Patrick Mahomes set a high bar for himself by winning three Super Bowl titles and a pair of NFL MVP awards by the time he was 28.
Now 30 and coming off knee surgery to repair the torn ACL he suffered last season, the Kansas City Chiefs star is no longer the undisputed king of quarterbacks. According to ESPN’s annual poll of around 70 or so executives, coaches and scouts from around the league, Mahomes is now the NFL’s second-best quarterback behind his Buffalo Bills rival, Josh Allen.
To be fair, many insiders believe Mahomes remains the top player at his position.
‘He still puts fear in people like no other quarterback – gives you a shot in every game,’ one NFL quarterbacks coach said of Mahomes, who ranked first in this poll in each of the last three seasons. ‘His skill set combined with his will to win puts him at the top.’
But some others have noticed cracks in his sterling silver façade, including one unnamed NFL coordinator who told ESPN that Mahomes was regressing before tearing knee ligaments in December.
‘I think the hits were taking the toll even before the injury,’ they 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.’
Patrick Mahomes suffered a torn ACL in his knee in December, but hopes to be set for Week 1
Mahomes (15) was injured after being tackled by Chargers defensive tackle Da’Shawn Hand
Allen (left) was selected as the NFL’s best quarterback in the ESPN poll of league insiders
Another defensive coach was even more critical.
‘Mahomes struggled even before the injury last year – held the ball too long and forced throws when it wasn’t necessary,’ they said. ‘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].’
The Chiefs missed the postseason in 2025 while battling a number of injuries, off-field issues and a salary-cap crunch that left Andy Reid’s team without cornerback L’Jarius Sneed and linebacker Willie Gay.
Along the way, Mahomes had most difficult season, while posting an 89.6 quarterback rating – his worst since becoming a full-time starter in 2018.
Although Mahomes did get in some reps at minicamp, it’s not clear if he’ll be under center for the Week 1 opener as he’s hoped. If he can’t go, newly acquired Justin Fields is expected to start at quarterback, although rookie seventh-round pick Garrett Nussmeier could get some consideration if the former New York Jets starter struggles.
The good news for the Chiefs’ offense is that Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III has been signed at running back, which could help alleviate pressure on Mahomes or whomever is at quarterback in Week 1.
