With the 2026 NFL season just around the corner, Bill Simmons of The Ringer has shared a take that he's willing to stand 10 toes down on.
During the latest episode of "The Bill Simmons Podcast," the former ESPN personality declared that New England Patriots star Drake Maye is the fourth-best quarterback in the NFL.
Maye, an MVP finalist last season, completed 72% of his passes for 4,394 yards with 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Although his production dipped in the playoffs, Simmons is confident that produce at an elite level this fall.
"You know what I like? Results. Drake Maye went 17-4 last year, and he had crazy stats. It's not some sort of fluke thing. And they added A.J. Brown, who is either the 7th, 8th or 9th best receiver in the league," Simmons said. "They added [Romeo] Dobbs, they improved their offensive line. Why isn't he a top-5 QB again? Why isn't he a safer bet than Lamar Jackson?"
The only quarterbacks Simmons has ranked ahead of Maye are Josh Allen, Matthew Stafford and Patrick Mahomes.
NFL fans have already called Simmons a homer for putting Maye ahead of Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow. However, their criticism hasn't impacted him one bit.
"I’m not gonna apologize for this," Simmons wrote on X.
© David Butler II-Imagn Images.
Is this a crazy take?
Simmons isn't the only person confident in Maye's abilities. The Athletic unveiled its "Quarterback Tiers" for the 2026 season. They had a panel of 50 coaches and executives rank every starter in the league and place them in tiers.
Even though Maye didn't make "Tier 1," executives are confident in his abilities.
“He’s going to be a 1 very soon,” a personnel exec said. “You know what? Yeah, he’s a 1. Resilient kid, makes plays, underwhelming receiving corps, smart, athletic. Another year with this coordinator, get some big-play guys, I think he’ll be a 1. His makeup and all his football stuff makes me believe he is going to be a good player.”
Do you think Maye will finish the 2026 season as one of the four best quarterbacks in the league?
