Worst Conference Championship Quarterbacks of the Last Decade

The Denver Broncos had a dream season, but they suffered a devastating blow in their last offensive play against the Buffalo Bills. Bo Nix suffered a broken ankle, and he will be out for the rest of the playoffs. That has thrust backup Jarrett Stidham into the starting lineup with a trip to Super Bowl LX on the line. Stidham would love nothing more than to knock off his former team, as the New England Patriots left him on the scrap heap after three seasons.

Oddsmakers are dubious about Denver’s chances against New England in the AFC Championship Game. The Patriots are a four-point favorite per the sports betting odds, as Stidham has not thrown a pass in the regular season since 2023. Stidham is definitely the most unseasoned quarterback to start in a conference championship game in recent memory, so with that in mind, let’s take a look at the five worst quarterbacks to have made it to Conference Championship Weekend over the last decade.

Blake Bortles (Jacksonville Jaguars)

Jacksonville almost knocked off New England in the 2018 AFC Championship Game. The Jaguars led the Patriots 20-10 early in the fourth quarter, and Blake Bortles had a strong performance. Bortles completed 23 of 36 passes for 293 yards and a touchdown, and he didn’t turn the ball over.

It was by far Bortles’ best season. Bortles was only a starting quarterback for one more year after the Jaguars’ improbable AFC Championship Game appearance, and he threw just two more passes in his NFL career. After bouncing around the league for three more seasons, Bortles announced his retirement in October 2022.

Case Keenum (Minnesota Vikings)

The 2018 NFC Championship Game showcased two quarterbacks who didn’t have much success outside of one season. Case Keenum had a dream season with the Minnesota Vikings, leading his team to the conference title game thanks to one of the most improbable plays in NFL history. Keenum found Stefon Diggs down the sidelines, and Diggs scampered into the end zone as time expired to knock off the New Orleans Saints in the Minneapolis Miracle.

Unfortunately, Minnesota’s fairytale season came to a screeching halt against Philadelphia in the NFC Championship Game. Keenum led the Vikings right down the field for a touchdown on their opening drive, but the Eagles scored the next 38 points to make it to the Super Bowl. Keenum turned the ball over three times in the loss, yet Denver rewarded Keenum with a sizable contract in the offseason. The journeyman quarterback has played for eight different franchises over 14 years in the NFL, yet he was never able to match the lightning in the bottle he caught with Minnesota.

Nick Foles (Philadelphia Eagles)

There’s no doubt that the most successful quarterback of this bunch was Nick Foles. Many observers wrote Philadelphia off after Carson Wentz suffered an injury late in the 2017 season, but Foles stepped in and surpassed all expectations. Foles was incredible in the NFC Championship Game against Keenum and Minnesota, completing 26 of 33 passes for 352 yards and three touchdowns.

Nick Foles was also the only player on this list to eventually lead his team to a Super Bowl title. Foles was lights out against New England in Super Bowl LII. He completed 28 of 43 passes for 373 yards with three touchdowns and an interception, and he caught the Philly Special that forever earned him a place in Super Bowl lore. His play helped give Philadelphia its first Lombardi Trophy, but Foles was subpar during the Eagles’ playoff run the following season. Foles threw two interceptions in each of his playoff starts, and Philly blew a 14-0 lead against New Orleans in the Divisional Round.

Jimmy Garoppolo (San Francisco 49ers)

Kyle Shanahan works wonders with quarterbacks. Shanahan has made Brock Purdy the best and richest Mr. Irrelevant ever. However, it might be even more impressive to look back on what he did with Jimmy Garoppolo, given what has happened to Garoppolo’s career since he left San Francisco.

Garoppolo was under center when San Francisco made it to the NFC Championship Game twice in three seasons. However, he didn’t have to do anything in the 2020 NFC Championship Game against Green Bay. Jimmy G threw just eight passes as the 49ers relied on a strong ground game and a great defense to upend the Packers. That formula looked like it would lead the Niners to a Super Bowl title, but San Francisco blew a fourth-quarter lead against Kansas City as Garoppolo threw two interceptions.

The next time Garoppolo was at the helm for a deep San Francisco playoff run, it was the defense that led the way. Garoppolo threw an interception in each postseason game during the 2021-22 season, and it caught up with the 49ers when they faced the Los Angeles Rams. Once again, the 49ers were ahead in the fourth quarter but lost as Garoppolo could not be counted on.

Ryan Tannehill (Tennessee Titans)

Mike Vrabel worked wonders during his time with the Tennessee Titans. His teams largely overperformed, and that was certainly the case during the 2019-20 NFL Playoffs. Tennessee went 9-7 in the regular season, but Ryan Tannehill helped lead the Titans past the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens. Derrick Henry was the workhorse running back that made it happen, yet Tannehill didn’t need to do much as he threw just 29 total passes in those two games.

Tennessee needed Tannehill to step up in the AFC Championship Game against Kansas City, and he rose to the occasion. In that game, Tannehill completed 21 of 31 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns. Unfortunately for the Titans, Patrick Mahomes played at a much higher level, while Henry was unable to match his past production. He was the signal caller for two Titans’ playoff teams the next two seasons, but Tennessee failed to have the same postseason success. Tannehill was a mediocre quarterback during the remainder of his time with the Titans before retiring in 2025.