Newton defended his selection by explaining that his criteria for “confidence” goes beyond mere victories. He pointed out that while Mahomes is undeniably talented, he hasn't shown the consistency Newton feels is necessary for his current rankings.

“He’s not playing at the caliber we expect from him. Even at 6-0, they found ways not to lose. And teams found ways to lose those games,” Newton explained.

Mahomes' season performance

Mahomes has had a challenging start to the season, recording more interceptions (eight) than touchdowns (six) in six games. He ranks 16th in passing yards (1,389) and 9th in QBR (61.2), completing 67.9 percent of his passes.

After the Chiefs' recent win against the San Francisco 49ers, Mahomes acknowledged his struggles but emphasized the importance of the team's success.

We win games against good teams by significant margins, and that's not easy for the NFL. But I just don't think what you saw from us is normal because there aren't many passing touchdowns. There was a lot of fluctuation, especially for me. I think it just shows the versatility of our team. It's not just about me, it's not just about the stats and the light show and stuff like that. It’s about playing team football,” he added

Quarterback Stats (2023 Season)

1. Lamar Jackson
Team: Baltimore Ravens
Games: 16
Degrees: 307
Attempts: 457
Degree of completion: 67.2%
Passing yards: 3,678
touchdowns: 24
Interceptions: 7
Passer rating: 102.7

2. Jared Goff
Team: Detroit Lions
Games: 16
Degrees: 392
Attempts: 581
Degree of completion: 67.5%
Passing yards: 4,447
touchdowns: 29
Interceptions: 7
Passer rating: 103.8

3. Josh Allen
Team: Buffalo Bills
Games: 16
Degrees: 366
Attempts: 569
Degree of completion: 64.3%
Passing yards: 4,181
touchdowns: 31
Interceptions: 10
Passer rating: 98.7

4. Joe Burrow
Team: Cincinnati Bengals
Games: 16
Completions: 370
Attempts: 550
Degree of completion: 67.3%
Passing yards: 4,200
touchdowns: 28
Interceptions: 9
Passer rating: 101.5

5. Sam Darnold
Team: San Francisco 49ers
Games: 16
Degrees: 295
Attempts: 469
Degree of completion: 62.9%
Passing yards: 3,100
Touchdowns: 20
Interceptions: 8
Passer rating: 90.2