Now entering the 2026 NFL season without an MVP award in several years, Patrick Mahomes has something he has not possessed in quite some time: An emerging group of naysayers. While the Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback is still chasing Super Bowl titles, NFL analysts have focused on the rise of younger quarterbacks’ talents and whether they have surpassed Mahomes. Former NFL quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick disagrees with that narrative. In fact, he thinks Mahomes has said he feels Mahomes is the most likely candidate to win the NFL MVP award in the upcoming 2026 season, as he discussed on The Rich Eisen Show.
Fitzpatrick Picks Mahomes to Win the NFL MVP Award
“To me, I’m looking at Mahomes,” Fitzpatrick said. “I kind of think he’s the favorite in my mind to win MVP this year.”
Fitzpatrick’s prediction holds credibility because he is not simply going off of what is on Mahomes’ resume. We know that he has been to the Super Bowl more than once, taken home an MVP trophy on two occasions, and dominated in the playoffs over the course of his young career. Instead, Fitzpatrick is using it as an opportunity to look at how he believes Mahomes can respond, coming off an offseason where he has faced some criticism about his position among the NFL’s top quarterbacks. Betting against a player with Mahomes’ track record has rarely worked out well, and Fitzpatrick clearly believes another signature season is coming.
Why Fitzpatrick Thinks Mahomes Will Win the NFL MVP Award
While Fitzpatrick believes Mahomes has the talent to capture another MVP award, he also pointed to several factors that could fuel an even stronger season in 2026.
“Because of the injury, and the amount he has had to put into getting healthy this offseason,“ Fitzpatrick explained. ”The last few years, doubt is starting to creep in, people starting to talk about ‘maybe he is not the top quarterback anymore? Yes, he has the rings, but look at these guys that have outplayed him the last few years. I think there’s enough of a narrative there that’s going to drive him even more,” Fitzpatrick emphasized. “I do think sometimes, having to hit reset, the focus that he has put on rehabbing his body and getting ready, I see him as my favorite for MVP this season.”
The most interesting part of Fitzpatrick’s argument has little to do with statistics. He believes the combination of recovering from injury and hearing criticism throughout the offseason could sharpen Mahomes’ edge. Great quarterbacks often find motivation wherever they can, and Mahomes has never shied away from using outside narratives as fuel. If the rehabilitation process has left him healthier, fresher, and more determined than he was a year ago, the rest of the NFL could be dealing with a quarterback playing with renewed purpose rather than simply trying to maintain his previous standard.
Several Variables Will Determine if Mahomes Wins the NFL MVP Award
Whether Mahomes ultimately wins the award will depend on team success, health, and the level of competition across the NFL. Still, Fitzpatrick’s reasoning extends beyond reputation. He sees a quarterback who has spent months rebuilding both physically and mentally while listening to questions about whether his best football is behind him. If that combination produces the response Fitzpatrick expects, Mahomes could find himself back to winning yet another NFL MVP award by the end of the 2026 season.
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