Dan Orlovsky Claims the Gap Between Patrick Mahomes and Other Elite QBs Has “Never Been This Ridiculously Big”

Dan Orlovsky (left), Patrick Mahomes (right); Image Credit: USA TODAY Sports

Super Bowl 59 was one of the worst beatdowns in the Big Game’s history. The Philadelphia Eagles whopped the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 (at one point leading 40-6). And they didn’t just beat the Chiefs — they beat the two-time defending champions. The most surprising part was how poorly Patrick Mahomes performed.

The Chiefs QB threw two interceptions and also lost a fumble, the first time he’d ever done that in the postseason. He was also sacked six times and pressured 18, so it wasn’t all his fault. But there’s no denying Mahomes shoulders a lot of the blame there. And the underperforming for Mahomes last year wasn’t limited to that Super Bowl either.

He did not make the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career as a starter in 2024. He also tied a career low in touchdowns (26) and failed to throw for 4,000 yards for the first time. His 93.5 passer rating was the second-lowest of his career (2023), and he had an interception rate above 1.9 for the fourth straight year. Despite all of that, a recent poll by ESPN of NFL coaches, executives, and scouts still ranked Mahomes at number one.

One rival offensive coordinator described Mahomes this way: “I thought he had more command of time/score/situation and better fundamentals from within the pocket than ever. He’s a one-man army. And no NFL coach wants to deal with him. Complete dawg. No one like him. Maybe [Joe] Burrow, but Burrow isn’t as dangerous as a player.”

Other execs acknowledged that Mahomes has taken a step back in the last year or two. However, they all believe he is going to bounce back with a vengeance. ESPN pundit Dan Orlovsky, meanwhile, believes that even before a bounce-back year, Super Bowl-losing Mahomes is still above the rest of the big four (Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, and Lamar Jackson) because of his performances in big games. Super Bowl 59 notwithstanding, of course.

“The gap has never been this ridiculously big gap, when it comes to Patrick, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow. All three of those guys had better seasons last year than Patrick did, yes. But there is the reality that Patrick, not once, not twice, but three or four times, has played his absolute best when it’s been needed the most. Those other three guys haven’t necessarily done that”

As Orlovsky said, all three of those guys are coming off career years. Josh Allen just won MVP. He lost to Mahomes in the AFCCG. Lamar Jackson probably should have won MVP. He lost to Allen in the Divisional round. Joe Burrow nearly won the passing triple crown. He didn’t even make the playoffs.

Numbers and stats are fun, but Mahomes is still head and shoulders above the pack in the most important stat: wins.