Ahead of the 2026 season, NFL executives, coaches, and scouts released their top-10 quarterback rankings, with Josh Allen edging out Patrick Mahomes for the No. 1 spot. Former MVP Cam Newton, however, has some reservations. Newton agrees that Allen is firmly a top-five quarterback in the league, but doesn’t believe the Buffalo Bills star has done enough to claim the top spot, especially after playing a significant role in Buffalo’s divisional-round loss to the Denver Broncos.

“As if to say Josh Allen ain’t the reason why his team lost the last game against Denver,” Newton said on his 4th&1 podcast. “…If you’re talking about the top of the list, you’re supposed to be the reason why we win, not why we lose. But this is the thing about old Josh Allen. I love Josh. He’s probably my favorite player to watch, but he don’t get the blame like everybody else can. Because you would have thought Josh Allen had Patrick Mahomes resume. Stop me when I start telling the truth. How do you win an MVP and you’re not First-team All-Pro? Somebody has to say this.”

Fresh off his first MVP award, Allen once again guided the Bills to the postseason. However, he fell short of reaching the Super Bowl once again, only this time it was the Broncos who stood in Buffalo’s way and ended its playoff run. And it’s hard to ignore the fact that Allen indeed played a key role in the Bills’ defeat.

The quarterback turned the ball over four times, including two interceptions and two fumbles. It started just before halftime when Nik Bonitto forced a fumble after Allen scrambled for 12 yards. As that happened, Wil Lutz recorded a 50-yard field goal, as the Broncos got a 10-point lead by halftime. The second half, meanwhile, didn’t go well for Allen either.

On the second play of the third quarter, Bonitto strip-sacked Allen and Denver scored another field goal. In the same quarter, Allen threw his first interception. While there’s no denying that Josh Allen went 25-of-39 for 282 yards and three touchdowns and forced overtime, his final mistake in OT cost Buffalo significantly.

Allen threw an interception in overtime to Ja’Quan McMillian and set up Denver’s game-winning field goal. The Broncos defeated the Bills 33-30 and advanced to the AFC Championship game. The Bills, meanwhile, suffered another setback, followed by the firing of head coach Sean McDermott.

Fast forward to now, and while it’s true that Allen took accountability for the loss, stating, “I feel like I let my teammates down tonight,” Cam Newton argues that, unlike other quarterbacks in the league, Josh Allen doesn’t get blamed for the mistakes he makes.

At the same time, the former NFL quarterback argued that Matthew Stafford has been efficient for the Los Angeles Rams for the past couple of seasons and has just won his first MVP honors. This is why it’s tough for Newton to digest that the NFL execs, coaches, and scouts named Josh Allen the No. 1 quarterback.