Chiefs: Carson Palmer has wild take on Patrick Mahomes vs Joe Burrow debate
The NFL the last few years has had the debate between the best quarterbacks in the league. Sure, two years ago this was very debatable. But, things were very different then. Aaron Rodgers had just won his second straight MVP, Joe Burrow had beaten the Chiefs in the AFC Championship, and Tom Brady led the […]
The NFL the last few years has had the debate between the best quarterbacks in the league. Sure, two years ago this was very debatable. But, things were very different then. Aaron Rodgers had just won his second straight MVP, Joe Burrow had beaten the Chiefs in the AFC Championship, and Tom Brady led the league in passing yards.
Now, after the 2022 season, I don't think Patrick Mahomes left much to be debated after the more than impressive season he just had. Things changed a lot, from 1-5 on that quarterback scale.
Josh Allen isn't even in the same conversation as Mahomes anymore – he is still very good, but Mahomes just did things that separated himself from the pack. Burrow is still very good, the second-best quarterback in the league in most people's eyes, but still not better than Mahomes, and Jalen Hurts inserted himself into that top-five discussion.
But, one former quarterback, and a former Pro Bowler at that, doesn't have the same opinion as most people do on the Mahomes vs. Burrow debate. In fact, his take was pretty wild, to say the least.
Former Bengals quarterback, and yes I have to throw that in there, Carson Palmer said that Burrow is the best quarterback in the league, and better than Mahomes even. Okay, fine, people still have that take, so I'll give that to him. But, it's actually what he said as to why that is shocking.
"I think Joe [Burrow] is the best quarterback in the league," Palmer said during The QB Room podcast, according to NFL.com. "I know Patrick [Mahomes] is phenomenal, but I just think Joe's more consistent. He's more consistent. He's more accountable to run the system and the play that's called and not feel like, 'Well, he didn't win last time and get open for me, so I'm gonna do it with my feet,' and then before you know it, you're sacked for a four-yard loss because you tried to make two or three guys miss.
"Joe is just — talk about not having a weakness — mentally strong, physically tough, accurate, can throw it far enough, fast enough, gets the ball out quick, and then he can actually do a lot with his legs. He just rarely shows it. I think he's as athletic outside the pocket and can do a lot of the same things Patrick Mahomes has done. He hasn't done it and showed it yet. He's played more within his system and style. But I think he's the best quarterback in the league."
So the crazy part is that he iterated that Mahomes takes too many sacks. Well, Mahomes has played 45 more games in his career than Joe Burrow and has been sacked two fewer times. Sure, the Bengals have a bad offensive line, but the Chiefs only had a good offensive line the last two years, and before that, it was very bad or just average.
Joe Burrow is notoriously bad at taking sacks when he shouldn't. And to say Burrow is more consistent – two Super Bowl rings, and five AFC Championship appearances in five years seems pretty consistent to me.
Oh, and he has won two MVPs now, including this last one over Jow Burrow, who had one total vote for MVP. I'm sorry, but I don't really think it's close. I think it's Patrick Mahomes at one, a gap, Joe Burrow at two, a gap, then everyone else. But, hey, I expect a former Bengals QB to say that about a guy who is already better than he ever was.
