Josh Allen’s rise to the top of ESPN’s quarterback rankings didn’t land quietly.
After ESPN asked coaches, executives and scouts to sort out the league’s best passers, Allen came out No. 1, ahead of Patrick Mahomes, Matthew Stafford, Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow. That choice drew a sharp reaction from quarterbacks coach Quincy Avery, who pushed back on Wednesday.
"No hate but what has Josh Allen done for everybody to have him as the best QB in the league?" Avery wrote.
Avery, a private quarterbacks coach who has worked with Cleveland Browns veteran Deshaun Watson since his high school days, was responding to a ranking that put Allen at the very top of the NFL’s quarterback ladder.
The case for Allen, though, was built on more than reputation. One NFL general manager told ESPN, "He's the most singularly unstoppable player at the position when you get his A-game," the GM said.
The same executive also pointed to Allen’s cleaner play. "And he has cut down on the turnovers the past two seasons."
That part matters. Allen has thrown eight interceptions per season over the past two years, a drop from 15.7 interceptions per season between 2021 and 2023. He has also had 12 fumbles over the last two seasons, compared with 20 combined in 2022 and 2023.
The production has stayed elite, too. Allen has put up at least 25 passing touchdowns and 10 rushing touchdowns in each of the last three seasons, something no other quarterback in NFL history has done. He’s also the only player in league history with at least 200 passing touchdowns and 50 rushing touchdowns.
And while the ranking debate keeps buzzing, the Bills’ results with Allen under center have been consistent. Buffalo has reached the playoffs every year since he became the starter, and the team has made it to the AFC championship game twice, losing both times.
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