What’s there to say at this point? On Sunday afternoon, the Packers are taking on the New York Jets, who’ve started the season with the second era of Geno Smith under center after having three different starting QBs last season. Since we’ve done this for 14 other teams at this point and people seem to enjoy it, we figured we’d bypass the usual Wisconsin sports coverage this week in favor of ranking the staggering 21 different starting quarterbacks the Jets have used over the past 20 seasons. Go Pack Go!
21. Luke Falk
Falk, who started two games during the 2019 season and appeared in three total, gets this unsavory honor on account of a 0-2 record, no touchdowns, three interceptions, and just 416 yards through the air. He still got to play quarterback for an NFL team, which is pretty cool.
20. Tim Boyle
Aaron Rodgers’ longtime backup followed him to Jersey, where he got to start two games (and play in three overall). The Jets lost each of those games, Boyle managed only 360 passing yards, and he threw four picks. The only reasons he’s not dead last on this list is because, unlike Luke Falk, he threw a touchdown and he used to play for the Packers.
19. Greg McElroy
With an 0-1 record in his lone 2012 start, a touchdown pass, an interception, and 214 total passing yards, the 19 slot seems about right for Greg McElroy.
18. Bryce Petty
Unlike many of the guys you’ve already read about, Bryce Petty actually had an extended opportunity to prove himself in New York. It didn’t go very well. Over a span of seven starts (and 10 games total) during his 2016-2017 tenure, Petty had just four touchdown passes compared to 10 interceptions. The Jets only walked away with a victory in one game started by Petty.
17. Brady Cook
When last season was officially and emphatically written off, the Jets gave the ball to Brady Cook. He proceeded to lose all four of his starts and throw four interceptions. He did have two touchdowns and a decent completion percentage, which might be why Miami Dolphins has made Cook their current third-string quarterback.
16. Trevor Siemian
In two separate stints with the Jets (2019 and 2023), Trevor Siemian appeared in six regular season games, including four starts. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t perform as well in green and white as he did during his time with the Broncos or his season with the Saints. In total, Siemian threw for just 727 yards and offset his pair of touchdown passes with four interceptions.
15. Michael Vick
Are we the only ones who completely forgot Michael Vick briefly played for the Jets? In 2014, the embattled quarterback’s penultimate NFL season, Vick played 10 games with New York and started three of those. He managed to lead the Jets to a win during one of those starts, and he threw three touchdowns compared to two picks. He added 153 rushing yards to the mix, which helps Vick narrowly crack the top 15 on this list.
14. Tyrod Taylor
Former Bills starter, journeyman backup, and current Packers number two QB Tyrod Taylor wound up with the Jets in 2024 and 2025. During that two-year stint, Taylor amassed close to 900 passing yards, eight TDs through the air, five interceptions, more than 150 rushing yards, and a rushing touchdown. It doesn’t reflect in his 1-3 record during games he started, but Taylor was downright okay in limited snaps as a Jets quarterback.
13. Kellen Clemens
Kellen is a distant second in the category of best professional throwers with the Clemens surname, having won far fewer Cy Young Awards than Roger and throwing only five more touchdowns in New York than The Rocket did. Five passing TDs to 11 interceptions and just over 1,500 total yards in 25 games (including nine starts) with the Jets isn’t great, but New York did win four games Clemens started.
12. Mike White
Not to be confused with the creator of White Lotus, quarterback Mike White’s time with the Jets was nothing like a vacation. During limited snaps in 2021 and 2022, White had eight passing touchdowns in as many total games and just over 2,000 passing yards, but offset that with 12 interceptions and only two wins over seven starts.
11. Justin Fields
Following a career resurgence in Pittsburgh, the Jets signed Justin Fields to a two-year, $40 million contract to be their new starting quarterback. After nine games, it was over. In just over half of a season at the helm, the Jets went 2-7, but the blame wasn’t all on Fields. He threw seven touchdowns (compared to one interception), had 1,259 passing yards, rushed for close to 400 yards, and added four rushing touchdowns for good measure. After shutting him down the latter portion of last season, he was traded to the Chiefs this offseason.
10. Joe Flacco
The ageless and somehow still active Joe Flacco spent parts of three seasons with New York. During limited action—a dozen total games, nine of those being starts—as a Jet, Flacco tossed 14 TDs compared only six interceptions and passed for more than 2,000 yards.
9. Brett Favre
Believe it or not, this former Packers star quarterback and multi-time MVP earns a spot in the top 10 despite playing just one season with the Jets!
8. Josh McCown
Yes, the Jets are among the 15,000 NFL teams Josh McCown has played for and, yes, he was pretty good as a backup-turned-starter like he was pretty much every other time. Despite New York’s 5-11 record during games he started in 2017 and 2018, the veteran managed almost 3,500 passing yards and 19 touchdowns through the air during what basically accounts for one full season worth of action. Not too shabby.
7. Aaron Rodgers
Believe it or not, this former Packers star quarterback and multi-time MVP earns a spot in the top 10 despite playing just one season (plus three plays) with the Jets!
6. Geno Smith
Following nine seasons away, Geno Smith—whom the Jets drafted in the second round in 2013—is back under center in New York in 2026 and ready to work his way up this list one game at a time. Despite previously spending four seasons with the team, Smith really only started the majority of two years, going 11-18 before losing the starting spot in 2015. He’s always been prone to throwing interceptions, but Smith has also managed 28 touchdowns and more than 6,000 passing yards through the air as a Jet. Hopefully neither of those numbers increase too much this Sunday.
5. Zach Wilson
Wilson, a former second overall pick, got a bad rap and a short leash during his three-season stint with the Jets. Before his time was prematurely up in New York, Wilson was replaced by Aaron Rodgers, then had to take over again as the team’s starter when his replacement tore his ACL a few plays into the 2023 season. His Jets stat line isn’t great, but not many are on this list, so Wilson is now number five by default.
4. Sam Darnold
Before he became a Super Bowl-winning starting quarterback for the reining champion Seahawks, Sam Darnold was drafted third overall by the Jets and unceremoniously done away with by the team after three losing seasons as the QB in NY. Despite the 13-25 mark as a starter with the team, Darnold threw 45 touchdown passes, aired it out for more than 8,000 yards, and tacked on 417 rushing yards plus five rushing scores, which lands him just outside the top three here.
3. Ryan Fitzpatrick
In 2015 and 2016, New York had Fitzmagic on their hands. During that two-season span (his sixth stop in his nine-team career), the journeyman started 27 games, tossed 43 touchdown passes, amassed 6,615 passing yards, and led the Jets to 13 wins. Though they’re not astounding stats by any measure, the Jets have experienced some pretty lean years in the 21st century, so it’s still good enough production to land Fitzpatrick in the top three on this list.
2. Mark Sanchez
Probably better known as one half of the “butt fumble” and for his recent troubles off the field, Mark Sanchez was a quietly solid quarterback during his time piloting the Jets. Despite playing only four seasons there, Sanchez is either fifth or sixth in every significant all-time quarterback category and a surprising number two on this list.
1. Chad Pennington
No surprise here. Pennington is the best Jets QB so far this century and the team’s most prolific passer since Ken O’Brien. He’s ranked fourth in New York’s all-time passing yards, passing touchdowns, attempts, and completions.