The 2025 NFL regular season was a tough one for Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Chiefs disappointed throughout the year, ultimately losing Mahomes to a season-ending knee injury. Kansas City missed the playoffs. The Chiefs will look to bounce back in a big way this fall.
Mahomes, who is expected to be fully healthy early in the regular season, is looking to bounce back in a major way, too. However, ESPN made it clear on Monday: Mahomes is no longer the top dog when it comes to the NFL quarterback position.
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ESPN released its rankings of the NFL's starting quarterbacks ahead of the 2026 regular season on Monday, July 13.
Mahomes came in at No. 2. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen came in at No. 1 overall, supplanting the Chiefs star in the top spot.
Allen tops Mahomes in ESPN's rankings
ESPN's poll, which asked NFL executives, coaches and scouts, placed Allen above Mahomes for 2026.
"Allen has long pushed to supplant Mahomes, but he had to fight for every vote to finally make that happen. Allen took advantage of the composite voting, averaging a ranking of 2.10 per ballot. That helped him overcome his 34.1% first-place clip, slightly below Mahomes' 41.5%. One NFL general manager perfectly summed up why Allen -- the only player in NFL history with at least 200 passing touchdowns and 50 rushing touchdowns -- belongs at the top, though," ESPN wrote.
"Multiple coaches credited now-head coach Joe Brady -- Allen's offensive coordinator the previous two seasons -- with streamlining Allen's game and implementing a scheme that accentuates his strengths. Allen's three seasons with at least 25 passing touchdowns and 10 rushing touchdowns (all over the past three years) are the most in NFL history."
Allen doesn't have a Super Bowl - yet, anyway - but he's topped Mahomes for the first time in the rankings.
