The latest edition of the NFL survey done by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, to produce top-10 rankings at 11 different positions, listed the quarterbacks, and there was a new No. 1 this year, supplanting Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes at the top of the list in this annual survey:
Buffalo Bills’ quarterback Josh Allen.
1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 4
Age: 30 | Last year’s ranking: 2Allen has long pushed to supplant Mahomes, but he had to fight for every vote
to finally make that happen. Allen took advantage of the composite voting, averaging a ranking of 2.10 per ballot. That helped him overcome his 34.1% first-place clip, slightly below Mahomes’ 41.5%. One NFL general manager perfectly summed up why Allen — the only player in NFL history with at least 200 passing touchdowns and 50 rushing touchdowns — belongs at the top, though.
“He’s the most singularly unstoppable player at the position when you get his A-game,” the GM said. “And he has cut down on the turnovers the past two seasons.”
Mahomes was ranked No. 2, the first year he has not been listed first since 2022, when Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers took the No. 1 spot with Mahomes in second.
This year, Mahomes was ranked by at least one voter as the best quarterback in the NFL — while at least one other ranked him at No. 9.
Among the information shared by Fowler, these quotes were especially interesting:
“I think the hits were taking the toll even before the injury,” an NFL coordinator said. “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.”
One veteran NFL defensive coach was critical of Mahomes’ overall play: “Mahomes struggled even before the injury last year — 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.” But even that coach added, “If they don’t have him, they win three games, tops [last year].”
If Mahomes needed more to stoke the flames of his comeback, this is more than enough fuel. While Mahomes was unable to reach the AFC Championship for the first time in his career last season, Allen was also unable to reach that round, falling short of the Super Bowl again with his 30th birthday coming this year.
The talent Allen showcases has officially surpassed the resume Mahomes has built in the minds of this group of NFL minds interviewed by Fowler every summer. It’s not surprising, based on how the national media has talked about Allen in recent seasons.
However, it’s one thing to overlook the team as a whole this year; it’s another to overlook Kansas City’s signal-caller. There’s little doubt this ranking will be shared with Mahomes, and may even get referenced for the sake of pettiness in January and February if the Chiefs get things back on track.
