The Buffalo Bills enter the 2025 season as legitimate Super Bowl contenders, fueled by Josh Allen‘s consistent elite performance. Since his breakout 2020 campaign, Allen has ranked top-3 in passing TDs (195) and total yards (26,434) while carrying Buffalo to four straight AFC East titles (as per Pro Football Reference). His combination of arm strength, mobility, and clutch playmaking has redefined the QB position. Yet when NFL executives ranked their top QBs this week, they sparked a firestorm.
The NFL execs pushed Josh Allen behind Patrick Mahomes despite his MVP season and monster numbers. Bills fans and analysts argue the evaluation overlooks Allen’s tangible impact and upward trajectory. So, what’s all the fuss about? Well, recently ESPN dropped its annual NFL QB rankings, based on surveys of 70+ executives, coaches, and scouts. And the results hit Buffalo like a winter wind off Lake Erie.
For the third straight year, Patrick Mahomes sits alone atop ESPN’s annual QB rankings. The Chiefs‘ star captured 60% of first-place votes despite receiver injuries and offensive line struggles that would’ve sunk most QBs. His resume speaks for itself: three straight Super Bowl appearances, two rings since 2021, and league-leading totals in TDs (245) and yards (32,352) since becoming a starter.
Josh Allen has been ranked as the second best QB in the NFL by NFL executive just behind Mahomes
Do you agree with the ranking or should he have been higher? #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/RrxpcvPwxd
— SleeperBills (@SleeperBills) July 14, 2025
But here’s where Bills fans erupt: Josh Allen closed the gap significantly. While Mahomes’ first-place votes dipped from previous years, Allen’s MVP season forced voters to acknowledge his evolution. The ranking debate boils down to raw production. Allen’s 28 TDs and 3,731 yards dwarfed Mahomes’ 26 TDs and 3,928 yards (regular season). And Allen’s 77.3 QBR (2nd in NFL) crushed Mahomes’ 67.6 (8th).
Yet voters still crowned Mahomes, proving that for NFL executives, playoff pedigree (3 Super Bowls vs. Allen’s 0) still outweighs regular-season dominance. This isn’t just about stats; it’s about the unshakable ‘clutch gene’ perception that continues to separate these elite rivals.
Unsurprisingly, the fans have turned X into a warzone over these rankings.
The fan fury over Josh Allen’s #2 ranking
The moment ESPN slotted Josh Allen behind Patrick Mahomes, Bills fans weaponized their keyboards. “I’m sorry, but at this point, he’s surpassed Mahomes. Allen is on 1 ,” fired off one supporter, summing up the collective outrage. Reactions ricocheted from measured to merciless: “Is Mahomes more accomplished? Sure. But is he better at this point in his career? No, he isn’t. If Josh was on the Chiefs, he’d have just as many rings,” argued one fan, while another blasted, “Mahomes is trash. This will be his last season with par numbers.”
Even the simpler takes cut deep: “he should be no1 not even being biased,” and “I will take Josh before anyone else 7 days a week.” Only a handful conceded grudging respect: “Mahomes has rings and is a winner. However, in the last two years, he wasn’t at his best. Josh is number one, and Lamar is number two. Mahomes somewhere after that.”
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ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler pinpointed the irony: “Allen’s standing in our top 10 series has been a journey… and a point of contention in Buffalo. Since the series started in 2020 until 2023, Allen’s place in the QB pantheon was universally celebrated among voters inside the league.” An NFC executive backed that up: “He’s done everything. He’s answered every test. The only thing left to do is win it all.” Even critics admitted his growth, with one NFL evaluator noting, “He’s taking more calculated risks than wild risks now—that’s why he’s better.”
The bigger picture? The Bills aren’t just riding on Allen’s arm. They’ve stacked this roster to crush the league. Bleacher Report ranked them third overall, praising “an MVP quarterback and the AFC’s highest-scoring offense.” But as Gary Davenport stressed, “A sixth straight AFC East title won’t matter much in Western New York. Neither will more hardware for Josh Allen.” For Bills Mafia, there’s only one acceptable ending: hoisting the Lombardi. Until then, the rankings debate will rage on – one fiery tweet at a time.
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