can tell me who John Wolford is”, and I might not have gotten any takers, but the young quarterback did not tank in his week 17 start.

28. Kirk Cousins

For a while I was calling Cousins the worst quarterback of 2020, and while I would no longer go to that extreme I do think it is time to reevaluate that position in Minnesota. Cousins simply should not make the cut as a starter, he does not do enough.

29. Mitch Trubisky

Mitch looks like a scratch as far as where he was drafted, especially because they literally could have Deshaun Watson or Patrick Mahomes right now, both of whom are top 10 on this list.

30. Tua Tagovailoa

Tua had a couple strong moments, but mostly he just looked OK in his rookie year, but I don’t think that the Dolphins were expecting him to be transcendent this year. Tua is on pace to have a nice career, i’m excited to watch him.

31. Andy Dalton

Dalton did Dalton things and was relatively unimpressive in his time as backup in Dallas. I think he is worth keeping as a backup, but by no means should even a desperate team be considering him for a major role.

32. Teddy Bridgewater

Bridgewater was very much a game manager this year, while he did not do what could be considered massive wonders in the passing game, his team was not the worst in the NFL, and he was consistently a middle of the pack quarterback.

33. Cam Newton

This is giving Cam the benefit of the doubt, Cam had about two good games, and about ten absolutely wretched games. Cam has tanked his chances of ever being a starter again, and his abilities are severely limited.

34. Alex Smith

After suffering nearly life ending leg operations, Alex Smith has not only come back, but he has looked like the best of the four backup quarterbacks on Washington’s roster. Because of Smith doing Smith things, the Washington Football Team is set to compete in the playoffs at 7-9.

35. CJ Beathard

Beathard got coached up enough towards the end of the season to the point where he is actually not that bad. I would not put him above Garoppolo, but there is something to be said for Shanahan for making CJ Beathard as good as he was.

36. Jimmy Garoppolo

Garoppolo looks almost done, but I believe the boy who would be Brady deserves one final stand as San Fran’s starter next year, but if next year he has more injury concerns or looks bad, I think it is time to move on.

37. Mason Rudolph

Remember this guy? Rudolph started week 17 and is now the reason that the Browns can finally call themselves a playoff team once more. Rudolph is not Pittsburgh’s future, and I believe he should be ousted whenever possible.

38. Jalen Hurts

Hurts came in relief of a struggling Carson Wentz late in the season, and has so far looked pretty decent. He did get benched in a really weird move by Doug Pedersen in week 17, but he is the best of the Philly quarterbacks.

39. Ryan Fitzpatrick

Fitzmagic had fits and spurts where he was a good to average quarterback for Miami, which is what he is getting paid to do while Tua is being groomed for the starting job. Fitz will likely pick up a gig in some quarterback needy team as the staple until they find their future.

40. Joe Flacco

Flacco played in relief of Sam Darnold a few times, and while he could not get the Jets their first win, he did play marginally better than Darnold and should be rewarded for that. That being said, Flacco looks old and no longer an option for even a backup job.

41. Drew Lock

Lock has had some atrocious games in 2020, but I will not let the 2020 season dictate that he is never going to be an NFL starter. Lock just needs one more year with better coaching and weapons, and until I see him fail with those tools I refuse to write him off.

42. Brandon Allen

Allen came in relief as the main backup in the absence of Joe Burrow, and actually looked like one of the stronger backups that we have had the opportunity to view this season. Allen is by no means starter material, but he has gone off to somewhat of a good start to his career.

43. Daniel Jones

Daniel Jones gets rightfully slammed for the terrible beginning of his season, but towards the final stretch he really did show some great improvement. Once Jones has a fully healthy squad, he might be ready to put up some big games in this horrid NFC Least.

44. Carson Wentz

Wentz had a dramatic falloff in 2020 that will likely lead to him not being on the Eagles in 2021. I don’t know what team would want to take on his massive payload, especially given how poor he was this year, but there will likely be a desperate team that will take a flyer on Wentz and give him an opportunity.

45. Mike Glennon

At first, Glennon was taking over for the injured Gardner Minshew, but towards the end of the season he was replacing a struggling Gardner Minshew. Glennon was the captain of a ship that was sailing away on a 15 game skid, and did nothing to help revive this awful Jags team.

46. Chris Streveler

The former CFL star saw playing time in the Cardinals’ week 17 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, and threw a touchdown and a pick. There is a reason that Streveler was a star in the CFL, and not in the NFL.

47. Taylor Heinicke

Taylor Heinicke played in relief of Dwayne Haskins, a quarterback that got cut after two extremely lackluster years in Washington. Heinicke did no worse than was expected, and did not look like anything particularly special.

48. Nick Mullens

Mullens was the main quarterback on the 49ers quarterback carousel. When he was initially slotted in, he looked like he was not all that bad, and could be used to keep a 49ers team that was on life support in contention, but he fizzled out in the end, and was effectively replaced by CJ Beathard.

49. Garrett Gilbert

Garrett Gilbert was one of the FOUR quarterbacks that saw starting time in Dallas, and one of the three backups used in replacement of the injured Dak Prescott. Gilbert looked mediocre, leading the Cowboys to a loss against the then undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers.

