That being said, Patrick Mahomes is likely to become the greatest footballer of all time.
Yes, the shadow of Tom Brady and his six rings is still huge, especially since the two will be meeting in the Super Bowl in two weeks. But Mahomes might get there one day, and that’s not a reckless or controversial statement. Not after winning his first Super Bowl last February at the ripe old age of 24 – the same age Brady won his first Super Bowl – and especially not after Mahomes’ latest legendary performance.
On Sunday, seven days after suffering a painful counter-injury and concussion in the division round, Mahomes went out and dominated the AFC championship game to such an amazing extent that even his 62-year-old future Hall of Fame head coach remained. awe after the Chiefs’ 38-24 victory over the Buffalo Bills.
“I’m an old guy who’s seen some good backs, and I’m sitting there saying, ‘This guy seems to surprise me a little bit every game,’ Chiefs coach Andy Reid said after the match said. .
Reid, who once coached Brett Favre in his prime, was one voice in a chorus of praise.
“He’s a gamer, so it does not necessarily matter whether the situation matters – he tends to rise above all else,” said safety tyrant Mathieu.
“We just had the quarterback who could make all the right plays and throw all the right ones,” Travis Kelce said. “Today he was just flawless.”
Mahomes’ final statistics were exactly that. He surpassed the extremely hungry Josh Allen – another worthy MVP candidate this season – by completing 29 of 38 for 325 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, and his pass rate of 127.6 was his highest since November 1st.
Buffalo believed it was a fatal team, but many teams felt that way, only to drop their hopes on the crest of their powers by alpha quarterbacks. That’s what Mahomes is, the Bills have learned, and that’s what Brady is. And that’s why their upcoming showdown in Super Bowl LV will be so special.
Sure, it’s a battle between old BOK versus young BOK, with Mahomes’ new school improvising QB game against Brady’s old school prototype, which is an easy storyline, to not even be a rating bonanza for the not to mention league.
For those who love the history of the game, those who appreciate the legacy, it promises to be so much more. In a league where it’s just hard to get to the Super Bowl, a win from Brady will make it even harder for Mahomes to surpass him in terms of the rings. A 7-1 advantage is hard to overcome, though it is proof of Mahomes’ tremendous skill that it would not be out of the question.
But if he achieves a Mahomes victory, he will * only need four more * to match Brady, with maybe 10 to 15 or more seasons to play. No terrible chance, considering Mahomes’ substantial gifts and Kansas City’s excellent infrastructure.
What’s more, there’s a chance it’s the last time we’ll see these two, because Brady is 43 and the Chiefs and Bucs are not going to play each other in the normal 2021 season. This one could be the break-even point as the two stand 2-2 against each other, with Brady winning the first two games and Mahomes the last two, winning an earlier season 27-24.
So yeah, just call it ‘Brady-Mahomes V: Winner Takes All.’ Not just for the crown of the 2020 season, but also for the legacy.
Brady could see today that this potential passing of the torch was coming. That’s why he looked for Mahomes in the Chiefs’ locker room after their second power play, a Patriots victory over the Chiefs in the 2018 AFC Championship game.
“He stressed again that I do things the right way, that I do the right job and that I will have more opportunities to be in these games,” Mahomes recalled Sunday.
Brady looked right as Mahomes has since become 2-for-2 in conference title matches.
And now, in two weeks, Brady will be battling it out against a more agile and stronger-armed version of himself on the biggest football field, with BOK status possibly one day in the balance. If Mahomes wins Sunday and finishes his career with six titles, we’ll see it as an equalizer, like when Michael Jordan’s Bulls beat Magic Johnson’s Lakers in the 1991 NBA Finals.
There’s a good chance both quarterbacks know that too. While Brady’s decision to flee New England last season – and Bill Belichick proves wrong – set another example of his Jordanian competitiveness, do not for a moment think that his young challenger, the man in his past 26 with 25-1 away is not. started, also does not have that property.
Mahomes’ knockdown of Buffalo Sunday against a talented young rival in Allen provided more evidence of his internal rival. He took note of some who thought he was the lesser of the two AFC Championship games.
His comments about Brady and the Bucs after the game were a sign that he is also well aware of the historical implications of his next game.
“To be able to perform in a 150th Super Bowl against one of the greatest, if not the greatest backs of all time, I would be a wonderful experience,” Mahomes joked before getting serious.
‘To go there and have the chance to repeat and do it against the best is something special. And I’m excited for the opportunity. ”
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