“Really Hasn’t Been the Same”: NFL Analyst Explains Why Josh Allen Edged Patrick Mahomes for No. 1 Ranking
There’s no denying that Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes are two of the best quarterbacks in the league. The debate gets heated when it’s time to put one over the other, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently answered that question.
In his recent ranking, based on a survey of NFL executives, coaches, and scouts, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen claimed the No. 1 spot for 2026 over Patrick Mahomes. During a recent appearance on ‘Get Up’ alongside Fowler, Tim Hasselbeck justified the ranking.
“Mahomes, the last two years, has really not been the same, and the Chiefs’ offense really hasn’t been the same. So, I think that it’s probably been a little bit of a step back in terms of recent performance by Mahomes,” he said. (From 3:17)
As for Allen taking the No. 1 spot, Hasselbeck outlined several qualities that make him the superior quarterback in his opinion.
“What he has done in terms of how difficult he is to defend because the passing is so good, the running is so good and also unique,” he said.
Another thing that puts Josh Allen above Patrick Mahomes in the best QB conversation is his ability to make his teammates better. Hasselbeck noted that Allen has done that “better than anybody else in the league.”
All of that combined makes the Bills quarterback the best QB in the league going into the 2026 season. Interestingly, Allen didn’t receive the most No. 1 votes during the survey of NFL execs, coaches, and scouts.
In the survey, as far as the No. 1 votes were concerned, Mahomes was placed at the top. However, while compiling the rankings, Fowler found out that Josh Allen had received the most top 3 votes, which placed him above Mahomes on the final cut.
Who Else Is On the Best QB List Alongside Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes?
The recently published top 10 QB rankings featured most of the expected names. While Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes have taken the top two spots, the 2025 NFL MVP and Rams QB Matthew Stafford is ranked third on the list.
Stafford is followed by Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals. Burrow recorded his career-best season in 2024 with the most pass completions (460) on 652 attempts, the most passing yards (4918), and the most touchdowns (43). He only played eight games last season due to an injury.
Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens completes the top 5. He is followed by Dak Prescott, Justin Herbert, Drake Maye, Jared Goff, and Caleb Williams.
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