We’ve reached the modern day in our NFC South All-Decade Team series, with the quarterbacks leading off into the All-NFC South Team of the 2020s. And while we’ve only reached the halfway point, it’s been a rough decade so far. For the first time in this series’ history we’re featuring a quarterbacks list that doesn’t include Drew Brees, who retired at the start of the decade. Just one team has sustained competent quarterback play — the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who smoothly transitioned from Tom Brady to Baker Mayfield and won four consecutive division titles because of it. That’s left the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, and the New Orleans Saints on their own in the wilderness.
But things might be trending up. Bryce Young earned some confidence from Panthers fans after winning his first NFC South championship last season. Tyler Shough is riding a wave of optimism in New Orleans. And the Falcons are about to find out if Michael Penix Jr. can fend off Tua Tagovailoa and stay healthy in the same season. Here’s our take on the best quarterbacks in the division from 2020 to the present day. How will the list shake up over the next four years?
Methodology
One key stat we’re relying on is Approximate Value from Pro Football Reference, which PFR defines as “an attempt to put a single number on the seasonal value of a player at any position from any year.” In practice, that means giving higher numbers to player who start more games, play more snaps, and do more to help their team win by racking up yards, scoring touchdowns, creating turnovers and sacking quarterbacks, and so on. We’re also assigning point values to being named a first-team All-Pro (ten points), second-team All-Pro (five points), and Pro Bowler (three points). And then we’re adding those numbers together. Remember, these are all-decade teams for the NFC South, which didn’t exist until 2002, and only contributions on the four teams in the division factor into our formula. So Drew Brees earning a Pro Bowl nod with the San Diego Chargers in 2005 doesn’t help him, for example.
First team: Tom Brady
- Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2020 to 2022)
- AV: 41
- Awards: All-Pro second team (1), Pro Bowler (1)
- Score: 49
The Saints were able to fend off Brady for a time, and they had more wins against him than any other team once he came to the NFC South, but he still ran the division after Drew Brees called it a career. He threw more than twice as many touchdown passes (123) as games he played (53) for Tampa Bay, gifting the Bucs their once-a-generation Super Bowl in the process. His greed may have gotten the better of him after Brady abruptly un-retired in 2022 so he could come back, endure the first losing season of his career, and go out sad after throwing 66 times in a playoff loss, but he’s still the best quarterback the NFC South has produced this decade.
First team: Baker Mayfield
- Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2023 to 2026)
- AV: 43
- Awards: Pro Bowler (2)
- Score: 49
A lot of it is due to a change in scenery, but Mayfield has developed into the quarterback Cleveland Browns fans hoped he could be eight years ago. You could chalk that up to him landing in a situation with a strong supporting cast and a winnable division, but look at his numbers: 95 touchdown passes in 51 games and two playoff berths in three years don’t happen by accident. At the same time, his 27-24 record as a starter wouldn’t cut the mustard somewhere else, and he needs to prove he can move the offense without Mike Evans.
Honorable mention: Taysom Hill
- Team: New Orleans Saints (2020 to 2025)
- AV: 26
- Awards: N/A
- Score: 26
Yeah, we’re cheating the system by highlighting Hill, who was at times listed as a tight end and never did hold onto the full-time quarterback job for long. Deal with it. Even though he’s best known for his work as a rusher (with 2,199 yards and 31 touchdowns from 2020 to 2025, a clip of 5.2 yards per carry) and respectable production as a receiver on limited snaps (88 catches, 796 yards, and 5 touchdowns), Hill made an admirable go of it when he got to throw the football, too. His 7-2 record as a starting quarterback is the highest win percentage (.778) of anyone who started nine or more games this decade. Throwing 8 interceptions against 12 touchdown passes won’t blow you away, but Hill did prove he could win games in the NFL when he got his chance. We’re going to give him his due credit while waiting on an official retirement announcement.
Catch up on the All-NFC South Team of the 2010s
