NFL Conference Championships Have 3 Unproven QBs

The final four NFL teams are set—and the quarterback pool is conspicuously unproven. 

The four remaining quarterbacks are Sam Darnold (Seahawks), Drake Maye (Patriots), Matthew Stafford (Rams), and Jarrett Stidham (Broncos), who will be replacing Bo Nix after he injured his ankle in the divisional round.

Stafford, who is in his seventh postseason, is the only QB who has won a Super Bowl. Darnold, 28, is the only other one who made the playoffs before this year, but his lone playoff appearance came last season when he went one-and-done with the Vikings.

Maye, 23, is in his first postseason after being drafted No. 3 in the 2024 draft. Nix was also drafted last year (No. 12), while the 29-year-old Stidham has started just four games in his career, and none in the playoffs.

The youth and lack of playoff experience of the three remaining quarterbacks make this a relatively underpaid final four. The six highest-paid quarterbacks who qualified for this postseason have already been eliminated.

Stafford, who makes $40 million a year, was seventh among postseason QBs and 16th overall. Darnold’s $33.5 million per year is 18th among all NFL QBs.

The four quarterbacks’ average annual salary is $22.2 million, about 60% of the AAV of last year’s final four ($37.1 million average for Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, Josh Allen, and Jayden Daniels). Maye and Stidham make less than $10 million a year, and little would change in this scenario if Nix were the Denver starter as he actually makes less annually than Stidham ($4.7 million).

Whichever quarterback wins Super Bowl LX will almost certainly secure a massive raise once they’re able to sign an extension—unless Stafford calls it a career sometime soon.

Stafford, who turns 38 the day before the Super Bowl, has a year remaining on his deal after this year. He can sign an extension in the offseason, one that can still be lucrative following a second Super Bowl win and a potential MVP season.

Maye has two more years on his rookie deal, but he can sign an extension in the 2027 offseason. Darnold has two years remaining though Seattle can extend his deal as early as this offseason.

Stidham, 29, whose deal is up after next year, could also get a new contract if he miraculously leads Denver to a Super Bowl. He could mirror the Eagles after they won Super Bowl LII with backup Nick Foles leading the way.

Foles signed a four-year, $88 million deal with Jacksonville in 2019. His previous deal with Philadelphia was two years, $11 million.