When a team is doing well, the quarterback is usually the one who gets the praise, but when team struggles set in, it's the signal-callers who typically get the criticism. That should remain the case for years to come, as the NFL is a QB-driven league.
The 2026 NFL regular season is also rapidly approaching, and for some teams and QBs, there really isn't a lot of pressure. Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks are coming off a Super Bowl victory, so while the team may not think like this, there really isn't any pressure, at least compared to other teams.
Let's take a deeper dive at the position and rank the QBs who are under the most pressure for the 2026 season.
Ranking quarterbacks under the most pressure in the 2026 NFL Season
8. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Bryce Young played the best football of his career in the 2025 season, but Young went just 8-8 in his 16 starts and threw for at least 200 passing yards in just four of those starts. The Carolina Panthers did win the division, but an 8-9 record cannot continue being the goal.
And had Young played well enough, he would have already likely received that big-time extension from the Panthers. He's largely been a bad QB for much of his career, and I'm not sure there is any certainty at all that Young is a franchise passer. If he struggles in 2026, the Panthers really wouldn't have any reason to keep this thing going, as the regime that drafted Young has been gone for years.
7. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles did win the Super Bowl in the 2024 season, but that feels like forever ago, as the Eagles just haven't been able to find stable success on the offensive side of the ball, and while some may not want to hear this, Hurts being a limited passer is reason for that.
If the Eagles endure another year where the offense just cannot find their groove, it'd bring into question if Hurts is truly the long-term answer for the team. While he is a good runner, he's never been a threatening passer and just does not scare opposing defenses with his arm, which is a problem.
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