Patrick Mahomes hears the comparisons to Tom Brady, but the Kansas City Chiefs’ MVP struggles to put himself ahead of the man many consider to be the greatest quarterback of all time.
Mahomes’ reasoning behind his reluctance is simple, and it dates back to what happened when the two faced each other in the big game three years ago. Brady threw three touchdowns in what was his seventh and final Super Bowl victory. Mahomes ran for his life most of the night and was down 31-9 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“For me, it’s always going to be tough because Brady beat me in a Super Bowl,” Mahomes told NFL Media shortly after winning Super Bowl LVIII. “That’s the one thing he’ll always have in mind. It gives me something to strive for every day, is to strive for greatness. Whenever I’m tired and don’t want to train, I know that I have to do it. to experience moments like this.
The funny thing is, even though Mahomes was on the losing side in Super Bowl LV, this game did nothing to damage his legacy. If anything, Mahomes’ willpower in this game may have elevated his status as an all-time great. Playing in front of a beat-up offensive line, Mahomes often looked like Fran Tarkenton as he desperately tried to make things happen. Even though he came up empty more often than not, his efforts were nonetheless astonishing.
However, the situation was the opposite on Sunday evening. Even though the San Francisco 49ers defense had the upper hand early on, they couldn’t stop Mahomes when it mattered most. Not only did Mahomes make a play with his arm, but he did it with his legs as well, including two huge runs in overtime that helped set up his game-winning touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman.
When it comes to the Brady debate, there’s no denying that Mahomes has earned a place at the table of all-time great quarterbacks. He is only one of three quarterbacks (Brady and Joe Montana being the other two) to have at least three Super Bowl MVPs. These three are also the only players in history to have multiple league and Super Bowl MVPs.
No matter who you think is the better quarterback, it can’t be argued that Brady has raised the bar of excellence that Mahomes is currently trying to achieve.
