Mahomes has accomplished amazing things, but we cannot call him the greatest yet
Patrick Mahomes is unbelievable. He is a monster of an athlete, the youngest quarterback to win the Super Bowl — while earning himself the Super Bowl MVP — and not to mention, he embodies the superstar athlete image.
It is a little concerning to me that people have already labelled Mahomes as the greatest of all time, or claiming that he is the next Tom Brady.
I could go on about the competition during the 2019 season, was there ever really a team comparable to the Kansas City Chiefs? I could also talk about the two interceptions and pair of fumbles Mahomes had on his statline at Super Bowl LIV, but perhaps that does not matter too much in the grand scheme of things.
Mahomes played his first NFL game back in 2017 after being drafted 10th overall by the Chiefs. Since then, Mahomes has accomplished more than many quarterbacks accomplish in their entire careers.
He had an unbelievable 2018 season, earning himself the NFL’s MVP honour, but couldn’t quite make it the Super Bowl. In fact, the Chiefs’ Super Bowl run was stopped by none other than Brady and the New England Patriots.
2019 was the year for Mahomes. After only three seasons, he led his team to a 35-24 comeback victory over San Francisco to take home the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Clearly, he has done a lot in a short amount of time. He has already earned a spot among some of the most well-known and accomplished quarterbacks out there. If he continues at this pace, his career has the potential to be the best.
Right now, though, it’s too early to say.
There is still time for Mahomes to fall off and for his early accomplishments to be buried under bad games, losing seasons, or injury. What if another young, superstar quarterback lands themselves on the right team, with the right system and the coaching staff, to put up incredible numbers? It is impossible to predict whether or not Mahomes will continue with his outstanding performance, and for how long it will last.
Comparing Brady and Mahomes is something that people seem to enjoy doing, but it is difficult to logically compare the two as they’ve come up on much different careers, and are two entirely different types of athletes.
To those who are already writing Brady off as the GOAT, slow down. Tom Brady has been in the league for a long time, and has done a lot for the sport. His career, his story, and his presence in the NFL cannot be replaced. Not right now at least.
He won six Super Bowls with the Patriots, then picked another team to take to yet another one this year. I imagine Brady went up to Tampa Bay and said “do you guys want to go to the Super Bowl?” and Tampa Bay said yes, and he made sure to ask, “do you mind if my buddies Gronk and Antonio come along for the ride?”
And here we are, about a week away from watching the Kansas City Chiefs face off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mahomes could go back to back, or Brady could earn himself a seventh ring. Either way, it’ll be a game to watch.
Perhaps Superbowl LV will symbolize the passing of the torch from Brady to Mahomes, or Brady will prove once again that he is still the greatest of all time.
