As if there is any doubt given his fistful of Super Bowl rings, Tom Brady is the best quarterback in the NFL.
In the first of the weekly Associated Press position rankings for this season, Brady easily came out on top in voting by Pro Football Hall of Famer James Lofton and 10 AP football writers.
The New England star and four-time Super Bowl MVP still shines brightest even as he turns 40 - and despite struggling in the Patriots' 42-27 opening loss to Kansas City. Brady received eight of the first-place votes in balloting before Thursday night's game in a 10-points-to-one-point system, and he placed second with the other three voters for 107 points.
Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers was next at 94 points, getting three first-place choices and being second best on seven ballots, third on one.
Drew Brees of the Saints was third, followed by 2016 league MVP Matt Ryan of the Falcons and Seattle's Russell Wilson.
---
EDITOR'S NOTE - The Associated Press is ranking the top 10 players at a different position every week of the NFL season, based on the votes and insights of Pro Football Hall of Famer James Lofton and AP football writers Simmi Buttar, Dave Campbell, Schuyler Dixon, Josh Dubow, Howard Fendrich, Rob Maaddi, Arnie Stapleton, Teresa M. Walker, Dennis Waszak Jr., and Barry Wilner. This feature will move on Fridays.
---
For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL
