Joe Burrow expressed extreme confidence in the Cincinnati Bengals' roster this offseason, predicting a Super Bowl win. The Bengals have made significant moves, including free agent additions like Bryan Cook and Boye Mafe, and a blockbuster trade for Dexter Lawrence. Burrow, a veteran of Super Bowl and AFC Championship games, believes this is the most talented roster he's played on and is targeting a championship
Bo Nix has led the Denver Broncos to the playoffs in both of his NFL seasons so far, but he still has plenty of room to grow to be counted by all as one of the elite QBs in the NFL. All but irrational Patriot fans, agree the Matthew Stafford was the best QB in the NFL in 2025. I discussed this earlier this month . So let’s look at a few areas where Nix can improve in 2025. According to Sumersports.com Nix had 478 pure dropbacks and 186 play-action passes – 28% playaction. This does not factor in the five RPOs as Nix had 669 dropbacks in 2025 and 478 + 186 is 664. 669 was most in the NFL. Dak Prescott was second with 657. One obvious way that Nix can “improve” is for the Broncos to have a better running game. A run game that the opposing defense fears makes play action so much more effective. For those who don’t know, EPA is expected points added which looks at how yards gained or lost on a play affected the historical chance of scoring points on a drive. EPA in the NFL stands for Expected Points Added . It is an advanced football statistic that measures the net point value gained or lost on a single play based on the game’s current situation. Playaction Plays 2025 The QBs whose offense used playaction the most in 2025 were Stafford and Daniel Jones . They were the only two above 36%. Compare that to Joe Burrow whose offense only used playaction 17.6% of the time (see below). The Ravens had one of the best run games in the NFL in 2025 and that helped Lamar Jackson get the best EPA/play on playaction passes – 0.55. Lamar had an astounding 79% completion rate on playaction passes. Bo Nix had an EPA/play on playaction of 0.07 which was 19th of 24 qualifiers. I’m guessing that much of Bo’s lack of success was do to the defense not respecting the run game. Although J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey both faced a high percentage of stacked boxes, so maybe Bo was just not very good (yet) at playaction throws. The rushing data below is from NFL Next Gen Stats. Stacked boxes (8+ defenders) are a show of respect for the RB and disrespect for the QB. Notice that Javonte Williams did not face many stacked boxes and this contributed to his increased success in Dallas last season. Another area where Nix can improve is his confidence on throwing into tight windows. NGS has a measure for this and they call it aggressiveness: Aggressiveness tracks the amount of passing attempts a quarterback makes that are into tight coverage, where there is a defender within 1 yard or less of the receiver at the time of completion or incompletion. AGG is shown as a % of attempts into tight windows over all passing attempts. Caleb Williams and Bo were the two “least aggressive” volume passers in 2025. This could be a result of their unwillingness to make mistakes by throwing into tight coverage, but it could also be a function of their lack of trust in their receivers being able to win on contested throws. Among full-time starting QBs, the most aggressive QBs were Dak Prescott, Matthew Stafford and Baker Mayfield . All three are established starters with no worry of getting benched for making a mistake. That being said Drake Maye was sixth in aggressiveness with two journeyman QBs with nothing to lose leading the pack ( Davis Mills and Marcus Mariota ). Follow the link to Twixter for the full table. Both of those guys threw plenty of YOLO balls in 2025 with many or Mariota’s coming against the Broncos. Among full-time starters, the range between the most and least aggressive was 9.1% absolute. That means that the least aggressive QB made one of these throws on 1 in 10, where the most aggressive made 1 in 5. Another area where Bo can improve is intermediate depth throws (target is 10 to 19 yards from LOS). According to SISdatahub.com, Bo was 24th of 29 qualifiers on intermediate throws with an IQR (their proprietary passer rating) of 66. IQR: Sports Info Solutions’ proprietary quarterback metric builds on the traditional Passer Rating formula by considering t
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Bengals QB Joe Burrow is close to Andy Dalton's franchise touchdown record and aims to break it this season, which could also boost his MVP aspirations
The Cincinnati Bengals’ 2026 schedule has been revealed, and there’s a small quirk that two of the team’s most important players think can be a hidden advantage. While the Bengals do have their fair share of Primetime games, including one in Spain against the Falcons, they start the season with seven consecutive Sunday 1 PM games. Both Joe Burrow and Orlando Brown Jr. think this can be advantageous. “That’s good,” Burrow told Geoff Hobson . “When we go on the road, we get back home early and watch more football. It’s always beneficial to watch more games. See how teams are playing and what teams are doing. See what defenses are doing.” Brown Jr. echoed the sentiment. “I’ve got no complaint about that,” he said. “As a player, we’ll get on a roll and get on a roll as a team. Normally, right around that Week 7 or Week 8, it’s always great because the team is settled in the seven-to-eight range.” The Bengals’ bye is in Week 6, and then they’ll have two more 1 pm games before their Primetime schedule begins. Hopefully, the consistency that front-loads the schedule helps the Bengals jump out to an early start and avoid the patented Zac Taylor slow start. Whatever gives them a leg up, right?
