{
  "id": 17792304,
  "title": "The NFL’s overpaid QB problem",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/the-nfls-overpaid-qb-problem",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-02T12:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "SB Nation",
    "slug": "sb-nation",
    "url": "https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/1134551/nfl-winners-and-losers"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made history on Sunday by winning a game without any significant contribution from their quarterback, Baker Mayfield. For the first time since 1974, the Buccaneers won without completing a single pass, thanks to their strong run game. This win highlights a growing concern in the NFL - the overpayment of quarterbacks for minimal impact. There are currently 13 quarterbacks in the league with a cap hit of $30 million or more, and many of them have been mediocre this season. Quarterbacks such as Justin Herbert ($46.4M), Dak Prescott ($44.6M), Deshaun Watson ($40.6M), Baker Mayfield ($34M), and Jalen Hurts ($31.9M) are earning large salaries but are performing poorly or are injured. The trend of overpaying quarterbacks is a result of agents pushing for large guaranteed contracts, leading players to demand more money regardless of their performance. This has created a situation where a single quarterback's salary can be equivalent to 10 to 15 times that of other players on the team, making them a liability rather than an asset. The NFL must consider a salary reset for quarterbacks, treating them like other positions and drafting them with the understanding that they may not be long-term fixtures on a team. The Buccaneers' success without their quarterback serves as a reminder that the league needs to shift its approach to quarterback management.",
  "summary": "The Tampa Bay Buccaneers did something historic on Sunday afternoon: Winning a game where the quarterback was utterly inconsequential. It was the first time since 1974 that a team won a game when the team didn’t complete a single pass, as Baker Mayfield’s job was tantamount to a server, carrying a meal from the pass […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}