Sports
AFC Exec: After Patrick Mahomes, ‘Everything Else Is a Grab Bag’ for NFL QBs
Peter G. Aiken/Getty ImagesKansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes is in a class of his own, at least according to one executive from an AFC team. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler polled more than 50 league executives, coaches, scouts and players to rank the top 10 players at each position. Almost 30 weighed in on the best quarterbacks, with…
Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images
Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes is in a class of his own, at least according to one executive from an AFC team.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler polled more than 50 league executives, coaches, scouts and players to rank the top 10 players at each position. Almost 30 weighed in on the best quarterbacks, with all but one listing Mahomes in the No. 1 spot.
“Everything else is a grab bag,” the AFC executive said of the quarterbacks after Mahomes. “He's the face of the league.”
Mahomes is fresh off agreeing to a 10-year, $450 million extension with the Chiefs that could be worth up to $503 million, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. In terms of total money, it's not just the biggest contract in NFL history but also the biggest deal in U.S. sports history.
Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter
Patrick Mahomes signed a 10-year, $450 million extension that could be worth up to $503 million, per sources. The extension includes a $141.48 million injury guarantee, as well as a no-trade clause. It marks the first time an NFL player has had sports’ most lucrative deal. https://t.co/kohX8rFSFN
That salary figure speaks to how much Mahomes has already achieved through his first three seasons. Upon becoming Kansas City's starter in 2018, he threw for 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns en route to winning the league MVP. Per Pro Football Reference, Dan Marino is the only other quarterback ever to eclipse the 5,000-yard mark in his second season.
This past year, he helped guide the Chiefs to their second Super Bowl title.
“Talk to 31 defensive coordinators, they'd all say they are least excited about playing this guy,” an NFL assistant coach said to Fowler. “Only getting better with dealing with defenses, too.”
Some will read the “grab bag” comment as a slight to some of the league's best passers.
Lamar Jackson was the leader of one of the NFL's most dynamic offenses in 2019. His 1,206 rushing yards were a single-season record for a quarterback.
It's hard to imagine where the Seattle Seahawks would be without Russell Wilson, who continues to be a pillar of consistency in an offense that doesn't have a wealth of depth or an elite offensive line.
Then there are the aging stalwarts (Drew Brees, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers) destined for the Hall of Fame.
Still, one could argue Mahomes is head and shoulders above the rest. As the assistant coach said, the 24-year-old might have room for improvement as he gains more experience.
And that's a scary prospect for opposing defenses.
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