Chiefs: “Grip on top spot is loosening”: NFL analyst highlights Patrick Mahomes' struggles signaling change in elite QB hierarchy

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Patrick Mahomes remains the NFL’s top quarterback heading into 2025. However, the NFL analyst believes it might not be the case for too long.

"Mahomes' grip on the top spot is loosening slightly," Fowler said. "After dominating the voting with back-to-back No. 1 rankings in convincing fashion, Mahomes garnered around 60% of the first-place votes this year, which is still impressive but well short of last year, when he received all but one first-place vote."

Statistically, Mahomes hasn’t looked like his usual self. He threw for 3,928 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions last season. Solid numbers, but not up to the mark regarding his standards. He’s also finished just eighth in QBR for two straight seasons, after ranking in the top two four times between 2018 and 2022.

However, Fowler noted context matters, especially given the Chiefs' evolving roster. Still, the Super Bowl LVIII tape against Philadelphia showed a more “frazzled” Mahomes than fans are used to seeing.

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The rest of the elite quarterback pack is now stacked with MVPs in their prime and is closing in fast. Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, and Josh Allen all want to make their way to the top, and it'll be interesting to see if the Mahomes era is over.

Also read: "President's Day weekend Super Bowl": Mike Florio explains why NFL won't embrace Patrick Mahomes' suggestion for an 18-game season

Patrick Mahomes makes feelings known on Arrowhead Stadium

Mahomes is not picking sides when it comes to the Kansas City Chiefs' stadium future. The debate is over whether to renovate iconic Arrowhead Stadium in Missouri or build a flashy new home in Kansas. Mahomes is showing love to both sides.

“Arrowhead is a special place,” the two-time MVP told CNBC’s Alex Sherman. “It’s my favorite place to play in the NFL… you can feel the history of it.”

Still, Mahomes isn’t dismissing the idea of a new state-of-the-art facility.

“Kansas has done a great bit as well,” he said. “They would build a great stadium and facility and be the top of the top.”

Mahomes believes the fanbase will show up no matter where the Chiefs land.

“They’ll fill that stadium, no matter if it’s in Missouri or Kansas.”

Also read: "Men need to be with men" - Patrick Mahomes’ mom Randi questions place of transgender athletes in women’s sports

About the author

Prasen is an NFL/College Sports analyst at Sportskeeda. A B.Tech/Civil Engineering graduate, he has two years of experience writing content.

For Prasen, providing historical angles relevant to the story is important, as it can give the reader useful information and help them relate it to the present. He thinks this keeps the content unique rather than just a bland reporting of facts. Prasen believes in fact-checking and researching relevant information as per the headline and context. He hates clickbait or misleading the reader.

A fan of the Colorado Buffaloes since Deion Sanders took over as coach, Prasen expects Coach Prime to make the Buffs a national championship contender. Nick Saban is his favorite all-time coach, while Baker Mayfield and Caitlin Clark are his favorite players. Prasen considers Vince Young coming up clutch for the Texas Longhorns in the dying seconds of the 2017 national championship game against the USC Trojans as the most iconic moment of all time.

Per Prasen, College Sports is competitive and garners attention but it is just the beginning, where a student-athlete can show their skills and potential to make it to the big leagues. When he is not researching and writing, Prasen’s hobbies include pursuing higher studies and playing sports.

Know More

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Edited by Gio Vergara