On a yearly basis, the Kansas City Chiefs feel like they have the best quarterback in the sport. Not only that, but many regard Patrick Mahomes as the top player of a generation.
Despite that perspective locally, there’s always room for interpretation elsewhere. Coming off a down year for Mahomes and some lava-hot campaigns from others, this seems to be the most vulnerable the two-time NFL MVP has been in a while. That’s backed up by a recent ranking of all starting signal-callers in the sport.
For yet another summer, Mike Sando’s “QB Tiers” list is out on The Athletic. Once again, the panel of league general managers, assistant general managers, current and former other executives and numerous coaches decided Mahomes was a Tier 1 player. With that said, the Chiefs superstar isn’t alone at the top.
Patrick Mahomes Joined By Joe Burrow Atop QB Tiers List
The 2025 edition of the list has Mahomes as a unanimous top-tier selection. It’s the fifth time he’s made the cut with that designation. This year, Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals joins him. Both players received 50 votes to rise above peers like Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills (47 Tier 1 votes) and Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens (46 votes).
Although one voter referred to Mahomes as “the best quarterback to ever live,” an opposing head coach questioned his per-snap viability at the very top of the pyramid.
“Patrick is obviously still a 1, but he is winning out of need at the end of games,” the coach said. “That is what it’s about, but Burrow, Lamar and Josh played better than him in quarters one through four.”
An offensive coach for another team admitted Burrow is still second, albeit not far behind the face of the league.
“To me, it’s Mahomes and then Burrow if I had to rank them,” the coach said. “Burrow could be a 1 with a red cross on him. They don’t protect him, and he gets the [expletive] knocked out of him constantly.”
There’s a case to be made, whether 100% accurate or not, for this sequence. Mahomes, after all, failed to reach 4,000 passing yards last season and had a full-season low for Chiefs passing touchdowns with 26. On top of that, his 93.5 passer rating and 6.8 yards per attempt served as poor reflections of an all-time talent. Burrow led the sport in yards (4,918) and touchdowns (43) en route to a Comeback Player of the Year nod.
Then again, Mahomes reached the Super Bowl. Burrow didn’t even make it to the playoffs. That must count for something.
Mahomes Can Silence Doubters With Rebound 2025-26 Campaign
Having a bounce-back effort could restore Mahomes’ image as the singular leader of NFL quarterbacks. There’s no shortage of praise for his competitive nature. At training camp this summer, he’s looked as focused as ever. Losing Super Bowl LIX to the Philadelphia Eagles clearly gave him a bit more motivation. That, combined with better circumstances this season, might just make a difference.
For starters, the Chiefs’ offense should benefit from an improved left tackle situation. Even in the worst case, offseason signing Jaylon Moore figures to be an upgrade over most of what the team fielded in 2024. In the best case, rookie Josh Simmons continues to justify the hype surrounding him.
The wide receiver room is healthier, too. At some point in the season, the trio of Rashee Rice, Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and Xavier Worthy projects to all share the field. A pending suspension for Rice could alter the timeline, and Brown is always an injury risk. Still, though, there’s more in the cupboard for Mahomes to work with. It’d be difficult for him to post the same numbers he did a year ago.
At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter to the Chiefs where their quarterback is regarded. If Mahomes keeps delivering trips to championship games, they’ll take the trade-off. Should they have it their way in 2025-26, the next ranking may take care of itself and place Mahomes by himself again.
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