Pre-draft On November 16, 2016, it was announced that Peterman accepted an invitation to play in the
2017 Senior Bowl. During Senior Bowl practices, Peterman impressed scouts and media in attendance after displaying his decent size, accuracy, mobility, and powerful arm. Peterman met with representatives from the
New Orleans Saints during the week and was praised by NFL analysts
Daniel Jeremiah and
Charles Davis. On January 28, 2017, Peterman played in the
Senior Bowl and completed 16 of 23 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown during the North's 16–15 loss to the South. Peterman played for
Chicago Bears head coach
John Fox's North team during the game. Peterman was one of 15 collegiate quarterbacks who received an invitation to participate at the
NFL Scouting Combine in
Indianapolis, Indiana. He completed most of the combine drills, but opted to skip the
bench press. Peterman finished fifth among quarterbacks in the
three-cone drill, seventh in the
40-yard dash and tied for sixth in the
vertical jump and
short shuttle.
Buffalo Bills 2017 season The
Buffalo Bills selected Peterman in the fifth round (171st overall) of the
2017 NFL draft. He was the eighth quarterback selected. Peterman was brought in to compete for the Bills' backup quarterback position along with
T. J. Yates and
Cardale Jones. Peterman performed well enough to win the backup quarterback job after Jones was traded to the
Los Angeles Chargers. Following the third preseason game against the
Baltimore Ravens, Peterman became the only healthy quarterback for the Bills as starter
Tyrod Taylor and Yates both sustained concussions in the game. This left open the possibility of Peterman starting for the team in Week 1, but Taylor recovered in time to start the season opener against the
New York Jets. Had Peterman started the game, he would have been the second-lowest-drafted rookie quarterback to start a season opener since the
AFL–NFL merger. During Week 10 against the Saints, Peterman made his NFL debut with less than five minutes left in the game. With the Bills trailing 47–3, he led a scoring drive, completing seven of 10 passes for 79 yards and a touchdown in the 47–10 loss. Peterman threw his first career touchdown on a seven-yard pass to tight end
Nick O'Leary. Peterman was named the Bills' starting quarterback for the Week 11 matchup against the
Los Angeles Chargers due to Taylor's struggles. During the 54–24 road loss, Peterman threw for 66 yards and five interceptions in the first half and was relieved by Taylor at halftime. His five interceptions tied an NFL record for the most thrown in a player's first career start. After Taylor suffered a knee injury against the
New England Patriots two weeks later, Peterman was named the starter the Week 14 matchup against the
Indianapolis Colts. During the game, which was
played in a snowstorm, he completed five of 10 passes for 57 yards and a touchdown before leaving the eventual 13–7 overtime victory in the third quarter with a concussion. On January 7, 2018, Peterman entered the
Wild Card Round game against the
Jacksonville Jaguars with less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter after Taylor suffered a concussion. Peterman managed to convert two first downs for the Buffalo offense, including a four-yard scramble to move the chains on fourth down, before throwing a critical interception to Jaguars cornerback
Jalen Ramsey, thus sealing the 10–3 victory for Jacksonville and ending the Bills' season.
2018 season In the offseason, the Bills traded Taylor to the
Cleveland Browns. Peterman competed with rookie first-round draft pick
Josh Allen and free-agent signing
A. J. McCarron for the starting quarterback position. After trading McCarron to the
Oakland Raiders, the Bills named Peterman their opening day starter over Allen. Starting in Week 1 against the Ravens, Peterman completed five of 18 passes for 24 yards and two interceptions. He did not lead the Bills to a first down until the third quarter and was benched in favor of Josh Allen after posting a
0.0 passer rating during the 47–3 road loss. On September 12, 2018, the Bills named Allen the starter for the Week 2 matchup against the Chargers, relegating Peterman to the bench. Four weeks later, the Bills signed
Derek Anderson to serve as Allen's backup. During Week 6, after Allen was injured against the
Houston Texans and with Anderson inactive, Peterman entered the game and threw a touchdown to
Zay Jones to put Buffalo in the lead. However, after the Texans tied the game at 13 late in the fourth quarter, Peterman threw two interceptions that cost the Bills the game, including a
pick-six to cornerback
Johnathan Joseph that proved to be Houston's winning score. On October 17, 2018, Bills head coach
Sean McDermott confirmed that Anderson would start Week 7 against the Colts with Allen ruled out. However, after Anderson suffered a concussion on
Monday Night Football against the Patriots in Week 8, Peterman played against the Bears on November 4. In what would become Peterman's final start as a Bill, he rushed for a touchdown, snapping the team's streak of 11 straight quarters and 39 straight possessions without a touchdown, and had a career-high 188 passing yards, but also threw three interceptions, including a pick six, during the 41–9 loss. By then, Peterman had become the butt of jokes among NFL fans for his play, which
USA Today called "historically bad". Peterman was benched in favor of another midseason signing,
Matt Barkley, for the Week 10 matchup against the
New York Jets. Barkley led the Bills to a 41–10 road victory over the Jets. With the Bills entering their
bye week and Allen expected to be ready to play by the time of their next game, the Bills released Peterman on the evening of November 12. He finished his Buffalo career with four total touchdowns (three passing, one rushing), 12 interceptions, and a passer rating of 32.5.
