In the 2004 season, Ben Roethlisberger took the Steelers to the postseason as a rookie. He won his first playoff start, but fell short in the divisional round. Not to be deterred, the Steelers would win the Super Bowl the very next season.
While never the most prolific QB, Joe Flacco was a winner from the get go. In his rookie season in 2008, he led the Ravens to not just the postseason, but the AFC Championship Game, where they fell to divisional rival Pittsburgh.
In the 2008 season, Matt Ryan immediately turned the Falcons fortunes around. However, they were the first victim on the Cardinals surprise run to the Super Bowl.
Arguably the worst QB on this list, Mark Sanchez was carried to the playoffs as a rookie in 2009 on the heels of the Jets elite defense. Sanchez's Jets got by the Bengals and Chargers before falling to Peyton Manning's Colts in the Conference Championship.
Andy Dalton has become somewhat of a joke over the years because of his consistent ability to get the Bengals to the playoffs, but never win a game. No one knew that would be the case during his rookie season in 2011, though. Perhaps the fact that his Bengals lost to T.J. Yates should've been a sign of things to come. Dalton has never won a playoff game.
The single most "sure thing" prospect in NFL history, Andrew Luck unsurprisingly had the Colts in the postseason as a rookie in 2012. Unfortunately, he came up short in his first career playoff game.
In a game he never should've played, Robert Griffin III did everything he could in his electric 2012 season. Ultimately, he exited Washington's Wild Card loss to the Seahawks with a torn ACL and was never the same again.
Despite signing Matt Flynn to an expensive starting contract in the offseason, head coach Pete Carroll named Russell Wilson the Week 1 starter. It was clearly the correct decision, as Wilson took the Seahawks to the playoffs in 2012. In the only playoff matchup featuring rookie QBs on both sides, Wilson got the better of RGIII and Washington. Although the Seahawks would lose the Falcons the next week, Wilson would go on to reach two Super Bowls, winning one.
Dak Prescott entered Cowboys training camp as the QB3 in 2016. Preseason injuries to both Tony Romo and Kellen Moore thrust the rookie fourth-rounder into a starting role. Prescott led the Cowboys to the No. 1 seed. But, in typical Cowboys fashion, they lost to an inferior team in the Divisional Round.
Midway through his rookie season in 2018, Lamar Jackson replaced an ineffective Joe Flacco. He led the Ravens to the playoffs, but was clearly overmatched in his first career postseason start, losing to Philip Rivers and the Chargers. Undeterred, Jackson's sophomore year in 2019 would be one of the greatest in NFL history.
If Mark Sanchez isn't the worst QB on this list, Mac Jones certainly is. Things were briefly looking up for the Patriots in their second season without Tom Brady in 2021. Jones got them to the playoffs, but lost to divisional rival Buffalo. Jones is now a backup and the Patriots have not been remotely competitive since.
Following injuries to Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo, rookie seventh-rounder Brock Purdy was forced into action for the 49ers in 2022. He surprised everyone by taking the 49ers to the playoffs and winning two games before injuring his elbow in the NFC Championship Game against the Eagles. The 49ers reached the Super Bowl the very next season, proving that Purdy is here to stay.
The Texans went from laughingstock of the league to perennial playoff team overnight with the selection of C.J. Stroud. The rookie took Houston to the playoffs in 2023, winning the AFC South and a playoff game, before getting smoked by the Ravens. Stroud and the Texans regressed considerably in year two, but still captured the AFC South.
Sunday, January 12, 2025, will feature two rookie QBs making playoff starts. Bo Nix has the Broncos returning to the postseason after a decade away.
Washington has a knack for talented, mobile rookie QBs. 12 years after RGIII did it, Jayden Daniels has the Commanders in the postseason.