50. Matt Barkley

Barkley has seen mostly garbage time moments so his play has been limited, but in the week 17 demolishing of the Miami Dolphins, Barkley kept the ship afloat with one touchdown and one pick.

51. Sam Darnold

Even though we have mostly ventured away from starter territory, there is still one starter left. Sam Darnold had one of the worst statistical seasons by any quarterback in a good while, throwing for 2,208 yards, 9 touchdowns, and 11 picks. Darnold will likely be gone by 2021, and the Jets are back at square one.

52. PJ Walker

PJ Walker was once a big deal in the XFL, and started one game in Teddy Bridgewater’s absence in which he looked pretty decent. Unfortunately, he also had a showing in which Bridgewater was benched, and then Walker proceeded to throw three picks with no touchdowns to complement them.

53. Kyle Allen

Actually the 53 spot is pretty unfair, Kyle Allen looked like the best quarterback in Washington’s massive rotation this year, but unfortunately  suffered an injury that sent him off to IR for the rest of the season.

54. Jake Luton

For a quarterback that was told he would be starting as a fourth round rookie, Luton did not look like a disaster for a week or so. Then he threw four picks in a game and we all knew it was time to turn to Mike Glennon.

55. Jeff Driskel

Let’s be honest, we know who Driskel is, and this year’s showing was no different. Driskel threw for 3 touchdowns, two picks, 432 yards, and a 52.9 completion percentage in the absence of Drew Lock. Unimpressive, just like Driskel himself.

56. Dwayne Haskins

Haskins has been so disappointing and immature that Washington literally could not even stand hanging on to him for another season, and released him towards the end of the year. A quick fall from grace for a quarterback who was a first round selection by Washington in 2018.

57. Jameis Winston

And speaking of first round quarterbacks that experienced a quick fall from grace, Jameis Winston saw only limited playing time in Drew Brees’s initial injury. The organization then had so little faith in his abilities that they decided they would rather start gadget man Taysom Hill than let Winston have the keys to the car.

58. Chase Daniel

If you are a team in need of a low level, uninspiring backup quarterback, then I’d say Chase Daniel is perfect for your team. Every time Daniel needed to step in, he looked absolutely terrible and uninspiring.

59. Brett Rypien

We now shift our attention to the third string quarterback of the struggling Denver Broncos, Brett Rypien who threw for two touchdowns, four interceptions, and 295 yards. It’s actually a better statline than I would expect, but it is disappointing nonetheless.

60. Tyrod Taylor

Tyrod Taylor would have seen more than one week of starts had it not been for the whole punctured lung fiasco. Taylor looked like nothing more than a simple game manager in his only game, and will probably be a poor man’s Ryan Fitzpatrick for the remainder of his career.

61. Colt McCoy

Colt McCoy was the backup quarterback for a very injured Giants team, and actually won a game in a pitiful situation. McCoy continues to show that he can be a trusted backup for at least one week of the regular season.

62. Trace McSorley

Hey look everyone, it’s that one meme quarterback. Yes Trace McSorley the MVP of MVP’s finally hit the field and yes, completed a touchdown pass. Granted, the receiver in question was wide open, and had a clear running lane, but who’s counting honestly.

63. Ryan Finley

Finley was the less inspiring of the two backup quarterbacks that the Bengals were forced to use in the absence of Joe Burrow, and given that we knew Finley was awful from last year, this came as no surprise.

64. Robert Griffin III

Remember when RG3 was considered like the best quarterback in the NFL for a year or so. I am seriously not making that up, he had one of the most incredible rookie seasons imaginable. His fall from grace was more rapid than pretty much any other quarterback, and know this is where we are with Griffin.

65. David Blough

Look Chase Daniel, when you are being replaced by David Blough for a few snaps you know things are probably pretty rough. The former undrafted rookie threw for 49 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception.

66. Nate Sudfeld

Sudfeld came in for the last half of the Eagles final game against the Washington Football Team, and fans watched as Sudfeld successfully destroyed their chance to win a final game and keep Washington out of the playoffs.

67. Brian Hoyer

True, the Patriots love Brian Hoyer, but I do not think it is for his playing ability because if it is that is a clear issue. At this point of his career, Hoyer is as uninspiring a quarterback as he has always been.

68. Jarrett Stidham

Stidham is definitely not the future option for New England, he was given multiple chances to prove he could be even an average quarterback, and it is telling that he was so bad that Belichick refused to put him in for Cam Newton.

69. Ben DiNucci

Ben DiNucci was not even a tire fire by any stretch, he just did absolutely nothing when he was in the starting role. The offense was completely stagnant when he was in charge, which came as no surprise.

70. Tyler Bray

Bray is testing the rule of my five attempt minimum to make into a QB Index. Bray completed 1/5 passes for 18 yards, no touchdowns, and no picks.

71. Joshua Dobbs

Dobbs is also a product of the five attempt rule, throwing for 4/5 pass attempts, and two yards passing. Let me reiterate. Four completions, two yards. Wow.

72. Kendall Hinton

Hinton is the only player on the QB rankings who is not considered a QB. In a fit of desperation, the Broncos needed a starter for a game in which all of their quarterbacks had COVID. They turned to Hinton, a WR on the practice squad who was a backup in college. Hinton was nothing short of terrible in the loss, which was not unexpected.