Summary

  • Having a proper quarterback is crucial for NFL teams to be genuinely competitive, as no other position can control the game like a quarterback.
  • Tua Tagovailoa, Kirk Cousins, and Aaron Rodgers are competent quarterbacks with specific strengths and weaknesses, such as throwing power, accuracy, and play-action ability.
  • Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, and Patrick Mahomes are top-tier quarterbacks with impressive skills, including speed, accuracy, and the ability to take over games.

Without question, the most crucial position on a football team is quarterback. Sure, teams have managed to win the Super Bowl with an average passer like the 2000 Baltimore Ravens with Trent Dilfer, but that team deployed one of the best defensive units in NFL history.

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If you want to be genuinely competitive in the NFL, having a proper quarterback is the way to go. No other position in the NFL can control the game like a quarterback. And clearly, Madden agrees as five of the last seven cover athletes for the game have been a quarterback. Let’s take a look at the best passers featured in Madden 24.

10 Tua Tagovailoa - 83

Coming into the NFL in 2020, Tua Tagovailoa struggled a bit to acclimate to the pros, but after the Miami Dolphins acquired Tyreek Hill, the 25-year-old quarterback had his best statistical season in 2022. He threw for a career-high 3,548 yards with 25 touchdowns and led the league in yards gained per pass attempt (8.9).

However, Tagovailoa suffered multiple concussions throughout the 2022 season and Miami’s medical staff was even questioned if they executed proper protocol. But on the virtual gridiron, Tagovailoa is a competent quarterback with decent throwing power (86) and thrives in his short passes (96). He has one of the lowest play-action ratings (84) among the top quarterbacks, so he’ll need to improve that category to move up in the rankings.

9 Kirk Cousins - 84

Entering his sixth season with the Minnesota Vikings, Kirk Cousins has been a mediocre quarterback for most of his 11-year career. While Cousins has thrown for 25 or more touchdowns in eight straight seasons, his costly turnovers and lack of clutch gene have limited his team's success.

For Cousins to have success, he needs the pocket to remain intact. He’s the worst quarterback throwing under pressure (85) and can’t break a sack (35) to save his life. On the other hand, Cousins is the best quarterback at faking defenses with play-action plays (98). Minnesota’s passer has above-average accuracy on short (90), medium (91), and deep (90) throws, so as long as he has time to throw, Cousins can attempt most passes.

8 Aaron Rodgers - 86

After spending the first three seasons watching Brett Favre from the bench, Aaron Rodgers stepped into the starter role with ease and established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the league. In 15 seasons as a starter, Rodgers won four MVP awards and a Super Bowl title for the Green Bay Packers. However, similar to his predecessor, the relationship between the quarterback and the team’s front office soured, and he was traded to the New York Jets.

It remains to be seen if Rodgers will find success with Gang Green, but the team can rely on his availability in games with the highest rating in stamina (97). His deep ball accuracy (86) has declined in recent years, but he can deliver solid short passes (92). Rodgers’s days as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL have passed, but he’s still good enough to win you ballgames.

7 Justin Herbert - 87

Justin Herbert has quickly made Los Angeles Chargers fans forget about long-time quarterback Phillip Rivers. The 25-year-old was named Rookie of the Year in 2020 and reached his first Pro Bowl the following season. The Chargers reached the postseason in 2022 for the first time since 2018 but dramatically fell to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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Herbert has amazing throwing power (97) but can be slightly inaccurate on his passes compared to other quarterbacks. His medium (88) and deep (88) passes might be off, so that could put more pressure on his wide receivers to make spectacular catches. Herbert is a prime example of the quarterback having more of an impact on the game in real life and not being properly rated in Madden.

6 Dak Prescott - 87

Unlike Justin Herbert being underrated in Madden 24, it could be argued that Dak Prescott is overrated. The Dallas Cowboys quarterback reached the Pro Bowl in the first two seasons of his career but has yet to earn other selections. Last season, Prescott led the league in interceptions (15) and threw one of the lowest numbers of touchdowns in his career (23).

Prescott’s best qualities are highlighted when the pocket collapses, and he needs to make a quick decision. He’s solid throwing under pressure (88) and on the run (94), while also having a high rating in breaking from sacks (92). At 30 years old, this might be the peak of Prescott’s career, someone who can catch fire but will ultimately let you down when it matters.

5 Jalen Hurts - 88

Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles dominated the NFL last season en route to a Super Bowl appearance but fell to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Hurts had the best statistical season of his career with career-highs in passing yards (3,701) and touchdowns (22), as he finished in second place for the MVP award.

On passing plays, Hurts finds most success in shorter throws (94) but needs to work on his medium (87) and deep (87) passes if he wants to evolve as a quarterback. But what Hurts can bring to the Philadelphia offense that other passers can’t is his ability to run the football. Hurts has the second-highest speed rating (89) and third-highest ball carrier vision rating (94), giving him and the Eagles a dynamic wrinkle to the offense.

4 Lamar Jackson - 91

Despite what the national media says about Lamar Jackson’s ineffectiveness as a quarterback, there isn’t a more dangerous offensive threat in the pocket than Jackson. The Baltimore Ravens quarterback is the fastest player in his position (96 speed, 96 acceleration, 95 agility) with dazzling spin (83) and juke (90) moves.

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While Jackson is a sensational rusher, he certainly has the skills to sling the pigskin around the field. He has the second-highest play-action rating (97) due to the fear of his running abilities. He doesn’t have the best accuracy on deep passes (84) but he’s a talented athlete who’s already proven he can take over games with his MVP award in 2019.

3 Josh Allen - 94

Madden 24 cover athlete Josh Allen clocks in as the third-best quarterback in the game. The Buffalo Bills passer finished in the top three for MVP voting in two of the last three seasons and Buffalo remains a trending selection to win the AFC.

Allen is the strongest (80) quarterback in the game and has the highest rating in throw power (99). Although Allen isn’t as gifted as Lamar Jackson at running the ball, his 6’5, 237-pound frame makes him nearly impossible to sack (96) and he has a tough stiff arm (83) to avoid tacklers. If Allen continues putting up 4,000 yards and over 30 touchdowns in a season like the last three years, it won’t be long until he’s considered the best in the league.

2 Joe Burrow - 95

In 2020, Joe Burrow suffered a partial meniscus tear that cut his rookie season short. But the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback rebounded in a big way in 2021, winning Comeback Player of the Year en route to a stunning Super Bowl appearance.

Although Burrow is the second-rated quarterback in Madden, there’s a strong case that he should hold the top spot. He’s the most accurate passer in the game, leading all three accuracy categories (99 short, 98 medium, 93 deep). Burrow is an outstanding quarterback who will most likely be regarded as the greatest quarterback in the Bengals' history.

1 Patrick Mahomes - 99

In only six seasons, Patrick Mahomes has already punched his ticket to the Hall of Fame. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback has led the team to two Super Bowl championships (three appearances) and has already claimed two MVP trophies. Last season, Mahomes led the NFL in passing yards (5,250) and touchdowns (41), which explains his perfect Madden rating.

While Mahomes isn’t the most accurate quarterback or even the one that throws the hardest, he is the toughest (99) and most aware (98). When Mahomes suffered another ankle injury in the Super Bowl against the Philadelphia Eagles, he managed to stay in the game and willed his team to victory. Mahomes has an X-factor that other players only wish they had and that’s why the Chief quarterback reigns supreme in Madden 24.

NEXT: Madden 24: The Best Safeties, Ranked