Joe Burrow expressed optimism about the Bengals' roster, calling it the most talented he's seen since joining the team. Despite recent playoff disappointments and Burrow's injury history, he believes the team has the necessary pieces for success after a significant offseason
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow said earlier this week that the team has "everything we need" to contend for a Super Bowl title and he doubled down on his belief in the team's capabilities at a press conference on Wednesday. The Bengals spent the offseason targeting additions to their defense and added defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence , edge rusher Boye Mafe , safety Bryan Cook , defensive tackle Jonathan Allen , second-round edge rusher Cashius Howell, and third-round cornerback Tacario Davis to the unit. The result is a group that Burrow feels stands apart from the teams he's been on since he came to Cincinnati . "I think this is the most talented roster that we've had since I've been here . . . We got guys that work really hard to put themselves in position to perform well, perform to our standard," Burrow said. "We haven't necessarily done that for a couple of years, so we brought some guys in who have been there and done that and have their own standard of play and are going to live up to that. Now we just have to come together as a unit and do it as a collective.” Health has been another shortcoming for the Bengals in recent seasons and there's no way to know how things will play out on that front come the fall. If it does, the talent on hand should position the Bengals for better results than the ones that left Burrow despondent near the end of the 2025 season
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow said earlier this week that the team has “everything we need” to contend for a Super Bowl title and he doubled down on his belief in the team’s capabilities at a press conference on Wednesday. The Bengals spent the offseason targeting additions to their defense and added defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, edge rusher Boye Mafe, safety Bryan Cook, defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, second-round edge rusher Cashius Howell, and third-round cornerback Tacario Davis to the unit. The result is a group that Burrow feels stands apart from the teams he’s been on since he came to Cincinnati. “I think this is the most talented roster that we’ve had since I’ve been here . . . We got guys that work really hard to put themselves in position to perform well, perform to our standard,” Burrow said. “We haven’t necessarily done that for a couple of years, so we brought some guys in who have been there and done that and have their own standard of play and are going to live up to that. Now we just have to come together as a unit and do it as a collective.” Health has been another shortcoming for the Bengals in recent seasons and there’s no way to know how things will play out on that front come the fall. If it does, the talent on hand should position the Bengals for better results than the ones that left Burrow despondent near the end of the 2025 season
Shortly after the Bengals were eliminated from last year's playoffs, Joe Burrow made his displeasure known in no uncertain terms. "We don't want to be in the spot we are in now, so something's got to change," Burrow said Dec. 31. "Whether it's players we have continuing to improve and get better and play championship-caliber football or bringing in guys that will or whatever it may be. Obviously, something has to [change]." Speaking Wednesday amid voluntary workouts, Burrow struck a much different tone. "We have everything we need in that locker room," he said . "We just gotta go and make it happen." The three-time Pro Bowler noted the additions of "the best free-agent safety," "the best [defensive] tackle in the league, in my opinion," and "a lot of depth, now, on the defensive line" as reasons for that feeling, alluding to Bryan Cook , Dexter Lawrence and a bevy of other defensive line additions, respectively. "I think this is the most talented roster that we've had since I've been here," Burrow said. It was an unusually active -- and bold -- offseason for Cincinnati, and the Lawrence acquisition was the headliner. The Bengals sent the No. 10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to the Giants