Dak Prescott Inherits an Interesting Title From Aaron Rodgers
After 18 years with the franchise that selected him with the 24th pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, Aaron Rodgers is leaving the Green Bay Packers and will play the 2023 NFL season with the New York Jets, marking the true end of an era.
Now, Rodgers obviously wasn’t always the full-time starter in Green Bay, as he spent the first three seasons of his career sitting behind Brett Favre, who also left the Packers for the Jets. Rodgers finally took the reins in 2008 and built a Hall of Fame resume, earning 10 Pro Bowl selections, five All-Pro selections, and four NFL MVP awards. And while most think he should have more than one, the California native also won a Super Bowl. So no matter how you feel about the guy, there’s no denying that Rodgers is one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history.
But, again, his time in Green Bay is over. And while we could get into what that means for Aaron Rodgers himself or the Packers and Jets as a whole, our focus here today is on something a bit different.
For the last few years, ever since Tom Brady left the New England Patriots for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Rodgers has been the longest-tenured starting quarterback for an NFL team. But as he’ll be suiting up for Gang Green in 2023, he’ll no longer hold that title.
So who takes over? None other than Dallas Cowboys signal-caller Dak Prescott.
With Aaron Rodgers leaving the Packers, Dak Prescott is the longest-tenured starting QB for one team in the NFL
That’s right. With Aaron Rodgers leaving Green Bay after 15 years as the Packers’ regular starter, Dak Prescott takes over as the longest-tenured starting quarterback for one team in the NFL.
Taken by the Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2016 draft, Prescott became the starter in Dallas as a rookie after Tony Romo went down with an injury in the preseason and has held the job ever since. The 2023 campaign will mark Prescott’s eighth year as the Cowboys’ starter, giving him the lead by two seasons. Rodgers, of course, is now tied for last.
There are currently four QBs tied for second, a number that could drop to three if Lamar Jackson ends up leaving the Baltimore Ravens. If the 2019 NFL MVP does stay in Baltimore, it would be his sixth season as the Ravens’ starter. He’ll obviously drop on the list if he signs elsewhere.
Also heading into their sixth years are Josh Allen, Kirk Cousins, and Patrick Mahomes. And for those ready to argue that the 2023 season is Mahomes’ seventh in the league, you have to remember that he wasn’t the Kansas City Chiefs’ regular starter as a rookie.
Here’s what the entire list will look like when the 2023 season begins. Now, some of the names could change. For one, we’ve still got Jackson with the Ravens. And teams like the Panthers, Texans, and Colts could be starting rookies. But, for now, we’re just using each team’s current depth chart. And, yes, I know Kyler Murray won’t be the Cardinals’ starter on opening day because of his injury. But he’s still considered Arizona’s regular starting quarterback.
Besides, none of these things change the fact that Dak Prescott is now atop the list while Aaron Rodgers is tied at the bottom.
| Quarterback | Team | Seasons as starter (includes 2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Dak Prescott | Dallas Cowboys | 8 |
| Lamar Jackson | Baltimore Ravens | 6 |
| Josh Allen | Buffalo Bills | 6 |
| Patrick Mahomes | Kansas City Chiefs | 6 |
| Kirk Cousins | Minnesota Vikings | 6 |
| Kyler Murray | Arizona Cardinals | 5 |
| Daniel Jones | New York Giants | 5 |
| Ryan Tannehill | Tennessee Titans | 5 |
| Joe Burrow | Cincinnati Bengals | 4 |
| Justin Herbert | Los Angeles Chargers | 4 |
| Tua Tagovailoa | Miami Dolphins | 4 |
| Jalen Hurts | Philadelphia Eagles | 4 |
| Justin Fields | Chicago Bears | 3 |
| Jared Goff | Detroit Lions | 3 |
| Davis Mills | Houston Texans | 3 |
| Trevor Lawrence | Jacksonville Jaguars | 3 |
| Matthew Stafford | Los Angeles Rams | 3 |
| Mac Jones | New England Patriots | 3 |
| Desmond Ridder | Atlanta Falcons | 2 |
| Deshaun Watson | Cleveland Browns | 2 |
| Russell Wilson | Denver Broncos | 2 |
| Kenny Pickett | Pittsburgh Steelers | 2 |
| Trey Lance/Brock Purdy | San Francisco 49ers | 2 |
| Geno Smith | Seattle Seahawks | 2 |
| Andy Dalton | Carolina Panthers | 1 |
| Jordan Love | Green Bay Packers | 1 |
| Gardner Minshew | Indianapolis Colts | 1 |
| Jimmy Garoppolo | Las Vegas Raiders | 1 |
| Derek Carr | New Orleans Saints | 1 |
| Aaron Rodgers | New York Jets | 1 |
| Baker Mayfield | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1 |
| Sam Howell | Washington Commanders | 1 |
