Where Does 49ers' Brock Purdy Rank Among NFL's Top QBs Ahead of Super Bowl LVIII?
Super Bowl LVIII is set to feature one of the most intriguing quarterback matchups in recent memory. Kansas City Chiefs signal-caller Patrick Mahomes is a transcendent star and on his way to challenging Tom Brady as the best ever. Brock Purdy of the San Francisco 49ers is the 2022 Mr. Irrelevant and is battling just to be taken seriously.
Detractors will argue that Purdy is a game manager who simply takes advantage of Kyle Shanahan's offense and San Francisco's stellar collection of skill players. Of course, that is the job of a quarterback, and Purdy doesn't take offense to the "game manager" label.
"So, if you're saying that I'm a game manager and I don't look flashy in how I do it, I mean, that's your opinion, and that's OK," Purdy told reporters Tuesday.
Purdy is right. There isn't a singular style of quarterback play that works in the NFL, and his certainly does. In sports, though, we love labels and we love rankings even more. So, ahead of Super Bowl LVIII, we're here to pinpoint where Purdy ranks among the league's best quarterbacks based on past results, overall body of work, 2023 performance and upside.
Honorable Mentions
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Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
Some Miami Dolphins fans may take issue with Tua Tagovailoa falling just outside of the top 10. He was a Pro Bowler in 2023 and led the NFL with 4,624 passing yards. However, Tagovailoa has yet to win a playoff game, and his 2023 campaign marked his first as an every-game starter.
Injuries, notably a series of concussions, limited Tagovailoa to 13 games in 2022. Before that, he struggled to stay in the starting lineup. His career didn't take off until Miami paired Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle at receiver, and without the duo fully healthy, Tagovailoa underwhelmed while dropping his final three games of 2023 (including playoffs).
If Purdy is going to be knocked for having a strong supporting cast, Tagovailoa must be as well. The difference is that Purdy has shown he can win in the postseason.
Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert appeared to be barreling toward elite status before the 2023 season. He was the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2020, a Pro Bowler in 2021 and a playoff starter in 2022.
However, Herbert seemed to take a step back in 2023. He completed a career-low 65.1 percent of his passes and went 5-8 as a starter before suffering a season-ending finger injury.
Granted, the team around him wasn't great—losing wideout Mike Williams to a torn ACL certainly didn't help—but Herbert played more like an average quarterback than the ascending talent he appeared to be in his first three seasons.
If new head coach Jim Harbaugh gets Herbert and the Chargers back on track in 2024, though, the 25-year-old Herbert has a good chance of cracking the top 10 once again.
Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Like Herbert, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence appeared to be on a soon-to-be-great trajectory in 2022. He saw a massive jump in efficiency—his QB rating spiked from 71.9 to 95.2—he made the Pro Bowl, and he helped lead Jacksonville to a division title.
Lawrence even helped lead the Jaguars to an epic comeback win over the Chargers in the 2022-23 playoffs.
This past season, though, Lawrence regressed. He tossed 14 interceptions in 16 games and failed to lead Jacksonville to a second consecutive playoff berth after an 8-3 record in late November made one seem inevitable. Lawrence has all the physical tools needed to be truly elite, but he needs to bounce back in a big way in 2024.
Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Like Lawrence and Herbert, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts would have been an easy top-10 choice a year ago. An incredibly talented dual-threat signal-caller, Hurts had a superb breakthrough campaign in 2022.
Hurts finished that season with 3,701 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, only six interceptions, 716 rushing yards, 13 rushing scores and led the Eagles to the Super Bowl.
Though again a Pro Bowler in 2023, Hurts took a significant step back. He committed 20 turnovers in the regular season, saw his passer rating drop to 89.1 and lost six of his final seven games, including the playoffs.
To be fair, the Eagles, as a team, struggled down the stretch. However, Hurts has a career 91.1 QB rating, is 2-3 in the playoffs and needs a bounce-back season in 2024 to reestablish himself as a top-10 quarterback.
10. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
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One might argue that Houston Texans rookie C.J. Stroud is too inexperienced to already be a top-10 quarterback. However, he had arguably the greatest rookie campaign by a quarterback of the modern era, passing for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns and just five interceptions.
Stroud also led the Texans to an AFC South title and into the divisional round of the playoffs. Unlike two of our honorable mentions, Stroud has delivered a playoff win—and he looked very impressive while gashing a very good Cleveland Browns defense.
Against the Browns, who ranked first in passing and total yards allowed during the regular season, Stroud was 16-of-21 for 274 yards, three touchdowns and a 157.2 QB rating.
That playoff performance was a showcase of the rookie's best traits. He's extremely accurate, recognizes coverages pre-snap, knows where to go with the ball, throws receivers open and has enough functional mobility to keep plays alive.
Stroud is already one of the most impressive deep-ball throwers in the NFL, and he's a complete signal-caller who should continue moving up the QB ranks as he gains NFL experience.
9. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
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Jordan Love was in his first season as a full-time starter in 2023. While he had his fair share of ups and downs early, he certainly looked like a worthy successor to former Green Bay Packers star Aaron Rodgers by season's end.
Over the last eight games of the regular season, Love threw for 2,147 yards with 18 touchdowns and just one interception. He sparked Green Bay to a playoff berth and then played superbly (272 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs) in an upset win over the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card Round.
Love flashed his mobility, scrambling ability and remarkable arm talent early in the season, but he really locked in as a field commander over the back half of the season. The 25-year-old has an enviable combination of physical upside, field vision and "it" factor—and he's just getting started.
"If there's a guy that I'm putting money on for like early MVP next year he's the guy. That's the guy," ESPN NFL analyst Damien Woody said on Get Up (h/t Christopher Kuhagen of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel).
The only real knock on Love right now is that he's made just 20 career starts (including playoffs) and has yet to be great for more than half a season.
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8. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
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Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is sort of the new Joe Flacco. He's very good—he led the NFL with 36 touchdown passes and finished third in passing yards (4,516)—but the debate rages on whether he's truly elite.
He isn't. At least not yet. Prescott has all the tools—accuracy, arm strength and pocket mobility—and he's frequently been great in the regular season, especially at home. However, Prescott has struggled against top-tier teams and in the playoffs.
"His performance in the postseason can't be dismissed from the discussion," David Moore of the Dallas Morning News wrote.
As Moore pointed out, Prescott has as many playoff wins (two) in the past eight years as Baker Mayfield and Ben Roethlisberger—who retired after the 2021 season. The 30-year-old is 2-5 in the postseason and has never taken Dallas past the divisional round.
There's nothing wrong with being a very good, top-10 quarterback, but Prescott has to show he can perform in the postseason to be considered a top-five signal-caller.
He's better than what the majority of NFL teams have under center—and the Cowboys should feel fortunate to have found him in the fourth round—but every quarterback ranked above him on this list has at least advanced to a conference title game.
7. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
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Purdy might not have the raw athletic tools of a quarterback like Love, Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen. He does benefit from having targets like Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk and Christian McCaffrey.
However, dismissing Purdy because of his place setting would be foolish. The second-year signal-caller brings plenty to the table himself.
"I think the quarterbacks understand that when you say 'game manager,' then you fail to appreciate the 3rd-and-12 throw that he converted between two defenders for a first down that allowed Christian McCaffrey then to score from the 5-yard line," Hall of Famer Troy Aikman told The Dan Patrick Show (beginning at the 11:56 mark). "Those are the things that tend to get lost."
Purdy sees the field well, puts the ball where it needs to be, can scramble (48 yards in the NFC title game) and has shown that he can make the clutch throws when needed. He helped lead San Francisco to comeback wins over the Packers and Detroit Lions in the playoffs, and he has yet to show that a moment is too big for him.