for Lawrence, a uniquely disruptive defensive tackle who. It was a steep price for a player who turns 29 in November and is coming off a down season, but Burrow appreciated the Bengals' approach. "I was fired up, obviously," Burrow said. "Tough to find a guy at pick number 10 that's gonna have more of an impact than Dexter will, so it's exciting that we made that happen. The Giants selected offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa at No. 10. Burrow also said it's "fair to say" all of the additions add a sense of urgency, especially given the team's three-year playoff drought. In addition to Cook and Lawrence, the Bengals signed EDGE Boye Mafe and defensive lineman Jonathan Allen and drafted EDGE Cashius Howell at No. 41 overall. It's all a massive effort to improve a defense that simply hasn't held its own. Over the past three years, the Bengals have lost seven games in which they've scored 30 or more points. That's the most in the NFL by far; no other team has more than four such losses. Burrow played in just eight games last year due to turf toe. The Bengals went 5-3 in the games in which he played and 1-8 in the games he did not play. But he once again has high hopes for a healthier and more productive 2026, heading a potent offense that includes Ja'Marr Chase , Tee Higgins , Chase Brown, and all five offensive line starters returning. When asked if he had any statistical achievements in mind, he mentioned the Bengals' all-time passing touchdowns record. When informed he was 48 away -- a number that hasn't been touched since Aaron Rodgers in 2020 -- from passing Andy Dalton's mark, Burrow had a one-word answer. "Doable."
Joe Burrow expressed optimism about the Cincinnati Bengals' offseason moves, highlighting improved leadership and key additions like Bryan Cook, Dexter Lawrence, and Jonathan Allen. The team is looking to rebound after a disappointing previous season, with Burrow feeling a positive shift in the locker room vibe
Joe Burrow feels a special energy with the Bengals this spring, fueled by offseason travels and the presence of Kid Cudi. The article also discusses the AFC North win totals, Bengals UDFA contracts, and the 2026 NFL schedule
Garett Bolles shared his thoughts on the Broncos' culture and coaching changes, highlighting Davis Webb's sharpness and Sean Payton's winning foundation. The article contrasts this with typical offseason noise, also mentioning updates on Joe Burrow, Deshaun Watson, and Fernando Mendoza
I would normally sit here and tell you that a quarterback winning his first MVP and putting together his best individual season at age 37 is not a predictive indicator of what is to come. Smart bets would usually lean towards a return to normalcy and career baselines. I’m known for finding the contrarian angle and embracing it in full. Today I’m embracing the consensus and building the case for why Matthew Stafford’s best season yet was real and potentially predictive for his performance in 2026. One contrarian opinion is that Stafford won the MVP by default. That Patrick Mahomes , Joe Burrow , Brock Purdy , and others usually in the conversation spent too much time on the sidelines to create an opening for a player who had never seriously been in consideration. But Stafford was the NFL’s best signal caller last season with no qualifications. Stafford received Pro Football Focus (PFF)’s highest offensive and passing grades out of any quarterback who stepped on the field in 2025 at 92.0 and 91.7, respectively. On his heels was Joe Burrow—who played only eight games—at 91.8 and 91.3. Even late into his 30’s, Stafford is still able to manufacture big-time throws with the best of them. He led the NFL with 58 such passes at a clip of 7.7%. The next closest players were Caleb Williams (one fewer game; 37 passes, 5.4%) and JJ McCarthy (7.3%). Stafford was also one of the most aggressive quarterbacks in football with an average depth of target (ADOT) of 9.8. This is the second-highest mark of his tenured career and second in the NFL to only Marcus Mariota . Mariota’s offensive coordinator from last season, Kliff Kingsbury, is now a senior assistant on the Rams staff. The aggressiveness is not going anywhere. But with aggression comes mistakes. Stafford is also more prone to turnovers when compared to the top of his peers like Burrow and others. Of all quarterbacks with at least 151 