Do stats show Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes is no longer NFL's best QB?

League executives, coaches and scouts surveyed by ESPN in July ranked Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes as the top quarterback in the NFL entering the 2025 season. 

However, ESPN's Mike Clay suggested on Friday that Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens should be atop quarterback power rankings.

"Jackson led all quarterbacks in QBR (tied with Buffalo Bills starter Josh Allen), ANY/A (adjusted net yards per passing attempt) and expected points added," Clay wrote about the 2024 season. "Jackson has been an All-Pro for the past two seasons and won the NFL MVP in 2019 and 2023. He fell just short of his second consecutive MVP last season despite career highs in passing yards (4,172) and passing touchdowns (41, tied for second in the league). The dual-threat quarterback has never finished a season lower than second among QBs in rushing yards, too." 

Whether Jackson or Allen deserved MVP honors for the 2024 season made for an interesting debate until Allen was named the winner in February. 

Jackson and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow finished the regular season with a league-high 45 combined passing and rushing touchdowns, per StatMuse. Jackson was also second behind only Burrow (5,119) with 5,087 combined passing and rushing yards. Additionally, Jackson led all qualified quarterbacks with a 119.6 passer rating.

That said, Mahomes is a three-time Super Bowl champion and a three-time Super Bowl MVP. Meanwhile, Jackson and Allen have yet to compete in a Super Bowl. Jackson is now 3-5 as a playoff starter, while Allen has gone 0-4 against the Chiefs in postseason play.

As of Friday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had Jackson and Allen tied as the co-favorites at +550 betting odds to win the MVP Award for the upcoming campaign. Burrow was second on the list at +650 odds, followed by Mahomes at +700 odds. 

Perhaps this will give Mahomes even more motivation for his so-called "revenge tour" following Kansas City's 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX in February.