Preseason football is back, and quarterbacks are already finding themselves under the microscope. A few promising performances have created early excitement, while rough outings have brought some players plenty of criticism.
With the regular season just around the corner, one Super Bowl champion believes the reactions have gone too far.
Jason McCourty Wants NFL Fans to Pump the Brakes on QB Reactions
Super Bowl champion defensive back Jason McCourty pushed back against the laundry list of hot takes following Preseason Week 1.
Appearing on ESPN’s Get Up, McCourty acknowledged the enthusiasm surrounding the return of live action but questioned how quickly fans and analysts arrived at conclusions.
“Can we all just take a deep breath?” McCourty said. “I know it’s been so long since football is here. It’s been one week of the preseason. After one week, I’ve heard every rookie quarterback in the NFL is going to be a Pro Bowler this year.”
“Can we all just take a deep breath!… It’s been one week of the preseason.” 😂@JasonMcCourty comments on the early preseason critiques of players🗣️ pic.twitter.com/QhlzIFcZfw
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) August 18, 2026
McCourty has a point, particularly with several rookies drawing major attention after their first preseason appearances.
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Los Angeles Rams rookie Ty Simpson completed 21 of 25 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns, while Pittsburgh Steelers rookie Drew Allar finished with 153 passing yards and three total touchdowns.
Baltimore Ravens rookie Joe Fagnano also produced an impressive statistical outing, completing 22 of 28 passes for 224 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
Similarly, Las Vegas Raiders rookie Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick, completed 10 of 16 attempts for 97 yards and threw his first NFL touchdown.
Those performances created plenty of optimism, but McCourty also pointed to the opposite reaction surrounding quarterbacks who struggled.
The Tennessee Titans, a team that ranked in the bottom half in PFN NFL Offense Impact, saw Cam Ward complete just five of his 12 passes for 57 yards, and the criticism arrived almost immediately.
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“And then all the quarterbacks stink. Cam Ward can’t throw the ball into the sea. And Tua Tagovailoa is just an awful quarterback. Ask the fans, and we’ll never have good quarterback play,” McCourty remarked.
The quarterback storylines extended beyond individual performances. Cleveland’s competition between Deshaun Watson and second-year passer Shedeur Sanders became one of the biggest talking points, with Watson completing 11 of 15 passes for 126 yards and Sanders going six of 11 for 79 yards and an interception.
Meanwhile, Cade Klubnik received an unexpected start for the New York Jets with Geno Smith precautionarily sidelined by an ankle injury. The rookie completed five of seven passes for 56 yards across two series.
For McCourty, these early results should provide material for evaluation, not definitive answers.
“Let’s all just pump the brakes,” McCourty said. “I know we’ve waited a very long time for football. It’s here; we’re still determining what’s going to be what.”
