ESPN analyst Mina Kimes is in the hot seat after dropping her latest top 10 NFL quarterbacks list—and the omission of reigning league MVP Matthew Stafford has fans up in arms. Kimes, alongside colleague Ben Solak, released their rankings for the 2026 season, but the backlash started almost immediately.
Patrick Mahomes took the top spot despite what many considered a down year in 2025. The Chiefs' signal-caller threw for 3,587 yards with 22 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, numbers that some argue don't justify the No. 1 ranking. Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson rounded out the top three, but it was who didn't make the cut that stole the headlines.
Stafford, who completed 65% of his passes for 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns with just eight interceptions last season, was left off the list entirely. The snub has sparked a firestorm on social media, with fans questioning Kimes' criteria. "The reigning NFL MVP outside the top 10," one fan posted. "Some people just shouldn't have a platform man."
Kimes defended the decision by explaining the list's timeline. "If we're doing this on a one-year timeline, he'd be top five," she said. "This is a three-year timeline. We have no idea how long he's going to play." But that reasoning hasn't done much to calm the critics, especially given Stafford's recent MVP campaign.
The full list includes Mahomes, Allen, Jackson, Joe Burrow, Drake Maye, Justin Herbert, Dak Prescott, Caleb Williams, Jordan Love, and Jayden Daniels. Notably absent are Jalen Hurts and Sam Darnold, both of whom had strong seasons. One fan asked, "WHY IS NOT JALEN HURTS ON THIS LIST?"
Another fan didn't hold back: "I love Mina, but this may be her worst QB list ever. I'm a Seahawks fan, but how anyone can not have league MVP Matthew Stafford at number one is beyond my comprehension. And having guys like Maye, Caleb Williams, Herbert and Lawrence over SB champ Sam Darnold is absolutely crazy. And let's be 100% honest here, Mahomes hasn't been the best QB in the NFL for at least two years."
This isn't the first time Kimes has stirred controversy with her rankings. She previously faced heat for similar lists, and the debate over how to evaluate quarterbacks is as heated as ever. Some fans have pointed to other analysts' lists, like Colin Cowherd's rankings, which also sparked debate but took a different approach.
Kimes, who recently won Celebrity Jeopardy! and donated the $1 million prize to charity, is no stranger to the spotlight. But this time, the conversation is less about her game show success and more about her football analysis. Only time will tell if her three-year outlook proves prescient or if fans' outrage is justified.
As the 2026 season approaches, it'll be fascinating to see how these rankings age. For now, Kimes and Solak are left to defend a list that has the NFL world buzzing—and not in a good way.
