The Kansas City Chiefs losing Patrick Mahomes near the end of the 2025 season has invited a level of disrespect that continues to be shocking for such an accomplished starter. To put it simply, there isn't one starter in the league whose resume lines up against Mahomes or offers anything close to a reasonable argument as to who the better player should be.
Outside of Jalen Hurts, who is the only active quarterback to beat Mahomes in the Super Bowl, there simply isn't a recent postseason resume that measures up. However, this hasn't stopped pundits from continually disrespecting Mahomes throughout the offseason and into the summer.
CBS Sports can be added to this list, ranking the top players over age 30 ahead of the 2026 season and putting Mahomes third. It is yet another example of Josh Allen being at the top of a list despite the quarterback's lack of postseason accomplishments. The Buffalo quarterback is unquestionably elite, but perhaps before ranking Allen ahead of Mahomes, let's see the signal caller win one Super Bowl or manage to beat the Chiefs in a game that matters.
The Chiefs signal-caller came third in CBS Sports' list of top players aged 30 or older heading into 2026 season
It isn't just this one ranking but a consistent trend over the last year that sees the KC legend at a new low and is attempting to predict that this is a sign of things to come. Prior to last season, Mahomes had never had a season end short of the AFC Championship as the team's starter. Still, there seems to be a level of continual disrespect based on a drop in individual statistical numbers due to an underwhelming group of playmakers and last season's injury.
Writing off Mahomes and continually putting the quarterback behind peers who have never beaten him in a game that mattered is a level of disrespect that Mahomes is unquestionably taking note of. Mahomes has a bit of Michael Jordan or Tom Brady in him in the fact that doubt and noise serve as motivation and an unquestionable source of irritation.
For Kansas City, there is no doubt that these takes are working in their favor, setting up what should be a huge season for the three-time Super Bowl champ. Doubting Mahomes is a risky venture, one that has aged poorly for much of his career. There is no reason to believe that this is going to change in the 2026 season, with the noise never being louder.
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