Bill Barnwell set off a firestorm this Friday when he laid out his projections for each NFL team’s future Hall of Famers, and the loudest reaction came from the Buffalo Bills’ quarterback debate.
Barnwell identified Josh Allen as the Bills’ lone surefire Hall of Famer, a nod that hardly raised eyebrows. Allen has been a difference-maker for years and, as Barnwell pointed out, the kind of player who has helped drive Buffalo into the playoffs season after season. The real spark came when Barnwell went a step further and called Allen the quarterback of the 2020s.
“Allen would be the quarterback on the All-Decade first team if it were to be released tomorrow, although there would be at least some debate about instead awarding it to Lamar Jackson or Patrick Mahomes,” Barnwell wrote. “Every single All-Decade quarterback is enshrined in the Hall besides Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, who will be first-ballot entrants. Regardless, Allen will join them.”
That take did not sit well with plenty of NFL fans and media voices, many of whom believe Patrick Mahomes belongs in that spot without much discussion.
“Bill, you know how much I love you! And I don’t think you’re biased against the Chiefs. But calling Josh Allen the QB of the 2020s over Mahomes is such an unfathomable (and legitimately indefensible) opinion that I thought the initial screen grab was AI generated,” FS1 personality Nick Wright wrote.
“Saying Josh Allen is QB1 this year is one thing. I disagree with it but sure.
Saying that he is the quarterback of the 2020s up to this point over Patrick Mahomes is a slap in the face to NFL history. Mahomes accomplishments are unprecedented.
I like Barnwell but holy,” Chase Snyder said.
“Love your work bill… would love to hear your rational argument for making Josh Allen all decade quarterback when Mahomes has 4 afc titles, 2 Super Bowl wins + 2 more appearances and an MV,” another person replied.
“He stunk up the game against the broncos with four turnovers and somehow came out of the offseason undisputed qb1 and first team all decade bro,” a fan said.
The numbers make the argument even tighter. Since the start of the 2020 season, Allen has completed 65.9% of his passes for 24,939 yards with 190 touchdowns and 73 interceptions. He has also added 3,580 rushing yards and 62 rushing touchdowns.
Mahomes has been even better through the air, throwing for 26,527 yards with 191 touchdowns and 67 interceptions. He hasn’t matched Allen as a runner, posting 2,165 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, but he has won two Super Bowls over the past six years.
And that’s where the debate lands. Allen has been excellent.
Mahomes has been the standard. If the conversation is about the quarterback of the 2020s, Mahomes has the résumé, and he’s delivered it on the sport’s biggest stage.
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