The 2020s QB Royalty: Why Mahomes and Allen Are Already Writing Their Legacy While We're Only Halfway Through

You know what separates a truly great quarterback from just a good one? It's not the physical tools, though those certainly matter. It's not even the championships, because sometimes a guy can be absolutely transcendent and still not get that ring for reasons beyond his control. No sir, what separates the all-timers from the also-rans is that special ability to make you believe that anything is possible when the game is on the line. It's that quarterback who makes you lean forward in your seat because you know something special might be about to happen. That's what we're watching right now with Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen in the 2020s, and let me tell you, we are living in a golden age of quarterback play whether we fully appreciate it yet or not.

Now, I've been around this game long enough to remember when people weren't quite sure what they had with Brett Favre. I remember watching Dan Marino do things that seemed absolutely impossible, things that made grown men shake their heads and wonder if they'd just seen something that couldn't be taught. I remember the debates about Warren Moon, about whether he truly belonged in that upper echelon because he came up through the USFL and the CFL. What I'm telling you is that every generation thinks their great players are special, but you know what? They're usually right. And right now, in 2024, we are in the presence of two quarterbacks who are on a pace to be remembered for their entire era, the way we remember Peyton Manning and Tom Brady for theirs, the way we remember John Elway and Joe Montana before them.

Let's talk about decades in the NFL for a second, because that's actually a fascinating lens through which to examine quarterback excellence. The 1980s gave us Dan Marino at the peak of his powers, the most accurate thrower many of us had ever seen, a guy who could operate the offense with such precision that defenses sometimes looked helpless. But that decade also had Jim McMahon winning Super Bowls with the Bears, and Joe Montana still doing Joe Montana things out in San Francisco. It was a loaded time for quarterback talent. The 1990s belonged to Steve Young and Brett Favre and John Elway in his sunset years, all elite players doing elite things. Then we move into the 2000s and suddenly it's Tom Brady taking over the world, and Peyton Manning standing right there with him, occasionally better, always in the conversation. These weren't just good quarterbacks. These were transcendent players who changed how the position was played.

Here's the thing though: when you look at the 2020s so far, and we're already five years into this decade, we're seeing something that honestly reminds me of those great eras. We've got Patrick Mahomes, who might be the most dynamic and creative quarterback I've watched since Steve Young was at his best. We've got Josh Allen, who has transformed from a guy people weren't sure could throw accurately into one of the most complete quarterbacks in football. And here's what makes it really interesting, folks: we still don't know exactly what either of these guys' ceiling truly is. They're still getting better in meaningful ways.

Patrick Mahomes arrived in 2017 and looked raw. He had an unorthodox delivery, he was still learning Andy Reid's system, and there were legitimate questions about whether he could sustain excellence over the long haul. Then 2018 hit, and suddenly he was playing at an MVP level. Then he won the Super Bowl in his first year as a full-time starter. Then he won another Super Bowl. Now he's sitting on three championships in his first seven seasons, and he's done it by being the most clutch, most creative quarterback in football. I've watched thousands of football games in my life, and the things Mahomes does off-script, the way he can make something out of nothing, the instinct he has to know when to let it loose and when to just sling it from his hip, it reminds you that sometimes genius isn't teachable. Sometimes you just have to recognize it when you see it.

But then there's Josh Allen, and this is where the story gets really interesting. Josh Allen came into the league as a physical specimen with arm talent but real questions about accuracy and consistency. The Bills drafted him thinking they might have something special, but there were no guarantees. What we've watched over the last four or five years is one of the greatest development arcs I've ever seen from a quarterback. The man has completely transformed his mechanics, his decision-making, and his overall understanding of the game. He's not just physically dominant anymore, though he absolutely is. He's smart. He's efficient. He's learned to play within an offense while also having the ability to break it and create something magical. That's a complete quarterback, and that evolution was not inevitable.

What makes both of these guys special for this decade is that they're operating in an era where quarterback play is more difficult than ever. Defenses are faster, smarter, more coordinated. Safety rules make it harder to disrupt the passing game. Offenses have become exponentially more complex. Yet here are Mahomes and Allen, thriving in that environment, actually making it look like they're ahead of the curve. They're the ones setting the standard for what's possible.

Now, we can have conversations all day about who the greatest QB of the 2000s was. Some folks will tell you it was Tom Brady because of the championships. Others will say Peyton Manning because of the individual excellence. I'd probably lean Tom Brady's direction because of what he did in the clutch moments, but I respect the argument either way. For the 1990s, most people would say Brett Favre just because of his longevity and the things he did consistently. The 1980s belongs to Dan Marino in most people's minds, though you can make cases for Montana and others. But what I'm telling you right now is that the 2020s, even only halfway through, already belongs to Mahomes and Allen in a way that's not even close.

They've won championships. They've played at MVP levels. They've made teammates around them better. They've demonstrated the ability to play in any situation, any weather, against any opponent, and find a way to win. The difference between them and their competition in the 2020s is the same difference we've always seen between the true elites and everybody else: when the game is on the line, when the pressure is the greatest, when a team needs magic, these two guys are more likely to produce it than anyone else on the field.

What this means for you as a fan is that you're living through something special right now. You're watching the same kind of quarterback excellence that people in other eras felt privileged to witness. These aren't marginal upgrades over the previous generation. These aren't just really good players. These are transformative athletes who are redefining what's possible at the position. Mahomes might never throw a football the same way twice, but somehow it ends up exactly where it needs to be. Allen is reminding us that a quarterback can evolve into something greater than what he appeared to be when he started. That's the gift of watching greatness unfold in real time, and if you're paying attention to football in the 2020s, you're getting to see some of the best quarterback play this league has ever produced. Appreciate it while it's happening, because decades like this don't come around very often.