NBC Sports hosts rank Josh Allen, elite NFL QBs against all-time greats

Josh Allen is a part of an elite group of current NFL signal callers. But where do they rank all-time?

The Buffalo Bills' quarterback was named No. 2 on Chris Simms' annual Top 40 quarterbacks list, trailing only Lamar Jackson, and just in front of Joe Burrow and, surprisingly, Patrick Mahomes at No. 3 and 4, respectively. Simms ranked the field generals in specific tiers this year, with those four guys being listed in "the core four" tier.

Over the last two episodes of the Chris Simms Unbuttoned podcast, the former NFL QB talked about the historical context of Allen, Jackson, Burrow, and Mahomes being in the league together simultaneously.

"This is like [John] Elway, [Dan] Marino, [Joe] Montana, Jim Kelly in their prime," said Simms on his June 10 podcast. "I don't know if you can find four [QBs] at the same time that are playing at such a high level as the four right now."

2025 QB Countdown is complete. Here are the Top 10 rankings. The top tier especially might be the best we've ever had at one time in NFL history. pic.twitter.com/ZPaSLfxSsx
— Chris Simms (@CSimmsQB) June 10, 2025

And Simms is right. Even in all of their short careers, Allen and his contemporaries are on pace to become some of the greatest signal callers in league history.

Of course, there's Mahomes, the three-time Super Bowl champion and MVP, who has played in five of the last six Super Bowls and has won two league MVP awards. His resume may be the heftiest, but you can't discredit the others' from the core four.

Jackson is a two-time league MVP and three-time first-team All-Pro selection. Burrow, who led the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns in 2024, is a two-time Pro Bowler with a Super Bowl appearance on his resume and he has the NFL's highest completion rate all-time (68.6 percent).

Then there's Allen, a two-time second-team All-Pro, three-time Pro Bowler, and the 2024 NFL MVP.

Josh Allen and Joe Burrow — Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9). | Kareem Elgazzar-Imagn Images

On Simms' June 12 episode, his cohost Ahmed Fareed shared a fan post from X stating how this group may be comparable to Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, and Aaron Rodgers being among the top NFL QBs in the 2010s.

Simms noted how those players were all at different stages of their careers, though, with Brady taking a dip in production before a late-career resurgence, Manning closing his chapter with the Colts before joining the Broncos, and Brees and Rodgers really coming up as the next elite passers in the league.

But what Fareed pointed out was that this group is different because the players are so close in age.

"A lot of the other times, you're mixing and matching kind of different generations together to make it happen," said Simms, as all four quarterbacks are currently either 28 or 29. "These are all four guys who kind of feel like they came in the league at the same time."

Having this quartert has made for exciting football in the AFC over the last few years. But the hope for the Bills' is that Allen is able to separate himself by being the second in the group to win a Super Bowl.

Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen — Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

More Buffalo Bills News:

Presumably disgruntled Bills’ star surprisingly reports for minicamp

NFL explosive play breakdown proves 'everybody eats’ works well for Bills

Bills' Dion Dawkins shares edit gracing the cover of legendary NFL game

Bills' Dion Dawkins surprising odds to win his own 'Protector of Year' award

Dane Jackson gets blessing to wear beloved former Bills’ All-Pro’s number