It didn't take long before Patrick Mahomes inked his name in the Kansas City Chiefs and NFL history books. He hadn't been in the league for five years, and there was already a conversation about whether he would be the one who might take down Tom Brady as the best to ever do it.
Plenty has transpired since. The ups have been incredible, and the downs, while few, have also been better than the average signal-caller's. That said, his numbers of the past couple of years, plus the first major injury of his career, may have stripped him of the 'top dog' distinction.
That's why, as much as it hurts, it makes sense to see him ranked No. 4 in NFL Spin Zone's latest quarterback power rankings.
Patrick Mahomes may not be he top quarterback in the NFL anymore
Per Lou Scataglia, he's trailing only Josh Allen, Drake Maye, and Matthew Stafford, respectively.
"There is also reason to believe that Mahomes may not be all that comfortable leaving the pocket. A major knee injury might force him to not use his legs as much. Still, though, this is Mahomes we’re talking about here," wrote Scataglia.
There are two ways to read this. On the one hand, Mahomes should strive to get the throne again, and realizing that he's no longer at the top of the rankings might be concerning for a Kansas City Chiefs team that just missed the playoffs and doesn't have as many weapons on offense anymore.
On the other hand, the fact that Mahomes still ranks No. 4 despite coming off a major injury, a down year statistically, and winning just six games last season speaks volumes about the amount of respect he's earned in the first half of his career.
Mahomes is already a future first-ballot Hall of Famer. He accomplished more in the first five years of his career than the average quarterback, and there's no telling how much he can still do over the next decade-plus.
That said, the Chiefs have officially gone from being the hunted to the hunters. This league is ruthless and has a short memory, and it's more about what you can do in the present and the future than about what you accomplished in the past.
We've seen idols fade to black. Talking heads and fans are continuously revisiting history, and they don't hesitate to claim former glories were overrated and should make room for the next generation. Mahomes can't afford that to happen to him.
As the best of his generation, he'll always be held to a higher and much more demanding standard. As such, the Chiefs will have to do a better job of giving him the weapons and supporting cast he needs to get this team back to the mountaintop and remind everyone why he's still the best in business.
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