Three NFL quarterbacks you shouldn’t give up on yet

There is no league more full of impatience than the NFL. Fans and front offices alike demand immediate success, which puts pressure on people's jobs. No position on the field is that felt more than at quarterback.

That can put quarterbacks into bad positions early in their careers. They can be thrown into action ready because of that pressure, play poorly and get quickly declared busts. Sam Darnold is the now classic example. Put on the field before he was ready with the New York Jets, he struggled until finding the right home. Now, he's a Super Bowl champion. 

There are plenty of quarterbacks in similar situations now. Some of those are even quarterbacks the wider public has already given up on, but here are three who still have an opportunity to succeed in the NFL. 

Tua Tagovailoa, Atlanta Falcons

It's a new start for Tagovailoa. The former Miami Dolphins quarterback hit the reset button and landed with the Falcons. There, he'll likely be the starting quarterback.

Injuries and a worsening roster took their toll on Tagovailoa when he was with the Dolphins. Still, he flashed his ability. In 2023, he led the NFL in passing yards. As recently as 2024, he led the NFL in completion percentage. Get him in a system he's comfortable with and with talent around him, and Tagovailoa can be that player again.

J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings

Coming out of college, McCarthy was a bit of a controversial quarterback. That's partially because he was on a Michigan team that won a national championship the same year it was caught stealing signs. It was also partially because people debated whether McCarthy would transition well to the NFL.

So far, it's been a struggle. There's no way around that. He missed his rookie season with an injury and threw more interceptions than touchdowns in 2025. Since then, the Vikings added Kyler Murray to the QB room. In other words, McCarthy's job isn't safe. At the same time, with only 10 NFL games played, he has played so little that it's difficult to draw conclusions. 

C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans

In his rookie season, C.J. Stroud was phenomenal for the Houston Texans. It was good enough to earn Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. However, he's thrown for fewer yards and touchdowns in the two seasons since then. He's also thrown for more interceptions in each season since his rookie year.

There's reason to be concerned about the direction that Stroud is trending. The fact that the Texans have a defense capable of winning a Super Bowl has amplified Stroud's regression. At the same time, Stroud is still incredibly talented. There's no reason why he can't improve moving forward.