I think it’s a safe enough bet to say the mid-2000s into the early 2010s was the golden era for quarterbacks in the NFL. You had a Manning-Brady Bowl in the AFC championship with regular frequency, while Ben Roethlisberger consistently led the Steelers deep into the playoffs in the same conference, snagging two Super Bowls along the way. In the NFC, Aaron Rodgers lit up defenses on the way to a Super Bowl crown and two league MVPs, while Drew Brees served as the spark for Sean Payton’s high-flying offenses, bringing a title to New Orleans.
Fast-forward to this past weekend. Peyton Manning is retired, calling it quits after his Super Bowl 50 victory with the Broncos over the Seahawks. Tom Brady and the Patriots sit at 1-2 after a losing to the previously comically bad Lions. The Packers, under Aaron Rodgers, have limped their way to a 1-2 start as well while Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers started off their season by tying the Browns and then losing to the Chiefs.
And while Drew Brees has gotten off to a flying start, it’s clear this golden generation of NFL quarterbacks is on its way out.
So naturally, in the spirit of relatively baseless predictions, I figured I’d spend this column assessing the two young quarterbacks who I believe, in five years’ time, will be the Mannings, Bradys and Rodgers of their era — Carson Wentz of the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes II, both of whom have the potential not only for personal greatness, but also to lead their teams to (additional) titles.
Carson Wentz
After a long nine months away from football, Carson Wentz finally made his return to the Eagles’ starting lineup this weekend in a 20-16 win over the Indianapolis Colts.
A lot has changed in Philadelphia since Wentz last took the field, namely that the Eagles won the Super Bowl. While it wasn’t Wentz who led the team to victory, it’s hard to argue the team could have been in a position to win it all without him.
In what probably would have been an MVP season had it not been for his injury, Wentz threw for 33 touchdowns, 3,296 yards and only seven interceptions in the 13 games he played, posting an 11-2 record along the way and setting the Eagles up with the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
Wentz is mobile, accurate and a winner. What more could you want in a future star quarterback?
Patrick Mahomes II
Is Patrick Mahomes the next Peyton Manning? Maybe. I mean, he passed Peyton Manning for the most touchdown passes in the first three games of a season, so that’s as good a sign as any he’s got a good-enough shot of counting himself among the greats in a few years.
After backing up Alex Smith in his first year out of Texas Tech in 2017, Mahomes has blossomed under quarterback guru Andy Reid in Kansas City, throwing 13 touchdowns and no interceptions to kick off the 2018 season, leading the Chiefs to a 3-0 record along the way.
With weapons around him, a great arm and a coach who calls to his strengths, Mahomes’ future looks bright.
