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Sports · Football (NFL) · published 2026-08-30 · via NBC Sports

NFL's preseason QB sit-out trend reaches new high with 12 teams benching starters

Image via NBC Sports
Image via NBC Sports

According to a report, 12 NFL teams kept their starting quarterbacks out of every preseason game this year. That means over one-third of the league's starting signal-callers did not take a single snap during exhibition play. The trend reflects a growing emphasis on protecting key players from injury before the regular season.

Expanded Detail

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Twelve NFL teams kept their starting quarterbacks out of every preseason game this year, meaning more than a third of the league's primary signal-callers took no exhibition snaps. The decision reflects a growing organizational emphasis on protecting franchise players from unnecessary injury risk before the regular season begins.

This approach has become increasingly common as teams weigh the value of live-game preparation

Expanded detail and Context are AI-generated analysis; the linked article remains the authoritative source.
Read the full article at NBC Sports →
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This summary is AI-generated and original to Mobble; the linked article is the authoritative source. Original headline: “12 NFL teams did not play their starting quarterbacks in the preseason.” Browse more stories.