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Patrick Mahomes missed the playoffs in 2025, and Josh Allen didn’t have an MVP season last year, but that doesn’t stop Colin Cowherd from listing the two stars as his top two quarterbacks in the NFL. But which of the two is the best quarterback in the league?
Cowherd answered that question by ranking the top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL heading into the 2026 season. His rankings aren’t that simple, as talent trumps all. Cowherd grades quarterbacks, he said, based on their production, durability and the current momentum of their careers.
With those factors in mind, here are Cowherd’s top 10 quarterbacks entering the 2026 NFL season.
missed the cut: Dak Prescott, Jayden Daniels, Jalen Hurts, Jordan Love, Trevor Lawrence, Baker Mayfield
The Cowboy’s Thoughts: “35-10 in his last 45 starts – the highest winning percentage of any quarterback in the last two years in the league. Big, athletic, risky. No turnovers when it mattered in the playoffs. Still, 28, five different teams, what a disaster. But if you go, remember he was benched in Carolina, came back, went 4-2, if you take his career starting at that point. [in 2022], [he’s the] “Winning NFL quarterback with second-highest passer rating”.
The Cowboy’s Thoughts: “The most disrespected guy in the league. All he does is win. Four straight seasons with 4,000-plus passing yards. And strangely enough, he never misses a start. He and Caleb Williams don’t get hurt.”
The Cowboy’s Thoughts: “Bad offensive line. Hit-and-miss running game. Made it to a Super Bowl. I’m finally getting AJ Brown, a number one wide receiver, that’s what’s being reported. I think you’ll see how special he is. He led the NFL in completion percentage, yards per attempt and passer rating at 23, with a bad offensive line in front of him.”
The Cowboy’s Thoughts: “I love him. He doesn’t play like anyone else. He doesn’t move like anyone else. Two MVPs. He has the highest passer rating in NFL history, and everyone says, ‘I don’t know if he’s a great pocket passer.’ I don’t know, analysts like him. Highest winning percentage of any quarterback in league history without reaching the Super Bowl.”
The Cowboy’s Thoughts: “I think, on any given Sunday, he’s the best player in the league. Burrow’s durability is a big deal. You want him to win more. But I’ll say it again, I’m not sure (on a fourth-and-7, down by four in a Super Bowl) if there’s anyone I want at quarterback more than Joe Burrow. I think he’s an all-time talent. He was saddled with a cheap owner and a minimalist front office. The highest completion percentage and the highest passer rating. all the time, with lines terrible offensives.”
The Cowboy’s Thoughts: “He just won the MVP. What do you want me to tell you? They’re the favorites to win the Super Bowl. He’s taken a bunch of mid-round guys: Puka Nacua, fifth round, made him a star. So I’m not going to build this up for five years. He’s one of the five best quarterbacks in the NFL right now.”
The Cowboy’s Thoughts: “Worst offensive line in the NFL. Made the playoffs. That’s crazy! He’s beloved in the locker room. He and Lamar Jackson are the most beloved players in the NFL in their respective locker rooms. He’s only missed six starts in his career, which is confusing because he’s never had a good offensive line.”
The Cowboy’s Thoughts: “Do you know what his numbers are his first two years? Forty-seven touchdowns, 13 picks, never hurt. Never hurt in high school. Never hurt in college. Never hurt in the pros. Took more hits than any other quarterback in the league in his rookie year. Incredibly durable. Makes throws only Josh Allen can make.”
The Cowboy’s Thoughts: “He’ll be back in September. Each of his first seven years, he led the Chiefs to a division title and an AFC Championship appearance. Sorry, don’t get carried away with the recentness. He’s incredible.”
The Cowboy’s Thoughts: “He’s been very good in the playoffs. He’s won 70% of his games with a defensive head coach that most of you didn’t like. Seven straight years with 10-plus wins. Sorry guys, he’s been better than (Patrick) Mahomes two years in a row.”
