​The NFL is a brutal league where very few players can sustain dominant play year after year. That’s what makes Tom Brady’s dynasty so remarkable and worthy of its own place in history. However, the quarterback most often compared to him is Patrick Mahomes.Mahomes got off to a hot start in his NFL career, compiling two NFL MVP awards, three Super Bowl championships, and two first-team All-Pro selections. Even with that resume, some have made far more of his 2025 season than it warrants. ESPN’s recent poll made that clear.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMORE: Buffalo Bills should reunite with former star to help Josh AllenESPN surveyed NFL executives, coaches, and scouts to rank the league’s top quarterbacks, and Mahomes finished second.Most passing touchdowns in the last 5 seasons“After three consecutive seasons of subpar production (for his standards), Mahomes relinquishes his crown for at least one year, despite leading all QBs in first-place votes. His average rank of 2.19 per ballot was just short of Allen’s. More voters than usual kept him out of their top three (about 15%).” ESPN reported.Josh Allen is certainly a worthy choice for the top spot. There’s no question about that. However, some of the details in ESPN’s report are difficult to understand.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAccording to the report, nearly everyone ESPN spoke with acknowledged that without Mahomes, the Chiefs would likely be a three-win team. Yet someone in that same group ranked him as low as ninth—second to last among the 10 quarterbacks on the list.MORE: A.J. Brown’s photos in Patriots uniform triggers mixed reactionsUnless that vote came from Bills general manager Brandon Beane, it’s hard to justify. There simply aren’t eight quarterbacks better than Mahomes, much less eight players overall.1. Patrick Mahomes — 153 Passing TDs (80 Games)Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but this isn’t a quarterback in his late 30s showing obvious signs of decline. Mahomes is coming off one disappointing season, and much of the blame falls on the team’s overall performance rather than his individual play.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMahomes has elevated below-average receiving corps to Super Bowl appearances. He has overcome inconsistent offensive line play and still won championships. At this point, the only thing he hasn’t done is throw a touchdown pass to himself.A ninth-place vote for Mahomes is baffling. He still finished second overall, but a ranking that low may have cost him the top spot. In the end, the Chiefs have reloaded, and if Mahomes needed any extra motivation heading into the season, this is probably it.