NFL coaches have put Matthew Stafford and Justin Herbert in the league’s top 10 quarterbacks ahead of the 2026 season, but the placement of Herbert has already sparked plenty of pushback.
Warren Sharp took aim at the Chargers quarterback on X, writing, "Justin Herbert has played 6 yrs in the NFL... Hasn’t won a single playoff game… Is having his maturity questioned by coaches. Fair or unfair?"
Grant Cohn jumped in to defend Herbert, and he did it by pointing to a name plenty of people know well. "Matthew Stafford never won a playoff game in 12 seasons with the Lions." wrote the San Francisco 49ers insider.
The coaches’ rankings put Stafford at No. 3 overall, behind only Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes. Herbert came in at No. 7, landing behind Allen, Mahomes, Stafford, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson and Dak Prescott.
One anonymous coordinator explained why Herbert was not placed higher, saying, "He plays young," the coordinator said.
"He's incredibly talented and has made progress, but he doesn't have the maturity level of the other guys as far as how he runs the overall operation and mastery of the position."
Cohn’s point was clear: playoff wins, or the lack of them, shouldn’t be the whole story when it comes to Herbert. He also noted that the reigning MVP spent more than a decade without a postseason victory to begin his career.
Stafford’s own year was the kind that keeps him near the top of these lists. He put together the best season of his career with 4,707 passing yards, 46 touchdowns and just eight interceptions, steering the Los Angeles Rams into a deep playoff run and edging Drake Maye for the MVP Award.
The Rams were in the mix all season and looked like the team to beat for long stretches, but their run ended in the NFC Championship Game against the eventual Super Bowl LX champions, the Seattle Seahawks. Stafford and the Rams will try to go one - or two - steps further in 2026.
Herbert, meanwhile, helped push the Los Angeles Chargers into the postseason and looked comfortable in Jim Harbaugh’s offense. He connected well with his pass catchers, and his 10 passing touchdowns from outside the pocket led the NFL in 2025.
Still, the Chargers again fell short of a conference game, losing to the New England Patriots in the Wild Card round. Herbert’s ability has never really been the issue. The challenge now is turning that talent into a postseason run that changes the conversation.
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