Patrick Mahomes may have slipped out of the No. 1 spot in ESPN’s annual quarterback rankings, but the league still sees him as one of the game’s true heavyweights.
Jeremy Fowler’s latest top-10 list placed the Kansas City Chiefs star second, behind Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. Even with the drop, the feedback from scouts, evaluators and NFL personnel executives made one thing obvious: Mahomes is still viewed as elite.
The numbers Fowler cited back that up. Mahomes’ 267 touchdown passes are tied for second all-time for a quarterback’s first nine seasons, behind only Peyton Manning’s 275. He also ranks third in passing yards over that same nine-year span with 35,939.
“He still puts fear in people like no other quarterback -- gives you a shot in every game," an NFL quarterbacks coach said. "His skill set combined with his will to win puts him at the top."
Not everyone focused only on the résumé. One executive suggested Mahomes’ supporting cast has helped hide just how much he continues to carry Kansas City, and the Chiefs’ receiving room was described in similar terms.
There was also concern from around the league about the toll Mahomes has taken over time. One NFL coordinator said, "I think the hits were taking the toll even before the injury," and added, "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."
A veteran NFL defensive coordinator pointed to some of Mahomes’ issues last season, saying, "Mahomes struggled even before the injury last year -- held the ball too long and forced throws when it wasn't necessary,” and, "Still has a tendency to chase the big play instead of keeping the offense on schedule." But that same coach also made the bigger point about Kansas City’s dependence on him: "If they don't have him, they win three games, tops [last year]."
That’s the real thread running through this ranking. Mahomes is still near the top, but the next stretch will be a different kind of test.
With his mobility limited early in the season, he’ll likely have to adjust to get back to the level that made him the league’s standard. How well he adapts will shape not only where he lands in future quarterback rankings, but also how far the Chiefs can go.
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Eric Bieniemys return to the coaching staff adds another layer to that reset. His previous run in Kansas City helped define one of the leagues most consistent offenses, and the hope now is that pairing a familiar play-caller with a revamped backfield can pull the Chiefs back toward the standard they set for so long. The question is whether this version of the offense can quickly regain that edge after a year that exposed just how far it had slipped. [Read more 🡒]
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Chiefs Fans Get A Painful Reminder About L'Jarius Sneed's Titans Stint
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The Titans committed to Sneed on a four-year deal, but injuries and uneven play kept him from ever settling in, and his time there ended after just 12 games over two seasons. Now he is back in Kansas City on a one-year contract, with expectations dialed way back and no clear path to a starting job in the secondary. [Read more 🡒]