The reality is that Purdy is only in his second season, and he's started two NFC Championship Games. Yes, he has a great team and system around him, but Purdy didn't lead the NFL in both yards per attempt (9.6) and passer rating (113.0) by sheer luck.
Purdy is a top-10 quarterback, and the 2022 draft afterthought is steadily pushing his way into the top-five conversation.
6. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
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Lions quarterback Jared Goff isn't too dissimilar to Purdy as a passer. He won't wow anyone with athleticism, raw arm strength or rushing ability. However, he's accurate, puts the ball exactly where it needs to be and will make the occasional wow throw.
Like Purdy, Goff has recently benefited from a standout skill group, highlighted by Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, Josh Reynolds and Jahmyr Gibbs. However, he has the skills and the savvy needed to take full advantage.
Just check out this touchdown pass, during which Goff immediately identifies an open Reynolds, layers the ball over multiple defenders and delivers a catchable ball at the back of the end zone. Goff makes it look easy, but it's a play that many middling quarterbacks would fail to make.
Goff gets the slightest of edges over Purdy here because of his experience and body of work. He's a three-time Pro Bowler who has taken both the Lions and the Los Angeles Rams to the NFC title game. He's played in a Super Bowl, and while he wasn't a Pro Bowler in 2023, he was again fantastic.
The 29-year-old finished second behind only Tagovailoa in passing yards (4,575), fourth in touchdown passes (30) and seventh in yards per attempt (7.7).
5. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
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Let's be honest. Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow did not have a good 2023 campaign. He was hampered by a calf injury early, suffered a season-ending wrist injury late and looked like a merely average signal-caller for much of the time in between.
Cincinnati going 4-3 with backup Jake Browning and 5-5 with Burrow says a lot about how Burrow's season went. If this list was based solely on the 2023 season, the 2020 first overall pick wouldn't crack the top 10.
However, Burrow has shown in the past that he's one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. He can see the field and dissect defenses as well as anyone, and he has more than enough functional mobility and arm talent to go play-for-play with the likes of Jackson and Mahomes.
In fact, Burrow owns a 3-1 record against Mahomes in head-to-head matchups.
Though he does have a tendency to take too many sacks (148 in 52 regular-season games), Burrow rarely caves to the pressure of pressure moments.
"Whether you're pressuring him, whether he's ahead or behind, he stays level all the time," one AFC executive told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler last July.
In four seasons with Burrow as the starter, the Bengals have been to two AFC title games and one Super Bowl. Burrow has finished the other two years on injured reserve. Even with a disastrous 2023 campaign considered, Burrow is a top-five quarterback. He should be back in the top three if he can stay healthy in 2024.
4. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
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It's close between Burrow and Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. However, Stafford has a Super Bowl win on his resume—coincidentally, over the Bengals—and a Hall of Fame resume.
Over 15 seasons with the Lions and Rams, Stafford has thrown for 56,047 yards and 357 touchdowns. His ability to make jaw-dropping, off-platform throws with pinpoint accuracy made Stafford a football unicorn long before Mahomes and Allen took over.
"Everybody talks about the sidearm throws and the no-look passes—I mean that's from watching guys like Matthew Stafford play that I've been able to do it," Mahomes said, per Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times.
What's impressive is that Stafford was still doing it at age 35 in 2023. He helped make the Rams a surprise playoff team while throwing for 3,965 yards and 24 touchdowns.
Stafford also helped rookie wideout Puka Nacua set a new NFL rookie record with 1,486 receiving yards. Yes, Stafford benefited from having Nacua and Cooper Kupp as primary targets, but it's fair to believe that those two wouldn't be as prolific as they are without Stafford under center.
While Stafford may be among the NFL's elder statesmen, he's still capable of making throws that few quarterbacks in the NFL would even attempt.
3. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
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In many ways, Allen is the polar opposite of quarterbacks like Purdy and Goff. While the Buffalo Bills do have a few standout players in James Cook, Dalton Kincaid and Stefon Diggs, Allen has frequently been tasked with carrying the offense.
