Nick Wright has a way of turning the NFL’s quarterback conversation into something deeply personal, and his latest “quarterback mountain” is no exception. Every week, he takes the league’s most important position and re-ranks it as if these players are climbing a mountain, some with oxygen tanks, some with broken legs, and a few who are just kind of wandering around lost. This week, the summit belongs to exactly one man: Patrick Mahomes. That’s not a shock to anyone who has watched football over the past several years. Mahomes has become the gold standard, the quarterback who can make a broken play look like art, and even when the Chiefs are grinding through an ugly game, Wright still sees him as untouchable. But the real drama isn’t at the top. It’s in the middle, the bottom, and even the places where quarterbacks fall off the mountain entirely. This week’s list had it all: injuries, redemption arcs, brutal losses, surprising climbs, and a few names that made you do a double take. Jalen Hurts tumbled again, Dak Prescott dropped after a shaky Thursday night, and Matthew Stafford actually moved up despite losing. Meanwhile, a handful of backup quarterbacks quietly started making their case for more respect, and one rookie made Wright’s heart melt with a postgame interview with his mother. It’s a wild, emotional, and endlessly debatable list, which is exactly why it’s so much fun.
Before we get into the tiers, Wright cleared the air about the guys who couldn’t even compete this week. The injured list included Lamar Jackson, Caleb Williams, and Baker Mayfield, all of whom Wright expects to return and resume their climbs. Jaxson Dart, though, is apparently not coming back, at least not this season, which is a tough break for a young quarterback trying to find his footing. Then there’s the “off the mountain” group, and this is where things get interesting. Cam Ward, Malik Willis, and Tyson Bagent all fell off, and Wright didn’t mince words about it. But the biggest name in this category was Justin Herbert. Wright admitted he doesn’t see how Herbert is currently one of the 28 best quarterbacks in the league, which is a stunning fall for a guy who was once considered a franchise cornerstone. Wright pointed to a moment late in a game where the Chargers got the ball back down six points, and he felt like they had absolutely no shot. That’s not the kind of feeling you want to have about a quarterback who’s supposed to be elite. Herbert’s struggles are a mystery, and Wright said they’d have to talk about it more later. For now, he’s off the mountain, and that’s a sad but telling statement about how quickly things can change in the NFL.
The bottom of the mountain is where the bruised and battered quarterbacks hang out, and this week it was crowded. Jalen Hurts fell again, and while Wright was sympathetic to everything working against him—injuries, the retirement of offensive tackle Lane Johnson, and the mess around the head coach—he couldn’t ignore the fact that the Eagles’ offense just isn’t functional. Hurts used to have the argument that his stats might not be pretty, but he was winning. Now, on a three-game losing streak, he doesn’t even have that. Daniel Jones and Deshaun Watson also dropped, while Bo Nix, Geno Smith, Jacoby Brissett, and Jameis Winston settled into what Wright called “bottom-row guy” status. That’s not necessarily a demotion to the shadow realm; it’s just an honest assessment that they’re probably not going to become elite at this point in their careers. But they’re not falling off the mountain either, which counts for something. In the sixth row, there was some actual movement upward. Kyler Murray finally got some juice in his offense, and Wright was impressed by a beautiful touchdown pass that made him look like he was having fun for the first time in a while. Tyler Huntley also moved up, and Wright suggested he might be the best backup quarterback in the league, a high compliment for a guy who keeps his team competitive even when the starter goes down. Sam Darnold dropped a bit, though, because he hasn’t looked great, and the benefit of the doubt he built up last year is shrinking. Tyler Shough’s optimism might have been a mirage, since a lot of it came from playing the Lions, and Detroit can make any quarterback look good. Wright also shouted out Jalon Daniels, who had a great Thursday night and an absolutely delightful interview with his mother afterward. And then there’s Jayden Daniels, who is back on the mountain now that he’s healthy. His legs were dynamic, there were positive moments, but Wright couldn’t get over the ending of his game, which he jokingly blamed on David Blough. It’s that kind of week.
