Complete List of Every Starting NFL Quarterback for 2026 Season, Updated Weekly

A look at all 32 starting quarterbacks in the NFL, updated as changes happen across the league.

Patrick Mahomes is recovering from season-ending ACL surgery. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Being a starting quarterback in the NFL is the most important position in sports. With the football in their hands on (almost) every offensive play, they shoulder an immense amount of responsibility and are expected to make the right decision every time—with the ultimate goal of leading their team to victory.

If quarterbacks fail to perform at a satisfactory level—whether that be due to poor play or an injury—they can easily be replaced, as evidenced by the 63(!) signal-callers who started a game across the regular season and playoffs in 2025.

Each week, 32 players in the NFL have the pleasure of being named their club’s starting quarterback. Here's a look at all of them.

This list will be updated throughout the 2026 season as benchings, injuries and more take place across the league. Backup quarterbacks will have an asterisk next to their name in each division's chart.

All 32 NFL starting quarterbacks: Week 4

AFC EAST

Josh Allen and Drake Maye are two of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Team	Starting quarterback
Buffalo Bills	Josh Allen
New England Patriots	Drake Maye
New York Jets	Geno Smith
Miami Dolphins	Malik Willis

Leading the charge in the AFC East are 2024 NFL MVP Josh Allen for the Bills and ’25 MVP runner-up Drake Maye for the Patriots. Elsewhere, Geno Smith returns to the team that drafted him in the Jets and Malik Willis will start under center for the Dolphins—who signed him to a three-year, $67.5 million contract this offseason.

AFC NORTH

Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow both dealt with injuries last season. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Team	Starting quarterback
Baltimore Ravens	Lamar Jackson
Cincinnati Bengals	Joe Burrow
Cleveland Browns	Deshaun Watson
Pittsburgh Steelers	Aaron Rodgers

Much to the dismay of Browns fans, Deshaun Watson was named Cleveland’s starting quarterback by coach Todd Monken to begin the 2026 season. The rest of the division, meanwhile, is running it back with veterans Joe Burrow (Bengals), Lamar Jackson (Ravens) and Aaron Rodgers (Steelers).

AFC SOUTH

Daniel Jones is coming off a torn Achilles tendon that ended his 2025 season. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Team	Starting quarterback
Houston Texans	C.J. Stroud
Indianapolis Colts	Daniel Jones
Jacksonville Jaguars	Trevor Lawrence
Tennessee Titans	Cam Ward

The four quarterbacks who started the 2025 season in the AFC South will do the same in ’26. Among them are Cam Ward, entering his second season with the Titans, and Daniel Jones, returning to the Colts after an Achilles tendon tear prematurely ended his breakout first campaign in Indianapolis.

AFC WEST

Bo Nix is entering his third season as the Broncos starting quarterback. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Team	Starting quarterback
Denver Broncos	Bo Nix
Kansas City Chiefs	Patrick Mahomes
Las Vegas Raiders	Kirk Cousins
Los Angeles Chargers	Justin Herbert

While Bo Nix, Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes are the returning starters for the Broncos, Chargers and Chiefs, respectively, the Raiders are going in a different direction this season. Despite drafting Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL draft, Las Vegas named veteran Kirk Cousins as their starter to begin the campaign.

NFC EAST

Jayden Daniels missed 10 games last season. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Team	Starting quarterback
Dallas Cowboys	Dak Prescott
New York Giants	Jameis Winston*
Philadelphia Eagles	Jalen Hurts
Washington Commanders	Jayden Daniels

Dak Prescott, Jalen Hurts and Jayden Daniels all return as starting quarterbacks in the NFC East. Second-year pro Jaxson Dart unfortunately suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2, which has thrust backup Jameis Winston into the team’s starting role.

NFC NORTH

Caleb Williams and Jared Goff were both No. 1 draft picks. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Team	Starting quarterback
Chicago Bears	Tyson Bagent*
Detroit Lions	Jared Goff
Green Bay Packers	Jordan Love
Minnesota Vikings	Kyler Murray

The NFC North officially has three former No. 1 picks starting at quarterback after the Vikings tabbed Kyler Murray as their guy this summer. The others are Caleb Williams (Bears) and Jared Goff (Lions). Jordan Love, a former first-round pick himself, is back for his fourth season as the Packers’ franchise signal-caller. As Williams deals with a hamstring injury, however, backup Tyson Bagent has taken the reins—though Chicago started 38-year-old Case Keenum in Week 3 against the Eagles, and he was able to pull off a win.

NFC SOUTH

Michael Penix Jr. is back in the lineup for the Falcons. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Team	Starting quarterback
Atlanta Falcons	Michael Penix Jr.
Carolina Panthers	Bryce Young
New Orleans Saints	Tyler Shough
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Jalon Daniels*

Bryce Young (Panthers), Tyler Shough (Saints) and Baker Mayfield (Buccaneers) all remain at the helm of their team’s offenses for 2026. The Falcons, meanwhile, are moving forward with Michael Penix Jr. now that he’s back healthy after last season’s knee injury. Tampa Bay will start rookie UDFA Jalon Daniels under center in Week 4, after Baker Mayfield dislocated his right thumb last Sunday.

NFC WEST

Matthew Stafford is entering his sixth season as the Rams' starting quarterback. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Team	Starting quarterback
Arizona Cardinals	Jacoby Brissett
Los Angeles Rams	Matthew Stafford
San Francisco 49ers	Brock Purdy
Seattle Seahawks	Sam Darnold

The starting quarterbacks in the loaded NFC West division include the reigning NFL MVP in Matthew Stafford and a reigning Super Bowl champion in Sam Darnold. The 49ers will again roll with Brock Purdy under center, while Jacoby Brissett will start for the Cardinals after inking a new deal with the club earlier this summer.

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