Heading into the 2019 NFL regular season, some had wondered if the league was entering a low point. Star quarterbacks like Peyton Manning had been retired and others like New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady were winding down without many definitive stars waiting in the wings. There was a fear that the league’s best quarterback rivalries were behind them and the ratings would slip accordingly.

But as the season progressed, it became clearer that the next generation of great matchups was just getting started. And as we sit in the middle of the playoffs, it’s obvious that the new wave is fully here and preparing for the types of games we’ll be talking about in another decade.

Take a look at all the starting quarterbacks entering the 2019 NFL playoffs and you’ll see a pretty clear divide between the ages.

2019 NFL Playoff quarterbacks:

Team	Player	Age
Ravens	Lamar Jackson	22
Bills	Josh Allen	23
Chiefs	Patrick Mahomes	24
Texans	Deshaun Watson	24
Eagles	Carson Wentz	27
49ers	Jimmy Garoppolo	28
Titans	Ryan Tannehill	31
Seahawks	Russell Wilson	31
Vikings	Kirk Cousins	31
Packers	Aaron Rodgers	36
Saints	Drew Brees	40
Patriots	Tom Brady	42

While Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is the youngest signal-caller in the postseason this year, he’s the highlight of six quarterbacks just entering their prime (under 30 years old) — including four still on their rookie contracts. That’s a great sign for a league that markets quarterback vs. quarterback rivalries more than the teams themselves.

While everyone remembers the Colts vs. Patriots matchups of the 2000s, it was really Manning vs. Brady that drew the headlines regardless of the fact the two were never on the field at the same time.

It’s now 2020 and Brady’s future is far from certain, potentially losing another eventual Hall of Fame quarterback from the list. But in turn, we’re seeing names like Wilson, Watson and Mahomes clearly taking over with Jackson the presumptive NFL MVP for this season. And with the playoffs just heating up, it’s those young players who are creating those budding rivalries already.

In the AFC, we’ll see a rematch of the Chiefs vs. Texans — Mahomes vs. Watson. If the divisional round plays out properly, we’ll see rematches of the 49ers vs. Seahawks (Garoppolo vs. Wilson) and Ravens vs. Texans or Chiefs (Jackson vs. Mahomes or Watson) for the second time this season in the AFC and NFC Championship games. That’s how new big rivalries begin and gain hype.

The NFL appears to be in good hands with the next generation of quarterback at the helm.

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