Quarterback nostalgia is a powerful drug. When the current guy under center isn’t getting it done, fans can’t help but look back fondly at that one QB who made it all feel easy—or at least a little less stressful.
Some teams have moved on gracefully. Others are still sending emotional texts at 2 a.m. to their ex-QB’s highlight reels. Here’s how much every NFL franchise misses a former quarterback, ranked from “We’re fine, thanks” to “We’d build a statue today if we could.”
32. Kansas City Chiefs
They’re too busy bathing in the Mahomes era to miss anybody. You don’t think about your ex when you’re dating a superstar.
31. Buffalo Bills
Jim Kelly will always be a legend, but Josh Allen has made the city forget the QB drought ever existed. The vibes are too good right now to miss the past.
30. Cincinnati Bengals
Bengals fans respect Carson Palmer and appreciate Boomer Esiason, but Joe Burrow is the face of the franchise now. They’re not looking back.
29. Philadelphia Eagles
McNabb, Foles, and Wentz all left marks, but Jalen Hurts just won a Super Bowl. Despite past doubts, Eagles fans are happy.
28. Los Angeles Chargers
There’s love for Philip Rivers, but Justin Herbert is keeping the franchise very much in the present. No one’s crying over bolo ties anymore.
27. Baltimore Ravens
Flacco won them a ring, but Lamar Jackson brought the electricity. The torch was passed pretty smoothly.
26. Washington Commanders
From Theismann to Rypien to RG3’s flash-in-the-pan, the Commanders cycled through QBs without ever finding “the guy,” that is, until they drafted Jayden Daniels. Now, there’s no looking back.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars
Mark Brunell holds a nostalgic place in some fans’ hearts, but Trevor Lawrence is their future—and their present. No tears here.
24. San Francisco 49ers
Montana. Young. Even Kaepernick had his run. But the revolving door of QBs since hasn’t hurt too badly, thanks to Kyle Shanahan’s magic system.
23. Denver Broncos
The Broncos were in QB purgatory after Peyton Manning retired, but Bo Nix has turned this franchise around. The Broncos finally feel hopeful about their starting QB going forward.
22. Arizona Cardinals
Kurt Warner brought some glory, and Carson Palmer had moments. But Kyler, when healthy and dialed in, keeps hope alive.
21. Los Angeles Rams
Kurt Warner and Jared Goff both had solid runs, but the Rams got a ring with Stafford. Nostalgia exists, but there’s not much regret.
20. Minnesota Vikings
Fran Tarkenton and Daunte Culpepper were fun, but the Vikings are always chasing the next “good enough” guy. The bar is weirdly stable.
19. Carolina Panthers
Cam Newton’s MVP season still gives fans chills. Unfortunately, everything since has made them realize just how good they had it.
18. Detroit Lions
Stafford meant everything to Detroit, and even though they’ve moved on with Goff, there’s a soft spot for No. 9 that won’t go away anytime soon.
17. Miami Dolphins
Dan Marino is forever iconic, and with Tua’s recent injuries, there are probably a lot of Dolphins fans who are nostalgic for the “good ol’ days.”
16. Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are on the right track with Caleb Williams, but it hasn’t been all sunshine and roses. Will he lead them to the promised land? The jury’s still out.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers
Big Ben defined the team for nearly two decades. The post-Roethlisberger hangover hasn’t been awful, but it’s still very real.
14. New York Giants
Eli Manning was weirdly perfect for the Giants, and he gave them two Super Bowls. Daniel Jones didn’t exactly make anyone forget that.
13. Atlanta Falcons
Matt Ryan got close but never closed. Still, his stability is missed more and more as the post-Ryan carousel keeps spinning.
12. Green Bay Packers
Jordan Love is solid, but Packers fans had 30 years of Hall of Fame play. There’s no way not to miss at least one of those guys.
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tom Brady arrived, delivered a title, and dipped. That whirlwind romance left fans with a ring—and some lingering longing.
10. Tennessee Titans
Steve McNair was beloved, and the Mariota years still have loyal defenders. The Titans haven’t found their guy in a while, and it shows.
9. Cleveland Browns
The Browns have cycled through QBs faster than a TikTok trend. Even mid-tier guys like Derek Anderson now feel like legends.
8. Seattle Seahawks
Russell Wilson’s departure was messy, but he was the best QB the team’s ever had. Geno’s been fine and Sam Darnold may be OK, but the “Let Russ Cook” era still looms large.
7. New York Jets
Broadway Joe still looms, and no one’s come close since. It’s been decades of quarterback roulette, and yes, they’re still bitter.
6. Las Vegas Raiders
Derek Carr wasn’t elite, but he was solid and dependable—and Raider Nation didn’t know how much they’d miss him until he left. The QB spot has been in chaos since.
5. Houston Texans
Deshaun Watson’s departure was ugly, but he was the best QB the franchise ever had before that. They’re rebuilding, but the void still stings.
4. Indianapolis Colts
Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck? That’s a tough act to follow. Colts fans went from royalty to a QB dumpster fire in record time.
3. Dallas Cowboys
They’ll always romanticize Troy Aikman, and even Romo gets more love now than he ever did while playing. Dak’s fine, but that old magic still feels just out of reach.
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2. New Orleans Saints
Drew Brees is practically a saint in New Orleans. Every QB since has reminded fans just how good they had it.
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1. New England Patriots
Tom Brady left, and the soul of the franchise went with him. No one misses a quarterback more than Patriots fans miss TB12—full stop.
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