There's little to gain by benching your quarterback this late in the season. This can be said both of teams that expected to compete, and those that didn't. Look no further than Tua Tagovailoa and Shedeur Sanders, both of whom suddenly find themselves in a conundrum heading into Week 14.
That being said, there are plenty of quarterbacks that deserve a spot on the bench after an abysmal Week 13. Such is usual for the NFL. Most NFL teams think they found their QB of the future. Half of those teams are wrong. Did Tua work out? What about Tyrod Taylor? You get my point by now, I'd hope.
Which NFL quarterbacks should be benched after Week 13?
Benching any quarterback takes a conversation between the coaching staff and the front office. By no means is it easy, and doing so requires some direction. Many of the teams mentioned below are lacking that direction, which is why they will probably wait until the offseason to make the big move. However, that doesn't make it the right move.
JJ McCarthy
As of this writing, JJ McCarthy is injured, thus giving the Vikings a look at, of all players, undrafted rookie Max Brosmer. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that Brosmer isn't part of the Vikings' future. That being said, McCarthy could be.
However, he hasn't shown much when he's received the opportunity. McCarthy has one of the worst QBRs in NFL history so far in his career, better than only the infamous Jamarcus Russell. McCarthy still has a ton of potential, and it'd be a surprise if Minnesota punted on the Michigan product this early in his career. If they were to bench him, it would require Brosmer out-performing his expectations and Kevin O'Connell identifying a long-term replacement in free agency.
Vikings replacement: Max Brosmer
Shedeur Sanders
The noise around Shedeur Sanders is not helping him. Sanders was among the most hyped picks in recent NFL Draft history. Despite all of that, Sanders fell all the way to the fifth round. There was plenty of controversy surrounding his selection, for better or worse. Sanders played well in his first two games, but took a step back against the San Francisco 49ers, despite all of their injuries on defense. Frankly, I don't think the Browns' quarterback of the future is currently on the roster.
Browns replacement: Fernando Mendoza
Tua Tagovailoa
Another Sunday, another poor performance by Tua Tagovailoa. Tua is expected to be replaced by the Dolphins this offseason. That expectation doubles when looking at the money he's due in 2026. Tua was once one of the better young quarterbacks in the sport. Injuries have derailed his career, but he's attached at the hip to Mike McDaniel. Miami's best bet is to trade Tagovailoa this offseason for decent draft capital. They won't receive a first-round selection in return, but if they can collect Day 2 picks, that should be enough to move up in this draft.
Dolphins replacement: Carson Beck
Tyler Shough
Kellen Moore is doing his best with Tyler Shough at quarterback. But there is no denying the Saints are several pieces away from competing in the NFC South. The first piece they need to acquire is a quarterback: 2025 second-round pick Shough isn't the answer, and he was in a weak quarterback class to begin with. The Saints should have a high draft pick in 2026, which ought to help matters, but the class isn't all that much better than last season. Thus, unless New Orleans is willing to trade for Brock Purdy, they are stuck in no-man's land.
Saints replacement: Arch Manning (we can dream)
Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers is about to turn 42 years old. That's not great for the Steelers! Pittsburgh can and will let Rodgers start the remainder of the season if he's healthy, despite the three broken bones in his wrist. I give Rodgers a lot of credit for leading the Steelers to this point, but he's reached his apex. Rodgers, at his best, is a 10-7 quarterback with this team. That's what it'll take for the Steelers to make the postseason in a crowded AFC North, but don't get it twisted. Pittsburgh is already scouting for a Rodgers replacement, as they should.