Jared Goff is back in familiar territory: the top 10 of ESPN’s latest quarterback ranking, this time landing at No. 9 as the 2026 season approaches.
The list, put together by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, comes from NFL coaches, executives and scouts rather than media voters. Those league insiders had Goff in the top 10 on 60% of ballots, and he slipped one spot from last season. He finished just behind New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, a reminder of how crowded the position has become at the top.
Fowler included one quote from an NFL coordinator who summed up Goff this way: "The guy wins," adding, "He's going to find a completion if not under pressure. Mature pocket passer with a plus arm who can layer the ball at all levels."
The production backs up the reputation. Since the start of the 2022 season, Goff has thrown for a league-best 18,206 yards and 130 passing touchdowns. His yardage total is 1,258 ahead of Patrick Mahomes, even though Goff has played five more games, and he has 13 more touchdown passes than Josh Allen, despite playing one more game than Allen.
The old criticism still follows him, though. Mobility and handling pressure remain the biggest knocks, and Goff was sacked 38 times last season. Fowler noted that Goff is "known in league circles for good footwork, and he has improved his toughness from inside the pocket over five years in Detroit."
The ranking also offered a broader look at where Goff stands among his peers. Among the honorable mentions was Super Bowl-champion Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks, and one "high-ranking" AFC team official said Darnold deserved a top-10 spot because of his "career bounce-back" over the past two seasons.
The No. 10 spot went to Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, who edged out Darnold, Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels and Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love in a tiebreaker. Fowler said Williams got the nod because "He's the hardest of the four for teams to prepare for and defend," while one personnel evaluator called him a "closer" after his string of late-game wins.
With Love listed as an honorable mention and no Minnesota Vikings quarterback appearing at all, the group of coaches, executives and scouts effectively viewed Goff as the best quarterback in the NFC North. Across the NFC, he checked in at No. 3 behind Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.
That placement fits Goff’s recent run. He has been named to the Pro Bowl in three of the past four seasons, and Stafford and Prescott were also Pro Bowlers last season. The three were also the most recent quarterbacks named First-Team All-NFC.
Still, the next step is obvious. Goff has piled up the numbers and the respect.
Now he has to turn that into a Lombardi trophy. If he does, a top-five spot in next year’s ranking would not be a surprise.
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