Top 10 Best Quarterbacks of the 2020 NFL Season

With the 2020 NFL season now in the books, we witnessed some truly standout quarterback performances. A few players operated at near-MVP levels, while others delivered consistent excellence, even if they didn't get as much spotlight.

From statistical juggernauts to clutch performers who elevated their teams week after week, the league's top signal-callers reminded us just how important elite quarterback play is in today's game.

So, who were the best of the best? This list ranks the top ten quarterbacks from the 2020 season based on performance, impact, and consistency.

The Top Ten

  1. Aaron Rodgers

    Aaron Charles Rodgers (born December 2, 1983) is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He signed a one‑year deal with Pittsburgh in March 2025 after being released by the New York Jets. Rodgers is a four‑time NFL MVP and Super Bowl XLV champion... read more

    After two down seasons by his standards, people began to wonder if Rodgers was finally on the decline. Perhaps the Packers thought so too with the drafting of Jordan Love. As it turns out, this was not the case. Far from it, actually. Rodgers put together not just one of the best seasons of his career but also in NFL history.

    He finished the season helping the Packers to a 13-3 record and the first seed in the NFC. He threw for 4,299 yards, led the league with 48 touchdown passes (surpassing his previous career high by three), and threw only five interceptions. He led the league with a 70.7% completion percentage and had the second-highest single-season passer rating in NFL history at 121.5, behind only his own NFL record of 122.5 set in 2011. He also rushed for three touchdowns. Rodgers had a historic season, and he is likely to receive his third MVP award for his performance.

  2. Patrick Mahomes

    Patrick Lavon Mahomes II (born September 17, 1995) is an American football player who is currently the quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He has led the team to multiple Super Bowl appearances, winning MVP honors for Super Bowl LIV and Super Bowl LVII. Mahomes is... read more

    For a while in the middle of the season, Mahomes was the MVP frontrunner. Now he finds himself about to face Tom Brady in the Super Bowl. The Chiefs are there because of another stellar season from the former MVP. He threw for 4,750 yards, 38 touchdowns, and six interceptions, all while not playing the regular season finale. He had a 108.2 passer rating as well, helping the Chiefs to a 14-2 record and a second consecutive Super Bowl berth. Could Mahomes be at the forefront of the NFL's next dynasty?

  3. Josh Allen

    Joshua Patrick Allen (born May 21, 1996) is an American football quarterback for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL).

    He played college football for the Wyoming Cowboys and was selected seventh overall by the Bills in the 2018 NFL Draft. ... read more

    Allen skyrocketed this season, having a career third year. He got some MVP buzz throughout the entire season. While Rodgers and Mahomes ended up over him, Allen still established himself as a potential future MVP and maybe even a Super Bowl champion and MVP. Making the Bills an AFC powerhouse, he threw for 4,544 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions for a 107.2 passer rating.

    He was also a force in the ground game, rushing for 421 yards and eight touchdowns. He was far better than he was in his first two seasons and looks to have a bright future in the league.

  4. Deshaun Watson

    We can speculate about his future with the Texans all we want, but it can't be overlooked how good he was on a 4-12 team. He led the league with 4,823 passing yards to go along with 33 touchdown passes and seven interceptions. It's a shame how things might end between him and the Texans, but he's one of the great young quarterbacks in the NFL.

  5. Russell Wilson

    Russell Carrington Wilson (born November 29, 1988) is an American football quarterback. He played for the Seattle Seahawks before being traded to the Denver Broncos in 2022. After two seasons in Denver, he signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers for 2024 and then joined the New York Giants for the 2025 season... read more

    Wilson started the season hot as the leading MVP candidate, driven by the narrative of how he had never received an MVP vote. This year looked to change that. But, like many of Wilson's seasons, he couldn't stay consistent. His middle stretch of the season was borderline bad as Seattle's offense got stale and their defense stepped up. He picked things up near the end of the season, but by then, multiple quarterbacks had already overtaken him in the MVP race.

    Nevertheless, it was one of his best seasons yet. He threw for 4,212 yards and 40 touchdowns and had a passer rating of 105.1. What sunk his MVP candidacy were his 13 interceptions and spotty play later in the season. If Wilson can put together a consistently elite season for a full 16 games, then maybe he will finally receive at least a single MVP vote.

  6. Tom Brady

    Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. is a retired American football quarterback who last played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the National Football League. Brady is known for being the only quarterback in history to win seven Super Bowls and is widely considered one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time... read more

    Why won't he age like every other old quarterback?! He's going to his 10th Super Bowl and he's showing no signs of slowing down. Why must he make all of us suffer? In terms of his regular season, it couldn't have gone much better in his first season with the Buccaneers, in which he threw for 4,633 yards, 40 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Keep in mind the man is 43 years old. How does he do it? When will he retire? If he wins his seventh Super Bowl, I won't even know what to say.

  7. Ryan Tannehill

    Ryan Timothy Tannehill III is an American football quarterback for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League. He was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft and played with them until 2018. Tannehill revitalized his career with the Titans, leading them to the... read more

    Tannehill continues his redemption chapter with the Titans. In his second season as their starter, he proved that he is a top-10 quarterback in the league. He threw for 3,819 yards, 33 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He was arguably better this season than in 2019. It's easy to see why the Titans paid him well.

