NFL Quarterback Tiers 2024: Only 2 join Mahomes in Tier 1; Rodgers, Herbert drop out
Mike Sando
Aug 26, 2024
The top tier is always exclusive territory when 50 NFL coaches and executives have their say in Quarterback Tiers each summer.
That exclusivity has reached another level this year.
Led by the incomparable Patrick Mahomes, only three players achieved Tier 1 status when balloting for the 11th annual survey was finished. That’s the lowest number since 2016, but with a crop of younger players rising, there’s a potentially bright future for the elite ranks.
The Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson reached new heights. The Green Bay Packers’ Jordan Love and the San Francisco 49ers’ Brock Purdy made massive jumps. The Houston Texans’ C.J. Stroud set a new standard for a second-year QB. You can see the largest risers and fallers in the graphic below.
(Jordan Love: +13, Matt Stafford: +6, Lamar Jackson: +4, Dak Prescott: +1, Justin Fields: -2, Kyler Murray: -3, Jalen Hurts: -4, Russell Wilson: -5, Trevor Lawrence: -7)
The 2024 QB Tiers results are here, complete with commentary from the 50 NFL coaches and executives who were granted anonymity to share candid evaluations. The panel consisted of seven general managers, eight head coaches, 12 coordinators, 12 executives, eight assistant coaches and three involved in coaching/analytics.
Each voter placed 30 veteran quarterbacks into five tiers, from best (Tier 1) to worst (Tier 5). Quarterbacks were then ranked by average vote and placed into tiers based on vote distribution, beginning with Mahomes, whose 1.00 average vote reflected his status as the only unanimous Tier 1 selection. No QBs landed in Tier 5, although some received Tier 5 votes. The survey excludes rookies because voters have not seen them play in the NFL.
QB Tiers ranges (Tier 1: 1.0-1.5 Avg, Tier 2: 1.5-2.5 Avg, Tier 3: 2.5-3.5 Avg, Tier 4: 3.5-4.5 Avg, Tier 5: 4.5+ Avg)
QB tier ranks, tier 1 to tier 5 with their avg ranges for each tier.
Tier 1
A Tier 1 quarterback can carry his team each week. The team wins because of him. He expertly handles pure-passing situations. He has no real holes in his game.
1 Patrick Mahomes, Voting Avg 1, Retained tier
2 Joe Burrow, Voting Avg 1.1 (+0.1), Retained tier
3 Josh Allen, Voting Avg 1.2 (+0.1), Retained tier
Tier 2
A Tier 2 quarterback can carry his team sometimes but not as consistently. He can handle pure-passing situations in doses and/or possesses other dimensions that are special enough to elevate him above Tier 3. He has a hole or two in his game.
4 Lamar Jackson, Voting Avg 1.6 (-0.4), Retained tier
T5 Matt Stafford, Voting Avg 1.6 (-0.7), Retained tier
T5 Justin Herbert, Voting Avg 1.6 (+0.2), Dropped 1 Tier
7 Aaron Rodgers, Voting Avg 1.8 (+0.4), Dropped 1 Tier
8 C.J. Stroud, Voting Avg 1.8, New to Tiers
9 Dak Prescott, Voting Avg 2.1 (-0.1), Retained tier
10 Jared Goff, Voting Avg 2.2 (-0.5), Jumped 1 Tier
11 Jalen Hurts, Voting Avg 2.3 (+0.5), Retained tier
12 Brock Purdy, Voting Avg 2.3 (-1.2), Jumped 2 Tiers
13 Kirk Cousins, Voting Avg 2.4 (-0.1), Retained tier
14 Jordan Love, Voting Avg 2.5 (-1.5), Jumped 2 Tiers
Tier 3
A Tier 3 quarterback is a legitimate starter but needs a heavier running game and/or defensive component to win. A lower-volume dropback passing offense suits him best.
15 Tua Tagovailoa, Voting Avg 2.5 (-0.4), Retained tier
16 Trevor Lawrence, Voting Avg 2.6 (+0.4), Dropped 1 Tier
17 Kyler Murray, Voting Avg 2.7 (+0.1), Retained tier
18 Deshaun Watson, Voting Avg 2.8 (+0.4), Dropped 1 Tier
19 Baker Mayfield, Voting Avg 2.8 (-1.2), Jumped 1 Tier
T20 Derek Carr, Voting Avg 3 (+0.4), Retained tier
T20 Geno Smith, Voting Avg 3, Retained tier
22 Russell Wilson, Voting Avg 3.2 (+0.4), Retained tier
Tier 4
A Tier 4 quarterback could be an unproven player (not enough information for voters to classify) or a veteran who ideally would not start all 17 games.
23 Daniel Jones, Voting Avg 3.6 (+0.6), Dropped 1 Tier
24 Justin Fields, Voting Avg 3.6 (+0.5), Dropped 1 Tier
25 Gardner Minshew, Voting Avg 3.8 (-0.7), Retained tier
T26 Anthony Richardson, Voting Avg 3.8, New to Tiers
T26 Will Levis, Voting Avg 3.8, New to Tiers
28 Bryce Young, Voting Avg 3.8, New to Tiers
29 Sam Darnold, Voting Avg 4, Not in 2023 tiers
30 Jacoby Brissett, Voting Avg 4), Not in 2023 tiers