Patrick Mahomes gets his lick back in one of the offseason’s hottest debates
The great offseason debate has a new entry and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes gets his due in this one.
Remember when ESPN put out a poll ranking the top 10 quarterbacks across the NFL and everyone was all kinds of mad about where Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes checked in? Second overall, behind Josh Allen…with someone ranking Mahomes NINTH among NFL passers?
Good news on that front. We have a fresh poll of NFL personnel courtesy of The Athletic, which was run by Mike Sando. The poll covers 50 executives and coaches evaluating 35 veteran quarterbacks across the league. And Patrick Mahomes? He landed all by his lonesome in first place.
Patrick Mahomes seizes top spot in new poll of top NFL quarterbacks entering 2026
The result serves as a reminder that there are levels to quarterback rankings. And raw production is not the only measuring stick for quarterback evaluation. It shouldn’t be. And it can’t be. It ignores too many variables — and as convenient as it may be to place the whole mantle on a quarterback’s lap? It’s not realistic. This is a team game, after all.
The general consensus among evaluators, no matter which poll you use, appears to be that there are roughly five quarterbacks at the top of the NFL pecking order. Generally speaking, there’s some fluidity within that tier. But when it comes to resume, Mahomes is in a class of his own among active quarterbacks. Three Super Bowl titles, three Super Bowl MVPs, and two regular-season MVPs give him a portfolio that no other active quarterback can match. The respect from opposing coaches and front office decision-makers reflects that separation in the poll from The Athletic.
So smile, Chiefs fans. Patrick Mahomes has landed a blow in the great, annual ‘offseason debate’ of quarterback hierarchy. Now…let’s get back to real football.
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