Between his elite arm strength, premier rushing ability and wow-worthy deep-ball accuracy, Allen can do it all as a quarterback. No one will ever argue that the 27-year-old is a product of the system or supporting cast.
At times, Allen has tried to do too much, which led to turnovers (including 18 interceptions) and the firing of offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey in 2023. When Allen is at his best, though, he's one of the most indefensible offensive playmakers in the league.
We saw that in the postseason. Allen threw for 389 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for 146 yards and three scores in playoff games against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chiefs. He gave Kansas City everything it could handle in the divisional round, and if not for a key drop by Diggs and a missed kick by Tyler Bass, Buffalo might be preparing for the Super Bowl instead of Kansas City.
The two-time Pro Bowler has a solid 5-5 postseason record, and while he has yet to appear in a Super Bowl, an appearance in the Big Game feels inevitable—if Buffalo manages to give Allen a true top-tier supporting cast.
2. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
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If there's a quarterback who is more physically unstoppable than Allen, it's Baltimore Ravens signal-caller Lamar Jackson. While Jackson isn't as physical of a runner as Allen, he's faster. While he doesn't get as much attention for his downfield passing ability, Jackson is perfectly capable of generating huge plays with his arm.
Jackson showcased just how dangerous he can be throughout the 2023 season. He was once again dangerous on the run (821 rushing yards, 5 TDs), but he was also elite as a passer.
Thanks to a new passing offense orchestrated by coordinator Todd Monken—plus new pass-catchers like Zay Flowers, Nelson Agholor and Odell Beckham Jr.—Jackson threw for a career-high 3,678 yards and ranked fourth in the NFL with a 102.7 passer rating.
The 27-year-old also won the second regular-season MVP of his six-year playing career.
The one knock on Jackson is that he hasn't found postseason success—he has a 2-4 record. He didn't have a great game against the Chiefs in the AFC title game, but the Ravens didn't have a great game plan either—running it a mere 16 times with Jackson logging half of those was not the right way to attack a Chiefs defense ranked 24th in yards per carry allowed.
Outside of perhaps Mahomes, though, no quarterback is capable of carrying his offense the way Jackson does. He's a (likely) two-time MVP for a reason. Jackson is usually the best player at any position on the field. He proved that in 2023 with head-to-head wins over Stafford, Burrow, Goff, Purdy, Stroud, Tagovailoa, Herbert and Lawrence.
1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
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The No. 1 spot really isn't up for debate. In six seasons as Kansas City's full-time starter, Mahomes has thrown for more than 28,000 yards, reached six AFC title games, won two Super Bowls, made six Pro Bowl teams, been named regular-season MVP twice and been named Super Bowl MVP twice.
Sunday will mark the fourth Super Bowl appearance of Mahomes' career.
What's truly impressive about Mahomes is that he's constantly evolving and adapting. His remarkable skill set was on full display early in his career—he can scramble, throw off-platform and make every pass in the book—but he's continued thriving despite a revolving supporting cast.
Outside of Travis Kelce and rookie wideout Rashee Rice, Mahomes didn't have any truly reliable targets in 2023. Yet Kansas City is back in the big one thanks to a top-tier defense and the talent and experience of Mahomes.
Mahomes is still among the league's most physically impressive passers, and he's just now entering his prime as a seasoned signal-caller.
"This version of where he's at in his career now, to me, is the most impressive," former NFL quarterback Brady Quinn told The Dan Patrick Show (beginning at the 2:35 mark). "... Because now ... he's not trying to necessarily always create the big play. He's making the high-football I.Q., the smart play, the play that ultimately wins you the game."
Mahomes is still five rings away from catching Brady as the best of all time, but he's the best in the NFL today.
This doesn't mean that Purdy can't come out on top this Sunday. However, it will make Purdy's unexpected ascent to stardom all the more remarkable if he does.
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