  8. Kyler Murray

    Kyler Cole Murray is an American football quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He was selected first overall in the 2019 NFL Draft after a standout college career at the University of Oklahoma. Murray is also notable for being the first athlete selected in the first... read more

    Murray, similar to division rival Russell Wilson, had a hot start to the season but eventually cooled down. He finished the season with 3,971 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He ran for 819 yards and 11 touchdowns as well. His 2020 season will forever be known for his Hail Murray to win the game against the Bills. It was the best throw of his young career so far.

  9. Justin Herbert

    Justin Patrick Herbert (born March 10, 1998) is an American football quarterback for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL).

    He played college football for the Oregon Ducks, winning the 2019 Pac-12 Championship, and was selected by the Chargers as the sixth overall pick... read more

    The rookie phenom Herbert appears in the top 10 after a stellar showing with the Chargers. Did anyone expect him to throw for 4,336 yards and 31 touchdowns to 10 interceptions? Most rookies aren't this good to start off. The Chargers have found their future.

  10. Lamar Jackson

    Lamar Demeatrice Jackson Jr. (born January 7, 1997) is an American football quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL).

    He played college football for the Louisville Cardinals, winning the Heisman Trophy in 2016. Jackson was selected by the Ravens with the final... read more

    It was unrealistic to expect Jackson to replicate his 2019 MVP season. This season, Jackson had some struggles, especially throwing the ball. Still, Jackson carved out a second straight 1,000-yard rushing season, with 1,005 yards and seven touchdowns. He passed for 2,757 yards, which is nothing to write home about, and had 26 touchdowns to nine interceptions. Not on the level of his MVP season, but still a great season.

    11. The Newcomers
  11. ?

    Jalen Hurts

    Balled out. Came off the bench and beat the Saints.

  12. ?

    Cam Newton

    Cameron Jerrell Newton is an American football quarterback who most recently played for the Carolina Panthers in the NFL. He began his NFL career with the Panthers in 2011 and played with them until 2019, then joined the New England Patriots in 2020. In November 2021, Newton returned to the Panthers,... read more

    13. The Contenders

  13. Baker Mayfield

    Baker Reagan Mayfield is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He famously played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners, where he secured the Heisman Trophy during his senior year. The Cleveland Browns originally snagged him with the... read more

  14. Ben Roethlisberger

    Benjamin Todd Roethlisberger Sr., nicknamed Big Ben, is a former American professional football quarterback. He played his entire 18-season career for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League. Roethlisberger led the team to two Super Bowl victories and retired after the 2021 season.

  15. Philip Rivers

    Philip Michael Rivers is a former American football quarterback. He played for the San Diego and Los Angeles Chargers from 2004 to 2019, and for the Indianapolis Colts during the 2020 season... read more

  16. Derek Carr

    Derek Dallas Carr is a former NFL quarterback who played for the Oakland and Las Vegas Raiders and the New Orleans Saints. After being drafted in the second round in 2014, he earned four Pro Bowl selections and helped lead the Raiders to playoff appearances following the 2016 and 2021 seasons. Carr retired... read more

  17. Gardner Minshew

    Flint Gardner Minshew II is an American football quarterback who most recently played for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He gained attention in 2019 as a rookie for his distinctive mustache and charismatic personality. Minshew played college football at Washington State before... read more

  18. Sam Darnold

    Samuel Richard Darnold, born on June 5, 1997, is an American professional football quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Southern California and was selected third overall by the New York Jets in the 2018 NFL Draft. Darnold... read more

  19. Daniel Jones

  20. Carson Wentz

    Carson Wentz is an American football quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL. He played college football at North Dakota State University. In 2016, he was selected second overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL Draft, becoming the highest-drafted player from an FCS school.

  21. Jared Goff

    Jared Thomas Goff is an American football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of California, Berkeley, and was selected by the Los Angeles Rams with the first overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Following a stint in Los... read more

  22. Matthew Stafford

    John Matthew Stafford, born on February 7, 1988, is an American football quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League. He was selected as the first overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions, where he played for over a decade before being traded to the Rams in 2021... read more

  23. Matt Ryan

    Matthew Thomas Ryan (born May 17, 1985), nicknamed "Matty Ice," is an American former professional football quarterback. He played 15 seasons in the National Football League, primarily with the Atlanta Falcons and later with the Indianapolis Colts. Ryan won the NFL Most Valuable Player award in 2016... read more

  24. Ryan Fitzpatrick

    Ryan Joseph Fitzpatrick (born November 24, 1982) is an American former professional football quarterback who played 17 seasons in the National Football League. He started for a record nine different teams, including the St. Louis Rams, Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans,... read more

  25. Alex Smith

    Alexander Douglas Smith is a retired American football quarterback. He played for the San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Washington Football Team during his NFL career. Smith made a remarkable comeback after suffering a life-threatening leg injury in 2018 before retiring in 2021.

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