Patrick Mahomes, the star quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, is on a trajectory to potentially unseat Tom Brady as the greatest player in NFL history. With the Chiefs making their fourth Super Bowl appearance in the last five seasons, Mahomes has already achieved impressive milestones in his career. When comparing the first six seasons of Brady and Mahomes, the Chiefs QB has the edge in wins, AFC Championship titles, passer rating, and TD-INT ratio. The only area where Brady currently has the advantage is in Super Bowl titles, with a 3-2 lead.
The question now arises: can Mahomes catch Brady and become the GOAT? While it is a fair conversation to have, it is premature to declare Mahomes as the greatest player of all time. Despite his sensational start, Mahomes still has a long way to go to match Brady’s accomplishments.
Even if Mahomes were to match Brady’s seven Super Bowl titles, he would still need to overcome the fact that Brady has a 2-0 playoff record against him in head-to-head matchups. These were not just regular-season games but crucial playoff games that determined legacies. Brady swept the series against Mahomes, including a victory in Super Bowl LV.
One of Brady’s greatest strengths in the race for immortality was his longevity. He played for 23 seasons and continued to perform at a high level until the age of 45. In comparison, Mahomes is only 28 years old and has plenty of time ahead of him. However, he would need to play deep into his 40s to match Brady’s career numbers.
To illustrate this point, let’s project Mahomes’ career numbers through his age-40 season. If Mahomes maintains good health and plays for 12 more seasons, he could come close to Brady’s all-time regular-season totals but still fall short in some areas. With Brady’s head-to-head advantage, Mahomes would need to play well into his 40s to surpass him in all categories.
Ultimately, the title of the greatest quarterback of all time is subjective and varies from person to person. Some may argue for Brady, while others may prefer Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Joe Montana, or even Mahomes. However, when looking at the resume and accomplishments, Brady currently holds the crown. While Mahomes is on the right path to potentially reach that level one day, he still has a long way to go.
In conclusion, the question of whether Patrick Mahomes can unseat Tom Brady as the NFL’s GOAT is a difficult one. While Mahomes has achieved impressive milestones early in his career, he still needs to surpass Brady’s accomplishments and overcome their head-to-head matchups. Additionally, Mahomes would need to play deep into his 40s to match Brady’s longevity. The debate will continue, but for now, Brady remains the greatest player the NFL has ever witnessed.