National Football League

Rodgers ahead of Brady, Mahomes on NFL QB list

Updated Jul. 11, 2022 5:21 p.m. ET

Though he hasn't been able to produce substantial playoff success in a long time, Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers was christened the league's best QB heading into the 2022 season by a pool of NFL executives and players.

It was a revelation that was met with controversy considering what took place in last season's playoffs, and for Colin Cowherd, there are not one, but several signal-callers that should be listed ahead of the reigning MVP on the list.

Aaron Rodgers beats out Tom Brady & Patrick Mahomes in QB rankings

Colin Cowherd shares why he's not buying Aaron Rodgers as the No. 1 QB in the league.

"Our lists are almost identical," Cowherd said Monday on "The Herd" in reference to his recently released top 10 QBs list. "But the one thing that blows me away is that people who are paid to do this for a living — players and coaches — would put Aaron Rodgers above Tom Brady, and Patrick Mahomes, and Joe Burrow, and Josh Allen. With 1:30 left, 75 yards, and you trail, you take Aaron over Brady?

"One offensive coordinator who voted Brady put it best: ‘Brady’s the ultimate end-of-game guy, ball in his hands, wouldn't take anyone else.' We know Aaron's last 16 playoff games, he shrinks. He's 7-9, he completes less than 64% of his throws, and that's often as a home favorite. But Aaron is more stylish, and it does look prettier when he throws the ball."

On the NFL list, in order, Rodgers was first, followed by Mahomes, Allen, Brady, Burrow, Matthew Stafford, Justin Herbert, Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson and Dak Prescott.

"The NFL isn't baseball, which is just trapped with tradition," Cowherd said. "And the NBA tends to play a glamorous style. You win games in football, nobody cares. Brady, for most of his career, has never been stylish. Aaron's got a lot of ‘Wow!’ moments, but in 14 years, he's got 18 fourth-quarter comebacks. Derek Carr has almost double in eight seasons."