Creed Humphrey’s NFL Top 100 ranking is flat-out insulting

The celebration of all things Creed is a great moment on social media and a welcome spotlight on a player who deserves as much attention as anyone wants to provide him. But it's also the wrong bit of timing and a ranking much farther down the list than anyone could or should have expected Humphrey to land.

Creed Humphrey, and the center position overall, deserves better.

Here's the thing. How many players can claim to be the unquestioned best at their position in the entire NFL? Most positions would generate serious debate between two or three candidates, at least. But center is one of those rare spots where any qualified analyst, even those outside of K.C., would agree that Humphrey is king.

Humphrey was already in the conversation as the NFL's best after just a couple of seasons in the league. Jason Kelce was almost always regarded as the most accomplished veteran, but Humphrey was an ascending young talent in an opposite conference, which allowed him to establish a presence up front and represent the AFC in the Pro Bowl in his second year.

Following the retirement of Kelce, Humphrey found himself without peers at the position, and he's continued to rack up accolades as the Chiefs have marched forward to three consecutive Super Bowl appearances. Humphrey has made the last three Pro Bowls (in four total seasons) and was first-team All-Pro for the first time in 2024.

The former second-round pick of the Chiefs is now the leader of the pack up front for Kansas City as well after the team traded away left guard Joe Thuney to the Chicago Bears. Thuney's absence makes Humphrey that much more important to the makeup of the offensive front.

If you want a comparison of where a center could fall, look no further than Humphrey's ranking of No. 16 at CBS Sports for their Top 100 Players of 2025 list. Even last season, Humphrey was No. 48 on the same list. Yet somehow, the NFL's list has Humphrey more than 75 spots lower.

That means that some players yet to be revealed will come in as second- or even third-tier performers at their respective positions, yet they'll still be appreciated more than the NFL's best center.

Humphrey deserves better, and of course, we're pretty sure the veteran center would just say he's honored to be a part of such a list at any number. But leaving an elite performer on the fringes of the top 100 list is disrespectful, even if Humphrey wouldn't say so.