The fifth row was full of steady climbers and a few guys trying to hold on. Drake Maye is making his way back up after a five-touchdown performance, and he nearly jumped to row four. Aaron Rodgers, despite all the drama around him, is playing really well, and Wright gave him credit for being excellent in two of his last three games. C.J. Stroud stayed put, even though he finally got a win, and Wright noted that Stroud has been consistent all season even if it took three quarters to get going against the Titans. Penix took a hit to the ribs, and while Wright wasn’t sure if he’d miss time, he thought the young quarterback looked sharp after a shaky start against Baltimore. Kirk Cousins dropped to the fifth row, which feels fair for a veteran who has had better days. In the fourth row, things got even more interesting. Bryce Young had a bye week, so he stayed where he was. Matthew Stafford climbed despite a loss, which tells you how well Wright thought he played. Dak Prescott, on the other hand, moved down after an awful Thursday Night Football performance. Wright was quick to clarify that Dak wasn’t terrible, but he wasn’t great either, and in this quarterback hierarchy, that’s enough to drop you. Jordan Love, though, was the star of the fourth row. Wright couldn’t stop talking about his possession, chucking it deep, getting an offensive pass interference call, chucking it deep again, watching a drop, and then doing it all over again for a touchdown. It was the kind of sequence that makes you love football, and Love looked really good. He moved up, and it’s easy to see why.
The third row is where the good quarterbacks live, and this week it featured a prince who didn’t have his best game. Trevor Lawrence, the prince, made it onto the ballot but dropped a little. Wright didn’t think Lawrence was great, but he did point out an awesome fourth-and-five throw to Parker Washington, which was an unbelievable catch. Still, there’s no shame in being on row three when you’re sharing it with Josh Allen and Joe Burrow. Allen only completed 12 passes, but he was dynamic in the fourth quarter and overtime, and his legs were deadly all game. Burrow, meanwhile, is having an interesting year. He hasn’t made terrible mistakes, and he’s obviously good, but by his standards, the numbers are just good, not great. Wright noted that three of the six best plays in the NFL this season have been made by Burrow’s receivers in the last few weeks, with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins doing a lot of the heavy lifting. Burrow is still great, but the team is good, not great yet. In the second row, there was a change. Jared Goff moved up, and it’s hard to argue with that. The Lions are scoring more points than anyone in the league, they have one of the most efficient offenses ever, and Goff isn’t turning the ball over. He’s been fantastic, even if the defense is making him score a ton of points just to keep up. Brock Purdy almost moved up to the top, and he was brilliant late in his game. But it was also the lowest passer rating he’s had this year, the fewest yards, and the first time he’s been intercepted. Wright thought it wasn’t Purdy’s worst performance, but he’d rather see that kind of game next week, when Purdy could take the all-time passer rating lead. It’s a weird but wonderful spot to be in.
And then there’s the first row, the summit, the place where only one quarterback gets to stand this week. Patrick Mahomes remains alone at the top, and Wright’s reasoning is simple and a little cheeky: unlike Brock Purdy, Mahomes wasn’t intercepted this week. It’s not exactly a deep football analysis, but it’s the kind of comment that makes Wright’s rankings so entertaining. Mahomes doesn’t have to put up insane numbers every week to be the best. He just has to be Patrick Mahomes, and that’s enough. He’s the guy who can erase a bad play with a flick of his wrist, the guy who makes you believe the Chiefs always have a chance, the guy who is still the gold standard even when the offense around him is sputtering. Wright’s mountain is a fun way to look at the NFL, and this week it told a story of vulnerability, resilience, and the endless debate about what makes a quarterback great. Some guys are falling, some are climbing, and some are just trying to stay on the mountain at all. But at the end of the day, there’s only one king, and his name is Patrick Mahomes. Whether you agree with Wright or not, you have to admit that he makes the quarterback conversation feel alive, human, and a little bit like a soap opera. And really, isn’t that exactly what we want from football?
