Football season is starting to end, and on Monday night, Ohio State claimed the college football national championship.
Now that the college football season is over, everyone is starting to turn their attention to the conclusion of the NFL season, even two of the best college sports columnists in America.
I usually watch the Andy & Ari college football show on On3.com with Andy Staples and Ari Wasserman weekly to get my college football fix. Still, Ari came up with an interesting take on this weekend’s AFC title game between the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Allen Or Mahomes the Next 7 Years?
Wasserman asked which quarterback you would take between Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes for the next seven years, and he chose Allen over Mahomes.
Both quarterbacks have started for seven seasons, and there is no debate that you would 100% take Mahomes over Allen in the previous seven years.
The 29-year-old quarterback has been to seven straight AFC title games, won two league MVPs, and has been to four Super Bowls, winning three.
On the other hand, Allen has never been to the Super Bowl and has lost three times to Mahomes in the postseason, but looking ahead to the next seven years, Allen might be the pick.
Mahomes is only a year older than Allen, so age is not a factor in this argument.
When Mahomes first came into the NFL, he was drafted to a team that went to the playoffs every season with veteran quarterback Alex Smith. He also had one of the best offensive-minded head coaches of all time, Andy Reid.
Mahomes was able to sit back and learn behind Smith for a season, and when he was ready to start in year two, he also had the benefit of throwing to wide receiver Tyreek Hill and tight end Travis Kelce.
The Bills Weren’t Set for Success Like the Chiefs
When Buffalo first selected Allen, The Bills had a young, defensive-minded head coach named Sean McDermott, who immediately threw Allen into the mix.
Allen also didn’t have close to the weapons that Mahomes was dealing with, and his head coach was only entering his second season, so he was still trying to figure things out.
It took Allen a little longer than Mahomes to figure it out, and some of that was due to the coaching and talent around him. It also involved him trying to be a more accurate passer and avoid making critical mistakes with the ball.
Allen still needs to beat Mahomes in the playoffs, so let’s see if he can do it this weekend. However, starting in the 2025 season, I would also take Allen over Mahomes for the next seven years.
I’m not saying Mahomes will become a bottom-five quarterback, and there is a good chance he will be right there with Allen at the top.
Mahomes had a lot go his way in his first seven years, and now that Kelce is getting older, Reid could retire at any time. Mahomes might have a few seasons where he has to take a few steps back before he returns to greatness.
Buffalo Will Figure it Out
Allen has figured things out, and this season has shown that he is starting to become one of the greatest quarterbacks this sport has ever seen.
Allen lost his best playmaker, Stefon Diggs, this past offseason, but that didn’t slow him down; it made him a better quarterback.
I’ve said this a few times before, but Allen adopted Tom Brady’s approach this season. He was throwing to the open wide receiver, and it didn’t matter who the guy was.
Allen’s most prominent problem during his first six seasons was turning the ball over too much, and he did. In 2023, he threw 18 interceptions, but he only threw 6 this season.
The decision-making has improved significantly this year, and everything seems ready to take off in the next few seasons.
There is a chance Allen could win the Super Bowl in the next three weeks, but if it doesn’t happen, he will probably get one in the next two years.
It’s starting to feel like the Bills will begin to break through soon.
They also play in an easier division than the Chiefs, facing the Jets, Patriots, and Dolphins. In contrast, Kansas City has the Broncos and Chargers, who made the postseason this year.
I agree with Wasserman that I would take Allen from the 2025-2032 season over Mahomes. Hopefully, he can start to prove me right this weekend.
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Why Josh Allen Could be the Better QB Over Patrick Mahomes the Next 7 Years