Sports Illustrated recently dropped their NFL quarterback rankings for 2026, and Patrick Mahomes is still pegged as the absolute top guy in the league. Number one, after *that* season? It’s a ranking that makes you scratch your head harder than a cat with a new collar. How can a player coming off his arguably worst year and a season-ending torn ACL still hold the crown?
The Champ’s Rough Road Back to the Top Spot?
Look, we all know what Mahomes has done. We’re talking about a guy who absolutely *dominated* the league since his 2017 debut, racking up three Super Bowl victories, snatching the MVP trophy in each of those, and bagging two NFL MVPs plus four All-Pro nods during his career. He’s been appointment viewing, a cheat code in cleats. But let’s be real, his 2025 campaign was arguably the toughest of his career, ending early after just 14 games because of a brutal torn ACL. You don’t just shake off an injury like that and seamlessly jump back to peak form, do you? Sports Illustrated seems to think so, placing him at the undisputed top, but the rest of us are left wondering if they forgot to check the injury report.
The QB Race Is Getting Wild: Challengers Are Everywhere
The NFL is stacked with incredible talent, and right now, there’s a strong case that Mahomes might have been passed by for the number one spot, and not just by the new kids on the block. Take Matthew Stafford, for example. The veteran quarterback is coming off one of his best performances yet, and get this: he won NFL MVP honors in 2025! Stafford’s fully committed to a return to the Rams this season, and until Mahomes proves he can truly bounce back from last season’s lackluster effort and that devastating injury, it’s hard to justify putting him above a reigning MVP.
But it doesn’t stop there. Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, who have been in the league for a similar amount of time as Mahomes, looked just as good, if not better, last year. And with Joe Burrow now back healthy and Drake Maye on the rise, the conversations are starting to heat up. Frankly, there’s a serious argument to be made whether Mahomes is even still in the Top 5 entering this season. The competition is fierce, and the gap between “best” and “just another starter” is shrinking fast.
This fall’s upcoming season is going to be absolutely critical. One strong season, one dominant performance, and Mahomes can definitely silence all the doubters and reaffirm his status at the top of the league. But as things stand right now, it’s not the clear-cut, no-brainer decision it used to be. Every snap will matter.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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