Joe Burrow Snubbed by NFL Decision-Makers in Latest Top Quarterback Ranking

Motivation for Burrow to get to the top.

Aug 22, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) walks on the field before the game against the Chicago Bears at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Joe Burrow got a bit overlooked in the latest NFL insider poll.

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer canvassed league voices like general managers, personnel executives, head coaches, offensive and pass-game coordinators and quarterback coaches on which quarterback will be the best in the league by season's end, and Burrow finished fourth overall.

Snubbed?

Cincinnati Bengals Joe Burrow takes questions from media during a press conference after practice at Paycor Stadium, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, in downtown Cincinnati. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The star's health came into question, per usual. He ranked behind Josh Allen, Matthew Stafford, and Patrick Mahomes in that order.

"Health is the only question," Breer wrote. "This is Burrow’s fifth consecutive year ranking in the top five. He finished fifth coming off his Super Bowl sophomore season, then third in 2023, and second the past two years. His weapons are still elite, the line is better than people think, and the defense should be improved 'He’s as good a pocket passer as there is in the NFL,” said an assistant GM. “It’s just been health.'"

Breer broke down the voting process before diving into the ranking.

"This year, I sent out nearly 200 requests for votes, knowing that cut-down week is a busy one, and some people won’t get back to me," Breer noted. "This year, we received 104 ballots. All 32 teams had voters in this poll, and 30 of the 32 had multiple voters, so we have a diverse cross-section of the league. Among the voters—GMs, personnel executives, head coaches, offensive and pass-game coordinators, and quarterback coaches—we received ballots from 20 head coaches and 21 general managers."

Fourth is still pretty solid respect for Burrow, but he is expected to have a better roster than Mahomes and already came back to play at an elite level from his major 2025 injury, while Mahomes hasn't played since tearing an ACL toward the end of last season.

Burrow has been the best pure passer in the league for a few years now, highlighted by 91-plus Pro Football Focus grades in four of his six seasons, plus a tie for the lowest turnover-worthy play rate of any passer in the past 10 seasons (min. 2,000 attempts, Joe Burrow 2.1%, Tom Brady 2.1%, Justin Herbert 2.1%).

Check out the full ranking here.

Lowest pct of plays being turnover worthy over the last 10 seasons (min. 2000 attempts)

Joe Burrow 2.1%
Tom Brady 2.1%
Justin Herbert 2.1%
Aaron Rodgers 2.3%
Kyler Murray 2.5%
Russell Wilson 2.5%
Patrick Mahomes 2.6% pic.twitter.com/3XtQtxfNTZ

— PFF (@PFF) September 2, 2026

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