ESPN has reignited one of the flimsiest quarterback debates in the NFL with its latest ranking, voted on by executives, coaches, and scouts.

After three consecutive seasons atop the list, Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes is no longer viewed as the best QB in football. Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen has supplanted him at No. 1, and the reasoning behind the shift says more about the flaws in the exercise than it does about either player.

Mahomes and Allen have often flip-flopped in top QB debates. The biggest detractors of Mahomes ding him for his supporting cast, while the biggest supporters of Allen praise him for his lack of one. What’s clear in this debate is that it doesn’t necessarily measure accolades or even what either QB accomplished last season. The criteria feel inconsistent at best.

The case for Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes staying at No. 1

Mahomes actually received the most first-place votes in the poll. He seems to have fallen to second because his lowest individual ranking was No. 9. Allen’s lowest was No. 4. That methodology rewards consistency of opinion across a voter pool rather than peak evaluation. It’s a strange way to determine the best QB in football.

Heading into his age-30 NFL season, Mahomes has a lot to prove. He’s coming off a season-ending knee injury. The production over the past three seasons has been subpar by his own elite standards, and more voters than usual had him outside their top three. Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, about 15% of voters dropped him that far.

Where a strong supporting cast once helped Mahomes in these rankings, a weak one now works against him. The lack of explosive plays in both the running and passing games was particularly notable last season. The wide receiver trio Kansas City once hoped would become its offensive focal point, featuring Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, and Hollywood Brown, never materialized due to injuries.

NFL evaluators maintain that even with the weak supporting cast, Mahomes still puts the fear of God into coordinators and defenders alike.

“He still puts fear in people like no other quarterback — gives you a shot in every game,” an NFL quarterbacks coach said, via ESPN. “His skill set, combined with his will to win, puts him at the top.”

At the same time, an anonymous NFL coordinator felt the hits took a toll on Mahomes during the 2025 NFL season.

“I think the hits were taking the toll even before the injury,” an NFL coordinator said, via ESPN. “He’s not the biggest guy. He’s such a stud, but the violent hits he’s taken, the big-time shots, are a thing.”

According to one NFL defensive coach, his overall play has deteriorated from what was once great, and it has less to do with the supporting cast and more to do with hunting for the big play

“Mahomes struggled even before the injury last year,” An NFL coach said, via ESPN. “(Mahomes) held the ball too long and forced throws when it wasn’t necessary. Still has a tendency to chase the big play instead of keeping the offense on schedule.” 

That same coach noted Mahomes is still what wills the team to victory and holds it all together.

“If they don’t have him, they win three games, tops [last year],” he said, via ESPN.

The Chiefs are hoping to alleviate some of that pressure heading into the 2026 NFL season. They went out and got Kenneth Walker III in free agency to become a focal point in both the running and passing games. But even then, Mahomes will have to bounce back in a big way to earn back some of the respect he’s seemingly lost over the last three seasons.

The problem with Bills QB Josh Allen at No. 1

Here’s the thing about Josh Allen receiving the top vote. He’s certainly a fine QB and one who deserves a spot in any top-10 list. However, it’s hard for me to take the criteria seriously when evaluators say stuff like, “He’s the most singularly unstoppable player at the position when you get his A-game.” On the other side of the debate is the player who has shown that Allen can actually be stopped.

Allen was praised for elevating his supporting cast in 2026. Let’s not act like he didn’t have prime Stefon Diggs to work with at one point. The narrative surrounding Allen’s lack of weapons has always been somewhat selective. It feels even more so in the context of the debate between Mahomes and Allen.

“Look who he was throwing to,” an NFL coordinator said, via ESPN. “His wideouts weren’t great. But he made it work and brought out their best. He elevates the people around him, clearly.”

The accolades also seemingly don’t matter here, and what happened last season alone should give voters pause. Allen had his best chance ever to get past the Chiefs, given that they were not in the playoffs.

All he had to do was go to Mile High Stadium and beat the Bo Nix-led Denver Broncos. The same Nix who didn’t even receive enough votes for an honorable mention blurb at the end of ESPN’s article. Losing to Nix in the divisional round, with a trip to the AFC title game on the line, is damning beyond redemption.

Allen has done a better job of taking care of the football. He brings the rushing touchdowns that add a different dimension. However, he simply couldn’t get it done when it was time to take his spot as the best QB. He threw two interceptions and fumbled twice in the biggest game of his career. He missed the chance to be considered the best when he lost to the Broncos in the divisional round.

This debate remains a tired one, and one-sided in the area where it matters most

This ranking felt like nothing more than a way to spark what has become a tired and flimsy debate between two of the league’s best QBs on ESPN talk shows. Mahomes remains in a completely different stratosphere than Allen. That’s until the Buffalo QB proves he can take home the prize. The one that everyone in the NFL is chasing: a Lombardi Trophy.

And even after that first one, he’s still got a few more to collect before he catches Mahomes.