Patrick Mahomes may have taken a hit in the offseason chatter, but not from Colin Cowherd.
In Cowherd’s top 10 quarterbacks for the 2026 season, the Chiefs star landed at No. 2, just behind Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills. For a player who’s spent the summer dealing with recovery questions, that’s a notable bit of respect - especially from a voice that doesn’t hand it out lightly.
“Coming off of an injury, Mahomes is No. 2," said Cowherd. "He now has a run game and an upgraded o-line.
I think he will be Patrick Mahomes again, but I’m gonna wait to see it. I think the most remarkable stat about Patrick Mahomes actually is this: He has won half the games in his career-20 and 20-that he’s trailed by at least 10-plus points.
He is the great Elway. He is the great come-from-behind quarterback of my life.
Brady didn’t trail that much, it feels like. Elway trailed a lot in big games.
Mahomes is the greatest come-from-behind quarterback of my life.”
That kind of ranking matters because Mahomes is coming off an injury-shortened season, and the questions around him have been loud all offseason. The Chiefs’ offense wasn’t exactly humming before he went down in Week 15 against the L.A. Chargers with torn knee ligaments, so there’s been plenty of room for doubt.
Still, the bigger picture is hard to ignore. Mahomes has built enough of a résumé to earn the benefit of the doubt, even after a frustrating year in Kansas City. He’s entering his thirties, and he’s still the guy trying to carry an offense that has leaned on him through a lack of proven playmakers, an aging tight end, and an ineffective run game.
And if reports are right and he’s on the field in Week 1, the conversation can change fast. Mahomes has already won three championships and collected the sport’s biggest individual honors. A bounce-back season would fit neatly into the next chapter of his career, and it would give everyone plenty of material to revisit those offseason rankings.
In Other News...
Chiefs Linked To Receiver Rumor With Serious Off Field Baggage
The Chiefs are being mentioned in the Stefon Diggs conversation at a time when Kansas City is still sorting out its receiver room before training camp. Diggs is coming off a productive first season with New England and is looking for a new contract, which naturally has kept his name in circulation as teams around the league weigh whether he can still be a difference-maker on the field.
Interest in Diggs is not hard to understand, but the off-field picture is where any pursuit gets complicated. He is facing multiple civil lawsuits tied to incidents from 2023 and 2024, and while several teams have reportedly checked in on him, Kansas City is one of the clubs that could be monitoring the situation closely as it considers whether the talent outweighs the baggage. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs May Finally Have A Rare Chance To Change Mahomes Debate
Patrick Mahomes recovery has naturally put Kansas Citys offense under a brighter spotlight, and it has also reopened a familiar conversation about whether the Chiefs need another true difference-maker at receiver. With the passing game still built around Mahomes timing and improvisation, the idea of adding a top-tier pass catcher is the kind of move that can change how defenses have to play them, not just for one stretch but over the long haul.
Garrett Wilson has emerged as the name to watch because of the uncertainty surrounding the Jets, who may be staring at a quarterback situation that does not have a clear long-term answer yet. If New York ever decides to listen, Kansas City would be among the teams with both the motivation and the structure to make a serious push, and the fit is obvious enough that it already feels like one of those rare chances the Chiefs do not often get. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Daniels Had The Perfect Reaction To Patrick Mahomes Dominating
Jayden Daniels has already shown he belongs in the conversation with the NFLs top young quarterbacks, but one of the more revealing moments around him came not from the field, but from the sideline. Season 3 of Netflixs "Quarterback" captures Daniels during the Washington Commanders matchup with the Chiefs, and it shows the rookie taking in Patrick Mahomes the way so many players do when he is rolling. The series also gives a little more texture to Daniels off the field, with interviews from him, his mother Regina Jackson and publicist Denise White helping frame the people around his career.
Jacksons role is part of what makes Daniels profile stand out, since she is deeply involved in managing his path as he settles into the league. The Netflix series makes clear that his support system is not just background noise, it is part of the story, and it adds another layer to why his reaction to Mahomes resonated. For Chiefs fans, it is another reminder of how often Mahomes leaves even accomplished opponents sounding like spectators, and why the league keeps circling back to him whenever the conversation turns to quarterback play. [Read more 🡒]