There are already a handful of QBs across the NFL who could be getting benched in the 2025 season. Let's dive into which QBs get benched first. Week 1 brought some surprise finishes, but for the most part, things went as they should have.
The Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings close us out on Monday Night Football, and while there's been just one week of football, it's clear that a few QBs could be barreling toward getting benched at some point. It's a tough business, but that's how it goes sometimes.
Let's elaborate on this a bit and dive into a handful of quarterbacks who are likely getting benched first in the 2025 season.
These quarterbacks are surely getting benched first during the 2025 NFL Season
Russell Wilson, New York Giants
The fact that this had to be announced just goes to show you how short of a leash Russell Wilson has with the New York Giants, and he's played just one regular season game for them:
#Giants HC Brian Daboll said the intention is to start Russell Wilson at QB in Week 2 vs. the #Cowboys. pic.twitter.com/ROhaT5mP8F
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 8, 2025
The New York Giants had to have known this was coming given how sharp rookie QB Jaxson Dart looked in the preseason. Dart was shockingly elevated to the QB2 position when many thought he was simply going to remain as the QB3. It's setting up to be a sad ending to a Hall of Fame career for Russell Wilson.
He's now on his third team in as many seasons and is surely on his last straw in the NFL. If Wilson wants to continue playing, he'll likely have to settle for a backup role. Slowly approaching 40 years old, Russell Wilson's NFL career is coming to the most pathetic ending possible, and it would honestly be a shock if he was not the first starting QB to be sent to the bench. Who else is on the list?
Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints
Spencer Rattler hung in there for the New Orleans Saints against the Arizona Cardinals, and his inevitable benching might not be his fault. The Saints simply have a bad football team, and with a first-year coaching staff to boot, the path to success in the 2025 NFL Season might not be there.
Furthermore, New Orleans used a high draft pick on Tyler Shough, and Shough narrowly lost the starting QB job to Rattler. It's likely only a matter of time before a few shaky Rattler starts paves the way for Tyler Shough.
However, the issue at hand here appears to be the lack of promise, overall, in the QB room, as it's not likely that either Rattler or Shough emerges as the long-term answer for this team.
Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Bryce Young finished with a 49 passer rating in the Carolina Panthers' Week 1 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Perhaps Young just isn't going to take that next step. Sure, it is still just Week 1, and a lot could change, but what we saw from Young on Sunday is what we saw from him for the bulk of his first two years in the NFL. It's an unfortunate situation for the Carolina Panthers, as this team does have enough roster talent to compete for the NFC South title.
Andy Dalton is the Panthers' backup, so you could argue that putting Dalton in doesn't really do much for the team in terms of clarity on the QB situation, but if Young is this bad over the next few games, how do you not make a move?
The goal of a football team should be to win games, and the current regime in place did not draft Bryce Young. This could be shaping up to be a sad ending for the Young era in Carolina. Simply put, he might not be a franchise quarterback and might end up needing a fresh start after the 2025 NFL Season.