dropbacks, Stafford finished 23rd in turnover-worthy play rate at 3.3%. Burrow (0.7%), Jared Goff (2.0%), Josh Allen (2.4%), Dak Prescott (2.7%), Caleb Williams (3.1%), and Patrick Mahomes (3.1%) were all notably lower. And Stafford isn’t the NFL’s most accurate passer either, which in part is attributable to his deeper depth of target. Using the same volume thresholds, Stafford ranked 31st in adjusted completion rate (ADJ%) at 72.3%. Goff (80.2%) and Brock Purdy (78.7%) were towards the top of the class. The encouraging sign is that we know this is who Stafford is and it’s been the case for mostly his entire career. His performance in turnover-worthy play and adjusted completion rate were middle of the pack for his overall body of work. There are no indicators that Stafford’s skillset is declining, and that should give fans optimism heading into 2026. PFF passing grade, big-time-throw rate, turnover-worthy play rate, average depth of target, and adjusted complete rate are the most stable and reliable indicators to predict future performance. Stafford either led the entire NFL in these marks or showed evident improvement from other stages in his career. His MVP season was real. His likelihood to sustain this production into 2026 should also be high. The Rams offense today is vastly different than how it looked when Stafford stepped under center in Los Angeles for the first time in 2021. LA is no longer a primary 11 personnel team. One of the most interesting wrinkles over the championship season—Stafford’s first with the team—was the deployment of empty formations to force decisions by the defense and trigger the quick passing game. That is not who the Rams are any longer. Instead, LA has recently leaned into heavier personnel packages with multiple tight ends and revamped their running game. The Rams are primarily a gap-based running scheme that now features a two-headed monster with Kyren Williams and Blake Corum . So while Stafford made hay in his early Los Angeles days by getting away from play action passes that asked him to turn his bac
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The NFL schedules have been released, and now we not only know who the Bengals play and where, but when. We also found out they’ll be playing overseas when they face the Falcons on November 8 in Madrid in Week 9 — so set your alarms, because they kick off at 9:30 a.m. Now we’re only waiting on the Bengals to start OTAs on June 1. Until then, there’s not much to do other than attempt to predict the future. So here’s my attempt to predict the Bengals’ record, going game by game. I think the Bucs have the potential to be a solid team in 2026. I’m a Baker believer, but I also have the sense that the Bengals are a coiled steel spring. After three straight seasons of missing the playoffs, I think they explode offensively and defensively and set the tone for the entire season. Record: 1-0 The Texans are going to be good. I’m kind of 50/50 on this game. It’s hard to win on the road in the NFL, and I’m going to say the Bengals’ offseason kinks won’t be worked out yet. Houston takes a close one. Record: 1-1 Aaron Rodgers is back, but I’m not overly inspired. I think the Bengals sweep the Steelers in 2026. Record: 2-1 Another 1 p.m. game to start the season. I think Joe Burrow and the Bengals beat the Jaguars, and hopefully the offense will already be humming by this point. Record: 3-1 The Dolphins are in a complete rebuild. Tua is gone, and Malik Willis currently sits atop the depth chart. The Bengals head into the bye week sitting at .800. Record: 4-1 It’s clear the two teams battling for the division will be the Bengals and Ravens. I think they split the series. The Bengals drop their divisional matchup coming out of the bye. Record: 4-2 This is another team working through a rebuild. Cam Ward is still the quarterback, but Robert Saleh is now the head coach. I think he’s a good coach, but I don’t think he’ll have the Titans where they need to be yet to upset Cincinnati. Record: 5-2 Here’s the Bengals’ first primetime game — although technically only because it’ll be one of just two games on at 9:30 a.m. The Falcons are now turning to Kevin Stefanski to call the shots. He knows the Bengals well, but the roster talent feels way too lopsided here, especially in what is essentially a home game for Cincinnati. Record: 6-2 Under the lights on Sunday