Ranking AFC North quarterbacks
The AFC North is easily one of the most lobsided divisions when it comes to quarterbacks.
On the one hand, you have a two-time MVP winner in Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow, who has won two Comeback Player of the Year awards as well as a Super Bowl LVI appearance.
On the other hand, you have an ageing Aaron Rodgers who is far from the quarterback we have seen in the past. There is also a vast quarterback room in Cleveland with question marks everywhere.
Here is a ranking of all four AFC North starting quarterbacks.
Joe Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals)
Burrow has won two Comeback Player of the Year awards for the reason; he has struggled to stay healthy.
With no offensive line help, it has been a struggle for Burrow between the trenches. However, when healthy, he has been a demon.
Nobody wanted to play the Bengals towards the end of the season as Zac Taylor’s team won their final five games. They ended 9-8 and just missed out on the playoffs. The only reason they got anywhere near a sniff of the playoffs was because of Burrow and his connection with triple crown wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase.
Burrow was less than 100 yards shy of 5,000 in the 2024 season (4,918). He also threw for 43 touchdowns to just nine interceptions.
One part of Burrow’s game that is arguably his strongest is the ability to perform in big games. Patrick Mahomes is the only active AFC starting quarterback to play in a Super Bowl (two if Kenny Pickett starts for the Cleveland Browns in 2025).
He has done something none of the last two quarterbacks to win an MVP award have done, reach a Super Bowl. He came close to winning the game despite a Super Bowl joint record seven sacks against the Los Angeles Rams.
Even in the games he lost this season, only one of their eight defeats was by more than seven points. This came in a 37-17 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week Eight. They lost to the Kansas City Chiefs by one in Week Two, by five to the Washington Commanders in Week Three and they lost both their games to the Baltimore Ravens by a combined total of four points. One of these was in overtime.
Burrow may not have the arm talent of Mahomes, Josh Allen or Lamar, he is a winner and provided the front office can keep him healthy, you are never out of a game when he is under centre.
Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens)
Jackson is a two-time MVP winner and has all the regular season accolades.
However, he has yet to have a big playoff moment.
He is the most talented quarterback in this division, but he has yet to prove he can do it when it matters in the postseason.
You cannot pin any blame on Jackson for their Divisional Round loss to the Buffalo Bills in January. Jackson did all he could.
Nevertheless, despite all of his excellence, he has only played in one career AFC Championship.
This is despite having a better defense, offensive line and running back room than the Bengals had in their 2021 and 2022 seasons, where they reached back-to-back Conference Championship games.
In similar fashion to Josh Allen in our AFC East piece, it feels a matter of when and not if Jackson will make a Super Bowl.
Until he does this, he cannot be placed above Burrow.
Aaron Rodgers (Pittsburgh Steelers)
Rodgers is a four-time MVP and a Super Bowl champion, but father time has arrived.
Despite being in the top ten for both yards and touchdown passes in 2024, it is no secret that Rodgers is not the quarterback he once was.
No quarterback has succeeded with the Jets in the 21st century and Rodgers is going to a better situation with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
He has said that this is most likely his final season in the NFL and will hope for one last dance.
Whoever starts for the Cleveland Browns
Only the New Orleans Saints possess a worse quarterback room than the Cleveland Browns.
Whether it is Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett or rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, none of these inspire any hope in Cleveland’s season.
Watson is likely to be out for the entire season, welcomed by many Browns fans given his struggles on a massive contract.
Whether it is Flacco’s age, Pickett’s struggled with the Steelers or the inexperience of Gabriel and Sanders, this is not a room that will excite any NFL fans.
Sanders is not listed in the top four in the depth chart at the position but has the potential to rise up to QB1 or QB2 given the lack of talent ahead of him.
Right now, this is a Browns quarterback that leaves little to be desired.
Andy Davies