Robert Griffin III weighs in on Burrow vs. Mahomes debate

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Robert Griffin III weighs in on Joe Burrow vs. Patrick Mahomes debate

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 1/26/23

Leading up to Sunday’s AFC Championship Game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, the football world appears to be divided into two camps — those who believe Joe Burrow is the best quarterback in the NFL, and those who believe Patrick Mahomes is.

Seemingly everyone in the national media has an opinion on the friendly rivalry, and former NFL quarterback-turned-analyst Robert Griffin III is no different, expressing his thoughts in a series of tweets recently.

If you prefer Burrow over Mahomes then just say that. But if you say Mahomes is the best player and plays Quarterback, it MAKES ZERO SENSE to say that Burrow is the best QB at Quarterbacking. Quarterbacking is exactly what Mahomes is doing.
All love @danorlovsky7 @Realrclark25
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) January 23, 2023

While strong cases could be made for either, it’s Mahomes who’s the betting favorite to win the league MVP after leading the NFL in passing this season. He also topped Burrow in most major passing categories including yards (5,250 to 4,475), touchdowns (41 to 35) and passer rating (105.2 to 100.8).

Mahomes has also played in the AFC Championship Game every year since taking over as the Chiefs starting quarterback in 2018. He has a 2-2 record.

However, Burrow is 3-0 against Mahomes in head-to-head matchups including last year’s AFC Championship Game. Each win has been by three points.

Statistically, Burrow has gotten the better of Mahomes as well, throwing for 982 yards, eight touchdowns and just one interception while completing 72.2 percent of his passes (78 of 108), while the former NFL MVP has thrown for 757 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions while completing 67.3 percent of his passes (68 of 101).

There may not be a right or wrong answer to the debate. But as Griffin III stated, does it really matter?

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