Night Football, the Bengals complete the sweep of the Steelers on their way to what feels like a special season. Record: 7-2 Remember when I said it’s hard to win on the road in the NFL? It’s doubly true in primetime. I think the Bengals drop one on Monday Night Football against a pretty solid Commanders team. Record: 7-3 Back to the normal 1 p.m. slot, and back to winning. Record: 8-3 Myles Garrett and the Browns have been a thorn in the Bengals’ side for a long time. Burrow still has a losing record against Cleveland, and I think it gets a little worse here. The Bengals drop one they should probably win. It happens, even in good years. Record: 8-4 The Bengals face the Chiefs at home after three straight matchups at Arrowhead. The last time these teams played in Cincinnati, the Bengals went to the Super Bowl. They get a season-defining win against Kansas City here. Record: 9-4 An offense led by Burrow at this point in the season should outduel Bryce Young and the Panthers. Record: 10-4 At this point, the Bengals have likely locked up the division — and if not, they will in Week 17 — while the race for the No. 1 seed is fully in play. Indy just doesn’t have the roster to compete. Record: 11-4 The Bengals finally host the Ravens under the lights in the regular season. They win this one in a close game with echoes of their Wild Card victory from January 2023. Record: 12-4 With the division title secured, the Bengals decide to go for the win instead of resting starters for the playoffs. In doing so, they defeat the Browns and lock up the No. 1 seed for the first time in franchise history. Record: 13-4 It’s obvious this is a really hopeful projection, but I see r
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Tight end Jack Endries, a seventh-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals, is entering the NFL with a chip on his shoulder after being passed over by many teams in the 2026 NFL Draft. He aims to use this motivation to prove doubters wrong and potentially become a steal for the Bengals, who are looking to add players with an edge
Joe Burrow expressed his frustration at the end of an injury-plagued 2025 season. The Bengals quarterback said he needed to have fun if he was going to keep playing football. Missing nine games wasn’t fun, and neither was the team missing the postseason for a third consecutive season. Burrow, though, is satisfied with what the Bengals have done this offseason in attempting to rebuild their defense. “They’re going to keep getting great players to come play for the Bengals, and when they do that, then it’s my job and Zac’s job and the leaders of this team to bring the locker room together and then go execute on the field,” Burrow said Monday, via Geoff Hobson of the team website. “We have everything we need. “We made a big trade for a big-time player. Signed a free agent top safety on the market and other additions. We’ll see how the rookies end up. . . . But first impressions, we’ve got guys that care about the game, care about their job, and want to be great. When you have young guys like that and veterans like we do, it’s a recipe for success.” Burrow pointed specifically to the acquisitions of defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, safety Bryan Cook and edge rusher Jonathan Allen. “You can feel the vibe and the leadership has changed in the locker room a little bit,” Burrow said. “It’s exciting for everyone. “B. Cook, in the limited time he’s been here, you can feel his presence early. Dexter, too. A lot of guys on the D-Line now. You have Jonathan Allen. Myles [Murphy] is walking around with a little more pep in his step this year. That’s exciting to see. I think he grew in confidence from the last five, six games. We need to carry that over, and I’m excited to see that.” The Bengals have seven consecutive 1 p.m. starts to open the season, a first in Burrow’s seven seasons. “That’s good. When we go on the road, we get back home early and watch more football,” Burrow said. “It’s always beneficial to watch more games. See how teams are playing and what teams are doing. See what defenses are doing. “We’ll try to get flexed a couple of times into the sweet spot later in the season. Everybody feels like this is going to be an exciting season for us, so now we put in the work over the next several months to put the pieces in place to get to where we want.”
