Rich Eisen dropped his top-five NFL quarterback list this week, and the usual order got flipped. Patrick Mahomes didn’t land at No. 1. That slot went to Josh Allen instead.
Eisen, speaking on his radio show Wednesday, explained his ranking simply: “It’s dealer’s choice: Running and throwing. But not many have had a run like this guy. In terms of skillset and everything, he’ll still be that guy even if not fully healthy.” He put Mahomes at No. 2, adding that “Patrick is still Patrick, and I can’t wait to see how he feels slighted.”
It’s not the first time a media personality has bumped Mahomes from the top spot on a preseason list. But Eisen’s reasoning carries weight because he’s not a hot-take artist. He watches closely, and he’s been around the league long enough to know what sustained dominance looks like.
The rest of Eisen’s top five
Eisen’s list went Allen at No. 1, Mahomes at No. 2, then Matthew Stafford at No. 3, Lamar Jackson at No. 4, and Joe Burrow rounding out the top five. That Stafford placement especially raised eyebrows given his age and the Rams’ recent inconsistency. But Eisen sees something in the veteran that the numbers don’t always capture.
Allen still hasn’t beaten Mahomes in the postseason. The Bills lost to the Chiefs twice in the AFC Championship Game. And last season, Denver knocked Buffalo out before they could even get back to that stage. So the top ranking isn’t about playoff success. It’s about the total package right now.
Allen did outpaced Mahomes statistically over the last two years. He won MVP in 2024. He stayed healthier too. He threw 25 touchdowns against 10 interceptions last season while dragging a banged-up Bills roster back to the playoffs. That kind of season, especially with weapons coming and going, tends to stick with evaluators.
What this means for Kansas City
The Chiefs aren’t exactly sweating a preseason radio list. Mahomes is coming off a torn ACL and is expected to be fully healthy for 2026. Andy Reid is back as head coach. The franchise has three Super Bowl rings in the Mahomes era and the confidence that comes with them.
But the Allen-Mahomes debate is real. It’s going to keep coming up until one of them puts the other away in January. And if Allen keeps putting up MVP-level numbers while Mahomes works his way back from a major knee injury, lists like Eisen’s will become more common.
Mahomes probably would prefer it that way anyway. He’s always been better with a chip on his shoulder.
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