By Josh Dubow
Inside the Numbers dives into NFL statistics, streaks and trends each week. For more Inside the Numbers, head here.
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The generational shift at quarterback in the NFL reached a new milestone last week.
For the first time ever, every player who threw a pass in the NFL in Week 9 was born in 1990 or later, with 15 of the 28 starting quarterbacks last week age 25 or younger.
The run of quarterbacks born in the 1970s ended with Tom Brady’s retirement after last season. Injuries to Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford, Kirk Cousins and Ryan Tannehill, and a bye week for Russell Wilson, kept the QBs born in the 1980s off the field last week. This was the first time since Week 6 of the 2002 season that no quarterback born in the 1980s took the field.
New Orleans Saints’ Taysom Hill scores a TD during game against the Chicago Bears in New Orleans, Nov. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
There were seven rookie starters last week — one shy of the non-replacement player record set in Week 16 of the 2019 season — with Arizona’s Clayton Tune and Minnesota’s Jaren Hall getting their first career starts. That raised the total of rookie starting QBs this season to nine, tying the non-replacement record set in 2019.
The record for most starting rookie QBs since starts began being tracked in 1950 is expected to be set this week after Giants coach Brian Daboll said Tommy DeVito will get the start Sunday against Dallas following Daniel Jones’ season-ending injury.
The youth movement at quarterback has played a role in the struggles on offense across the league in the first half of the season, with scoring at its lowest mark through nine weeks since 2007.
More than 70% of games so far this season have featured at least one quarterback age 25 or younger, with the 126 total starts by quarterbacks that young the most ever through nine weeks.
Minnesota Vikings QB Joshua Dobbs throws a pass during game against the Atlanta Falcons, Nov. 5, 2023, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
While many of the young QBs have struggled, Houston rookie C.J. Stroud has looked like a polished veteran. He threw for a rookie-record 470 yards in a comeback win over Tampa Bay last week with five TDs and no interceptions.
His 147.8 rating was the highest ever for a rookie with at least 30 attempts, and Stroud became the sixth player ever to throw for at least 450 yards with five TDs and no interceptions, joining Jared Goff, Peyton Manning, Donovan McNabb, Ben Roethlisberger and Y.A. Tittle.