Now that the football calendar is done with regular season NFL quarterback rankings, it’s time to focus on the select few who have played well enough to advance to the next stage. While Joe Burrow won’t get to join them, the remaining athletes are some of the very best quarterbacks in the NFL. But who’s the best? Scroll through the 2025 NFL Playoffs QB Rankings to find out.
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14. Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers
There are only three quarterbacks with Super Bowl rings in the 2025 NFL Playoffs. Russell Wilson isn’t the oldest, but he’s the furthest removed from winning the Lombardi Trophy. His leadership ability can lead to magic on any given Sunday, but when it comes to consistency, he’s among the worst in our 2025 NFL Playoffs QB Rankings.
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13. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
Bo Nix has played better than several players ahead of him this year. But he’s also a rookie who’s never faced expectations this high. Yet, this is far from Sean Payton’s first rodeo. We expect his coach to continue placing Nix in advantageous situations, helping him protect the ball. But when Nix needs to pick up large chunks of yards with the game on the line, we’d rather trust several others on this list first.
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12. CJ Stroud, Houston Texans
Last year, CJ Stroud would have entered as a top-five quarterback on this list. But the Texans QB regressed in his second season as his offensive line fell apart and his receiving corps couldn’t stay healthy. We’ve seen Stroud play at an elite level before, so maybe he can elevate his play when the playoffs kick off too.
11. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
There are times when Jordan Love flashes signs of being one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks, it’s why he’s the highest-paid QB in the league. But he’s also been known to hit rough patches, only to bounce back and execute with the game on the line. Not having Christian Watson will hurt, especially since his receivers have the highest drop rate of all other playoff teams (8.2 percent). Goff’s pass-catchers have dropped five passes, compared to Love’s dropping 24.
10. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
The oldest quarterback in the NFL Playoffs, Matthew Stafford still hasn’t lost his fastball. Rams coach Sean McVay likes to dial up quick passes that get the ball out of his veteran QB’s hands quickly, which can often make this offense feel unstoppable. Yet, he also has the second-lowest adjusted completion rate among QBs still playing, meaning he’ll make some mistakes too.
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9. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
From a dual-threat standpoint, few are better than Jalen Hurts. Get him near the goal line, and there’s no stopping this rushing attack. He has the NFL’s highest adjusted completion rate, at an incredible 80.1 percent. When he’s on, Hurts is hard to stop, but there are often times when he’s really off too. Coach Nick Sirianni will have to find a way to make sure his quarterback is in sync with A.J. Brown, while empowering Saquon Barkley too. If so, watch out.
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8. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert had the fewest interceptions in the NFL. Jim Harbaugh has his gunslinging quarterback on a turnover-free diet and it’s working to the Chargers’ advantage. Will he bring the shackles off in the NFL Playoffs? It could all depend on the game script, and which team has the momentum.
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7. Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings
Few teams have as many weapons at their disposal as the Minnesota Vikings do. It’s led to what’s easily been the best season of Sam Darnold’s career. But he’ll give defenses opportunities to eat too, like by having the highest-turnover-worthy throw percentage of QBs in the NFL Playoffs (3.6 percent). He also sits in the pocket for an average of 3.08 seconds, waiting for the perfect play to develop. It’s the third-longest time to throw in the NFL, but unlike Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts, Darnold doesn’t quite have the same athleticism that allows him to dodge defenders with ease.
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6. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This one doesn’t need any motivation. The former No. 1 overall pick was labeled as a bust as he bounced from team to team before becoming a Pro Bowl solution for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Always playing with a chip on his shoulder, Baker Mayfield has the potential to have a big day every time he takes the field, but his risk it for the biscuit mentality can be dangerous too, which is just the way he likes it.
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5. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Jared Goff’s 72.4 percent completion rate ranked second-best in the NFL. At times it felt like he was unstoppable, leading the NFL’s highest-scoring offense. It helps that his receivers dropped the fewest passes in the league (five), but that also shows just how ‘catchable’ Goff’s passes are. The former No. 1 overall pick is easily playing the best ball of his career.
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4. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
It feels criminal to have a rookie ranked so high, and it would be fair to bump him down a few slots based on the elevated pressure alone. But Jayden Daniels isn’t like most rookies, and he doesn’t have to do it all with his arm. We don’t expect him to suddenly make the same mistakes commonly seen from first-year players, relying on his otherworldly athleticism to make plays when the Commanders need them most.
3. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Based on playoff accomplishments alone, Patrick Mahomes should be No. 1 on this list. But we can’t hide the fact that he hasn’t been among the most elite quarterbacks this season, whereas Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen have. Still, we wouldn’t ever doubt Mahomes when this time of the year arrives. Expect him to be at his best in every elimination game he plays.
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2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Just when it looked like Josh Allen would win the first NFL MVP award of his career, Lamar Jackson comes out of seemingly nowhere to snag the crown again. This could make the Bills QB more motivated than ever to focus on the bigger goal, becoming the first of the two to win a Super Bowl ring. To do so, he’ll have to avoid reverting to his own turnover-prone ways while making the smart play time and time again, but we know he’s capable from seeing it all season.
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1. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
With Lamar Jackson playing out of his mind, it’s hard to imagine the Baltimore Ravens being an early out this time around. The NFL’s best rushing quarterback has also developed into what may be the NFL’s best passing quarterback too, and that should have every opponent worried about their chances to advance.
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