Is Patrick Mahomes still the top QB in the NFL entering 2026?

Since debuting in the NFL in 2017, Patrick Mahomes has been one of the top quarterbacks in the league, leading the Chiefs to three Super Bowl victories and earning MVP honors in each game. He's also captured NFL MVP honors twice and All-Pro honors four times during his career.

>But last season was arguably the worst of his career, and it came to an early close after 14 games due to a torn ACL. Despite this, Sports Illustrated's recent NFL quarterback rankings ahead of the season have Mahomes listed as the No. 1 quarterback in the league. But can Mahomes really bounce back to the top of the league after last year, or was 2025 the start of his decline from being the top NFL quarterback to being just another starter?

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.@SInow delivers its QB Rankings for 2026:

1 - Patrick Mahomes 2 - Josh Allen 3 - Matthew Stafford 4 - Lamar Jackson 5 - Joe Burrow 6 - Drake Maye 7 - Justin Herbert 8 - Dak Prescott 9 - Jordan Love 10 - Trevor Lawrence 11 - Caleb Williams 12 - Jared Goff pic.twitter.com/ERYU2cs18d

— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) July 19, 2026Patrick Mahomes ranked No. 1 NFL QB by Sports IllustratedThere is reason to believe Mahomes may have been passed by for the No. 1 spot in the league – but not necessarily by someone younger than him.

>Despite his age, veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford is coming off one of his best performances yet and won NFL MVP honors in 2025. He has fully committed to a return to the Rams this season, and until Mahomes proves he can bounce back from last season's lackluster effort and devastating injury, it's hard to justify putting him above Stafford.

>And there are two quarterbacks that have been in the league close to the same amount of time as Mahomes that looked just as good, if not better, than he did last year – Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. And with Joe Burrow back healthy and Drake Maye on the rise, there's an argument that could be made as to whether Mahomes is still in the Top 5.

>Of course, one strong season this fall can silence any doubt that Mahomes is still at the top of the league in terms of quarterback talent – but it's not as clear-cut right now as it has been in the past to say he's the league's top signal-caller entering the season.

>This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Is Patrick Mahomes still the top QB in the NFL entering 2026?