This offseason, there was less speculation about Matthew Stafford’s future and retirement timeline than in previous years, and that could become more of a trend than an outlier despite him being the second-oldest expected starter in the NFL at age 38. Rams fans could be looking forward to at least four more years of Stafford being the oldest starting quarterback in the league. The reasons for him playing until he’s 40 and beyond are growing faster than the grey hairs in his beard. Retirement is a personal decision and could have nothing to do with an ability to play football or make money. Aaron Donald recently emphasized that he always planned to retire after eight seasons and was only enticed to return for two more years because of the Super Bowl. Stafford may want to retire if he wins a second Super Bowl. Or he might want to retire if L.A. does not win the Super Bowl this year. Only he knows the answer. But if he wants to play five more years, it’s hard to believe he lacks the ability to do it.. NFL teams drafted Bryce Young and Cam Ward with the first overall pick in 2023 and 2025 respectively, under the assumption that those quarterbacks would soon become the faces of the NFL. Well, Young and Ward combined to throw 38 touchdown passes in 2025, which is nine fewer than Stafford’s 46 touchdowns en route to winning MVP and also leading the league in passing yards. Ward was only a rookie last year and was not surrounded by much talent. Young is a limited passer who has not proven he can lead a high volume offense, but did take the Panthers to the playoffs at age 24. However, these aren’t outliers. These are examples of a frightening trend of incoming first round quarterbacks proving to be worse than expectations: *benched or in a QB competition in 2026 2019 draft: Kyler Murray*, Daniel Jones 2020 draft: Joe Burrow , Tua Tagovailoa*, Justin Herbert , Jordan Love 2021 draft: Trevor Lawrence , Zach Wilson*, Trey Lance*, Justin Fields*, Mac Jones * 2022 draft: Kenny Pickett * 2023 draft: Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud , Anthony Richardson* 2024 draft: Caleb Williams , Jayden Daniels , Drake Maye , Michael Penix , JJ McCarthy*, Bo Nix 2025 draft: Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart Even in that group of 23 quarterbacks, of the 14 expected starters in Week 1, at least half have a lot to prove before they’re expected to be starters in 2027 and 2028. We saw the lack of belief the league has in young starters late last season when the Indianapolis Colts favored 44-year-old Philip Rivers over any other options that could have been available. His historically-bad athletic limitations were outweighed by the Colts belief in his football IQ and experience. Matthew Stafford is six years younger than Rivers was last season. It’s not that a team would want a 44-year-old quarterback with a weak arm, but this could imply that a 41 or 42-year-old Stafford is far better than the average 25-year-old quarterback. Four of the top-five quarterbacks in passing yards last season were 28 and older: Sam Darnold was the second-youngest at 28 Jared Goff was 31 Dak Prescott was 32 Stafford was 37 Maye was the only outlier and he was a hair from winning MVP. But he was not within a hair of Stafford’s actual value. No offense to Maye and he could be on a trajectory to be unbelievably good next season or 2027, but he was abysmally bad in the playoffs in spite of the Patriots reaching the Super Bowl. Maye was overrated last season and similar to Stroud in 2023, his season-long stats were considerably uplifted by having two or three dominant performances against the worst teams in the league. Maye had 5 touchdowns against the Jets, two more scores than he had in any other game. The NFL’s hope for quarterbacks like Caleb Williams and Maye “proving” that they are about to take over the league because of the seasons and playoff runs they had in 2025 will have to go a lot better than Jayden Daniels’ second season or Stroud’s second season, or they risk becoming
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This article analyzes the NFL's worst quarterback rooms entering the 2026 season, providing Week 1 starting predictions. It highlights players like Daniel Jones, Anthony Richardson, Riley Leonard, and Seth Henigan as examples of teams with potentially weaker QB situations, contrasting them with top-tier talent like Patrick Mahomes and Drake Maye