Oakland / Las Vegas Raiders (first stint) After workouts with the
Detroit Lions and
Denver Broncos, Peterman was signed by the
Oakland Raiders as part of their
practice squad on December 19, 2018, as head coach
Jon Gruden had previously raved about Peterman's play in college. Peterman signed a reserve/future contract with the Raiders on January 1, 2019. Peterman had a strong preseason, but was placed on
injured reserve with an elbow injury on September 2, 2019. On April 16, 2020, the Raiders re-signed Peterman, a
restricted free agent, to an original-round tender. He was fined by the NFL on October 5 for attending a maskless charity event hosted by teammate
Darren Waller during the
COVID-19 pandemic in violation of the NFL's
COVID-19 protocols for the 2020 season. Peterman made his Raiders debut in Week 12 against the
Atlanta Falcons in relief of starter
Derek Carr. Peterman completed three of five passes for 25 yards and rushed once for nine yards in the 43–6 blowout road loss. On February 4, 2021, Peterman signed a one-year contract extension with the Raiders. During a Week 5 20–9 loss to the Bears, he briefly relieved
Derek Carr in the fourth quarter after Carr suffered an injury. On November 2, Peterman was released and was re-signed to the practice squad. His contract expired when the team's season ended on January 15, 2022.
Chicago Bears 2022 season On May 11, 2022, Peterman signed with the Bears. He was released on August 30, but was signed to the practice squad the next day. The Bears flexed Peterman to the active roster on November 26, after an injury to starter
Justin Fields. During pregame warmups in Week 12, primary backup
Trevor Siemian, who was slated to start that week, suffered an oblique injury which led many people to believe that the Bears were going to start Peterman against the
New York Jets, but Siemian ultimately ended up starting the game. On December 3, 2022, Peterman was signed to the active roster after Siemian was placed on injured reserve, becoming Fields' primary backup. He made a relief appearance in place of Fields against his former team, the Bills, during the waning moments of a 35–13 loss on
Christmas Eve. Peterman completed two passes before spiking the ball at the 50-yard line and attempting a
Hail Mary pass that was intercepted by Bills safety
Jaquan Johnson, allowing Buffalo to close out the game. On January 4, 2023, Peterman was named the starter for the Week 18 matchup against the
Minnesota Vikings, replacing
Justin Fields who was ruled out for a sore hip. Peterman threw for 114 yards and a touchdown in the 29–13 loss.
2023 season Peterman was re-signed to a one-year deal on March 31, 2023. He was then released as part of final roster moves on August 29, but was re-signed to the active roster two days later. Peterman was named the second-string option behind starter
Justin Fields and ahead of undrafted rookie
Tyson Bagent, beating out veteran
P. J. Walker for the role. On September 20, Peterman was cut for a second time, but was re-signed the next day. However, he was demoted to third string before Week 4, in favor of an increasingly impressive Bagent. On October 5, Peterman was cut for the third time that season, but was signed to the practice squad four days later.
New Orleans Saints On March 18, 2024, Peterman signed with the
New Orleans Saints. His contract was terminated on August 2.
Las Vegas Raiders (second stint) On August 13, 2024, Peterman re-signed with the
Las Vegas Raiders. He was subsequently released as one of the early cuts of the 53-man roster on August 27.
Atlanta Falcons On September 3, 2024, the
Atlanta Falcons signed Peterman to their practice squad. ==Career statistics==