Cote: Rams’ Stafford wins 1st season crown in Herald’s 28th NFL QB Rankings
LOS ANGELES RAMS’ MATTHEW STAFFORD WINS FIRST SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP IN MIAMI HERALD’S 28TH ANNUAL NFL QUARTERBACK RANKINGS: The 28th year of the Miami Herald’s Passer Success System (PASS) rankings sees a first-time season champion in the Rams’ Matthew Stafford. His 588.80 points beats runner-up Drake Maye of the Patriots by 14.10 in the closest finish since 2018. The Lions’ Jared Goff takes the bronze in third place. Stafford had previously finished as high as third in 2017 and ‘21. The Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa, benched with three games left, finished 21st. The Bills’ Mitchell Trubisky, filling in for a resting Josh Allen, won the Week 18 title with a 44.95-point game. The Herald’s NFL QB Rankings began in 1998 with Steve Young the first season champ. Our ratings system is cumulative, not percentile-based, rewarding players who are consistently productive and avoid injury or benching. Bye weeks negatively impact affected players but even out over the course of a season. Our formula factors accuracy, passing yardage, TD/interception ratio and team result. These are passer ratings per se and do not include a QB’s running statistics. The final top 40 (plus all Dolphins) for 2025:
Rk LW Player, Team W18 Final Season
1. Matthew Stafford, LAR 39.95 588.80
2. Drake Maye, NE 27.55 574.70
3. Jared Goff, DET 33.55 559.20
4. Dak Prescott, DAL 6.50 533.10
5. Sam Darnold, SEA 28.90 474.40
6. Bo Nix, DEN 17.05 472.55
7. Josh Allen, BUF DNP 461.40
8. Justin Herbert, LAC DNP 448.35
9. Trevor Lawrence, JAC 40.75 438.35
10. Aaron Rodgers, PIT 37.70 420.10
11. Baker Mayfield, TB 25.15 412.65
12. Jordan Love, GB DNP 410.55
13. Jalen Hurts, PHI DNP 407.20
14. Caleb Williams, CHI 20.60 404.10
15. Patrick Mahomes, KC DNP 370.35
16. Daniel Jones, IND DNP 366.05
17. Jacoby Brissett, ARI 28.15 363.30
18. Bryce Young, CAR 29.30 355.55
19. C.J. Stroud, HOU 20.45 352.05
20. Geno Smith, LV DNP 329.25
21. Tua Tagovailoa, MIA DNP 314.00
22. Cam Ward, TEN 5.60 303.45
23. Brock Purdy, SF 14.35 283.35
24. Lamar Jackson, BAL 21.90 281.45
25. Tyler Shough, NO 23.95 271.20
26-30: Mac Jones SF 266.55; Jaxson Dart NYG 256.60; Joe Flacco CLE-CIN 234.95; Joe Burrow CIN 234.45; Kirk Cousins ATL 189.05.
31-35: Michael Penix Jr. ATL 188.10; Spencer Rattler NO 184.30; Marcus Mariota WAS 154.75; J.J. McCarthy MIN 142.60; Justin Fields NYJ 141.95.
36-40: Jayden Daniels WAS 128.10; Kyler Murray ARI 126.10; Carson Wentz MIN 123.80; Shedeur Sanders CLE 104.00; Dillon Gabriel CLE 101.85.
Other Dolphins: Quinn Ewers, 45th place with 63.10 points; Zach Wilson, 71st with 2.60.
Week 18 best: Mitchell Trubisky, BUF, 44.95 (22-29, 259, 4-0 in win). Season best week: Jacoby Brissett, ARI, 59.60 (Week 11). All-time best week: Ben Roethlisberger, PIT, 80.10 (2014).
Week 18 worst (min. 10 attempts): Trey Lance, LAC, minus-0.20 (20-44, 136, 0-1 in loss). Season worst week: Shedeur Sanders, CLE, minus-8.65 (Week 11). All-time worst week: Tim Hasselbeck, WAS, minus-23.20 (2003).
Season points record: Peyton Manning, DEN. 714.85 (2013). Dolphins record: Tua Tagovailoa, 547.20 (2023).
Season championships won: 7 — Drew Brees; 6 — Peyton Manning; 3 — Tom Brady; 2 each — Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, Kurt Warner; 1 each — Joe Burrow, Rich Gannon, Carson Palmer, Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford, Steve Young.