The news that Aaron Rodgers is officially back with the Steelers for his 22nd NFL season means he'll continue to add to one of the most impressive statistical résumés any quarterback has ever assembled. Of particular note is that Rodgers is likely to move ahead of Peyton Manning for the third-most touchdown passes in NFL history. Rodgers has thrown 527 touchdown passes in his NFL career, while Manning retired with 539, so Rodgers needs just 13 touchdown passes to move ahead of Manning. As long as Rodgers stays healthy, he should eclipse Manning's career total early in the season. Rodgers would likely need to play two more seasons to move into second place, which is currently occupied by Drew Brees , with 571 career touchdown passes. And Tom Brady 's all-time record of 649 career touchdown passes appears insurmountable. Rodgers could also lose, a couple of of the career records he currently holds, however. At the moment, Rodgers is tied for the highest career passer rating in NFL history: Rodgers and Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson both have a passer rating of 102.2. But last year Jackson's passer rating was 103.8 and Rodgers' was 94.8, so if they both play at the same level in 2026, Jackson will take first place in the record books all to himself. Rodgers could also fall behind Joe Burrow (101.1) and Patrick Mahomes (100.8), who are currently third and fourth in NFL history in career passer rating. The best career passer rating is a record Rodgers likely won't hold by the end of the season. Another career record Rodgers could lose is the all-time lowest interception percentage. Rodgers has thrown 123 interceptions in 8,743 career passes, a career interception rate of 1.41 percent. Rodgers is just barely ahead of Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett , who has a career interception rate of 1.42 percent, and not far ahead of Justin Herbert at 1.7 percent and Burrow and Mahomes at 1.8 percent. Ultimately, the numbers Rodgers puts up this season, when he'll turn 43 years old, won't matter a lot to his legacy. He's an all-time great regardless of what he does this season. But his career numbers will change, and perhaps not entirely for the better
The news that Aaron Rodgers is officially back with the Steelers for his 22nd NFL season means he’ll continue to add to one of the most impressive statistical résumés any quarterback has ever assembled. Of particular note is that Rodgers is likely to move ahead of Peyton Manning for the third-most touchdown passes in NFL history. Rodgers has thrown 527 touchdown passes in his NFL career, while Manning retired with 539, so Rodgers needs just 13 touchdown passes to move ahead of Manning. As long as Rodgers stays healthy, he should eclipse Manning’s career total early in the season. Rodgers would likely need to play two more seasons to move into second place, which is currently occupied by Drew Brees, with 571 career touchdown passes. And Tom Brady’s all-time record of 649 career touchdown passes appears insurmountable. Rodgers could also lose, a couple of of the career records he currently holds, however. At the moment, Rodgers is tied for the highest career passer rating in NFL history: Rodgers and Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson both have a passer rating of 102.2. But last year Jackson’s passer rating was 103.8 and Rodgers’ was 94.8, so if they both play at the same level in 2026, Jackson will take first place in the record books all to himself. Rodgers could also fall behind Joe Burrow (101.1) and Patrick Mahomes (100.8), who are currently third and fourth in NFL history in career passer rating. The best career passer rating is a record Rodgers likely won’t hold by the end of the season. Another career record Rodgers could lose is the all-time lowest interception percentage. Rodgers has thrown 123 interceptions in 8,743 career passes, a career interception rate of 1.41 percent. Rodgers is just barely ahead of Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who has a career interception rate of 1.42 percent, and not far ahead of Justin Herbert at 1.7 percent and Burrow and Mahomes at 1.8 percent. Ultimately, the numbers Rodgers puts up this season, when he’ll turn 43 years old, won’t matter a lot to his legacy. He’s an all-time great regardless of what he does this season. But his career numbers will change, and perhaps not entirely for the better
Data comes from cached Sleeper and KTC snapshots. Values update when the sync jobs run.
