As the NFL season approaches, Nick Wright's annual "Mahomes Mountain" quarterback power rankings have been released, tiering 28 signal-callers ahead of Week 1. Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs retains his top position on the list, nine months after sustaining a season-ending torn ACL.
Wright's rankings divide quarterbacks into several tiers, from those "Off The Mountain" to "The Best In the League." This year's list notably excludes four quarterbacks: Geno Smith, Tua Tagovailoa, Jacoby Brissett, and Deshaun Watson. Wright indicated that among the excluded, Smith has the most potential to climb the rankings.
The "Off The Mountain" category signifies players Wright believes are not contenders for the top spot. Those in the "7th Row: ‘Fans Believe’" include young players like Cam Ward, Tyler Shough, and Jaxson Dart, alongside Bryce Young, Malik Willis, and Kirk Cousins. The "6th Row: ‘Polarizing Players’" features individuals such as Bo Nix, Jayden Daniels, Brock Purdy, C.J. Stroud, Kyler Murray, and Daniel Jones.
Quarterbacks in the "5th Row: ‘Teams Are Content’" are described as players whose teams are satisfied with them as starters, though many could be argued as being within or outside the league's top 10. The "4th Row: ‘Unquestionably, Great Resumes’" includes Joe Burrow, Dak Prescott, Trevor Lawrence, and Sam Darnold. Wright highlighted Burrow's throwing ability and Prescott's potential with a healthy offense.
In the "3rd Row: ‘Could Win MVP’" are Drake Maye, Caleb Williams, and Lamar Jackson. Wright suggested that Maye and Williams could be MVP candidates this season, with Jackson consistently being an MVP favorite.
The "2nd Row: ‘Missed The Moment’ To Dethrone Mahomes" features Josh Allen and another quarterback (unspecified in this segment of the notes) who are considered strong contenders but have not yet surpassed Mahomes. Wright stated that Mahomes remains at the top because those who could have challenged him "missed the moment."
At the summit, "1st Row: ‘The Best In the League’," Mahomes is positioned as the undisputed top quarterback. Wright acknowledged that this may be a controversial opinion but argued that with the current Chiefs roster and supporting cast, Mahomes is the only quarterback who would make them a legitimate Super Bowl threat. Mahomes is set to start the Chiefs' Week 1 game against the Denver Broncos.