The latest ESPN annual poll of NFL executives, coaches and scouts placed Josh Allen at the top of its quarterback rankings, a change voters attributed to Allen’s two-way production and a composite-ballot advantage that tipped the scales in his favor.
ESPN reporter Jeremy Fowler reported that Allen averaged a 2.10 ranking per ballot, a figure that helped him overcome a smaller share of first-place votes (Allen 34.1% to Patrick Mahomes’ 41.5%) and vault ahead in the composite ranking. The poll collects ballots from executives, coaches and scouts asked to rank the game’s top quarterbacks at the moment, not solely on career résumé.
Poll result: Allen edges Mahomes
The distinction the voters were given—best quarterback right now versus best career—is central to understanding the outcome. While Mahomes retains the stronger long-term résumé in most measures, the poll’s respondents said recent on-field production mattered most for this exercise.
Fowler’s write-up emphasized how the composite-ballot math worked in Allen’s favor: averaging 2.10 per ballot meant Allen was consistently ranked highly across ballots even if he received fewer first-place votes than Mahomes. That consistency in placement across ballots is what produced the composite victory.
2023–25 stat comparison
Voters pointed to raw 2023–25 production as a major driver. The rush-to-score gap is particularly pronounced over that span: Allen accounted for 41 rushing touchdowns compared with Mahomes’ seven, a difference voters said materially affected their view of who had more immediate impact.
Those rushing numbers fed into total scoring: Allen totaled 123 touchdowns over 2023–25 while Mahomes totaled 82. Voters told reporters they weighed those aggregated outputs when judging current standing, not only single-season peaks.
- Josh Allen — 41 rushing TDs; 123 total TDs
- Patrick Mahomes — 7 rushing TDs; 82 total TDs
- Composite voting — Allen averaged 2.10 per ballot
- First-place share — Allen 34.1% vs. Mahomes 41.5%
Team context: blocking and rushing support
Voters also incorporated surrounding personnel into their evaluations. Sharp Football Analysis ranked the Bills’ offensive line third entering the 2026 season and the Chiefs’ line 23rd, a gap that some evaluators said increased Allen’s opportunity and need to run in short-yardage and goal-line situations.
Complementing that line, Bills running back James Cook posted more than 1,600 rushing yards in the most recent season referenced by the poll, giving Buffalo a steady ground complement. By contrast, the Chiefs’ leading back in the same window, Kareem Hunt, finished with roughly 611 yards at about 3.7 yards per carry. Voters said that disparity in rushing support and offensive-line performance shaped how they judged immediate quarterback value.
Legacy and head-to-head context
Respondents acknowledged the difference between snapshot rankings and career achievement. Many cited Mahomes’ superior postseason résumé and higher total of Super Bowl appearances and titles as reasons he remains the longer-term standard for greatness.
But for the specific question asked by ESPN—who is the best QB right now—voters prioritized recent contribution and two-way production, which narrowed the gap between Allen and Mahomes in the composite metric.
What voters cited and what it means
Voters repeatedly pointed to Allen’s combination of high-level passing and significant rushing production. Reporting attributed to one front-office source said Allen is effectively unique in modern NFL history for pairing prolific passing totals with sustained rushing scoring, a profile that tilted several ballots his way.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler explained the ballot math plainly: consistent placement across many ballots can outweigh a higher share of first-place votes. “Allen took advantage of the composite voting, averaging a ranking of 2.10 per ballot. That helped him overcome his 34.1% first-place clip, slightly below Mahomes’ 41.5%,” Fowler wrote, underscoring why evaluators who prize current impact placed Allen atop their lists.
The immediate implication for the 2026 QB debate is that when decision-makers emphasize two-way production, short-term impact and surrounding personnel, Allen’s stock rises. That does not erase Mahomes’ postseason résumé, but it does suggest the short-term hierarchy among evaluators has shifted.
Balance and caveats
Analysts cautioned that the poll is a snapshot. Voters are trying to measure who provides the most immediate value to a team at this moment; injuries, roster changes and single-game variance can change perceptions quickly. The poll reflects consensus about right-now value rather than a definitive career judgment.
In short: the ESPN poll reports who NFL decision-makers believed to be the top quarterback at the time of the survey; it is not a final statement on career legacy.
FAQ
Is Josh Allen now the best NFL quarterback?
Per ESPN’s poll of executives, coaches and scouts, Allen was ranked the top quarterback at the time of the survey. The poll measures current standing rather than career legacy.
How did Patrick Mahomes place in the ESPN poll?
Mahomes fell from first in the prior year’s composite to second in this poll’s composite rankings, though he retained a larger share of first-place votes (41.5%) than Allen (34.1%).
Which stats most influenced voters in the poll?
Voters cited Allen’s rushing production and total touchdowns across 2023–25 (41 rushing TDs, 123 total TDs) and the composite-ballot average (Allen 2.10) as principal drivers of his elevation.
Source: Reporting by ESPN (Jeremy Fowler) and the Outkick/Fox reporting linked below. Original Outkick story: https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/nfl-coaches-executives-say-patrick-mahomes-no-longer-best-quarterback-nfl. See Jeremy Fowler’s ESPN poll summary here: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/49315416/ranking-nfl-top-10-quarterbacks-2026-execs-coaches-scouts.
