Josh Allen doesn’t need to win a Super Bowl to be No. 1.The Buffalo Bills’ franchise player was voted the NFL’s top quarterback by The Associated Press in a preseason survey.The 2024 AP NFL Most Valuable Player beat out Patrick Mahomes, who earned the top spot each of the three previous seasons.Allen received five first-place votes from a panel of eight AP pro football writers, who ranked the top five quarterbacks entering the 2026 season. First-place votes were worth 10 points. Second through fifth-place votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.Allen appeared on all eight ballots and also got one second-place vote, one third and one fourth.Mahomes finished second just ahead of reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford. Lamar Jackson came in fourth and Joe Burrow was fifth.
1. Josh Allen, Buffalo BillsAllen followed up his MVP season with another excellent campaign in 2025, but the Bills had their streak of five straight AFC East titles ended by New England and were knocked out of the playoffs in the divisional round against Denver, costing coach Sean McDermott his job.Allen threw for 3,668 yards, 25 TDs and had 10 picks for a 102.2 passer rating. He ran for 579 yards and 14 scores, making his fourth Pro Bowl and finishing third in MVP voting.Allen and the Bills are still seeking their first Super Bowl appearance since the 1993 season despite seven straight playoff appearances.
