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Patrick Mahomes had missed just five games as a full-time starter before tearing his ACL and LCL last season in Week 15 against the Chargers. The injury was devastating for the future Hall of Fame quarterback, who had never dealt with a serious injury before.
While the surgery was initially expected to keep him out for multiple games this season, Mahomes is currently on track to make his season debut in Week 1 against the Broncos. He'll likely sit out the entire preseason as he continues working toward full health.
Mahomes has long been considered one of, if not the, best quarterbacks in the NFL, even as his counting stats have dipped slightly in recent seasons. However, the latest NFL Top 100 rankings took that perceived decline to another level.
The rankings released the No. 20-17 players earlier today, with Mahomes coming in at No. 18 behind Colts running back Jonathan Taylor. It marks only the second time in his career that Mahomes has fallen outside the top 10 and the first since his rookie season.
Aug 15, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) warms up prior to a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
After going unranked as a second-year player while backing up then-starter Alex Smith, Mahomes has never finished outside the top 10. He was No. 1 in the 2021 and 2023 editions and finished inside the top five in 2019, 2020, 2024, and 2025.
Mahomes is the fourth and likely final Chief to appear on this year's list. He leds Creed Humphrey (No. 94), Travis Kelce (No. 79), and Chris Jones (No. 43).
The drop isn't entirely unjustified, as Mahomes' touchdown rate has fallen by 2% or more from his best seasons, and his overall numbers haven't been nearly as spectacular as they were from 2018 through 2022. However, notable names such as Josh Allen, Matthew Stafford and surprisingly Drake Maye have yet to appear on the list, meaning they will all finish ahead of Mahomes.
Of course, these rankings should be taken with a grain of salt. When the game is on the line and a quarterback has the ball in his hands in the fourth quarter, there still isn't anyone Chiefs fans would rather have than Mahomes, even coming off a down season by his standards.
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