'Clutch' Patrick Mahomes Earns Stunning Spot In Latest QB Rankings

Patrick Mahomes has become a symbol of excellence rarely seen in the NFL. Because of his ability, the Kansas City Chiefs have maintained a near decade long reign over the AFC West and won three Super Bowls in an eight-year span. 

Mahomes high rate of achievement has raised the standard for him into rarified air. Unlike his peers, Mahomes is compared in the bigger to the league's all-time greats, including future Hall of Famer Tom Brady. 

While he and the Chiefs have a seemingly inevitable winning formula, NFL analyst Chris Simms believes Mahomes' play has taken a slight dip in recent seasons. That has been enough for him to drop the Kansas City quarterback to the No. 4 spot in his current rankings of professional quarterbacks. 

“He’s mastered winning,” he said on Tuesday. “He’s the ultimate winner. And I know some people are going to say, ‘Isn’t that the only point? To win?’

"Winning is not a quarterback stat. I know we like to put it there — and I take it there and take it into context — but it’s not like, ‘Oh, he wins, he’s No. 1.’”

Simms believes that in terms of performance Joe Burrow, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson have all been better. 

“[He’s] the man, the myth [and] the legend,” declared Simms. “[He’s] one of the greatest I’ve ever seen — and maybe the clutchiest quarterback in football. Still, the quarterback play week-in and week-out — and I don’t think he would disagree with me here — has not been as high level the past two seasons as [it has for been for] Burrow, Lamar or Josh Allen.”

The final two on that list makeup the last two NFL MVP winners. On one side, it's hard to claim the title as the best when these quarterbacks maintain such a high level of play. However, Mahomes maintains a leg up on them. 

Neither of the three have been able to top Mahomes in the playoffs the last three seasons. In fact, Allen has gotten multiple chances and come up fruitless each time. 

It is certainly an impressive feat that Mahomes continues to find ways to outshine this level of competition each year to remain atop the AFC. Lately, that has come despite suboptimal performances on his part. 

Heading into 2025, Mahomes and the Chiefs know full well they will need the best from him as each of the three will be loading up for their chance to dethrone Mahomes and end his decorated reign.