There are more than a handful of quarterbacks who are under insane pressure to succeed in the 2024 NFL Season, but here are the ones under the most pressure. You know what; some players do sincerely perform better under pressure, but being under pressure isn't always a good thing.
A plethora of quarterbacks are under insane pressure in 2024, but that's also the nature of the position they play. However, some of the pressure they face could be too much and could lead to their respective teams making some insanely tough decisions.
3 quarterbacks under crippling pressure to succeed in the 2024 NFL Season
Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
Deshaun Watson could go down as having the single worst contract in the history of sports if he cannot regain his old form with the Cleveland Browns. And to make matters worse, the Browns still have a couple of years before they can realistically get out from under this fully-guaranteed deal. The Browns basically tossed former QB Baker Mayfield aside and invested a ton of draft picks and money to acquire and extend Watson.
However, through his first two seasons with the Browns, it's been flat-out terrible. Let's not sugarcoat it. He's played in 12 games and has thrown just 14 touchdowns against nine interceptions. He's completed less than 60% of his passes and has a terrible 81.7 passer rating. No matter how you slice it, Deshaun Watson has been a disaster for the Browns, and if in year three with the team he cannot figure this QB thing out, the pressure might be too much and could force the Browns to make a major move.
Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
No surprise here; Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys is under immense pressure to succeed. No one is criticizing Prescott for his regular seasons, as the Cowboys win a ton with Prescott under center and he's usually always quite efficient. It's the 2-5 playoff record that people knock him for, and it's a fair criticism.
Is Dak Prescott just a different version of Kirk Cousins? That's what it seems like. Well, he's entering the final year of his deal and there has been no signs of a contract extension in sight from the Cowboys. Prescott does have an argument to be paid close to $60 million per year, believe it or not, but he could be fighting for a huge payday in 2024.
If he doesn't get an extension, plays well in the regular season, but again doesn't perform in the playoffs, who would sign him to a long-term deal? It's just a tough spot to be in, as Prescott is slowly but surely getting older and could be running out of time to prove to everyone that he is a top QB in this league.
Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers
Obviously Russell Wilson is under a mountain of pressure in 2024. Why wouldn't he be? He's now on his third team in four seasons and is clearly a shell of his former self. It's a tough spot to be in if you're Wilson, as his prime was an all-time spectacle to watch. He helped lead the Seattle Seahawks to two Super Bowls and one title in his first three seasons.
He is also arguably the best dual-threat QB of all-time and a first-ballot Hall of Famer. But as he enters his age-36 season in the NFL, there are way more questions than answers with Wilson, who could be on his last straw in 2024. It may be an unfortunate ending to an insanely successful career, and I am sure that the winning-addicted Wilson is sick to his stomach knowing how his career could end.