# Matt Verderame: Matt gave his own ranking of all 32 projected starting quarterbacks entering camp, from Shedeur Sanders at 32 up to Patrick Mahomes at No. 1, with Sam Darnold and Brock Purdy straddling his middle-of-the-league 'Cousins-Darnold line.' He also suggested Mahomes would win Comeback Player of the Year if healthy and good.

**Claimed:** Jul 20, 2026
**Pundit:** Matt Verderame — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/matt-verderame
**Outlet:** KC Sports Network (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/kc-sports-network-podcast
**How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us
**Original:** https://pdrl.fm/8d7cde/mgln.ai/e/256/pscrb.fm/rss/p/clrtpod.com/m/bluewire.simplecastaudio.com/8bf45406-115f-47da-8dc8-dcc5713f4a83/episodes/137dc22f-966b-43c5-bcec-7c6315cf613a/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=8bf45406-115f-47da-8dc8-dcc5713f4a83&awEpisodeId=137dc22f-966b-43c5-bcec-7c6315cf613a&feed=BJf5DYgc

2 checkable claims — 1 award pick and 1 top player list — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.

It names 2 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.

> 32 is just whoever the fuck starts for Cleveland, but I I put Shador Sanders.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Patrick Mahomes to win Comeback Player of the Year**
  - Kind: Award Picks · About: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Again, Sanders at 32, Brissett, 31, Bryce Young, 30, Gino at 29, Willis at 28, Penech at 27, Fernando Mendoza at 26, Ken Ward at twenty five... I have Shuck twenty fourth... I have Jackson Dart '23... I had Daniel Jones 22... I have Kyler Murray twenty first... So I've got Rodgers 20, Strav 19, Knicks 18, Darleson [17]... Is it Brock Bertie? Yep [16]... 15. I would've had this guy a little higher last year, Baker Mayfield... Jalen Hurts, 14... 13, Jaden Daniels... Golf. I've got 12... And then number 11, I have just missing out on the top 10, Caleb Williams... my number 10, Straffel Lawrence... So I love a nine [Jordan Love]... I have Dak at eight... I have Herbert at seven... I got Drake May 6... with Burrow, I also have him five... I have Lamar mid four... I've Stafford three... he is two [Josh Allen]... I'm taking Mahomes**
  - Kind: Top Player Lists
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Patrick Mahomes — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/patrick-mahomes
- Kansas City Chiefs — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chiefs

## What others said about the same people

- Connor Rogers on Kansas City Chiefs: Rogers made his own Week 2 calls, taking the Packers, Eagles (by at least 10), Panthers (by at least a field goal), Cowboys (by at least six), Chargers, Chiefs and Rams to win. He also noted Baltimore was his Super Bowl pick and said it wouldn't shock him if Jacksonville hosted the AFC Championship Game. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/0c2a0048-cb74-4da9-8ef4-695cc6571cdf (scored 100)
- Chris Simms on Kansas City Chiefs: Simms went through the entire Week 3 slate with straight-up winners and predicted final scores, taking Jacksonville, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Detroit, Houston, Carolina, Kansas City, Seattle, the Giants, Baltimore, New Orleans, Minnesota, San Francisco, Denver and Philadelphia. He also expected Zay Flowers and Puka Nacua to sit, Kyler Murray to play, and said Marvin Harrison Jr. projects as no better than a good No. 2 or high-end No. 3 receiver. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/662b7ba3-1bf6-4ad0-9f93-9f2ab83143fd (scored 100)
- Connor Rogers on Kansas City Chiefs: Rogers picked Detroit, Houston, Carolina, Kansas City, Seattle and the Giants to win their Week 3 games, saying the Chiefs win by two touchdowns and the Giants by a field goal. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/83d1e88b-95a0-45ba-83d3-f86297170c6c (scored 100)
- Jake Arthur on Kansas City Chiefs: Arthur expects a close Chiefs win on Sunday Night Football at Arrowhead, predicting a final score of 27-23 for Kansas City. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ca7ab74e-ab34-4ed6-a77f-2c7e9f8c8c4d (scored 97.62)
- Zach Hicks on Kansas City Chiefs: Hicks predicts a lower-scoring, field-goal-heavy game with the Chiefs beating the Colts 23-19, citing Indianapolis' red-zone success against Kansas City historically. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ddbaddad-c15e-4e6f-a6ac-f066de6cdc2a (scored 97.62)
- John Middlekauff on Kansas City Chiefs: Middlekauff expects blowout wins for Seattle over Washington and Kansas City over Miami in Week 3, picks Cincinnati to beat Pittsburgh in the AFC North matchup, and takes Tennessee over the Giants if Jameis Winston is taking snaps. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/8115d255-82e3-442e-aeef-c3eaa3587603 (scored 100)

## More award picks

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Gregg Rosenthal on Tristan Wirfs: Rosenthal picked Patrick Mahomes for MVP, Micah Parsons for Defensive Player of the Year, Jahmyr Gibbs for Offensive Player of the Year, Aaron Glenn for Coach of the Year, Travis Hunter for both Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year, Bill Callahan for Assistant Coach of the Year and Tristan Wirfs for Protector of the Year. He also made depth-chart calls on Adam Thielen and Jalen Coker. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/88928365-78fb-4f7b-84a4-0dd7856ba9cc (scored 0)
- Jourdan Rodrigue on Penei Sewell: Rodrigue picked Patrick Mahomes for MVP, Jared Verse for Defensive Player of the Year, Ja'Marr Chase for Offensive Player of the Year, Mike Vrabel for Coach of the Year, TreVeyon Henderson for Offensive Rookie of the Year and Abdul Carter for Defensive Rookie of the Year, with Jesse Minter for Assistant Coach of the Year and Penei Sewell for Protector of the Year. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f3ba94ea-a935-4534-88e4-bb6027bf87ad (scored 0)
- Brandon Sneide on Drake Maye: Snyder picks the Seahawks to beat the Patriots 31-23 in Super Bowl 60, believing Seattle pulls away late, and says Drake Maye will finish second in MVP voting behind Matthew Stafford. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1cf83e90-e59f-4c8f-941f-c732efcb4c03 (scored 0)
- Nick Wright on Rashid Shaheed: Nick picked Seattle to win the Super Bowl 27-17, citing Seattle's defense, coaching against young quarterbacks and schedule strength, and named Rasheed Shaheed as his dark horse Super Bowl MVP. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1fe4abc6-28e3-412b-ab6e-d2f65f25682f (scored 0)
- Chris Broussard on Cooper Kupp: Broussard picked New England to beat Seattle 24-21, with Drake May winning Super Bowl MVP, and named Cooper Kupp as his dark horse MVP. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1247ee30-3338-4940-8fc9-977cc215ff59 (scored 0)
- Eric Mangini on Drake Maye: Mangini picked the Patriots 23-20 with Drake May as Super Bowl MVP, and earlier named Kayshon Boutte ("Kaeshawn Booty") as his dark horse MVP. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/332dce8c-f71c-4f26-a976-8f4615a9f9bd (scored 0)

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Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages.

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