ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith revealed his latest top five NFL players ahead of the Hall of Fame Weekend, surprisingly leaving out notable figures like Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts, and Saquon Barkley. This unexpected omission has sparked debate as these athletes delivered remarkable performances during the past season.
Standout Performances from Barkley, Hurts, and Burrow Overlooked
Saquon Barkley achieved a historic milestone by rushing for over 2,000 yards, becoming only the ninth player ever to reach this mark. He shattered a long-standing record set by Terrell Davis, accumulating 2,504 yards on the ground in a single season. Jalen Hurts, meanwhile, earned the Super Bowl MVP award and set numerous other records during his championship run.
Hurts also made history by becoming the first Philadelphia Eagles quarterback to reach two Super Bowls and the fourth player in gridiron history to win both a Super Bowl and an NCAA Championship, having secured the 2017 CFP National Championship with the Alabama Crimson Tide. Despite the Cincinnati Bengals not making the playoffs, Joe Burrow put together one of the best seasons of his career. He led the NFL in attempts, completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns, throwing for 4,918 yards and 43 touchdowns with a career-best 70.6% completion rate.
Stephen A. Smith’s Top Five NFL Players and Key Surprises
Smith’s list placed Patrick Mahomes as the NFL’s best current player, followed by Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen in second and third places respectively. However, many were taken aback by the names filling the fourth and fifth spots, which included Myles Garrett and TJ Watt, both defensive standouts. Notably, the list excluded both Barkley and Hurts, two Super Bowl winners with historic seasons, along with Burrow, the reigning NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
All five players selected belong to teams in the AFC, continuing the narrative of AFC dominance over the NFC in the 21st century, despite the NFC securing two Super Bowl victories in the last four years.
Evaluating Patrick Mahomes’s Position at the Top
Patrick Mahomes’s status as one of the best quarterbacks of his generation is widely accepted. He has guided the Kansas City Chiefs to five Super Bowl appearances in seven years, winning three titles and consistently clinching division championships. However, his recent season did not match his usual statistical dominance.
Mahomes failed to surpass 4,000 passing yards for the first time since his second year as a starter and recorded the lowest yards per attempt of his career. Over the past two regular seasons combined, he was intercepted 25 times. Despite this, Mahomes delivered a solid postseason in 2025, accumulating 679 yards with a 66.3% completion rate and five touchdowns, leading the Chiefs to yet another Super Bowl appearance.
Mahomes’s postseason success has long shaped his image as the top player, but with the rise of versatile, dual-threat quarterbacks posting exceptional stats, some question whether postseason accomplishments should remain the primary measure of greatness in today’s game.
Chris Canty’s Perspective on Mahomes and the Quarterback Race
“But if the Kansas City Chiefs find themselves in a situation where they are not in the AFC Championship games and Mahomes has less than 30 touchdown passes and he has 15 to 20 turnovers, then it is going to become a question of who the best quarterback in the NFL is.”
— Chris Canty, Analyst
Canty emphasizes that Mahomes’s status may only be questioned if his performance drastically declines, particularly if the Chiefs miss the AFC Championship or his touchdown-to-turnover ratio worsens. As the Chiefs regroup after a heartbreaking loss to the Eagles last season, attention turns to whether Mahomes can continue at an elite level or if new challengers will rise.
Implications of the Top Five List and NFL Player Evaluations
Stephen A. Smith’s exclusion of Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts, and Saquon Barkley from the top five players generates discussion about how performance metrics, postseason success, and conference loyalties influence player rankings. Burrow’s career-high stats and playoff absence, Hurts’s historic championship run, and Barkley’s record-breaking season highlight the complexity in assessing “the best” players.
The focus on AFC players in Smith’s list continues to fuel debates about conference superiority and how recent NFC champions impact perceptions. Fans and analysts will watch closely to see how these players and their teams perform in the upcoming season, potentially reshaping future rankings and the narrative around the NFL’s elite.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Is Joe Burrow a millionaire?
A. By 2025, Joe Burrow’s net worth is expected to be around $50 million. Although this is a significant amount, he’s still early in his career. Burrow is optimistic about growing his wealth even further in the future.
Q. Are Olivia Holzmacher and Joe Burrow still together?
A. (It’s us, hi.) Burrow had a lasting relationship with Olivia Holzmacher during college and at the start of his career. However, they parted ways in 2024. Currently, he is associated with Olivia Ponton, a model for Sports Illustrated.
Q. Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow will make an average of $55 million per year on his new contract, an all-time high. How far are Desmond Ridder and Bryce Young from that — after one game?
A. What is Joe Burrow’s income from his football contract?