Nick Wright updated his “Mahomes Mountain” quarterback rankings after Week 1, and Patrick Mahomes has been dethroned. Following a weekend full of standout QB showings, only one of Josh Allen, Caleb Williams, Trevor Lawrence or Lamar Jackson could claim the top spot heading into Week 2.
Off the Mountain:
– Sam Darnold, Kyler Murray and Tua Tagovailoa are off the mountain because of injuries. Also removed for performance were Deshaun Watson, Cooper Rush, Cam Ward and Malik Willis — with Wright noting Willis is eager to climb and is hunting for someone’s spot.
7th Row:
– Geno Smith, Drew Lock, Daniel Jones, Bo Nix, Aaron Rodgers, Kirk Cousins and Carson Wentz. Wright praised Drew Lock’s play once he settled in against New England, but raised concerns about Daniel Jones’ reluctance to run given his Achilles issues — Jones had only one carry for four yards, and Wright worries he won’t be effective if he stops using his legs.
6th Row:
– Tyler Shough, Jacoby Brissett, Baker Mayfield, Jordan Love, Jayden Daniels and Justin Herbert. Shough’s 410-yard outing looks great but Wright cautioned it might expose a weak Lions secondary. Brissett showed flashes where he looks like a potential starter, though inconsistency remains. Mayfield impressed but his costly fumbles — especially right after signing a new deal — drew strong criticism.
5th Row:
– Jared Goff, Dak Prescott, C.J. Stroud, Jaxson Dart and Bryce Young. Goff was serviceable and stayed put; Prescott disappointed, highlighted by a bad pre-halftime interception. Stroud’s debut was encouraging despite a final-possession fumble that lost the game.
4th Row:
– Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts, Drake Maye and Brock Purdy. Burrow played well overall but a pick-six set his team back before he calmed things down. Hurts made the three biggest game-changing plays and earned a move up.
3rd Row:
– Caleb Williams, Patrick Mahomes and Matthew Stafford. Williams climbed into row three after perhaps his best game to date. Mahomes dropped from the summit — Wright says Mahomes himself admitted he didn’t feel great and shouldn’t get preferential treatment coming off an ACL. Stafford also slipped down.
2nd Row:
– Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. Wright moved Lamar up, calling his performance outstanding. He also applauded Josh Allen’s late heroics — Allen nearly gave his team away but finished with a near-perfect decisive throw.
1st Row:
– Trevor Lawrence. For the first time Wright crowned someone else as the “prince who was promised”: Trevor Lawrence sits atop Mahomes Mountain after a performance that, in Wright’s view, matched the high ceiling the media often projects onto players like Justin Herbert.
Fan Take: This reshuffling matters because early-season performances can quickly reshape narratives about which quarterbacks are true elite talents versus those who need time or context to rebound. If Week 1 is any indication, we should expect a much wider, more competitive QB landscape this season — and that makes the NFL more unpredictable and entertaining for fans.
Source: www.foxsports.com
