Patrick Mahomes 'Puts Fear in People Like No Other QB,' Says NFL Coach in New Top 10 Poll

Despite his ongoing recovery from a torn ACL, Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes still has the respect of the rest of the NFL.

Mahomes was voted the No. 2 quarterback in the league behind only Buffalo Bills star Josh Allen in ESPN's Jeremy Fowler's annual top 10 poll.

"He still puts fear in people like no other quarterback -- gives you a shot in every game," an NFL quarterbacks coach said of Mahomes. "His skill set combined with his will to win puts him at the top."

Here's a look at the full top 10 list of quarterbacks ahead of the 2026 campaign:

1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
2. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
3. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
4. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
5. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
6. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
7. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
8. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
9. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
10. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears

Fowler explained that while Mahomes received more first-place votes than any other quarterback in this year's poll, "more voters than usual kept him out of their top three" at nearly 15 percent.

Over the past three seasons, Mahomes has seen a statistical decline from the astronomical standard he set over his first five years as Kansas City's full-time starting QB. However, he's been forced to shoulder a major load on offense while the Chiefs' supporting cast struggled to meet expectations. The immense pressure eventually led to the first major injury of his career.

"I think the hits were taking the toll even before the injury," an NFL coordinator said. "He's not the biggest guy. He's such a stud, but the violent hits he's taken, the big-time shots, are a thing."

Another NFL defensive coach refused to let Mahomes off the hook so easily, saying that his overall play in 2025 was subpar.

"Mahomes struggled even before the injury last year -- held the ball too long and forced throws when it wasn't necessary," the coach said. "Still has a tendency to chase the big play instead of keeping the offense on schedule."

However, the coach eventually conceded, "If they don't have him, they win three games, tops [last year]."