Mac Jones ranks as NFL's top backup QB ahead of 2026 season
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 31, 2026, 11:25 AM
Last updated Jul 31, 2026
Mac Jones is rated the best backup quarterback in the NFL ahead of the 2026 season, according to Jacob Infante's rankings. Jones had a strong performance last season, going 5-3 as a starter and completing 69.6% of his passes. His future could see him transition to a starting role as he approaches unrestricted free agency next March. Other notable backups include Tua Tagovailoa and Fernando Mendoza, who may also contend for starting positions depending on team developments during training camp.
- •Mac Jones went 5-3 in eight starts last season
- •Jones completed 201 of 289 passes for 2,151 yards
- •Tua Tagovailoa is set to compete for a starting role
- •Fernando Mendoza may challenge Kirk Cousins for starting QB
- •Jones hits unrestricted free agency in March 2027
- 11:25 AMYahoo Sports — Ranking the Best Backup QBs in the NFL: Hot List Thinks Mac Jones Is In a League of His Own
"Mac Jones is the best backup quarterback in the NFL, and there’s a real chance he isn’t one much longer. That’s the top of Jacob Infante’s Hot List ranking of the top five backup quarterbacks going into 2026, though the list ends up telling you something else entirely.
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