Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix entered the NFL this spring as a 24-year-old rookie after spending five years in college.
He’s older than a typical rookie, but Nix still ranks among the youngest starting quarterbacks in the NFL going into his first season.
Of the five QBs younger than Nix, only two are rookies. Bryce Young (23), Jayden Daniels (23; rookie), C.J. Stroud (22), Caleb Williams (22; rookie) and Anthony Richardson (22) are the youngest starting QBs in the league.
J.J. McCarthy (21) would have had a chance to become the NFL’s youngest starter this year, but he’s out for the season with a torn meniscus.
Aaron Rodgers (40) is the oldest quarterback in the league, with Kirk Cousins (36), Matthew Stafford (36) and Russell Wilson (35) behind him.
Up next are Derek Carr (33), Geno Smith (33), Dak Prescott (31) and Jacoby Brissett (31), but rookie Drake Maye (22) could overtake Brissett this fall.
We’ve listed the ages of all 32 starting quarterbacks below with parentheses providing context of younger QBs waiting in the wings.
NFL quarterbacks ranked oldest to youngest
- Aaron Rodgers (40)
- Kirk Cousins (36)
- Matthew Stafford (36)
- Russell Wilson (35) (Justin Fields: 25)
- Derek Carr (33) (Spencer Rattler: 23)
- Geno Smith (33)
- Dak Prescott (31)
- Jacoby Brissett (31) (Drake Maye: 22)
- Baker Mayfield (29)
- Jared Goff (29)
- Gardner Minshew (28) (Aiden O’Connell: 26)
- Josh Allen (28)
- Deshaun Watson (28)
- Patrick Mahomes (28)
- Lamar Jackson (27)
- Daniel Jones (27)
- Sam Darnold (27) (J.J. McCarthy: 21)
- Kyler Murray (27)
- Joe Burrow (27)
- Tua Tagovailoa (26)
- Justin Herbert (26)
- Jalen Hurts (26)
- Will Levis (25)
- Jordan Love (25)
- Trevor Lawrence (24)
- Brock Purdy (24)
- Bo Nix (24)
- Bryce Young (23)
- Jayden Daniels (23)
- C.J. Stroud (22)
- Caleb Williams (22)
- Anthony Richardson (22)
When Nix lines up under center on Sunday, he will become Denver’s first rookie quarterback to start in Week 1 since John Elway in 1983.
