"Josh Allen couldn't beat Patrick Mahomes" - NFL analyst weighs in on the Jalen Hurts vs. Bills QB debate following Chiefs' Super Bowl LIX loss

Following the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, NFL analyst Craig Carton believes that Jalen Hurts has to be ranked as one of the top five quarterbacks in the NFL.

“Yeah, I've got him in the top five. How could I not? The guy's been to two Super Bowls in five years of his career,” Carton said.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, NFL MVP winner and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, NFL MVP runner-up and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and 2025 regular season passing leader and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow are believed to be among the league's top four quarterbacks.

However, Carton pushed back on this notion that the four quarterbacks should be undisputedly the top four in the league.

“We always use those four as, well, these four are untouchable. I'm going to push back on that. Why are they untouchable?” Carton added.

Specifically, he pointed out if Allen should be ranked below Jalen Hurts.

“Josh Allen? What's elite about Josh Allen? He put up Aaron Rodgers numbers this past year. Josh Allen couldn't beat Patrick Mahomes. Jalen Hurts just did,” Carton added.

Carton was the only one with that sentiment on the panel as former NFL players Greg Jennings and Mark Schlereth disagreed with him. The former players were united in their belief that Josh Allen could have beaten the Chiefs if he had the Eagles’ roster. However, Carton disagreed.

“It’s easy to say yeah, but I’m not saying it,” he said.

Jalen Hurts' Super Bowl MVP performance moves him up quarterback rankings

The discussion of who the better quarterback is between Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts will heat up going into next season. Allen won his first regular season MVP this year but was thwarted in the playoffs by Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Meanwhile, Hurts made his second Super Bowl appearance in his five-year NFL career, this time winning it. In this rematch from Super Bowl LVII, Hurts threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns. He was named Super Bowl LIX MVP in the Eagles’ 40-22 rout of the Kansas City Chiefs. Hurts also broke the quarterback rushing record by running for 72 yards.

While Allen may have more passing yards and touchdowns, Hurts now has the Super Bowl ring to support his argument.